Keeping Up With the Hendricks: Thanksgiving, Part I

Today we had the Hendricks side of the family over for Thanksgiving dinner, and all went well. We talked, we ate, we played, we enjoyed each other's company. Yesterday I prepared the homemade ice cream, rolls, pumpkin pie, and hand-held cherry pies for Papa's birthday.

Other items in our feast were made today: roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, macaroni and cheese, green beans, stuffing, and gelled cranberries from a can, which Charles always requires. We have hosted Thanksgiving dinner a number of times before (never in this house), and I can't remember a time when it's gone so smoothly. Despite the fact that we were preparing a lot of food, nothing felt rushed and everything fell nicely into place.

The girls began the day by watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving on Hulu. Later on we attempted to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but the girls grew bored with that after the first few acts appeared. Later in the morning they went to Grandma's to help her make chocolate chip cookies and missed the parade finale with Santa Clause.

Our guests (Granny, Papa, Chris, Jared, and Zach) began arriving after noon. We ate our main course meal around 2pm and had our desserts and birthday cake around 4pm. In between meals Granny, Charles, and I washed dishes and put away food while Daddy walked to the park with the younger kids. By 5pm everyone was back on the road and heading home. Here are some photos from the day:

Granny brought a recorded book with her (and Papa) reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" for the girls

The Thanksgiving table set with fine china and turkey napkin holders

Charles carving the perfectly browned 13lb bird -- it was delicious!

We always celebrate Papa's birthday at Thanksgiving. Here he's wearing a new hat Chris and the boys gave him and getting ready to have his cake also made by Chris and the boys.