Thanksgiving 2010

We were on our own this year for Thanksgiving, so we took the first invite to join our friends in Honolulu at the Banyan Tree hosted by Derek and Kellie Hatch. Emry's third big outing.

Pearce and Eric attended a University of Hawaii football game the night before instead of playing early morning Thanksgiving football. Go Warriors! They ran into Brian (smiling in the right corner) and Tammy Walther, good friends who live in Honolulu.

Thursday morning I made a Pecan Pie and...

...my famous Pam's Yams.

In the tradition of giving, here's the coveted family recipe:

Yam Filling

1/3 c. butter (room temp.)
3 c. mashed yams (5-6 yams, peel, chop and boil)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk

Topping

1/3 c. butter ( room temp.)
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1 c. walnuts (chopped) or pecans

Don't cover. Bake for 1 hour at 350. If you are a Phillips, Taylor or a Piller you will need to add a little more sugar, butter and vanilla to yam filling and make double the topping.

Everyone brought their favorite dish, then voted for their favorite...Pam's Yams won! The prize was a box of divine truffles that were like 6000 calories for one.
The kiddie play area with toys. Nice touch Kellie!

About 20 couples and their tag- a- longs came, so we ate with around 50 friends. The Hatch's win for longest Thanksgiving table ever! And for atmosphere decor, all of which were made possible by the help of Olga, Heber and Stephanie.

We went home with full tummies and a full heart. We are truly blessed. Eric and I crashed but Pearce had energy to spare. I guess he is immune to the turkey's potent sleep effects. He came home, whipped off his clothes and prepared for battle. Eric and I don't remember much after we took these pictures of Pearce, fully armed for something.

Thanksgiving

We certainly have much to be thankful for this year. And to help us celebrate our first Thanksgiving in our new home, David, Jane and Kelsey came to visit. They arrived a couple days before Thanksgiving and our first activity was to hit the beach.

Kelsey, Pearce and Wendi.

Tutu Jane and Pearce.

Connor boogie boarding.

Second activity, make the pies. Jane taught Kelsey and I how to make really good pie crust. Third activity, start eating the pies.

Thanksgiving morning started with Flag Football. Kelsey, Wendi, Eric, David and Jane.

Half time break.

Eric washes the turkey, then seasons under and over the skin with a thyme, butter and sage mixture. He cooks the turkey upside down for 2/3 of the time. It makes even the white meat moist. During this time Eric bases the turkey every 30 minutes with a Maple syrup sauce.

Eric takes the turkey out of the oven and turns it over.

And places strips of bacon on top, cooking for the remainder of the time.

While Eric mastered turkey, I made my mom's yams, mashed potatoes, cranberry pecan stuffing, homemade rolls and Jane made the Taylor fruit salad and homemade cranberry sauce.

Spiderman dropped in to have a quick snack.

Connor showed Tutu how to play WOW.

Pearce showed Papa how to play Lego Star Wars on the Play Station.

Pearce and Eric played battleship.

Everyone played Tripoli.

The Turkey is ready.

And the feast can begin.

David looking over the spread.

At the table, Eric, Pearce, Wendi, Connor, David, Kelsey and Jane. We are so blessed.

The next day Tutu and Papa took Pearce to the Zoo, while Eric, Connor, Kelsey and I went to the beach across from the Zoo called walls.

Papa and Pearce at the Zoo.

Pearce and Tutu at the Zoo.

Pearce.

We all met up for dinner. Connor had magic cutlery.

And of course went to visit Santa Claus. Pearce riding the toy train.

Pearce was so excited to see Santa and tell him, rather...show him...his first choice of Christmas wants, a Batman cave that has a Batman, Robin and a motorcycle. Connor was a good brother to sit on Santa's knee with Pearce.

Thanksgiving keeps giving

Like millions of traditional American families, my husband Eric started his thanksgiving day at the crack of dawn playing football. Enjoy a little movie magic that captures all the 'turkey bowl' drama http://vimeo.com/2373865 . Special thanks to our favorite cameraman, director and editor the one and only Jared Foster.

Meanwhile at the Phillips compound, we started working on a little magic of our own, the biggest feast of the year. The Phillips hosted 36 family members and guests, not counting the kids. Fourteen lemon meringue, pecan, and pumpkin pies lovingly made by the hands of Jane Phillips and her father Ken Taylor (FYI: a legend in the kitchen). Kelsey, Camille and I helped with a few pie shells. Naturally there were several robust turkeys. Homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce, and artichoke dip, also made by Ken Taylor. And arriving families brought everything in between.


Lt to Rt: Jane, David, Marjan, and Todd.

I made my favorite thanksgiving dish, The Famous Pam's Yams. Who's Pam? Pam is my mom. For those who plan to pass on the yams this year, I challenge you to make my moms version of yams. I am willing to bet serious money and grantee that you will now love yams. Yes love is a strong word to use in the same sentence as yams. But trust me, we don't call them 'The Famous Pam's Yams' just to be over dramatic. All whom dared to partake has echoed that title. And so in the tradition of giving I am willing to share this coveted recipe. Enjoy.

Yam Filling

1/3 c. butter (room temp.)
3 c. mashed yams (5-6 yams, peel, chop and boil)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk

Topping

1/3 c. butter ( room temp.)
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1 c. walnuts (chopped)

Don't cover. Bake for 1 hour at 350. If you are a Phillips, Taylor or a Piller you will need to add a little more sugar, butter and vanilla to yam filling and make double the topping.

From Lt to Rt: Eric, a boyfriend, Karen, Kenna, Kelly, Matthew, and Mike. MIA: the Reeds and the Cooks. We missed them and please pray for baby Bree.

Lt to Rt: Mimi holding Liberty, --------, GG Phillips, Tracey Bookes, Pam, Connor, Aunt Janet and Grandma Taylor.

One table of twelve, and three tables of eight held all of us.


Shoots from my seat. Lt to Rt: Spencer, Evelyn holding Izzy, Jessie and Eric. In the back ground, Todd, Jay, Grandpa Taylor, Kelsey.

Connor hiding in the pillows.

Phillips Family Lt to Rt top row: Todd, Wendi, Eric, Connor and Kelsey. Lt to Rt bottom row: Camille holding Brinly, David holding Joceyln and Pearce, and Jane. Sorry, no Piller Family picture. My brother, Grant and his wife, Amy couldn't make it to AZ. Next time.

Our Family. Eric, Wendi, Connor and Pearce.

My kids are pinball addicts. The only thing Pearce and Connor fight over..... turns to play.

Connor scored a record 108,890 points.

You did it Connor. You are now a pinball master.

It was a beautiful day with partly sunny, rainy skies. Picture taken at the basement level back door. In Chandler Arizona.

Taken on main level back balcony.

Taken on upper level back balcony view, over looking The Ocotillo Golf Course. Arizona is beautiful at this time of year.

Thank you to all for the good time, the good food and the good company! We are truly blessed.