Best Ever

My mom and I just decided over a breakfast of leftovers that this was the best Thanksgiving ever. About half family and half friends, the mix of people this year was fun, energetic and a treat to have around. Dad cooked a 20.8 lb turkey on the grill, which we realized is more than two times the weight of my three day old cousin Kyle. Mom almost forgot to make the mashed potatoes but remembered in the nick of time. Several new people were initiated into the family by eating our famous homemade, unbelievably spicy Italian sausage. I almost started a small feud between Kevin and his wife Sharla when I mistakenly gave Sharla the credit for the sweet potatoes. Even though Great Aunt Marguerite and Great Uncle Victor are not longer with us we still bought the pies from Baker's Square like they always did. Julita came this year with her amazing homemade cranberry dish. Aunt Molly brought "Aunt Molly's Potatoes," what else would she bring? She and Uncle Jon were wearing matching outfits but swear they didn't plan it. I guess thats just what happens when you're with the same person from the age of 12 until you're over 50 years old. Steve Villa brought wine, prayer and piano music. Marty brought the biggest appetite of the evening. Jonnie brought that baby and Haley but had to leave early when Kyle woke up and he realized he had forgotten the bottle. Despite that slight omission we were all quite impressed with his skills as a new dad.
Two of my favorite moments from the whole evening involved my beautiful cousins Hannah and Maddie. With Maddie it was that I discovered an ally in my olive snitching. It worked out perfectly because at 4 years old she isn't quite tall enough to reach the platter at the back of the buffet and at 19 years old I feel slightly silly sneaking around stealing olives so we solved the matter and did it together. At the dinner table someone made a comment about how I used to put olives on my fingers and eat them that way. When the girls begged me to do it again I had no choice but to do it and then give Maddie olive fingers too.
Later I was sitting in one my parents new rocking spinning comfy chairs in the living room with Hannah on my lap. She got up to go find something, turned around about two steps away from me and said, "Save my spot!" I was in the middle of telling her I didn't think that would be a problem when Marty yelled from accross the dining and living room, "Shoot, I was just on my way over to take it from her." Maybe you had to be there but it was still my favorite moment.
John showed up in his paramedic uniform ready to eat almost as much turkey as his son had managed to finish off. His arrival spurred a good hour of "guy talk" about boats, planes, tanks and wars.
Trevor Tarsa came over at the tail end of the party just in time for pie, same as he has done since we were in high school. I think no matter how many years in a row he comes over someone will still ask if he is my boyfriend and if not, then why?
If you're reading this far I'm suprised. You made it through all of those family stories that probably mean nothing to you because you don't know anyone but they mean a lot to me.
See, in short, Thanksgiving was the perfect mix of tradition and the unpredictable...the best ever.
:end sidenote