Happy Thanksgiving!!

I have been blessed and am thankful for so many things and people in my life that I’m sure to miss somebody or something if I started listing them all one by one…so on that note…

I am thankful for my family, not only my immediate family, but my extended family as well. This includes my aunts, uncles, cousins and all the relatives I have yet to meet. Without your family, you have nothing. They set the cornerstone for your life and are the key to your past. You can’t pick your family…so you might as well be grateful for them!

I am thankful for great friends and acquaintances that have touched my heart in some way or another. I appreciate each and every one of you, with all my heart, for some reason or another. I might not tell you everyday or all the time, but know that you are always with me in my heart, and every day that I take a breath, I love you more and more.

Thanksgiving is a tough holiday for me. Always has been since my dad died.
It’s the one that I miss my dad the most on because it’s the one we spent together more often than not. Mom usually worked the holiday when we were younger, so that meant that dad had to take care of us girls. After we got older, we just spent the day with dad while mom worked. Even after we had our own families, we would continue on the tradition. We usually had our Thanksgiving as a family either the weekend before or after the actual holiday, but never on the day of.

For years it was like that. And we always had duck or ham. NEVER a turkey…not ever! Sometimes it was goose…but that turkey never graced our family table! And sweet potatoes or yams were the topic of discussion…and what exactly were they…and what their differences were. Oh yeah, many arguments ensued over those vegetables in our house. And don’t forget the gravy. MMMmmmmm….good stuff!!

For the last 14 years or so, I’ve had the opportunity to partake in the Pumper Thanksgiving dinner at Tom’s Aunt Donna and Uncle Ron’s house. There’s always turkey, stuffing, yams, and my favorite broccoli cheese casserole. I always love the food gatherings and try to sample a little bit of each food brought or made. I worked hard to get this body of mine, I’m not about to let it go to waste now!!

Tessie and John will have our family gathering at their house. I love the food that’s there too!! This year I am going to try to con my cousin, Jason, into making gravy. I swear he comes from a long line of good cooks!

I am going to try to take more pictures too…at least one of everybody…Dontcha know…It’s a Scrapbooking Moment…and a good thing…Martha SAID!

Travel safe…Return safe…I love you and I am grateful for you!

Love,
TT