Sunday, November 21, 2010

This year....

I'm really excited for the Holidays, especially Thanksgiving. We are heading to New Jersey to spend Thanksgiving with three of my sisters, their families, and my parents. It's the first Thanksgiving since moving back to states from Germany. The last two years not having American holidays were really hard. Katelyn had school on Thanksgiving, it was just a normal Thursday in Germany. My husband worked that day also. We had a normal dinner and did normal things, but in the back of my mind I knew what day it was and my heart ache for the memory of gathering around the table toasting to all we are thankful for.

Yes we could have tried our own holiday celebration but finding anything the resembles a American Thanksgiving dinner was hard to come by. No football on the TV, no black Friday ads to filter through, no pumpkin pie! Duck instead of Turkey or even worse mystery meat! We just didn't want to mess with the memory of what once was.

So this year is a first, the first time having Thanksgiving with my East coast family in a very long time.
I'm excited to see how they do holidays.....I hope we are having regular Turkey and not Tofu Turkey! No wait my Mom will be cooking the turkey so there will be things I'm use to......but the rest may be a mystery! It's going to be different in Utah it was just the 8 of us and every other year my parents would be there. At my sisters there may be 25 or more....gonna be crazy but fun.

So much to be thankful for this year!

Happy Sunday and safe travels  and Happy Thanksgiving!

12 comments:

May said...

I am so with you on missing home and family!!! Last year was our first X'mas in Germany and all i was doing was sulking and weeping!!! It is much better this year and I cannot wait to go to the X'mas markets ...:D

Ann said...

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope its fabulous!

Purple Flowers said...

It's great to have a traditional Thanksgiving. You can appreciate it all the more because you went without when you were not in the U.S.

I'm wondering where you will be in NJ? I live in Morris County.
Have a great Thanksgiving holiday. I'm sure it will be fun!

Ina in Alaska said...

I am so happy for all of you after missing the traditional holiday for several years. It's going to be GREAT! Your description of the holiday sounds like the Thanksgivings of my childhood when we would all gather at my grandparents' home in Scotch Plains NJ. It was Italian all the way baby! Antipasto platter, turkey, lasagna, the olive dish, all the sides, and pies! I can still see everyone around the table in my mind, many long gone...

You deserve the most special Thanksgiving ever.. Give the Preppy a hug from me please... and I got your Tweet about Zumba... Love it!!! Eat as much as you want, then dance your ass off! xoxoxo

Unknown said...

I am so glad you have it all back this year and you can follow your heart's desires! It is hard to miss traditions, I feel it often, just the other way around!
But we have embraced Thanksgiving as the loveliest of all American holidays!
We celebrate it with friends, also without immediate family (Americans) and go through all the notions!
I imagine you close by, we are just across from NJ!

Joyce said...

Have a great time...Thanksgiving was a tough one and we have really embraced the day being back in the states. Where in NJ are you headed?

Natasha said...

I live overseas, and it is the holidays that are the hardest times, definitely. Especially if you are living in a place where your holidays are not celebrated. I hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving!

Expats Again said...

A blessed and joyous Thanksgiving to you and all of your family.

Anonymous said...

I love the food on Thanksgiving! My hubby & I were out of town on Canadian Thanksgiving so we were going to have a big dinner on the American Thanksgiving, but now I'm thinking we might just do a normal meal. It's hard to make a big meal for two people and not have an ton of food leftover!

Joanna Jenkins said...

So glad you're home in time for the Thanksgiving holiday-- it's really one of the best American holidays in my book. Safe travels east and ENJOY!
Cheers, jj

Sonya said...

I totally understand about missing home around this time..We are doing Thanksgiving with a chicken on sunday because it's a normal school/work day here and they aren't selling turkey's in my area yet until christmas..and then I will buy a teenie weenie turkey that weighs about 7 pounds! LOL Oh well..we're still happy.

I hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving!!

Joyce said...

WOW you will have a wonderful time my friend! xo