A List of Giving Thanks

I am thankful that I have never been arrested.
I am thankful that no one noticed when I went to work with my zipper undone a few years ago.
I am thankful that my brothers and sisters rarely read my blog.
I am thankful that I had a dog named Sally when I grew up.
I am thankful that someone finally married me.
I am thankful that my children seem to like me.
I am thankful that my mother is a killer cook (Thanksgiving Dinner rocked).
I am thankful that someone actually pays me to dig in the dirt and find cool Indian stuff.
I am thankful that I don't have a ridiculous nickname.
I am thankful that my immediate family seems relatively sane.
I am thankful.

A Note from the Test Pit

Okay, so I haven't been posting very often. That type of thing happens when you are on a dig. To give you all an update, I have been having a great time excavating Anasazi ruins in the middle of the sand. I have excavated a small firepit/hearth and we are in the process of unearthing a possible pithouse in one of the test trenches. I know that sounds boring to the Wife, but it is a lot of fun for me.

As for the Wife, I have an annoying story to tell. The Wife took the Teenager, the Teenager's best friend, Touchdown and Indy all to Salt Lake this weekend so the Teenager could see her high school football team play in the State Championship (they lost). The trip was uneventful but wholly exhausting, and, yesterday when the whole crew arrived back in town, I could see that the Wife was worn down and needed my help. Well, we went to a church luau without the kids and then went to the grocery store to load up on essentials for next few days. The Wife stayed in the car while I went in and I decided that I would give her a little surprise. She loves the author, Janet Evanovich, so I thought I would get her Janet's new book called "Thanksgiving" for a special gift. I figured she could read it in the tub as she was soaking (she likes that kind of thing). I was looking forward to her reaction to my little gift when I plopped the grocery bag on her lap. I told her I got her a little surprise and awaited my coronation as "Husband of the Year".

The response: "Oh, that is so thoughtful, but I read this book this weekend on my trip."

A guy just can't win.

A Note on Tu-tus

So, the life and times here at the castle have been hectic to say the least.

The Teenager is completely boy crazy and is fixated on her appearance and hygiene to the Nth degree. To wit, I was driving her to school the other day when her mascara clumped on her eyelash. Instead of dealing with the situation with any kind of normal logic, she shuffled through her 18-lbs handbag and found a safety pin. She then opened the safety pin (making it infinitely less safe) and used the sharp end to break up the clump. I look over at her (while I'm driving) to see a needle millimeters from her eyeball. Good thing I didn't slam on the breaks. What was she thinking?

And then we go and let the Teenager drive!?!?

Yeah, we do.

Well, whenever I make a bold move or a dangerous move in the minivan, the Wife yells, "Hold on to your tu-tus, girls."

With that in mind, you will understand the following story.

The Teenager is constantly needling us (no pun intended) to allow her to drive now that she has her learner's permit, so the other day, the Wife relented and gave her the chance to drive. Knowing that her sister is no Mario Andretti just yet, little Touchdown curled up into a little ball in her car seat and said the following:

"Go ahead, Sis, and do your traffic thing, my tu-tus are all holded on to!"

Out of the mouths of babes.

A Note from the Field

I wonder what it all means.