'Friendsgiving' 2013

Even though we were celebrating Thanksgiving far from home and our families again this year, we still hosted a small table filled with friends that have become like family here in Germany. That's one amazing thing about military life...at home and abroad. While you may not be able to share stuffing with your mom, dad, or crazy Aunt Phyllis, you do get to celebrate with your adoptive family, courtesy of the US Air Force. If I can't be with my real family during the holidays, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be with. These friends are an extra special type of friend. Ones that have wiped tears through deployments & long TDYs, have rejoiced with you at homecomings, and have endured the same sacrifices as you've faced through the years. While they may not be blood, you create bonds that last a lifetime and move with you wherever the military sends you.

This was the first ever Thanksgiving dinner hosted at our place. After almost 7 years of marriage and homemaking, I'm almost ashamed to admit that! Needless to say, I'd been dying to host and cook a whole Thanksgiving feast all by myself, so this was the perfect opportunity to do just that. We have a small dining room (and tiny German oven!), so we could only invite a few of our dearest adoptive family members. I spent 2 weeks before the big feast planning the menu, shopping for fun tablescape decorations (I think I pulled off my rustic forest-inspired tablescape quite well--take that Sandra Lee!), and thinking up ways to make our guests feel special seeing as they were all celebrating far from home as well. D was a champ and helped wash dishes as I dirtied them up cooking and calmed my nerves when I started doubting my shaved brussels sprout salad. He made for an excellent sous chef...I think I'll keep him! :) From the second the turkey went in the oven until the moment it went into our bellies (well, not my belly, but you get the idea), everything went like clockwork. I've gotta give myself a major pat on the back for executing such a spread my first go-round! Here was what I cooked:

Cajun Roasted Turkey Breast w/Gravy

Honey Glazed Ham

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Roasted Garlic & Chive Mashed Potatoes

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad w/Bacon & Pecorino

Sweet Potato Casserole

Fresh Cranberry Chutney

Homemade Dark & White Chocolate Caramel Apples

We also had Green Bean Casserole, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, and an Apple Torte contributed by my sweet guests. To say were STUFFED would be a complete understatement! D and I munched on leftovers for 3 days after. Thanksgiving leftovers are the best kind of leftovers, I've decided. Turns out, this Thanksgiving feast thing isn't so hard. I can only imagine the feast I could put together with an American sized kitchen! Add that to the list of pros for moving back stateside next year! Suffice it to say, this Thanksgiving abroad was pretty darn wonderful. Our table, bellies, and hearts were full that day and I'm so thankful to have been able to host this year. 

Next year, though, I'll leave the cooking to my mom and MIL. ;) 

Tell me...how was your Turkey Day this year?

With A Thankful Heart

I've been sitting here staring at the blinking cursor on my screen for about an hour now. Sometimes the words just won't come. Sometimes they've already been said and are just as relevant now as they were when I first said them. Seems to always be the case when I want to write about Thanksgiving. All the things I'm thankful for, I've been thankful for having the last 3 years of my life. Heck, for some things, even longer. I feel silly beating a dead horse. You know I'm thankful for my amazing husband, the opportunity to live abroad, my family, my friends, our health...all the things that make this life so good, I'm absolutely thankful for. But I guess the trick is genuinely being thankful for each of these blessings more than just one day a year. Why don't we write about all the ways we're thankful any other time of year? Are we any less thankful on St. Paddy's Day? Do we forget our blessings in June? Not likely. Life gets busy, days get shorter (or at least they seem to), and while it may not be intentional, we let Thanksgiving bare the weight of all our thankfulness for the entire year. Seems a shame America is so keen on skipping right over it. Poor Thanksgiving.

As I've been prepping for our last Thanksgiving abroad, I've also been reflecting on how amazing this past year has been, all the places we've visited and the mercy we've been shown. But as I've counted my blessings I've felt convicted in not sharing my thankfulness the whole year through. I, too, am guilty of letting the 4th Thursday of November solely bare the weight of my gratitude. That's when the thought hit me like a ton of bricks (the Lord is always good at that ton of bricks thing with me)...Thanksgiving should not be just a day, but a season. We should be shamelessly thankful all year round, no matter the day or the month or the condition of our hearts. Gratitude magnifies the good things in our lives. Life tastes better, looks better, and feels better with perpetuity of thanksgiving. Filling a moment with thanksgiving adds meaning to otherwise meaningless activities. Gratitude also helps us to endure the hard parts of life with dignity. We cheat ourselves when we choose to express our thankfuness just once a year, not to mention the ones we owe our gratitude to as well.

