Dear Readers,
I want to wish all of you a most happy Thanksgiving! Over the years, I have heard more and more that this is a beloved holiday of many. I imagine many of you are making runs to the market and are in the midst of preparations in anticipation of the upcoming turkey feast. As a child this holiday meant visiting my father’s family which I cherished so much. I savored every moment of quality time during this visit which almost always included us watching a VHS video of “A Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree” (What can I say, Christmas is my holiday J). In addition to these cherished visits Thanksgiving did serve to spark the creativity in my young mind. With this post I want to share with you one Thanksgiving memory which ironically did not occur on the actual holiday!
When I was 10 years old I started working as a mother’s helper for two three year old boys and through this role was really able to expand my creativity beyond my artwork for the first time! I took the initiative to create activities inspired by the holidays and Thanksgiving was no exception. A week before the holiday I showed up with a stuffed paper turkey that I made for the boys. Delighted by the turkey the kids engaged in a game of pretend where we used our imagination to create our own Thanksgiving feast! A blanket was laid out with our turkey placed in the center and complimented with play food, plates, and utensils. The guest list expanded from us three to include an array of stuffed animals. Reminiscing on this memory what I recall the most is how engaged these little boys were and that we played seamlessly with the surrender to our imaginations. It is a precious moment in time where we indulged in the joy of the moment.
Regardless of how you are celebrating, whether you are hosting or visiting family and friends, I wish you this moment of indulgence in the joy of the season. As an adult I find it in the baking of a special desert! I am happy camper in my kitchen with my beloved Kitchen Aid mixer and favorite apron. Here I wish to share with you my recipe for pumpkin bread although if you are looking for a cake recipe I have never gone wrong with my pumpkin cake with chocolate ganache. From my home to yours I wish you a most wonderful Thanksgiving!
Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo