1. A 10lb bag of potatoes makes way too many mashed potatoes for eleven people. (Meeker keeps telling me there is no such thing)
2. A turkey cooked with the bag of giblets left inside tastes just fine. (Even though everyone in the world told me to take it out, I didn’t. I couldn’t find it. It was 5am and I had been up all night comforting a baby who cut her first tooth just in time for turkey.)
3. Little girls love Kitchenaid mixers just as much as big girls.
4. It’s fun to get mashed potatoes up your nose and in your eyelashes and all over the floor. Especially if you’re six months old.
5. Two tables pushed together work like one big table when you cover them both with matching bed sheets.
6. When you have Thanksgiving at your house, you get to keep the leftovers.
7. Even if the food isn’t perfect (see number 2) – no one cares. They just like being together.
Just wanted to let you know that my brother in-law could not find the bag of giblets either:)
You have no idea how good that makes me feel.
I couldn’t find that stupid thing either. I found the gravy pouch, but couldn’t find that other pouch. My husband found it when he cut the turkey.
That’s when Meeker found it too. Why is it so hard to locate?!
Eh, my Mom has accidentally left the giblets in the turkey a few times. No big deal. Congrats on hosting your first Thanksgiving!
I feel better knowing that I’m not the only one!
Awesome! Looks like a rocking dinner party! congrats on hosting your first Thanksgiving!
Congratulations on hosting your first Thanksgiving! My mom and dad always came over (who am I kidding, they still do) and help with the last minute preparations.. and bring dessert:) Good for you doing it all! Love the photo of your girls on the counter.. they will be foodies one day as well:)
Oh, I had LOTS of help. My whole family came over and helped – it was just my first time having it at my house.
Sounds like a blast to me! Glad you had fun!
I made 5 pounds of potatoes for 10 people and I don’t see us finishing the leftovers any time soon.
Our fridge is literally stuffed with mashed potatoes. They are in every clean tupperware container we own. Lesson learned.
I loved everything about this post (except for you getting no sleep!). And I totally would’ve cooked the turkey with the bag of giblets in it too – even WITH a full night’s sleep. Glad you had a good Thanksgiving friend!
OMG. I love you so much.
I love the bed sheets idea. That’s clever.
Also, I’m quite certain that when I do eventually cook a turkey dinner, I will be leaving the giblets inside just so I don’t have to touch them.
It didn’t matter at all – I think I might just leave them in there next time I do it. No one even noticed until we were putting away leftovers.
hahaha omg thats hilarious, a 10LB bag of potatoes for 11 people has you averaging a 1lb of potatoes per person! hahahahahahaha that. is. awesome.
I know. Why did I think I needed that many?!
I love this, it’s such a happy story
And we always have to put several tables together back home because we only have tables big enough to seat 8 max. Never used bed sheets though – great idea!
Looks like Baby A had a wonderful first Thanksgiving
Although we don’t have Thanksgiving here, reading this has made me impatient to host my own first big family event!
It’s so much fun! Maybe Christmas for you?
The giblet thing has happened at least twice in our family. It’s all good
Glad your first time hosting was a success!
That first picture of the potatoes and apron makes me happy. Lots of love and creamy goodness.
Well, you make me happy. So let’s call it even.
Your Thanksgiving looks simple and full of love and special ones. All the preparing together just makes it better. Hope you got some sleep and yeah for leftovers!
Such a beautiful family!! Glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The leftovers are the best part
that is just amazing. hope you like leftover mash potatoes
I would probably have done the same – from too many potatoes to not taking the giblets out. I give you major props – I’ve yet to make my first turkey…
I agree with Meeker- no such thing as too many mashed potatoes! We had days of leftovers after our (Canadian) Thanksgiving and it was amazing!
Glad you and your family enjoyed your Thanksgiving!
Yay for hosting your first Thanksgiving! I can’t wait until we live in a place that is big enough to have the fam over!!
I cooked a 10lb bag of potatoes for 8 of us….seriously, what was I thinking! So many mashed potatoes!
I am so glad I’m not the only one. I honestly didn’t think a pound of potatoes per person was that much. I was wrong.
I made 5 pounds for seven people- oops! I also forgot to cook the green beans before I put together the green bean casserole and they were beyond “al dente”. And this wasn’t even my first rodeo! I don’t know what my issue was yesterday but like you said, everyone just cares about being together anyways right?
Such a cute, fun post! We host thanksgiving but I just help out with the cooking. My mom still does the majority. I would have left the giblets in too. I don’t go near those things! LOL
sounds like a wonderful day.
I so love this post! Everything about it.
And those mashed potatoes look pretty amazing.
Teething is tough! Poor lil Baby A…. I find the homeopathic teething remedies are good, or frozen fruit pieces in those little muslin bags.
Man I love leftovers, I reckon it all tastes better the next day
Good idea, thank you!
happy thanksgiving, love! you look beautiful and that meal looks delicious!!xx
Awww how beautiful. I love the set up of your table too! Very nice. Looks like you and your family had a lovely time!
yep, there is NO SUCH THING as too many potatoes. Mmm.
congrats on what looks like a wonderful, a PERFECT Thanksgiving! Cheers to you!
Thank you! Hope you had a good one, too!
So maybe there is such a thing as too many mashed potatoes?! Congrats on hosting your first Thanksgiving! We’re going to have to move to a nigger house before we can host
I love that baby A got to sit at the head of the table.
Just so everyone could stare at her.
You are SO brave to have hosted Thanksgiving!! And it looks as though it came out perfectly!
Bed sheets as a table cloth?! GENIUS!
Annnd I probably would’ve left the giblets in simply because the word giblet grosses me out and actually putting my hand in THERE to find the nasty things is NOT my idea of fun. Just sayin…
I’m with you. Kind of glad I couldn’t find it.
Congratulations on your first Thanksgiving! Next year when you find the pouch of giblets, place them in a pot of chicken broth and simmer for a couple of house. You can chop them and add them to your gravy for giblet gravy (my favorite) or strain the broth and discard the giblets. The broth adds great flavor to your home made gravy!
Thanks for the tip!
What a beautiful celebration!
ew. giblets.
love the huge table photo.
glad the food was good, but im sure baby A was the highlight anyway.
What a beautiful family you have! And one of the things I’ve had my eye on is a kitchen aid stand mixer. I am loving seeing your bright red shiny machine in the pics
The picture with the mixer is adorable! Congrats on hosting your first Thanksgiving!
I love that kitchen counter photo. I hope you had a great Thaksgiving, friend! I’m stuffed, personally, and it’s how many days later?
Looks like you did a great job. That is a huge bowl of potatoes!
Well why on earth do they put the giblets in the freaking NECK cavity!?! Basically what I am saying is that I have done that as well.
#6 is why I host every single year. Mmmm leftovers…
I agree with Meeker (yet again), there is no such thing as too many mashed potatoes. You should make potato croquettes! I am sure Meeker would like them. There are even ways to bake instead of fry them. Mashed potato soup, shepherd’s pie, potato pancakes! Oh I could go on and on. Now I am sad I didn’t make too many.
I had designs for all sorts of fun mashed potatoes re-makes…but they’re all gone. I should make more.
It looks like you did such a great job! You are adorable!
Love the apron. Love the pictures. Love the lessons learned! Bed sheets = genius.
Fun seeing those 3 little girls on the counter too! Glad it all turned out so well.
i’ve been married almost 8 years and STILL have not hosted Thanksgiving! we always travel to visit family instead of them coming to us.
i might need these tips next year
It’s so much fun (and easier for me!) than traveling.