Thanksgiving Prep

I am a list maker.  It brings me great joy to make a list and cross everything off of it (I think that's part of the reason I love grocery shopping so much).  And even as much a I enjoy my technology, I would rather sit down with a pen and paper and make a list than create a note on my iPhone.  I like to use fun paper and different colored pens.  No matter what the subject matter, I like lists.  I decided to share my Thanksgiving planning lists with you =)

I start with a menu
(actually I start with a guest list, but there are only a few of us this year so I'm starting with a menu)

(Recipes:  Turkey, Gravy, Pumpkin Pie, Green Bean Casserole)

which turns into 4 pages of detailed ingredients

that is put on my super awesome grocery list

that then gets broken down into 2 lists, one list of things I can buy ahead of time and one list of things that need to be purchased a few days before (not pictured)

 this year I was super specific on these 2 list because there is no 24 hour Walmart if I forget something!  Our commissary is closed on Wednesdays (no last minute shopping for me!) and the Tuesday before Thanksgiving is a Japanese holiday so if I want any produce on the economy (overseas military speak for off base), I have to purchase it Monday or wait until the day before Thanksgiving which I do NOT want to do!

I thought I was doing good, shopping 10 days before the big day, but there were already quite a few things missing on the shelves of our commissary...luckily there are 3 commissaries within a 25 minute drive of us and between the 3, I was able to find everything on my buy early list except canned artichoke for the spinach artichoke dip.  Now I have to decide if I want to try a brand new from scratch recipe using fresh artichokes (which I have NEVER cooked before), buy the frozen Friday's kind or scrap it all together.  UGH!  This was the appetizer I was so looking forward to!

Anyways, a week or so before, I make a detailed time line, including things I can do the week or days before, like make the pies and the rolls and freeze them (not pictured).  This one usually takes a few tries (even this list has been edited since the photo was taken this morning) and thanks to a tip from one of my favorite bloggers, Annie, I've found it's easiest to start at the end of the day instead of the beginning (ps, I was so relieved when she made a post similar to this one.  I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who finds these lists helpful, which is why I decided to share my craziness with you)

This one isn't so much a list, but I also like to get out all of my serving dishes and pots and pans and label everything so that the day of I'm not tearing my kitchen apart for a pot that is already being used!