I can't cook a Thanksgiving dinner. All I can make is cold cereal and maybe toast.

If it's a holiday, I'm almost always quoting Charlie Brown for a title. 
Here's what I almost chose:

Charlie Brown: Holidays always depress me.
Sally Brown: I know what you mean. I went down to buy a turkey tree and all they have are things for Christmas.
Charlie Brown: For Christmas? Already?

I have searched HIGH and LOW, and then EAST and WEST, and I could. not. find Thanksgiving decorations a paltry two weeks before Thanksgiving. There was nary a faux pumpkin to be found in town.

Why am I decorating for Thanksgiving, and going against The Aunt's advice to just skip over to Christmas?

Two reasons, actually:
1. I finally have a mantel, and want to decorate that every chance I get (since I'm not going to get to use the fireplace element of it). 
2. I am hosting Thanksgiving this year.

Yes, you read that right.
I am hosting Thanksgiving.

You see, in my family of four grown adults, I possess the most available space for a Thanksgiving feast. And who doesn't like any of the food served at a traditional Thanksgiving feast?

This girl. The hostess.

Luckily, due to a random series of events, The Mom thought she'd have to work on Thanksgiving day or shortly thereafter, and thus ordered all of our dinner from the store. So, Krogert will be doing all of the cooking, while I will do the baking and the hostessing. 

I've taken the task of hostessing and run with it. I've cleaned the apartment, minus the bathroom that will be cleaned in the morning. I've straightened up the living room, and decorated the mantle. (Pictures to come tomorrow.) I've got all of the ingredients for a pumpkin pie, complete with roll-out-your-own pie crust to bake in my Southern Living pie pan. However, since I am also me, I also purchased ready-to-fill pie crusts in case my attempt at a beautiful braided and egg brushed pie crust goes terribly awry.

Most importantly, I've done all that I can to make sure my Thanksgiving is as stress-free as possible. I've chosen an outfit and gotten it ironed, so I can get ready quickly in the morning. I've gotten all of my baking needs out of the fridge/freezer and organized them on the counter. I've put away most of the filler decorations and crap, fluffed the pillows, and cleaned off the bar (sort of.)

Tomorrow, I want to turn on the parade and relax and bake and just be in my own little apartment with my family gathered around me. For better or worse.

(Tomorrow I'll post pictures from this adventure. God bless us one and all).