Mom Made Beany Weenies For Thanksgiving...

With all the Thanksgiving hype on the internet, I thought I would share this experience that happened to me many years ago. I was about 13 and it was a day or two before the annual family Thanksgiving dinner. It was one of those years when it seemed like everyone was going to be in town. My mom was pretty much on her own cooking and it was starting to look like 20 or more family members were going to be there.

I know mom was making her plans on what she need to get at the store, when all at once the phone started to ring. Now I will be the first to say that our extended family did not get along all the best. (I didn't know it at the time, but my parents were contemplating divorce). One side of the family said "I don't know if I am going to be there if so-and-so is going to be there. And the other side called too and said the same thing, putting my mom in the middle. She did not uninvite anybody and she just told everyone to show up if they wanted to, and if they did not make it, it was their loss.

Thanksgiving morning came, and I went into the kitchen to see if there was any early Thanksgiving goodies I could snack on, but the kitchen was virtually empty. I asked my mom if everything was ok, and she said she had it under control and for me to go out and play. I figured she decided to have it catered, or maybe everyone else was bringing a dish. Well teenage hunger kicked in and guests started to arrive. but no one was carrying anything. I went back in the house, and my mom had a great big serving bowl in the middle of the table full of beany weenies! There must have been 20 cans of pork and beans and 2 packages of chopped up hot dogs. Other than paper plates, plasticware and some potato chips, that was it.

At first I thought my mom had lost it, but stepping back and seeing the big picture my mom was my hero. I was so proud of her for making a statement. She was able to spend time with the family members that WANTED to be there instead of cooking and cleaning. I didn't miss the turkey that year at all...

You can read a bit more about my mom at http://jimmohr.blogspot.com/2009/05/best-chicken-and-noodles-ever.html.