Thanks

I wrote this a while back. The date is out of date, the sentiment isn't.

It's Thanksgiving... Well yesterday was anyway. It came and went a little faster than usual I guess. We stayed here... just us. No extended family. Almost not even all of us. Eden worked most of the day and half of the night. Black Friday. Ugh. I don't get it.

We took it easy... had snacks, played a few games and watched three episodes of The Walking Dead. A Zombie shows on Thanksgiving... pretty entertaining, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it. Kind of puts you on edge a little—makes you feel oddly vulnerable. Although the prime rib and pecan sweet potatoes did seem to soothe the nerves.

I had this activity planned, but we never quite got around to doing it. Tracy and I picked out some cards at Target with the idea that everyone would select three people to write notes to... preferably someone we were grateful for. Like most of my good intentions... the moment passed without capture. Lame.

In lieu of writing the cards tonight, I thought I'd just say why I'm grateful for Tracy. (An incomplete list)

She seems to genuinely love me, understand me and perhaps even thinks I'm handsome. I have no explanation for any of this, but she is hands-down the very best thing I have going in my life.
She works so hard.
She complains so little.
She is completely herself. (I've mistakenly, unsuccessfully tried to change this)
People love her for it.
She secretly throws everyone's things away.
She never really reads the labels.
She worries about driving when it snows.
Or rains.
She worries (just a little) about everything.

She just listens.

She helps where I can't.
She has a sweet tooth.
She bakes well.
She bakes weekly.
She has nicknames.
She looks fantastic.
She wrinkles her nose when I describe something I like that she doesn't.

She speaks her mind.

I'm also grateful for:
Hailey, Eden and Evan. (I owe her for them too)
My Mom and Dad

The brothers and sisters I see too little of
That guy who invented cameras
That guy who invented chocolate milk
The people at Adobe and Apple
Second Chances: I need as many as I can get.
Just being home: Our place could be nicer and cooler... and it's all my fault. But still, I'm just as happy not going anywhere.

Thanksgiving Photo FAIL

Remember how I said how much I love taking pictures? Based on that statement, it would be logical to assume that I would come away from a four day Thanksgiving weekend with a big batch of heartwarming photos.That's where you'd be wrong.

I only grabbed these pictures of Eden channeling Jerry Lewis. (She's never heard of Jerry Lewis.) Also, when she finished this spontaneous burst of goofball, she took a deep breath and said "Hold on a minute, I need to reload".







Okay, I also took this cute picture of the girls together.

And finally, this picture of our Boggle-disrupting cat.

Otherwise, I missed everything else. Not pictured: Tracy, Evan, James, prime rib, pecan sweet potatoes, balsamic asparagus, store-bought pie, touching family moments, naps, XboX, Sims and Walking Dead marathons, stolen snow boots, returned snow boots, the great bread maker standoff, cheesesteaks, a new Tagine recipe, a talk on gratitude, forgetting to thank the person who prepared the talk on gratitude and the actual, belated blizzard of 2010.

There and Back Again

The family (sans Eden) drove to Boise to celebrate Thanksgiving with my parents. A much needed break ensued. We watched a healthy dose of sports (any for us is a lot), went jogging, raked leaves, played games, went shopping, ate turkey, went to a movie, saw family, took naps and ate turkey again.

This is my Mom and Dad.
They are alway good sports about the food we eat and the mess we bring.

These are the lego racers Evan and I built.
In spite of the wings, mine basically rocked over his.


Hailey and Tracy at the gaming (kitchen) table...
Ticket to Ride is serious business.


Like a good son and grandson, we helped Grandpa rake leaves in the front.
Like typical knuckleheads, we forgot to do the back.

We capped off the trip at the airport. Eden arrived home from India.
Covered in henna. Craving cheeseburgers. Gifts for all.
She took tons of photos... maybe she'll let me post some here.

I could still do way better on the photo front...
This new camera isn't the magic wand I thought it would be.

Thanksgiving Day 2009

An incomplete, inarticulate list of things I'm grateful for...

Tracy - completely genuine, strong, my personal savior
Hailey - smart, fiery, a softer heart than anyone knew
Eden - outgoing, involved, a magnetic personality
Evan - funny, inventive, always good hearted
Resilience - one of the most important gifts we have
Forgiveness - the most important gift we have
Potential - new paper, new pen, everything's possible
Places - The kind you try to capture by breathing more deeply
Movies - they're not all good, but someone, somewhere is making another
Pie - the best days seem to include it, more days should