Turkey, Pilgrim, & Indians—Oh My!

This Thanksgiving goes down in the Leone family record book as one that was thoroughly relaxing and utterly memorable. Sure, Joe and I did our annual, sometimes-tiring kitchen marathon in the 48 hours leading up to Thanksgiving, but we had all the dishes prepared in advance, and we benefitted in the form of a relaxed Thanksgiving that allowed us time to really savor the holiday with the kids and our guests.

Unfortunately, my parents and my grandmother were unable to make it for dinner. However, our close friends the Daniels—John, Claudia, and Jen—filled our house with great merriment and good cheer. And they arrived bearing sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, chocolate cranberry tart, wine, flowers, and a Claudia Daniel original drawing! What's not to love about these people? The Daniels are, indeed, like family, and we were honored to have them here for Thanksgiving this year. Together, we enjoyed great food, excellent wine, football passes in the living room, crazy Photo Booth snapshots on the mac, and general mirth and pandemonium.

The photos that follow provide a flavor of the Leone Thanksgiving this year.

Funny Kid Quips

Mom: "Why are you out of bed, William?"

Perfectly healthy six-year-old son: "I feel like I'm going to throw up, Mom."

Mom: "If you're going to throw up, then go into the bathroom."

Mom: "Andrew, now what are you doing up?"

Perfectly healthy three-year-old boy: "I feel like I'm going to throw up too."

Mom: "It seems to be quite popular around here to pretend like you're sick just so you can get out of bed."

Perfectly healthy three-year-old revising story on the spot: "Oh, I got mixed up, Mom. Actually, I meant to say I really like seeing people throw up, so I'm going to go watch William."

Mom: "Good one, Andrew." [Mom sends two perfectly healthy boys back to bed and tries to hide smile.]

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The kids are looking through a Christmas cookie cookbook, trying to decide what recipes we'll use for Christmas baking this year.

Three-year-old Andrew runs across a photo of a cut-out cookie shaped as a fleur-di-lis.

With great glee, Andrew shouts, "Look! We can make stabbing cookies!"

Apparently, the fleur de lis looked a bit sword-like to little Andrew.