Thanksgiving, a little late

a few days late and with no actual Thanksgiving pictures to show you.  Alas, I'll tell you about our holiday anyway.  We hosted Thanksgiving this year at our house and had 2 of the 4 sets of parents out for some completely delicious eating.

This hostest was quite nervous about the bird cooking, since she has never cooked an entire turkey.  No worries, however!  After 2 weeks of non-stop Food Network viewing and cyber stalking the bird came out moist and tasty.  Cooked it upside down in a poultry bag (thanks to the tip from my faithful morning Spinner, Nancy) with a Bobby Flay herb butter mixed rubbed all over it.  Add to it creamy mashed potatoes and pancetta-mushroom-apple stuffing (yeah, it had all those ingredients along with 3 types of bread, including homemade cornbread!) courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.  Include a side of Blackwood Family green bean casserole (that is not made with cream of mushroom soup and tastes all the better for it) and the tasty side dishes and desserts that our guests contributed and you can say it was one fabulously awesome meal. 

And yes, I'll brag.  It was good.  Really good.  So good I'd even do it again for Christmas.  And I think I might! I love food. 

Brady has been quite enamored with his backpack that he got for his birthday.  We help to put it on and he just runs around the living room with it on his back, just like he's going to school.  So cute!  And so grown-up looking.  Sniff sniff.

Hop everyone else had a great Thanksgiving.  We have so, so much to be thankful for.  Really.  The list is endless.  Family, friends, health, home, etc.  It's a good life we have!