extra on the thanks

thanksgiving was lovely this year.  for the first time in {we figured} four years, my entire family was together - plus a few extras.  we had almost a pie per person!  and the food... oh! the food.  it was glorious, to say the least.  this was also the first time in probably five years that i took part in the turkey-eating.  i can tell you right now, it was darn good!

other than our passionate love affair with food, thanksgiving (and the beginning of the holidays in general) bring out a few little quarks in my family.

as has become the unspoken tradition, all chess boards remained on the tables in multiple rooms.  i think i played over ten games of chess while home, and only lost two!  unfortunately, the losses were to my dad and natalie's boyfriend {brant}.  old vices, intimidation, drastically out of practice, the excuses could go on.  truth be told, i've only beat my dad twice in my life - and we've been playing since i was probably thirteen.

the holidays awaken another sleeping monster, especially prevalent in hailey and i (although vigorously shared by my dad and natalie, too).  epic movie marathons are always on the mind around this time of year.  usually the lord of the rings, star trek, or pirates of the caribbean.  something along those lines.  but this year (in light of the newly released craze), we waved our wands and borrowed the entire harry potter collection from my oldest sister, carrie.  yes, that's right: harry potter 1-7 (part one) in a week!  i'll admit. . . i still have hesitations about harry potter.  i was outright anti for quite some time.  after reading books one through five i was absolutely fed up with the recycled plot, lack of all natural consequences for the main characters, and well, other things.  but i've reduced my sticklerness lately.  harry potter, while not fabulous literature, is fun.  and sometimes, i'm okay with just fun.  i've realized (after slowly beginning to eat meat again) that i don't have to be obsessive about the things i feel strongly about.  just cautious.
and oh was it fun!
the honest truth: i think i might even see 7 (part one) in theaters again. . . and possibly pick up the last three books during the semester for a bit of light escapism.

okay! now, what i was actually going to write about when i started this crazy post was how i'm working on an attitude adjustment.  in light of the season, i'm starting a thankful series.  the plan: at least five things i'm thankful for per day - recorded starting today {but i had to review thanksgiving, too, after all}.  we'll see how it goes.  basically, being thankful makes me un-grouchy.  sorta like the LOVE game.  but here's the thing.  it's the last two weeks of the semester, so. . . crunch time.  i'll miss some days probably.  but the point is to keep me from ripping out my hair if finals go kerplunk.  i think it will!

oh yeah, and to all you other college students: happy finals.  i'm praying for all of us!

thankful:
1. i'm so very thankful for a new heating pack.  i love not having rice in my bed, and i'm so thankful that i can sleep warmly.
2. i'm thankful that i could see the spectacular mountains this morning.  i always seem to forget how breath-taking they are when snow was completely dumped on top of them.  add to that an incredible sunrise on my walk to campus and you get a fabulous morning - that's for sure.
3. i'm thankful for sabrina perkins.  this semester, so many times when i needed a lift, she was the one that realized, that got me out of the house, convinced me to buy the incredible jacket and yellow boots, made me feel like i was trusted and worth trusting, let me talk as long as i needed and cry as much as i wanted, made me dance to lady gaga and laugh till i was giddy.
4. i'm thankful for ink in my printer. . . and getting slightly more simple, for my printer.  the expense and hassle of printing in the library for a month was starting to drive me bonkers.  i live on convenience, i know.  i almost feel guilty for being thankful for a printer.  after all, it's not a necessity.  but maybe that's all the more reason to be thankful.
5. my mom sent back two bottles of homemade turkey noodle soup - thanksgiving leftovers.  believe me, i'm thankful for that soup this freezing week in provo.  and thankful for my generous mother to make the soup and insist i take it.  i love soup and mom!