How I Survived Thanksgiving...

I'm pretty sure I have residual childhood post-traumatic stress disorder and I mostly attribute it to Thanksgiving.  Yes, it sounds strange and even made up - but it's my blog and I'll make shit up if I want to.  And even curse.  There.  Five years of therapy have taught me a thing or two and this year I decided to put it into practice.

The 2nd Annual Valley Ford Pie Auction
Grady made two cherries pies this year - one for the auction & one for us

I'm starting off this post kind of surly, but I turned all of that around this year.  After a disastrous Thanksgiving last year (no one else knew, but I let if fly after everyone left), we joined forces as a couple, as a family.  We divided duties, made a plan and talked about how to let the steam out of this emotional stress pot of a day.  It worked.

Rare family photo
Grady's "Logo" on top of the auction pie
G giving a whipped cream pie to the face of farmer/auctioneer, Nick

To that end, we decided to help Grady make a cherry pie and donate it to the Valley Ford Pie Auction. We had such a good time last year that we wanted to participate by baking AND buying to help support the Valley Ford Volunteer Fire Department "Save Our Old Schoolhouse Fund".  Grady's pie went for $60 and a total of over $3700 was raised in a few short, fun-filled hours.

Steve even bid on a beef kidney + parmesan pie that came with a mason jar full of lard…for $50!!!  Needless to say, he's not allowed to have the auction paddle next year.

Annual school turkey trot raffle winner = Costco pumpkin pie

We kept our guest list small and I enlisted the help of all of my guests and delegated food assignments.  It all worked out perfectly and relieved my anxiety level big time.  I have the best friends.

Morning coffee + sunrise
table linens + origami cicada place cards

Isn't it funny how our childhoods creep into our adult lives and wreak havoc?  I mean, the thrown away turkey dripping debacle of 2012 was still fresh in my mind - but I pushed it aside and even purchased a gravy base from Williams-Sonoma this year.  I was going to make damned sure that the gravy didn't push me over the edge this year.  One tip I'd like to share is that I used a crock pot and set it up on my buffet table.  I made the gravy ahead of time and added pan drippings in the last 15 minutes.  It worked out just great.  My gravy was prepared and ready, out of the way and super silky and delicious.  I'm definitely incorporating this into any future plans that include gravy.  I think Steve is still my friend after this year's meal and that was my goal.  ;-)

We have a lot to be thankful for and we focused on that this year, as well as deep friendships with the people who we were sharing the day with.  We are lucky and grateful.

Steve knocked it out of the park with his turkey, again, this year.  He brined it the day before and it looked and tasted just right.

Sweet potato pumpkin pie + tablescape

By the time dessert rolled around, we were all so full that we just slowly sashayed into the living room and plopped down.  I had purchased digestifs for all of us to try and those really hit the spot.

Grady "the hands" Hecht
Bitters + Jill

Steve opened up a special bottle of 1968 armagnac, while the rest of us sipped on the remaining bubbly.  Jill + Scott shared with us a special bottle of french champagne, as well as a 2004 Iron Horse late disgorged brut sparkling wine.  It was all a treat.

Pie + Coffee
Lone White Egret on Bodega Bay marsh

The day after Thanksgiving is my favorite, really.  I woke up and put on a pot of coffee and cut a slice of cherry pie.  I watched a horrible movie with Grady (The Addams Family) and went on a seven mile walk in Bodega Bay with my girlfriends.  It felt good to work off the food and get caught up on what's going on with everyone.

Saturday found us relaxing on the deck and catching up on our reading stacks.  I just love watching Grady get lost in books.  Right now he's all about Rick Riordan and the Percy Jackson series.

Our goddaughter, Isabella, decided to turn 12 this year - even with my pleading with her to stay little.  She's just not having it.  She called us and invited Grady to a last minute bonfire birthday party on their private beach in Jenner.  He was the only boy (as he usually is) and had a great time eating hot dogs, roasting marshmallows for s'mores and telling scary campfire stories.

He fell into bed smelling like smoke and his face & hands were still quite sticky.  As I tucked him in and kissed him goodnight, I couldn't help but think about how we re-wrote this holiday weekend and made it a stress-free zone.  I know it just takes a little intention and follow through and I'm glad we finally figured that out because I want him to catalog our Thanksgivings a little differently than I have.

And that's how I survived Thanksgiving this year.