Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

I love that there is an entire holiday dedicated to the idea that we should be grateful for what we have. I have so much to be grateful for! My faith, my Husband, my family, my friends, this baby that will be arriving soon, my comfortable home, my dog, my computer, food, Tums, elastic waistbands, my sewing machines, my snow and graham calendar, books, fireplaces, hot chocolate, slippers, modern medicine, art...the list goes on and on.

To celebrate Thanksgiving, my family goes to Sun Valley every year for a Barlow Family Reunion. That picture up there was taken 2 years ago, which was mine and Shane's first Thanksgiving together - 5 days after we became engaged. Sun Valley is one of my favorite places. Its a rustic and quaint ski town in Idaho with interesting little shops (including my all-time favorite yarn store), and some cool history. And, it is home to a breakfast place called "The Kneadery", which makes the best eggs benedict ever.

My Thanksgivings at Sun Valley are very non-traditional. There's no kitchen for my sisters and I to crowd around in preparing a meal. And, for all the recipes I have collected over the years, I don't know the first thing about preparing a traditional Thanksgiving menu. I have never eaten cranberry sauce, or that sweet potato dish with marshmallows, and I had green bean casserole for the first time at my friend Kelly's house a couple of weeks ago.

The nice thing about Sun Valley, though, is that we get to have uninterrupted family time. Everything we do, we do together. There are no time constraints, no shopping to be done - just eating, talking, playing games, and being together. What more could I want out of my holiday weekend?

So, that's where we'll be for the next few days. I hope you all have a lovely holiday with your family or friends wherever you are.

2 comments:

Ben and Summer said...

Sounds awesome!

Candice said...

I am from Idaho and have never been to Sun Valley (which according to "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" is the third best ski resort on the planet).

I love your tradition. I ache to have one like that too.