Black Friday. For the first time in years, I did not go shopping. Instead, I stayed home. In bed. With my man. And a migraine.

Thanksgiving was great with the inlaws. My father-in-law expressed his gratitude for me and my daughter joining their family this year and told us we were a blessing to them. Well, they're a blessing to us as well. I'm so thankful for my sweet husband. He's amazing. Yep, we're still definitely newlyweds.

I love cooking. I cook all the time. I usually make enough for leftovers for lunches or enough to give away or whatever. Munchkin doesn't eat much, although she's starting to eat more now and be a bit less picky. It's been hard with my husband in this body building competition because during our courtship, he ate everything I put in front of him. Not so anymore. Although, he did eat some of everything yesterday (and paid for it today with a belly ache). But I could tell my efforts were appreciated. We showed up with 4 pumpkin pies, a sweet potato casserole with a nut topping, hashbrown casserole, and stuffing. Lots of all of the above. They roasted the bird we'd taken over last Friday, which is when we told my father-in-law and brother-in-law what we were bringing, but somehow mother-in-law didn't get the message (whether they told her or not is another story -- FIL insists yes, MIL insists no). So, she bought a pie and stuffing and potato salad and rolls. Nobody ate any of that, just the homemade stuff we took.

I have a brother-in-law who can eat an entire pizza by himself and wash it down with a half gallon of ice cream. He got a plate ready for himself with an entire drumstick and good sized helpings of everything else, ate a few bites, asked mom if he could have pie, so I handed him one and said, "I made four, this one's yours." His eyes got big and he said, "wow, thanks," took it and his plate to his room and we didn't see him again for a while.

My sister-in-law was working, but came home and there was still food on the table. Enough that she could pick what she wanted and didn't want. She was so excited, and said it was the best Thanksgiving they've ever had. My husband said that made his day. It made mine, too. Apparently last year, there wasn't even any turkey left when she got home from work. (she works in a care center, and they try to split up the holidays into 4-hour shifts so no one is stuck there all day, but they usually eat while she's gone. lol). My father-in-law just kept saying, "We are going to gain weight." My mother-in-law took tiny helpings of everything I made, tasted it, and once she decided she liked it, made her husband get more for her. They're so funny. FIL said he now knows the difference between homemade and store bought and that they need to learn to cook. I laughed.

The thing is, they do know how to cook Island food. My sweetie thought they'd be making some for yesterday but they didn't make any -- they were worried about offending me or something. Really, I just want them to be themselves. We were both sort of disappointed there wasn't any. But it was still good, and it was nice to spend time with the family. We don't see them much, but that's because they don't want to impose. Well, I don't want to impose either, so don't go down there often, and I never know if anyone is going to be home besides the one brother-in-law who has some mental health issues and being alone with him or him and the other brother-in-law isn't comfy for me. So we avoid imposing on them, too.

So, after we got home, I started working, but I started getting a headache. So I went to bed. Hubby was up most of the night, and around 4 o'clock this morning, the headache woke me up. I was too tired to get up and take anything, so I made myself go back to sleep, but I wasn't resting very well. Around 8, I finally got up and took 2 Excedrin with a Pepsi and about 20 minutes later I felt fine.

I hate migraines, but at least it wasn't the kind where I have to go to the InstaCare and get a shot. I hate shots, too. The last time I did that ... whoa. We weren't even engaged yet, but we were dating. That was a rough day. Sis took me to the InstaCare, I got shot in the butt, came home and passed out. She took my daughter home with her. The phone rang all damn day and kept waking me up. I finally woke up enough to call my sweetie and ask him to get kidlet before he came over for our "family" night that night. He did. He'd told me long before I had him whipped and he'd do anything for me, but I didn't entirely believe that or understand it until I was in the hospital this summer when, in my mostly uncoherent state in the ICU when they were pushing morphine and I was puking, he said he was going to go home and sleep and I begged him to stay, so he slept in a chair that night. The rest of the nights, he stayed in a cot in my room. I don't remember asking him to stay that night, but I do remember crying because he was still there after my surgery. I think that's when I really realized how much he loves me. Actually, I'm not sure I entirely know it even now, but I'm grateful for him and for his love for me, and for the fact that he would do just about anything to keep me happy. Even when he's tired.

