Last year, around this time, we had an accident happen, and an eight-year-old at the time who was very upset.

My phone rang, and it was Kenzy on the other line. I could hear her crying in the background.

“Kenzy Mae. What’s wrong, honey?” I asked.

She was trying to tell me but just kept crying.

“Dadddyyyy, Daddy did something,” as she cried in between each word.

“What did Daddy do?”

“He….he…ran over Turk!” she replied.

“What do you mean he ran over Turk, Kenz?” I asked.

“Daddy ran him over with the mower!” she exclaimed.

I could just see it now. Our eight-year-old witnessing our two-and-a-half-foot-tall turkey getting mulched by the mower. No way this could happen. My husband is a professional mower. How could he mow over Turk? This didn’t make any sense. We loved Turk; he has been part of our Thanksgiving for five years. He is in the same spot every year. How? Why? So many questions.

“Kenz, I’m almost home, honey; meet me in the driveway. I love you,” I said as I was just about ready to lose service, heading up over the mountain to get home.

As I got home, all three members of my family were waiting for me.

I’m thinking, OK, the death of our turkey must be legit, as I pulled up into our driveway. My husband Chris with his hands in his pocket looking like the cat who had just eaten the canary. Tyler, with a grin on his face, because he thinks his dad’s in trouble and was deep down enjoying his sister suffering from the loss. Then there was Kenzy, with tears running down her cheeks.

Up by the house where Turk once sat was vacant. But by the garbage can were colors of brown, orange, red and yellow. Yup. It was Turk. Well, pieces of him.

I got out of the car to hear Kenzy crying, Ty saying, “Dad didn’t mean to,” and Chris saying he must have just caught the very edge of Turk, and it sucked him in the mower quicker than quick.

Kenzy said, “Daddy! Momma’s gonna be mad at you! We loved Turk! How could you?”

I kneeled down to her and told her it was OK. That we would buy a bigger and better one next year; it was one week from Thanksgiving, so there was no point in getting a new one. Kenzy walked over to what was left of Turk and held it close to her while looking at her dad and had to tell him one more time about what he had done.

Ten months have passed. It was now October, and my cousin and I went to Boscov’s in Altoona. There was a blow-up turkey 50% off and twice as big as our old one. Of course, I got it and the very next day told Chris and Kenzy I had a surprise for them. I laid the bag on the table and handed it to Kenzy, all while recording it on my phone. I told her she could open it first, but Daddy had to watch. As she opened it, her eyes lit up. “It’s Mr. Turkeyyyyyy!” she yelled with excitement. Chris was like, “What??” Then she pulled him out of the bag, and he just started cracking up when he saw it.

I asked her what Daddy did to Turk last year, and she looked at him with a grumpy face and said, “He ran him over with the stupid lawn mower!!”

She hugged the box as tightly as she could, looked at her dad, and said, “You are not going to murder him. You run him over one more time, I’ll break your lawn mower,” she told him.

Mr. Turkey stands much taller than Turk and is much brighter, too! He sits in his new spot down along our fence at the bottom of our driveway. He is the only blow-up thing we own, but I don’t think he will be getting run over anytime soon. Lesson learned.

I’m thankful for memories like this — moments I can capture on video and watch for years and years to come.

I’ll be sharing the video on my Instagram once the paper hits homes. It’s priceless. (My Instagram is andreascountryhomecooknfitness) I post lots of goodies on there!

I’m thankful for blow-up turkeys that completely makes my daughter’s day.

I’m thankful for deals like 50% off.

I’m thankful for captured moments caught on video.

I’m thankful for stories like this that I can share with you all.

Lastly, I’m thankful for my crockpot and thankful for yummy applesauce!

The recipe was given to me by my good friend Rhonda Walizer, and I am so thankful for her! She was by my side this year, and I am so grateful for her friendship. Enjoy this incredible recipe. It’s one of my new favorites, and I’ve made three batches so far! I can’t get enough.

Crockpot Applesauce

Ingredients:
• 3 lbs. Macintosh apples
• 3 lbs. granny smith apples
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 Tbsp lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Peel apples, slice them and put everything in a greased crockpot except for the butter. Cook on high for 3-4 hours stirring occasionally. Take out cinnamon sticks, then mash everything together and add butter. (You can smooth it out with a hand mixer to make it extra smooth.) Cool, then store in the fridge or freezer.