Keepin' It Real - Good Times, Tom Turkey and Ted

We shared an early Thanksgiving meal with my folks in MS a few days ago. Once home in Florida, however, it was just the 5 of us around the dining room table Thursday. Okay...6, I can't leave out Ted - the WonderPUP. Although he did not have a chair at the table he did wait patiently for a little deep fried Tom.

One Fine Man, TechSon, Skate-Boy & Guitar Girl hammin' it or turkeyin' it up for the BlogCam...

Most of our meal is on the sideboard behind Guitar Girl. Once again, my favorite dishes were Mother's cornbread dressing and my sweet potato souffle with praline topping!

Pst! I have a secret fantasy - of a picture perfect Holiday meal. It involves everyone dressed in their holiday finest, the table beautifully set, the food hot and ready to serve at the same time, a perfectly carved turkey, pleasant conversation, no one leaving the table until everyone is finished, and the dishes washed and put away in record time! But I realize my picture perfect ideal will probably not happen. Because there's a little issue called REAL LIFE!

Nevertheless, what we have is still fine by me. But in the interest of keepin' it real, let me point out some of our realness. I suspect you might be able to relate...

Keepin' It Real moments: Notice the giant Tervis Tumbler One Fine Man is using. And I whisked away Guitar Girl's Diet Pepsi bottle before I took the picture. (Even though I do have a set of crystal goblets.)

TechSon finished his meal first, as usual, holiday or no holiday.

'So glad there is no smell-a-blog because Skate-Boy was out skateboarding moments before we sat down to eat.(I did make him wash up and change his dirty shirt!) And the male people all wore T-shirts!

Alas, my turkey carving skills need the help of Bobby Flay or Alton Brown, or at least the Publix poultry guy. (Oh well, you can't see how I carved it once it's between 2 pieces of bread spread with Hellman's! Like I said, Keepin' It Real!

Not so picture-perfect, but I'll take it!

Here is our Fried Tom below. Thanks to our Neighbor I didn't do anything to it but prepare it for the deep fryer. Nice! Old Tom looked pretty handsome before I came at him with the carving knife!

Deep Fried Tom rubbed with Creole seasoning...

And introducing Ted the pekingese...Wait for it, wait for it...(turkey, that is).

Later in the day our friends from NC came by for apple cake w/caramel glaze, coffee, and faith-filled conversation.

Although my picture perfect idea of Thanksgiving Dinner hasn't happened yet, still you can't get much better than a day filled with faith, family, friends and food!

And that is keepin' it real ~ good!

So what were your keepin' it real moments on Thanksgiving Day? I'd love to know. Do tell!