step by step to thanksgiving

step 1. pick up "fresh turkey" and realize (the day before thanksgiving) that the "fresh, never frozen" turkey is mostly frozen.

step 2. gramma (good for EVERYTHING) dorie comes over to help clean out the turkey...which totally grosses me out. i think i accidentally break a wing just trying to help.

step 3. brine turkey in the fridge for 24 hours. 6 hours in i realize that the beer fridge....i mean turkey fridge in the garage... is set way to cold which is hurting, not helping the de-thaw process.

step 4. set the table with ben's help. i brought the china out this afternoon and had ben help me set the table. nothing broke (yet). and i noticed price tags on 1/2 of my plates. maybe i should entertain more often?

step 5. all this turkey prep left me with 5 lbs of butter, onions, and no plan for dinner...so we went out (wednesday night).

step 6. picture of boys with turkey heads

step 7. ben asking why our turkey didn't have a head

step 8. realizing i forgot to clean the oven yesterday and get my knives sharpened

step 9. sending the big boys out back to do yard work or WHATEVER so i can cook.

step 10. putting the bird in and saying a prayer

step 11. making green beans, sweet potato biscuits and gravy.

step 12. carving turkey only to realize it's not quite done. i was pressured into putting the carved portion in the microwave to finish it off....which felt like a SIN after all this work. the rest of the bird went back into the oven for another 30 minutes then was PERFECT!

step 13. everyone has gone home. boys are in bed. watching football and wondering what to do with a bottle of cognac that i bought for a tablespoon for the gravy.