Our Favorite Things #13 – Holidays

Read other favorites in Andi’s Attic >>

Thank you, Mystery Guest Blogger, for this delightful post just in time for Thanksgiving!

13. Our Favorite Holiday

November 25, 1880

Something that rarely happens has occurred. My sister Melinda and I discovered that we love the same holiday! After talking it over this Thanksgiving Day, we agreed that this is a favorite holiday for both of us. I guess we’d never talked about it before. Read on.

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Andi’s Story

I woke up early on November 25 and sprang to my window. It was a beautiful, late-fall day, and I was looking forward to riding Taffy this afternoon after school. Then in a flash I remembered. Today is Thanksgiving! My favorite holiday, and not just because there is no school.

Hooray! I thought. I leaped away from the window and picked out a set of clothes, a blue split skirt and a green blouse. I slipped them on and hurried out of my room. I heard voices downstairs but decided to take the risk. I jumped on the banister railing and slid down.

Halfway down, I spotted Chad near the dining room. Oh no! I thought. But his back was turned to me and it was too late to stop, anyway. As soon as I came to a stop at the bottom, his head whipped around. I’m in trouble now. I know Chad saw me slide down the banister. I gave Chad a feeble grin, “Happy thanksgiving,” I said.

“Andi,” he ground out, “this happens way too much, but since it’s thanksgiving, I reckon I’d better be thankful for you.”

Saved! I wish everyday was Thanksgiving!  I thought, “I’m thankful for you too.” I said and hurried to the kitchen.

“Happy thanksgiving, Andrea!” Mother’s cheerful voice rang out,

“Happy thanksgiving!” I called back, hurrying out to the barn. I had to see Taffy. “Happy Thanksgiving, girl,” I called to Taffy, giving her a flake of hay. I let myself into the stall and gave my horse a big hug, “There is so much we can do today,” I exclaimed. “Remember a year ago, when I was helping Mother get everything ready for our Thanksgiving dinner and then . . . “ I sighed, “I tripped, dumping the mashed potatoes on Chad’s lap. He won’t ever let me live that down.” I rubbed Taffy’s nose. “I ran out here in tears and stayed with you while things settled down in there.” Just thinking about it made me laugh, “You can be sure, Taffy, I won’t spill the potatoes this year.”

“Andrea! Come in please.” Mother’s voice broke into my daydreaming. She stood in the barndoor’s opening and beckoned to me.

Hmm, that much time had passed already? “Coming, Mother. Bye, girl.” I ran inside thinking of what I was going to do today. Once I was inside and sat down to Mother spoke up, “Andrea, you must help in the kitchen today, preparing for our Thanksgiving dinner.”

I nodded, not really listening but thinking about Taffy. Then I realized what Mother had said, “Mother! You are kidding, right?” I waited nervously.

“I do mean it, Andrea. You are making the Thanksgiving dinner.” Mother spoke calmly, as if she hadn’t just disrupted my world. 

“Seriously? Making the dinner?” I knew (and so did everyone else) that I am a horrible cook, “Give me a calf to lasso any day. Just please, no cooking.”

“That’s why you need to learn.” Mother used the tone that meant the discussion was closed, but I wasn’t done.

“But its Thanksgiving! Nobody will be thankful for my food.” I couldn’t do this. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, with such good food and so much fun. But help cooking the actual meal? I will ruin it! I had no choice, so my thoughts wandered to what I love most about Thanksgiving and what I like least.

Melinda’s Story

I watched my sister’s face grow upset. I know Andi really didn’t want to help cook our Thanksgiving meal. “Hey Andi. How about I help you cook the meal? I can give you tips and such.”

Andi’s face brightened. “Mother! Could she?”

I could see my mother thinking, “I suppose you could help, Melinda. Let Andrea pick what to have though, all right?”

Andi nodded eagerly, 

“Sure.” I was glad I could help my younger sister. After breakfast, Andi found me. “Thanks for being so willing to help me, Melinda, I didn’t know what I was going to do.” She smiled at me and slipped out the door before I could reply. “You’re welcome, Andi.” I whispered, thinking, That smile made my day. 

Later that morning, I knew Andi and I better start on the meal. Mother had put the turkey into the oven, but there were many things left to prepare. I walked out to the barn and found Andi brushing Taffy. “Hey Melinda.” She kept on brushing.

