Trying to Make Grandma Katie Proud

KK -


I was glad to hear you had a fun Thanksgiving, even though we were not together.  This year we hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our home with some friends.  In an effort to make Grandma Katie (she is the QUEEN of classy entertaining) proud, I set my table the day before and made little treats as place cards for all of our guests.  I used baby food jars and filled them with candy.  Then I glued on paper and wrote "Thank you" in a different language for each guest (17 total languages).  In my head, it was incredibly simple and cute.  Unfortunately the simple part remained true, but the cute part did not.  They did not look very cute at all but they worked.  Needless to say I will not be sending them in to Real Simple Magazine.  


Sally made the extremely long table runner and then I added candles, but candles make everything better right?  For a beginner I think it turned out nice.  We'll have to see what Grandma Katie thinks.

I would like to extend a couple of "shout outs" to our guests.


-B Family - Thank you for letting us take over hosting this year.  I think it was a full and fun day.  There was a spontaneous jamming session (piano, guitar, hand drum, maracas), puzzles, murals made, ornaments painted, pool games, thank you cards and more.  Most importantly, thank you for letting us participate in making the bracelets with your family.  We made 85 bracelets to give the patients at Seattle Children's hospital.  Claire received a beaded bracelet at one of her visits and loved it.  This time she loved making the bracelets to give to other children.   The day after Thanksgiving, we asked T Bear what his favorite part of Thanksgiving was, and he said making a little bracelet for a tiny baby.  


-Higg Family - Thanks for the delicious food.  T Bear was thrilled that your little guy came along to play.  They obviously are close friends because when I went looking for them at dessert time, I found them in the bathroom.  T Bear was doing his business on the toilet and your guy was just sitting on the edge of the tub chatting away.  Also, Big D could not stop talking about Jed being amazing when they played Scum on the pool table.


-Newm Family - Thank you guys for doing the TURKEY!!!! It was delicious.  Did I tell you what T Bear told me about turkeys?  He said that first you "die" the turkey (I think he means kill it), then you take off the eyes, rip off the feathers and ground up the brown part.  Was it really like that?   Either way it was delicious and we owe you big time.


-Jones Family - I can not stop thinking about those sweet potatoes.  I need the recipe.  I want to eat them all the time.  Seriously, they were good.  Please share the recipe.  And besides bring great food, you were all great company.  Every time I turned around you were holding or helping one my boys or the other kids.  Your kindness is priceless.  Also, you also win the award for making the cutest bracelets.  

The men doing dishes so they can head downstairs to play pool.

Women and children making bracelets.  

Just hanging around with friends

Initially I was sad that I couldn't be with family on Thanksgiving, but as our day progressed, I was really thankful to have friends that can be our family.  Our boys played like they had cousins, and I chatted with my "sisters."  At the end of the day, our stomachs were full of delicious food, and our hearts were full with gratitude.


Lovingly,
-Miss T