Happy Thanks.giving now Bring on Christmas!!!!!!

I had Thanksgiving this year. Actually I have been hosting since the year Baylor was born.  It was easier to have it at my house with a two week old baby than to go someones house.  I farm out sides and dessert and stick to the turkey and potatoes, mashed and sweet and whatever else I fit in.  This year I experimented with a few things.  On Wednesday on my way to the Dr's office in MD I was listening to NPR and they had a food dude on there with Thanksgiving cooking suggestions.  I had a huge 20 lb bird defrosting and really did not have a pan large enough to roast it in.  He suggested breaking down the bird into the major parts or just buying parts to start out with.  So I broke down old tom into his front end and back end and dry brined him overnight. 

Not very attractive but by doing so I could cook them so that neither the breast or legs were over or under cooked. 

Coming out of the oven they looked great.  I had another breast that I wanted to smoke.  However, I forgot to buy charcoal so I had to use the gas grill.  It was raining/sleeting in the morning so I was not too upset about not having to tend to the charcoal.  Unfortunately I also sacrificed the awesome smokiness of cooking on the charcoal grill. 

It was good but not as good as I was really hoping for.  I did not take a picture of everyone who was there but it was my parents, Lori's parents, and us.  The food was as good as was the company.   



Baylor was saying Happy Thanksgiving.

Later he was playing and then went to the kitchen and starting flapping his arms.  He told me I needed to leave so I knew what he was doing.... But it was so funny that he was flapping his arms!!  My cutie pie!! 

My brother and his finance arrived after 5.  They drove down from Vermont for the weekend. Actually they were going to the Penn State game on Saturday but they came down for Thanksgiving too.  It was great having them for a few days.  Friday Jamie made breakfast for all of us and we went to a local market and took them for a drive around the city.  And then we took them to the place we take all out our guests, Wegmans!!  Laura loved it so much that they stopped there on the way back from the game to get dinner.  Jamie, the chef, made us dinner and we had a nice time talking, drinking, and catching up. 

Saturday they went to the game and buddy and I went shopping at a few places.  Nothing was crowded and we bought a few Christmas presents.  We are almost done with shopping!  I wrapped gifts while buddy napped.  I made turkey stock from all the bones and then made two different soups which is what we had for dinner.  Laura bought dinner at Wegmans and Jamie ate Thanksgiving leftovers.  Talked and drank a few hours and we all crashed. 

Sunday I made breakfast while they walked O'Mally at the dog park.  They packed up and headed to our parent's house.  Baylor asked if he could go too.  It was so cute. 

After they left I got busy on bringing Christmas to our house.  Baylor was not too sure what was going on but he was very interested in it all and really got into everything.  He had fun putting the tree together.  It is artificial but he was able to put up the branches.  I put the lights on while he napped and then we put the decorations on together.  

I was not sure if 900 lights was going to be enough and I added a few more strands of various lengths. 

Baylor putting on his first decorations.  I gave him the non breakables for the bottom and put my stuff on the top.  I did not put the vintage and too much glass on the tree.  Just not sure how it will last until Christmas to I wanted to play it safe. 

He was very proud of his tree and posed for a picture. 

After the sun went down the lights looked just like I wanted them too. 

 I have been adding all the extras to the living room but pretty much keeping it in there.  If it spills out of the room too much it looks like the Christmas fairies hosed down the house and I really don't want to have to put it all away in a month!  Anyway Baylor will love it and I am looking forward to Christmas this year.  He was singing with the songs on the radio today and he knows what Santa says.  I cannot wait to experience it all with him!  And hopefully make a sibling in the process!!