10 on Tuesday: Turkey Style. :)

10 things to Love about Thanksgiving:

1. I don't have to cook. I love cooking, I do, but I cook (and PC) for Christmas and that's quite enough holiday cooking for me.  PC's aunts cook. 

2. High School football. Yeah, i know? Weird, I don't particularly enjoy football but the high school games on Thanksgiving remind me of my cheerleading days (grades 3-12) and it's always fun.

3. Gravy. I love gravy on mashed potatoes, my turkey... pretty much everywhere.

4. PC's aunt Paula's cranberry relish... it's delish. She makes it just for me now. :P

5. Family... we go to PC's family for the "bird" and try to catch up with my family for the "pie." This year that gets trickier b/c my family will be in NH while PC's is in Massachusetts.  I miss my family on Thanksgiving when we don't get to see them; and I hate racing around trying to get there in time for dessert.  Growing up, it was always a crazy day in our family: we'd have grandparents, god parents, cousins, 2nd cousins...everyone stopping in for some turkey, a slice of pie, a cup of coffee.... and the wood stove burning after the table was cleared.

6. Traditions: new & old. PC's family doesn't have too many Thanksgiving traditions that I can see except his dad carves the bird and they (used to) rotate houses for this holiday, but now this is my tradition too... so new to me, but old to him! 

7. saying grace. Growing up, we said grace at the table every night. Nowadays, the holidays is the only time we say grace (or with our friends) are the holidays. I think of it as a time to slow down and remind ourselves to be thankful for the people in our lives and the blessing of having food to put on the table. Once you had your 1st Communion, you could say grace at the holidays. Ours was fairly basic, but it stands the test of time. 

8. Thanksgiving dishes.  I know... I should hate it right? But, it always was the "girl" time in my house... and I learned a lot about being a (future) wife, (future) mom & woman in that kitchen. In PC's family, this chore appears to be detested,but I enjoy it. 

9. my mom's paper turkey. it's from my brother Rob's 1st Thanksgiving (the other 2 of us didn't have 1st Thanksgivings, I guess) and it was put on our table every year. And every year, Jon & I tried to  knock it over with a roll. 

10. Piantadosi rolls. If you grew up in the Melrose/Malden/Everett/Medford area.. you know these rolls. And if you had a ma like mine, you got them from the factory on the outlet days, when you could grab them off the racks as they came off the production line... still hot. :) 

11. Chocolate pudding pie. My grandfather & my dad wouldn't sit down unless they knew it was already in the house. And, I have to admit, it's my favorite too!

So, from my family to yours: a moment of grace:

Bless us, O' Lord, for these gifts which we are about to receive through your bounty. And bless us, always, with family and friends. Through Christ's name we pray, Amen.