I love Thanksgiving.  I love the food and the family time.  I love that the focus is on being together. 

My family had a great Thanksgiving this year.  We have a tradition where we invite friends over for "pie night" on the night before Thanksgiving.  We do that because you are always too full to enjoy the pie on Thanksgiving day.  We had a great group of people and an amazing selection of pies this year. 

We spent two nights at our cabin near Swift Reservoir.  My wife Christy and my mother in law made an outstanding meal.  This was the first year for us to try 'brining' the turkey.  I highly recommend it.  We played games and I even beat my girls in Settlers of Catan which hardly ever happens.  We even did some target shooting with .22's.  Here are my top things that I am thankful for:

1.   My wife Christy and three beautiful daughters Alyssa, Avery, and Cassidy.

2.  My parents and  two brothers and two sisters (all of whom live in Idaho).

3.  A great group of people to work with every day.  Caren, Debbie, Shasta, Krista, and Christy.  I hear from our patients all the time what a great group they are and I agree. 

4.  Good health.

5.  Good friends. 

6.  A great group of patients that make it enjoyable to come to work every day. 

7.  I am grateful to be a "general dentist" because it brings so much variety to my day and keeps me sharp.

8. My faith.

9. Good books.  I just finished "The Help" and thought it was excellent.

10.  Cross-Fit.  I need more exercise in my life, and Cross-Fit has been a good motivator over the last two years. 

Sometimes it's good to actually write down the things that you are thankful for so that you can count your blessings and remember the things that are important.

Nathan