Stratford Thanksgiving, 2012

What do you dream about when you think of a yummy Thanksgiving dinner?  

I'll bet perfectly-baked homemade rolls is in your vision!

Rick and Jodie arrived on Tuesday before Thanksgiving and Jodie helped me do some cooking.  

Thanksgiving, 2010, at our home, she and Stacy were assigned to make rolls and each made her own recipe. 

Now, Jodie is an expert roll maker; her rolls always turn out tender, golden brown and perfect. 

But in 2010, for some mysterious reason, they turned out like hockey pucks.  So when she baked these rolls Tuesday afternoon, which we froze for Thursday, she said, "Now, Rog, I want you to take a picture of these rolls!"

Our other three families were all here by Wednesday night. 

As we were having dinner, Roger said, "Well, it's Brickey's Book of Mormon class tonight."

"Brickey's Class!" they said almost in unison.

Dinner got gulped down, instructions got given to, "play nice with your cousins," 

and off Rick, Jodie, Missy and Jedd ran!

Right after they left, Ryan, Emily and family arrived, and as they were eating dinner, they asked,

"Where are Rick and Jodie, Missy and Jedd?"

"Brickey's class!" they cried, and off they ran!

They were all able to catch most of his class and were so tickled to talk to him afterwards.

We all love Wayne Brickey!

Tom, Stacy and family didn't arrive until 11 PM and were sad they missed out.

The cousins were thrilled to be together!

We have random shots of some of them on Thanksgiving morning.

Missy is also an excellent roll maker, and she made some Thanksgiving morning.  How lucky are we to have so many expert cooks and bakers in our family!

Missy's delicious rolls

We set the adult table early.  

I put together this small pumpkin arrangement and intertwined battery-powered little white lights.

And I also put together this gourd arrangement with the little lights.

We also set up the kids' table. Stacy brought her turkey tablecloth, place mats and napkin rings, and it looked so festive! 

While the moms were cooking, Emily had brought a great craft project, instructing the kids how to make American Indian headdresses and decorated big sticks to carry.  

We needed two turkeys so it was a chance to brine a turkey, something I have wanted to do.  We have a covered Magnolite turkey roaster and always roast our turkey the way Lois does, so we did one that way and one, the other way.  

Here is the result of the brined turkey - it was moist, flavorful and delicious!

Master Carver

 We had lots of kitchen help!

Stacy made the yummy candied yams.

Emily and Ryan made ten pounds of delicious mashed potatoes!

The clean-up crew

As is tradition, we all went to the movies late afternoon, but before we could do that, we took a family pic.  

It was the least effort and stress we've ever had because we just all wore what we had on for Thanksgiving, Missy set us all up . . . 

. set up her tripod, set the timer and said, "The camera will blink ten times, stare at the light, stand up straight and smile!"

She took five pics . . .

. . . and we were done!

Thanksgiving night we just enjoyed hanging out together!

iPad Whiz Blakey

We all were a little pooped, but happy!

To be continued . . .