Everybody’s family does Thanksgiving differently, so we’re sharing about those first times celebrating with your in-laws and what seems normal to one of us that seems odd to the other. Yep, there were a few “surprises” we experienced. And we actually have some farmhouse and garden updates this time! In the food section I’m listing some favorite Thanksgiving recipes for things that aren’t on the usual menu. And we both share our latest cool discoveries.
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We started the episode with an update of our dog, Samson, who we had centered episode 62 around as we navigated taking care of an old dog including feeding him real food.
Sadly, we discovered a tumor under his chin which was causing him to not eat, lose weight, and get progressively weaker even with the better diet. We said goodbye to him on a beautiful but sad fall day and buried him near our cherry tree with the little marker Brian made that you see above (which is just white spray paint – not sure why it looks glowing in the photo!).
Many who are newsletter subscribers or blog readers already know of this, but we wanted to update everyone especially since we had just talked about him on the podcast.
In case you missed them, here’s my tribute to our sweet dog and here’s where I mentioned him on the Good Things List, because he was a major good thing for our family.
Thanksgiving Surprises
While this part of the episode was made up of memories, I thought I’d link to some Thanksgiving helps for you in creating your own family memories:
- 23 Last Minute Thanksgiving Ideas: Things To Do, To Eat, & To Look At
- Thanksgiving Week Checklist Printable & Time Management Tips (This article has good tips, but the printable is now included in the season-long Holiday Planner.)
- Beautiful & Unique Thanksgiving Tablescapes
Farmhouse Updates
We’ve started on the kitchen demo as the first step to get some engineering done for the beam we need to replace the load-bearing wall that you see above. You can also catch a glimpse of the original beadboard ceiling that was under the wallboard – and finally it’s some original wood that’s usable – yay!
Fun fact (said with irony): taking apart the house is showing us how poorly made it was. There are posts that just end in the middle of the walls, doors and windows with no headers, and the main “beam” in the load-bearing wall is a 1×6. I kid you not – 1 inch thick. It looks like a joke.
So much for “they don’t make them like they use to,” ha! Also, for anyone wondering when we’ll be moving it – yeah looks like it will be awhile, doesn’t it?
In other news we finally passed all the insulation for the walls, so we can start on the wallboard and wood we plan on installing.
Confession: we haven’t gotten much done on our fall yard to-do list. So I mentioned in the show the mound and brick wall we’d already done, totally forgetting we had already mentioned that. So yeah – you’re not crazy and we don’t have two mounds and brick walls, lol. (You can see the before and afters of the mound in this Good Things List.)
Though we have been getting more things done since recording, so there will be a true update on our yard progress soon!
What’s Cooking: Thanksgiving Food Options
You can listen to what our favorite traditional thanksgiving foods are with links to those recipes in this podcast episode. Or head to this page on the blog that holds everything Thanksgiving.
Here are a few dishes that aren’t as traditional, but would be fun additions to the menu:
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Grandma’s Baked Tasty Rice
- Easy Baked Potato Fans (Hasselback Potatoes)
- Spicy Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
- Lemon Garlic Baked Carrots (amazing flavor!)
- Kale Cranberry Salad with Feta & Pecans
This is Really Cool!
Brian’s: Pebble Smartwatch, and affordable option with a community that’s committed to keeping it updated.
Jami’s: Sloggers Rain/Garden Boots, the short version for more flexibility with garden chores. Plus they’re super comfortable!
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Corrie says
Happy almost Thanksgiving to you! I loved the pic of your farmhouse progress, and would be delighted if you share more about your farmhouse process. (I’m living vicariously through you, because I’ve always be SOOO curious what it would be like to restore the old farmhouses I grew up passing on the highway in Ohio.)
Jami says
And to you, too, Corrie. 🙂
We will definitely be sharing our progress on the farmhouse! It’s just a bit slow for us right now with all the underlayment and permit process. But we hope to get some pretty things going in the next few months to share, so stay tuned. Do you subscribe to my weekly newsletter? You’ll usually learn first-hand things there and some behind the scenes stuff. 🙂
Beth says
Thank you so much for the link to the Sloggers garden boots! I can totally relate to the too-long/uncomfortable syndrome of taller boots. Now all I have to do is choose a design. I was leaning towards the chickens on the daffodil yellow and then I saw the cows on the mint color. Decisions, decisions. Great price point and they look to be equally good quality.
Yay also for your progress on the farmhouse. I’m so glad to see that you’re honoring the house’s history and construction. I read recently about someone “bringing back” an old bungalow — which isn’t really quite what they did considering they took it down to the foundation and then built on that. Ah, well. Their house, their tacky (…oops! did I really say that LOL) reno. Happy Thanksgiving!
Jami says
Ha, you’re cracking me up, Beth!! (But totally agree based on some of the renos we’ve seen. *cough*)
I’m super happy the boots fit the bill for you, too – and I agree, they have a lot of fun designs.
Have a great holiday, too!
June Adamson says
Hi Jami — Hope you and your family are feeling somewhat better as the days go by. Just a quick thought — perhaps the marker is glowing because Samson is sending you a message that he is fine and not to worry! My mind works like that sometimes, but just a thought. Here’s wishing all of you a most happy Thanksgiving.
June
Jami says
Oh, that is so sweet June, to think of that. We’ll just go with it. 😉
Blessings!