Thankful

Corn casserole prep

Due to the larger new house and the decision to move the LSU game to Fayetteville, I had the utmost honor of hosting Thanksgiving this year.  This is the first Thanksgiving in my 27 years that we haven't had dinner at my mom's house.  With all of the changes our family has experienced this year, I think we were all looking forward to altering traditions a little bit.  Plus, no travel and a house full of people celebrating my favorite holiday in my home?  Yes, please.

Mixing up her famous dressing

Mom, Dad, John, Nini and Alli (who spent the first part of the week in Little Rock) arrived Tuesday night.  Ryan and I worked on Wednesday, but I don't think it even came close to equaling the work that went on here without us!  Lindsey and John cleaned the house and Mom, Dad, and Nini started baking.  Nini made a pumpkin pie and a pecan pie, Mom made a pumpkin pie, and Dad make his pumpkin cheesecake with a praline topping (I die).  Needless to say, the house smelled delightful when I arrived home that night, but everyone was anxious to get out and grab some pizza.

The next day started early, because with a nearly 16 lb. turkey and double recipes for 4 casseroles and dressing to prepare before 3PM, you've got to get going quick.

Not everyone helped - some of us watched the parade

Fortunately, everything went off without a hitch.  Ryan cooked his first turkey (with some serious guidance from my dad, who's a pro), and Nini, Mom, and I coordinated our casseroles almost perfectly (thanks to Mom, who's also a pro).  We had sixteen people attending:  the eight of us (Nini, Mom, Dad, Ryan, Lindsey, John, Alli and I); my aunts (Vicki & Karen); my great aunts and uncles (Wanda & Philip, Joyce & Leon); and my mom's cousin and his wife (Kevin & Terri).  It was a house full, and we were so happy to have everyone and plenty of room too!

After wonderful family time, the best part is - we had a ton of leftovers.  I'm pretty sure I'm on my fourth straight meal of Thanksgiving, and I'm not tired of it yet.  Bring it on!

Friday we had tailgate-lite (only 2 tents and half the food) for the LSU game.  One of my best friends Lara and her husband Bobby came up for the game, so I got to spend some quality time with them.  The Hogs kept it closer than any of us thought they would, which was fun and depressing all at the same time.  I hate losing, but I really hate losing to LSU!!

Today we got up and hit Prairie Grove from some antiquing.  My great aunts came along and introduced us to Briar Rose, a bakery with delicious chocolate gravy in Farmington.  Then we forged ahead to do some serious thrifting.  There were 4-5 antique stores in a row down the main drag in PG, and boy did we rack up!  I got a metal horse statue, an egg basket, a sugar mold, a mason jar, and two bars of locally made soap. 

Totally goofy horse than now lives in my flower bed

I also had my eye on this table for a kitchen island, but I didn't pull the trigger.

After spending about half of the day there, we headed home to eat more leftovers.  I was pretty adamant about getting Christmas stuff out, even though I was afraid I was going to get too tired.  I popped in the Christmas music and got to work though, and two hours later - voila!

Yay!  One tree down, two to go!!  Doesn't this just look amazing in our office area?  I have dreamed about putting the tree here ever since we moved in, and I am so pleased with the way it looks!!

I better go grab a slice of the chocolate pie my mom made fresh for tonight - yes, we're fatties.  Yum-o!!!  I hope all of you had a wonderful time celebrating my all time favorite non-my-birthday holiday!!