A Very Madsen Thanksgiving - As Seen (Mostly) Through Spencer's Eyes"

Our Thanksgiving turned out to be pretty great.  Lance's parents are in town, which is a real treat because we've never had family over for Thanksgiving.  The boys have loved playing and talk, talk, talking their ears off.  We've enjoyed their company and all the help they've given us.  (Especially in the eating leftovers department!)

On Thanksgiving day Spencer turned into our unofficial photographer.  He was thrilled.  It's actually kinda fun to see things from his point of view and also what he thinks is important. 

Here's the turkey in it's brine.  A brined turkey is a happy, delicious, and oh-so-juicy turkey.  

Spencer was very excited to see the turkey because he kept seeing the ham and kept thinking that it was the turkey and was probably very tired of me telling him over and over, No, that's not a turkey, it's a ham.  I bet it's hard to be six years old sometimes.

Here's Mr. Turkey being rinsed off.  Because a brined turkey must be thoroughly rinsed.

Bet you've never seen a turkey taking a bath before.

 

Here's Mr. Turkey starting his annual Turkey Dance.  (It's oddly familiar to the chicken dance.) My mom used to make the turkey dance every year and I was only too happy to continue the tradition.  The boys thought it was hilarious.

It was hilarious.

Here's my Turkey Brinin' Bucket.  It's a very special piece of equipment, as you can see.  Yes, I had to mark it as such because my first Turkey Brinin' Bucket got ruined by being used in a back yard project a few years ago.

Obviously a very thrilling part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Ronald McDonald in his shoemobile.

More turkey dancin'.  Because you can never see enough of a turkey dancing.

Our "I Am Thankful For" jar.  During the week everyone wrote down things they were thankful for on slips of paper.  At dinner we read them and had to guess who had written what, which was pretty fun.

Apparently, snowflake Ritz Crackers are also very important to Spencer.  Probably because I rarely buy such extravagant snacks!

What?  A Madsen boy that likes to ham it up for the camera?  Unheard of!

I actually took this picture.  Cole is such a little goofball.  We all just love him to death!  

Yes, we eventually changed him out of his pajamas.

Behold, the brined turkey!  The breast isn't as browned because it gets a special aluminum foil shield while roasting - making it all the more juicy.  Mmmm...

Yes, that is a huge bird.  It was the smallest one in the pile that I could find!

The ham that confused poor Spencer so much.

Our Thanksgiving table.  We broke out the china because if you don't use it every once in a while, why even have it?  The boys were quite disappointed that they didn't get to use the goblets.  Sorry boys - you have to be at least 12 years old to use those!

Hmm... Spencer must have been very impressed with the table.

Spencer as Josh got these glass cups.

Lance carving the bird.

Remnants of the veggie tray we had been eating most of the day.  I'm not sure why Spencer felt compelled to photograph it since I'm pretty sure he only ate the olives.

More veggies and the Thankful Jar.

The amaryllis I won at bunco.  Woo-hoo!

 Cooking the gravy right before our feast.

 I can't say for sure why he felt compelled to take a picture of the stairs.  It does look kinda creepy, though, right?  Don't go down the stairs, Spencer!  The mass murderer is down there!

Again, I'm not quite sure why he took this picture.  What is he trying to say with it?   Was he trying to make a commentary on the loneliness of being the oldest child?  That being the oldest, with all of its inherent responsibilities, separates you from your siblings?  Casts you off as a loner?  Makes you feel like a small ball in a rather large room?

Or maybe he was just goofing off.

Here's Josh's computer.  The boys lurrrrve their computers.

Spencer's current favorite game on his computer.  I can't remember what it's called.  Spelling Worm or something.  He loves it.

The only Thanksgiving dinner shot I was able to get.  Nice pose, Josh.  (Doesn't it look like he's ready to dig in?  Yeah, that kid ate like three bites and called it quits.  Punk.)

Spencer reading our "I am thankful for" slips of paper.  He did a great job and was quite pleased with the whole thing.

Mr. Cole, who was quite resistant to the idea of candied yams - until he put some in his mouth.  Then he fell in love.  He also loved the green beans and mashed potatoes.  But not the ham.  We're not sure if he's really a Madsen or not.

The aftermath in the kitchen.  And this was after we had cleaned a good 3/4's of it!

This year I am especially thankful for:
- A good husband who has a good sense of humor and the good sense to ignore some of the crazy things I say and do while pregnant.  (Or not pregnant, for that matter.)
- A good Spencer-bencer, who is so smart and so kind and almost always willing to help.  (Yes, 'almost'; he's not perfect - yet.)
- A good Joshie-boy, who, once he warms up to the crowd, never fails to entertain and charm the pants off of everyone.
- A good Cole-bear, who is just about the cutest, busiest, charmingest toddler you ever did meet.
- A good baby girl, who likes to kick me in the bladder at inopportune times and punch me in the diaphragm so I can't breath deeply.  (I'm sure there'll be more to say about her once I, you know, meet her and such.)