I hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving! I saw the wonderful idea of making a turkey-shaped fruit platter on a friend's facebook page and made this creation for our Thanksgiving Day feast! I used mainly berries, as that is the fruit my grandchildren enjoy the most. This was a fun addition to our feast! (All photos and photo collages in this post will enlarge for easier viewing if clicked on)
I made lots of food for our Thanksgiving feast, which I served buffet style, as I find it is easier to have everyone make their own dish from all the selections. We had butternut squash gnocchi, a roasted turkey plus a baked ham, gluten-free stuffing, and many vegetable sides. Everyone takes home leftovers or comes over for a second meal the next day, so it all gets eaten! We also had pies and an ice cream birthday cake for my daughter for dessert.
I had hoped to get some nice group photos of my grandchildren, to use for my Christmas cards this year, but as you can see they had other ideas. My granddaughter does not want to sit still too long to pose for photos and my littlest grandson was also camera shy, as he just woke up from a nap. They had a good time playing together all day and fill our lives with joy!
Happy News!!! The words on my little grandson's shirt say "I'm being promoted to a BIG brother"! We can now share the happy news that my daughter-in-law is expecting another baby in late Spring! We are all so very happy to see our family growing, and to be here in Colorado to share in many of their happy life events! We are certainly thankful each and every day for all the blessings in our lives.
The day after Thanksgiving the town of Littleton, Colorado has a celebration called The Candlelight Walk. Santa Claus and his sleigh start a candlelight procession down Main Street and magically illuminate more than one million lights in the trees as he passes each block. When he reaches the end of Main Street, Santa draws the name of one child to help him throw the switch to illuminate the Christmas Tree in the plaza, and afterward, he makes his way to the Town Hall Arts Center for photos and to hear the first wishes of the children for the season. The event is free, and nonperishable food donations are accepted for the Inter-Faith Community Services, as well as toy donations for the Arapahoe Santa Claus Shop. The merchants along Main Street stay open late for holiday shoppers, and as you can see by my photos, I enjoyed seeing many of their wonderfully decorated windows!
Our little granddaughter also had a chance to visit Santa Claus at a local mall this past weekend, and as you can see, she was very excited to do so! I know she also liked seeing the big teddy bear and reindeer just as much as seeing Santa. To a young child, it is all so magical!
Denver, Colorado, and its surrounding neighborhoods have many wonderful Christmas traditions, and I hope to be able to share many with you on my blog this year. I am also looking forward to seeing how you enjoy this most wonderful time of the year!
You can also find me on
Wonderful photos, Pat!
ReplyDeleteThe "turkey" is a great idea.
Have a lovely new week!
Pat, such lovely photos of your family, and congratulations on that new little addition coming up!
ReplyDeleteThat was a lot of beautiful pictures. And those of the food are very pecial. Lovely photos of the family too.
ReplyDeleteWonderful turkey platter! It's fun to follow through with something you see. Looks like a wonderful Thanksgiving with family.
ReplyDeleteI love that turkey! Such a super idea! It's great that you had such a gathering of family. Your menu sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love that turkey but would have been crushed when the first berry was removed. Happy Belated Thanksgiving to you!
ReplyDeleteThat fruit turkey is so very cute. No doubt your grandchildren loved it. Congrats on the new little one on the way!
ReplyDeletePat,I like your turkey fruit platter. It is so cute! Your Thanksgiving meal looks delicious! Your grandchildren are adorable and congrats on the new grandchild on the way! Love the photos! Enjoy your new week!
ReplyDeleteDarling turkey platter! The food and family look beautiful! Congrats on the new addition. :)
ReplyDeleteThe fruit turkey was a cute idea, I'll bet the grands loved it! Your Thanksgiving buffet looks scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on another member of the family to appear next spring.
Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday Pat.
You have such a beautiful family, Pat, and how wonderful that you all live close. Congratulations that another sweet grandchild is on its way. I will have to remember your fruit platter for next year.
ReplyDeleteIt looked like you were feeding an army! I was struck by all the asparagus...my personal favorite. I wouldn't have let anyone eat that fruit turkey. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulation on the new grandchild. It looks like you've adjusted very well to Colorado life. Enjoyed the pictures.
Happy Thanksgiving. The kids are having great time. The fruits are arranged beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThat's a very healthy looking turkey. Bet everyone enjoyed it. Glad you had a great Thanksgiving with your family. Little ones add so much to the celebration - and soon there will another one to cuddle!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week, Pat.
Lorrie
It looked like you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving! The Christmas light festival sounded like a great way to get the Christmas season started. What a fun idea!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add, Congratulations on your new upcoming grand baby!
ReplyDeleteI love your fruit turkey-good idea to copy, if you don't mind:)
ReplyDeleteoh gnocchi....yum. Once or twice a year I enjoy this treat that my sis's MIL makes.
ReplyDeleteOh the kids look so cute and clearly this was a great time for all.
