Thanksgiving is quickly becoming one of my favorite holidays. It is all about food and family; what could be better? And Thanksgiving allows you to try something new or stick to tradition through a recipe. When thinking about what I'm thankful for this year, I found myself coming up with a short but passionate list.

1. Safety
• Hurricane Sandy was not the only dramatic event that makes us thankful to be alive. Unfortunately Colorado has seen its fair share of scary occurrences this year including fires, child kidnapping, movie massacres, and other random acts of public danger. It was all too close for comfort for me and my family. I'm thankful for the police, firefighters, Red Cross, and the community for pulling together, staying strong and being supportive through it all. I'm sure it won't be the last that we see and it is always good to see the human spirit win out.
2. Financial Freedom
• Like most, I may not be in my dream job with dream salary, but I'm happy that I have enough to be able to spend money on gifts for my family and friends for the holidays, travel on a yearly vacation, and be funding my future retirement. Honoring your past, fully living the present, and planning for the future is what I am thankful for.
3. Change
• Maybe it is a strange thing to be thankful for, but the fact that life is always changing and keeping me on my toes is a wonderful thing. Whenever you run into a difficult decision, a crossroads, or bad karma, I always say "It keeps life interesting." I have been through some interesting challenges this year and I hope next year is just as glorious. :)