So.Gross.

Just got done cleaning up my kitchen.
It was clean when I started my day.

Then I decided to tackle this:

I made my very first turkey.

Kevin can't leave town for a while.

He is so super busy, poor man.

I always tell people, "It's a good problem to have, but still a problem."
Busy means business is good.

It also means we don't see much of Kevin.

And Kevin can't go out and have fun adventures with us.

So JJ and I are Illinois bound the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Then I'll head back home to fix my boys our Thanksgiving dinner.

However, I didn't want my very first turkey to be on Thanksgiving - that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. So today - I practiced.

Step one, pull out those surgical gloves.

For real.

Because turkey preppin' is nasty, ya'll.

Kevin had to come take care of the neck.

I caught a glimpse of it and knew there was just no way.

When googling "turkey neck" to show you how terrible it is, I came across this image and this is what I'm sticking with:

There was one point in the day I was elbow deep in latex and turkey blood, on speakerphone with my mom, holding this cold, dead bird while my sweet husband (sans gloves) was pulling out the neck and I thought...."My dad has the worst gag reflex ever...how does he do this?"
But I got through it.

My carving skills could use some work.

But you know what?

I made a pretty good turkey!

And now we've got lots of glorious leftovers for me to work with all weekend.
Which means easy meal prep and happy momma.