Christmas is creeping upon us, and the frozen turkeys at Ingles Market, where I
work at, keep reminding me that I did not write a post on Thanksgiving.
Shame on me!! I had promised one... So what if I am running 19 days late?
A promise is a promise!!
This year was different than any other Thanksgiving I have had. Yes, I wasn't
going to have my hubby by my side. I did not bake a turkey... nor the rolls...
I didn't prepare stuffin... nor gravy...
No, I didn't make any of that because Anne did. She and her husband, Rope,
invited me along with Sandra and Alonso. Since she said I could take a friend...
well, I took my friend, Maricela, and her girls;Violeta and baby twins, Alexa
and Maritza.
So your are wondering... who is Anne? Well, she is my daughter-in-law's mother.
In Spain we have a word to describe our "kinship", consuegras. It's pronounced
like this [con-soo-ay’-grah], but in English... I didn't know, so I googled it!
Hmmmm... there wasn't a word for it! It said:mother-in-law of one’s child.
Having said that...This is Anne, my consuegra, holding one of the twins.
It was a memorable Thanksgiving. Not all the food was traditional, but that made
it even more special. Anne made the delicious turkey & stuffing. Or was it dressing?
I was told that if you bake it in a pan and then cut it in squares then its dressing.
So.. I will say it was dressing then. She also prepared the gravy, rolls,
cranberry sauce and desserts. Beth brought a delicious broccoli casserole, and two
heavenly desserts. Maricela, I don't know how she managed... but she made
homemade tamales and enchiladas! I made, congri, a Cuban rice cooked with
black beans, avocado-tomato salad with my own vinaigrette, mashed potatoes,
and at Christopher and Beth's request: my mother's corn fritters! Talk about
variety....
Uh, take a look the three to the right...
Seems like putting food on their plate was very serious business!!
I am telling you.. food is a serious thing in my family!
AAAWWWWW!
Just look at that
sweet face!!
Yes Christopher...
you can have
seconds and thirds...
fourths and fifths....
IT'S Thanksgiving!!
But food was not the only thing we enjoyed!!
Kat and Biba, Beth's sisters had a wonderful time with the twins!
To make it even extra special, we had a surprise birthday for Violeta!
So we had Violeta's cake and ate it too...
And we did the same with the pies,the trifle... and more!!
I love this photo! Here are Sandra, Beth, Chris and John (In that order). For those
of you that don't know my family; Sandra and Chris are my kids. Beth is my
lovely daughter-in-law, and John is Beth's brother;There is not a word for
that in Spanish- you would say, my daughter-in-law's brother just the same.
So what did we do after all that food?
Well, some opted to go take a hike...
While others... opted for a cozy nap...
Truly a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thank you Anne, Rope and Family!!
Now, even though apart from many of my family I had them in my heart, and
wondered all day... what would they be doing on this special day? I wondered
about my sister Hilda in Florida...
Well.... I found out she had a great Thanksgiving with the boys...
That in itself was a reason for celebrating.
After all... having grandkids is so extra special during the Holidays!
They make everything fun!!
Of course...
nothing like your
own
BIG KIDS to
make it
MEMORABLE!!
And I thought about my nephew, Alex, snowed in with his wife, Lacey, in
Washington state! I am sure they would have rather be in Florida with mom Hilda
and some sunshine. However, they made the best of their snowed-in
Thanksgiving...
Here are a few photos of their "how WE prepare the turkey" !!
Aren't they the cutest couple? Yeah, I know... a little redneck...
WHAT? You handn't heard of Spanish rednecks? Well there you go!
Anyway... They give the turkey something to drink... I guess to numb it ...
so it won't suffer...
Then they SLAP, SLAP,and SLAP the turkey!!!
I guess they slap it silly... so it doesn't know it's going in the oven...
And then they stuff it... with stuffing... from a BOX... so it won't let out a peep?
I think I might just try this slapping thing next year... they sure seem to be having
a lot of fun!!
Thanksgiving
What a wonderful occasion to give thanks for all our blessings
And for...
YUMMY TURKEY!!!
