Stuffing and Candied Yams

We just enjoyed a fun Thanksgiving visit with Grandma & Grandpa Guptill. They drove out from Montana and we were so thankful that Travis' Dad gave up part of his hunting season to come spend some time with the grand kids. I realize after 8 years that this is LOVE. We love them, too.

Travis and I cooked most of the food for Thanksgiving dinner. Travis' sister, Nicki, and her husband, Lance, and toddler daughter, Brynlee, came from Vancouver for the day.Grandma & Grandpa played with the kids while we were busy in the kitchen. We made all of our favorites (yes, for posterity sake I'm making a full-on list): Roasted Turkey, Smoked Turkey, 2 kinds of stuffing, veggie tray, mashed potatoes & gravy, rolls (with raspberry & cherry jam) and pumpkin pie from Costco, pasta salad by Nicki, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, candied yams, pies by Lance: banana cream, coconut cream and apple, I made a pumpkin pie, too. Oh, and you can't forget the egg nog!

I called my mom for the recipe to make candied yams. She warned me that the number one most important thing is to stay right next to the oven or assign someone to watch through the oven window when we are ready to broil the marshmallows on top. When all the other food was ready, I put the candied yams in the oven to toast the marshmallows. Right after I shut the door, Travis' Dad started saying the prayer. I wasn't thinking about having a LONG Thanksgiving prayer. Half way through the prayer I remembered the marshmallows. I peeked during the prayer and planned to quietly pull them out of the oven. When I opened the door I saw the bonfire on top of my precious candied yams! I yelled and slammed the oven door. Thank goodness I thought to turn off the gas broiler. The prayer was forgotten and Travis hurried to open the door back up so he could blow out the flames. I was laughing the whole time! The smoke alarm went beeping away and Justin started yelling, "Is this going to be the last day for our house?!?!" It was all over so quickly and I pulled out the black, charred yams. Travis says, "Oh yum! I'll eat that!" I thought he was kidding, but he really ate all those marshmallows I scraped off.

The whole time I was spreading new marshmallows on top, Justin was begging me to "just put it in the microwave this time!" I promised him it wouldn't catch on fire a second time and then I stood on guard watching those marshmallows the whole time. They turned out perfectly and we cheered and then enjoyed our campfire-smelling Thanksgiving dinner. It was fabulous!

I think Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love how relaxed the weekend always is and how we all just focus on what is most important to us: our family. On Friday, we had a fun time bowling. Travis' parents left early Saturday morning. The boys were sad to see them go. Tyler tells me randomly throughout the day, "I miss Grandpa!" We do too, buddy!

(My camera's battery just died while I was trying to download the pictures. Check back tomorrow for some fabulous bowling pictures!)