Happy Turkey Day!

Yesterday, we had a small Thanksgiving here for our little family and some friends. For the first time, I really got the turkey right! It all started Saturday night. I took the turkey out of the package, salt and peppered it, covered it in plastic wrap, and put it back in the refrigerator.
Ha! Brad was convinced it wouldn't fit. Never doubt a woman who needs to get a turkey in a refrigerator:

Yesterday, I pulled the turkey out an hour before I wanted to put it in the oven. I stuffed the cavity with a lemon cut into wedges and lots of sage. Meanwhile, I melted a stick of butter with a few sage leaves (whole), the zest and juice of one lemon, and about a cup of the stock I made the night before from the pieces and parts of the turkey. That simmered for about ten minutes, then I soaked cheese cloth in the mixture and laid it across the turkey. I poured what was left in the pan over the top, and into the oven it went.

Meanwhile, the kids helped me make the pie and sides and set the table:

This is as real as it gets. Check out the bed head and jammies while I'm directing the troops:

It was Issa's idea to use her pine cones to decorate:

Shockingly, the turkey was finished an hour early. As we say in the South, I lost my religion and said some very unkind things to the turkey, but we just ate a little early because we have very flexible friends. I took the cloth off for ten minutes, just to crisp up the skin:

I would say that is one beautiful bird! It was so moist, too.

Evan finds roasting a turkey to be hysterically funny--I think it's the size. When it was in the refrigerator, he would open the door, yell "Turkey!" and then laugh. When it was roasting, he would stand in front of the oven and just watch it. I love creating those holiday moments for my kiddos. Here's to many, many more!