Random Dozen

Head on over to Linda's @ 2nd Cup to join in!

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous? We are getting together with my family this year (we alternate) and my mother is VERY into traditions. If turkey was good enough for the Pilgrims, it's good enough for us. They usually provide the main staples of the meal, and the rest of us bring extra fill-ins...as if any are needed, which they aren't because my mother makes enough for a small army.

2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.") I am thankful for my children. With all our fertility troubles that we had, there was a time that we didn't think we'd ever get to enjoy being parents.

3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for. Faith. Without it, there are days when I wonder if it'd be worth getting up in the mornings. Faith in a better future for my children/grandchildren, faith that there will be medical miracles, faith that we all have the promise of everlasting peace.

4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory. It was the first Thanksgiving for my girls and they were 9 mo old. They were used to baby food, but being a holiday we decided to use Grandma's blender and puree the traditional Thanksgiving food for them to eat. Well, their poor tummies weren't used to the spicy foods and one threw up all over the floor. On the upside, having that happen so close to the buffet table did help most of us to not go back for seconds.

5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year? My family will start talking politics. Not just on Thanksgiving, but everytime there is a get together.

6. Do your pets get any left-overs? No, but I do buy them each a raw bone from the butcher to enjoy while we are gone for the day.

7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying? With my family we all stand together and say the general table prayer. With Jay's family they either sing a table prayer (and I say "they" because we all know that I can't/don't sing), or his Grandfather will say a Norwegian table prayer.

8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing? We will definitely have football on, but as stated before, the political discussions will start, which will send Austin and his cousins into the other room to play the Wii we bring along, and my girls will go off to entertain their little cousins. Those of us who opt out of the discussion will usually go to a different room to visit.

9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing? Well, for starters, I have never heard of putting oysters in the stuffing - what is up with that? Must be a regional thing. But, since I don't like stuffing at all, I really don't care what you add to it. LOL

10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving? Sort of. I know the basic story that we all learned in school, but I do have an interest in knowing more.

11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying? I'm not a fan of pie, but if I do have any it would pumpkin.

12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!) I would if they were smart animals, but they honestly are so very dumb, and they are clueless as to what's going on with them. Did you know they are dumb enough that if they are outside when it's raining, they will look up at the sky as if trying to figure out what that is falling on them, and they will literally drown themselves. Now THAT's dumb. LOL