Posted on November 28, 2025 by Jenn (The CT Healthy Family) in Grace in the Mess, Adventures in Faith & Family
This year we gathered around brisket instead of turkey… and it felt more like us than ever.
Thanksgiving looked a little different in the CT Healthy Family house this year — and by “a little different,” I mean we’ve officially retired the turkey for the fourth year running in favor of Steve’s smoked brisket. My two brothers came over, dinner responibilites were spread out between all of us, so it came together quickly. We did decide to buy pie instead of homemade pumpkin and apple, because even this stubborn homemaker knows when to wave the white flag.
We’re not anti-turkey. We’re just… pro-brisket. Steve has perfected his rub and smoke schedule over the last few years, and now the smell of that brisket drifting through the house on Wednesday night is our official kickoff to the holiday weekend. The kids cheer louder for brisket than they ever did for turkey, and honestly? Same, kids. Same.
This year felt especially full — not just the plates, but our hearts. Having my brothers here meant extra laughter, extra noise, and extra hands to wrangle the little ones away from the dessert table. It also meant extra reminders that family isn’t just the people under our roof every day; it’s the ones who drive hours to sit at our table and remind us where we came from.
What Ended Up on the Table (Everything Homemade Except the Pies)
- Steve’s 20-hour smoked brisket (with that perfect bark — I’m still swooning)
- Garlic mashed potatoes (my mom’s recipe, upgraded)
- Stuffing cooked easily in a pressure cooker
- Green bean casserole (with bacon)
- Creamed corn (because my brother begged)
- Homemade sourdough soft potato rolls (froze the dough two weeks ago — worth it)
- Store-bought pumpkin & apple pie (because sanity)
We prayed, we passed plates, we went back for seconds (and thirds), and somewhere between the brisket and the pie, we smile, for the laughter that gets louder with every year we do this together.
I’m still washing serving dishes, still finding stray pecan crumbs in the living room, and still smiling every time I remember the way my youngest looked at that mountain of brisket like it was Christmas morning. These are the days we’ll talk about when the kids are grown — the year Uncle Tim almost started a food coma, the year the dog stole an entire roll, the year Mom finally admitted store-bought pie is acceptable.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”
— Psalm 107:1
This Thanksgiving felt great, not quite perfect, but very grateful — and it was ours. And it was full — of food, of family, of faith, and of a deep, deep gratitude that the Lord keeps setting a table for us, even when we’re the ones doing the cooking.
Still thankful, still full, still chasing grace around this loud, loved table —
Jenn, Steve, and the whole CT Healthy Family crew
What’s your family’s favorite Thanksgiving tradition (or swap-out)? Drop it in the comments — we love hearing from you!
