Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving 2008!

I just put a huge pumpkin pie in the oven. I made it in a 9x13 rectangular glass baking dish and it's almost running over.

I stewed 2 whole chickens and made 2 cast iron skillets of cornbread to use in my dressing. I made it in a humongous enamelware roasting pan that was my Mama's and it's nearly full. There's at least 2 gallons of dressing in that pan and I'm not exaggerating a bit.

I had intended to make some candied sweet potatoes but after reading JESSICA'S LATEST POST and seeing her description of what she's already got prepared for our Thanksgiving dinner, I decided we didn't need sweet potatoes.

Besides, after all the cooking I've already done this evening, I'm too TARD to cook anything else. After that pumpkin pie comes out of the oven I'm done cooking for the night.

My hubby, Lamar, is in Texas visiting his brother for Thanksgiving, so I've been by myself this week. He'll be back on Saturday if all goes as planned.

After much discussion among various family members as to what everyone was doing for Thanksgiving, Jessica and I decided that we'd have the meal at her place. She and Jason have more room than I do and it's convenient to have everyone there. Various other family members who'll be there have contributed side dishes, desserts and other things for the meal so that the burden doesn't fall on any one person or family.

I'm bringing the dressing and we'll cook it after the turkey comes out of the oven. I'll also bring my pumpkin pie and I'll be making the giblet gravy in time for the meal. I provided the turkey but Jessica will cook it. Of course all of us women will have to poke and prod on the turkey and decide when it's really done.

As of right now I know that besides Jessica's family, I'll be there, my sisters Ducky and Cecil, and Cecil's hubby Brian if he makes it home in time, and my mother in law and father in law will there for the noon meal. It's possible that my sister Sue and her daughter will be there, and maybe Sue's hubby, but we won't know for sure until close to meal time.

Cecil's hubby has been in Indiana on business and the roads are icy and snowy up there. He started driving back home to Arkansas on Wednesday afternoon but the roads were so bad he had to stop for the night and get a hotel room. It all depends on the weather and the roads whether he'll make it home in time for Thanksgiving dinner.

I am so blessed and I'm thankful for so many things. My Mama and Daddy died a few years ago, and for a long time I grieved because I knew that our holidays would never be the same again with them gone.

But I soon realized that I still have my wonderful, priceless memories of holidays past. Time moves on and nothing stays the same for long. It's the nature of life that things change.

My parents are gone but time moves on and the holidays still come. Mama and Daddy wouldn't want us to keep grieving. They'd want us to celebrate and remember the happy times, and make the holidays a happy time for our children and grandchildren.

When Jessica was growing up I went home to Mama's and Daddy's house for the holidays and took Jessica to see her Grandma and Grandpa.

Now, I'm Grandma and God willing, Emmy will have wonderful memories of spending the holidays with her grandparents and family, surrounded with love and good food and good times together.

Life just doesn't get any better than that.

Mama and Daddy, I love you and miss you. I hope us girls and the rest of your family are doing you proud by carrying on the traditions of love and family that you instilled in us.

My prayer for all my dear friends and family who read this is that you'll be blessed with a wonderful, meaningful Thanksgiving, full of love, good food and all God's blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

26 comments:

Linds said...

Happy Thanksgiving Diane - have a wonderful day woith your family all around you!

Anonymous said...

You are so right...time does move on and things don't stay the same, be it through death or moving too far away. No one can take our memories and we can still have good times!

Great post Miz Diane!

Happy Thanksgiving!!☺

PS..your recipe of Crock Pot Chicken and Dressing turned out great for me once again! We'll have the leftovers today~~then a movie!

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving! :o)

Linda said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you Diane and all of your dear family.

Dawn said...

Have a wonderful day - sounds crowded and wonderful!

kkryno said...

Lovely post, Diane!

I hope you and all of your family have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

I'm so glad to know that you'll be surrounded by family and friends. Give 'em all a hug for me!

Nashe^ said...

I made like, a meatpie for you, but something went wrong during the delivery. hehe.

have a grrrreat Thanksgiving, Di & family!

Our Home Schooler and Jen said...

safe travels to Lamar and your bil when he comes home

Im sure Emmy will have wonderful memories to look back on and how blessed she is to have a grandma like you my dear friend

We dont celebrate thanks giving here in New Zealand however I pray that you and yours will have a wonderful time

lots of love
Jen

Mountain Mama said...

A blessed Thanksgiving to you and yours Diane.
We are doing the same thing, each bringing part of the dinner to my youngest daughters house.
I'm bringing sweet Potato Surprise, pumpkin pie, olives, cran sauce and whipping cream.
My grandson and his fiance will be married there after dinner. It will be a big day for me but a fun one too.
God bless you and yours.

Barb said...

Oh I hope Cecil's hubby makes it home in time, Diane. Very smart of him to get off the road and stay safe until the road conditions improve.

Your Thanksgiving sounds wonderful. I'm sure your parents are smiling down on all of you today, as you continue the traditions they instilled in all of you.

Happy Thanksgiving to you my sweet friend.

Jess said...

Had a great day with you and the pie and dressign wre great.

Love you
Jess

Dana~Are We There Yet? said...

