Happy Thanksgiving 2011!

I've so been looking forward to the holidays this year. Maybe it has something to do with being really pregnant and knowing that December means an end to all that! So I've been anticipating Thanksgiving as the start to the holiday season and countdown to meeting Baby Girl, and really enjoyed preparing for this special holiday. We invited our Russian friends, Vera and Vladimir, over as they have just immigrated to the States and have never experienced Thanksgiving before.

Never having cooked the traditional feast, I was slightly ambitious and Andre feared I'd send myself into labor with all the prep! He saved the day for me by buying already prepared portions of ham and turkey, so all I had to do was sides and pumpkin pie for dessert. Easy!

I think everything worked out pretty well, apart from the sweet potato casserole...I made it early this morning, complete with perfectly browned marshmallows on top, popped it back into the oven to warm up a little and took it out right before we served lunch. Lo and behold, upon removing the tin foil, there wasn't a marshmallow to be seen! Completely gone. Melted away. How could I not have realized they would dissolve in the oven?!! Oh well, it still tasted yummy, just wasn't the work of art it had been! And on a side note, adding orange zest and juice makes a nice difference to the traditional flavor. Emeril's recipe. Yes, the Food Network was my friend this week :)

Enjoying our Thanksgiving lunch

We totally pumped Jack up about Thanksgiving this year and
he was so excited to talk about "gifts" from God and to eat "tur-keeeee" today!

Family photo, with Mummy looking decidedly
plump at almost 37 weeks!

Vladimir and Vera getting cuddled and smeared
with candy cane drool

Somebody was WORN OUT with all the thanksgiving
going on around here!

We are so thankful for the many blessings in our lives and praise the Lord for what he has given us and what he has taught us this year. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!