What good things happened at T-Day - that made the day great ?

[POF]

My 2 boys ( DS14 and 12 ) always wanted a little sister. My nephews family was in visiting from the midwest and the boys fell in love with their 4 year old second cousin.  They colored, played board games and watched out for her with the other roughneck cousins ( our family is almost all boys ).  It was a hoot to see my 14 year old patiently pushing her one the swings and helping her play Mario Cart.

Lakehouse Sally was OK ..... she started a bit about other relatives and I firmly shut her down with... I think if you have a problem with them ... its best to talk to them about it and get resolved. 

Lakehouse Sally is a widow, her husband had an extensive train set. She offered (I heard the conversation - DH one of the trains )... since DH has a similar set for XMAS and has been looking for a particular one.  DH did NOT ask for one or in anyway hint that he wanted it .... she had asked about the XMAS trains and offered. She then tells me as  we are going out the door with the train already in the car ... oh be sure to mark it as mine, because I'll need it back in a few years ... its the kids ( her grown kids ) inheritance from their Dad.

I nicely say .... oh there must have been a misunderstanding, we certainly don't want to take it, if it is earmarked for the kids and we brought it right back in the house.  She pushed and pushed because she says she doesn't have room for it and wanted us to take it until her kids had room for it ... but we said sorry, we don't want to be responsible for it being in the same condition when you want it back ( plus - there would be SOME kind of drama with it ).  Dodged a bullet there.  ( This is pretty ytpical for her though and i was uncomfortable anyway with the transaction )

We had 25 relatives around and noooooo drama.  I did get in minor trouble for bringing an unauthorized salad to T-Day .( I alos brought 3 requested dishes - and while I was promised that there would be a green veggie - it was swapped for corn at the last minute ) .. but I am strictly limiting my carbs due to a glucose issue and I wasn't sure how much I would find to eat.  ( salad was a big hit ... by the way ).  Sides were stuffing, potatoes, more potatoes, rolls, corn, squash and sweet potatoes with marshmallows  and the fall salad I brought.  I ate turkey, squash and salad.

How did your day go ?

[The Wild One, Forever]

LOL at "unauthorized salad."  Picturing a scenario like the one under Cheyenne Mountain in "War Games", a lot of beeping and buzzing and alarms going off.   

We experienced a major TG etiquette fail, when friends of ours, whom my husband had invited to our meal, never materialized.  No call, no text, no show.  Figuring in feeding an additional family of five, and allowing for leftovers, (the best part!), I had bought and cooked a 22-lb. turkey.  My son and I named it, "Thomas The Tank Engine", and although it is delicious, it is way more turkey than my family of three needs, and I am going to have to spend the next couple days making various turkey-included dishes to freeze, as I despise waste. 

No-show friend texted me about eight o'clock TG night, about something unrelated, and I didn't text her back right away, as I had nothing nice to say at that moment.  Yesterday, I finally did text her to tell her we'd missed them at dinner.  She acted surprised that I hadn't received her husband's text, and told me she would "still take" some turkey and stuffing.      Um, no you won't.  You don't eat it at my table when you said you were going to be there, you don't get any.  (I didn't tell her this, of course, just beandipped around the issue.)   

All in all, it was sort of the worst TG I ever had.  My husband worked all day on site, and my son was deeply immersed in "Sky Rim" all day long, so pretty lonely and frustrating.  On the positive side, my dinner came out wonderfully, and we have many blessings to count.  Next year's will be better.   

[yachtchick]

It was my second T'giving since my husband's death.  Last year was miserable!  This year a friend came to my house and cooked a turkey, I supplied all the side dishes.  We played scrabble (the real game) and watched movies.  It was warm and friendly.  I am thankful for finding a new life after a long, happy marriage. 

[Paper Roses]

Well, my brother came up to spend Thanksgiving with us.  That was pretty great in itself.  But the icing on the cake was that while he was here, his cell phone rang, and it was his son calling - his son is a Special Forces Marine, and he was just sent over to Afghanistan!!

My brother very graciously let me talk to him for a bit.  I didn't talk long, because I wanted my brother to be able to talk to his son for as long as possible.  But that really made my day. 

[hannahmollysmom]

Ours was small this year. Just 6 including me but it was fun. My little granddaughter was such a joy (almost 6 months old). She had baby sweet potatoes while we were eating in the old high chair I refurbished for her.

I was just diagnosed the previous Monday as a diabetic so did watch what I ate, but still enjoyed. I made the pies with a sugar sub and no one noticed!

