Thanksgiving prep

It's crunch time, friends. I'm going to bet that most everyone is in full on Thanksgiving prep mode today.

I'm actually doing most of my cooking today because this year my family's theme is "Day-After-Turkey-Day" to cut down on the stress and maximize the merriment, especially with the large crowd that's expected in my teensy house. Everything that can be cooked today will be (including turkeys!) and tomorrow we'll gather for leftover style sandwiches on homemade rolls, wine, and games.

The turkey is prepped and in the oven, complete with yumminess on the inside, an herby buttery massage...

...and bacon!

Everything's better with bacon, right? Right. One of my husband's friends attended culinary school and told us this was his favorite way to roast a turkey... and I'm game for anything! I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out. It's going head to head in a turkey battle with my brother-in-law's deep fried bird.

I also have a thankful tree set up and ready to go -- most of you have probably seen similar things all over blogs this year, and I can't wait to try it out.

Instead of writing what we were thankful for over the course of the whole month, I've set out a glass container of "leaves" for the entire extended family to write on and hang on the tree tomorrow. 

I can't wait to see what we're thankful for... this should be interesting.

Also, I just found out that tomorrow is Cutie's birthday. Cutie is one of my oldest son's stuffed animals. He's never been as special to my son as his well-worn cat, Jeff -- so I don't know why Jeff has never had the privilege of a birthday.

We might have to stick a few candles in the pumpkin pie and sing to Cutie, lest we crush the tender spirit of a 5-year-old boy. I for one do not want that on my Thanksgiving conscious.

Family, consider yourself warned.