Forget the Turkey, Bring on the Pie!

We spent Thanksgiving with our friends, the Smiths, as we've done for the past two years as well. We always divide up the food assignments into what I like to think of as colored and non-colored. Meaning I bring the colorful foods like the cranberry sauce, the green bean casserole, the sweet potato casserole, the pumpkin pie, and the lime jell-o. I remember my assignment like this: one red, two oranges, two greens. (I'm a color person, what can I say?) My friend on the other hand does the non-colors: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, and apple pie. So, Wednesday as I was getting ready to start the pie, Jared asked if he could make a pie this year. Now I have always had visions of the kids helping me with the pies for the holidays, but never thought them old enough to help just yet, so when I saw his interest, I jumped at the opportunity. I said, "Sure, you could make something easy like a blackberry pie, we have plenty of frozen blackberries." And he promptly got out the recipe book to find his own idea and settled on a vanilla cream pie. I explained that it would take a lot of time and stirring to make it from scratch, but that is what he wanted to do. Here he is stirring the pudding for his pie. He did a great job and stuck with it.

Here is the finished product on Thanksgiving day.

Krystal may not be ready for rolling out pie crust and stirring pudding, but she did help me scoop out the pumpkin puree for the pumpkin pie.

We had a good day complete with turkey and pie, colors and non-colors, good friends and fun. After dinner the girls enjoyed playing with the thirteen year old's dollhouse and Polly Pockets.

Amber showing off a Polly Pocket.

And the boys enjoyed learning a computer car racing game. We do miss our families during the holidays, but are greatful for good friends to share the fun with.