Rose Colored Glasses

Well, not really rose colored glasses, more like orange colored glasses.

I was preparing everything for Thanksgiving tomorrow.  We are actually having 'guests' this year.  Last year I hosted too, but it was just for my in-laws, so the pressure was off.  Weird, I know... but my in-laws rock, and I had a lot of fun cooking with them last year.  However, this year my husband's boss and his wife are coming... so that ups the stakes a little! 

My in laws are cooking the one turkey and deep frying the other at their house, and then just bring it along when they come.  All I am really responsible for are the sides- and boy do we have a TON of them!  However, they are all things I've made before, so it should go well.  I tried to do as much stuff today as I could, like cutting the celery and onions (hence the orange goggles!). 

Today I made 8 dozen mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, 3 dozen mini gingerbread muffins (think Jason's Deli, and if you've never been to Jason's- you have not yet lived!), 2 pumpkin pies, a pecan pie, and a cherry cheesecake.  I also ground up all the cranberries and have them 'marinating' in sugar for a cranberry salad that is a Thanksgiving MUST.

I mopped the floor, ironed the tablecloth and napkins, and actually have the "grownup's" table set.  My husband actually asked if we could just serve everyone on paper plates.  The scary thing was... he was dead serious!  I know that the table is pegging his 'OCD Meter'... but I almost feel like Martha! Almost....

I am also paranoid that I won't have enough serving dishes... my birth-mother (who habitually throws dinner parties for 20-45 people) suggested that I lay everything out, put sticky notes on it, and get the 'main ingredients' and put them in the dish you will use to cook it.  It works great, but looks like chaos....

Hope you all have a SAFE and HAPPY Thanksgiving!