for Thanksgiving?? Cooking at home, eating with family/friends, traveling? We decided, spur of the moment, to join friends in Saratoga, WY. Our children are all with their in laws this year - our friends live here but have "get away" out there - their children know we are coming but our friends do NOT... SURPRISE!!- staying at the Saratoga Inn - looks rustic and quaint - they are having snow now so I will have to dig out some old winter items and bundle up!! Nothing matches and I probably have one brown glove and one black glove - I'll make it work - off to Target to buy some warm socks!!!

Joanna, that sounds like SO much fun! We will be doing the usual, going to our friends log cabin in the woods. It really gets me in the Holiday mood!

We are driving to Key West; my mother in law has never been there so we are heading down for a four day weekend.

Heading up to the Lehigh Valley to visit with extended family. I'm calling Wegman's to put a dinner together & I'll heat it up at my mother-in-laws. No muss, no fuss. I AM GRATEFUL! Cheers, Anne

Nothing special planned here. Gina and SIL Josh will be here (with their puppy), Jill and my nephew....maybe my brother and kids. Could be as few as 6 or as many as 12? (I'm use to having my sister and B-I-L too but this year they're in Texas)

Gina is having Morning Sickness....hope she survives the day!

Here is good site to determine how large of a turkey to buy
http://www.butterball.com/en/main_c...&t=Turkey%20FAQs&s0=faqs&s1=

Family time at MIL (Alice's restaurant)13 of us so far. Everyone brings their specialty...mine is the turkey and sweet potatoes.

At sea on the Mariner....after all those years away from home flying you would think we would stay home.
jack

Taking my Dad to Richmond, where both daughters and SIL's live, Son and daughter in law and girls also coming, so our whole family will be at Juli's for dinner, plus the son and daughter in law, their little girl and neice of our best friends for 39 years, will be joining us from Calif as well. Us, my Dad, and Chris (son), Adrienne and girls will stay at our daughter Laura's new house, while the Calif group will stay at our older daughter Juli's house - they are about 20 minutes away. We will all contribute to the dinner, plus Laura will have everyone for "Thanksgiving Eve". Should be lots of fun, all 4 Grandkids together for the first time since the beach in May. :D :D

Our younger daughter recently moved into a lovely new apartment with her boyfriend. They have offered to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for both families. After 36 years of preparing this feast, I am happy to turn it over to them.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Just received this from our friends DIL - it does sound like fun! Amy and Travis and their 2 little girls will be there too and we have alot of fun with them!!
From Amy:
I read about medicine bow (look that up)---something like one million acres of just protected mountains/forestry! amazing. that is nearby. it really is beautiful. I want to go explore more this year. travis went snowmobiling that year we were there and LOVED it, said it was really a workout!!! he was sore the next day. they had the best time doing that, so I know he’ll do that again. he went with gavin and two guides.

We'll be right here, as usual, but the gathering changes size every year. I just placed a big order at Fresh Market for: smoked turkey, whipped white and sweet potatoes, gravy, and rolls. I have "dressing" in the freezer to be thawed, and I'll hit Cracker Barrel for Southern cooked green beans. Sonja will bring her corn casserole and a pumpkin cheesecake.

My mom celebrated her 85th birthday a couple of weeks ago, and I can't be away from her and the grandkids over the Holidays.

Dunno what we're doing yet. Probably should talk to the folks to clarify plans. Usually held at my parents' place but they're always slow to announce plans.

Masaki

We're having dinner on the Paul Gauguin. :)

We're off to Norfolk to visit our son who is statoned there and his wife and 10 month old baby. We'll have Thanksgiving at their house and then will drive up to Ocean City on Friday to visit Olivia. Can't wait to see her again!

Jack & Marsha have the right idea - T'giving on a Ship! AHHHHHH!!!!

Don't know where/what yet, but it's still early.

Going to Laughlin, NV with ex & his current wife. So, is that being with family or with friends, lol. Actually, she & I get along very well and IM almost every day. We had a great time 2 years ago when we did the same thing & I'm looking forward to having a great time again.

Vickie: I have friends who are very close to his ex- they have traveled together - whatever works! If you told my ex he had to take a trip with ME I'm sure he'd disappear - Joanna

My three daughters and their families move in for a long weekend. Thanksgiving is always a big gathering at our house.With all of those people sleeping here the place is really a mess. The cat
utters a sigh of relief when the place clears out on Sunday.
I would love to be on a cruise. I would always love to be on a cruise of course.When I get old I want to move onto a ship instead of into an assisted living facility.I wonder how our kids would feel about that (Ha! Ha!)Our cat would have to die first.We used to take him out on our boat butI don't think that he was too thrilled about it.

Like Marcie, Pam and Bette I'll be cooking dinner at home. We'll have 11 around the table plus 5 month old Jason rolling around on the floor.

I'll be working on Thanksgiving Day. Had to work then to be off on Christmas. So we'll have a late dinner at home. Tom.

PS: JoAnn I like your new picture.

