In good company.

   

 Image via

  

DESTINATION:  A "perfect" Thanksgiving.

Road stops: 

1. Claro's
2. Ikea
3. Lakeshore
4. Whole Foods
5. World Market
6. Target
7. Trader Joe's
8. Ralphs
9. Costco
10. Albertsons

  

Remember when I talked about my goal of keeping it simple?  After 3 days of preparing- cleaning, shopping, organizing, prepping, list-making- I can admit that we're failing miserably in category of simplicity.  And although I'm a bit (to say the least) shopped out (and no Christmas presents to show for it), I am in perfect company-on this 'Thanksgiving road trip.'

In the past few years, we have co-hosted Thanksgiving dinner, along with my (84 year old) grandma, at our house.  It is equally invigorating and exhausting... a balancing act of keeping with tradition and veering off into new territory- of saying goodbye to stuffing and hello to dressing, farewell to curly parsley and welcome, to Italian parsley.  A [uphill] battle of simplicity and complexity.  We've managed to convince my wonderfully-perfectionist-grandma (at least I know where I got it from!) that it really is okay to utilize the food processor, and yet, we are now well aware of the wonder of Wonder Bread when it comes to her age-old, family-coveted "stuffing"... that certain ingredients just can't be 'modernized.'  

It's a rocky road, on this yearly excursion to hosting the ultimate Thanksgiving dinner, with a few road bumps along the way, however it's not the destination, but the journey that counts- and I couldn't ask for better traveling companions. 

 

Whether you're venturing out, or staying in, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and remember:  SAVE THE CARCASS!!