All is well here; everyone came, saw, ate, divided up the leftovers, put the Great Room back to the way it was before, washed up most of the dirty dishes and went home. So you all divide the leftovers in the virtual RV...the ham, the turkey, the chicken and the dressing (two kinds), the baked beans, green beans with jowl & bacon, sweet potatoes, 5 cup salad, pies and brownies. Enough left here to do us a whole week and a half.

No, I have to have my kitchen if I am expected to cook; afraid that would be grounds for divorce with me. But each to their own and what they are happy with. Dh shows (as I do ) that we eat well. bf's daughters were quick to thank us for hosting the group so they could visit with their Mother & Father today. They were amazed at how BIG my kitchen is; most fun today was watching the daughters and granddaughter working in my kitchen...Guys got into a bit of the action too. Very informal, just ask where an item was, and I would point or tell them where it was in the kitchen. Funny, bf was telling my dh were some plates went today!!:o:o:o No one felt 'crowded' today with 19 people moving about in the kitchen or great room...little boys were running outside to see the guineas and ducks and chickens. Poor cats...between the two little dogs and kids, they disappeared during their visit here.

Thanks for the carrot recipe, Carrie...not what I would ever think of, but I love carrots and will try that delicious sounding recipe. Love the exchange of ideas here.

Turkey got done in good time but we didn't go wild with the fixings. Just stuffing and cranberry sauce besides the usual peas and baked sweet potatoes. We did finish it all off with pumpkin pie. Ummmmmm. It was such a beautiful day here we climbed in the truck and just wandered the back roads for a couple of hours. Thoroughly enjoyable. Once home, i cleaned the kitchen, straightened my sewing room and checked Bonnie Hunter's blog to make sure she wasn't having an early Black Friday posting of her first clue for Easy Street. Nope.
QNSue...it sound like your guest thoroughly enjoyed your hospitality. It would have been fun to be a little fly on the wall.
JanR.... Right now things are pretty neat on the surface but so many things half done!

We had a nice day today too...left here around 11 and got home around 5. The weather was beautiful here today too. The guys went outside for a while and started a fire to sit around while visiting.

I have a husband that starts projects and doesn't always finish as quickly as I might. I too have learned the relationship is much more important. It would be hard if it was the kitchen, but since dh does as much cooking as I do, I doubt that would be a room to wait.

The carrot casserole was something an older lady brought to a church potluck several years ago. My husband really liked it and asked her to give me the recipe. :) It is almost a meal in itself.

Tomorrow we don't have much going on (no shopping here!), so should be able to spend some time in the clubhouse. YAY! I have a demo to prep for and then Rosie blocks to catch up on. I am working on squaring up my PC blocks here and there....I bring my tv tray/ironing board in and press a few while watching tv, then trim them down when I am back up in the clubhouse. After the demo a week from Saturday and 2 table runners, I am done with stuff I *have to* do so can get back to working on my PC quilts.

Whether celebrating with the multitudes (or as a couple, looks like some happy times were had today!

QNSue ... what a grand day ... and nice that everyone feels so at home that they just do their part and let you tell them where to find things! I had to laugh at your BF telling your DH where to put things in "his" kitchen!

GGal ... yea for a road trip!! I did that with a friend yesterday ... we had a few errands to do in Menno country, so along with that came some good back road touring!!

MiraB ... I'll be patient! I can understand your not cooking turkeys in the heat ... it takes so long, so the heat in your home would be terrible. I know some here who do turkeys on the BBQ, in order to keept the oven space for other things. Another friend bought one of the portable roaster ovens and has found it to be a great entertainment asset. She doesn't have a huge kitchen, so it often gets put out into the garage to keep the space for other things.

QNSue ... with all your cooking ... something you may need? ^^ ?

CarrieM ... your DH was pretty sly "please give my wife the recipe!". :) Wondering? do you always make it with cooked carrots? or what about using thawed frozen carrots?

Football? ... and how many of you played football? Isn't that supposed to be an American Thanksgiving Day tradition? And watch football?

Well, I see that everyone got stuffed with all sorts of good stuff to eat....I roasted a 19 lb turkey for DH, DS & me!!! Put the bird in the oven...watched the parade while peeling potatoes...then the football games started and stayed on all day..sent DS home with a goody bag....now it's all peace & quiet.....It took me 3 days to do all the prepping for today...I was back in the Dr"s office yesterday...another shot and I'm also on a steroid regiment for 7 days...inhaler, nasal spray, eye drops...you name it ..I'm taking it!!! I forgot the cough syrup with the special stuff in it to help you sleep:) first nite I slept all thru until 7:30 this morning..I'm still coughing and all sorts of junk appearing....I look like a racoon with the brown rings around my eyes...lost 8 lbs (yay!)...BUT I'm starting to feel much better...Hooray!

I'm so glad all of you had a great day..especially you Bev...glad to hear your DGM is home...

QuiltE..you can post your blocks in the "official thread" or the Update thread...Wherever your heart desires!

It's way past midnight and I'm really tired so it's off to bed for me...G'nite

I just got my kitchen cleaned up again--and we had dinner over at our Aunt's house as we have for the last 35+ years, but all she fixed this year was the ham and the turkey. Everything else brought in--I hadn't made my mother's apple, raisin dressing in years so took that, as well as pumpkin dessert, and scalloped potatoes and gravy. Took black bean, corn salsa for an appetizer with corn chips. Good plan as instead of waiting on the dairy farmers (us), we had to wait on the turkey. Found out another "out law" cousin grew up on dressing made with soda crackers and real "wieners"--and how long have we known each other Ha Ha. Aunt sent home the carcass which I boiled up tonight. Tomorrow we are have creamed turkey over potatoes for the two families that are here for the holiday. Then house becomes quiet again. 3 little grands (9,8,6) are spending the night here with the boys and the 2 little ones at DS's. Those girls expect Gram to read a story before they go to sleep no matter how late it is. Tonight's selection from James Herriot's collection of Stories for Children...Market Square Dog. They wanted another so I promised the second story in the morning. Reading to the grands has always been a special time for us.
Get the long john's out folks, we went from a balmy 60 degrees today to freezing temperatures tonight with the wind howling even in our valley.


And no Black Friday shopping here either.