Turkey Day 2010

     Last Thanksgiving Rob and I had everyone, both sides of the family, at our house and cooked dinner. It was a lot of fun and we enjoyed it. We'd probably have done it again this year but my older boys get the holiday with their dad every other year. So, this year they wouldn't be home and I feel bad doing it when they're not around. Rob has to watch his football games and when he does he's in another world. It's like he's not even here he's so glued. Well both his teams were playing this year on Thanksgiving. I figured if he just wants to veg and watch his games then we can stay home and I'll make us a small Thanksgiving dinner for just me, him, em, and jake. This was our plan.
     We were invited to my mothers and his mothers and turned both down. That is until he changed his mind. Worried his parents won't be here for many more turkey dinners he told me he wanted to go there. I said fine. I hadn't bought much to make at home at the time anyway so it was fine. I'd just buy the things I needed to make for what we were supposed to bring to his moms for dinner. It was all good. I also figured I'd bring a book cause if he was going to zone out on TV then I could do the same with my book.
     Tuesday night before Thanksgiving I was on Facebook and saw a posting from a friend. It seems she had tickets to the parade and wasn't going to be able to use them. Four tickets she was giving away for free. When I first saw it I though, "wow that would be neat." But of course we'd have to get there and figure out how it all worked and would it really be worth it? I scrolled around Facebook for awhile but kept coming back to the posting about the tickets. Finally I asked my husband if he knew what the weather was supposed to be like for the parade. He joked, "Why you want to go?" Now we had talked about going some time but figure it's just insane. Take the kids out really, really early to push and fight for a good spot to see and then stand there for hours waiting so we wouldn't lose that spot. No way was that going to happen. Sure it'd be neat to go but not like that. Here was our chance and in a much better way with guarenteed spot!
     "Maybe," I answered. "Someone's got tickets to go and they're giving them away." We really didn't even know they had tickets for the parade but as we learned you needed to know someone or work at Macys yourself to get these suckers. They were also selling for thousands of dollars! Rob got on his laptop to look at trains and parking while I posted back about the tickets and how they worked. We thought about it and figured why the heck not try? Can't hurt. We'd see if/when my friend with the tickets got back to me. It was about 10pm when I saw the posting so we had to wait until morning.
     Bright and early I was on the computer again and there was a post back, "Do you want them?" I emailed her said, "yeah I think so." and sent along my phone number. She called a little later and brought me the tickets that evening after she got out of work. I couldn't believe it. I was so excited.
     So my quiet Thanksgiving at home this year became something quite different. It was wonderful and  I wouldn't change a thing about it. We were on a 5:30am train with Emily and Jacob. Had this wonderful adventure to get there. Got prime seats, even if they were on the curb, we were still up front and sitting at least. And only sat waiting about 45 minutes for the parade to start. Because we were so close Jacob was playing more with all the confetti thrown on us than watching at times. It was amazing. Something we'll all never forget. We were back home by 1pm. The kids got in little naps on the train. Off to dinner at a little after 2.
     Dinner was not what I expected either. With the crazy morning we hadn't eaten well and I was looking forward to the turkey even if I had to pick at it while we had the italian noodles first. At least it wouldn't be cold. Nothing was done when we got there and Rob and I took over in the kitchen. My mother-in-law had bought a turkey fryer and was using it for the first time. It wasn't on all the way and Mr. Turkey was barely cooking when we got there. Same for the noodles we have to have first. Rob and I got everything thing going and threw the pasta, sauce and cheese together and heated it up in the oven. Something my mother-in-law said may not be a good idea as the turkey fryer was not supposed to be near hear yet she had it sitting on top of the oven. There was no other way to get everything done in time so we hoped for no fryer explosions.

Within about an hour we were sitting having our first round, the pasta.

     Rob's sister and I got everything together and heated for the turkey round. It was the first time I saw his mom sitting and letting us take over, ever. I could understand his concern about her health all the more. I also was fine doing it. As she said later I seemed happier when I had something to do. Yeah I guess I like to be in control. Rob said the same thing of my mother when she came to our house the year before. She needed something to do to help. She was lost when it was all taken care of. I wouldn't go that far in reference to myself but I like feeling useful. I also think my comfort level at his parents house has built up enough to where I had no problem taking over even though it wasn't my house.

     A very different Turkey Day than I ever expected to have indeed. I saw the parade up close and personal with my little ones. The big boys had gone with their father previously and were skiing with him over this long weekend so I felt bad some, but not too much. I helped a lot to get Thanksgiving dinner on the table. And it was all very, very tasty. I'm just missing the leftovers. And I didn't even think about bringing the book as I was tired going in but doing all the work in the kitchen is part of what Thanksgiving is all about and I loved every minute of it!