A Family Affair

Thanksgiving is a family affair, full of tradition, and my aunt, uncle, and their three kids flew in from Chattanooga for it. We spent most of the week and all of the weekend together, so now that I'm sitting at the airport waiting for my flight back to LAX I can really post something substantial.

Of course we have to discuss the food. My Mom and Aunt got that going pretty early on Thursday morning. The turkey'd already been brining (that really is the secret) for 24 hours, but they had all the sides and desserts that still needed work.

That's the Southern hashbrowns in the red dish (more on that later!), the sweet potatoes under the lid, and of course the green bean casserole and the stuffing on the lower rack. Fortunately, we've got a double oven, so the turkey was baking in the one beneath.

Prepping the green bean casserole.

It all ended up being delicious. Rolls, mashed potatoes, the green beans, hashbrowns, stuffing (both bird, and non-bird), an amazing chocolate mousse, and pumpkin pie. 

And of course the turkey!

And didn't it turn out magnificently? It didn't just look beautiful -- it was actually delicious. The first time I ever actually enjoyed a Thanksgiving turkey. Moist and succulent, even the leftovers. A bird to be remembered. 

Anyway, every year we take a family photo with the fully cooked turkey, a tradition from my mom's side of the family, and this year was no exception. Only that picture wasn't on my camera, so here's one of my mom and aunt. They've got the whole identical-twin-thing going. That's my aunt on the left, my mom on the right.

While the food was cooking, the kids did a little art project, making crosses listing the things they're thankful for. Nicholas, my aunt's youngest, is working on his here. 

We always do these. My sister's from a few years ago is hilarious: "One Tree Hill." "Cell phones." And, my favorite, "My True Religions denim."  Certainly something to be thankful for, and you gotta love that kind of shameless honesty...

Nick's was a little more earnest. "God." "School." "Friends." "Cousins." And how cute is that handwriting?

Nick and Little J are about the same age, and they did the place cards, too. They weren't without some "typos," but that only added to the charm I think.

As always, my Dad carved the turkey.

He gets two pictures here, because he's so rarely in them, being the photographer himself most of the time.

My Mom is a fantastic decorator, and the table looked marvelous. 

Very festive. And look at the whole family together!! 

Then of course we tucked in to dinner...

...and after, while we were watching the dishes, we all broke into an impromptu dance party via iTunes. Some of us know all the choreography (NOT just the main sequence) from the  Village People's original "YMCA" music video. Some of us do not. 

Guess which kind of people we are?

I think this is where I sign off so you don't all think we're completely insane (which maybe wouldn't be too far off the mark, but whose family doesn't have a little crazy mixed up in there?). 

I hope all your Thanksgivings were as full of fun and family as mine was!