Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm so excited about the holiday season this year! In fact, I already pulled out my Christmas ornaments. In this photo, I am holding up the first memorable Christmas ornament I ever purchased, which brings back very fun memories. I had just graduated from the University of Utah and moved to Washington, DC for an internship. When my internship was over, I got my first "real" job at Chemical Manufacturers Association as a Staff Assistant. I made very little money but it was great experience and I met lots of new friends.

It was Christmas season in 1992 and my colleague, Mary Beth, came to work one morning and showed me the most beautiful ornament I had ever seen. It was the official White House Christmas ornament and they produce a new one every year. It featured a painting of Mary Todd Lincoln with gold inlay. It was breathtaking. I couldn't afford it but I purchased one anyway. And I started buying one every year. Today, I have something like 30 White House ornaments (I purchased many back years). I love every single one of them.

Last night, my BFF Julie and her children are here for a week. We'll be doing all the typical things we do when we're together-- talking, lunches, movies... Last night, William made dinner for all of us and I didn't have to lift a finger (unless you count lifting my fork to my mouth). I had extreme fatigue from my medication's side effects, so not having to cook or clean up was a Godsend. After a great night's rest, I feel better today. So I'm crossing my fingers this lasts all week because we've got lots of baking to do.