Thanksgiving...Brought to you by the Kitchen Remodel

Ahhhh...Thanksgiving.

Apple pie, mashed potatoes, all those things we typically avoid like the plague, for one day, and one day only (yeah right), they're back in play.

Your family comes stomping into the kitchen entrance, ooh-ing and aah-ing about the aroma of turkey and stuffing. You crack open the oven and peek in on your perfectly browned bird. The leftovers will be phenomenal. So much for one day.

Aunt Elsa waddles into the family room and plants herself on the sofa--it's where she'll spend the majority of the holiday. The kids run "the circle" around the kitchen, dining, and living room. Someone breaks out the Euchre cards, while grandma whisks the gravy into liquid gold. Over the background sounds of the Macy's day parade, your cousin leans on the new island to dish on her latest love interest. It is here that you realize none of this would have been possible if you hadn't made the decision to remodel your kitchen.

It's almost impossible to remember yourself in that previous place with the orange counter tops and dark wood cabinets. Your old stove had only two working burners (because you knew you would eventually remodel), and your noisy, energy-hogging refrigerator occasionally leached water onto the floor. You had to juggle around just to pour a bowl of cereal. You look around at your new, functioning appliances--it seems like a lifetime ago.

Aunt Elsa calls from the family room. She wants a stuffing sample. Your cousin rolls her eyes but grabs a fork-full with a smile. You hear your teenager laugh from the rooms upstairs. Suddenly, you realize you are right where you want to be: standing in your kitchen, cooking and entertaining for your family in your home.

It was a good decision, and the added bonus? You get to watch the game you want to watch.