Thanks

There is so much to be thankful for, even with all the crazy, scary stuff happening in the world. Today I am going to focus on all the positive and good, because it is there, sometimes in plain sight, sometimes hiding in the nooks and crannies. I am going to ignore my beloved NPR. I am not going to open The Week. I won't even check out the headlines at Yahoo!

Instead, I will bake an apple/cheese torte/cheesecake thing. And attempt to create one of SmittenKitchen's yummy sweet potato appetizers. (I am so thankful for the wonders that are sweet potatoes!)

I will do like E.T. and phone home and tear up but smile when I hear my family all together, enjoying yet another of Mom's fabulous Thanksgiving dinners.

And then Mr. J and I and The Dog and the dog's buddy will head over to Chef Jay's house for dinner with old friends, new friends, and friends we haven't even met yet. (By the by, he really is a chef, and I am so incredibly excited to try out all his dishes!---why does that suddenly sound dirty?)

There will be much laughter and conversation and eating and drinking and merriment, with walks with the dogs in between and time spent by the fire pit on this bitter cold but blue sky day.

And then Mr. J and I will come home, bellies full, faces hurting from so much smiling. And we will cuddle and catch up and relish in the fact that he doesn't have to work another night shift until Monday.

And for all of that and so much more I am thankful.

I hope that you are all with loved ones, friends, and/or family this holiday season. Enjoy the laughter, the memories, the reminiscing, and of course the food!

Eight Years Today

I love this picture. I think that it expresses everything wonderful about our marriage, and everything about Mr. J that is so great. I mean, look at that smile of his. Doesn't it just make you want to go out and have fun and love life?

Life is never perfect every second of every day, and there are so many little bumps along the way. But I am so thankful for those little moments of perfectness and so glad that I am sharing the ride, bumps and all, with this man that I love (even when he doesn't hang the towels after he showers).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey from Thanksgiving Past (2007)

So much to be thankful for. Here's just a few: The Dog, our families, our good health, the good health of our families, our home, living in Boise and not in Dallas, our friends near and far, steady work, good food, fuzzy slippers, a sunny day, snow on the way, our memories, eyes to read with, ears to hear with, mouth to laugh with, heart to love with, nose to smell all the wonderful smells (not counting Mr. J's sweaty running clothes on the laundry room floor), fresh-squeezed grapefruit-orange juice, Mom's Christmas cookies delivered on my birthday, our beautiful nieces and nephews who I miss so much, our friend on the road to recovery from his horrific motorbike accident, The Dog's squeaky toy, my red curtains, raw cookie dough (even though I know it's sooo bad), Netflix and Hulu for those nights when we just want to veg, learning to knit, my cold sore finally going away, the places I've been, the places I've yet to go, my teachers and mentors, and most of all Mr. J. He is truly the best, even when he's at his most aggravating!

Prepping

I actually don't have that much prepping to do at all. My sole contributions to tomorrow's big feast are a big vat of garlic mashed potatoes and some onion confit (a.k.a. caramelized onions) in place of cranberry sauce. I'm also throwing in a batch of chocolate chip peanut butter cookies, just cuz. We did the shopping last night. Tonight we cook. And tomorrow we just reheat everything once we arrive at H's parents' house. Easy Peasy!

But it's this holiday and the next that always make me a little homesick, especially as my folks came out for a couple very memorable, very tasty Turkey Days down in Denver. Planning the menu, organizing the house so we could fit all 20 people, doing the shopping, preparing the food, all over glasses of wine (well except maybe for the shopping) and lots of laughter. Good times, indeed. But this is our first Thanksgiving here, and we are just establishing our connections. Our roots are very shallow. If I think back to our first Thanksgiving in Denver, I can remember our roots were just as shallow. I just didn't realize it. It was just us and two friends, who flew out from California, loaded down with a huge shopping bag of goodies from Trader Joe's (oh, how I miss them!--the friends and Trader Joe's). I don't even know if we made a turkey or what we ate. But I still remember the laughter and the good times. And I know that no matter what, we will always have that, no matter where we are. And I am eternally thankful for that.