to remember this holiday

A couple of days ago I was reading back through old blog posts and felt grateful I'd recorded those thoughts and memories and events.  I don't remember writing many of those words, but reading them reminded me of past times and that was good.

These are things I want to remember about this past holiday:

1.  All of our kids and grandkids around tables in the dining room, eating good food, laughing, talking together.
2.  Both of my parents with us for that wonderful meal.  It has been a long time since my dad joined us here, and I don't know if or when it will happen again, but that day, for that meal, was precious, seeing him enjoy the company and the food so very much.
3.  Trying very hard and succeeding at not eating pie for breakfast or before breakfast this year.
4.  A crisp sunny November morning with the kids and grandkids at the zoo where the animals are always much more active during cooler weather, so we saw bears, seals, a wolf, and more, all up and moving, and we even heard the tiger making tiger sounds.  And thank you Shi for that zoo pass.
5.  Hours and hours and hours of grandkids playing together joyously, with this visit featuring lots of note writing.  I will treasure reading through all of the notes I've found throughout the house.  Note to self--buy simple white little notepads and pens for each girl for Christmas.  It will be their favorite gift. 
6.  Skiing tales from Jessie and Cory about their first time skiing at Alta, and thanks to Jr, the drummer, and his wife for preparing them, encouraging them, and also filming them.
7.  Leo warming up to me after much cajoling, and also when he realized I was the closest thing to a mom because his mom was gone skiing.  That boy is such a boy--throwing everything he can get in his hands, but especially anything ball-shaped.  I think he was born with throwing in his hands.
8.  Pancakes, pancakes, and more pancakes.  For dinner and for breakfast.  Or those little boxes of sweetened cereal that the girls love as much as I did as a kid.
9.  Speed bowling, all of us together, adults, kids, everybody.  Bumpers and a ramp that enabled Ellie to have a higher score than many of us.  Everybody--five kids and nine adults--finishing a full game in just a little over one hour.
10.  A safe journey home today for the Californians, and a meal of leftovers and macaroni and cheese with the locals today.  Grateful for them all, everyone.