I'm getting really random, but the gist is this list of things I'm thankful for (not entirely copied from kip, but I did see her list which is much longer than her Thursday 13, and thought I'd start a list here of things I'm thankful for, too).
1. My husband.
2. Our children.
3. The gospel.
4. My health.
5. My friends.
6. The surgery I had this summer, ensuring good health in the future, and reminding me how great it is to feel healthy the rest of the time.
7. Our home.
8. Cars.
9. TOILETS and other indoor plumbing, including dishwashers and washing machines.
10. Electricity.
11. BEDS.
12. Blankets.
13. Clothes ... and not clothes.
14. Air conditioning/central air/heating. Good stuff.
15. Medicine.
16. My job, my husband's job, and our ability to provide for our family.
17. Music -- I'm not talking Smashing Pumpkins or Faith Hill or anything like that, although that's fun, too. I'm talking the classics that I grew up playing. I miss having a piano.
18. Slow dancing with my husband.
19. Parents who sacrifice so we can have better lives.
20. Bridal showers and parties and wedding receptions. Saw people I love whom I haven't seen in years. Good times.
21. Co-workers who make me laugh all day -- Schweddy Balls, indeed.
22. Glasses and/or contacts.
23. Bubble baths.
24. Grandma's painting hanging on my wall -- it's not of her, but a seascape she did in oils. I also have a still life of a fruit bowl because my brother couldn't take it to Japan. I'm betting he'll want it back when they move back here.
25. Babies.
26. Baby wipes and disposable diapers.
27. Faith.
28. I'm thankful I no longer have the evil IUD.
29. My brother-in-law D who introduced me to my husband.
30. Pillows and pillow fights.
31. Massage oil that doesn't break out my skin.
32. Clearer skin than when I had the evil IUD.
33. Skin care.
34. Hot showers.
35. Edible body wash/lotion ... ahem.
36. Shampoo.
37. Hair dryers.
38. The temple and the peace I find there.
39. Eternal marriage.
40. A husband who runs from temptation -- like co-workers hitting on him since he's dropped so much weight, and getting the message across that he's married and not interested.
41. Wedding rings. lol.
42. Pedicures and manicures.
43. Haircuts a la Tilly (who is pregnant and QUITTING. gr.)
44. Exercise. Not that I've been doing as much as I want of late, getting sick over and over puts a cramp in my healthy habits, but I do enjoy working out and am grateful I actually can now.
45. Computers.
46. OxyClean. Luv that stuf.
47. Periods coming when you start stressing about being late 'cuz yer not ready to have another munchkin.
48. Cell phones.
49. Scriptures.
50. The power of prayer.
51. Priesthood blessings.
52. The Atonement.
53. Christmas!
54. Thanksgiving and time with my family.
55. Willow Tree figurines. Good stuf.
56. Drills, wood screws, staple guns, striped fabric, and the inspiration on how to fix my kitchen chairs.
57. Tax returns.
58. Rain. Dancing in the rain. Making out in the rain.
59. Snuggling hubby in bed on a rare lazy morning when neither of us has to work and kidlet keeps herself entertained for a while.
60. Pumpkin pie for breakfast.
61. Turkey-induced comas.
62. Pictures, scrapbooks, and semi-preserved memories.
63. Books.
64. Movies.
65. Jiu jitsu.
66. Airborne. Buy this. Drink it. Stay well. Wish they paid me for all the advertising I do for them. hahahaaha.
67. Hugs and kisses from munchkins.
68. Hugs and kisses from my husband.
69. My aunt the massage therapist, bless her hard-working self. Glad she's here for the holiday so I can get some of these knots out. Hubby tries, but isn't trained except for a few things from her.
70. Airplanes and other modes of transportation that allow us to get from one place to another relatively quickly and painlessly.
71. The pioneers who settled the West.
72. The pioneers who came from the Old World and settled the New.
73. Tres Leches. It's awesome. I also left most of it at the in-laws' since I knew I'd just eat the whole damn thing. lolol.
74. Pumpkin pie with cinnamon whipped cream. Or pumpkin bread pudding with the same. Actually, anything pumpkin at this time of year ...
75. Nutmeg and other spices that make food so wonderful.

Man, that's enough. My hands are tired. So is my brain. At least I'm not nauseated anymore from the migraine (nausea lasted all day). And since hubby's tummy finally calmed down (it's 8 o'clock at night), we're gonna go see Casino Royale. So, I bid you adieu.