I held back a laugh. She had forgotten all about making our Thanksgiving dinner. “It’s time to get going on the Thanksgiving meal,” I reminded her. 

“Will you still help me?” she asked pleadingly.

“Of course.” I smiled,

Andi put her horse back in the stall and led the way inside. We discussed what to make, “We have the turkey. What about mashed potatoes?” I asked.

“Not mashed potatoes!” Andi grimaced. “What about baked potatoes?”

I laughed, knowing why she wasn’t found of repeating her potato spilling incident. I nodded. “What about…hm.. green beans, turkey, and baked potatoes? And maybe some bread that Mother made this morning.” I grinned. “And I do believe Luisa and Nila made a couple of pies.”

“Yum! That sounds good!” Andi exclaimed. “How about some turkey-shaped cookies to go with the pies?”

“Why not? Let’s get started.” We went into the kitchen and started everything. It wasn’t too hard, but I wondered how everything would turn out. While Andi sorted through the potatoes, I checked the turkey. It was coming along nicely. I opened three cans of beans from last summer’s canning and heated them.

We made the cookies together and shaped them into turkeys, leaves, and trees. Just before the meal was ready late that afternoon, I helped Andi pull the turkey and the potatoes out of the oven. “This is going to be good!” I said, thinking about the turkey and Thanksgiving. What great food for my favorite holiday!

Andi’s Story

“Yum! This looks delicious.” I said, agreeing with Melinda, I was proud that the turkey turned out well, or at least looked good! I had a plan to surprise everyone but still needed to put it into action. While Melinda faced the counter, I tiptoed over to the table where the turkey sat, I gently placed some turkey cookies inside the cooked turkey. This is going to be fun, I thought.

About five minutes later everyone sat down at the table, Cousin Daniel and his parents had come to visit a few days (unfortunately) but were staying in Fresno (fortunately). Mother looked over the meal, “This looks great, girls.” She sniffed. “Smells great too.”

Justin said grace then carved the turkey. Everyone dug into the turkey, baked potatoes, and green beans. We had never had turkey, potatoes, and beans before for thanksgiving but no one noticed.

“What is this?” Justin, who was cutting the turkey, found the cookies inside it. He didn’t pull out fresh, yummy cookies like I expected but instead pulled out soggy, wet cookies!

Oh no, what happened? I wondered, then it stuck me, I had set the cookies right into the juices. I should have known better. I didn’t say a word but slouched in my seat, Melinda was watching me out of the corner of her eye so I knew she had figured out what I did. 

“Um,” Mother hesitated, “turkey cookies inside a turkey?” 

I kept quiet, even though everyone knew I’d done it.  Mother took charge and in no time everything was almost all back to normal. At least Cousin Daniel had the sense to keep quiet this time. 

“What’s everyone’s favorite holiday?” Justin asked this question every year but everyone always liked answering.

“I like Christmas,” Mother, Daniel, and his parents all said at the same time.

“Easter.” Justin said. Mitch liked that best too. 

“I don’t have a favorite.” Chad always had the same answer. “I like ’em all.”

Melinda and I looked at each other. We knew our favorite. “Thanksgiving!” we chimed. 

From the Mystery Guest Blogger

Since thanksgiving is coming up next week, I thought this post was just in time. We all should be thankful for something. Here are some things we can be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Add your thanksgiving gratefulness in the comments below. Thanks for reading my guest post. Thanks so much, Mrs. Marlow, for letting me do this post. I had a lot of fun coming up with it and I can’t wait to do another.

• God
• That Jesus Christ died for our sins
• Family
• Friends
• Animals
• All the different seasons
• Food and watre
• This Andi Carter’s blog
• Books
• Writing
• Children
• The world
• Everything!

From Mrs. M

Coming up next Monday – Saturday. An entire week of Thanksgiving fun posts (plus a Black Friday giveaway)! And a “Story Behind the Thanksgiving Story” post on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. You will not want to miss a single post!

Sneak Peek: Andi, Riley, and Mother intend to enjoy a quiet Thanksgiving at home when the rest of the Carter siblings spend the holiday with their wives, husbands, or special other. Andi’s first Thanksgiving to host at Memory Creek! What could possibly go wrong? Plenty!