"This is our last dance..this is ourselves..under perssure."

Breathe...breathe...breathe.
This is what I keep telling myself.

So while this holiday isn't nearly as stressful as last Thanksgiving (I was moving last year..this year, fortunately, I am not.), it still is quite anxiety ridden from a business perspective.   And, I am hosting for 25 this year. 

While we all know I love to entertain, it's been a little stressful getting to this point because as I'd mentioned previously we did a little home re-design; it came out gorgeous.  I hope to post pictures at some point but truthfully, right now I think the photos don't do nearly the justice of showing just how beautiful it looks.  I really am quite pleased with the feel of the room.  My den that was formerly my dining room is very warm and cozy now too, but definitely needs curtains.  I will order those before posting photos for sure.

So, Thanksgiving is my least favorite food holiday.  It's just well, so...typical.  To me, holidays should be about special things that you don't often get to indulge in, that evoke fantastic memories for years to come.  Who doesn't love turkey dinners on rainy Sundays watching football?? But, turkey it must be.

I ordered my turkey fresh, and I will be picking it up tomorrow.  I'll brine it, and then I stuff it the night before with oranges, apples, garlic & onions.  I season it up, and then cover it with bacon.  The fruit just adds a little citrus to the gravy and helps keep the bird moist; the bacon, well that needs no explanation right?  Delicious goodness to the gravy and completely yummy to eat off the top half way through cooking.  And the smell....seriously, who doesn't love bacon? 

I'm making Squash soup, Mashed potatoes, Homemade String Bean Casserole (we're not talking cream of mushroom soup, I mean fresh beans and home made cream sauce.  To die for...) Corn and Asparagus.  My mother in law is making gnocchi's and meatballs and her awesome sausage stuffing -and I'll make a salad.   Everyone else brings dessert because this girl will not have time.  I do have a fresh apple pie that I froze but other than that - forget about it.

Did I mention I'm working from 8am to 10pm the night previous?  Um, yes...Tuesday night I'll be cooking up a storm before bed so that I don't have to think about anything until Thursday morning.  Fortunately, my mother in law graciously insisted on setting my tables so I'm happy to take her up on it.

So the dinner isn't stressing me out.  It's the feeling that I'm not going to have all that a person could ever want or need for Thanksgiving when they walk through my doors.

And then worrying that they won't come....and oh my, the bills....
It's all good.  It's all good.
(Breathe...breathe....breathe!)