apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

A few years ago we tried to institute a friendly family/neighbors kickball game. All was well at first, until the dads started getting a little competitive. My 8 year old niece ended up taking a line drive to the face, which left her with the nubby imprint of the big red ball on her cheek and not so fond memories of that "tradition"!!!!

We always took our dog for a long walk, too! Sadly, this is the first Thanksgiving since we lost her. I'm actually not going home, so that's a big break from tradition, and this is a good year to do it. It'd be just too sad.

My family for some reason always makes a big breakfast, knowing that we are going to stuff our faces later that day- but we "burn it off" by taking hike in the woods behind our home or shivering at the High Schools football game!

I'm planning on running an 8K Turkey Trot in the morning. This will be my second year doing it. It's a nice way to get outside and helps assuage any guilt about all the eating I'll be doing the rest of the day. Also, since I'm hosting/cooking this year, I think it will be a nice stress reliever.

When I was a kid, it wasn't flag football, it was tackle football. I was the only girl of all the cousins, but I was mean. We changed for dinner, by which time the adults were pretty well lit on Ramos Fizzes and mild disagreements about the gravy - giblets or no?

Now, I like a quiet cup of coffee with something special and sweet, the double rush that gets me going for the final lap. My daughter usually needs to remind me to round up all the stuff I tucked away in freezer, fridge or cupboard. My memory is like like a sieve - a large-holed one.

We usually take the dogs for a long walk in the woods, replete with me rolling in the leaves. This year, we may head to downtown Chicago to take in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, which kicks off at 8am.

It's just going to be me -- I'm probably going to start with some pumpkin pancakes, and I'll be puttering around the house all day anyway (I'm kind of behind on NaNoWriMo), so the kitchen time will sort of flow into that.

I try to go for a run so I can stuff myself with impunity later on.

Alas, I'm rarely the host but the guest. The tradition is travel, sometimes planes, sometimes trains, sometimes automobiles. This year: Amtrak with a toddler. So I start the day with pitched battle. I am always very grateful to get where I'm going in one piece. Those of us who travel, especially when we bring food along with us, enjoy that first drink.

My day will start no differently than most others with a workout first thing in the morning. I definitley work out more intense than other days that way I dont' feel so guilty about the feast to come. But after that, and for as long as I can remember, I have always helped my mom first thing in the morning to prep the bird and make the stuffing before going back home for coffee, breakfast and the parade on in the background. My husband and I enjoy spending the lazy morning at our house before joining my sisters and their families at my mom's house. This year it will be all the more special given that we have a 9 month old daughter to keep us company.

beautiful picture!

we always go to an annual pie breakfast my mom's friend has at her lovely home! I made a golden raisin pie with a lattice crust this year.