My teenage daughter, Bethany, volunteered to cook Thanksgiving dinner. Her forte is procrastinated organization.
She didn’t do anything until 48 hours prior to the holiday. On Tuesday she wrote out her menu plan and shopping list, shopped, and made three pies, two pumpkin, one sweet potato.
Wednesday evening she prepared the side dishes. Roasted potatoes, green bean casserole,dill carrots, and sweet potatoes, were put in disposable aluminum foil pans with lids in the fridge. She rolled out previously frozen homemade bread dough and put in little balls in a circular foil pan and put in the fridge.
Thursday morning while she drank Holiday Roast coffee, she pulled out the bread to raise, started the turkey in electric roasting pan, and put the prime rib roast in the crock pot, leaving the oven free for everything else later in the morning.
I set the table, greatly enjoying the fact that I was able to spend a lot of time on frivolous details like rolling my napkins perfectly,
tucking a little floral spray into each napkin ring,
and lighting every candle in the house.
I planned for months for my end, sewing, decorating and crafting, and she planned for two days.
She was calm, peaceful, cheerful and very efficient. It was amazing to watch her in action. The tables were turned, I was learning from her. Over the years, I realized you don’t have to master a skill before you teach it to your children, you only give them opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed.
She pulled together the final preparations, heating up the side dishes,making relish trays, setting out the butter dishes, and finding serving dishes and spoons.
Her younger sister, Grace, started at the sink utilizing the Clean As You Go (CAYG) method we love.
Minutes away from serving…
…Dad carving the turkey, of course.
It was truly an amazing meal, both in the orchestration from the maestro, Bethany, to the variety of flavors, and the perfect timing of all the foods.
I realized it wasn’t really procrastination, she didn’t need to make lists upon lists for months upon months. She has confidence and the ability to pull together a big meal in 48 hours.
There wasn’t a better compliment than the one my mother-in-law frequently gave, “Everything was just perfect.”
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Psalms 69:30I will praise the name of God with a song,and will magnify Him with thanksgiving…
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for our wonderful Thanksgiving.
I pray I can teach my girls how to do this and be like this. Happy Thanksgiving Aunt Mindy!
Way to go Buffy!!
What a beautiful picture of what Thanksgiving should be about–being thankful and truly enjoying your family; choosing to see beauty in your daughter's gifts instead of trying to make her do things your way!! Everything looked perfect, and looks like it tasted wonderful as well!Thank you for sharing! I am encouraged, as I share the gift of procrastination.
Way to go BuffyMuffy!!! You are the princess and your mom is the queen!!
Fantastic. What a awesome gift your daughter has! The table looked beautiful. I love how you guys (Americans) celebrate thanksgiving, very inspiratioanal!Lot's of love to you! xxx
Beautiful! Prime rib AND Turkey…very impressive!
oh mom you are so sweet. I learned from the best! the recipe was just dill, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Same with the potatoes too.
Lynn, I'll get the recipe for the dill carrots today, but I am thinking she might have just made it up…..:) I'll leave it in the comments, k?
Bevy, that's exactly what is on my heart, in fact, it is the next blog I am going to write. 🙂 Thanks for the affirmation.Becca, too cute, yes, I can see Karis having the confidence, although it might turn out to be a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving since she is so young. :)Jen, thanks for dropping by. I always enjoy your comments.Cindy, welcome! I always enjoy visitors because they add the cherry to the sundae, the hearty AMEN or SELAH to the end of my thoughts.
P.S. I mean decorations 🙂
Loved your beautiful table decoratins. You have my creative juices flowing (for next year). Thanks for sharing! :)Blessings to you~Cindy :)P.S. I'm new to your blog, but just love it! Keep up the great work! 🙂
Oh I love how you documented your Thanksgiving festivities!Yay for your daughter for doing the cooking. We love the Clean as you go method too.The table was lovely.What a great day!
Just made to think of two verses in Proverbs 31 (28-29).Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many woman do noble things; but your surpass them all.****In a sense your daughter -who learned from you- is now rising up to bless you. You daughter is now "doing noble" things but your example in teaching and patience (in the past)paid off and is surpassing that. You are truely blessed. I don't know if I'm making any sense… but I hope.
Sounds fabulous! Maybe Bethany would like to share her recipe for dill carrots??? =D
Wow, I'm impressed. Someday my prayer is that my daughters will be as confident! Well…. I think Karis has the confidence right now, she just needs the know how! 🙂