thinking turkey

Boy, it's time to start thinking about the turkey. I plan a big meal every year.I make everything homemade on Thanksgiving. I start a week in advanced. noodles, pie crust ext.. I realy go out of my way for a fabulous dinner. I start planning right now. I then make a menu and then pass it out to our family as they come over. See this is exciting to me. I love to see there faces when I give them the menu. Every year I make something 'new'. I also do traditional things. Sweet potato pie, mashed sweet potatos, homemade noodles, pumpkin pie. (NOT FROM A CAN) I tell people that I bake my pumpkins then cook them.This blows people away. It is realy simple to. Anyway, Our kids have a craft of some kind they do also on thanksgiving. Two years ago they made indian hats. That was fun for them. Two years ago I started making everyone at the table tell what they are thankful for. I realy want that to be something we do every year. The turkey in the photo is not mine :) it is however a candidate for my menu. I have a few recipes im looking at. Im joyest about the holiday season. I hope it brings great joy this year.