Putting the Thanks Back in Thanksgiving

I managed to recover from the Santa incident just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with Gran and Papa, who drove up from Atlanta to join in the festivities. I've been missing Italy ever since the Venice trip, so mommy decided we would just go to Maggiano's for Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing says Thanksgiving quite like tiramisu, right? Actually, I overheard mommy mentioning something about not wanting to cook a turkey dinner with 874 starchy side dishes, so that also may have had something to do with her decision to dine out. Of course, at the last minute, mommy's culinary guilt overcame her. She told me that I couldn't have my first Thanksgiving without HER Gran's famous dressing and sweet potato casserole, so she made those for me Wednesday night (aka Thanksgiving eve). Am I glad she did! I couldn't get enough of those sweet potatoes; and frankly, I don't know that I'll ever be able to look at plain old Gerber sweet potatoes the same way ever again.

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, right? Among other things, I am thankful that Gran and Papa Cecil gave me my Christmas presents on Thanksgiving Day. Mommy says this is a miracle because Papa Cecil would NEVER let her open anything before Christmas when she was little. Anyway, I am really digging this extension of Christmas. Nana and Papa Wayne gave me my Christmas present in October, and now Gran and Papa Cecil have given me theirs in November. Now, all I have to do is wait for Granddaddy to deliver on his Elmo TMX promise next month. For those of you who don't know, Granddaddy laid claim to giving me the Elmo TMX doll back in September before it even came out (and before he realized it would be virtually impossible to find). Not to be outdone, Papa Cecil jokingly told Granddaddy that his Elmo TMX could ride on the pony he would be giving me. Well, guess what! Papa Cecil and Gran really did give me a pony! Who needs Santa when you have grandparents?