This year, I decided to give Thanksgiving a fighting chance. As much as I wanted to bust out my Christmas tree, forget the turkey (which I already can't stand anyway), and get on with my favorite holiday of the year, I'm taking time to savor Thanksgiving and its purpose in our ever-busying lives. Instead of expressing gratitude today only, I'm committing to sharing more of my thankful heart throughout the other 364 days of the year. I challenge each of you to a season of Thanksgiving, not just a day. Embrace the joy that a lifetime of thankfulness brings.

Well, that's all from Germany! I'm signing off for the rest of the week to be fully present in Thanksgiving this year. Here's wishing you full bellies and blessings this holiday season! Until next week...

Happy Thanksgiving, from our table to yours!

The Thankful Post

{I actually wrote this very post a year ago last Thanksgiving...but when finding the words to express what I'm thankful for this year, no words rang truer than those I wrote last year. So, I added a few words and a bunch of new photos and voilà, the thankful post was re-born! It's amazing to see how even though life has changed so much over the last year, the same thankful heart still remains.}

...My AH-MAZING husband. He's the peanut butter to my jelly, my favorite travel buddy, and the best smelling guy around. God broke the mold when He made D, and He made him just for me. I'm quite sure I'm the luckiest girl in the world. Postitive, actually. I couldn't imagine spending one second of this life without him...and we've built an awesome one together. 12 years together, never wavering, and he still gives me butterflies. Talk about some good, good lovin'. I love you more today than yesterday, D...until my forever ends.

...Our wonderful, loving family. D and I are so blessed to have the most caring, thoughtful, and close knit bunch of knuckleheads we've ever met to share our lives with. You guys keep us grounded and remind us of the blessed life we come from. You're absolutely the bees knees and I thank my lucky stars God choose you to be our family. All of you. Even you, Wendy. :) Though we can't be there to share in all the food eating, Christmas decorating, and Catch Phrasing that's sure to happen this evening, just know we're there in spirit (probably kicking your butts too!). The most important thing in life is family and we've got a great one! See you all at Christmas!!

...Our ever-growing gaggle of friends! You guys have been so supportive and so understanding of what this crazy Air Force life has thrown our way these last 5 years. You cheer us on and keep in touch no matter the circumstances or the time of night (darn you 6 hour time difference!). I freakin' love that. Each of you are important to us in your own special way and I hope you know your friendships are cherished, so much, and we're grateful you deemed us worthy of sharing your lives! I know we don't get to see most of you often, but with friends like you, when we do get together, it's like no time has passed. That's true and beautiful friendship.

...Our sweet Tucker dog. He melted our hearts forever when we brought him home (a week before Thanksgiving) 6 years ago. OMG...that sweet puppy face. I tear up just thinking of him! We miss him, terribly. Every. Single. Day. But we both find comfort in knowing he's very loved and well taken care of with my parents back home. He gets all the belly rubs and soccer ball throwing sessions he could ever want living there with Grandma & Grandpa! We are so grateful to you for taking care of one of the most precious parts of our hearts, Mom and Dad!

...Our health. So many people take that for granted these days. I'm glad D and I have had no major medical problems (thus far). We continue to treat our bodies with respect and hope to be able to use them for as long as God will allow us. I know that sounds so weird to say, but other's aren't so fortunate. I'm also thankful for the health and well being of all of our family and friends. Take your vitamins, exercise, and eat healthfully, people!

...Technology. A strange thing to be thankful for, but without telephones, Facebook, Skype, and this very blog, I don't know how D and I would ever make it out here. After the "Dark Days" of no internet that we experienced this past September/October, I've grown to appreciate technology so much more. Keeping in contact with the those we love is SO important to us. With all these avenues of communication, we don't have to miss babies being born, hilariously themed parties, Thanksgiving dinners, or weekly calls with girlfriends. We love keeping up with every joyous occasion as well as tribulations in all of your lives and we're thankful we're able to share the same with you!

...D's job. While military life can be chaotic and ever-changing, it's provided us with a steady income in a messed up economy, a sense of pride that can only come with serving a purpose greater than ourseleves, and a number of outstanding opportunities to experience a life we never thought possible...most notably living in Germany and traveling Europe! As much as we both miss home, miss the holidays with family and friends, and spending time with each other when the Air Force calls...I wouldn't change a single thing.

