Hosting My First Family Holiday

For those of you that don't know me I am quite a bit of a nomad when I am not being Kung Fu Girl extraordinaire. My job requires me to move every year to somewhere new and exciting, like Youngstown, OH and Victoria, TX. I know, I know hold all the oohs and aahs to the end of the post. And although my "stuff" (read furniture, books I have yet to read, clothes in at least 3 different sizes and endless kitchen supplies) follows me on a moving truck normally each December, I rarely have a home and have not even been able to decorate for Christmas in over 7 years! Mostly I hang my hat in apartments and occasionally I get lucky and snag a condo on the top of a mountain (thanks Marvin for hooking me up!) Needless to say the glamorous places I usually find myself attached to do not attract many visitors nor is there usually room to host anything more than a taco night or poker game.

But the pity party can now come to a screeching halt. I have found myself stationed in Lexington, KY (aka land of horses and bourbon) until June and living in what can only be dubbed as a kick-ass house! Loaded with 3 bedrooms (2 of which are master bedrooms with garden tubs)



3 1/2 baths, a kitchen almost large enough to hold all my small kitchen appliances and a bonus room that currently is called the "man cave" because that is where the man of the house has his movie theater-ready TV room. If I only I could figure out how to get my popcorn to taste like the delicious heart-stopping buttery goodness of movie theater popcorn we would be all set!



Sorry I digress.

The point is that I now have suitable home in a lovely new suburb to host my very first family holiday. So come Thanksgiving weekend all the Perrys, big and small, will descend upon Lexington and it's my job to make sure it is a memorable experience. No stress right?

Don't get me wrong folks, my family is extremely laid back and would be happy with anything I put together for them. But I want it to be different, stand out, make them feel special. It is my first time and doesn't everyone want their first time to be special??? Get your mind out of the gutter people I meant the food!
The turkey dinner portion will be fairly traditional. I tried to suggest switching up a few of our heavy, Midwestern dishes for some lighter fare but that idea was squashed quicker than I could open one the 200 cookbooks I own for new recipes. By the way, I am not at all exaggerating about the cookbooks people.

The movers just love me when I box these bad boys up.



Everyone has offered to bring things but I want to have some awesome snacks and another meal or so to even it out. And then there is breakfast....OK now I am starting to freak out a bit. What started as an innocent post about Thanksgiving has hiked up my blood pressure.

So I am begging all of you faithful So Wonderful, So Marvelous readers out there for your stories about your first holiday hosting experience and any tips or strategies to make it through alive and eager to do it again next year.

Thanks allowing me to guest post and I might someday forgive you for ever bringing up the 8th grade prayer!!!!