downtown turkey

For the past five years I've been saying that I want to volunteer to help feed the homeless on Thanksgiving, and this year I'm actually making good on my word. Next Thursday morning you won't find me brining and stuffing a turkey at home--not that you ever would anyway--but the family will be in downtown Austin preparing meals for those who don't have the chance to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. Alex will be hauling turkeys, the kids will be decorating plates, and I'll be dishing out the sweet potatoes (or something like that).

Our orientation for Operation Turkey was at 6:00pm this evening at The Parish on 6th Street in downtown Austin. Here's the funny part of the story: when I got the email saying it was at some place called the Parish, I assumed it was a "church-like" establishment as I told Alex on our way with the two kids in tow. I was wrong. It was at a bar. We were the annoying parents who brought our kids to a bar. And then we got them all cracked out on cranberry juice thinking it would keep them quiet...15 minutes later Catcher and Scout were laughing hysterically while wrapping themselves in the long velvet drapery covering the street-side windows.

Needless to say we had to escape early, but I think we gathered the important information--Thursday morning/8:30am/you're on your own for parking--and I'm looking forward to another fun family adventure. I hope this one goes over better than our trip to the pumpkin patch.

P.S. The Parish actually looked like a pretty cool place; one I would like to visit without the kids (and without a baby in my belly).

Austin Vittles