ToughChoices

I'm going to visit my family and my in-laws in West Texas (my hometown!).
My little brother and his wife are expecting a baby girl in January, and I can't wait to see her growing belly! My other brother and my parents will be there, too, and we're having the traditional "turkey and stuffing and football" Thanksgiving. It's our first Thanksgiving at little bro's house.

My in-laws are awesome, laid-back people who I get along with really well. We'll have a holiday celebration on the day after Thanksgiving ('cause we're still thankful on Friday!), and I get to make the big meal.
I'm planning on doing an orange glazed ham, grainy mustard mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and asparagus, homemade mac and cheese, biscuits, and a chocolate-caramel walnut tart.


I'm really looking forward to some relaxed family time. I may even find a relative to watch the kiddo so that I can see a movie (I'm dying to see Quantum of Solace!).

What's everyone else up to?

sunflowerintx

There will be 28 people at our celebration. We are pitching in to rent a bounce house and a margarita machine (no alcoholics there). I'm taking stuffing and gravy.

I am working at my 2nd job at the grocery store 6 to 2 and will join my family about 4pm.

Barbara52

This year it's going to be just one of my sons and me at home. My older son has decided to stay at college for the holiday. We are going to have a very untraditional Thanksgiving. For many years we had had friends over and did the whole humongous meal. Neither my son nor I feel like it this year. Not in a negative way, we just would rather not. We talked about it just the other day and are leaning toward having a nice quiet day together and making ourselves a big old pizza for dinner and pumpkin pie for dessert. We are also thinking of having a day long Risk tournament and see who is better at taking over the world.

GiveLove

My mom-in-law is dying and so I'm hoping we can have one more T-Day together at the hospice where she is. They've been really accommodating so far (parties, pizza, birthday cakes, etc., and really sweet about everything) so I have high hopes we can pull that off too.

ToughChoices

I'm thinking of you, GiveLove.
What a blessing it would be, for both of you, to share this holiday.

-TC

Ago

Quantum of Solace was great but i think I need someone to explain it to me, it was so action packed so as to be nonstop but I almost was in danger of being able to think for a second once or twice.

You know, I'm not sure I have been invited to spend the day with my "second family" this family that about adopted me when I was 10 and has remained close to this day, but what's really calling to me is this event we have every year with maybe 500 alcoholics it's really incredible.

For years...and this is going to sound strange, but for years my family would reserve banks of tables at the "Turf Club" Formal attire at the local horse racing track, and the ninth race was named after one of my antecedents, I could go and stand in the "winners circle" with the horse owner and Jockey as "The Patron" of that race, it was a blast.

Got to see all my family but when "Aunt Dotty" and "Uncle Archie" would come to give their yearly nasty comments I could hold up the program and say "be right back, need to go place a bet" and could escape.

there was the one year I had to borrow 20 bucks to win some $$$ in order to pay my bill, even that adds to the memory, Go Go Russel Baze

blessed4x

We're going to my folks on Saturday, with my brother and sister and their families. My dad's also on hospice, so it will be bittersweet to have us all in one place.

As far as Thanksgiving day goes, I'm staying as far away from the oven as possible........I'm thinking Pizza Hut. I'm pretty sure the local fire department would enjoy having a nice quiet afternoon

hbb

This year for my family is the true meaning of thanks! My father just received a lung transplant. He was in a real bad way, only 63 years old and probably wouldn't have made it through next Summer and after a week and a half on the list got the call. My heart goes out to the family that lost a loved one that day. My heart also goes out to my dad who had such courage and strength. So we will probably spend the day in his room at the hospital.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

denny57

I always start out down at the Mission serving hot meals.

My family is all back East and I try to not travel during holidays. For years a group of friends and I have rotated hosting dinner. This year there will be 18 of us, plus children. Whoever hosts does some dishes from their own family tradition. This year my friend who is Indian will be hosting with her husband. She always does some curry dishes as sides so that'll be great. I'm always asked to bring the brussels sprouts because the ones I make are delicious :-). I'll also take a pumpkin cream pie I make.

