A Tale of Two Thanksgivings

Since we are headed back to the Hawkeye State for a whole week between Christmas and New Years, we decided to forgo the trip for Turkey Day, instead choosing to celebrate it here in the blustery cold of the Windy City. The weekend prior, my mom and stepdad, Susan and Ron came up for a quick weekend visit, followed by the Petersens, who came into town to watch Lily Bryn for the week while daycare was closed.

We made a last minute decision (one born out of laziness) to just go the Dominick's pre-made Thanksgiving route (I know, a foodie sin of the highest order)...but really, it wasn't half bad, especially for only $40. A 12 pound turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, and then Katy supplemented everything with bacon wrapped dates, "yum yum" corn, and homemade apple pie. A traditional feast without the Randall sized hassle.

This was actually our second Thanksgiving...the first occurring a week prior at Lily's daycare, where Miss Linnette invited all of the kids and parents over for a Puerto Rican feast. Roasted pork, tamales, yellow rice with pigeon peas and sausage, codfish ceviche, plantains and pie. Lily sat next to her boyfriend Liam, and scarfed down the rice and beans as if Puerto Rico were her native land. She also received an invite to Liam's first birthday party on Sunday (Dating an older guy? I need to practice my 'keep your hands off my daughter' look). The birthday party just happens to be at the upstairs of a bar, which her parents rented out. So yep, at 11 months old, Lily will be going to a bar, underage, with her older boyfriend.

(Weeps. Eats ice cream. Watches "Steel Magnolias" in oversized robe. Mutters to self about finding a sturdy padlock for Lily's room.)

Lily trying to move her wagon once it hits the wall; it's like she's recreating the Three Point Turn scene from Austin Powers.

Lily and her boyfriend Liam enjoy some roasted pork and rice while discussing in baby language how they can fashion a blankie rope for her to sneak out the window.

I always maintained that apple pie was overrated (mostly just to be contrarian) until I tried my sister-in-law Gretchen's recipe. This is the kind of pie you see in cartoons, where they set it on the windowsill and the smell wafts across the field, causing the character who smells it to be lifted off the ground and float towards the window.