2009
For the second year in a row we had great weather and a big football game in
front of the house.
Friday, November 28, 2008. Following a wonderful meal at my grandmother's house, the big kids and adults played football across the road while the little kids played in the front yard. It was a perfect Thanksgiving Day spent with family and friends. We left Hama's house around 3:00 so that we could get home in time to pop a ham in the oven for our dinner with the Eads later that evening. They arrived at the house at 6:00 for round two of wonderful traditional Thanksgiving food. Amy, along with everyone else that cooked, did a wonderful job. I think I'll be full for two days. It may also be that long before I can move after playing football.
Friday, November 23rd, 2007.
Once again, we spent a wonderful Thanksgiving at Hama's house. Ben again rode his four wheeler all over the yard, trying
to run over anything that would run away from him. For much of the time,
he did this while waiving a sword with one hand and eating turkey with the
other. The photo of Ben and his cousin Seth
sharing the four wheeler puts Ben's size into perspective. Seth is a full
two years younger than Ben and almost the exact same size. Jackson played
basketball
with his cousin Caleb. I won't give his dunk secret away, but the photos
are not altered. Jackson could have done that all day long. Amy ran
five miles earlier that morning, so she opted to stay in the house helping Hama
rather than chase the kids around the yard. I ate enough to keep me full
for two more days. The photo of the cakes are, in order, Amy's white grape
juice cake, my sister Deana's chocolate cake and my sister Melanie's apple cake.
After lunch and after everyone else left, the boys rode with their Papa to his
farm and helped feed the cows and donkeys while Amy and I spent the afternoon
visiting. It was a small crowd this year, but the food was, as usual,
perfect.
November 23, 2006.
My grandmother has to be the best cook in the world. I was really
disappointed when I got full and was barely able to eat dessert. Amy
brought a new recipe this year, a really good butternut squash casserole.
Plus a pineapple casserole, pumpkin cake and a pea salad. A couple of the
branches were not able to make it this year, but we still had a wonderful time
eating and visiting. The weather was fantastic, reaching almost 70F/21C,
which allowed the kids to play outside all afternoon. Later in the evening
we met at our friends Jeff and Timmesa's house for dessert. Unfortunately
I was still too full to sample as much as I would have liked.
November
24, 2005. Another wonderful Thanksgiving at my grandmother's house. I
guess I am most thankful every year that we can still spend Thanksgiving on the
farm and enjoy Hama's chicken and dumplings. Two new babies joined us this
year, our nephew Seth and my newest little first cousin Maddie. Amy
brought her pumpkin cake and pineapple casserole again this year. We later
enjoyed another Thanksgiving feast with friends across town. Between Amy
and our friend Timmesa, they had enough food to feed an entire street. Amy
made sourdough butter biscuits, a chocolate brownie/strawberry/pudding/truffle
desert thing, macaroni salad, potato bake casserole, and sausage balls.
November
25, 2004. Almost all the other holidays change as you get older, but one
that stays the same year after year is Thanksgiving. Because I have never missed
celebrating it on the Heath farm in Claudville, it has become
one of my favorite traditions. So much
wonderful food. Hama felt a little under the weather today, but still
managed to fix her famous chicken and dumplings, along with turkey and tons of
other sides. Amy made two Paula Deen recipe's, Pumpkin Gooey Cake and
Mac-N-Cheese, plus a cranberry salad and pineapple casserole. Later in the evening after returning from Claudville, the
whole family sandwiched together on the couch with a bag of popcorn and watched
Frosty The Snowman. Jackson snuck Zorro pieces of popcorn while Benjamin kept his arm
buried in the bag. Ben LOVES popcorn. So does Zorro.
November
27, 2003. Spending Thanksgiving at my Grandmother's house is just the
best tradition ever. The food is unbelievable and where better to spend
the holiday than on a farm. Amy's brother Alan and his family, Charla, Jimmy and
Nicole are visiting with us this year, so they joined the Heaths for the big feast.
I think everyone had a good time. The kids played football, jumped on hay bales,
saw a newborn calf, rode 4-wheelers, and just enjoyed their day on the farm.
