Being away from home during the holidays never gets easier but having good friends around definitely makes it a lot better. Thanksgiving was always one of my favorite holidays – a morning of watching the Macy’s Parade, putting up the Christmas tree and decorating it with my mom, then going over to grandma’s for a homemade Thanksgiving meal with my cousins, aunts and uncles.
I miss those days and have had to teach myself how to fall out of that routine, however, Chris and I have made traditions for ourselves that I find just as special and meaningful. This year we had our close friends in Bremerhaven over for a traditional Thanksgiving meal – a day before Thanksgiving because our guys had to leave for Munich on the actual day of. Well..except Chris who is still injured 😉
Chris took over the kitchen and made the turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing & gravy while our guests all pitched in and filled in the rest. Since a couple of our Canadians missed their Thanksgiving back in October, we shared our American holiday with them as well and we all had such a good, wine-drunk night. Shout out to the Friesen’s who’s family owns a winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake – Pillitteri Estates Winery…sooo delicious and Buffalo family should try to find their bottles!
Another shout out to my amazing friend Shae who brought back a LEGIT Dutch Apple Pie from her mini vacation in Amsterdam. It was my dessert AND breakfast this morning.
We all are away from home in a country that doesn’t celebrate this holiday, so it is such a nice, comforting feeling to celebrate together and bring a little bit of home with us and continue something our parents and grandparents have done for us – and for that we are forever grateful.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Things I am thankful for:
- Christopher
- Shadow
- Shadow snuggles
- My mom
- My whole family
- Chris’ mom & siblings
- FaceTime
- Getting married this summer
- This crazy hockey life
- Our friends
- Being able to travel the world
- Dog-friend walks in Bremerhaven
- Milka chocolate bars
- Pierogis
- Wine
- German beer
- YouTube (specifically Brandi TV, The Morning Toast, Emery Bingham comments & Life With Mak)
- Germany
- Kacey Musgraves
- Schnitzel
- Yoga
- Turkey
- Mashed Potatoes
- Stuffing
