Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was different from ones we have had in the past.  Since we have been in the states we have typically had Thanksgiving at my Aunt and Uncles house.  However, the family has increased and the size of their house hasn’t. Makes things a little uncomfortable when you are climbing over other people (literally) to get to your seat and trying to insure that your children aren’t running around like crazy when there isn’t anywhere for them to run around.

So, this year we decided to have Thanksgiving at our home by ourselves (of course Mom came too).

It was so very nice.  Mom was excited to do a lot of the cooking, she has been wanting to for awhile now.  I wasn’t too excited in the beginning.  A nice meal with nice dishes and my two little ones?  Didn’t sound like the idea of a good time to me.  But it was beautiful and fun and yes, nice even.

Looking around at out table I realized that this table was full of so many memories that I cherish and am thankful for.  When I was little my Grandparents purchased this set of eight napkin holders.  They each have a little boy or girl doing a childish activity.  As the oldest grandchild I was in charge of setting these out prior to Thanksgiving meal as a form of place cards.  I used to delight in choosing the perfect one for each person. Some years it was the same, others it switched up a bit.  But, it was always something I looked forward to.  The set of eight used to be enough for every member of my extended family.  That tells you how small my family is.  Now it is the perfect amount for my own family.  By the way, I am on the lookout for another set, so if you know of one or come across one let me know!

While we were in Germany we did what most visitors do and went on a shopping trip down to Poland for some Polish pottery.  I fell in love with this design and purchased a few pieces.  I remember the trip so distinctly.  Poland was not much to get excited about, but the factories/warehouses were amazing!!!  Rack upon rack, row upon row…. a never ending line of pottery.  We had so much fun going from one place to the next looking at all the different designs.

The serving spoon in the bowl is from Pampered Chef.  I sold it for nearly six years and made Director status.  While in Germany it was a ton of fun to sell.  A bunch of military wives whose husbands were mostly all deployed.  This was their way of getting together and socializing.  They couldn’t just run to Wallmart and pick those things up like we can in the states.  It was something from the states, it gave us a way and means to get together.  I also would fly back to Chicago and go to the annual convention with some of my friends.  A lot of great trips, a lot of great memories.

The silver ware is real silver and was also my Grandmothers.  She pulled it out at just about every family dinner.

The plates are a story in themselves.

One morning Matt and I awoke to the sound of dishes breaking.  Upon arriving downstairs we found the two babies standing on the counters with the cupboards open throwing out all the dishes and glasses like it was some great Greek feast.  “Hoopla”.  They thought it was the funnest thing ever!!!  Matt was on his way to work and promptly texted them he would be a little later as he was going to stay and help me clean up the mess.

A few days later he arrived at the office to find a bag with paper plates and cups in it.  Guess word had gotten around that our family was eating off the table.  We laughed about it and thought it was nice.  Then a few days later he went in and found two boxes (a complete 8 piece set) of these dishes!!!!!!!  No one fessed up to having purchased them.  They are beautiful and something I would pick out for myself.  I was so grateful!  I jokingly told him to tell the office it was nice but it was obvious that I couldn’t put these in the cupboards.  He came home the next day with plastic plates for the kids.  No wonder he loves working there.

The table and benches were purchased in Germany also.  There is a corner piece that connects the two benches but it makes it harder for our large family to sit around the table.

Underneath the benches there is storage and the bench lifts up to access it.  This was perfect for our small family and is very typical German.  Many of the German families have tables like these.  I love this set.  However, the time has come where it may have served out its purpose.  The benches are incredibly stained (having babies tends to do that) and the table is just too small now even with the leaf insert.  We are looking for another table that is large enough to fit us and maybe a guest or two.  Just don’t know what we will do with this one when we find another one.  Have I mentioned that I love it?

I think that putting olives on your fingers is an act we are born with.