Happy Thanksgiving video.

Here in Canada, we celebrated Thanksgiving this weekend. Monday, for most was a statutory/Bank holiday. Not for me, I had to work, which is fine, Ill take the stat pay anytime! So, we celebrated on Sunday. We invited all the family over.

The weather on Sunday was quite stormy, it poured down rain and the wind was gusting all morning. I had only had the turkey cooking for a couple of hours and the lights flickered and went out. Thankfully for just a few minutes! I was starting to think maybe I would have to barbecue a big turkey! In the meantime, Heidi, who has just studied food safe at school is right on me telling me that the turkey is going to be unedible if it gets into the temperature danger zone! I reassured her, that if we didn't open the oven, it would be alright for a while. We all cheered when the power came back on! I love entertaining and cooking for a crowd. With all my little helpers, the work left for me was minimal. The kids peeled all the potatoes and vegetables. The boys brought up our extra tables and chairs. Heidi and I had fun setting the table, with table cloths, candle sticks and ornamental dried leaves. Bread baskets lined with thanksgiving themed napkins. She rolled the cutlery up in napkins. All the silly extras that make a feast special. Keith was working until two, but thankfully he made it home with enough time to shower and shave before our first guest arrived at 4pm.

Keith and I each have three siblings, who are all married with children. One of my sisters is out of town so she couldn't be here, and Keith's Sister was working. Even so, we got a fair crowd of 23 for our feast. Everyone pitched in and brought something for the table.

Even with a table set for 18, we still had some sitting in the living room. The little kids thought it was cool to be able to kneel around the coffee table! I wasn't worried as my carpets are getting cleaned this week anyways! But they didnt even spill one thing. The dog was put out as he was all too willing to help with the kid dinners. It was torture for him to sit right at nose level with those little plates!
What a great time we had. The kids always enjoy playing together, they all get along so well. The little girls are completely smitten with their cousin Troy who has just moved here from another province, he was very sweet and patient with them.
I am so very grateful for my wonderful, loving extended family. I feel so very blessed to have so much love. I have a fabulous, loving husband, great kids and even the pets are a blessing! What a great family.
Heidi kept putting on the Christmas CD's! She said it felt like Christmas to her. All my kids agree that these get togethers are awesome. I figure if my teenagers appreciate their family, even the aunty who kisses them too much and the grandpa with his chronic sinus snort, then we must be doing something right. It makes me proud that my kids are now hanging around and conversing with the adults instead of running down to play with their cousins. The boys incurred some lively debates on politics and the environment, history and religion. They are so much more interesting than I was at their age!

So now, in spite of Heidi and her Christmas music, I am pumped for the next big gathering which will most likely be Christmas. The fact that we have seven people live here, makes every day a gathering of sorts.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends. I am so thankful for all of you. I hope you enjoyed your holiday as much as I did.



Here is a short clip. I panned the room. For those of our family who wanted to be here and couldn't, I hope this helps you feel the vibe! Kayla, Lexi and Nick, dad is waving at you!