We'll be sunbathing here

http://www.bannisterisland.com/index.shtml

as the Silver Whisper is in Belize that day.

Wow, I think I could suffer through a day there. As it is, I will be having 20-25 for dinner (everyone helps) depending on the whereabouts of several neices and nephews. My big treat for the weekend is that Peggy (pwolftx) and Jerry and family will be coming on Friday for a visit!

I'll be headed to A Southern Part of Heaven (aka Chapel Hill) to hang out with mom for a few days. A gf who lives down east is coming by my house on Wednesday afternoon to get me. Her mom lives in the same retirement community as my mom. Randy is driving down from southern VA on Thursday to take me to his family's BIG Thanksgiving dinner at the old home place. Offspring of nine children (only 5 sisters left) with extended families. Fun time eating, laughing and taking a long walk after we eat. Then the drive back to Chapel Hill looking out for fun Christmas decorations!!!

Sounds pretty wonderful Beth!!!

Thanks, Joanna, It is alot of fun with Randy's family. It's also potluck with loads of lucious food. We need that walk afterward!!

Your surprise sounds like alot of fun. Bundle up and insulate!

Thanks Tom - you took it, and we loved it!! Happy Thanksgiving to you and Mona and to everyone else on this board.

Tom - lets email privately and get together soon, maybe after the holidays. We'd love to see you and Mona again.

Just Tim, Dad and me this year for the holiday - somehow I still end up cooking enough for 20 though! Trying Denise's smashed sweet potatoes for this first time- thanks Denise for the recipe.

Sounds like everyone has wonderful plans!

Paul and I will be with his family in Vermont. A week from right now we'll be changing planes in Chicago. A 33 pound bird is on order...

I hope everybody has a terrific holiday!

We will go two houses down
the street to Jan's brother Kelly's home.
Will have Jan's Dad, and Kelly's in laws.

You're very welcome, Sue. I hope your family likes them as much as mine does. Have a great holiday!

Robert, Thanksgiving in Vermont - How great! We love New England in the fall! Have a wonderful holiday!

Thanks, D! You two too! I'm hoping for snow.

Paige is leaving me.... to go to Alabama that is with the boys. I am having my family over here.

Before you assume to much, we are going to the Country Club for a very nice and LARGE Thanksgiving dinner. Trying to give MOm a break from cooking.

Anthony

According to weatherman Tony we have snow in Saratoga WY - my concern is getting to and from Denver airport in snow - oh well an adventure!!

Poor poor Anthony, having to have all those people over to drive to the Country Club! I hope Paige's mother will not expect her to COOK, since that is your(?) "reward" to her. I was always fortunate in living in the same town as my former in-laws, so we never had to leave (except for all those years we did, before children!)

Joanna, take what Mother Nature gives, where you are headed from those pictures of the Saratoga Inn, I hardly think you will be suffering.

I, for one, at this point with my DR floors in a state of restoration, would rather be with gus and Ian on that island Belize~

Joanna, take what Mother Nature gives, where you are headed from those pictures of the Saratoga Inn, I hardly think you will be suffering.

The inside scoop is the SI is nice....not like the pixs though - I am only worried about snow and drive from Denver to WY -

Suffer through it my girlfriend, I think Tony can get you there! I am NOT going to feel sorry when you get to the destination and NOT have to COOK! We have all managed to get from Denver to wherever in the winter, let alone the fall. Do you expect us to feel sorry for you who do not have to cook, or what?

I think it finally hit me today that Thanksgiving is next week!!!! I am so looking forward to this. We always have it at my parents as my mom likes the idea that all the kids and grandchildren come home. This year may kind of suck for her as she fell a couple of weeks ago - when she was with me - and fractured her fingers on her right hand, sprained her wrist and shoulder and is in a brace and sling until mid -December.
So this year my sister and I will be doing all the cooking and my niece will be joining us which makes it even better!!!

Trish

For us, Thanksgiving is always at my parents' house with mom & dad, my sister and her family, and my husband Grant's parents and sister. It's nice that they all get along so we don't have to attend two Thanksgiving dinners! I enjoy cooking but I have to admit I've never learned to cook a turkey. I have a feeling that when Mom doesn't feel like doing Thanksgiving any more, we will end up dining out...

Dena

Where do your parents live, Dena?

I've always wondered what it was like to spend the holidays somewhere a little warmer than the Midwest.

Trish

Hi Trish - I guess I should have mentioned where they live! I didn't because they live about 10 miles away from us, in Fullerton. It has been warm here this week - in the 80s every day. Looks like it will cool down to the 70s by Turkey Day, but still much warmer than the Midwest, I'm sure.

On Thursday, my mom broke her ankle, so we are going to assess on Monday what we'll do as far as the cooking. It will probably end up with my sister and me cooking under Mom's "supervision" - which is OK - it's about time we learned to put together a Thanksgiving meal. Or we might cook the basics and bring in side dishes from a store or restaurant. We have been spoiled by her great cooking all these years! So we'll be in the same situation you are, Trish.

Dena