Thanksgiving in Pittsburgh

I get really excited about heading down to Pittsburgh every year to see my husband's family. Our celebration occurs on the weekend. We usually have about 2 dozen people gather together for order-in Chinese food on Friday, family games, arts & crafts, inappropriate jokes/conversation, and of course- awesome T-Day food on Saturday! 

2 things were going to sweeten the deal this year:

1) Fried turkey. I'm a sorry excuse for a Southerner.  I never had this before. Now, I can say I have. And it is freaking amazing.

HECK YEAH

2) My friend from LA, Thuy, was coming to join us for dinner with her boyfriend! This is what they arrived to once entering the house.

Club music and duct tape fashion. We do a contest every year for best design.

Our winning cousin.  Ladies, he's single. Yes, that's my niece behind him.   Everyone in the family is fairly subjected to the weirdness.

Family Toast

Random photos:

The family's Italian so pasta dishes are common. During the day on Saturday, we had two different types of ravioli: one creamy savory one and a sweet cranberry walnut one.  I'm dying just remembering how they tasted!

My friend Thuy and I.  Such a flattering picture of us.   I hope she liked the gathering. We danced with all of the girls to an endless playlist of Taylor Swift songs.  Which can be viewed as a good or bad time.

I had to.

When we returned to NYC, I raided our cramped mailbox. Among all of the dumb bills and evil offers to open up a credit card, I spotted mail from my friend Judy.  I was so thrilled to open up a Thanksgiving card. I have crazy respect for this girl who takes every holiday seriously. (I fully expect a President's Day card, Judes).

Anyway, one of the best things about her cards is that she includes a compilation of quotes that she and our other friend Taryn write down in little notepads. It doesn't matter where we are. We could be camping, chilling at the beach, making toasts at a bar...these girls have their note pads ready to document usually absurd but sometimes enlightening words.  Actually no, they are ALWAYS absurd sayings. Immortalized on paper.

Taryn asleep while writing in her book on a road trip in Mexico. Lots of interesting things said in that country.


I am thankful for all the strange and beautiful people in my life.  All of you.