Thanksgiving is a holiday not traditionally celebrated here in Australia. However, with my American parents and American husband, it still plays some role in my family's annual holiday traditions. This year, it seems most members of the extended family were going in separate directions and thus a Thanksgiving get-together wasn't really practical.

My husband seems to have been missing the Thanksgiving festivities lately, so I decided (this morning) to put together a Thanksgiving dinner for him, our four children, and me. It was to be relatively simple and easy, without much of the richness and tummy-ache potential typical of Thanksgiving fare. I settled on the following menu:

Roast turkey breast
Mashed potatoes
Gravy (didn't happen, but we didn't miss it anyway)
Maple carrots
Corn and green bean bake
Dinner rolls
Apple pie (husband's favorite)
Cranberry gelatin salad (didn't set on time, is still in the fridge firming up)

I started cooking at about 2pm, I think. Everything was done...by 8pm. LOL! That's okay, my family is accustomed to the occasional late dinner. And this one was special!!

I set the table using some beautiful linens passed on to me from my Grandmother, along with the small table runner I made a couple of months ago. We are not much for formalities around here, so it was a very noticeable change and I really enjoyed it.


We have so much to be thankful for here in this household. Our family is wonderful, we are loved by the Lord, and we have many friends and loved ones all over the world. We are very blessed.


We also had apple pie, as I mentioned. That, too, was something to be thankful for.


And I think that if little Benjamin was capable, he would tell you that he is very...


...very thankful for...


...mashed potatoes.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!