Happy(?) Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Family, yummy food, hanging at home, watching football, playing games, eating more food, breaking out the Christmas movies, spending time with relatives that you just don't see often enough...

I didn't really have a traditional family situation growing up, but Thanksgiving was always a time that the family and friends that could get together would, and my family LOVED to cook and eat! My mom and my uncle Pete carried on the tradition of great cooking from their father who was an excellent cook, so we always had such a yummy spread of way too much food. I caught that love of cooking, and once I had my own family I tried to carry on the traditions, making my kids favorite dishes, watching the Macy's Parade and of course the National Dog Show, inviting over family or traveling to visit family. But as the years go by, change is inevitable. Kids grow up, loved ones leave or move away, relationships shift, diets change, etc. and suddenly Thanksgiving doesn't quite look, feel, or taste like you remember. It's important not to assume that all of us are looking forward to the holiday, or that everyone has a traditional family or group of friends to spend it with. And some people just may not be able to physically get to where they want to be on Thanksgiving Day.

There is one thing that we should all be able to do on Thanksgiving Day and should do every day, and that is to be grateful for the people in our lives that we love. I am enormously thankful for my children, my family, my friends, my co-workers, and my animals! This year I am also super grateful for my health and the freedom and ability to improve it and learn more about wellness every day; and I look forward to bringing those things that I learn to this new venture and hopefully through this website, help you become healthier too.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, your loved ones, and your health! XOXO