Thanksgiving

[Forgivenmom5]

I am using both of sheryl's recipes. Her yams are only a little different from mine but I thought the pecans would be a good touch.

[DianaB]

Kate...why can't you eat the food? Are you allergic to everything? Can you substitute and come up with a meal that you can feel like you've celebrated Thanksgiving?

Janet...I haven't started buying anything yet either, and we're having it at my house. It just dawned on me yesterday that I need to start getting my house cleaned. It's gotten pretty bad since we had the garage sale and not feeling well. It will come together.

Angie...I have that recipe for Apple cake and it's wonderful. I like to heat it up and serve it with Cool-whip! Yummmm!!!! Also, it freezes really good so you can make it ahead.

[katepoet]

Thanks Diana, but our diets are overwhelmingly limited. I can't even get a snack if we are out and I am hungry. Neither can our son although he does have a few more foods than I do. But we are still thankful to be together, the three of us and Bowser, no matter how tough the road is sometimes.

[Mandy]

That must be very challenging Kate, i hope you can come up with something nice to eat, even though you guys are limited, decorate the table with candles, and just enjoy your time together.

[AngieDoogles]

Well, our Thanksgiving is on Sunday! Mom has chemo on Tuesday and won't feel like cooking OR eating by Thursday so we decided to do it early. I'm pretty excited. I get to make more sides than usual this year. Mom is taking care of the turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and Sheryl's jello dessert.

[katepoet]

Mandy, what a good idea - candles - our existing essential oil peppermint ones are almost used up - I will get new ones for the holidays. Anyone have a good online source for good essential oil products?

[DianaB]

Originally Posted by AngieDoogles

Well, our Thanksgiving is on Sunday! Mom has chemo on Tuesday and won't feel like cooking OR eating by Thursday so we decided to do it early. I'm pretty excited. I get to make more sides than usual this year. Mom is taking care of the turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and Sheryl's jello dessert.

I think that you've come up with a wonderful idea for your family. You're a very sweet daughter to make sure that your Mom has a good Thanksgiving too. And your Mom will be in my prayers this week too!

[Tink]

This chilled dessert looks as good as it tastes! And for those who don't enjoy cooking, it's SUPER SIMPLE

* 1 large box strawberry flavor gelatin
Mix according to box directions

* 1 large container frozen extra creamy cool whip whipped topping, thawed
* 1 quart strawberries - washed, hulled and sliced lengthwise (Can use frozen but remember to decrease the amount of cold water in your jello by about half a cup)
* extra strawberries for garnish (optional)
* 1/2 cup slivered almonds ( add 1/4 cup coconut if desired)

Preparation -
In a large mixing bowl, make the gelatin;
then place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill (Don't let it thicken or set). Remove from the refrigerator and, using an electric mixer at low speed, mix in the thawed whipped topping, and almonds till the color is consistent.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Garnish with a few additional strawberries, if desired.
Serve chilled.

You can use other flavors if you want... raspberries work great!

[Mandy]

Originally Posted by katepoet

Mandy, what a good idea - candles - our existing essential oil peppermint ones are almost used up - I will get new ones for the holidays. Anyone have a good online source for good essential oil products?

Maybe that would be a good thread for everyone to see, and post ideas
I will see if i can find any.

[AngieDoogles]

Originally Posted by DianaB

I think that you've come up with a wonderful idea for your family. You're a very sweet daughter to make sure that your Mom has a good Thanksgiving too. And your Mom will be in my prayers this week too!

It was actually Mom's idea. I didn't know her chemo fell two days before Thanksgiving and she told me and then asked how Bren and I felt about doing it on Sunday. We were more than happy to do it whenever, so long as Mom gets to have fun and enjoy the day. I'm getting so excited!!

[katepoet]

Thanks Mandy. I will look, too.

Angie, when you get to make and eat all that good food, take a bite for me and let me know just how much I enjoyed it! lol Glad you could find a way so Mom could be a part of your traditions.

[Tink]

For many years dhs' family has had Thanksgiving at his brothers house and celebrated Christmas at the same time because 3 of the 5 siblings live a distance away and winter driving in our part of the country can be challenging at best.

This year we'd planned to do the same, but dh is so angry at his brother that he's decided we're not going. There's a long history of serious problems in the family, that started 50+ yrs ago... so it's nothing new really, but has reached a boiling point. It's actually a relief for all of us since it's not a lot of fun to go when you only see these people once a year and there's always tension in the air. My feeling on it is that it's one less obligation to worry about.

So we will be having Thanksgiving at home with our own kids this year. Katie plans to cook for us this year, so that should be fun.

[Janet]

Sounds like you have a plan Tink. I understand your husband's wishes. Another reason I have Thanksgiving for hubby's side is I really don't want to be around my two brothers. Oh I love them very much, but my younger brother is so moody, I feel I have to walk on eggshells around him. Not a comfortable feeling. My older brother always wants to agitate and it gets people upset. He also always has to be right and wants to keep an argument going. Not sure why they are like that, so as long as I can have Thanksgiving for the in-laws, I'll save Christmas for my family. Once a year is enough for a family get together under these circumstances.

[katepoet]

You all sound like you have got it worked out as far as family. Nice to look forward to a more relaxing holiday than it might have been otherwise. I love my family but I prefer to see them one sib at a time with their immediate family, than to get together as a group. There is too much tension in the group. For us I think it comes from the ages we were through my mother's illness and death, and the way that my father coped with it. We all did our best but the family took a lot of damage and the shadows of it still linger. We did so well through our father's death that I had hoped the healing from that would last longer. Some of it does, though.

Point being, my dh, son and I don't go to the big holiday gatherings as we want to enjoy our family, not be stressed out by them. All my bros go to their wives families on the actual holidays, too. It would be my sis and her family that would join with mine, and we are separated by too many miles to handle the drive with the rest of the country.

Maybe I will send her a web cam to mount on her computer so at Christmas we can at least visit webface-to-webface. I went to a party that had them set up so the relatives who couldn't make it could still be with us all - we are in Virginia they were in Maine. Has anyone tried that?

[Janet]

Haven't tried the webcam yet, but I'm thinking of asking for one for Christmas. Sometimes you get two for the price of one...we'll see.