The Feast

Preparations are under way for the big giant feast. We're staying home this year, quiet. Some of our kids are quite picky, so we've adjusted the feast to our family and it is gradually becoming "traditional" - our tradition.

On the menu this year:

Turkey - brined, of course - veggie stock is on the stove right now
Ham
Mashed potatoes - instant - we have some that are fantastic and I will add stuff to them to make them special - a cheat that is so worth it to me
Stuffing - hoping to still find some Pepperidge Farms cubes, but we might be stuck with Stove Top this year
Turkey gravy - from packets, but I will add stuff to it.
Velveeta Shells and Cheese - the food of choice among the picky for any celebration
Veggie tray - celery, maybe carrots, olives, and pickles
Fruit salad - this is the first year I am skipping my family's traditional fruit salad with whipped topping. Instead, we will have Banana's request of grapes and apples.
Rolls - I bought some, but might make some too.
Mashed sweet potatoes (maybe)
Sparkling apple juice

(I think there is something else, but I can't remember what)

Desserts:
Pumpkin pie(s)
Chocolate pie (another Banana request)
Ice cream sundaes

I'm working really hard to give up on insisting on making stuff the real way in favor of making stuff a little more foolproof/simple/easy because in the past when I've dinner on my own, I screw something up (usually the timing of getting everything done), I get a little snippy, dinner is LATE, everyone is cranky, and I get upset because 80% of the family doesn't like 90% of the meal that I just slaved all day over. Which, added on top of the fact that Thanksgiving is the day I miss my extended family the most, makes for miserableness for everyone. If this year doesn't go better, I'm going to ditch everything but the Shells and Cheese and the ice cream sundaes and live happily ever after anyway.

**weird and random happening yesterday**

I was at the girls' rehearsal last night, helping with some costumes. One of the moms was talking about how she had lived in WA state for 5 years and could not find decent Mexican food anywhere. Another mom said that she was raised in WA and I said Me too! Later, she asked me where I was from and I said Tacoma area (default answer to a city people might actually know) and she said I lived in *Name of tiny town EF's parents live in.* Jaw drop to the floor. *Name of tiny town EF's parents live in* really is a tiny town - about 2300 people. Amazing that we'd both end up in *Name of not quite as tiny, but still small, town* TX with kids in the same show. She graduated 10 years before I did and I only lived there my senior year, so we didn't know any of the same people off the top's of our heads, just places mostly. She graduated the last year in the old high school, which was long gone and made new by the time I got there. Huh.