Saturday, October 11, 2008

Thanksgiving Weekend


For Canadians, this weekend is Thanksgiving Weekend. For many of us, it's a time when family members come together and return "home" for the holidays. Usually, we have a big turkey (last year's was GIGANTIC), mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, stuffing (I LOVE STUFFING!), pumpkin pie, apple pie, and enough food to feed an army. My Japanese and Korean students were amazed at how big the turkey was! They had never seen a turkey that big! They had never even tasted turkey. That was their very first "Canadian" Thanksgiving.

This year, I'm tossing in the apron and have decided that I'm not going to tire myself out with all the Thanksgiving cooking. I know...I totally suck! It's one day in the whole year, but I'm too tired to do all that work. I've got a student from Japan celebrating Thanksgiving with us, as well as family from out of town. I think we should all just go out for dinner and have someone else cook and do the dishes this time. Is that so horrible of me to ask for?

This weekend, we give thanks for what we have been blessed with. This year, I am thankful for:
*My wonderful Hubby
*Another wonderful year
*Being pregnant with "Junior"
*The health of my parents, mother-in-law, and my grandmothers (both of my grandfathers have passed away)
*My brothers and their significant others
*My adorable little nephew
*My faithful companion, Chance
*My extended family and my fantastic friends
*My students
*I'm also thankful for being able to live in a country in which we have the right to vote. I'm hoping that Canadians think very carefully about who they will vote for on Tuesday. Compared to some other countries, I do believe Canada is a "safe" place to live in, we have good social services (again, compared to some other countries), health care, employment insurance, etc. Okay, I promised myself I'd lay off the politics...but I truly am thankful that we live where we do. Of course, there are issues I have with some aspects of our politics, but overall, I think we are fortunate. I'm not going to divulge which political party I am voting for, but all I can say is that I am not in support of our present Prime Minister.

There are so many other things I am thankful for, but those are the major ones.

What are YOU thankful for?

P.S. I know American Thanksgiving is a month after ours. I'll write a special post for my American friends then ;)

*I actually have a print of this Norman Rockwell piece ( "Freedom From Want") hanging on my kitchen wall. It was a gift from one of my aunts.*

11 comments:

Shannon said...

Wow! Do I get to be first?
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family! It doesn't matter where you eat, but I am pretty sure there's a rule that says you have to have pie! Lots of Pie!
I am very thankful for my life, and my loving hubby :)
Cheers!

Jeanna said...

No, it's not. You shouldn't have to do all that work!
I convinced them to do that once and nobody liked the place that was recommended to me with five stars and to this day I have not heard the end of it.
So I let my sister and brother-in-law do the cooking, but my mother doesn't even want them in the house because it's too much for her. It's a crazy Italian thing where nothing is done simply and now I have to schlep them back and forth to Milwaukee every damn holiday.

Anonymous said...

Do you people never answer your phone? Check your messages, lady :0) I just called you guys.

Happy Turkey Day to you and the fam.

Unknown said...

Shannon:
:) Yay! You're first!
Thanks! We are really happy to have some family up for Thanksgiving this weekend. It's been busy, but fun so far! Hubby would agree with you about the pie part. Apparently, a good pie is essential for Thanksgiving!!! Unfortunately, I'm not a pie fan :( My MIL said that I simply cannot be related to them for this reason! Hubby's family = pie eaters!!!

I don't know why, but I've never really been fond of pie. Weird. On the odd occasion, I'll have a slice of key lime pie (does that count?). A good raspberry pie once in a while is okay too.

As for my husband? He loves apple, blueberry, strawberry/rhubarb, raspberry, chocolate, key lime, lemon meringue, pumpkin...and he'd probably take a slice of each! ;)

Unknown said...

Jeanna:
I'm glad you are in agreement! ;) Too bad about the restaurant not being a hit with the family! Can't win 'em all! ;) Hey, at least your sis and BIL enjoy doing the cooking! That works! :)

BTW, I LOVE crazy, Italian families! You're always guaranteed lots of food, entertainment, good times...and did I mention food?! We have some really good friends who are Italian and lemme tell ya, they sure know how to force feed their guests! Last time they came up for a visit, they brought sooooo much food! Hubby was in heaven. I didn't have to cook because Joe Sr. and Joe Jr. are chefs at their own Italian restaurant. My kind of men!! Gotta love a man who can cook! Anyway, can I tell you that I was so stuffed (even after refusing more food at the end of the night) that when I went to bed, I realized I had a hunk of parmesan cheese in my pocket?!?! I was wondering what that funky smell was, and then remembered that after Joe Sr. kept giving me cheese to eat, I ended up shoving it in my pocket so he'd think I ate it! I didn't want to be rude! LOL!

Unknown said...

T:
Dude! I was out! First thing in the AM, I went to the Farmers' Market and then lunch at my MIL's. I also had to help Hubby in the field. I had to drive the tractor again. Now I am just exhausted. I think I need a nap! LOL! Got your message. Will try to call you back later on tonight. XOXO

Ellie said...

Happy Thanksgiving Christine!! I hope you have a great day, and I think going out for dinner and having someone else clean up afterwards, is a great idea!!

Hugs,
Ellie

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

Happy thanksgiving C - mmm the food is worth the celebration and you are so blessed to be so thankful.
I am thankful for your freindship.

J said...

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy, whatever you end up doing, food wise. I am thankful for Ted and Maya, because they have helped me find joy in life after losing my mom. I am thankful for our health, for my job, and that hopefully by American Thanksgiving, we'll have hope of an end to the Republican reign in the U.S. ;) (That was for Jimmy...HA!)

J said...

C, you don't like PIE????

Yay, more for me! ;)

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving! I can't wait for ours.

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City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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