Well, tomorrow starts the beginning of a new tradition in the Hoyt family... the 'honor' of hosting Thanksgiving goes to Amber! Because she loves to cook, loves to bake, loves anything that involves the kitchen, I have a feeling this isn't going to be an imposition on her in the least. I truly think she is loving it.
Growing up, my nana and grandpa always had Thanksgiving at their house. Of course, we lived right next door to them so it was easy to walk across the yard to their house. Nana loved to cook and that was her 'occupation' back then. They didn't call it a career like we do today - at least I don't think so. Nana's kitchen was teeny-tiny. Seriously. It probably measured 8x8, if that. Her oven was on one wall and opposite the oven was a cupboard with a counter that was only about 4 feet long. That was it. The sink took up the rest of the wall. Her refrigerator (
remember this?) was in a separate room. When nana cooked a big meal or baked for holidays, she always put a sheet up to the door to her kitchen to keep the heat out of the rest of the house. I can still see her coming out of the kitchen - hot with beads of sweat on her forehead. Nana was the greatest cook ever. She made the BEST Christmas cookies and they were so beautifully decorated that you didn't even want to eat them but that's a whole other post subject.
One of the earliest Thanksgivings I hosted was when we lived in Pittsfield, Illinois. Shelby was just two months old and Dave's mom and dad and my mom, brother and sister drove all the way to Pittsfield for Thanksgiving. I don't remember if the meal was good, but I rather doubt it because I wasn't a very good cook in my early days.
Once we moved back to Iowa, most Thanksgivings were held at Dave's mom and dad's house. Those are the Thanksgiving celebrations my girls probably remember the most. One particular Thanksgiving, I remember Dave's grandma Martha went all around the table with her tape recorder and taped all of us saying what we were most thankful for.
After moving to Eldora, I hosted my share of Thanksgiving dinners. A few times we helped Dave's sister's family who hosts a community dinner in Fonda. More than a few times, we went to Rockwell City to Dave's mom's for dinner. A few times we went to Des Moines to my mom's for dinner.
Now that my girls are grown, we have to share them with the 'other side.' Our system works out really well. We alternate years with the other side. This year is our year to have our girls on Thanksgiving which means they will spend Christmas with their respective Mike's families. Next year, they will go to the other side for Thanksgiving and we will get them for Christmas.
It's so easy to do it this way. I remember our early days trying to make it to two families in two different towns with two little girls. Not fun at all. Our arrangement now works out really well and even though Dave and I are 'alone' every other year for Thanksgiving or Christmas, we like it this way.
Two years ago at Thanksgiving, we had a special flower arrangement sent to our house. Actually, they were sent to Shelby from Mike. They had just met and he was still living in Bellingham, Washington. Who knew two years later, we'd be thankful for another soon-to-be-son-in-law. Shelby and Mike will arrive home late tonight.
So begins a new generation of Thanksgiving hosting. I'm glad to pass on the honor.
I
believe I have an abundance of blessings to be thankful for this year.
♥
.JPG)
