Thanksgiving and becoming an official mother

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year.  In years past we have gone to our friends the Hall's house but they moved back to the USA just before Halloween so we decided to carry the torch this year.  We had 18 people and it was fun to be together to celebrate Thanksgiving.  

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So the title of my post...let me explain.  So....I have watched my mom and father in-law prepare a turkey and cook it a dozen times but I have never actually cooked on myself.  Let me tell ya I was a little freaked out by it all because you always hear about turkeys coming out dry or gross, so i didn't want to be serving a dry or gross turkey.  Well, I found a nice looking turkey at Costco {i love you Costco dear} for $49.00 for a 14 pounder .  That was another reason why I didn't want to mess it up, it wasn't cheap. So we were skyping with a good friend Matt and he was telling us about a brine be uses to soak the turkey.  So I tried it, soaked it over night and made a yummy spice rub to fill it with in the morning. Next morning I finished preparing it and popped it in the oven and crossed my fingers.  It cooked and cooked and when I brought it out it actually looked delicious!  Everyone said it was yum.  So...I feel like I am officially a mother now because I cooked my first Thanksgiving turkey.  Everyone was laughing and saying are you sure it's not that you have 4 kids that makes you a true mother...Nope, it's the turkey. :) hahaha...Anyway, I was pretty proud of myself.  

 This was the kiddie table.  When I was little I was at the kiddie table until I was I swear 20 years old.  There were just a lot of adults ahead of me so I had to wait my turn. :)

This is where the adults ate, just in the other room.

I made them little packets to color and play with at the table.

This wasn't the entire spread but part of it....SO YUMMY!

Most of the group.  Baron is taking the picture.  Just as we were taking the photo Lucy came strolling down the hall in her bathrobe.  We couldn't figure out why she changed from her cute clothes to her bathrobe.  Maybe she just wanted to feel completely comfy for the feast.  She didn't want to be in the photo.

Oh my, I totally want to eat this plate of goodness right now. {birds eye view}

side view

Jack was playing peek-a-boo with Gemma

Lucy decided to get back in her clothes and added a nice hat.

We had a fun time talking and laughing and enjoying Thanksgiving together.  Of course we were all stuffed beyond belief but we had to end with pie...lots and lots of good pie.  We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  I have a gratitude post brewing in my head so I will post that soon. :)

our thanksgiving in OZ

Although we were FAR from our families on Thanksgiving, we had a great feast, great company and a great day. Of course Thursday was a normal day here and Jared was at work with everyone else so we celebrated on Sunday instead. Our friends the Hall's had us at their house and we enjoyed all the yummy foods Thanksgiving has to offer. I can't remember if I wrote in an earlier post about turkey here, but I have yet to see a frozen turkey. The Halls told us that they had to order one last year and not only did it have some feathers on it still..it cost $100. Yikes! So we had chicken that night. It looks the same and tastes pretty much the same.

Lucy likes her feast in her undies...

Oh the kids table. I remember when I graduated from the kids table..I think I was 18. Because I am one of the youngest in the fam, I had to stay at the kids table until a spot opened up at the adult table. :)

thankful

Although the Aussie do not celebrate Thanksgiving, we are still planning on having a feast with friends. I talked with my brother on the phone the other day and we were talking about Thanksgiving plans and how some of my fam would be together partying it up at my sister's house this Thursday. I must admit, this year being our first full year away from home, I felt a tad bit homesick knowing that we would not be spending Thanksgiving with our families. I love getting together with family, but the good thing about family is that you know they will always be your family and when we do get the chance to spend the holidays with them again, then the time together will be that must sweeter. So...no worries, we will be content seeing pics and talking on the phone on Thursday. ;)

We try to keep gratitude in our minds all year, but particularly more as the kids get older. I love listening to the things they are grateful for. We are putting together a gratitude chain at the moment and we add to it everyday. We plan on reading all of the them on Christmas day.

I wrote a post earlier about having gratitude in ALL things and I truly believe that trying to see the positive and being aware of the blessings around us makes our lives so great!! I am grateful for many things...the big things and the simple things. Life is good!! I will do a Thanksgiving/thankful for post later this week. :)