Hosting Thanksgiving can be a lot of work…but with some really good helpers, great weather, and one of these…it can also be a lot of fun.
This Craigslist rental turned out to be a huge hit with the kids (and the adults, dogs and babies)…
So. Much. Fun.
Love that bed-head, Norah!
If you’re ever entertaining a big group of people with lots of kids, I would definitely recommend a bounce house. It entertained us all for a very long time…and I think the kids slept pretty well that night too! Plus, it was pretty cheap and they do all the setup and teardown. Pretty stress-free!
In the midst of jumping and preparing the meal, we snuck out front to take a picture of Norah for the Carter family Christmas card. The out-takes are hysterical. Next time I’m having a bad day, I will just look at this picture…
There we go…that’s better. What a sweetie.
Okay, back to the food. I added a few Pinterest recipes to the traditional Thanksgiving meal…
Couldn’t forget the staples though. Grandma Larsen’s jello…
The final spread. I still can’t believe we pulled it off…
And now, the lady who made it all happen–my mom 🙂 I definitely couldn’t have done it without her, Melanie, Melissa or Lindsay. Thank you guys for not letting me burn the house down!
Sparkling grape juice, anyone? Being able to toast with the adults was a big deal for this gal…
This was a reenactment, but doesn’t it look so real? 🙂
I think this how we all felt after the meal…
The turkey comas set in quickly.
But somehow everyone made room for my mom’s pumpkin pie. It had cool whip on top, if you couldn’t tell…
After the little ones went to bed, the guys smoked cigars around the firepit and the girls caught up on Real Housewives episodes. Isn’t that what your family does on Thanksgiving??
This Thanksgiving was one of the most memorable for Chris and myself. I could not imagine a more perfect week–having so many people we love under one roof was just amazing. Thankful does not even begin to describe it. We are so lucky.
I was really sad to see everyone go on Friday, but boy, was I exhausted. Apparently I wasn’t the only one 🙂
that's so awesome. looks like everyone had the best time!
You are my hero. I can't believe you hosted that many people! It looked like so much fun. When I grow up, I want to be just like you 🙂
Let's catch up soon. I miss you!