Saturday, November 24, 2007

24 Nov 2007: Thanksgiving 2007 - Photo Blog

This is just your average Turkey Day Photo Blog...I have to admit that I'm still a bit exhausted because I worked non stop all the days before and the day of the celebration and the day after. But I'm well towards recovery after sleeping in and taking an impromptu nap at the insistence of my boyfriend.

This was our first Thanksgiving together as a couple. Because when we first met last year it was like a week after Turkey Day.

I must say that photo doesn't even look that bad considering I only got 3.5 hours of sleep and had been prepping all night and cooking all day and was wearing the only clean shirt I had left at the house coz all my favorite stuff is at Julians. hahahhahha.

This is how Julian takes 1 armed pictures instead of setting the timer...

Apple is an old pro at the one armed Photo as shown below - She has a reach longer than Shaq with that digi cam!

Here's CBug studying and relaxing while Furball Cleo stalks her. I looked at her notebook and all I have to say is that she is HARDCORE!!!

I think Mom and Keyla are talking to Auntie Julie in Louisiana

Here I am rockin' a broccolli casserole while Apple cooks up the bacon for the green beans and to top the devilled eggs...The kitchen destruction is almost complete at this point because I've already finished the pumpkin tarts and started the lemon bars. . You know there was a moment when Rommel was talking about working out and he started chopping it up with Julian about some gravity based resistance workout that was hella hard and they sat next to each other on the sofa and started chopping it up...and it occurred to me that I'd never seen ANY of my previous boyfriends just "choppin' it up" with my brother and I have to admit it made me smile. Coz...well...coz everything is golden.

Max and Cleo just adore Julian and follow him through every room. They also sleep in the doorway of any room he falls asleep in. I have no idea why they are always wearing tshirts - it's not like they are cold and shit.

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You like that nice glow on our skin huh. It's called HOT KITCHEN!

This cupping the chin thing is kinna new kinna not...

Thank you Apple for being so fabulous and helping with every single thing and having such a great attitude and making everyone have fun...

Apple went on a photo rampage shortly after that.

Apple and Mom

Apple and Her Hubby Steve

More Apple and Steve

Apple and Keyla

Apple and Benjo...

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You know I've been cooking for pretty long...but my years are hella few compared to Mom. So when she told me to adjust this on the pumpkin filling or to baste the turkey...or cover it with foil...or she cooked a different kind of noodle for the pancit - I listened and/or observed what she did. I'm so happy that Mom was here in AZ for Thanksgiving...just the Obvious reason that we miss her but also because it is humbling to be around someone who can help you improve at something you are already good at.

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Time to yank the Turkey...well at least the first one

See Apple I told you brown people NEED flash...

Really...at least some LOW flash

Next thing you know it was time for Rommel to carve and platter the turkey...

I like how we're messing around "taking pictures" and Mom is steadily coaxing us to get the food ready. hahahhahhah

Below is one of my favourite pictures ever. We had all been joking throughout the day that my brother "EVICTED" me and my sister. My sister is moving to the West Valley into her rental and I am moving to Tempe. I told my brother - dang - I can't believe you are kicking me out! He laughed and said,"hey...I think 2 years rent free is enough..." I laughed harder and said,"Actually it's 3 if you count the time I was in culinary school..." He laughed even HARDER and said,"Oh I didn't even count that year..." Well before the picture below was taken I had said,"This is a last supper for me and my sister because we're EVICTED..." Everyone laughed. Then my brother added,"I am thankful" Bwaa hahaha and everyone laughed their ass off, well everyone except our sister. hahahaha.

So we got a little air before we assembled the table

More sparring and teasing...

Danggit...

It's food stunting time...

Turkey 1

Turkey 2

Lemon Bars

Pumpkin Tarts. My little sister loves these dang tarts. She always has me make her an individual one that is a little bigger for her to stash away and eat at her leisure - hahahahhaa. They are damn good though...

Chicken and Shrimp Pancit

Yams, Broccoli Casserole and Cornbread Stuffing

Green Bean Bundles and More Broccoli Casserole

How 'bout a little Lumpia

Or a Vat of Cheddar Mashed Potatoes from Scratch

Apple at the end of the Lineup

Mom and Rommel

Julian said the blessing and we all held hands and chopped it up and had a LOT of laughter over dinner. We were genuinely trying to wait for Wendy and Mr. T and baby Victor but the great smell of the food was just too tempting not to eat plus we waited well past the 5pm marker.

So I carved the 2nd turkey because Wendy was at the gate. Well I looked across the room and family was already passing out . Then I noticed the cutest case of I-T-I-S ever...Fortunately Steve got a picture of it...

Then sleeping beauty woke up and started his texting rampage

Wendy and Mr. T finally arrived. No one does leftovers like that huh

Kzo and Britany showed up as did Glue and Hangar 18...but I didn't get pictures of that. It was another fabulous Thanksgiving...exhausting but great. I am so comfortable with the fact that our families fit so well and that it's just a cipher of Love. I'm looking forward to other holidays...

We wrapped up around 10pm including cleanup and loading the stuff in the car. We got back to Tempe around midnight and CBug had to be at the airport. CBug was on the phone with a childhood friend of hers while Julian and I were talking. He's the sweetest ever.

J: Thank you Bebe...

Me: For What...Thanksgiving Dinner...

J: For being Sexy and Beautiful and Wonderful...and for Thanksgiving.

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