Precursor to Thanksgiving

It's a mere 5 days away.  The holiday that trumps all others excluding Christmas and, depending on the year, birthdays.  When families draw together and enjoy good food, love, laughter, and then more good food followed by dessert. 
I feel so grateful to have my family all living near each other (except for Ruth Anne and Josh, but they will remedy that December 10th).  The last few years I feel like I am getting to know each of my brothers and sisters a little better. 
I have always been close with my older sister, Ruth Anne.  We are separated by a mere 1 1/2 years which allowed us to be friends as well as sisters growing up.  Although we didn't always get along (she was quite the feisty one and used to bully me even though I was 4 inches taller than her.  Picture her chasing me down the block like a chihuahua running after a saint bernard.  Just call me the gentle giant.)  we always had each other to talk to, hang out with, and lean on.  There is a 6 year gap between me and my next sister, Heather, and a 7 year gap to my brother Daniel and a 9 year gap between my sister Sarah and I.  Then there is Melissa, who is 17 years younger than me and Christopher who is 20 years younger.  That blows my mind just thinking about it. 

Anyways, growing up the three younger kids always felt so much younger to me.  I didn't really have a friendship with them, more I just felt that they were babies to tend to.  I enjoyed telling them stories and keeping them entertained but when I left for the military at age 18 they were still young enough that they hadn't yet developed their adult personalities.  Melissa was just a baby and Christopher wasn't even born yet.

Since getting out of the military 6 years ago I have slowly but surely begun to know them as the adults they are.  It feels so strange because they are family, close family, but I still felt like I didn't really know them at all.  In the 6 years I was gone they had all changed drastically from kids to grownups.  (Not to be mistaken for them ACTING like grownups.  That has yet to happen:)

My sister Sarah had a baby (Lilly) 6 months after I had Savannah.  That has given us a perfect window for bonding and becoming friends.  And I LOVE that Savannah and Lilly will grow up close to each other. That's them in the picture.  The older they get, the less and less difference 6 months makes.  I love that Savannah has Lilly around because there is a pretty good chance she isn't going to have any more siblings any time soon.  Which saddens me SO much.  I loved being pregnant and giving birth and experiencing all the wonder and joy and incredible feelings that go with it.  I really really hope I get to do it at least one more time.  But that's a whole other topic.  My sister Heather had a girl, Melanie, about 9 months after I had Savannah.  Although they live in Washington now, she comes down fairly often and I am excited to have another playmate for Savannah.  Once Melanie is old enough to defend herself that is.  That's Melanie down below.  She's 7 months older now.  But she's still bald.  She and Savannah have bonded over it.  Luscious-locks Lilly sometimes feels left out.

 

I guess what I am getting at is that I am so thankful for my family.  We haven't always had the smoothest road, but my mom made the absolute best out of each situation and raised us in a godly home and taught us to love each other so that even as we grow older we stick together.  I think about the difference my family has made in this time I am going through now.  I can't even imagine the stark loneliness I would be going through if I didn't have Heather, Daniel and Sarah (and soon Ruth Anne) dropping in to visit.  And not just because it forces me to shower and clean up the house before they come. 

Even though Ruth Anne lives further away right now, she cheers me up daily with the funny things she writes about in her blogs and the way she joins in with me when I rail against the injustices of the day.  Granted some are just perceived injustices, but the support is there nonetheless.  I am giddy at the thought that she will soon be just across town and we can start our weekly coffee dates. (yes mom, you are still invited;)  And the baking.  Boy-howdy will there be baking!!!  That's one thing you can count on with Ruth Anne.  As soon as the weather cools her oven starts heating up.  Until this year I hadn't really experimented a whole lot.  With Savannah going to bed around 7 each night and me not having cable I have started branching out a little more than the occasional batch of chocolate chip cookies.  I decided I would bake an apple and a lemon pie to bring to Thanksgiving dinner.  And not wanting it to be a flop I decided to do a test run.  I tried the Apple-Cranberry pie first.  I got the recipe for both pies and the crust from the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens.Here's how the Apple turned out...

Pretty little thing, isn't she?  The crust was golden and on the heartier side.  I think it would be divine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream...mmmmm

There were a few scattered cranberries mixed in with the apples to give a little burst of tartness.  My brother Daniel approved.  That means a lot to me.  There were a lot of juices when I cut the first slice, but it thickened up a bit after sitting a little while.

This was the first piece that I cut.  And devoured.  I gotta say, I was pretty proud of myself on this one.  I will definitely be making it again for Thanksgiving.  Debating on whether to buy the crust or not.  Nah, I think I'll do it from scratch again.  Yum.

And next on the docket we have the Lemon pie. 

Lemon Meringue is my favorite kind of pie.  This one wasn't a meringue, but I thought the lemon flavor would make it my favorite out of the two.  I just realized I didn't take pictures of the finished pie, but luckily I still have some left.  Which is a pretty good indicator this pie won't be repeated in my kitchen. 

And NO I don't have rats.  It looks like that from eating it straight out of the pan with a fork.  It's not my favorite but it's still pie, okay?  Don't judge me.  Anyways, it had a really thick, custardy texture which I liked.  I think I overworked the dough and it came out a bit tough.  Also it didn't have the zing of lemon flavor I love in a lemon meringue.  An okay pie, but not worth repeating.  I am open to try any favorite lemon recipes out there, so send them my way!

Today I decided to try my hand at some scones.  I arrived at this choice because I had everything in my cupboards needed to make them.  I didn't have any oil so that threw out the pumpkin bread recipe I was wanting to try.  Scones it was.  It was a pretty basic recipe and I threw in chocolate chips for some added pizazz.  Truthfully I have never been a huge scone fan.  They always seemed kind of like stale biscuits to me.  But I really outdid myself this time:)  Although I had a few mishaps along the way...

Don't worry.  No scones were harmed in the blaze.

I was able to pop in these lovelies

And out came these!

So buttery and flaky and warm with just the right amount of chocolate gooey-ness in each bite. Definitely best served warm.  I declare them a success.  Making me 2 for 3.  Not bad. 



Now do you want to see the behind the scenes footage from the scones session?  I know you do.

First we have the original shot of the scones ready to be put in the oven.

How cute! A little Christmas village nestled peacefully behind.  Or is it...pan out...

And pan out further...

Yes folks, that was my work area.  I am sadly lacking in counter space.  You will see the mixing bowl on the chair and that tiny corner was the only spot I had to knead the dough.  Yeah, yeah I suppose I COULD have cleared the purse, bag, flour, and jacket off but it's more cozy this way, right?  One downside is I evidently didn't wipe off a big enough area and when I was eating my scone and felt something very non-scone-like in my mouth.  I spit it out to discover one of those little plastic dealies they use to hold price tags on clothes. (Probably from that scrub shirt draped over the chair) Oopsie.  It was clear so I didn't see it on the black tabletop.  My bad.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our first installment of Liz's Lovelies.  (Not sure why but the word lovelies keeps rolling off my tongue today.  I'm gonna go with it.  I hope you enjoyed looking at food as much as I did.  I am sorry if I ruined your appetites by giving you a sordid look at life behind the camera.  And speaking of lovelies, look what's under my tree!

Thanks mom for the wrapping job!  Hurray for successful shopping trips!

As Thanksgiving draws nearer, I urge you to pause and reflect on the family you have in your lives.  Family is not always defined by blood relations.  Family is those you turn to in times of crisis and those you are able to laugh with when times are good.  I hope you are blessed as richly as I have been.