Tomorrow we will spend the day at my parents’ house here in town celebrating Thanksgiving. So today we are getting ready. Actually, our preparation started several days ago when I made my list and did the shopping for it.

My mother and I agreed that it would be wonderful if the children could contribute to the meal somehow, so I gave them each a cooking assignment. Laura will make the Cranberry Jello Salad, Isaac is in charge of the pecan pies, Luke is the pumpkin pie master, Amelia will assemble the corn dish, and Miguel will be Grandma’s biscuit helper.

Last night the boys and I made two pecan pies and two pumpkin pies, since I can only bake two pies at a time in the oven. This morning Isaac assembled his second set of pecan pies and they are in the oven as we speak. Luke is terribly eager to get his last two pumpkin pies made, but we are waiting for some fresh pumpkin-pie spice to be brought home by Michael and Miguel who are out running errands right now.

It has been very interesting for me to watch my boys work so diligently on their pie projects. They are reading menus, learning about proper mixing techniques, setting timers, and in general learning lots of things they didn’t know before. I feel quite confident that they will beam with pride when it’s time to serve dessert tomorrow. And you know what? I think I’m going to be doing a bit of “beaming” myself.

P.S.  Evening update:  Isaac finished his pecan pies this morning, Luke finished his pumpkin pies tonight, and Laura made the cranberry jello salad tonight.  It’s really happening!  Tomorrow all that is left is Amelia’s corn dish and my mashed potatoes…along with all the dirty dishes from our cooking projects tonight.  I just didn’t have the gumption to tackle dishes tonight, and my dish fairy had to go to bed.  I’m eager to see and hear the children tomorrow as they present their food to their grandma.  I have a strange feeling that I’m not going to be able to get away with making this a one-time event.  The kids are way too proud of their achievements.  I’m thinking I have created a monster… a good monster, of course.