Leila Wylie Photography 2010-D's Homecoming

...Our gracious and merciful Heavenly Father. Without His constant love and guidance, D and I would be two hopelessly lost people. We may not be the best Christians in the world, but our God is forgiving and patient. He loves us unconditionally, faults and skeletons aside. No matter the day, the hour, or the minute, He is with us. That brings me peace. God always provides for us both and never ceases to amaze us with his many blessings on our family. I find so much comfort in knowing He knows everything about us, every fiber of our being, and He created us in His perfect image so that we might find joy and happiness among the trouble and despair of this Earth. I know He has great plans for our lives and I'm so thankful for His teachings and His presence in our family. I'm also thankful to both of our parents for instilling the need for God in us and for taking us to church every Sunday to learn His Word. We are lucky to have parents who care about the well-being of our souls. We are also blessed to have such wonderful examples of Christian marriage. Our cups runneth over!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. -Psalms 118:1

As you can see, even with life's uncertain and hectic nature, we all have SO much to be thankful for. In addition to each of these things, I would also like to thank our United States military for all their sacrifices throughout the year. I know many of you are without your loved ones and missing holidays to fight for our great country. That never goes unnoticed in our home. Thank you for all you do to defend our freedom!

Happy Thanksgiving, to each of you! May your bellies and heart's be full today and everyday! Lots of love from Germany!

Why I'll Be Going to the Gym on Turkey Day

It's no surprise that we won't be spending Thanksgiving back home in North Carolina once again this year. With our pending trip home for Christmas, it just didn't make since to hop a flight back for Thanksgving as well. As much as I'd love to be scarfing down my mother-in-law's honey glazed ham and my mom's pineapple casserole in front of an already lit Christmas tree, we'll staying put in Germany and enjoying a Thanksgiving dinner with some dear friends. On the menu this year is of course, a turkey (which I won't be eating...hate it...I know, I'm sooooo un-American), stuffing, green bean casserole, corn, cranberry sauce, rolls, and inevitably something pumpkiny. In addition, Team Coté will be bringing the Most Bangin' Mac & Cheese in the History of Everdom (it's so good, it got its own ridiculously long name) and my MeeMaw's Sweet Potato Casserole (recipe is under lock and key, so no blog posts for you folks, sorry!). Sounds like a meal fit for a king, right? I've already got my stretchy pants out and ready to go. 

Let's get our gobble on!

Turkey Day Fun Facts

Did you know?...

+ The average American consumes 4,500 calories and enough fat to equal 3 sticks of butter on Thanksgiving Day, according to the Calorie Control Council (meet you guys at the gym before dinner? Yeesh!)

+ Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the US...who knew?

+ Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird of the United States to be a turkey. (For the record, thank goodness Ben lost that battle. Could you imagine having a turkey as a symbol of our nation's freedom? The bald eagle is a much more bad a$$ choice.)

+ Turkey has more protein than chicken or beef.

+ Alcoholic beverages and overeating are typically what contribute to that after dinner nap on Thanksgiving, not the tryptophan from the turkey.

+ Sara Josepha Hale, an American magazine editor, persuaded Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. She is also the author of the popular nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb."

+ The Dallas Cowboys have hosted a game every Thanksgiving day since 1966 (except 1975 & 1977).

+ Foods served at the first Thanksgiving were deer, sea bass, flint corn, shellfish, cod, and various kinds of fowl.

+ Due to white meat being the most popular part of a turkey, turkeys have been bred to have huge breasts. So much so, that modern day domesticated turkeys are unable to mate due to the breast getting in the way. Many hatcheries use artificial insemination to fertilize the eggs of the domestic turkey (this fact is precisely why I don't eat turkey...blech).

+ The busiest airports on Thanksgiving Day are: O'Hare Int, Chicago | LA Int, Los Angeles | Logan Int, Boston | LaGuardia, NYC | San Francisco Int, San Francisco. 

+ 56% of holiday drivers travel over 100 miles to their Thanksgiving dinners.

+ The Snoopy balloon has appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade more than any other balloon.

+ Now a Thanksgiving dinner staple, cranberries were once used by Native Americans to treat arrow wounds and dye clothing.

+ 50% of Americans put the stuffing inside the turkey.

So, what are your plans this Thanksgiving? Will you be dining around a table full of family and friends or vacationing with a loved one? What's on your Thanksgiving menu? Will your stuffing be cooked inside or outside the turkey? Share recipes if you'd like!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, everyone!

Thanksgive{ME} some more mac & cheese, please!

Umm excuse me Father Time, but why are we speeding up life these days? I swear Thanksgiving flew in, coughed up some turkey, and peaced out just about as quick as it came. I felt like I just wrote my thankful post 20 minutes ago. Not 5 days ago. Holy mackerel. Such is the nature of the holidays, I guess! We had a super restful yet productive Thanksgiving weekend. D got off work early on Wednesday (heck yes!), so we got to savor an extra half day of peace and quiet with one another. Add that to my list of things I'm thankful for.

