Early Thanksgiving Feast

We had our Thanksgiving FEAST yesterday...2 of our kids have to work on Thanksgiving Day, so we celebrated early. MMMmmm what can I say?? It was delicious! The food was fabulous and the fellowship with our family was wonderful.

My MIL suggested paper plates, she saw some really cute ones in the store.

I suggested that we pull out the china! If not now....when? If Thanksgiving is not the occasion for the good stuff, I don't know when it would be?

I usually use my own china, but I urged my MIL to pull hers out this year. And, she did! I think it made the occasion all the more special by having her memories to share with us.



Sorry this came out blurry....I snapped it as people were walking in the door. What can I say...I was getting ready up until the very last minute!!



This is the place setting. Isn't it pretty? I would be perfect if the silverware was gold too...but we are just "making do" around here. And, isn't this better than paper plates?? My MIL's Mother actually painted these plates herself. She had a small china shop before she married. I can just imagine. It would have been very bold to have a business as a woman back then!

The next picture is to show you my new Thanksgiving banner that I made, just in time for dinner!! It says "Give Thanks". It's my first banner and I just loved making it. I learned how to make it here: http://abitofpinkheaven.blogspot.com

Eleanor Erickson gives great instructions and I had so much fun making it that I can't wait to make another!


There are lots of things I think I could do better in hindsight! So, I will be making one for Christmas asap!


Our day was just perfect. We ate all that we wanted and everyone contributed to the meal. It was all so good, I wish I had pictures. My dear daughter made the turkey...it's her third year to do it and just when I don't think it would be any better, she improves on the year before.

Afterward we played a rousing game of Taboo and there was much fun and laughter.

I want to say that I had even more fun this year than years past thanks to the blogging world.

Because of the many blogs I have been visiting these past few months, I had so many more ideas for decorating and setting my table.
It just added to the entire holiday.

If you have read My Skinny Story, you will know that I am a Nutritional Cleansing Coach. I thought I would just share a few tips to keep those holiday goodies from becoming added pounds and inches on your body!

Before you eat the big meal, drink an entire glass of water. This will fill you up a little and keep you from eating as much. I had a delicious healthy smoothie about 30 minutes before the meal and this really helped a lot too!

When the food is being passed around, take teeny tiny helpings of everything you want to taste. This is like the test "round", to see what you want to indulge in having seconds on! Then after you have tried everything, only go back for more on the things you LOVE. Why eat excess calories unless it's going to be DIVINE?

Here is my biggest tip. I think that anyone...even someone who is on a weight loss plan, can survive an overindulgence. It's those LEFTOVERS that are really going to GET YOU! I sent the left overs home with everyone else and we are not grazing on all that food today. Believe me....I would be in there eating it right now!! All those rich foods have RICH calories and they add up!
Sure, I miss the leftovers, but I don't miss having an expanding waistline!!

Besides...we have to start getting ready for the next indulgence...Christmas Dinner!!

Hope that helps someone! I would love to hear your tips for staving off the typical holiday weight gain...any ideas?


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