Thanksgiving and More

This past week of Thanksgiving has been great. For those of you who asked we did celebrate Thanksgiving, not that the people in Japan do, but living on base is just like living in a American City in many ways so of course everyone on base celebrated Thanksgiving.

So our Thanksgiving this year was fun I planned it with another lady from our branch (Allison Wilson) we reserved the church and then invited several families we ended up planning for 50 (22 adults 25 children) not quite that many came but it was close. So I of course had to sign up for the pies because I couldn't bear the thought of someone bringing store bought pies (Jeb said that I just like to show off my baking skills HA!) So the day before of course I started on my pies.......

I made the perfect crust. You know sometimes you just struggle with the crust, it gets to soft, or it breaks into pieces. Mine are tricky because I refuse to use shortening (AKA another word for Hydrogenated Oil BAD!) I won't use lard (just the name yuck) so I only use butter. Which is trickier. But I really figured it out this year (put it in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes before you use and put your water in the freezer too makes it handle great!) So here is my perfect crust before! It was just wonderful!

My cherry pie, really my first lattice work all by myself. I thought it was sooo Preeety

The cherry after, I brushed it with water and sugar and it gave it this yummy slightly crunchy top that was great!

My little helpers! They are great pie makers for the future!

and me.... not looking my hottest but Jeb insisted I share. He took the picture because he thought it was funny that my belly was covered in flour because its bigger then the rest and seemed to catch everything. HA HA HA.

My Apple pies, the girls helped with decor. It was very good and of course thanks to Jeb for pealing all the apples so they could be nice thick apple pies!

This was my new one this year Strawberry Rhubarb. It was good, but I think I have to cook the rhubarb for longer next time. It was a bit crunchy. But not to bad.

Of course my traditional favorite and what I replace birthday cake with every year. My pumpkin pie. I was disappointed there was no left over this year afterwards!!! I will probably just have to make another.

And here is all the pies together, 2 cheesecake, 2 chocolate, 2 pumpkin, 1 strawberry rhubarb, 1 cherry, 2 apple! Yes I'm bragging a bit. But I love making pies, I loved making them with my mom and love passing on the tradition.

Thanksgiving morning, I was up early to put in a Turkey, and warm up Jebs traditional Lasagna. Jeb went to play football with the Elders Quorum. When he came out he saw our neighbor out raking her huge amount of leaves. She works and her husband stays home, but she still usually does all the home work by herself. So Jeb rounded up the girls and they helped rake leaves before we had to go. I was as always thankful that I have a husband who always seems to find ways to show example of service.

Then off to the church we went to start setting out everything.

Here is Jeb carving the turkey (this is before everyone was there)

Here are the decorations, done by Kim Eves another lady in the branch. She did a great job. If you are wondering, this is the chapel, behind the curtains are the podium and such. We just had to take down all the folding chairs. to make it into a usable large area. Its a small church compared to the ones we are used to in the states but not bad for Japan.

This is at the end of the day. The kids had so much fun playing Indians all over the church. (I believe they were all Indian princesses and the boys were playing hunt the white man....... hmmmm) The girls are Faith??? Niyah, Amelia, Mia, and Harley.

All in all it was a great Thanksgiving and for me birthday. I have to share pictures of the next day snowboarding trip for Jeb but that will come later. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!