Thanksgiving dinner 2013 preview

So today instead of a recipe, I am going to share my Thanksgiving dinner plans.  I have always hosted Thanksgiving since 2005 with the exception of last year when we drove 1,150 miles to spend it with Ben's family and my extended family and to see my Grandpa one more time before he passed.  That was a good Thanksgiving.  So glad we did that.  But this year we are back to 'normal.'  Which means, I am hosting.  We have 24 coming which is down from past years.  Thanksgiving at our house is not just family, but friends we consider as family, so it is a big party.  I always make up a menu and then people choose what they want to bring.  I do not make everything.  I don't think that is how Thanksgiving is supposed to work.  Divide and conquer--and you get much better food that way.  Not everything has been assigned yet, but I just know certain people will bring/want to make certain things, so those are filled in.  The rest I will fill in this weekend as I contact people.  So here is my menu/assignments for this year. . .

Thanksgiving 2013

Turkey--Jen

Mashed Potatoes--

Gravy--Jen

Stuffing--

Fruit/Jello salad--

Fruit/Jello salad--

Rolls--

Vegetable(green bean casserole)--my mom

Vegetable(creamy confetti corn with bacon)--Jen

Sweet potatoes--

2 pumpkin pies/w whipped cream--

2 cream pies (banana and coconut cream)--

chocolate pie--Jen

cranberry sauce--Jen **if you have never made real cranberry sauce from fresh cranberries, you need to, it is amazing and so easy!!! I just use the recipe on the bag of cranberries every year.

Drink--Robyn

Horderves/snacks

Spinach dip in a bread bowl--my mom

blessing mix--Robyn

veggies and dip--

pickles, olives, deviled eggs--Robyn

Thanksgiving Story--Robyn

Old lady who swallowed a pie story--my mom

Football/volleyball--Jen

Movie--Jen

projector--Nathan?

So, let me explain our Thanksgiving schedule.  We eat around 2 p.m.  People are welcome to come earlier and snack on the horderves.  At 2 we eat, clean up, and then we have story time.  My friend Robyn has a flannel board story about the first Thanksgiving that she always shares with her blessing mix.  My mom has a fun picture story that goes with the book "I know an Old Lady who Swallowed a Pie" by Alison Jackson.  It is cute.  Check it out if you haven't read it before.  Then it is football or volleyball time depending upon the weather and who is here and what mood they are in.  Usually after the football/volleyball game which occurs in our yard we have pie.  There is never enough room for pie right after dinner.  You have to wait a while for everything to settle and to get hungry again before you have pie so you can enjoy it!  After pie we watch a movie--usually a newly released Disney--I think it will be Monsters University this year.  After the movie we usually snack on whatever is left and then everyone heads home happy, full, and thankful for the day.  It is a great day, and my kids look forward to it every year--they are super good helpers to get everything ready.  They love a party as much as anyone!  So, Thanksgiving here we come!!