thanksgiving, 2023

We set the tables, but served the food buffet this year.  It worked better.  

The random pictures, eyes closed, people chewing.  Whatever.  We were here and it was fun.

Homemade pies

Once in a while my camera does this, unbelieveable.

This was the reward--I spent a whole day moving toys around, washed everything, all the costumes and doll clothes, brought it all out of storage so kids could get to it again, and they played with it. All the dolls were dressed in matching outfits and tucked into beds with bottles. It was very cute.

These are also the same people who found their Christmas presents.   In this sorting and cleaning endeavor, I had made dozens of trips and stacked all the gifts in a closet downstairs out of the way.

They found them!

I said I'd have to return them and buy new gifts now!

They said, oh no. They'd forget everything by Christmas.

Good grief. 

When I asked what they were even doing in that closet they said playing Hide n Seek.

Okay, fine.

And these coats and hat were left behind. The top coat and hat were claimed, but nobody will acknowledge the ownership of this other coat.

Hmmm.

A random, mystery coat turned up on my bed after the party? 

Seems suspicious.

Anyway, this was delightful.

Onward to Christmas

Love you all so, MOM aka Grandma

 

getting ready for thanksgiving

This was just for fun since it was so fun to decorate the play house for Halloween, might as well continue on with Christmas.

Did a little baking for tomorrow

And a little cleaning and we set up the tables and we'll be ready

Love, Mom

 

thanksgiving, 2022

Tables all set:

 

Beautiful day, easy company.

Happy Thanksgiving, Love, MOM, aka Grandma, aka Val

getting ready

We've been working on this all week, so today wasn't too bad.

Plus, we no longer have little kids in the house, so it is so much easier.  There are no messes to clean up, no fights to break up.  It's very different.

 As we worked, everything that needed a decision later went to the dining room table.  Eventually that had to be dealt with too.

We vacuumed so many times, over and over.   I must have emptied the tank five times.  It was to that point it always reaches when we're cleaning for an occasion, where I look at the dog and wonder how it is possible that she is not bald?

We dusted, vacuumed under the radiators, put away things that sit around, being overlooked for months on end.

And then we decided to tackle the gravy.  We defrosted the fat left from the turkey we cooked before and got to work on it.  It takes patience and a bit of time, but glad that's out of the way for tomorrow.

Tim put batteries in all the candles, looking good.   Last time we had a real fire in here was 1996.

Here's where I found Elin while I was working on the tables. Girl knows how to live.

And that's the end. 

Happy Thanksgiving Eve.   Love, Val