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Friday, November 25, 2005

Our Thanksgiving Dinner...















was the best we've had in a long time! Why? Because we were all together at the farm. In other words - Dereck and Jen were there! I knew I missed them but didn't realize how much until I was in the same room with them. I really wish we lived closer.

For our feast, Earl and I brought up a smoked turkey from our very own smoker, while dad fried one - and no, neither of the turkeys eaten were anyone we knew.

We also had ham and homemade mashed potatos. Dereck made a wonderful pumpkin soup and Jen made the world's yummiest sweet potatos and dinner rolls, which were made from the dough left over from the cinnimon buns she made earlier. Wayne and Diane brought Italian cookes and I made the cake you see below.




























It was fun to make but took some time to put together. Its a spice cake with a cream cheese frosting. The leaves are sugar cookies made from red, green, and orange dyed dough and cut from a handcrafted cookie cutter made by Earl himself.













And no evening is complete with some Sam Adams and sparkling cider! Mmmm.

Of course, while everyone was together, we had to take the opportunity to get this year's Christmas Card picture taken care of (unlike last year when we forgot all about doing it). So here we are:














I was overwhelmed with one particular on-going conversation I had with Dereck and Jen, who really expressed their confidence in me and the work I've done with my photos and designs. They are very intent on getting me further into this field I've chosen. And it is truly astounding to listen to all the brainstorming they had shared between each other about my career possibilities. It makes me speechless. My folks too were equally encouraging and I feel very good about what may lie ahead for me job wise in the future, and I REALLY appreciate all the help Jen particularly has given me. If it weren't for her strong but gentle kicks in my ass last night, I would probably not be waiting for a good word from a certain job opportunity this morning. Jen really knows what she's doing. Not only with editing applications, but with getting the word out there that I AM somebody special.

I was also pleasantly surprised to receive my birthday gift from them - two GORGEOUS framed prints by artist Amy Brown. I know just where I'm going to hang them too. Thanks again guys!

It took Earl and I awhile to get home as it had snowed on our holiday. What normally would take about 15 mintues to get from the farm to the highway, took an hour. At one point, there were two seperate accidents on the same stretch of road (all SUVs, I might add) and as we tried to climb the tiny hill to get by the mess, we got stuck. The car was on a solid sheet of ice and Earl had to get out and push car about 50 feet while I nursed 1st gear and steered towards the snow on the road for more traction. Thankfully, when we finally reached the highway the conditions were much better.

So I want to send out a great big THANK YOU to the folks, Wayne & Diane, and especially my brother and sister-in-law for making this year's Thanksgiving something to truly give thanks for. I am very lucky to have such an amazing group of people in my family who love and care for us more than I can express in words.

Too bad we can't do it again for Christmas, but I guess there's always next year.
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