Thanksgiving 2012

Robbie and I have a lot to be thankful this year! We have a beautiful 15 month old boy that we love more than words can describe, two wonderful kitties, and the friendship and love of each other. We are also thankful for all of our loving family and kind friends who have always been so supportive to us. We are thankful for our good health, and the delicious foods we have access to. We are thankful for the beautiful nature that surrounds us and pray we can do our part to protect and and successfully integrate it in our lives.

Meo, Robbe and I did an art project for Thanksgiving year of a turkey. As vegetarians, we obviously don't eat turkey, but we like to joke about inviting a turkey over for Thanksgiving one year like they do in one of Meo's story books.

On Tuesday, Meo and I took out the paints and made all sorts of hand and foot prints. He though the paint tickled when I put it on and giggled every time I reapplied paint. He has gotten really good at keeping his hands nice and flat to make hand prints on paper, and I barely had to guide him this time. We had a lot of fun painting until he thought it looked tasty and tried scooping some into his mouth! Thankfully it is non-toxic paint, but I had him drink a bunch of water nonetheless. On Wednesday night, Robbie, Theta and I were busy cutting out hands and feet and arranging them into turkeys. We made enough for us to have a picture as well as each of his grandparents. I think they came out pretty cute!

This year we had two Thanksgiving meals. On Wednesday, we celebrated with the Robinson family. Jess came up for the holiday from Boston, and she and I were busy all day Wednesday while the others went to work preparing a vegetarian feast. We were quite the team and ended up finishing everything right on time. Jess brought a bunch of fruits and veggies from a farm share in Massachusetts. Here is what we made:

Blueberry, pomegranate cranberry sauce made with a small amount of organic sugar cane

Harvest rice made with wild rice, apples, raisins, fresh cranberries, cinnamon and crushed walnuts

Mashed potatoes made with five russet potatoes and a sweet potato

Oven roasted carrots, parsnips, beets, sweet potatoes, whole cranberries, and organic seasonings

going in the oven

On the table

Quinoa mixed with sauteed kale, mushrooms and onions (for everyone except Meo and I)

Pumpkin pie and butternut squash pie made from scratch

Roasted pumpkin seeds with sea salt

Brussel sprouts roasted with olive oil, garlic salt and pepper

going in the oven

on the table

Mid-way through our cooking extravaganza, Meo and I decided to take a walk and get some fresh air. The sun sets so early now, we were able to enjoy the start of the sunset at just a bit past 3 in the afternoon!

Sunset stroll

Sun setting on Lake Arrowhead

Sunset through the trees

I must say, the final meal was very colorful and delicious! It was so nice to have all the Robinsons together for dinner.

Meo's dinner

Trying his first real thanksgiving meal

Delicious!

My thanksgiving meal

Robinson Thanksgiving

The next day was actual Thanksgiving day. Mattimeo woke up very happy that Daddy was still home and was very snuggly.

Snuggling with Daddy Thanksgiving morning

We spent most of Thanksgiving at my parents house with my brother, sister and Uncle Guy and Aunt Leslie.
 

Playing cars with his Uncle Brian

Playing cars with his Uncle Brian

Playing cars with his Uncle Brian

Playing cars with Uncle Guy

I found Meo sitting next to Harley, wishing he could come out and play

Playing cars with Harley

While that last bits of dinner preparations were being made, some of us went outside to play with Harley and his new super-sized tennis ball. It was 50 degrees and gorgeous outside!

Sam and Meo

Robbie chasing Harley

Robinsons on Thanksgiving

Robinsons on Thanksgiving

Robinsons on Thanksgiving

Uncle Guy and Sam with Harley

kiss for Harley

Sue made an amazing Thankgiving dinner this year, and once again I ate entirely too much delicious food. I enjoyed mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, stuffing, carrot salad, a vegetarian casserole, some of my homemade cranberry sauce and warm biscuits.

my plate

Rocray Thanksgiving meal

Meo enjoying his thanksgiving meal

After dinner and cleaning up, a bunch of us took Jack and Tramp for a walk while others stayed behind to watch football. It felt good to exercise a little after such a big meal!

Almost ready for take-off

Sam, Aunt Leslie, Meo and I on our walk

Meo and I on our Thanksgiving walk

Sam, Tramp, Aunt Leslie and Jack

Sam made us all touch the pink poll before we walked back home

When we got back, our nephew Bryce joined us and we had desert. I brought my pumpkin pie, Sue made pecan pie, and Megan made cherry pie and apple pie. It was all soooo delicious, I thought I was going to explode from the delight of it all. I am entirely too fond of pie.

Robbie and Sam making whipped cream

Pepere and Bryce eating some pie

My dad and his two grandsons (15 and 24 months old)

Pepere eating pie with Meo and Bryce

After dinner, we all had fun playing with Bryce, Meo and Harley while the football game was on. My favorite part of our play time was playing hide and seek with Bryce and Meo. I kept running back and forth from one room to the other with Meo hot on my heals (he kept hiding with me), then Bryce would come and I would say "BOO!" and he would giggle hysterically then point to the other room indicating for me to hide again. I think they could have kept playing this forever, but eventually it was time for us to leave. I love how much fun our sweet boys are to play with!

Pepere playing with Meo and Bryce on the floor

Bryce (24 months) and Mattimeo (15 months)

playing with Auntie Sam

Playing with Auntie Sam

Meo patting Harley

Meo loves Harley so much

Bryce and Megan being silly

Bryce laughing with Megan

Big ol' kiss from Harley

Riding Harley

Bryce (24 months) and Mattimeo (15 months)

Bryce (24 months) and Mattimeo (15 months)

Brian and Megan

After a fantastic holiday with my family, we headed back to the Robinsons for even more fun. We put sweet Meo to bed, then played cards with Robbie's mom, sister, and my sister who decided to join us. Playing cards is a traditional Robinson holiday activity, and it gets pretty rowdy and fun! Especially since Robbie started making the ladies "diva-tinis" and white russians! We had a blast!

Robinsons

Speed solitaire time!

Sam with a "diva-tini"

Results from game 1

Robbie

shuffle

Results from game two...Jess was obviously very pleased, but Robbie was not. Neither was Sam, but I wasn't sure the middle finger photo was really appropriate here :)

I hope that everyone else had a fantastic Thanksgiving and continues to enjoy this holiday season. Oh, and enjoy those leftovers! Yum!

Leftovers!