Thanksgiving

I don't love football analogies and use them sparingly, but I've always considered Thanksgiving the kickoff to the holiday season. I LOVED Thanksgiving as a kid, not only because we got a five day break from school and a huge feast, but because even as I spent the whole weekend sneaking spoonfuls of coolwhip from the fridge and eating leftover turkey on buttery crescent rolls I could feel a certain charge in the air, somehow whispering that Christmas was only weeks away. And in the time until Christmas, there would be endless parties, desserts, and of course all night card games with my family while Amy Grant belted out Christmas carols.

It's so weird to be in South America for Thanksgiving because it's like the game never started. Rather than running like mad all over the field with our focus on the biggest holiday of the year, we're just lounging in the golden spring sun and listening to the birds sing.

We didn't do anything on the actual day of Thanksgiving because my turkey breast wasn't defrosted. Mando went to work and then he watched the Cowboys play football and we ate chicken and rice soup with some friends.

The next night we had a Thanksgiving feast with some other friends. Luckily we were just guests and I only had to bring rolls and dessert. I was feeling especially lazy that day and didn't take many pictures, but we ate with Teru, his wife Claudia, their two girls, Sonja, Nestor, Baby Nestor, and Diego. The kids had a blast running all over and the adults laughed a lot and somehow communicated even though some of us spoke English, some of us spoke Spanish, and some spoke Portuguese (Oh - and did I mention Japanese?)

 The Feast - complete with Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, rolls, salad, a Brazilian potato salad, an artichoke appetizer...

 Brazilian rice and beans...and a whole lot of dessert.

 

Oh no, the party is almost over, hurry and snap a picture with whoever is standing there!

Teru, Paul, Ann, Mando, Sam, and Claudia. 

 

The following Sunday I roasted the turkey breast with some vegetables and made potatoes and gravy. Add some chopped vegetables and leftover rolls and it's almost like Thanksgiving!

The turkey breast was so good. Next time we have a Thanksgiving with just Mando and the kids I'll definitely skip the whole bird. Note: they don't use salad dressing here, just lemon juice and sometimes olive oil. We just do lemon juice and salt. I think it's so good and may keep that tradition at home.