I love everything about Thanksgiving Day. As much as I also love Christmas, Thanksgiving just always seems warmer and fuzzier to me.

eggshell

We are making a new tradition this year. My AH and I are taking our kids to the place where he goes to AA every day. They are having a huge turkey dinner and all the fixins. We are looking forward to an alcohol-free day with our new family (AA)
I am looking forward to it because Thanksgiving at my in-laws is a drunken nightmare every year.

freeflower

My youngest daughter is expected to have her first baby...a girl...little virginia bell....after my mom..on wed before thanksgiving. So all of us, even ah and family are going to meet at the hospital on thanksgiving and hang together and maybe grab a bite together even if it's in the hospital diner. She is having a ruff go of it with diabetis and a few other complications so the dr is putting her in a day before they induce so say a prayer that everything turns out great.

sodetermined

My heart and prayers go out to the familes that are dealing with loved ones who are ill, that is some really tough stuff to go through. The amount of self-less-ness on this board amazes me sometimes.

Denny, I want some of that pumpking cream pie, that sounds GOOD!

For Thanksgiving, I will be going to my grandmas, my mom/dad, sister, brother and his gf will be there, as well as my uncle. And then I was actually invited to a friend's house for a later dinner, so I will go there after leaving my grandmas. So no cooking, cleaning, or entertaining for me, which is great. My friend told me to bring comfy lounge clothes, that we will eat, watch movies, play games, and just do a lot of nothing, I'm really excited, and very thankful to her for thinking of my son and I and inviting us along.

Rella927

GiveLove prayers to your family-And I hope that you are able to "pull it off" too! What a blessing that would be!

Thanksgiving has always been a hard one for me as my husband was in a bad accident the night before-and died 10 days later. I try to make the best of it every year and no matter how much recovery I have it still is always a tuff time. I put on my happy face and I do have some enjoyment. My nephew's Birthday is the 26th which is my blessing for this time of year!

This year I will go to my boyfriends Aunt's again-as my family is down South and like Denny I try not to travel on the holidays as it can be stressful! We each bring something when we go to his Aunt's and it is a nice relaxing time with good people!

We will also see quantum of solace over the weekend as I have 2 free tickets! And of course my 4:30 a.m. wake up call to go shop at Kohl's on Friday morning! (A tradition I do with my friends!)

Everyone have a blessed Thanksgiving

suzieq1972

Rella, my son's birthday is on the 26th. He was actually born on Thanksgiving day. This year he'll be 16...pray for me. LOL

For Thanksgiving we'll be going to my parent's house for the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Lots of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce...YUM!

I love this time of year. Maybe it's because I really love turkey?


Sue

DII

Know what I see on this Thread.....Thanks and Compassion! Most posts talk about spending time with our A's. That's why this is my favorite Holiday! No gifts....just a day to be Thankdful for whatever we are Thankful for. I don't have to be politically correct my Thankfulness is my own. We can also reflect on the good we have. Even though we suffer with a loved one with addiction problems we can be thankful for what we DO have and remember that although it is sometimes difficult there are those with less and those who struggle to make it through every day.......

Look for your blessings and you will find them!

Still Waters

We (my daughter and I) will be spending it with our friends here I think.

I don't have the money for a turkey I'm afraid.

Truth be told, I haven't thought that far ahead yet. I'm looking for work and taking it hour by hour, or minute by minute right now.

brundle

I'm not sure yet. My sister may have a "drop in anytime" kind of thing. This works for my family; old war wounds from past holiday fights make us jumpy.

I haven't talked with AH yet, I'm sure he will want to go to his family's home. I send him alone due to the amount of drinking and pot use that I don't want my teens to see. I would be happy if we could each do our own thing.

I guess I'm with Still Waters on just taking it slow. It all looks too crazy if I look more then one day at a time!