Thursday was spent cooking up a storm. No lie. The smells that were coming from my oven were simply heavenly. Not only did I cook for D and myself, but I also made a green bean casserole and some stuffing to send to D's troops who were stuck working on Thanksgiving. I know what it's like to have a hubby that's essential personnel AND on shift work during the holidays. Been there, hated that. So, I couldn't let those 4 troopers miss out on a yummy Thanksgiving...even if it was from florescent lighted cubicles. D dropped off the food and the boys were all super grateful, and needless to day, scarfed it all down. Totally blessed my heart. 

Now onto our CHEEZAPALOOZA THANKSGIVING! 

Here's a few snapshots taken of our meal prep:

Is there anything hotter than a man in the kitchen? I think not. Grate that cheese, baby!

Just call me Betty Crocker! My hair was rockin' that day. 'Twas a Thanksgiving miracle.

Finally, it was time for D and I to inhale our Thanksgiving bounty...and oh what a cheesy bounty it was! If you guys didn't already know, my hubby is an absolute sweetheart. He's pretty much as thoughtful as thoughtful gets. True story. While I was putting the finishing touches on our dessert...he took it upon himself to give our living room some romantic Thanksgiving ambiance. Yep, we ate our delicious Thanksgiving meal at our coffee table. We've got a perfectly good dining room complete with a fabulous table, but D and I wanted to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade while eating (seriously, it's not like the President was coming to eat with us or anything). With the 6 hour time difference from the East Coast...the parade fell in perfect timing with our meal. I quite enjoyed eating in front of the boob tube. And to be honest, that's where we eat the majority of our meals anyway. Why should Thanksgiving be any different?

Before we dug in, I forced asked D to indulge me in a little Thanksgiving photo shoot in front of our glorious spread of food. He obliged, so we sat the camera timer and captured these gems. By the way, how cool is it that the Pumpkin Sekt was actually orange? Very cool, if you ask me.

And here is D going in for round 2. Oh, but wait! Is that a little white flag I see? Yeah, he didn't make it through plate 2 before he had to surrender to the full belly gods. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving if you didn't throw in a little gluttonous misery in the mix. I must admit, all of our dishes came out pretty darn well. I had to improvise with my mac & cheese a bit because our Commissary didn't have the proper cheese (of course). But it was still bangin', nevertheless. D was in charge of cooking the ham. I almost couldn't believe how tasty it turned out! This man has come a long way in his cooking abilities. A LONG way. I might have to start washing the dishes and let him do the cooking! 

Ha...fat chance.

As for the Salted Caramel Cheesecake Pie...it tasted just as good as it looked. Oh yes. Although, I think I could have done without the salt added to the caramel sauce...but D loved the saltiness. Frankly, I was just floored I made a caramel sauce from scratch for the first time ever. It was my crowning achievement for this Thanksgiving meal. 

After we ate our fill, we squeezed in a little Skype time with both of our families. We literally watched my family eat their Thanksgiving dinner. It was like we were there...didn't miss a beat. I got to hear my sweet little nephew tell me he wanted a cup, just a cup, for Christmas (can't believe he's talking now!) and we even participated in a little Just Dance 3 Wii action with my little sis and cousin. D was the winner. I know. Pick your jaw up off the floor. That boy's got moves you ain't never seen before (seriously, what movie is that from? I can totally hear it in my head).

Aren't Skype snapshots great?!

Friday, we did a whole lotta nuttin'. I still in a food coma and was kind of mourning the loss of standing in line at 6 am at Target (if you can hear me Target, I miss you!) with all the other crazy Black Friday patrons. D, on the other hand, decided to wake up at 2:30am and went to stand out in the freezing cold at the Power Zone (kind of like the military version of Best Buy) to see what kinds of deals he could scrounge up. I stayed in my warm, comfy bed. No amount of deeply discounted electronics could have dragged me out of there. If it had been Target, though, I might not have got my pants on (at all) before I'd run out the door to get there! So, like I said, we pretty much did nothing all day...until...we FINALLY went to see Breaking Dawn! Go ahead, hate all you want (cuz haters gonna hate)...but it was great. Not my favorite of the Twilight series, but still worth watching. I even had the most Twilight appropriate movie snack this side of the Atlantic. Seriously, German's? What kind of gummies do you not make?

After finally recovering from our Thanksgiving food coma's, Saturday and Sunday of our long weekend were spent out and about in Germany. We took a trip to Cologne on Saturday and got our yearly Griswold Family Christmas Tree on Sunday! That was an adventure in itself. Check back soon for those posts!

