Giving Thanks

I can't believe the holidays are already upon us. Of course, with all the Christmas stuff that is already all over the place, you would think that we just glided past one of the most important holidays of all.... Yes, I am speaking of the Day of the Turkey. I truly feel that this is the most under-appreciated, over-looked, stepped-on holidays of the year. Hello, people....we try to teach our kids gratitude all the time, and yet we turn into frenzied freaks around mid-October when the retailers start pushing Santa on us. There is actually a holiday in between Halloween and Christmas. It is called Thanksgiving. And I, for one, refuse to forget it. And so, without further ado, here is my Thankful Thanksgiving List.

This year, Daisy is thankful for....

~Coffee, without which I could not maintain sanity in the mornings.

~Beer/Wine, without which I could not maintain sanity through my evenings.

~Portable DVD players for the mini-van. I can recall a time, many years ago when I was a youngster, when we would trek across the country to New York for holidays. A 24-hour car ride. Zaza and Papa, I salute you. Without our magical little devices strapped to the backs of every seat, I fear I would have to throw myself out of the van at 80 mph on the interstate.

~Adam Sandler's Thanksgiving Song. Every year, around the beginning of November, this song gets perma-stuck in my head. And it provides the Goombas and I hours of entertainment trying to come up with more turkey rhymes.

~TV. Because it is my favorite babysitter and the Goombas love it.

~Target. Because it is my happy place. And when I have nothing else to do and no where else to go, it is always there for me. And now that they give me 5% off every purchase with my Red Card, I can spend even more of Bowser's hard-earned cash there.

~Naptime. It is fading fast from our daily routine, but I will hang on as long as I possibly can to this magical time of day. Not only because it gives me some much needed peace and quiet, but also because I, too, love a good afternoon snooze.

~French fries. Because they really, truly do make everything better.

~For McDreamy over at Peach's orthopedic office. Because even now, I love to take her in for x-rays.

~The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Because, can you really kick of the holidays without it??? No. You cannot.

Oh sure, I am thankful for the other stuff, too. You know, all the classics...

~My Goombas. Because each of them have their own unique way of being. They keep me on my toes, they entertain me, they remind me that life doesn't get much better than it is right now. Without them, I would be a lost soul, searching for a place in this world. They give me my place. I am the Goomba's Mommy and I am so thankful to be that.

~My Bowser. He is my best friend. Without him, my world would be dark and gray. He makes me laugh like no one else can. He knows my deepest secrets, and loves me anyway. He puts me on a pedestal, but is not afraid to knock me off when I need a swift kick in the pants. He kisses me when I have pickle-breath and he watches The Notebook with me when he knows I just need a good cry. Bowser, you are the love of my life. I am the most thankful for you.

~My friends. You all know who you are. The good, the bad and the ugly...I couldn't do any of it without you. Blood may be thicker than water, but the wine and good times we share run pretty thick, as well.

~For our families, the roof over our heads, the food on our table and the shoes on our feet. For the blessings that God has bestowed upon us. For the love, laughter and life that we share, I am so humbled by and thankful for it all.

And now...bring on the turkey.

Cheers and Love,
~Daisy