Thursday AM we all slept in a bit but the cooking starting around 10am. Levi and I did short "double brine" of our Trader Joe's fresh/brined turkey while Chelsey and Jane made deviled eggs, green bean caserole, and artichoke dip. Levi and Chelsey made this AMAZING stuffing with fresh sour dough bread and the turkey went into the oven around noon. While the house slowly filled with delicious smells, we played cards and watched the National Dog Show. We had to put the pet gate in front of the TV because the dogs would get all excited and jump at the screen. The turkey was done to perfection around 3pm, and we ate outside on their huge deck overlooking eternity. Later that evening we played more cards, made pumpkin pie and cheesecake and ate that with leftover turkey sliders on Hawaiian sweet rolls.
Friday morning Levi went to work and Jane and I went Christmas shopping for Levi and Chelsey. When we arrived on Wednesday we started a list of gift ideas and it was pretty long by Friday AM. We had a lot of fun and it was so easy since we weren't guessing about what they would want/need. When Levi got home we had lunch at In-N-Out and drove up to Lake Tahoe to the Squaw Valley ski resort. Squaw Valley hosted the Winter Olympics in the '50s and it is where Levi and Chelsey have their season passes. We walked around the village and went into a pet speciality store where the dogs (Zoe and Ari) tried on various outfits. It snowed a little on the way home, but we had lots of time to nap and chat in the car. When we got home it was more turkey sliders, pie and cheese cake.
Saturday AM Jane got up early and wrapped the gifts that we had bought on Friday, then we went out for brunch at an amazing breakfast place in Auburn called "Awful Annies". The food was terrific and afterwards did a little shopping there in the village. When we got home Jane and I finished packing and we bid a happy/sad goodbye to Chelsey, Zoe and Ari (the cats Moe, Junior and Jim were indifferent to our departure) and Levi drove us to the airport.
Overall, we have never felt more loved and honored when visiting family and we hope to visit again soon. Thank-you Levi and Chelsey for one of the best Thanksgiving holidays that we can remember!
Taking Zoe and Ari on a walk through the neighborhood
Levi turns the turkey as part of the top-secret "double brine" process
Stuffing and deviled eggs
Zoe is intently watching the dog show
Hanging out and playing cards while the turkey cooks
Video highlights of the Zoe and Ari doing trickes, Levi's turkey and Chelsey's first foray into bread making
Carving the bird
Table is set and the plates are loaded; we're ready for the best food of the year
Packing the car for our trip to Tahoe/Squaw Valley
The dogs and cats were always around
Chelsey first homemade bread loaf turned out great; it was cinnamon bread.
Waiting for our table Saturday AM at Awful Annie's
One last walk with the dogs through rural Auburn. The picture was taken from the end of Levi and Chelsey's driveway.