Happy Thanksgiving to one of my most favoritest people!

Muhd Imran said...

Beautiful post befitting the occasion.
You are so blessed to have a wonderful family.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING again!!
Have a great weekend too.

Anonymous said...

HI Sister Friend ,
A very happy Thanksgiving to you and all your KIN ,LOL! I hope you have/had(depending when reading this) a wonderful Turkey day ;-)
Sounds like your family have it all down pat and everyone shares ,like it is suppose to be!Good to see. Your Momma And Daddy must have been wonderful to create such a loving ,sharing,close knit family ,I know it must be hard but it is true , you are creating the memories for Little Emmy now ,How that must fill your heart and help heal any hurt ,God Bless you and yours and Safe travels for Lamar (Hey isnt it suppose to be when the cats away the mouse will play hee hee come on get up to some mischief Granny D,LOL)

Triple sweet sugar for Princess Emmy ,Hugs of the BSH kind for you and feel better wishes for Jessica.xoxox say hello for me around the table if I am not already to late xoxoxoxoxoxox

MissG.

Mary said...

Diane,

I'm so glad that you and your family are going to celebrate Thanksgiving at Jessica's. I read on her blog all the delicious food you're going to enjoy.

I told my hubby I wanted to go to the US to help celebrate their Thanksgiving. Ours was in October and I've been craving turkey with all the trimmings as I read about your Thanksgiving celebrations. I hope you had a perfect day.

Blessings,
Mary

MightyMom said...

well, I'm not sure I could call today wonderful or meaningful as I spent it in the ER being diagnosed with strep throat.

But I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Jeanette said...

Happy Thanks Giving Dianne have a wonderful day with your family. and your Pumkin pie sounds so yummy one of my favorite vegies... Love Jen

Hootin Anni said...

Hello Diane! I hope your Thanksgiving was a peaceful and happy one.

I know what you mean about losing your parents, and the fact that 'the holidays will never been the same without them....' Yep, for me too. It's so not the same, but new traditions take place and memories of old times will ne'er be forgot.

Happy Friday.

BigDadGib said...

Happy, happy Bird Day to you too.

I am so thankful for so many things, you being one of them!

Have a good weekend..
CBO Gib

Rachel said...

HI Diane! I'm sure you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I just finished reading Jessica's post about it and little Emmy being plumb tuckered out and sleeping! She is so cute!

I ate well yesterday evening at my nephew's house. Too well in fact! They had so much I couldn't sample it all. It's tough on a food lover like me trying to make those decisions! Haha!!

Have a wonderful weekend! Hope Lamar gets back home safely!
Hugs to you!!!

Unknown said...

Hi Diane! Hope all went well at Jess and Jason's house. It sounded very warm and special. I've heard that the weather in the Mid-West is rough. So, all this sounds so nice and cozy. lol!!!! :D)

Brenda said...

Hi Diane, I know you and your family had a great TG. Praying Lamar and your Brother-in-law made/make it home safely.
I have a prayer request--I just found out my sis, Reva, was put in the hospital today. She got sick with I believe cold/flu-like symptoms and because of her previous conditions they want to monitor her over the weekend, run tests etc. Prayer that it'll be just that...the weekend and no longer. Thanks ahead of time. As soon as I find out any more I'll post.
God bless,
Brenda

Anonymous said...

Hope you had a good one with your family Diane!

As you know we don't celebrate TG in Norway, but lucky me having an American wife :-)
Its hard to gather family and friends on an 'ordinary' Thursday though, so we will have our turkey dinner on Sunday.

Betty said...

Hi Diane,

I love your new banner and the overall new look to your blog. You are so creative.

Uhmmm, pumpkin pie - my favorite - and cornbread dressing. Just doesn't get any better. I can tell you are a wonderful cook.

Lucy Stern said...

Diane, I know how much you miss your momma and daddy. I miss mine too and wish they were here. I know that Thanksgiving was on of dad's favorite holidays. He was the one that always cooked the turkey and made the dressing and anything else he could think of....lol. I remember the last Thanksgiving we had with dad, he sat on a stool with his oxygen tank next to him and he cut up the onions and celery and made the dressing for the turkey. I will never forget how he enjoyed doing the cooking. I sure do miss him. Mom has been dead for 26 years so it is hard for me the remember her as much, besides she hated cooking.

I hope Lamar had a good time with his brother and that your brother in law made it home in time for dinner. Family is everything to me and I know it means the world to you too.

Only 3 and a half weeks till Christmas, YEKS!

Nancy said...

You are so sweet, Diane! I know exactly how you feel as both my parents are gone now, too. Holidays are not the same, but we have to carry on now and be the ones to create those memories for our children. I still love the holidays, though, don't you?

You are some cook! My mom used to cook enough to feed 100 in hunting season...she was so organized and everything went like clock work! She had it going, let me tell you. She did that for years...when she was living here with me, we'd sit and talk about those days. I helped her from the time I was 10 years old, and she had one lady she hired every year. It was a lot of good food and a lot of work and dishes, too! LOL

I was shocked at the amount of dressing you made! It sure looked good!!!

Love you! (((((( HUGS ))))))
Nancy