About six, or maybe seven, years ago, Mr. Hot and I stuffed a trio of Detroit Pistons tickets into Shortman’s stocking for the New Year’s Eve game. We lived 15 minutes from The Palace of Auburn Hills, so it was a quick run up I-75 for the afternoon game and an easy-peasy escape back down the road afterward.

Little did we know we’d be starting a tradition.

Things have changed. We no longer live an easy quarter-hour drive from the arena; it’s more like two hours. The Palace restaurant no longer offers a buffet spread prior to the game, it’s concession stand food or nothing. Shortman no longer looks up to the players; he’s now taller than a good number of them.

But always, it’s the three of us. It’s always tickets stuffed in the stocking amongst the gold-foil covered chocolate coins. It’s always “Deee-troit Basketball” and Shortman’s love of Dippin’ Dots (which are, thankfully, still available at the game).

I’m not sure we’ll make it back for New Year’s Eve 2010. We’ll be living in Chicago – and although the 160 miles we’ll travel today is do-able for our little family’s tradition – 600 is a bit much. We may have to make due with the Bulls – who, coincidentally, are the Pistons’ opponents today.

It hurts a bit to think that this will be our last trip up to The Palace – and that we almost didn’t stuff those tickets in that stocking this year. We asked Shortman if he still wanted to go, if he wanted us to get tickets. He looked at us as if we’d lost our minds – “Those tickets are ALWAYS in my stocking.” – and so, they were. At least this one last time.

And this one last time is going to be AWESOME.

—- Happy New Year to all of you – thank you for sticking around in 2009, for making me laugh and cry, for offering words of encouragement and swift kicks in the pants when needed. May 2010 bring you happiness, healthiness and all of the wonderment and possibilities that it offers. —-

—- May your cup of nog runneth over and your stocking be filled with everything your heart desires. —-

I am thankful to be home, in the arms of my husband, listening to my son stomp around upstairs, being slobbered on by the dog and ignored by the cats. I am thankful for my friends – those that I can hug in person and those that live out in the interwebs.

I am thankful that there’s no snow on the ground yet. I am thankful that I have a job I love and that offers me amazing opportunities. I am thankful for the roof over my head and the ground beneath my feet.

I am thankful that a simple gift of tickets to the football game tomorrow still has the ability to light up my favorite 18-year-old’s eyes – just as they did when he was 7.

It’s probably wrong that this image is from the Green Bay Press Gazette.

The Lion should be chasing the Packer symbol. AHAHAHAHAHA. Who am I kidding?

Since 1934, y’all.

—- From the Hotfessional Family – Happy Thanksgiving (U.S.), a late Thanksgiving (Canada) and XXXOOO (the rest of the world) to all of you and yours. —-