Thanksgiving 2014

Back in the summer before we had Hallie, Colby suggested we consider hosting Thanksgiving this year.  He said it would be an great way to get family together, without the stress of trying to figure out how to travel with two kids, one of which would be 2 months old!  Honestly, hosting seemed so overwhelming at that point, but I agreed to do it, and I am SO glad that we did.  The only thing we would have changed is having more family here! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Mom H flew into Sacramento on Tuesday and stayed a day or so with Kellen and Courtney, then they all drove here on Thanksgiving morning.  Colby and I had meal prepped on Wednesday, including Colby making a fresh batch of homemade Raspberry Jam! I made a cheeseball, jello pretzel salad, and sweet potatoes.  This made for a relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving.  The day of, we hung out in the backyard since the weather was gorgeous!  Colby and I did the turkey--our first one!!--with a little help from Mom H.  We are thankful for her help, otherwise we would've cooked the bag of gibblets, etc.  Who knew they stuffed that in the neck cavity or that there even was a neck cavity?!? Ha! While the turkey cooked, we finished up mashed potatoes and gravy as well as green bean casserole, stuffing, and a green salad with pears, pomegranate and feta.  The meal really was stress-free and quite enjoyable for me to organize and prepare and I appreciated the help from everyone here!  Hallie slept a good part of the day, and Hudson napped during dinner, so he ate dinner while we had dessert. :)

Our group all fit at our little kitchen table and we loved the company.  Of course we finished everything off with 3 delicious pies and whipped cream, and a game of phase 10 before Kellen and Courtney had to head out. And, since our meal could have served 20, we have been eating leftovers for days and can't complain yet. The thanksgiving menu is perfect for leftovers, especially those pies.

While the meal was wonderful and the company was better, Thanksgiving is a favorite of mine to reflect on all that we are blessed with.  I love that we have a holiday dedicated to gratitude, family/friends, and good food.

I just dropped Mom H off at the airport and Colby has headed back to work, and we are back in the full swing of normal life.  The Christmas tree is already up from Saturday, and I'm ready to bust out the rest of christmas decorations.  I love this Holiday season!

All on his own, Hudson threw his bike onto the back of the car and hauled it around. Funny/cute kid.