Love that candlelight walk idea!
Congratulations on another grand baby on the way. You've certainly filled your life with adorable children and lots of love. Your fruit platter is gorgeous too. Nice to hear your grandchildren eat fruit. Not all do you know...
ReplyDeleteSam
Congratulations on the new grandchild to be Pat. How wonderful that you live so close now. I loved all those dishes you served for Thanksgiving. Next year, I want to make one of those "turkey" fruit platters, after seeing it on several sites this year.
ReplyDeleteSo so glad you had a wonderful holiday..we, too, had lots of family and food...and feel so blessed to have our family close.
ReplyDeleteYour mention of evaporated milk in the coffee brought back memories of an aunt of mine that used it, too. It was a treat for me when we went to her house...she'd make my cousin and I a cup with half milk and a big ole spoonful of sugar...sooo good to a kid. :)
Hi Pat,
ReplyDeleteI clicked on your food mosaic and drooled at the cheesey dish beside the ham. Ooo does that look good! What a nice spread you had.
I rejoice with your family at the new little one coming.
Have a Beautiful Blue Monday!
Those grandkids appear to be full of energy!! Cute, but you are right, hard to photograph for sure!!
ReplyDeleteI heartily hope you had a wonder and joy-filled Thanksgiving Day, dearest Pat, and it couldn't be otherwise, with your dears by your side ( your grandchildren are so very lovely )
ReplyDeleteYou'e so lucky having such a family, be blessed
With love
♥ Dany
I loved seeing photos of your happy family gathered for Thanksgiving! You certainly offered a wonderful feast! I especially like the care you gave to the children's fruit platter. They will always remember the special attention you gave them!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on adding yet another beautiful grandchild to your family! My seventh is due right after Christmas!
Pat I love that fruit platter and all your yummy treats in the buffet....my CO relatives joined us as we all descended on my sister in AZ....I cooked the meal and had a ball. Congrats on the growing family!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a feast you cooked up. I loved the turkey fruit platter.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the coming addition to your family! I know you are all very excited. Before long you will have a whole houseful of cuties.
ReplyDeleteMy 14th grandchild is due in a couple of weeks. It's another girl. That will make 10 girls and 4 boys for me.
What fun shots. Love that fruit turkey!
ReplyDeleteFrom the delicious looking fruit "turkey" to the happy news of a new baby in the spring, your Thanksgiving sounds just about perfect--even the photos of uncooperative grands!! Sometimes those are the best photos.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
Congrats on your grandbaby that's on the way, the grands you have, and the great Thanksgiving feast. Doesn't having little ones around just make the holidays that more special? BB2U
ReplyDeleteGreat news about the promotion. You and your family must be thrilled. What a blessing! And I adore the turkey themed fruit platter. It is darling!
ReplyDeleteVery nice photos. I like the ones with the little boy holding his Pooh Bear in his face.
ReplyDeleteA very charming fruit platter!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a lovely Thanksgiving. Your grandchildren are adorable. ~ Nancy
ReplyDeletePat, I can't get over how big your grands are getting! And congrats on the newest addition to come! That is wonderful news.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had quite the feast for Thanksgiving, my friend, and even though you weren't able to get a Christmas card pic of all three, you could do a collage of those cute shots you did get!
I am finally back to the land of the living. Have been down for about two months and counting, but I did get to go to my niece's wedding. It wore me out, but it is a good kind of worn out.
Love to you and yours, my friend!
XO,
Sheila
Love the turkey fruit platter! It looks like you all enjoyed quite a feast over there!
ReplyDeleteHow nice to see your grands all together...and to hear there is another one on the way. Sharing in your joy from afar! Congrats.
Absolutely amazing and gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing this heartwarming post. Warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. :)
ReplyDeleteLove your "fruity" turkey platter! Cute grandkids, too. Glad you had a wonderful holiday!
ReplyDeletesuch a beautiful fruit platter. Did your kiwi fruit come from New Zealand.
ReplyDeleteI love that turkey fruit platter. Congrats on the expected new family member!
ReplyDeleteHi Pat, I really loved reading your thankful post today. As always your points of interest are wonderful in every way. Your fruit turkey was very well done and your food dishes awesome. We too have a buffet with numerous dishes.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being grandparents again in Spring. One more reason to be happy you moved where your loved ones live.
Now for Christmas to enjoy. I have my gifts pretty much done. Amazing because my Christmas list includes a large family. I shop early and it pays off. Decorating is my next big challenge. I do have a small start.
Have a wonderful week my sweet blog friend.
Hugs, Jeanne
Pat, you WON the book I gave away on my blog. Please email me with your address at the kilns at excite dot com
ReplyDeleteThe book is "Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday.
I hope it will be a blessing to you and provide a few ideas for holiday traditions.
Terra
What a fun TG you had! I saw that turkey fruit platter on FB too, but yours is better than that one! Good job.
ReplyDelete