giving thanks

we were greeted with a lovely rosemary, pear spritzer...festive!

we shot skeet. because that is just what we do on thanksgiving. at casa de awesome.

we strolled the grounds, accompanied by two very american labradors. and i got a leaf stuck on my boot.

i admired my mama's decorations and perfectly simple and elegant table scape.

i marvelled at the rocha's ability to whip up a roux on a camp stove. in the driveway. for their delicious brussel sprout gratin.


we ate...

and ate. it was one of the best meals of my adult life. this is not a lie, nor an exaggeration.

everyone contributed to our feast...turkey and stuffing by grandma, second turkey, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy and desserts by mama and daddy, homemade rolls by rachel (best ever!), queens beans by tante heidi and tia (one of my favorite dishes of all time), and salad and brussel sprout gratin by the rocha's.

as we do at every thanksgiving, we also had the punch. my grandma has always made it and it is still one of my favorites. ginger ale and grape juice...it is heavenly.

we embarked on a long, chilly walk and then posed for a family picture.

and a silly one too.

we hugged one another, grateful for another year of bounty, dessert and fantastic wine. and then we had a dance party in the kitchen.

the day ended with coffee, homemade pies (as in pumpkin pies from SCRATCH, courtesy of my mother and uncle joe) and a rousing game of catch phrase.

how wonderful it is to spend a day immersed in laughter, incredible food and some of my favorite people in the world, all while realizing that our greatest gift is love - of all forms.

i am thankful. for it all.