Giving Thanks for This Time

My holiday season has officially begun.  On Friday we gathered with friends to take part in our first traditional activity of the holidays, our Operation Christmas Child box party.  Our participation in this wonderful program sets the tone of our celebrations and reinforces the value that this season is an opportunity to give more than to receive.  Today we took 33 shoe boxes full of gifts to the church for a blessing and then to the drop off site.  It's such a blessing to be able to do this each year.

Tomorrow, I will pick my parents up at the airport.  I am so excited for this Thanksgiving weekend.  Three of my four sisters, and their families will join us, along with two of my aunts and uncles and two cousins.  There should be 23 in all for dinner on Thursday.

I spent part of yesterday and today making Christmas ornaments that will be favors for our guests.  I'm pretty pleased with the ornaments. 

They are old alphabet blocks upon which I pasted a photo of our home on one side and the date and name on the other side.  I think they look really nice.

I spent a larger part of today putting together recipes, a grocery list and a schedule for Thanksgiving day.  It's good to see it all on paper.  Having a plan always helps me feel more relaxes about the challenges that I know are going to  come along.

Here's the menu.

Deep Fried Turkey

Roasted Turkey
Gravy
Sweet potato casserole
Make Ahead Mashed potatoes
Shoe peg corn
Sage dressing
Creamy Wild Rice Dressing
Cranberry sauce
Rolls
Pumpkin Roll
Bourbon Pecan Tart
Apple dumplings

Here's the plan.

Monday

Pick Mom and Dad up at the airport
Roast chickens for dinner. Use leftovers for chicken enchiladas.
Make pumpkin roll

Tuesday
Grocery shopping
Make chicken enchiladas. Freeze.

Wednesday
Make apple dumplings, bourbon pecan tart, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, make ahead potatoes
Pick up tables and chairs
Chop onions and celery
Brine one turkey

Thursday
Breakfast and Macy’s Parade
Set table
Snacks for lunch
12:00 prep dressings 2 9X13 pans
1:15 Roasted Turkey 2 hours in oven 20 minutes rest time
1:30 Dinner rolls 2 hours prep and rising ½ hour to bake
1:45 Deep Fried Turkey 30 minutes to bring to room temperature 45 minutes-1 hour fry time 30 minutes rest time before carving
2:00 Sage dressing 1 hour in oven (put back in oven when turkey comes out)
2:15 Creamy Wild Rice Dressing 45 minutes in oven (put back in oven when turkey comes out)
2:30 set out Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes and Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes
3:10 Put Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes and Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes in oven
3:15 Make Gravy
3:30 Shoe peg corn – 20 minutes
4:00 Dinner

We are going to rent tables and chairs so that everyone can sit together for dinner.  I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to buy new table clothes and napkins or if I'm going to go with mix and match that I already have.  I do know that I need to pick up another eight person place setting of silverware.  I've got all the plates and serving pieces that I need.  It feels wonderful to be able to look forward to every moment of the coming week.  I am so thankful.