Giving Thanks (better late than never)

Note the date---expired in 1985!!
Sorry mama!

For most of you who TRULY know me-- you know that I love Thanksgiving! I love to cook, I love to eat, and most of all it's my mama's favorite of all holidays so it's special to me because it's special to her. I also like that there's no hustle and bustle that comes with the anticipation of Christmas....the frenzy of presents and having to see everyone in such a short period of time...some of them are the same people you see all year too....which is odd. Don't get me wrong I like Christmas with all of it's traditions well enough, but Thanksgiving has a laid back and relaxing feeling unlike other holidays. And this Thanksgiving was exceptionally enjoyable. We cooked and ate and relaxed, playing Scrabble (which I won at...) and then we roasted Marshmallows on the back porch with Cajes for the first time in his life...a sweet moment (no pun intended).

Collage of Love

~Please click on the picture to magnify the smaller images~

Below I've compiled a list of things I am thankful for
(in no particular order).
I suppose you could say
"These are a few of my favorite things".

1. Cajes laughing
2. Ben's faithful love
3. Wonderful family--immediate and extended
4. Great friends who are like family to us
5. My camera and having an archive of photographs all the way back to my childhood
6. Icing, but not cake
7. Birds in synchronized flight
8. Sushi
9. The smell of fresh cut grass, rain or Christmas trees
10. My job at Open Hearts (including our awesome staff and wonderful students)
11. Sand between my toes and hearing waves crash
12. Rock Stacks, Cairns, Inuksuk's
13. Live music and the memories we made at shows
14. Long baths in deep bathtubs
15. Eucalyptus & Lavender
16. Creating new things from old things--Altered artwork
17. My IPod and ITunes
18. Soft blankets and a bed to sleep in at night
19. The Screen Door and The L.O.F.T.
20. County and State Fairs
21. That Barak Obama was elected as the 44th President and we got to witness History in the making
22. Having a big front porch and a little pond
23. Rocking chairs....well, old chairs of any kind really
24. Finding a father when I was 35 years old
25. Pomegranate Martinis
26. Quiet time
27. Good books
28. Xanax (for anxiety--not for fun)
29. That people love me the way I am
30. Finding someone who can cut my hair the way I want it--not the way they want it
31. Having pets (Dempsey who is 11, and Lucy who is 15)
32. Memories of my childhood--making mud pies and wearing Hee-Haw overalls
33. Wild flowers in mason jars
34. Old friends....some I've had since elementary school
35. Folk art
36. Being at my mom's house
37. Love letters
38. Artwork Cajes has made
39. The smell of Cajes after a bath and how cute he looks in footie pajamas
40. Creme Brulee & Coca~Cola (not together--well, maybe)
41. Reliable transportation
42. Comfort and understanding when I'm down
43. The hope of our future
44. Good health ---relatively--- :)
{Some may disagree on this one -- but it could always be worse}
45. Rainbows and 4-leaf clovers
46. A little bit of TV...(esp. The Office, American Idol, Survivor, & Mystery Diagnosis)
47. That Ben is finished with school and we both have careers we care about
48. Cell phones--crazy but true...
49. A pool when it's hot outside
50. That my husband likes to keep the house as tidy as me (well, almost)
51. Keens
52. Spellcheck
53. Hydrangeas--more blue than pink
54. Facebook
55. Hardwood floors
56. Having a dishwasher
57. Miracles
58. Playgrounds--particularly swingsets
59. Living in Weaverville
60. Days I get to sleep late

Cajes makes Dempsey wear the Fire Chief hat...