Happy Thanksgiving!

As much as I love a family gathering, Drew & I were both looking forward to a simple Thanksgiving with just the 2 of us this year. I stayed true to my word and slept in, put on sweats with no make-up and have no intention of leaving the house today. As for the meal, I've always found Thanksgiving to be one of the easiest meals to prepare. (Perhaps that's due to the fact that most of our favorite dishes require nothing more than opening cans and dumping them into casserole dishes.) So I went ahead and made the full traditional spread. Drew cooked the turkey on the grill and as you can see it was pure perfection. We were both hard pressed to think of a better tasting and looking turkey in our lifetimes. I'm talking GOOD! I am forever converted to the gas grill, indirect heat method for all future turkeys.


That was pretty much where the tradition stopped. Instead, we have coined this year our "White Trash Thanksgiving". Politically incorrect, I know, but let me explain. I am an event planner by profession. On top of that, I am a perfectionist and I happen to love to entertain. That means you do not spend the night at my house without flowers and chocolates in your bedroom. We certainly do not host a holiday meal without coordinating dishes, linens and centerpieces...sometimes even favors for the guests to take home. It's all about presentation. Apparently, when you're 8 months pregnant and cooking for no-one but your husband, the presentation goes out the window. Instead, I used (gasp!) our regular every-day casserole dishes and place settings. Rather than sitting in the kitchen or dining room, we set up TV trays in the basement in front of the football game. I drank water out of a plastic cup while my husband had a Budweiser out of a can. The proof is in the picture above...I rest my case. While our "White Trash Thanksgiving" was quite a bit out of character, I have to say it was pretty awesome. The food was out of this world, and the preparations required absolutely no stress or extra work whatsoever. In fact, Drew commented that he had been waiting for 31 years to get to eat his Thanksgiving meal in front of the TV. I'm happy he was finally able to have that experience. While I don't expect any other "White Trash Holidays" in the near future (or ever!) I have to say this one was just what the doctor ordered. Click here to see more pictures from the day.

Finally, in the spirit of the holiday, it's only appropriate to take a moment to reflect on what I am thankful for. For me, the list could go on forever. In these tough economic times, we have been fortunate enough to have steady employment, a beautiful home and even a new car. We have plenty to eat (as today's over-indulgence proves!). We have our health. We have good friends and an amazing family. We have a wonderful marriage. We are only weeks away from welcoming our first child into the world and have had a healthy and smooth pregnancy. I am thankful for all of these things every day, but especially today. And I am thankful for you...the readers who care enough to check in on The Elser 411 every now and then!

Happy Thanksgiving!

PS...I'm also thankful for the pumpkin pie from Costco that is waiting for me in the fridge. :)