Of Giblets and Turkey Necks

I hosted my very first Thanksgiving dinner on my own this year and it went off without a hitch! The whole long (best-weekend-of-the-year-since-we-get-two-paid-holidays-in-a-row) weekend was wonderful, actually.

On Wednesday I went to Elizabeth's house for a fun Thanksgiving Eve party with pretty much some of the best friends anyone could ever ask for.

Britt, Carrie, & Elizabeth

Therese, Carrie, & Jen

Carrie & Jessica

On Thursday morning, Britt and I ran in the Dana Point Turkey Trot, which was a lot of fun. We were worried when we woke up early in the morning and it was pouring rain that we'd have a repeat weather incident like we did for our Feb. half marathon, but luckily, the sun was shining by the time our race started.


After running 5K, we were ready to chow down. Jessica, Karl, Sabina, and Kraig, joined us for a day of eating turkey (sans giblets and necks though), stuffing, and enough food to feed an entire Ethiopian town. Here are some pictures of all the yumminess.

On Friday, well before the plumbers crack of dawn, Jessica picked me up and we went Black Friday shopping, which mostly entailed me shunning the materialism and consumerism of the holidays by buying myself new clothes and house decorations. I'm planning to give my family the gift of my presence and perhaps some knitted potholders for Christmas.

On Saturday, I tried once to appreciate football by spending the entire day tailgating (without the tailgate again) and going to the USC vs. Notre Dame football game. I can honestly say that I do have a newfound appreciation--only it's for Saturday morning cartoons, sleeping in, padded seats, and the Notre Dame marching band.

Carrie & Kirstie

All in all, I really had a GREAT weekend and, thanks this time to Abraham Lincoln's proclamation, am reminded of some of the very important things in my life that I am thankful for, such as:

• My family, who, amazingly, love me and support me no matter what. I am so thankful that not only do I have a loving family, but that they are fun people with whom I really enjoy spending time.


• My friends, who are my home-away-from-home in California. I am blessed with the most amazing, beautiful, smart, funny, fun, interesting, all-around-awesome girlfriends in the world. I would be lost in Cali without them.


• My job. I'm thankful just to have a job in these hard economic times. I'm even more thankful that my company lets me make my own decisions, hires cool people to work with, and gives me a fair wage.


• Opportunities. I'm so thankful that I've had the opportunity to go to school and get good degrees, move to the OC, buy a house, and make a life for myself in California. I'm also thankful for travel and fun opportunities. Life is really amazing and really good.


• Soft things. I'm obsessed with soft things and that's why I am giving myself carpal tunnel syndrome from twirling my hair all day and why I lug my old ratty pillow around with me everywhere like Linus.


• The leftover marbled pumpkin cheesecake that is in my refrigerator and which I will eat for dinner at 9pm tonight.

What more could anyone ask for?