Thanksgiving 2011

We had a wonderfully calm low key Thanksgiving.  For the first time in three years I wasn't in the hospital, dealing with all day morning sickness, or nursing a newborn.  We had a fun just hang out morning.  The kids played and goofed off while Dave worked on making challah to go with our meal. I am so thankful for my family.   For Hannah who is the best big sister.  She loves her brothers so much.  She plays with them and reads to them and tried to be so helpful teaching them things especially with Max's therapy.  She very rarely gets frustrated that she is older and has more responsibility or that Max has different rules sometimes because he is autistic.  When she is in her nurturer mode she is one of a kind and I am so thankful for all she does.  For Max I am so thankful for a sweet, happy, strong little boy who works so hard and never complains.   Who loves, hugs, and approaches life with great passion.  He loves us all and gives the the best drive by snuggles ever. For Jakie Simon who is the happiest, funniest little comedian in our family.  So social and outgoing he makes friends everywhere we go.  He has a passion for life and when he throws himself face down on the floor to have a tantrum you can't help but laugh at him.  For Dave I am thankful for my best friend who takes care of me and his kids, who can do it all and does so on a regular basis.  I wouldn't make it through this life without him.  I have so much in my life to be thankful for but this year it centers around the 4 other people I share my home and heart with.  I love you Dave, Hannah, Max, and Jakob!

 Max had a bit off a rough day.  his sense of balance must have been a bit off.  He crashed in the morning and got a raspberry on his forehead then at nap time he crashed into the corner of the bed really hard getting a huge bruise and a gash.  After an hour of sleep he woke up crying so Dave got him and sat down on the couch.  Next thing we knew he was passed out again and slept in Dave's lap for over an hour.  He was crabby for the rest of the day.  I am sure the bruise on his head didn't help.  below you see the aftermath of his falls.

It was just the 5 of us this year. I decided it was time to go all out and cook.  The only thing we cheated on was getting a turkey.  Since I am a vegetarian and the kids are so little we always have way to much.  So this year I got just a turkey breast.  It was just perfect.  Only took a couple hours to cook right from frozen and Dave said it tasted great.  YAY!  I gathered a bunch of new recipes and got to cooking.  I made a pumpkin pie the night before.  The only thing store bought besdies the turkey breast was the apple pie.  The menu consisted of the following:

Sweet potato marshmallow casserole

Rosemary and Garlic infused mashed potatoes

cranberies, with apricot preserves and oranges

green beans with garlic and almonds

vegetarian stuffing

turkey breast

Challah and gravy

yummy pie.  I even made fresh whipped cream.

 It was such a yummy meal and everyone ate awesome minus Max who was in a grumpy just hold me mood.  Hannah ate almost everything and loved it all.  Jakie thought the cranberries were blueberries and it was funny to watch his face and then he just kept eating them anyway.  We had enough leftovers for a few days which was just perfect.   Definitely plan a repeat of this meal next year.