Preparations

SR is out of school today, so The Collective are both here.

The list of things to do today is amazingly longer than I would have thought.

We have a Thanksgiving to prepare for.

I am making this salad, because it is my favorite at Thanksgiving.

Autumn Jewels Jell-o Salad Recipe

1 cup cranberries
2 apples
1/2 cup sugar
6 ounces red gelatin
15 ounces crushed pineapple
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced apples
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 cups boiling water


Chop the cranberries, apples and celery into small pieces. Drain the pineapple and save juice. Combine cranberries, apples and sugar; cover and refrigerate while preparing rest of salad.
Combine gelatin with boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add enough water or fruit juice (apricot nectar, strawberry nectar etc.) to pineapple juice to equal 1 cup. Add this to the gelatin mixture. Chill in refrigerator until slightly thickened.
Combine the cranberry-apple mixture with celery, drained pineapple and nuts. Stir into gelatin mixture. Pour into lightly greased mold or into individual serving molds. Chill until firm. Unmold and serve on a bed of lettuce or garnish with sour cream or slightly sweetened whipped cream and a very light sprinkling of cinnamon.

I also promised to take The Collective to play today. I am guessing we will end up at the indoor play center for a bit of time, while there I need to pick up coupons, so my Father and his girlfriend can take them when they are watching them for the 4 DAYS while we are in DC.

I must pack the 3 of us, for at least 3 days, with plenty of activities, etc, because we are headed to my Fathers house. All of us Thanksgiving in one place. This is a huge deal, and I cannot recall the last time we have been able to this. We are not having our celebration until the day after Thanksgiving, because of all of the in law celebrations. None of us care about the day, we are just thrilled that everyone will be together. So we are having it the day after, along with PN's birthday, and a Nebraska football game. There will be 13-14 of us. I will make the dressing when at Dads, the mashed potatoes, also the gravy. I am skipping pies, because we are also celebrating Pink Ninja's 5th birthday, and we will be having cake.

I have also talked my Dad into taking the annual family photos at this time. He has a beautiful yard, and a new camera. I am trying to figure out what we can wear for a Christmas card picture. I would have liked one at the new house, but this will be fine.

Ummmm....we have to shop tonight for PN's birthday gifts. I have not been able to do the shopping, because toodle bug is always with me. So DH has promised to take SR. I also have a small list of things needed.

I really should start schlepping boxes upstairs. I am not sure what I have in the way of Christmas things any longer. Our outdoor things, had to be put to rest last year...and all of my greenery is icky. My lights, I think are on their last legs, It should be interesting sorting through it all.

All of the neighbors have had their things up for weeks, and lit. That irritates me, can we wait to light up until after Thanksgiving? Seriously. I still have my fall things up and out.

Blogging will of course be lighter than normal....

Enjoy your holiday, and I will say, it is a delight to be "home"....