1) What are you thankful for - As we are approaching Thanksgiving, is there anything you are particularly thankful for this year?  I am thankful to be blessed with a great family.  Not only the family that Stacey and I have started, but both of our families.  We will be going to my Dad's which has been a long standing tradition.  It isn't anything fancy, but it is always inviting, warm, and brings back good memories.  Plus Stacey makes a killer pie :).  I am also very thankful for the support that we have been giving in moving further forward with our business.  It was a big decision for Stacey and I to both go full time with the business, but it couldn't have made either of us more happy.  How many people get to say they love what they do?  We have also been blessed to have made some incredible relationships through our business that have been great and helped us more than they may ever know!

2) Tradition or Entertainment - There are a few things quintessentially American about Thanksgiving.  What immediately comes to mind when you think about Thanksgiving?  Well there's family, turkey, pumpkin pie, and football to name a few.  In regards to football, what teams do you think of?  The Cowboys and Lions of course.  The question I have is, do you like tradition or would you prefer entertainment.  So the Cowboys can provide both, but do we really need to watch another Lions game?  So they had a very entertaining game this week, but overall, I would rather eat the whole bowl of cranberries!

3) H1N1 Hell - I took Lauren and Ian to get their H1N1 vaccines today and I swear it came close to making me contemplate a straight jacket and earplugs.  First off you have to fill out the forms while the lobby is like a "Twilight" appearance at a high school.  I have never seen so many people in a Doctor's office before.  After trying to restrain Ian from thinking he is a light technician on Broadway, while filling out the host of Yes or No boxes you need to check, we made it to the hallway of screams.  Nothing like a bunch of kids all there to get shots!  Needless to say, I felt terrible having to physically restrain my children, but hopefully they won't hate me for it later. 

4) MVP Minneapolis - Green Bay may like to think of itself as Titletown, but after this year we may be called MVP Minneapolis.  Twins catcher, Joe Mauer, just won his first MVP award to go with his three batting championships.  The question is will he be overshadowed by the possibility of Brett Favre winning his fourth?  Watching these two athletes this year has been an absolute treat for a local sports fan!

5) The tasty bite, Thanksgiving wine selection - So you have the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and all the fixings, but what kind of wine do you bring or serve on Thanksgiving?  Each family has it's own traditions when it comes to the holidays and may serve different dishes.  Turkey is kind of basic, and should pair well with a variety of wines.  I recently read a great piece of advice that suggested you think more about the side dishes when thinking of what wine to drink on Thanksgiving.  Do you serve sweet potatoes or might you have a more southern influenced meal that includes collard or mustard greens?  I'm going to offer my suggestion on a couple of wines that should work well for the "standard" Midwest Thanksgiving.

White: Sauvingon Blanc or something from the Alsace region.  Either of these wines tend to be dry and crisp.  The Alsace may have a bit more mineral or earthy bite to it which can work well with Thanksgiving dishes, while they both have some sweetness that provides a nice balance.

Red: Pinot Noir can be an excellent option particularly for those of you who love dark meat.  A well done Pinot is going to provide wonderful fruit flavors while balancing it with earthy undertones.  If you are looking for something fruitier, try a Beaujolai Nouveau.  Either one has long been a Thanksgiving favorite!

Looking to bring something new to the table, try an Albarino.  While being Spain's most popular white, this exhibits a lot of the crispness that the Sauvingon Blanc or Alsace provides, yet is unique and something your guests may not have tried before.

Last but not least, if you know you like something else, drink that!  Bon Appetite and have a fantastic Thanksgiving!