thanksgiving at school

So this is a late post, but…oh well. :O Better late than never.

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to spend Thanksgiving with my family, unless you count the fact that two years ago, I had a med school interview in socal the weekend before and they drove down to hang out with me. Including this one, I’ve spent the last three in completely different states. In 2011, since I was in New Jersey, I decided to trek to Boston to hang out with Keat. Last year, I went to North Carolina to hang out with my cousins, but Jonathan has since finished his fellowship and they’re now living in Missouri, so I opted to stay here this year because traveling home would basically eat away 2 days out of my break.

The president of our school does a Thanksgiving dinner each year for students who aren’t going back home, so I decided to partake in that this year. :D

Here’s the menu:

• Valley Salad with Tangy Ranch Dressing
• Traditional Oven Roasted Turkey with Gravy
• Savory Fresh Herb & Oven Roasted Garlic Stuffing
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Cinnamon and Caramelized Marshmallows
• Green Beans Casserole with Mushrooms & Crispy Onions
• Red Bliss Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Fresh Orange & Cranberry Sauce
• Sweet Southern Cornbread with Rosemary infused Honey
• Assorted Desserts from B Sweet Confectionary

I basically lived at Sean & Isaac’s apartment for most of last week because there was a storm advisory for Tuesday night/Wednesday morning (hooray for snow and sleet :'( ). I didn’t want to drive home because ginormous hills and black ice aren’t exactly my idea of a good time (and let’s be honest–it was just so much easier to live next to the school ._.). It was rather fun (we spent most of our time studying/eating/talking/having impromptu band practice). I was all set to cook up a storm on Wednesday so we could have “family dinner” together, but then Sean ditched us for his actual family (aka drove up to Morgantown to hang out with his aunt/uncle), and we have yet to collectively take our awkward family portrait together (sigh). On the other hand, the fact that he disappeared meant that I got (a) a key to the apartment and  (b) to sleep on his bed instead of the couch, so I guess it worked out. (Thanks, good sir!)

Our table. :] Those bags are filled with Ghirardelli chocolate squares. <3

My first plate(s)!

One (of four) dessert tables!

Clearly, I (a) have not matured and (b) am a bad influence.