Thanksgiving was low key, but as delicious as ever. If there’s one thing our family appreciates and takes pleasure in is planning, cooking and enjoying a good meal. This was no exception - on the menu this year:
• Lemon/thyme roasted turkey breast (I brined it first so it was extra juicy and moist)
• Roasted root vegetables with a pecan/parsley gremolatta
• Smoked gouda and chive mashed potatoes
• Judith’s whipped sweet potatoes with caramelized pears, cranberries and pecans
• French green beans with a home-made mushroom sauce then baked with fried onions on top (DJ cut the onions really thin, coated them in flour and then fried them lightly – so good)
• Judith’s amazing stuffing
• Cranberries with orange zest
• Judith’s pumpkin pie and homemade whipped cream
We had high hopes for the girls in that they’d at least eat some turkey and sweet potatoes, but all they were interested in was the pear/cranberry topping and the homemade whipped cream. I long for the day when (fingers crossed!) their taste buds grow beyond macaroni and cheese and PB&J. We try though…..sigh. We busted out our beautiful china, silver and crystal and I totally geeked out on the table and getting a few Christmas decorations up (pine boughs with small twinkly lights on the mantle). It’s the festive atmosphere I look forward to all year.
The next day we decided to go for it and get the Christmas tree up. I also decided it would be a good idea to make several batches of cookies to package up and deliver to our favorite neighbors. Amazingly both projects were completed, most likely because the girls were up at 6am and we started then! Addison and Isla were giddy with excitement over the tree and all the ornaments. Our ornaments are SUPER nice and delicate, so we had to find specific ornaments they could hang, as well as be really clear with them that the tree is not to be touched. They generally follow the rules there. However, we felt bad about this, so went out and got them their own little 4 foot tree with colored lights and a bunch of unbreakable ornaments and let them go to town. They love their tree and it sits downstairs in the family room where they play. Gramma Pam sent the cutest felt advent calendar with little pockets to pull treats from each day to count down to the 25th. We started this morning and that thing is a huge hit. On Sunday DJ and I ran out t do some Christmas shopping while the girls hung out with Ba and Nana. Surprisingly things weren’t all that busy when we were out and about and we actually got a lot accomplished. Love shopping for the girls!
It’s December first and Mother Nature, right on cue, delivered a dusting of snow overnight. Addison looked out the front door this morning and proclaimed “The snow is back!” It really feels like the holidays are in full swing. This time of year so much fun with kids!
The table
• Lemon/thyme roasted turkey breast (I brined it first so it was extra juicy and moist)
• Roasted root vegetables with a pecan/parsley gremolatta
• Smoked gouda and chive mashed potatoes
• Judith’s whipped sweet potatoes with caramelized pears, cranberries and pecans
• French green beans with a home-made mushroom sauce then baked with fried onions on top (DJ cut the onions really thin, coated them in flour and then fried them lightly – so good)
• Judith’s amazing stuffing
• Cranberries with orange zest
• Judith’s pumpkin pie and homemade whipped cream
We had high hopes for the girls in that they’d at least eat some turkey and sweet potatoes, but all they were interested in was the pear/cranberry topping and the homemade whipped cream. I long for the day when (fingers crossed!) their taste buds grow beyond macaroni and cheese and PB&J. We try though…..sigh. We busted out our beautiful china, silver and crystal and I totally geeked out on the table and getting a few Christmas decorations up (pine boughs with small twinkly lights on the mantle). It’s the festive atmosphere I look forward to all year.
The next day we decided to go for it and get the Christmas tree up. I also decided it would be a good idea to make several batches of cookies to package up and deliver to our favorite neighbors. Amazingly both projects were completed, most likely because the girls were up at 6am and we started then! Addison and Isla were giddy with excitement over the tree and all the ornaments. Our ornaments are SUPER nice and delicate, so we had to find specific ornaments they could hang, as well as be really clear with them that the tree is not to be touched. They generally follow the rules there. However, we felt bad about this, so went out and got them their own little 4 foot tree with colored lights and a bunch of unbreakable ornaments and let them go to town. They love their tree and it sits downstairs in the family room where they play. Gramma Pam sent the cutest felt advent calendar with little pockets to pull treats from each day to count down to the 25th. We started this morning and that thing is a huge hit. On Sunday DJ and I ran out t do some Christmas shopping while the girls hung out with Ba and Nana. Surprisingly things weren’t all that busy when we were out and about and we actually got a lot accomplished. Love shopping for the girls!
It’s December first and Mother Nature, right on cue, delivered a dusting of snow overnight. Addison looked out the front door this morning and proclaimed “The snow is back!” It really feels like the holidays are in full swing. This time of year so much fun with kids!
The table
Addison's self-made place-cards
Cookie time!
Silly girls
Tree trimmers
Look at that face!
So gentle!
Coo-Coo! Even Addison uses this term for cookies now.
