nothing to do, nowhere to be

it was our first thanksgiving hosting family at our apartment!a few years ago, my sister visited with us for thanksgiving, and instead of a turkey i made lasagna: that doesn't count. this year, i was responsible for cooking the turkey; i scoured my favorite recipes for the perfect turkey. alas: martha stewart living november 2007 delivered! i got a full turkey from trader joe's (they had a very helpful sales

associate assisting people with selecting the right pounds for the amount of people). gagging slightly, i removed the neck & the gizzards from the inside of the turkey, brined it for 24 hours, and then roasted it basting twice an hour. it turned out absolutely perfect! it did not dry out, and it was perfectly well done.

i also was in charge of the cranberry sauce and green beans. both of which were a breeze. as i was cooking (and making quite a mess) i acquired a pile of empty tin cans. so what did i do with them?

i re-purposed them to make place cards/vases. here are some photos of the table, the turkey, and the family.

(mom congratulating me on a job well done)

(getting ready to carve)

(we actually referenced how to cook everything to figure out the correct way to carve)

(centerpieces)

(place settings)

(i loved these flowers, so festive)

all in all: i am so thankful for life, for family, and for love.