A Quiet Thanksgiving

None of these pictures are from today. They are merely pacifiers for some Grandmas that wish they were holding him.

This Thanksgiving found us by ourselves. We couldn't really get to family and our friends all left town. I had pretty low expectations, but surprisingly the day turned out quite nice.

Rob wanted everything low maintenance. He didn't want a turkey, just a ham. The kids were disappointed at first, but in the end I think they enjoyed it. I made a few side dishes and bought what I thought was a pumpkin pie from Sam's. Turns out it was a sweet potato pie (they look very much the same) which happens to be the only kind of pie in life that Rob detests! He of course, did not understand how anyone could make this mistake when there was a giant sticker on the pie that said sweet potato. I didn't even see the sticker. It looked like a pumpkin pie to me and having no previous experience with a sweet potato pie, I was duped. The kids and I liked it just fine. Rob, for the first time in the history of his 38 Thanksgivings...went without.

While at the table we went around and said what we were thankful for (it would be un-American not to right?). Alton went first and said he was thankful that we had food to eat and that he lived in a free country. I beamed at this response because I attribute it to all the American history we've been studying this year. Alayna was thankful for a Mom and Dad and food, and when asked, Avery was thankful for...food. We did break out the china for the event so whatever time I saved in the kitchen cooking, I made up for washing dishes! I have a wash cycle just for china on my dishwasher, but I'm afraid to try it. Has anyone used this before? Let me know. The rest of the day was relaxing with stuffed tummy induced napping and watching three hours of Fiddler on the Roof. Don't ask me why. I thought there would be some good Christmas movies on, but no. Alton and Alayna actually watched the whole thing!

After the kids went to bed, Rob and I mapped out our plan of attack for Christmas shopping tomorrow. This year, Rob will go. Somehow I don't have the energy to tackle the traffic around here and the mayhem of shopping for Christmas!