I love Thanksgiving.

I just finished putting the kitchen back together. I've got the dishwasher set to run while I sleep. I've got the coffee pot set to brew before I wake. Life is good.

Tonight I made a pumpkin pie with pecan streusel on top. This is my own creation. I made it for the first time a few years ago and have been making it since. Tonight I did something a little different though. After putting the streusel topping in the middle of the pie leaving about an inch of pumpkin filling showing, I took some pecan halves (courtesy of the huge tree in the backyard and my husband for painstakingly cracking nuts VERY carefully so I could have halves. He must really love me.) and arranged them carefully around the edge of the pie in between the crust and the pecan streusel. After I took it out of the oven I realized it resembled a sunflower! The best part is that I didn't mean to do it...it was a total surprise. I love it when that happens.

I'll take a picture in the morning. It's too dark in my little poorly lit kitchen so it will have to wait. Hopefully I don't forget!

I also made a Jell-o salad using my Aunt Mickey's recipe. It is so good. It's raspberry Jell-o, raspberries, raspberry yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, walnuts and whip cream. I mean really, how could you go wrong with THOSE ingredients? It's pretty, too..beautiful pink and white layers in a crystal bowl...lovely. Maybe I'll snap a photograph of that, too.

Tomorrow morning I'll make the yams...again, my own special recipe that I made up a few years ago...and have been making since. I never used to like yams...and neither did my husband or my brother...but we all like these yams. Probably because I do NOT scrimp on the ingredients. Not the butter, not the spices, not the brown sugar, not the marshmallows. I go for it. I pile them high and season them well. It's basically dessert as a side-dish. Mmmm...my mouth is watering already.

I love Thanksgiving. I love the prep. The colors. The weather. The gathering of family without the stress of gift giving. It's just an easy, relaxing, fun time.

Have I mentioned that I love Thanksgiving?

Speaking of which...I hope you enjoy yours.