friday fotos...thanksgiving day (and another traditional minor disaster)

~Here is the story of Thanksgiving 2008. ~

This is the third year I've had my family gather here for Thanksgiving dinner. And every year, there's been some minor disaster we've had to get through.

Year #1: Everyone but my family and a friend's family gets violently ill Thanksgiving night-- so ill that a few even go to the hospital. It was assumed it was from the deep fried turkey prepared by said friends. And somehow everyone still came back and ate here come Christmas time! :)

Year #2 (last year): It took me 3 attempts to make my Nutella Brownie Pumpkin Pie. I burned one, put the wrong kind of pumpkin in another, and then the third never set up right-- so we ended up eating the burned one. Well--at least a few of us did. This is what happened to most of it......

and also our neighbor's dog, whom we were *dogsitting* for at the time, decided to pick an hour before Thanksgiving to have a seizure. (he was ok--but it was time consuming enough caring for him to cause the burnt pie).

So, now we're to YEAR #3......the year I'm glad I buy my paper towels at Costco, because some things require a whole roll of them to clean up.

Everything was going along really smoothly. I made mesquite roasted, sage rubbed turkey breasts. Stuffing (out of a box--because even homemade doesn't taste better!). Green beans with lemon. Rolls. and two kinds of potatoes:

I'm not a gravy girl, so I make these instead..... garlic, Parmesan, rosemary smashed red potatoes. Oh my head! are they ever delish! I think it has something to do with the stick of butter and the 1/2 cup of cream that goes into them.... anyway--

Guests arrived.

and everyone ended up in the kitchen. Typical!

Here is one of my brothers (the other is a race car driver and NEVER around!) and my sister. (Did you even know I had siblings? I know I only tend to blog about them in flashback posts--but they are still living!)

Do you see that pitcher in front of them? Take a good look at it. It's old---like from my bridal shower old--and it was starting to crack--but I thought it would be fine to use. Plus, it was so pretty.....

Everyone was eating and having a grand old time, when my nephew (17) decided to pour himself a drink. And the handle broke off the above mentioned cracked crystal pitcher---leaving a gaping glass hole---which spewed forth cranberry juice/ Sprite mixture. A LOT of it. All over everyone and everything!!! There was much laughter as we all crawled around on the floor trying to clean it up. My nephew's girlfriend hopped up to try and help and in doing so, spilled her drink all over herself as well. My nephew had to eat the remainder of Thanksgiving dinner in some homemade kilt he concocted out of my bath towel and his belt while his pants were in the dryer. At least I let his girlfriend borrow a pair of my pants---so no towel kilt for her!

Here's what was left of the pitcher. And did I mention how thankful I am to have wood floors? Can you imagine a pitcherful of cranberry juice on carpet?! Oh my!....

This made everything feel better. Pumpkin cobbler with cinnamon-caramel whipped cream.

Everything ends happily with dessert.

Can't wait to see what year #4 has up its sleeve. :)

***Hope your Thanksgiving was blessed by the presence of your family and friends. Love to you all!***