Happy American Thanksgiving!!!

I say Happy American Thanksgiving because Canadian Thanksgiving takes place in the beginning of October.  People say, “Weird!  In October?  Do Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving?  Were there Pilgrims in Canada?  I don’t get it!”.  I didn’t either, but I did some research + there’s lots of different reasons for Canadian Thanksgiving – “Jour de l’Action de Grace” in Canadian French thankyouverymuch.

1)Martin Frobisher searching for the Northwest Passage, built a settlement in 1578 + gave thanks for their arrival in a strange land

2)French settlers in the early 1600’s sharing their food with the people of the First Nations

3)Celebration of the end of the Seven Years’ War in 1763, when the French handed Halifax over to the British

4)In 1838 Lower Canada celebrated Thanksgiving to mark the end of the Lower Canada Rebellion (conflict of French Quebec + the British)

5)In 1872 to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales who was seriously ill

There are a heck of a lot more reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada than in the United States.  We just have our Pilgrims.

Anyway, Thanksgiving is a very big deal in the Nishino household.  The Nishinos have a lot to be thankful for.  And we like to eat.  A lot.  My mom loves to have people over who’s families live far away.  So my gal pal Debbie + Kaori (a regular fixture at Nishino holidays) were also in attendance.  Look at my mom’s face!!!  She gets SO PSYCHED!!!  She love being surrounded by lots + lots of people.  It’s like her cocaine.Poor dad needs some bro time.  Jeff needs to get here soon.

I was looking through my mom’s recipe collection + I found these:     

They’re from the late 60’s, y’all!!!  Way-out Waffles!  Mod Madness!!!  I asked my mom, “These don’t look used at all.  I bet you’ve never made these recipes + didn’t even realize they were in here.”  “Nope.” she replied.  My mom is the opposite of the stereotypical Japanese housewife.  She’s a terrible cook + can never follow recipes.  Once I tried something she made for dinner + was like, “BLECH!!!!  Why is this so sugary?!”.  This is when she realized that she had read the recipe wrong + used sugar instead of salt.  Yep.  It’s true.

Debs + my mom.  Instant BFF.

We do have one family tradition.  My mom makes Loni Anderson’s stuffing every year.  Do you guys remember Loni Anderson?  She was on that sitcom, “WKRP in Cincinnati”!!!  AND she was once married to Burt Reynolds!!!!  Late 70’s power couple!!!!!  Loni Anderson is very special to us, + I will pass on the tradition at my Thanksgiving dinners + make her delicious stuffing.  I am thankful for Loni. 

Family photo #1.  My dad ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAAAAAYS blinks in photos!!!!  I yelled, “DAD!!!!  Open your eyes wide + KEEP THEM OPEN!!!”.  My poor dad. 

Family photo #2.  Debbie was like, “What are you trying to do?  Make your dad look crazy?”.  And everyone cracked up.  My poor dad.

Today was Black Friday.  Kaori + Debbie slept over – Kaori got up a 4:30am + left to go shop at Loehmann’s by the Beverly Center.  Mom, Debbie + I went to…….

That’s right!!!!  Recognize!!!  And by the way, it was my mom’s idea!!!  She was shoving Debbie + I out the door before we even wiped the sleep from our eyes!  50% off the whole store!!! Yippeee!!! 

Look at this beautiful alpaca rug!  It’s incredibly sooooft!!!!  I also found a vintage Geoffrey Beene blouse, a spa robe + a tie dye night shirt.  All for $24!!!  My mom scored a desk + I found Debbie a vintage preppy wool blazer in amazing condition + a cute Banana Republic shirt!!!  What a fun holiday!!!  Now, it’s back to packing my condo….yuck.