Giving Thanks

Thanks giving.
A holiday where people in America give thanks for all the great things in their lives.
Or, as some have said to me, a day to give thanks that arose because the pilgrims settled and slaughtered the Indians... I am not sure this is something I want to celebrate, but hey, who doesn't want another commercialized public holiday where everyone spends far too much money and eats till their belts burst?

I may sound cynical, but in actual fact this is one of my new favorite holidays. Thanksgiving is definitely rad.
I didn't know much about this holiday, and didn't really know what to expect other then the amazing food that everyone raved about. I was invited to share this day at my Hanai Mom's house with some 27 family members, friends, and my two guests Marissa and Tove.
We arrived, sweaty and excited, to the Lyman residence with a bag full of delicious homemade Swedish cinnamon buns in hand. The house had been rearranged to fit one long line of tables down the middle of the living room. This was accompanied by 27 chairs of assorted colors, shapes and sizes. This was all on a slight, but idyllic lean due to the recent excavation of the basement below. We did the whole meet and greet thing and started on the wine. As you do. Then came meal time.. The food definitely lived up to its reputation. The most tender turkey I have ever eaten (times two), a ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, salads, sweet potato, bruchetta and most importantly gravy, all lined the bench. The Americans sure know how to put on a good feed!
We ate, drank a little (or in cousin Arthur's case a lot) and talked to a lot of cool people.
All stuffed full of food we had a wee break before desert.. A selection of Marion's amazing homemade pies were the main event. I don't think I have ever tasted something as good as her pumpkin and pecan pie. Delicious.
Needless to say I went home that night with my food-baby of a stomach went straight into a food coma.
Sadly I forgot that I had my camera with me, but Tove got a few photo's of the desert and family at the end of the evening.
This is a holiday I will be bringing back to NZ.
Get ready people, next November 25th is going to be Lucy's attempt at giving thanks the American way.

The Swedish buns

Kaniela, Art and I

Mom and Marissa who was to full to stand

What was left of the pie. SO yum.