So, there you go. That was our first German Thanksgiving, in a nutshell! We did miss being home with our families, but we made due as always. Now, Team Coté is looking forward to all things CHRISTMAS! Decorating, traveling, and Christmas Markets galore! Stay tuned!

I'm Thankful For...

...My AH-MAZING husband. He's the peanut butter to my jelly. God broke the mold when He made D, and He made him just for me. I'm quite sure I'm the luckiest girl in the world. Postitive, actually. I couldn't imagine spending one second of this life without him...and we've built an awesome one together. 11 years, never wavering, and he still gives me butterflies. Talk about some good, good lovin'. I love you more today than yesterday, D...until my forever ends.

...Our wonderfully loving family. D and I are so blessed to have the most caring, thoughtful, and close knit bunch of knuckleheads we've ever met to share our lives with. You guys keep us grounded and remind us of the blessed life we come from. You're absolutely the bees knees and I thank my lucky stars God choose you to be our family. All of you. Even you, Wendy. :) Though we can't be there to share in all the food eating, Christmas decorating, and Catch Phrasing that's sure to happen this evening, just know we're there in spirit (probably kicking your butts too!). The most important thing in life is family and we've got a great one!

...Our ever-growing gaggle of friends. You guys are so supportive and so understanding of what this crazy Air Force life has thrown our way these last 4 years. You cheer us on and keep in touch no matter the circumstances. I freakin' love that. Each of you are important to us in your own special way and I hope you know your friendships are cherished, so much, and we're grateful you deemed us worthy of sharing your lives! I know we don't get to see most of you often, but with friends like you, when we do get together, it's like no time has passed. That's true and beautiful friendship.

...Our sweet Tucker dog. He melted our hearts forever when we brought him home (a week before Thanksgiving) 5 years ago. OMG...that sweet puppy face. I tear up just thinking of him! We miss him, terribly. Every. Single. Day. But we both find comfort in knowing he's very loved and well taken care of with my parent's back home. He gets all the belly rubs and soccer ball throwing sessions he could ever want living there with Grandma & Grandpa! We are so grateful to you for taking care of one of the most precious parts of our lives, Mom and Dad!

...Our health. So many people take that for granted these days. I'm glad D and I have had no major medical problems (thus far). We continue to treat our bodies with respect and hope to be able to use them for as long as God will allow us. I know that sounds so weird to say, but other's aren't so fortunate. I'm also thankful for the health and well being of all of our family and friends.

...Technology. Yep, another strange thing to be thankful for, but without telephones, Facebook, Skype, and this very blog, I don't know how D and I would ever make it out here. Keeping in contact with the those we love is SO important to us. With all these avenues of communication, we don't have to miss babies being born, hilariously themed parties, Thanksgiving dinners, or weekly calls with girlfriends. We love keeping up with every joyous occasion as well as tribulations in all of your lives and we're thankful we're able to share the same with you!

...D's job. While military life can be chaotic and ever-changing, it's provided us with a steady income in a messed up economy, a sense of pride that can only come with serving a purpose greater than ourseleves, and a number of outstanding opportunities to experience a life we never thought possible...most notably living in Germany and traveling Europe! As much as we both miss home, miss the holidays with family and friends, and spending time with each other when the Air Force calls...I wouldn't change a single thing.

...Our gracious and merciful Heavenly Father. Without His constant love and guidance, D and I would be two hopelessly lost people. We may not be the best Christians in the world, but our God is forgiving and patient. He loves us unconditionally, faults and skeletons aside. No matter the day, the hour, or the minute, He is with us. That brings me peace. God always provides for D and myself. He never ceases to amaze us with his many blessings on our family. I find so much comfort in knowing He knows everything about us, every fiber of our being, and He created us in His perfect image so that we might find joy and happiness among the trouble and despair of this Earth. I know He has great plans for our lives and I'm so thankful for His teachings and His presence in our family. I'm also thankful to both of our parents for instilling the need for God in us and for taking us to church every Sunday's to learn His Word. We are lucky to have parents who care about the well-being of our souls. We are also blessed to have such wonderful examples of Christian marriage. Our cups runneth over!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. -Psalms 118:1

As you can see, even with life's uncertain and hectic nature, we all have SO much to be thankful for. In addition to each of these things, I would also like to thank our United States military for all their sacrifices throughout the year. I know many of you are without your loved ones and missing holidays to fight for our great country. That never goes unnoticed in our home. Thank you for all you do to defend our freedom!

Happy Thanksgiving, to each of you! May your bellies and heart's be full today and everyday! Lots of love from Germany!