Who Says Thanksgiving Has to Be Next Thursday

I am visiting North Carolina with my husband and son to spend Thanksgiving with my in-law's.  I am excited because unlike many, I get along with them fabulously and there is never any holiday drama.  Plus my mother-in-law and sister-in-law know how to throw down. Yum! But I have be agonizing over the guilt that comes with leaving town and not being able to spend the holiday with my own family.  I try not to fee to bad because we always split the holidays and I know that we will spend Christmas with my family (which is the better holiday if you ask me) but I still feel bad. 

Over the years my family has changed a lot.  Those crazy,loud Thanksgiving dinners at my mom's place have dwindled over time.  People have passed away.  Children turned into adults with other plans.  Things changed.  So now Thanksgiving for my mom will be just her and my brother.  Just the two of them.  I kind of feel like it sucks but at least they have each other.  I would invite them to NC but we are staying for a whole week and I know my family well enough to know that they have no interest in being stuck at my mother-in-law's house for a week (not that she even has space for them).  And I also know that they definitely don't want to spend money on a hotel.

I think I'm a genius though because I just came up with a solution.  Two Thanksgivings in one week!  I love it.  We will have Thanksgiving dinner at my house on Tuesday night so my mother can attend and spend some quality time with her grandson.  Then we will do it all over again on Thursday.  This is going to be awesome.  Especially since I also decided that the only thing I am cooking from scratch on Tuesday is a whole chicken (turkey is over-rated).  Most of my sides will be popped in the oven - gotta love crescent rolls, or they will be whipped up by those awesome cooks at my local supermarket. 

I love food so this is really a great solution for everyone. I love my mom and although I know Thanksgiving without us won't break her spirit I know that having a small one with us will definitely lift her spirits up.