Plan to Gobble

Now that my lessons and talks are given and my website almost complete, I'm able to concentrate on the upcoming Thanksgiving events. As I've thought about Thanksgiving and how I am looking so forward to it this year, I got excited about making plans. I like to involve the whole family in this since they get so excited too and the spirit of the festivities just starts floating in the air! We have two families joining us this fall as we are unable (yet again) to go to see family since they are too far away to drive to and the school system, though claiming to have to add 15 MORE school budget cut days, can't seem to think logically enough to add 3 of those days onto our Thanksgiving holiday allowing us the opportunity to go away to spend our "family holiday" with family. (A soap box you don't want to put me on---just ask my neighbor!) And so, to make the best of a great thing every year, we have learned to reach out to others in our own situation making it quite an enjoyable day of gratitude every time. This year, Steve and I put our heads together and decided to invite a Mexican family that, though in our ward, go to the Spanish branch and invite us to every fiesta they have whether it be birthday, wedding, or potluck function. We've never had the opportunity to have them over so are excited to sieze the chance! Their 5 children all range from our oldest ages, down to Alyssa's two years. We also just assume they will bring her sister's family since they are always together and just add more fun to the bunch. Now we get the delight of feeding them our favorite, yet bound to be extremely blan to them, meal of the year. We also get to have a family of five join us with 3 children 4 and under. The two families are bringing a dessert of their choice, soda, and homemade rolls. We get to provide the rest which, after 3 straight years of trial and error Steve and I have down to quite a dance! One year I made 9 types of pie, but will be slicing it down to only 4 this year--pumpkin being provided by one of our friends. During our Sunday dinner today, we went around the table and made a list of Thanksgiving "must haves". These include all the family's favorite dishes that MUST be included on the menu, whether we have to beg, steal, or borrow them, which, happily, we will not have to do any of the above.  
So, as exciting as it isn't (I know you are yawning and wondering why I would sit down and create such a post) here it is:

Hey, do you like the pumpkins?! $3 clearance and a couple metallic paint bottles-fun kids' project :)

Alger Family's Plan to Gobble-2010:
Turkey
Ham
Stuffing
Potatoes (I guess I spell that the canadian way and now can't help myself although I have been taught the error in my ways)
gravy
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Corn
Green Bean casserole
Deviled eggs
Relish tray
Ginger Carrots
Yams
Sparkling Cider
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie
Chocolate Silk Pie
(and knowing me I will throw in either a double lemon cream or blueberry cream, whichever tickle my fancy...my favorites)

*Editor's Note: click on any of the above underlined dishes to enjoy the recipe!

The boys will be participating in the Turkey bowl (for those of you who don't know, that is a football game played by many men in and out of the church ward family as well as any friends or family invited) as they have in previous years and look forward to with great anticipation. The rest of us, however will be doing something else. Besides cooking and baking this year, I am looking forward to running my first 5K EVER!!! Steve will be there with the rest of the children to encourage and cheer me on. I have been working toward (though I didn't know it)a 5K since August when I started running. I am a little nervous, but looking forward to achieving something new and different. Wish me luck. It's all new to me!