Need a Smile?

With permission, I am posting one of my all-time favorite family pictures.  This captures the dynamics of this family perfectly!  How I laugh every time I see this picture!

Have a wonderful, happy day!!

Fluffing the Tree

Fluffing the tree is a very tedious task which takes talent and patience.  Years and years of practice to perfect the art of "fluffing".  That is until you have grand-children and then, it's more fun watching them work on each section of the tree trying to get it to "fluff" just right.  Jade and Lilly were serious about this task and took it very seriously.  Maybe it was climbing up the ladder that they loved.  Either way, fluffing this year was memorable and just fun!!

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving was packed with activities, laughter, new traditions, and delicious food.  It was a wonderful, happy day.  We started our week with the arrival of Aaron and Savannah.  Such a blessing to have them share a few days with us.  We planned our Holiday Festivities with the "utmost" care!

 

We started the day before with a quick birthday celebration for Jenny.  We went to the park for some much needed relaxation and then had a fun family dinner with a very "original" gift for Jenny!

 

Our new tradition was participating in the Gilbert Turkey Trot - ALL of US!!  Some of the ambitious family members ran the 10K - Jacque and Eric, I ran the 5K with Carolyn, and the rest of the family participated in the 1 mile FUN-Run! 

We went home to a delicious brunch and enjoyed some much needed relaxation.  Aaron continued to help me with the turkey, which we had started the day before.  Good thing he was there to help with the brining and care of those TWO turkeys we cooked!

We were planning on family and friends arriving in the late afternoon and had plenty of delicious foods to share with everyone.  I love sharing of family traditional recipes and infusing those classics with new recipes!

 

Appetizers consisted of:

Stuffed Jalepeno Peppers http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-live/joes-screaming-stuffed-jalapeno-poppers-recipe/index.html

Stuffed Tomatoes - Jacque's own concoction

Sausage and Spinach Phyllo Cups - Jacque's own concoction

Carmelized Onion Dip http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pan-fried-onion-dip-recipe/index.html

Candied Nuts

 

 

Dinner was fabulous!  The traditional food was present:  turkey, Grampy's famous noodle gravy, mashed and sweet potatoes, stuffing, green-bean casserole, and delicious rolls.  The new recipes were present with appetizers and Roasted Brussels Sprouts (from Alexandra Guarnaschelli's cookbook), and two turkeys cooked quite differently.

 

 

The best part was not the food.  It was everything before, during, and after.  All types of helpers, family, casual dining at its best, laughter, and memories.  So much to be grateful for!

 

 

 

 

Sisters, cousins, best friends - it's all the same!

Aunt Sue, Carolyn, Dena, and Grammy

 

Joe and Samantha traveled from Tucson

So glad cousin Mike comes!

 

 

AND...a few laughs in-between!

 

 

 

 

Gratitude fills my heart for the blessing we can see, feel, and know that are eternally ours!