How did it get to be Thanksgiving already? Next week is December! Before we get caught up in the holiday craziness, take time to reflect on things in our industry for which we’re thankful. Here, a bunch that keep me smiling.

● Games like: 2048 so I don’t have to dull my mind playing solitaire.

● Apps beyond Words with Friends that entice my kids to communicate with me, including Snapchat and Pocket Avatar, which lets them roll their eyes and still make me laugh.

● Good picture books, digital or not: Nothing is more delicious than having a toddler sink into your lap and hang on every word you say.

● Companies that keep innovating with toys such as ThinkFun’s Laser Maze,Evollve’s Ozobot, WowWee’s MIP, Tiggly Counts, Osmo by Tangible Play, and Roominate’s Chateau.

● Melissa Clark videos: She makes everything look so good and easy, I feel perfectly satiated after watching her.

● Markus “Notch” Persson: He sold MineCraft  for a gazillion dollars, but ultimately chose ideals over money, deciding he was really meant to be just a nerdy computer programmer rather than CEO.

● Netflix: There’s always something new…or old…that I want to see.

● Amazon Prime: I can binge watch Alpha House and Transparency on a 30-day free trial.

● Google:  I smile at the special-day logo variations. And I’m afraid if I leave them off this list, they’ll send me more Google+ emails.

● My iPhone 5S. It still works perfectly well, and unlike the 6 Plus, fits into my pocket.

● Serial podcasts: Storytelling the way it used to be. Worth donating to hear more.

● Princess Elsa. For telling us (in her own repeatable words) to not sweat the small stuff.

● Lists. I’m not just talking about Buzzfeed. There are so many smart, intriguing, and organized ways to stay on top of the game. I’m particularly thankful for  CTREX, the new data base from Children’s Technology Review, 5IT, Alexis Madrigal’s always brilliant takes on what I didn’t know I needed to know, and the best online shopping for Black Friday that lets my fingers do the walking.

● You. I’m always thankful when someone reads to the end.

Happy Thanksgiving! wendy@sandboxsummit.org