Happy Turkey...umm, Ribs...Day

I love Thanksgiving weekend.  It's always been one of those cozy family times that are so special.  And this year we had snow, too!  (First Thanksgiving with snow since 1985...and Dad and Mom and Jenny and Jay probably remember that one.  Spent at our house, the coldest house we have ever lived in or hope to never live in again.  That was when Jenny was pregnant with Courtney.  Time flies!)

This Thanksgiving we did something totally new.  Back in October, Erin had this great idea.  So, we had baby back ribs and a bunch of "sides" for our Thanksgiving dinner.

I kept wondering why I was so far ahead on my prep, then I remembered that I...

1.  Wasn't making stuffing.
2.  Wasn't roasting a big bird.
3.  Wasn't making homemade rolls.

Instead, Erin and I made ribs, mashed potatoes, sweet potato bisquits (I highly recommend these!), and a bunch of delicious side veggies.  Erin made these caramelized onions which were just amazing.  I could have had only those and maybe a rib or two.

Ed kept saying he thought this was the best Thanksgiving meal we have ever had.  I would have to agree.  Of course, I did make the mandatory pumpkin and pecan pies.

You could say we pardoned the turkey this year, and pigged out, instead.  Extra bonus:  No triptophan (sp??) effect.

This was Graces' first Thanksgiving, too.  She and Charlie were napping, so the adults had a nice little grown-up meal.  Having them here made me remember the concept of the "kid's table", which was always a wobbly card table, if I remember correctly.  Charlie and Grace got to sit at the big table, though, once they woke up.

Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Gelato. Yum.

Grace had her first Thanksgiving meal right where she belongs, on Grandma's lap.

Grace enjoys her version of baby back ribs.

My brother is so...funny.

Grandpa needs a hat like this.

And this was our pumpkin, later that evening.
Aaron asked me if I had put glitter on a pumpkin, and I had no idea what he was talking about.
So we went to check, and this is how the real pumpkin with real frost on it looked, on our front porch.  Pretty neat.  

Love to you all, and we are Thankful for all of you.