What happens at our house? Well, being in a blended household, I have three sets of grandparents (one set is deceased and one is a widow). I have 9 aunts on Mom and Step-Dad's side, along with their husbands; 6 uncles and their wifes, and 23 cousins (at last count). On my Dad and Step-Mom's side I have 4 Uncles and Wifes, 4 Aunts and husbands, 3 cousins, and an uncle who is younger than I am. haha. Blended families often make strange combinations. So what do we all do for Thanksgiving? The grandparents no longer feel like having everyone over to their house because of the chaos and mess. They'd just as soon pick one of the children's houses and come, eat, visit for a bit, and leave (well before dark). My step-grandmother has 6 of her 7 children and their families over, so they are quite packed. We are invited, but usually decide to just stay home and have the dinner at our house, inviting anyone who'd like to come. My Aunt Kathy with the biggest house usually ends up having Thanksgiving dinner for my Mom's side of the family there. We have gone there in the past but it's not comfortable there any longer because my Uncle and my biological father were good friends, and he even introduced my Mom and Dad. So we don't go there much, and especially not on Thanksgiving.
So here we are, Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day. Step-Dad's children, who are all 18 years and older, are coming over. One of them is married and they are expecting. Another is coming from Arkansas, out of town, and will be arriving with her three children, Wednesday evening. My oldest brother is coming in from the out-of-state college he attends and will be here Thursday morning (if he doesn't party too much the night before, is my guess). My younger brother, who stays with our Dad most of the time, will be here, too but he has to leave around 3:00 to go to another Thanksgiving dinner at my Father's parents house across the river. We will have a house full.
