Making A List & Checking It Twice...

I've been mocked. I make very detailed lists for Thanksgiving about what to serve, what to buy, a timeline which shows every step on Thanksgiving. It's part of the joy for me. I've even made shopping lists for my friends. We will be going to the house with the biggest kitchen and cooking Wednesday and possibly Thursday morning. It is glorious. My friend who is flying to Australia on Wednesday night is bring Cokes for everyone and just watching. Apparently, it is quite a show.

My lists are now in their final revision mode and transitioning into the execution mode. Bread has been baked, torn, and toasted. Sweet potatoes have been made and frozen. Crumble topping is happily waiting in ziplocs to be added on Thanksgiving morning and put into the oven at 12:30, according to the designated timeline. Cranberries will soon be merrily popping. Very excited...

Give Blood

The Lovely Miss Sarah donated blood today for the first time. She was very nervous and is afraid of needles. In the end, it wasn't nearly as bad as she had thought. I'm so proud of her for doing something that she was hard for her and for thinking about others. She took her camera to take a picture, but didn't take one, so you will have to imagine.

Way to go Sarah! Starve a vampire... give blood!

My pot pie had to get dressed up for the new oven. I had to practice cut-outs for Thanksgiving. It made me happy.

Twilight Zone

I am not talking about Twilight the movie saga that has gripped Utah this weekend. I'm talking about that Twilight Zone show on tv when I was a little girl when people wake up and don't know where they are or how they got there. That's me. Welcome to my world... my Twilight Zone.

I arrive home Friday from work to be greeted by this magnificent beauty...

Oh... do you see it and it's wonderful two ovens? Count them... go ahead... one and TWO! If you have been around me for long, you know that I have longed, no yearned, for two ovens. I was sure that if I only had two ovens, life would be brighter. It is.

See the flat top stove with the biggest plate I've ever seen there on the right. Just the perfect place for a LeCreuset. Those babies heat up at break-neck speed. It's like the advantages of gas without the flame.

Who arrives home to a grand, new oven and a thank you card on it? A thank you card. Thanking me for being nice and kind. Welcome to my Twilight Zone. I'm hoping that I don't wake up because I am having the time of my life cooking in this beauty. I've cooked homemade pizza, rolls, green mole, homemade french fries, four batches of bread, toasting the broken bread for Thanksgiving stuffing, cinnamon twists, bundt cake, chicken pot pie and more. The cooking angels sang. It was a grand hallelujah chorus.

I am at a total loss to explain how I found such over-the-top, generous friends. I'm at a loss to repay them in any way. But that's what makes them so truly wonderful. They don't want/expect to be repaid. They just planned this grand surprise because that's who they are... who I aspire to be. What I do know is that every time I cook, which is often, I will think of them and my heart will be warmed.

Thanksgiving Around The House...

Our gratitude jar. The grandkids really like it, but I am a little nervous about the Sharpie. I might have to change that out given Anya's little escapade last time. The grandkids tell me what they are thankful for. I write it down and then they get to sign their names to it. We will read them on Thanksgiving.

Yes, that it my kitchen faucet. The wreath and wire turkey make me happy and less sad that my dishwasher needs to be fixed. I can look at it while I do seemingly endless dishes. My strong point is not using just a few items when I cook.

Pilgrims on the sidebar. Love these little pilgrims. Some day I'm going to get the matching Indians if they still make them. Love the barn red wall in the kitchen. Color walls make me happy.

Team Jacob

I saw New Moon this morning. I'm having a problem not moving over to Team Jacob. Liked the movie better than the original Twilight. I thought that it was better acting and directing, obviously a bigger budget.