Thanksgiving: It's not about the food...

... Okay, so it's not entirely about the food. Last year we were very fortunate to spend Thanksgiving with several other American families here while eating a gorgeous meal. It was perfect for us because we had only been here for a few months and needed some familiarity. This year we did things a little different. Because the Stirling church's mid-week Bible study falls on a Thursday, we decided to do a short devotional and treat everyone to traditional Thanksgiving desserts. So we made Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Casserole (this one is like a dessert) and Cinnamon Rolls. It was FAB!!! We had a great time and since we could not be with our families on Thanksgiving, it was very special to be with our church family.

In addition to this, Leslie and I made a small Thanksgiving dinner for just the two of us. We bought a Turkey Breast, I used four massive potatoes to make mashed potatoes (plenty for leftovers), gravy, sweet potatoes, carrots and stuffing. Well...it was good but not the best meal we have ever had. The potatoes needed a little bit more butter, the carrots were a little undercooked and the stuffing...oh the stuffing.

Growing up, my Dad and I always made the stuffing together. He would patiently wait for me as I cut the bread and measured it out. It was one of my favorite things during Thanksgiving, mainly for this reason. Well, this year I didn't take the time to do this. So we bought a box of stuffing from the store. First problem: the store had stuffing but only varieties of Sage and Onion. Sage and Onion with Lemon, Sage and Onion with Garlic, Sage and Onion etc. So we went with regular Sage and Onion. Second problem, the Sage and Onion was not good. I took a few bites...I honestly tried...but I couldn't stand it. I even had to remove it from my plate because the smell was so overpowering!! What can I say, I am a stuffing snob :)


All in all, it was a nice meal and we had a great time with the church later in the evening. The desserts were a big hit, especially the Sweet Potatoes and the Cinnamon Rolls. The ladies in the church did not believe that Leslie made them from scratch. She had to reassure them several times that she did not buy them from the store. I even had to give my testimony that I saw her make them!!

We hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving as well!!!