Thanksgiving in Troy, NY

We are enjoying a wonderful extended Thanksgiving on the East Coast.  We started with some two-on-one time with Jeff in Troy, dining at the delicious Ali Shanghai. Then we had luncheon with Anna Lee’s cousin Joann who is staying with her family in Castleton.  While we enjoyed good meals it was the chance to talk that made these moments valuable.

Bennett relished time with his uncle.

On Wednesday Bennett traveled with us to the Children’s Museum of Science and Technology in Troy where he built a vehicle with his cousin Liat.

 He and mom also made a “turkey hand puppet” after listening to a book about turkeys.

On Thanksgiving morning, to stir up our appetite while doing a good deed, we ran/walked the Troy Turkey Trot benefitting the local food bank.  Bennett enjoyed the costumed runners.

“Uncle Sam” Wilson was born in Troy and this statue honors him.

The turkey was the centerpiece of an overload of side dishes and desserts that filled the kitchen counter top at cousins Ed and Leora’s.  All the chefs outdid themselves on this fabulous Thanksgiving dinner where we were all so grateful to be with family.

We rolled out of bed the next day to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge.  We have been there before but the rest of the family had not.  While most of the adults were learning from a museum talk, Bennett and his cousins Liat and Edan were downstairs making art and listening to stories.  This is an excellent museum that showcases the works of a great artist whose work reflected the changing culture of America.

Jerry pleased everyone with his blintzes on Saturday morning after which we all got together for a family photo.

 With cars ladened with purchases from the Troy farmers market and from the fabulous Italian market DiFazios, we drove south toward Philadelphia where we met cousins Barbara and Bob for another delicious dinner. Anastasi’s Seafood.  After that, it was on to Washington, DC for the remainder of our trip.