Gobble, Gobble! (gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, seriously, stop eating...)

This table was clean for 2 days only...the day before and the day of Thanksgiving. That plate has been cleaned and refilled and cleaned and refilled and cleaned and refilled...WWF (Writing while fat...or full)

This week has been a bit of a faux break. 
I am so thankful that I got a week off from actual work where I had to wake up and follow a schedule. We also got to spend a little time with our awesome families.
I knew though, that I could not sit around all week and do nothing...or things I wanted to do (like watch 48 recorded episodes of Ellen...Oh, I will watch them)...
Because there are 2 more major papers due before the middle of December and my house hadn't been deep cleaned in approximately 2 months. 
This week, though, was a tiny taste of true freedom coming in about 3 weeks. 

So now as I sit in my 65 degree house (supposed to be grading) and watch the rain outside in my awesomely more clean house, I rehash Thanksgiving:

These people snapped 4 pounds of green beans for me while I prepared to cook other dishes. While he enjoyed his "dinner job", he did not enjoy the finished product and dramatically threw up the green bean I made him eat right in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner. I'm not bitter at all.

The most important part of Thanksgiving was inviting my favorite guests to this day and every day: Carbs.

I have this cookbook put together by Mormon moms and it is fantastic.  Everything I make from it gets compliments and it comprises 1/2 of our weeknight dinners. 

They have a recipe for yeasty rolls that they swore was both delicious and easy. I made them a month back and they turned out perfect until I bit into one and realized I forgot to add salt. 
Take Two.

 This is the yeast that I should have let rise in a bowl. V and I exchanged several inappropriate texts about this picture.

 Once you section off the dough into 24 rolls that are supposed to be the same size (*cough) you then cover...

 And Ta-Da!

 They continue to rise even before they're baked!

Then you bake them and the smell of fresh bread baking makes you want to eat your house...

They are so good. They remind me of how much I think I loved school cafeteria rolls. 
I wore tight jeans to dinner to prevent myself from eating 12 of them. 


Thanksgiving was filled with too much food and more food. 
While I did not do Black Friday, I admit I went to Target last night at 10 PM but ONLY because I needed half and half for the quiche I was making for breakfast this morning. The grocery store was closed. So while I was ushered through aisles to the registers with peoples' carts full of TVs and electronics, I stood there (very judgingly) holding my half and half. Thanks Target employees for opening at 6 PM on Thanksgiving so that I could make my quiche. For you, I am thankful.

 

I am so very thankful for my friends and family both on this day and every day. With all the ugly that exists in the world, it's nice to have people love you no matter how weird you are. 

and dogs...