FMM: Thanksgiving

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FMM: Thanksgiving Plans


What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year? Does your family have traditions? If so, share them…(I know that some of you live outside of the US so feel free to fill us in on other holiday traditions!)

Usually the favorite part of my Thanksgiving day is our local race in the morning.  We have a huge 8 mile Turkey Trot.  The last couple years I've actually been able to go really fast (well, fast for me), and there's no better way to start the day than with a PR!  It's a weird highlight to the day, but I feel like it sets me up so well for the day ahead -- I eat and drink whatever I want; and after a morning with my running friends, I feel warm, happy, loved and usually proud of myself. 

We usually get there early and hang out with a bunch of my running friends for a while, do an annual group picture, run the race, then hang out some more in the parking lot, drinking beer and usually someone brings some kind of holiday bread (last year I think it was cranberry bread, which was different and so good). 

The race goes through downtown and can kind of be a mess.  Since it's so big (35-40k people!), there are tons of walkers, strollers and dogs, which makes it tough if you want to run hard, but even with that frustration and possible slow-down, it's an amazingly fun race.  The first year I ran it, I was near some guy for a mile or two who was encouraging everyone to shout out some of the best things they were going to be eating that day.  And there are always people in Santa and turkey costumes, which is fun.  For me, it feels like the official start to the holiday season. 

Anyway, after the race, we usually we go home and most years we have friends over for the meal.  Last year, my cousin and his family joined us since they'd just come to Dallas to have a baby who needed surgery shortly after he was born, but this year their baby is doing well and they're all staying in Oklahoma, and we've just avoided making plans this year for some reason. 

So yeah, we'll just be making dinner this year for our little family of two.  Maybe the first year ever it will be just the two of us?  Can't quite remember each year off the top of my head, but it wouldn't surprise me if this is a first. 

Menu planning is still in progress (hubby is thinking it would be fun to go out, but I love having all the leftovers...).  I want my usual faves -- stuffing, mashed potatoes, squash with peas, green bean casserole, rolls, cranberry sauce, and maybe some kind of corn casserole or just corn.  I also like it when we have olives on the side.  For dessert I might try making apple dumplings this year, not sure... 

The day after, we put up and decorate our tree, and I might start working on cards and wrapping.  We are either going out with one of hubby's fave co-workers and his wife, or we're having them over here for dinner. 

Low key Sat and Sun too.  I'll do my training group's final taper run (10 miles) on Sunday before White Rock, and I'm hoping to go to yoga on Fri, Sat and Sun. 

I'm excited about all of it!  And I'm thrilled that we're not going to have to travel at all (beyond driving 2-3 miles downtown for the Turkey Trot and back home).  Hopefully it will be a cozy and quiet day together!  We've tried going home before, but the chaos of the travel makes it less fun for us than staying home.  And we've gone to friends' houses before, but I prefer hosting -- love control of the menu -- and am looking forward to it being low-key this year.