Thanksgiving this year was so much fun. We took off on Wednesday to Atlanta for 3 days with my family. 
I love celebrating the holidays with a lot of family around and this year we did that, with extended family at my cousin, Brenda’s house (I think there were 17 of us). She lives in Suwanee over in Atlanta, so we all drove over there for the day. They moved into their new house over a year ago and this was the first time I had been there. It sits on a bluff overlooking the Chattahoochee River and it was a beautiful, sunny day and we really had a great time. My cousin, Brenda and her mom, Aunt Mary were cooking up a feast when we arrived. The men were cutting up the turkey in the background.
My dad, Uncle Eugene (mom’s brother), and my mom waited at the breakfast table and caught up. We haven’t all been together in awhile, so it was a great day of visiting with family. Mom brought several dishes too, so we had a huge feast. Me, I got off the hook and didn’t have to bring a thing. 🙂 But, nothing was left out, there was SO much food. 
Brenda’s daughter, Denise, chatted with my niece, Lauren, on the right.
And we all love to take pics, so used the opportunity to get some new pics of the first cousins, Howard, me, and Brenda. We always have a blast when we’re together, laughing at lots of old memories and this time was no exception. 
Lauren brought her new boyfriend, Phillip, who she graduated with from law school. He practices law in his native city of New Orleans.
Did you eat as much as we did??
Oh my gosh, it was SO good. I think we decided that this year we had more food than ever before on a Thanksgiving Day and did we enjoy it?! I have to say, I was pretty miserable at the end of the day, but it sure was good. I could not eat like this every day, that’s for sure. Back to the gym for me tomorrow. 🙂
I think the above pic shows creamed corn, 2 kinds of greens, turnips and collards, rutabagas, fresh green beans with potatoes, and of course, the sweet potato casserole with brown sugar and pecan topping. That’s ALWAYS on the Thanksgiving menu. 
There was ham and fried turkey (2 of them). We LOVE, LOVE fried turkey.
Pineapple casserole and potato salad.
Pineapple Cheese Casserole
2 sticks butter or margarine
2 large cans chunk pineapple
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup each, sugar and flour, mixed together
Crushed Ritz crackers
Layer 1 can pineapple on bottom of round baking dish. Top with 1 cup cheese, 1/2 of the sugar and flour, 1 stick melted butter. Add another layer of pineapple, sugar and flour and melted butter. Top with crushed crackers. Bake @ 350* until brown, around 1 hour. Eat and enjoy!
Squash casserole and more greens (we had 3 kinds of fresh greens) and to the right, hash brown casserole. We like our greens in the South. 🙂
And can you believe I missed pics of ALL the desserts, but this one. This was one my mom made, a turtle cheesecake.
So, I hope that you and your family had a wonderful time together too. It was great to just relax, get away for a few days and be with those I love. And being unplugged from the computer for a few days was relaxing too.
We did help Alabama win the big Iron Bowl game against Auburn by cheering for them. Whewwww, that was a close one, but we pulled it off.
And on Friday, we didn’t do the Black Friday thing (I refuse to get in that madhouse), but I did sneak over to the Ballard’s outlet in Roswell, so I’ll show you that trip in another post. I found a really pretty lighted tabletop tree in an urn, which I can’t wait to find a spot for. It’s time for me to finish up my Christmas decorating and relax a bit and enjoy the season to the fullest. We are having a little party at our house this year and I’m excited that we are having company. If you go to the trouble of all that decorating, you might as well have people over to enjoy it, I say!
My sister’s house is ALL decked out for Christmas too, so I took lots of pics and will share that as well. You will love it!
Looks like the perfect combination of food and family! Thanks for sharing.
Kate
So glad you and your family had a Happy Thanksgiving! Love all the photos. Can’t wait to see your Christmas decor. Have a great week!
Looks like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. You don’t happen to have recipes for the pineapple and the squash casseroles, do you? Thanks!
Looks like a very happy Thanksgiving! Thanks for sharing!
Now that is a true Southern Thanksgiving meal! Yum!
Oh boy…getting full all over again just looking at it! Sounds like a most perfect time!
Love the family gatherings. So many memories made together. The meal looked fabulous too.
So much to be thankful for.
Debra
I made your sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving this year, it was a hit! It was sooo good! My mom said, okay you have to make this every year. I’m never making mine again! That was a huge compliment! Thanks for sharing that great recipe!
Boy, everything looks delicious. Did y’all have dressing, Rhoda? I’m not supposed to eat it, but I snuck and had some. 😉
I’m so happy you got to spend time with your family. All beautiful. All looking so happy.
Love to you…
XO,
Sheila 🙂
Oh, I love that cowgirl purse! Where did she get it?
Lots of good company and good food! Sounds good to me! 🙂
I don’t shop on Black Fri. either. The last time I attempted, I had young children to do Santa for – won’t do it again.
This Mississippi born Southern gal loves her greens, too. I must say I’ve never heard of the pineapple casserole. Gotta try that one.
Looks like your Thanksgiving was fun and wow look at all that food! Ours looked about the same way. BTW…looks like Peter has lost some weight?? Looking good. Tell him congrats.
Hugs!
Kat
I happened on your blog today. It was fun to scroll through. It is wonderful when the family is able to get together! It looks as though you had a great meal and a wonderful visit!
Come by and visit me if you have a chance.
Welcome Home! All of that southern cooking for Thanksgiving looks some kind of good. I’m looking forward to seeing your Christmas decorations for this year.
Hey, Shelia, we did have 2 pans of dressing & I totally forgot to take pics of it. We didn’t miss a thing, believe me! Ate way too much, but boy was it good.
I love to see how other’s celebrate Thanksgiving. Your family looks so lovely… and the food looks divine. Thanks for sharing.
Glad your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Great food and good company what more could one ask for. I love Grandma’s cowgirl purse.
Saw your tree top article in Spaces of the Birmingham News on Saturday. You are so talented. I am looking forward to seeing your Christmas decorations and also you sister’s.
Wow! Every bit of your food looks delicious!! Beautiful place to spend the holidays too.
Looks like you had a blast. 🙂 Fried turkey was on our menu too. 🙂