Thanksgiving 2013...

We anticipated a very quiet Thanksgiving this year.  The only people we thought would be at our home were Papa, Claude and me. This was fine with us.  The Marx family would be off to their Disney cruise with Michael's family.  Jake had an invitation from friends in Chelsea.  Then we got a call from Nissa asking if she and Todd, Aubrey and Paul could come for a visit over Thanksgiving. Well...of course!!

 

I purchased the brisket and turkey for Claude to smoke.  Then I purchased groceries for all the meals.  We did minimal cleaning.  Then we awaited their arrival Wednesday afternoon.  They left early and were able to be here before 2pm.

It was a very different visit.  We are all used to the Mini's filling our lives and schedules with Mini activities.  Aubrey and Paul are usually very much occupied with the Mini's wanting them to play with them.  I do think Aubrey and Paul missed the vitality those two little people bring into this home.

Wednesday evening Claude smoked the brisket and we had brisket for dinner.  I made a Chocolate/Banana pudding cake. It was a nice meal.  Then we settled in for the evening. I pulled out crocheting and got a new baby afghan started.  We watched TV and talked and just enjoyed a quiet evening.

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, I got Papa at 10am and brought him out to the house.  Claude smoked the turkey and we made the appropriate side dishes and a crumb pie for dessert.  Football was watched.  More crocheting was done.  Papa was going to stay and watch Dallas play, but opted to have his dessert and head home to watch that game on his television.  We divided and conquered for the evening.  The main level had Aubrey and Paul with Claude watching the Men in Black trilogy.  In the basement Todd graciously allowed Nissa and I to watch some Harry Potter movies on television. More crocheting was done.

At one point Aubrey sat at the breakfast table to have a glass of apple juice. She looked down and marveled at the electronics.  This is how we seem to do things in 2013.

Friday morning I learned the 'Ways of the Waffle'.  We have two waffle irons and have had them for about three years and never used them.  We knew Nissa and Todd used one and we thought they could train us up properly.  Nissa and Todd prepared breakfast for us and Paul helped.

 

Friday, we had a day to do something touristy with the family.  I had researched and presented some options.  Todd and Nissa wanted to see some Kentucky countryside.  Aubrey and Paul had no desire to go with us. In truth they were both starting to get sore throats. We left Aubrey in the basement with her own TV and Paul upstairs with his own TV and a kitchen full of all kinds of food and snacks. Nissa, Todd, Claude and I plotted a route and took the back roads from Sadieville to Cynthiana to Paris to Mt. Sterling. Then we drove down the Mountain Parkway to Natural Bridge.  From there we went to Fitchburg Furnace. Then we finished with a stop in Lexington at BD Mongolian Grill for dinner.  Then we headed home.  It was a beautiful day in the Kentucky countryside.  Todd said he saw more deer than he saw in Michigan while hunting.  Nissa even tried to be the 'deer whisperer' while we were a Fitchburg Furnace and found three in a thicket.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday evening we spent cutting Nissa's hair and getting clothes ready and packed for their trip home.

This morning they were out of the house and on the road by 8am after a good breakfast.  It was a wonderful visit and we are so grateful they could come and stay for a few days.