Giving Thanks

We had the pleasure of hosting the grandparents for Thanksgiving. Their visits are a big thrill for Harry, who always seems to receive some replica NYC vehicle when Paba appears (this year: the city bus). Our day of turkey began with the local Trot, which circles right around our house (Eliza and I pushed Harry and peeled off after a couple miles, while Paul finished the race -- he may have been wearing Eliza's chip, we're not sure, so were there a time-prize for her age bracket, we're pretty sure she would have won accolades).

Before dinner we visited our friends the Swansons, old neighbors from my years down the road in Del Ray. We don't see enough of them, so their pre-turkey cocktail party is always a pleasure.

Then it was home for the main event. It's the first year I haven't cooked stuffing. Instead we gorged on whipped, roasted garlic mashed potatoes (Harry helped rice the spuds), Celery root soup (surprise- it was great!), homemade cranberry sauce with a hint of orange, brussel sprouts roasted with Fuji apple, a bird (somehow not dry...not the biggest turkey lover me), a light gravy courtesy Cooking Light (it's a keeper) and Grandma Barnes' pecan pie (courtesy Aunt Phebe who sent us the recipe). It was not an elaborate meal, but it hit the spot -- might have been the seconds, not sure.

We have so much to be thankful for it could fill volumes, but the most important is surely our family -- both the babies we hold so dear and the relations we don't see very often. We love you all.