Thanksgiving Mandarin Style?

Thanksgiving. What a day. It was so different, but at the same time very similar to back home. I never realized the stress that comes with cooking things so that they'll be ready on time and remain warm so that it can be eaten warm.

Lauren and I woke up pretty early to start setting up. We went down to the Kindergarten cafeteria and put some red tablecloths down. I made a table runner out of the checkered table cloth and then we put down the paper cup turkeys that Lauren made with her kids this week. We put up the rest of the arts and crafts that were made and it really came together. A Chinese cafeteria began to look a little bit American and more homey. The rest of the day was spent helping people prepare their dishes and clean up their messes.

Around 2 was when I started my potatoes. I went down to the Kindergarten kitchen to boil the potatoes in what seemed like an oversized wok. The potatoes turned out to be easier than I thought they'd be. As soon as they were done boiling I transferred them to the bowl, mixed in the butter and garlic and began to mash. They were super soft so it wasn't a problem that I had two pieces of squiggly wire to call a masher. Dad, they turned out to be really tasty! I didn't want to have high hopes for them, but I totally did and it worked. They were potatoes worthy of our American Thanksgiving. And the girls loved them! Mom sent me three packets of pearls to make, which were really good, but the girls liked the ones I made from scratch best. It was so nice!

My two favorite dishes besides my potatoes were the roast that Lauren made and the sweet potato pie that Jessica made. Oh my goodness! I was back home for a second. The roast tasted just like home and the sweet potato pie melted in my mouth. It was all so delicious. I was so full. I don't even get that full back home on Thanksgiving. It was a good night beside the fact that Bailey shook the bottle of vinaigrette all over me. Oh! And there was jello, chocolate cake and pumpkin pie! So yummy in the tummy.