The 48 Hour Attack on Thanksgiving

This year my daughter, Bethany, volunteered to cook Thanksgiving dinner.

Her forte is 

 procrastinated organization.

She didn't do anything until 48 hours prior to the holiday.

On Tuesday she wrote out her menu plan and shopping list, shopped,

and made three pies, two pumpkin, one sweet potato.

Wednesday evening she prepared the side dishes, roasted potatoes,

green bean casserole,dill carrots, and sweet potatoes,

and put them in disposable aluminum foil pans with lids in the fridge.

She rolled out previously frozen homemade bread dough,

 and put in little balls in a circular foil pan and put in the fridge.

Thursday morning while she drank Holiday Roast coffee,

she pulled out the bread to raise, started the turkey in electric roasting pan,

and put the prime rib roast in the crock pot, leaving the oven free

for everything else later in the morning.

I set the table, greatly enjoying the fact that I was able to spend

a lot of time on frivolous details like rolling my napkins perfectly,

 tucking a little  floral spray into each napkin ring,

and lighting every candle in the house.

I planned for months for my end, sewing, decorating and crafting,

and she planned for two days.

She was calm, peaceful, cheerful and very efficient.

It was amazing to watch her in action.

The tables were turned, I was learning from her.

Over the years, I realized you don't have to  master a skill

before you teach it to your children, you just give them opportunities

 to learn, grow and succeed.

She pulled together the final preparations,

heating up the side dishes,making relish trays, setting out the butter dishes,

 and finding serving dishes and spoons.

Her younger sister, Grace, started at the sink

utilizing the Clean As You Go (CAYG) method we love.

Minutes away from serving...

...Dad carving the turkey, of course.

It was truly an amazing meal, both in the orchestration from the maestro,

Bethany, to the variety of flavors, and the perfect timing of all the foods.

I realized it wasn't really procrastination,

she didn't need to make lists upon lists for months upon months.

She has confidence and the ability to pull together a big meal in 48 hours.

There wasn't a better compliment than the one my MIL

frequently said, "Everything was just perfect."

Psalms 69:30

I will praise the name of God with a song,

and will magnify Him with thanksgiving...

for our wonderful Thanksgiving.