Thanksgiving at My Sister's House

My sister, Karen, made the most amazing Thanksgiving dinner today.

She had all of the food set up really pretty and when we walked in the door. Her table had a few appetizers including this wonderful olive relish set out and a percolator full of the spiced cider we grew up with.

Bethany and Elissa hung out in the new fully restored 1966 MG that Uncle Rick bought off of E-bay. I always knew it was possible to buy a car from E-bay, I just never knew anyone who had actually done it until now. (Of course Beth wanted immediate access to these photos so she could post them to all of her friends.)

Chase and Austin--who have been close ever since they were little, got to catch up. Mom hung out at the "kids table" for a bit to hear all of their news.

This is the first year my sister has hosted the meal at her house. Normally mom and dad do it complete with chargers and individual salt and pepper shakers. Karen and Rick moved to a new house earlier this year about a mile from my parents and since she has the larger dining room, we decided to have it there. Karen pulled out her wedding china and used the individual salt & pepper shakers that mom and dad gave her for Christmas. (They gave me a set too--which are still in the box.) I'm much more likely to rely on paper plates for ease of clean up than to actually pull out the china. Come to think of it, I don't even own china. I let it go to a garage sale after several years of non-use. (See yesterday's post.)

My mom makes amazing dressing, and the year I became vegetarian, she came up with a vegetarian version that tastes exactly like the turkey-based version. It is absolutely delicious.

Karen and Rick have a pool, and Chase decided to go swimming. (Please note that it was SO COLD that it started SLEETING not 30 minutes after they got out of the pool.) Not to be out done, Bethany joined him. John bet Chase $20 if he could stay in for a full 10 minutes. Determined young man that he is....he did it. (Not sure if it was out of tenacity or desperation for cash.)