After dessert, we girls played Taboo while son-in-law watched/slept football.  Overall it was very relaxing as usually there are many more people so more hectic.

Today I made Turkey Pie and Turkey & White Bean soup, so the fridge is somewhat empty again.

[gmatoy]

After deciding that DH and I would just have a small turkey and enjoy our day w/ just each other, our DIL invited us to join her family at her father's house. We went and had a great time! We met her father's best friend and his wife. DIL calls them her "second parents." Her second mother told me that DIL called my mashed potatoes, "fluffy clouds!"  Which explains why she asked me to bring them to the dinner.

Cute note: Our granddaughter (she's 11) called and asked me to bring apple pie! Everyone praised it, so that was nice!

We'll probably have our little turkey tomorrow.

[40andbetter]

My in laws celebrate their 50th anniversary in January - Thanksgiving was the big gathering day for MIL and FIL's family (due to several relatives going south for the winter)
My Inlaws were very emphatic that they didn't want any celebration for their 50th  except to go out for a special brunch with their sons and families --
DH and I didn't want their anniversary to pass without a celebration with extended family so we brought two small 50th anniversary cakes to celebrate with on each side of the family  (more so for the seniment than to eat due to MIL's fabulous Pumpkin roll everyone fights over 

The host family on each side decorated the room and arranged some small (low key surprises ) to add to the day
MIL and FIL were very touched even though they didn't "want " anything ....

[taxing]

Well, it was my first Thanksgiving, so... AWESOME! 

I'm English (living in England), and we don't have Thanksgiving, but one of my fellow grad students is American so I suggested that it would be nice if we could do a Thanksgiving potluck for her. She offered to host, asked her mum and grandma to send her their family recipes, and totally blew us away with these amazing dishes that we had never heard of! Sweet potato casserole was my favourite. So it was a hit all round. One of her family traditions (I don't know if this is common) is to go around the table and say something we're thankful for, and some really sweet things were said.

Also, the pumpkin pie I made was edible! So relieved. 

[bo]

My daughters birthday fell on Thanksgiving this year

[kajunchick]

We had a great day! My grandma's 90-year old sister came for the day with her grandson and his family. We hadn't seen them in years, and I had a wonderful time visiting with grandson and his wife.

[The Wild One, Forever]

We had a great day! My grandma's 90-year old sister came for the day with her grandson and his family. We hadn't seen them in years, and I had a wonderful time visiting with grandson and his wife.

Aw, that's so cool!  Enjoy and treasure your aging family members.  I no longer have any grandparents, nor any great aunts or uncles, and they were people who meant a great deal to me in life. 

[violinp]

I got to see my high school's band in the Macy's Parade! 

[amylouky]

Our T-day wasn't so hot, as both boys came down with a stomach bug on Wednesday night. So.. we had to skip the meal at my sister's house, but did get to FaceTime and at least see everyone.
But the best thing was.. my sis called and said, 'BIL is on his way to your house with food!'.
Yep, they'd packaged up an entire meal, even including a gallon ziploc bag of roasted squash soup.
I *heart* my family!

[MayHug]

We had a low-key thanksgiving this year. Just my husband & I, our son , his wife & toddler , my sister and one teenage niece. In comparison I usually have my entire family which consists of 6 siblings/spouses/kids. Generally 35 or so people.

But we had the best time! My son said it was probably his most memorable thanksgiving! We had a late lunch because I worked til 3. Then we played a few rounds of Uno . We laughed so hard my sister almost passed out and my husband had an asthma attack!

Later when I was telling our daughter about it ( she lives across the country and couldn't attend) She said " Well you know its a good thanksgiving when someone almost passes out and another has an asthma attack!"

So now I guess further thanksgivings will always be compared to this one!  :-)

[philliesphan]

My aunt, and about 10 of her friends and relations, who were supposed to show up to our Thanksgiving dinner, decided to go to the casinos instead. This was apparently a middle-of-the-day decision. So our 25-person Thanksgiving became a 15-person Thanksgiving. This is typical behavior for my aunt (and why DH and I did not invite any family beyond parents, siblings, siblings' spouses, and my niece to our wedding), who has no understanding at all of why a host might be upset if guests change their plans at the last minute. 

This turned out not to be such a bad thing, as my aunt always takes a bunch of gingerbread (my niece's favorite) home with her from Thanksgiving dinner. Her absence meant my niece will have gingerbread all week long.