The Lee Family: Happy Thanksgiving!

One great thing about having Buddy with us when we travel, is that it's always a great way to explore a place while walking Buddy. CK and I woke up at 6:30am and headed down the hill toward the Plaza. It was 30 degrees outside, but felt great since it's so dry and clear. As we walked, we realized that it was Thanksgiving morning and we'd probably have a hard time finding a place open for coffee. Thankfully, the little french bistro near La Fonda was open. CK got a coffee while I ordered a cafe au lait. It was perfect and just what I needed to warm my hands. Buddy loved exploring and especially sniffing and peeing on just about everything. He's such a boy dog.

We returned to Aunt and Uncle's and found everyone awake in the main house. Aunt Shirl made bacon and scrabbled eggs for all of us to enjoy and their sweet neighbors left a platter of orange juice, champagne, and cinnamon bread for us to get our Thanksgiving morning started. It was so thoughtful of them and the cinnamon bread was delicious and went well with the eggs and bacon. After we'd cleaned up breakfast, the girls got dressed in their Thanksgiving dresses while CK and I got showered and dressed in the clothes we brought for the day. I'd asked Aunt Shirl to take a family photo of us so we could use it on our Christmas card. I also wanted a picture of all of us together. Aunt Shirl posed us out front on their bench and we tried a few different ways for us to stand and sit for our photos. Using her timer, we were able to take a photo with all of us in it. The pictures all turned out great and it was nice to have a nice picture of us all.

Meanwhile Buddy was getting comfortable on his leather couch, which was not his preferred place to rest/watch/sleep. Aunt and Uncle also have a white couch that is similar to our couch at home and he would try to jump on it and get comfortable but we would tell him to get down, which he would begrudgingly do and move to the leather couch. After we'd return from being out, we'd find the evidence of his time sleeping on the white couch!

After photos, we all moved into the kitchen and started prepping for the big meal, which we planned to enjoy at 5pm. CK and I brought a variety of cheeses, olives, and artichoke hearts and planned to bring crackers, nuts, and salamis but ended up forgetting them at home! So frustrating! But, we made a run to Whole Foods and picking up all the things we'd left at home. Of course, we did remember to bring the pecan pie from Texas!

Uncle Steve made two pies this year: a tart lemon pie and a new kind of apple pie which is a combination of blended apples and berries. Both were pieces of art! Aunt Shirl and I started making the stuffing, one of my absolute favorite recipes. Otherwise, we had the football game on and relaxed between chopping food, cooking, setting the table and getting ready for the big meal. It all went very smoothly and didn't feel like past Thanksgiving where we spend all day on a tight cooking schedule. It was very relaxed and fun. Uncle Steve and CK added the extension to the table and we all set the table. It looked fabulous by the time it was ready!

Aunt and Uncle's guests arrived at 4:30pm following a little snafu with them making it past the little gate into the compound. But it all worked out and we were soon welcoming Deborah Madison and Patrick McFarlan and their friend Leslie. Deborah and Patrick also brought their dog, Dante, who we've met before. Buddy and Dante weren't sure if they should play together or how they should interact, but after about 5 minutes they just ignored each other and focused and trying to get some scraps from the table. We've spent previous Thanksgivings with Deborah and Patrick and they are an interesting and friendly couple. Deborah is a well known cookbook author and Patrick is an artist. Both professions which are interesting, different and I'm sure very difficult. Their friend Leslie lives near them and was also very engaging and easy to talk with.

Deborah brought a winter salad and roasted root vegetables as well as sweet potatoes, as well as rolls. We all put on the finishing touches of all of our dishes while Uncle Steve carved the turkey, which really ended up looking perfect! We set the food out and Sofia gave Thanks before we all got up and served ourselves. Everything looked and tasted amazing! The girls really liked the turkey and Olivia loved the salad Deborah brought with her. It was the only thing she wanted seconds of! After we were all comfortably full (or overfull), we moved on to dessert. I had the lemon and a very small piece of the new pumpkin/berry pie, which was too sweet for me. Plus, I really missed Uncle Steve's traditional apple pie! It is so delicious. We lingered over coffee and what was left of the dessert on our plates before clearing the table and saying goodbye to Aunt and Uncle's guests. It was such a delicious and interesting Thanksgiving. After doing dishes and getting all the leftovers put away, we all went to bed with a very full and happy belly.

On our morning dog and coffee walk. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in downtown Santa Fe.