An unexpected Thanksgiving

I hadn't planned on contracting the flu just two days before Thanksgiving.  I had been looking forward to having time off of work, to rock my domestic diva side - to cook and bake and decorate!  Instead, I was in bed with a 103 fever and a severe case of the chills the night before...and not a single thing ready!

Just when I gave up and assumed that either Thanksgiving would have to wait - or else my dear husband would be in charge of cooking this year, I got well enough Thanksgiving morning to drag myself from bed and get right to work.  

It wasn't the Thanksgiving that I planned - I had to scale back some of my more lavish plans...but the dinner turned out to be my best yet.  

I know some folks enjoy trying new things over the holidays - but I'm an old-fashioned girl at heart :)  It's all about tradition for me and my little family.   Tradition is what brings us comfort - knowing what to expect, having familiarity...it gracefully links us to the past :)  But that doesn't mean that tradition has to be boring or blah! 

Our Turkey Day Dining Room

Since it was just the three of us for our little celebration, I took my time and made everything just the way me and my guys like it!  We leisurely watched the Macy's Parade while I got things going in the kitchen.

As I do with every holiday, I re-used my son's seasonal artwork as the cornerstone of our holiday decor.  Some may find it tacky, but the little artistic treasures he brings home from daycare and school make my mama heart happy!  I save them from year to year to add to our growing gallery (the turkeys are my favorites!  The body is made up from tracings of his feet, the feathers from his hands!  Fun to see how they "grow" from year to year!)

I have them hung everywhere - and they never cease to bring a smile to mine and his daddy's faces :)

The centerpiece was very similar to the one I did last year...an assortment of gourds and my cornucopia that I fill with a mixture of roses and seasonal flowers.

The dining room awaits us!

I bought this turkey platter several years ago ~ I loved it for its heart-warming verse (I'm a sucker for quotes and the written word). 

Simple turkey transferware dishes - and a little turkey placecard holder complete the place settings. 

I bought these delicious mini baby pears at a farmer's market when I bought the gourds for my centerpiece.  There were a lovely and light snack for us as the dinner was cooking. 

Since it was just a small, informal family affair - I didn't have to do a kid's table.  But I STILL wanted to make the dinner kid-friendly!  So I put this cute little fellow atop a square pedestal at my son's placesetting.

Tweed Turkey Tee :)

Thanksgiving is NOT a time to diet!

Time to say Grace and eat!

We hope this Thanksgiving was a joyful and blessed day 

for you and your loved ones, as well!

Happy Thanksgiving!