Since my dad's death a year ago, my brother has taken over most of the care of our mom (a weekly visit, taking care of her finances, her meds, etc.), so he has decided to take mom out to a restaurant for Thanksgiving with his children and grandchildren without consenting anyone. My mother HATES to go out to restaurants on holidays, but we can't seem to get that through my brother's head.
He and his wife are anti-foodies, if there's such a thing. They raised their kids on hot dogs, pizza, take-out, cereal, frozen foods, and whatever was the quickest and easiest thing to feed them. They've been to France, Italy, Ireland, and England and really didn't think much of the foods anywhere they went.
Anyway, mom is too nice to say anything to him, figuring he does so much for her. This is in spite of the fact that my eldest 2 sisters, their families, and mine are willing to go down to mom's house the night before or early the morning of Thanksgiving and prepare everything at home like my parents did for 68 years. So, everyone is going down to mom's the weekend before for the feast to have a proper Thanksgiving dinner. Well, everyone except my brother, his family, and me. I have to work the weekend before.
Now, I really wanted to see my 91 year old mother, and I absolutely LOVE turkey, and all of the foods associated with Thanksgiving, so I called my brother to see if my family could join his and our mom in whatever restaurant they go to on the holiday itself. At least restaurant turkey with mom is better than nothing, so I'm waiting to hear if he was able to add 3 more people to his reservation. I've been waiting since Wednesday.
If all else fails, I'm going to make my own small turkey and sausage/herb dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce, steamed string beans, mashed rutabaga, and pearl onions in cream sauce sometime over the following weekend.
), so I got this bright idea. A local bakery who makes very tasty treats will be making a small version of the top layer of our wedding cake. 
Needless to say, I'll also be making a pumpkin pie. Don't want my SIL and her hubby mad at me. 
'til you just can't eat another bite. Yet you want to. So the guests go home, fall in bed still full, with happy memories. Then next morning when everyone wakes up, their first thoughts go to that great dinner. And they want more. But thanks to the American tradition, there are leftovers that your hostess so graciously gave you in the fridge, and a bite or two before breakfast is called for. What will it be? The stuffing? Those creamy potatoes? Aha! The pumpkin pie. Just a small slice will do. 
