And our Thanksgiving

We have a Thanksgiving tradition at our house: I get out this decoration and crack up.  Every year.

Then Ray rolls his eyes at me.  Every year. 
It's a turkey eating a potato.  With a knife and fork.  Come on, that's funny.

We also have a tradition of pizza on Thanksgiving Eve.  This tradition began the first year that we were married when I spent the entire day cooking and then Ray came home from work and asked what I was making for dinner.  I gave him the look.  He was smart enough to respond "I'll call Papa Johns" and Hayes family tradition was born.

We've hosted every year since we've been married so I've slowly tweaked the menu that I grew up with.  In addition to turkey, gravy, and mashed potatoes (which you cannot fool with, although Ray keeps threatening to deep fry the turkey) we have butternut squash casserole, rosemary cornbread stuffing (never actually stuffed), and asparagus.  And despite the fact that it's just my parents and us, pumpkin pie and pumpkin roll and fruit salad.  It's tradition.

Ray will also argue that it's tradition for me to squeal when I inevitable have difficulty removing the neck from the never-quite-completely-thawed cavity.  I HATE that part.

This year I'm trying to teach B about the holiday too and not just rush past it to Christmas.  We've been reading One is a Feast for Mouse which he seems to enjoy. (http://www.amazon.com/One-Is-Feast-Mouse-Thanksgiving/dp/0823422313).  We've also been singing some turkey songs and coloring some turkey pictures (Did I mention I like turkeys?)

We made these cute keep sakes based on the idea found here http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/Hands-and-Feet-Turkey.html.

N was NOT a fan.  It was one of those crafts that was really more work for us (yes it took two of us) than them.  B did cut out the beaks and glue them on.  The first time I put the hand prints too close to the bottom of the page so I had to cut them out and glue them on a new sheet rather than mess with paint again. 

B also enjoyed making turkeys (maybe we'll use them as centerpieces?) from toilet paper rolls (http://www.messforless.net/2011/11/paper-roll-turkey.html).

Yes, these turkeys have blue feathers.  And they are done in his trademark minimalist style. 

I'm looking forward to the Macy's parade, a delicious meal and even better leftovers.

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?