Thanksgiving Mantel

I didn't decorate much for Thanksgiving other than the little bit on the porch, but I did find this banner online. I loved just adding this one little thing to the mantel, lighting the candles, and calling it a day.

(It was quite a day, by the way. We stayed home and my parents and grandma drove over from Chicago. Only their car broke down and they were stuck on a tiny shoulder of a bridge for two hours waiting for a tow truck. Then they had quite an adventure trying to get a rental car from the airport. They didn't arrive until about five hours after their anticipated time. But, they made it. And we ate. And ate. And decided that Black Friday shopping was not worth it because sleep had to be worth something, right?)

Notes to future self when preparing for Thanksgiving:

• Lots of dvds from the library to keep the kids happy - yes! good idea!
• Buying a gargantuan turkey just because it doesn't cost too much more - ehhhh, not so much. I almost couldn't fit that bird in the oven! ("bird" reference for my father's sake)
• Adding lots of extra, unnecessary side dishes is.....unnecessary. Keep it simple please.
• Bread pudding - I love you.
• Please put the dressing in the oven earlier. Two years in a row I have been waiting on dressing to cook.
• Make the kid table much more exciting and enticing. Put a huge bowl of candy and fudge in the middle of it if necessary. Just make it better than the big table.
• Make place cards. They're pretty, practical, and I always wish I had when it's over.
• Take pictures! Of people and of food. (yes, the food. I want to see it for years to come after all that work that goes into it!) I have NO pictures of our Thanksgiving day this year. =(

I think that's all. Now, if I'll just remember to read this next year.....