A very relaxing Thanksgiving

We stayed home yesterday, alone.

I cooked and we ate, just our family of four. It was our choice to do this, as we were invited by both of our families..but we just wanted to relax and not stress.

It was wonderful. Yes, I missed seeing my family, I talked to them on the phone, but staying in, cooking with no timeline and the lack of stress was perfect. My boys enjoyed the day. After dinner their friend came over to spend the night, and they had ice cream pie.

And we have leftovers.

If my house was big enough, I would have everyone over, but unfortunately, I can't house both of our families. I had my family here one time for a formal turkey dinner and I loved it, but it was crowded!

I also had them here for a very informal Easter, and invited a single friend and her son also and we had a blast...wine, food, and fun. I learned a lot about my mom from my aunt, I have to get together with her and some wine more often.

My dining room will hopefully be very different next year and we can maybe have at least one of our families over for Thanksgiving and the other for Christmas. It will still be crowded, as we have big families. I also have some friends who are alone and single who I felt bad for not inviting, but this year, I wanted to try something different.

We called my mother and father in law, who eats out and takes the family out for Turkey dinner to stop by for some leftovers, and a plate of food for my mother in laws brother who is alone...as we had enough to share with the three of them and still have plenty for us. That way they can have leftovers. I wish I could have done this for everyone, but I have three men in my house (my growing sons and my husband) and always have the boys friends here too to feed.