Our Thanksgiving Day prep started with making pies. G. took charge of making the pumpkin pie and L. took charge of the apple pie. She was just in it for the apple peeling action as well as the left over bits of apple.

The apple-peeling gizmo was money well-spent a few years back. The kids love using it and I don't mind making apple pies because it's not so labor-intensive anymore.

Since we had FOUR large hams in our freezer from the pig raffle winnings, we decided the last thing we needed to do was to find the space - or spend the money - on a turkey.

The kids were a little resistent to the idea initially because they couldn't believe our family would not eat turkey on Thanksgiving. But having grown up in an Italian-American family that ate a multi-course meal that included Italian soup and lasagna BEFORE the turkey was even served, it wasn't so far off-base to me.

I made two hams for the nine people we had at our Thanksgiving dinner table and there was still plenty left-over. The only meat we've eaten since our winnings back in early October has been pork. We still have a freezer full of meat.

Every adult at the dinner table said it was a little strange that they did not feel so tired after eating the Thanksgiving meal. We all got to thinking eating ham sounded -- and felt -- a whole lot better than turkey for next year too.