Helping Hands

I got off early today (at 2:00) and stopped and got Autumn & then we went over to Mom & Dad’s so I could help Mom make some food for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.  Dad was outside putting up some more lights and Autumn wanted to be his helper.

Nick had to work at one of the other stores today and didn’t feel comfortable trying to drive home in the dark on a route he isn’t used to driving, so Mom & Autumn & I took him to work.  While we were at the store, we got some penne dolcelatta for dinner and did a little bit of shopping for the rolls we were going to make tonight.  Autumn had so much fun riding around in the car on the front of the grocery cart.

Mom looks mad in this picture, but she’s not.  We were making Grandma Dawson’s pumpkin pie (the first time I’ve ever made it) and Autumn wanted to help, which was fun.  I am wearing an apron that Grandma Johnson made for me.  It was cool to have 3 generations together and to be making something (the pie) and wearing something (the apron) from a 4th generation.  That’s why the holidays are so wonderful…we get to carry on traditions and remember those who have gone before that have had an impact on our lives.  It was a special thing to have Autumn & Mom helping me make pies.

Earlier in the day Mom had already made 2 batches of butterhorn rolls.  I wanted to make some w/ minimal help from Mom so I could learn how to do them.  They’re not hard to do, just a little time consuming.  We made 2 more batches b/c we’ll eat the first 2 batches that Mom made at Thanksgiving and we wanted to have some extras for turkey sandwiches and the day after Thanksgiving so we made the 3rd and 4th batch to leave some w/ Aunt Sandy and have some extras for us.  They’re so good that we always want more the next day.  I’m glad I got to make them this year.

After all our cooking of 2 pumpkin pies and 2 batches of rolls, we relaxed and watched some TV.  I wanted to put Autumn’s hair in twisty knots so that it would be curly tomorrow.  So, I went and gave her a bath and then she sat on the floor while I did her hair.  We finally went home at 10:00 so we could go to bed and be ready for all the fun tomorrow.