Historically, me and the holidays really enjoy one another’s company, but we fuss an awful lot getting to the day. It never fails that I’m frantically wrapping Christmas presents on Christmas Eve – or packing like a nut job while DH grumbles about “needing to get on the road” for Thanksgiving – and it never fails that I forget something we need.

But this year – I’m going to change all that. I’m going to do at least 1 thing every day to get ready for the holidays and I’m starting with Thanksgiving.

For the past 5 years we have rented a cabin with DH’s parents for Thanksgiving. We have a wonderful time – go on hikes – sit in the hot tub – make wonderful meals, and relax. This year my birthday is Thanksgiving so DH and I are going a day early so we can have the cabins to ourselves for a night before the in-laws show up so we need to be ready to go Tuesday morning.

My PLAN is to get everything packed in the truck on Monday night so Tuesday we get up, shower - hit the grocery store on the way out to pick up the items we want to be the most fresh and hit the cabin.

DH and I will have dinner by ourselves and the next afternoon the in-laws will come and spend the next 2 nights in the cabin with us. I need ideas for lunch with the in-laws in the cabin… HELP!!!

The cabin has a full kitchen with pots and pans etc - but we've never stayed at this specific cabin before and because we've stayed in some cabins that have "questionable" utensils (i.e. knives that are so dull they won’t cut anything, cutting boards that are older than I am) we've learned over the years to bring some of our own stuff, like good knives and cutting boards, a couple of nice pans. I also decided to bring our nice silver cutlery. We almost never use it – so why not use it for Thanksgiving!

I have already started some of the packing.

 

 

Item

status

Silver Cutlery

Polished and Packed

Paring Knife

Packed

Decorations – Small wreath – autumn swag

 

Table Cloth

 

Cloth Napkins

2 sets White and Maroon

White is pressed and packed

Roll of paper towels

Packed

2 kitchen towels

Packed

Apron

 

Large Cutting board

 

Large kitchen Knife

 

Kitchen Scissors

 

Wii /Cords/Remotes /Games

Remotes are charged /

Monopoly

 

Game of Thrones books 4 and 5

Packed

Water 4 cases

1 is packed

Candles

 

Champagne Flutes – 4

 

Plastic Wine glasses for Hot tub

 

Plastic regular glass for hot tub

 

Beer Cozies

Packed total of 4

Pie pan

 

Thanksgiving Crackers for the table

 

Crochet

 

Set of Plastic Mixing Bowls

 

Sauce Pan

 

Large Sauté Pan

 

Kitchen Sponge

Packed

Plastic Serving platter and interlocking clear dishes

Packed – the platter can be used for any number of things – and the dishes that fit inside can be used for raclette.

 

 

Menu:

Day 1

DH and Me - My private birthday dinner – 1^st night in Cabin

 

Item

Status

Raw Oysters

Purchase on way out of town

Steak

Purchase on way out of town

Potato

• Need ideas for side dish-
   
  

Grilled Veggie

 

Champagne

Packed

Birthday Cupcakes

Ordered – pick up on way out of town

Strawberries

 

Charcoal

 

Long Lighter

 

Lighter Fluid

 

 

Day 2

Breakfast - Fruit / Cereal / maybe pancakes?

 

Lunch - No idea – Could use lunch ideas for 4 people – maybe something on the grill?

 

Dinner – raclette – 4 people – basically a mash-up of fresh and frozen veggies

 

Item

Status

Steak / Bison

Purchase on way out of town

Shrimp

Purchase on way out of town

Cheese 3 kinds

 

Corn

 

Frozen Lima Beans

 

Frozen Peas

 

Potatoes

 

Green Goddess dip

 

Seasonings

 

Olive Oil

 

Red Pepper

 

Zucchini

 

Random Fresh veggie

 

Fois Gras

Must get from Market

Birthday Cupcakes

Ordered Pick up on way out of town

 

Day 3 – Thanksgiving!

Breakfast 4 people –

Fruit / toast / yogurt –

 

Breakfast

Status

Fresh Orange Juice

Oranges are purchased need to be packed

Cheap Champagne for Mimosas

Purchased and Packed

Orange Juicer

 

 

 

 

 

Main Meal

 

Item

Status

Leftover Cheese from dinner

 

Leftover Green Goddess from dinner

 

Leftover fresh veggies from dinner

 

Celery

 

Baby Carrots

 

Fruit from breakfast

 

Turkey

In Laws are doing it!

Mashed Potatoes

In laws are doing it!

Cranberry Sauce

In Laws are doing it!

Stuffing

In Laws are doing it!

Crock Pot for stuffing

 

Green Beans and roasted Shallots

 

Ciabatta bread

 

Pumpkin Pie

I need to check recipe and make list

Leftover Birthday Cupcakes

 

Champagne

 

Crackers

 

 

Festivus!

After Thanksgiving is tackled we have our annual Festivus party which is also going to be a birthday party for me.

I’ve started cleaning already here is what has been done.

Living Room Completed

1. Moved all furniture and vacuumed under everything (found lots of cat toys under the couch)
   
2. Cleaned the windows, window casings and window ledges inside and out.
   
3. Cleaned the fish tank
   
4. Dusted everything
   

Living Room / To Do

1. Put away pictures to make room for Christmas decorations
   
2. Put away mantle fall display to make room for Christmas decorations
   

So Give me your Lunch ideas for the day before Thanksgiving - we'll be having a pretty good sized dinner so something light is in order.