Serious things I am thankful for this holiday season:

• My family.
• My friends who feel like family. (Andersons: I’m looking at you.)
• My (relative) health, and that of the people close to me.

Those are the things that matter.

But there are also quite a few less serious things that I’m very thankful for this holiday season, and I don’t mind sharing those, too.

• The fact that the puppy has started to pee more frequently outside than in.
• Angel biscuits. Yum.
• Hearing John sing things like “Follow me in merry measure!”
• Ice cubes shaped like giant snow balls.
• Giant snow balls.
• Play dates that give me an afternoon to get things (or nothing) done.
• Matt picking a perfect book for me for Christmas.
• Motown on Pandora.
• New lip gloss. (Thanks, Kim!)
• Puppy and cat not killing each other!
• Five days off from work but not a bit of dread about going back on Monday.
• Christmas cards.
• Basketball season.
• Soup night.
• Willett.
• Scarves that are as warm as they are pretty.
• Bubble bath.
• Days getting longer.
• Christmas cookies, and then the end of Christmas cookies. Enough is enough.
• The critters (very festive!) that John made for our buche de noel.
• Again, the peeing outside thing. It can’t be overstated.

My very warmest and happiest holiday wishes for all seven of the people who regularly read this blog. May you be as delighted by the little things as you are joyful about the big ones. Here’s to a terrific start to the new year, in which we will continue to celebrate all that makes life calm and bright.