I am alone and very lucky in the sense that I don't care. I don't enjoy the family I have here, the friends are nice, but had rather be alone. The only thing I hate about is that everyone feels sorry for me when they find out I will be alone. I don't usually mention it.

We were invited to the mountains to spend Thanksgiving with friends, and then another friend invited us to come spend the day with them and their family...both of which we declined. Bob just doesn't feel up to going and socializing in a group of people these days.. We had a large Thanksgiving gathering at church on Sunday and that was a delight.... and everyone had a really great time. There are so many folks we love to spend time with, and do on occasion, but with Bob's failing health, he prefers to stay home more and more.. So, today I have a turkey in the oven, complete with stuffing, and U have bread rising, a broccoli casserole ready for the oven, and butternut squash and mashed potatos ready.. and so all we need to do is make the gravy and put the bread in to bake. I have New england butternut squash pie and an apple pie made.... and the table is set with table cloth, napkins and candles...so it will be a wonderful day. Our family used to have those "Norman Rockwell" Holiday dinners when I was growing up. We really enjoyed them, but then everyone now is scattered all over the country and so we don't see much of that anymore...tis a pity..... We have so very much to be thankful for... our love for one another, and God's Grace and the bounty He blesses us with each and every day. That's what Thanksgiving is to us ...Praising our Lord. Carolyn

Cynic great post! Especially the part about the set up photos with the silly backdrops or props. (I feel the same way about baby pics BTW). Give me people who look like themselves any day. I don't send Christmas cards any longer so we only get a few. The photo cards are printed on such cheap stock that they tear while being removed from the envelope. I do save and enjoy the nice old fashioned cards I get. The rest hit the shredder. Worst Xmas card award goes to a relative of DH. He prints out a mass sermon. Just like those long winded mass Xmas letters that some people send out only it's s a sermon. At the end there is a line or 2 about what he is doing and how the sermon he wrote applies to him. LOL If he were a man of the cloth I "might" understand but basically he's what I would call a fanatic. If I want to hear a sermon I'll go to church thank you. We LOL, shake our heads and SHRED!

justwantapool-I make the peanut butter cookies with the Hershey kisses. It's the only one I cheat on and use the Betty Crocker cookie mix for. I find the full size kisses too large for the cookies so last year I used the Brach's chocolate stars. I think they're just the right size and the star shape is pretty on the cookie as well. I noticed this year that Ghirardelli also makes a drop that they say is specifically for that type of cookie. They call them Thumbprint Drops. Miss lindsey-I make the raspberry thumbprints as well but this year, I got a fig orange jam to try in mine. I love figs in cookies so I thought I would give it a try.