Thursday, November 22, 2012

Gobble Gobble Goo and Gobble Gobble Gickle

I wish turkey only cost a nickel.....


Adam Sandler, Ladies and Gentlemen :-) 

So, a lot of people have been doing this "30 days of Thankful" Challenge.  I think it's commendable - I, have not done anything of the sorts.  Although, I suppose you can reference all of my quotes I put up which are essentially ways of showing gratitude to my friends and family each day.

Growing up, my family found ourselves at my grandparents house in Narberth every Thanksgiving.  My grandmom would cook her amazing green bean almondine and her carrots lyonnaise (basically butter, carrots and onions - it was seriously awesome) as well as her amazing mashed potatoes (doesn't everyone's grandmom make the best potatoes?).  The turkey would be cooking and the rest of the fixings would be prepared by either my mom or my Aunt Barbara.  The rest of us would be either watching football or bored out of our minds (read: me).  I didn't really start paying attention to sports until I was in high school/college.

What I remember about our family thanksgivings was that grandmom would cook and we would all eat the food in less than 15 minutes.  When you have a family (on your mother's side) with 8 children and then they invite their families/significant others - the food goes pretty quickly.  I remember one year when the Eagles were playing on Thanksgiving - 10 minutes tops - my grandmom was pissed!  Ha. 

Many of my acquaintances and some of my friends often ask me now, "What do you eat on Thanksgiving if you're a vegetarian?  How can you not eat Turkey?"  Truthfully, as I've told many people - I don't miss meat, at all.  Nowadays, we go over to my Mom's brother's house and my Aunt Patti makes me extra veggies as well as this amazing butternut squash soup that I typically fill up on because I love it so much.  Besides, Thanksgiving was never about food for me - it was always about being with family - at least it has become that in the last few years. 

As my family get's bigger and the cousins start growing up, we all spread out and aren't around as much.  It's nice to spend time with family that are actually here. 

Today, I will go over to my Aunt Patti and Uncle Matt's and see my cousin Nick, Uncle Ward, Aunt Barbara, Uncle Pete, my Aunt Patti's family and my Mom and Bruce will be there too.  It'll be a nice day. And what of my grandparents?  They no longer live at their original residence - a story I will share with you all at some point.  They will be at their retirement/nursing home facility today.  I will probably go visit them tomorrow.  But today, I will be thankful for the family I am surrounded with and those that are not blood related but I still consider family.

Happy Thanksgiving EVERYONE!

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