Thankful.

:: on my plate ::

Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Cheese Crescent Rolls

Cranberry Orange Sauce

__________

I had the perfect Thanksgiving day with my parents yesterday. We were very lucky to have the day off together as a family, as our schedules can be tricky to work around with. We started the day with an early lunch out of town at a hot pot place called Boiling Pot, and then stopped by the 85C Bakery in a nearby city to pick up a birthday cake (we were celebrating my birthday early). The bakery was bustling with people, and the cakes were disappearing from the displays like I've never seen before. I picked out the Mango Cream Brûlée, which is a vanilla sponge cake layered with vanilla brûlée and mango mouse. It was one of the best cakes I've ever had and it undoubtedly knocked out the store-bought pumpkin pie we had for dessert that night. As for the dinner, I started preparing for a small Thanksgiving meal around 4pm. It was my first time making Thanksgiving dinner. To be honest, I had no game plan or strategy planning out the dishes and the timing, I just dove right in with the prepping. The turkey was on my mind during the whole process, as I did not want the main course to burn. While I paid close attention to the turkey and it turned out just right, I can't say the same for the rest of the dishes, sadly. The side dishes were slightly burned, and as my mom was helping me save the dishes and picking out the burned pieces while my dad was carving the turkey, I couldn't be more thankful than in that moment. I am truly thankful for all that I have, and for my parents especially because if it isn't for their love and hard work, I wouldn't be where I am right now. Okay, mushiness over. Dinner was served at 7:30pm and it turned out to be a huge hit (despite the slightly burnt casseroles and the chunky mashed potatoes). For dessert, there was the cake and obligatory pumpkin pie, which I shared them both with my mom. This was one of the best Thanksgivings I've had and it'll surely be one of my favorite holiday memories to look back on. 

What was your favorite part of Thanksgiving this year?