Pre-Thanksgiving Thoughts

So tomorrow is Turkey Day.  The day we can eat and eat and eat and eat without (too) much retribution, unless you count the copious amount of dishes stacked to the ceiling in the kitchen sink.

And while I'm sure every family has their own holiday traditions, mine is more of the 'we see/talk to each other regularly enough... so lets just eat' kind of people.  Don't get me wrong, they don't all live in Mayberry anymore, but we remain close.  And with my grandmother's grandkids getting married and having their own families, we realize that there are years when so-and-so can't make it because she's with her husband's family and vice versa.  It's actually a routine that makes pretty good sense: one year they'll spend Thanksgiving with us and Christmas with the significant other's family and the next year it's just the opposite.

Ok, I'll stop rambling about family visiting practices now. 

Back to what I was originally posting about... just a few of my thoughts (but when have my thoughts ever been few?)

1.  Shouldn't holidays be a time to rest and be with loved ones?  All this stress of having the turkey brining at the right temperature and having enough apples to make dumplings for 17 and a half people has really affected my sleep these past few nights.

2.  How long and at what temperature is a turkey supposed to brine?

3.  When did I start using words like "brine'?

4.  Is my camera charged up to take 137 pictures of my niece and nephew in their adorable Thanksgiving attire?

5.  Will my cousin from Arkansas steal my camera to keep me from posting pictures of him on facebook?

6.  Speaking of pictures, will my brother-in-law be wearing that hideous Tennessee orange attire he likes so much?  That orange does not photograph well.

7.  I share the same view as Leigh Anne Tuohy when it comes to the University of Tennessee.  And I'm not apologizing. 

8.  I will apologize if my apple dumplings aren't as awesome as they should be, though.

9.  There is no excuse for untasty baked goods to come out of my kitchen.  Ever.

10.  Is that being overly critical?  That's ok since I'm talking about myself, right?

11.  Good.

12.  My grandma makes the BEST homemade rolls ever.  They're sourdough and I'd jump hot coals and snowmen for them.

13.  But it won't snow this Thanksgiving.  The high tomorrow is supposed to be 63 degrees.

14.  Hopefully I won't get funny looks if I show up to my grandmother's with apple dumplings, sweet potato casserole, and flip flopped feet.

15.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!