Trip and Thanksgiving Day

I left Wednesday afternoon for my trip across the state. The roads were perfect. The temperatures were not all that bad and the kids were very well behaved. The trip went without a hitch ~ stopping only once for gas and a potty break.

Had I known that I was going to be the one that had to prepare almost everything on my mother’s list I would have done most of it the night before. She had to work Thanksgiving morning so she could not do it.

By the time I got up at 8 AM, Dad already had the ham and the turkey in the oven. Sitting beside the stove was already prepared stuffing and scalloped corn (I was in charge of doing the corn but he beat me to it.) Their fridge was full but the stuffing and corn needed to be refrigerated ~ both prepared with egg ~ so I took them out to my car. That is one good thing about living in the Frozen Tundra we always have extra refrigeration during the winter months. Then I got started on the other things on moms list ~ whipped Jell-o, Orange Jell-o Salad, the rice dish and the sweet potatoes. Right now it seems like I am forgetting something because I stayed busy until it was time to pack everything into my car or my parents car and haul our goods to my sisters house.

We arrived and everyone there was hustling and bustling too. This needs to be done and that needs to be done.

Can you believe that no one made mashed potatoes? No one made the mashed potatoes! I brought them and dropped them off with C so that she would have them. But the neighbor guy and I peeled potatoes, chopped them into small chunks, and got them cooked really fast. I could not make my brother L go without mashed potatoes ~ especially on a holiday. He loves mashed potatoes!

It was a nice holiday! Brother C and his family from MN and Brother L and his family from SD were there. Sister L from 60 miles away did not show up but her oldest daughter showed up with her husband and new baby. He is just a little dumpling! Four of seven siblings together on a holiday is not a bad average. I remember a few holidays when it was just my parents and I. Growing up in such a large family it feels odd when there is not a lot of noise and commotion. This was not one of those holidays. It was great!