alright already. time for a new post.

guess what i'm listening to? only one of the best christmas albums ever...

christmas with the chipmunks!!!

i love it!

ok, anyway, i wrote out a whole "to do" list for this past weekend. things that i really wanted to accomplish and knew that the days off would afford the opportunity. instead... i spent the entire weekend in my pj's, eating leftover turkey and pie, and watching movies. not just any movies, all jane austen classics! if that doesn't give a person some over-inflated ideas of love, i don't know what does. still, it has been one of the best weekends ever!

how wonderful it was to be able to sit home this weekend. it is the first time in a number of years that i haven't travelled for thanksgiving. as a child i spent every thanksgiving in kanab, ut with my whole extended family (read: at least 65 people). we held our dinner in the gym at the church. my grandma always made the driest turkey around, and this weird 3 bean salad that no one ever ate, but it was good times. the day after thanksgiving we would go to the north rim of the grand canyon and cut down our christmas tree, and my grandpa would have it shipped to us in salt lake. it was one of my most favorite traditions. about 10 years ago we decided to have a family reunion in the summer instead, and the thanksgiving tradition somewhat died out. then my parents moved to columbus 5 years ago and since then i've been pretty much on my own for thanksgiving. in the past 5 years (not including this year) i've spent 2 turkey days in las vegas, one in boston, one in southern utah, and one with a bucket of kfc in my cubicle at my old job. this year was a definite improvement.

as is generally the case with most people this time of year, we take some time to reflect on those thing for which we are thanksful. i'm always grateful for so many things, and far be it from me to pass up the opportunity to list them, so to name a few from among the top of the list:

• my family. i love them more than life itself.
• my friends, whom i also love dearly.
• my job and all the opportunities it lends.
• my home, which keeps me safe, dry, and warm.
• my car, despite the drain on my wallet, it gets me from here to there.
• my functioning body: legs and feet that carry me daily, arms, hands, and fingers that make so many things possible, all parts of my head that let me see, hear, and taste, and my mind which generally helps me solve the complex problems of every day.
• my voice. it seems to bring joy to some.
• my freedom, and this country.

and the number one thing for which i am grateful is for my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ which gives me the right perspective to be grateful for all that i have and for the blessing i receive every day. this truly is a wonderful life!