Thanksgiving Week {Part 2}

So, this is a continuation of our Thanksgiving Week Wrap-Up.

We have really had an awesome week and our Thanksgiving turned out to be incredible!

 Our original plans included some extended family coming to visit, but they changed their plans and so we had a nice and quiet Thanksgiving at home--well, as quiet as it 

can be in a family of 5, LOL!!

The girls were VERY helpful and really learned a lot in the area of "practical living" this week. We did a LOT of cooking and incorporated math in the measuring (fractions, ounces, weights, measures etc) as well as some science in the baking and cooking techniques we used.

We probably all remember doing this as children and I have been wanting to do this with our children as well. We studied how plants absorb water through their roots and did the celery in dyed water experiment as our {Science Spotlight}. The girls loved it and love seeing how the stalks are changing colors and the stems have colored "veins" running through them now.

The girls did an AMAZING job helping us prepare the Thanksgiving dinner!! I am a firm believer in teaching children the artful skill of delicious (and usually very healthy) cooking from a young age! Our girls all love to cook and we love having them help in the kitchen (though it takes a lot longer and is usually a lot messier, it is so worth it!)

Our menu included: Roast turkey with mushroom pan gravy, macaroni and cheese, corn casserole, sweet potato souffle, greens with smoked turkey, sauteed green beans with bell peppers and onions, mushroom sage dressing, orange-infused cranberry sauce, rolls and homemade butter. For dessert, I made my Grandma Daisy's famous two-layer baked cheesecake and a sinfully good pecan caramel tart in bars. It was all very delicious!

Elle and Em had such a fun time creating the decorations for our Thanksgiving dinner! They insisted we still eat in the formal dining room and they wanted to set the table 

with the good china, too!

Our plumply, dumply pumpkins, our giving tree and our thankful jar all 

proudly displayed by our girls.

 Here is a peak at some of the spread we had---I wish I knew how to cook for a few instead of an army, lol!

 Yes, I know--my turkey falls apart (even though I truss it) and it doesn't look nearly as pretty as the ones on the magazine covers, but it tastes so tender and juicy!! 

 I even made homemade whipped topping for the pecan bars! (hmmm, now I have to sneak in the kitchen for one more;)

And since it was Ce Ce's 1st Thanksgiving and she is 6 and a half months old now, we decided to give her her first taste of food. We always have made our own baby food and believe in introducing green vegetables first in an effort to train our baby's taste buds to enjoy vegetables and then whole grains and fruits.

Ce Ce really enjoyed her green beans, LOL!

We also had one of our famous "Friday Family Movie Nights." We haven't had one in many months (I don't think even since Ce Ce has been born). The girls had a great time snuggling in the sleeping bags my Mom bought for them, popping popcorn and watching "Madagascar." We always enjoy movie night and hope this is tradition we will carry on for many, many years!

One of my fondest childhood memories was from spending time with my maternal extended family. Whenever we would see them at Thanksgiving, it was a family tradition to make turkey hash for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving. I called my Mother and asked her how to make it so I could pass this along to our family!

It was so good---now, to find other ideas for the leftover turkey and sides, LOL!!

And, finally---in preparation for Christ-mas---we brought up the Christ-mas tree!! We have never put it up this early, but now that we have 3 children, we know it will likely take a few days to get it all decorated. We have gotten the lights put on, but that is about all.

The girls were SOOOO excited to put up the tree!! I already got Ce Ce's embroidered stocking and cannot wait to hang them all on the fireplace mantel!

What?? Your girls don't dress up to put up your Christ-mas tree? LOL!!

Well, that has been our week thus far! Very full, very exhausting, but very, very blessed! 

We hope we are a blessing to you!

UPDATE: The tree and mantle are complete!
 Happy Holidays!!