Saturday, November 28, 2009

Family Room for Thanksgiving.

I'm participating in Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch. Thanks to Susan!

I'm eating a breakfast of champions: deviled eggs and pecan pie and I'm feeling very sentimental about family and home at Thanksgiving. Grandpa Joe arrives with pies (they brought 2 pumpkin, 2 pecan, and 2 dozen deviled eggs - 48 halves):
PB261911-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Joe-Pies-Car

But this is about architecture and design, so I'm thinking about and thanking Bill Harrison and Gordon Stringer who gave our little house a big, flexible, comfortable, practical space for enjoying family.

We bunched our seating and brought in a expandable table from the laundry and were good to go. (20 years ago Gordon picked this table for our laundry and said we could expand it for eating.)
PB261908-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Two-Tables

PB261959-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Sitting-To-Eat

This week The Skirted Roundtable interviewed Alessandra Branca and Velvet and Lenin interviewed Windsor Smith. Both Ms. Branca and Ms. Smith emphasized rooms that get used, where people want to be.

That's what Bill and Gordon gave us: Space f0r families to cook, serve, entertain, converse, and collapse: Den, breakfast room, kitchen:
FloorPlan With Marked Colors and Spaces

Here is the Russian Tea assembly line the night before:
PB251894-2009-11-25-Thanksgiving-Get-Ready-Russian-Tea

Cheese puff extraction and testing (boy were they good this year). Wait a minute, maybe this was the sausage muffins.
PB261909-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-RK-KK-Muffin-Takeout-Detail

Larry and his humans Deb and Dave came all the way from Florida. Our big room had enough space for his bed.
PB261915-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Larry-Bed

Grandson offers cheese puffs to Joe and Zella. You can't even tell that we bunched the furniture.
PB261917-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-David-Serves-Muffins-To-Joe-Zella

Young Nathan had plenty of space and was running out of the picture:
PB261924-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Nathan-On-The-MOve

Emily took Nathan out for a cool-down:
PB261938-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Nathan-Emily-Porch

There were little conversations everywhere
PB261935-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Nick-Arrives-Katherinie-Peeks

PB261959-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Sitting-To-Eat-Detail-Joe-Micheal

Michelle and JoAnn apply love to the dressing
PB261930-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Michelle-JoAnn-Dressing-Management

JoAnn and Zella seem pretty pleased.
PB261946-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Lets-Eat

Some impromptu boyfriend/girlfriend dancing
PB261933--2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Kitchen-Dance

Cooking space became a 2-sided buffet. David does the final inspection:
PB261943-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-David-Eyes-The-Spread

PB261949-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Sitting-To-Eat-Buffet

Chairs came from every corner (we did turn the TV off). Katherine is taking an early test bite while Nick rolls up his sleeves:
PB261948-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Sitting-To-Eat

We ate until it hurt and ate some more...
PB261951-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Sitting-To-Eat

Nathan finally had to take his mom and dad home; they needed a little nap:
PB261967-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Nathan-Headed-Home

The survivors finished with Scrabble, football, and G.I. Joe on the tube:
PB261969-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Scrabble

I tried to take this when they weren't looking:
PB261963-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Test-Group-Picture

Then they posed (your host in the red shirt). Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
PB261964-2009-11-26-Thanksgiving-Group-Picture-Cropped

Thanks so much.
Terry

P.S. Did you know that Rachel did a 1/2 marathon on Thanksgiving? And still made the cheese puffs?



P.P.S. The menu and Cheese Puff recipe (click to make them bigger)

2009-Thanksgiving-Menu-Chez-Kearns-Atlanta

The Cheese Puff recipe is odd. We didn't cook them long enough and had to put them back in the oven. We nearly had fights at the serving bowl trying to eat them. If you want to try these, call for insider advice. Click here to make the recipe BIG.

2009-Thanksgiving-Cheeze-Puff-Recipe-Chez-Kearns-Atlanta

Thanks to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch.

19 comments:

  1. Happy Thanksgiving Terry.
    Your holiday looks perfect. Filled with family, friends, and yummy food.

    xo
    Brooke

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  2. Reading this post made me feel like I experienced a real Thanksgiving - the reality of the situation was that I contracted a stomach bug after visiting 4 different grocery stores on the the 25th (my youngest's birthday - I was sourcing specialty requests for her birthday dinner), and I spent Thanksgiving in bed. I can't ever recall being sick on Thanksgiving! Thankfully, we already had reservations at our club for the meal, so everyone went on without me and I stoically suffered at home.

    I am craving cheese puffs now. Can you share the recipe?

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  3. Thanks for sharing your day and knowing your blog friends are interested in how the space 'worked'.

    Garden & Be Well, XO Tara

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  4. OK, I am back enjoying my vicarious Thanksgiving feast. It looks like you guys have lots of stuffing on the menu - I count 4 different kinds, plus mashed and sweet potatoes. I might need to come to your house next year - you have many varieties of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving (turkey is my least favorite part).

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  5. I know just how those conversations are going. I look forward to having the same ones at our house come Christmas.
    We always manage to squeeze everyone in.

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  6. Hi Terry, Looks like you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Your pictures remind me a lot of my family Thanksgiving. I'm dying to try that cheese puff recipe. I'll have to go to the grocery store today to get everything I need. Thanks for sharing...your Thanksgiving and the recipe.

    -Cristi

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  7. Architecture in action! It looks like a great time was had by all.

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  8. What a wonderful Thanksgiving your family had! You have a great space for family get togethers. That cheese puff recipe is a bit hard to read... would love to have it!

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  9. What a fabulous, big Thanksgiving you had and such a perfect room for it too. Love the separate tables...great idea. And what a spread of food! WOW!!

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  10. Hope your Thanksgiving was just wonderful! The addition of the rooms are simply beautiful!
    Dee Dee

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  11. What a great day!! But of course, you had me at Uncle Joe's devilled eggs...I have to go and make some today!

    Best, and Happy Thanksgiving!
    Michelle

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  12. Looks like a wonderful family gathering! I especially appreciate the inclusion of the full menu, floor plan and recipes. You have left out nothing, Terry!

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  13. Oh Happy Thanksgiving! Now THAT is a holiday!

    I love the big spaces you have, where you can shove your furniture around and be able to put everyone within laughing and chatting distance of one another. We need to sit the "kids" (some of whom are 30 and parents) separately.

    Question -- love the menu, but what is "green stuff?"
    And Howard says, yes, the Christmas nap is his most cherished tradition.

    Best wishes, Cass

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  14. 2 dozen deviled eggs!???! I wish I was at your Thanksgiving. I love deviled eggs!

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  15. Yes, that would make "green stuff!" I think I recall having this at a Thanksgiving in Pittsburgh about 28 years ago!

    As for guests who bring deviled eggs, may I have their names and emails, as I'd like to invite them HERE next year. Love deviled eggs, never make them myself -- they are a mystery to me.

    I missed my daughter Alida at Thanksgiving --yes, it is all about family. Thankfully she will be home for Christmas!
    Cass

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  16. So much! I love Deviled Eggs! Total breakfast of champions!

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  17. Your photos capture the feel of a really fun family get-together. Glad you had a great day. xx

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  18. Oh you've got me craving a breakfast of deviled eggs and pecan pie now! Looks like a wonderful holiday that you had...

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