What I'm Thankful For

Now that I’m recuperating from our US presidential election I’m looking for what I have to be thankful. It helps that our US Thanksgiving is only two weeks away!

Kate, Ari, Staci, Me, Cori, Eloise (SIL), Paul Chris and Alan (Bro)
Picture at my birthday party

Paul and I are empty nesters. Our daughters, Staci and Cori, and their families live about thirty minutes away and our son, Ari and his girlfriend Kate, live in Boston. For the holidays they all move back home for the weekend. They decided ten years ago, when Ari went away to college in Boston, holidays would be spent here, all together, and all weekend. I didn’t argue.

This year things have changed. Our younger daughter Cori and her husband Chris are in their house a year and will be hosting Thanksgiving Day. The two of them are wonderful hosts. 

I thought I wouldn’t have to cook this holiday, but the children had other plans. I get to host Thanksgiving on Friday.

It’s lots of planning and cooking but there are no surprises. They crave the same menu every year, beef brisket or roast leg of lamb (this year they want both), sweet potato souffle, noodle pudding, salad and roasted green beans.

They’ll arrive with appetizers and dessert as well as a separate bag filled with plastic containers. I’ve been known double recipes to ensure there are left overs. By the end of the weekend, all the left overs are gone.

This year, there is an additional celebration. The Saturday after Thanksgiving is Cori’s baby shower. Staci, Chris’ mom and sister and I have been busy planning and crafting for the party.

Our family weekend winds down on Sunday with French toast for breakfast and discussions about the holidays and our wish lists. Then, with their left overs in hand, everyone packs up and gets ready to travel home.  

We’ll only have three weeks before the kids will be back and we can do it all over again. Maybe I’ll change up the menu and make chicken or salmon. Naw, why change a good thing. It’s perfect just the way it is.

Happy Holiday everyone!

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