Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!! I hope this day finds you spending time with loved ones, eating lots of turkey and pie, not arguing too much about Obamacare with your crazy uncle and taking a beautiful tryptophan induced nap.

To me, Thanksgiving is the greatest holiday. It's basically about eating and hanging out and thinking about what makes your life great. What's not to like about that?!?! Also, all the best foods are stars during Thanksgiving. Mashed potatoes. Sweet Potatoes (despite what Topher says.) Stuffing/ Dressing. PIE. (I could take or leave the turkey, frankly)

I have many, many things to be thankful for. But I wanted to take a minute to say who much I am thankful for all of you. Ken, Topher, Patrick, Brett and I started this little blog a couple of years ago to help promote our book. We didn't have an end game, we didn't know how long we'd keep it up for, and we knew that we were sort of a little late to the Blogging bubble. And while the blog has not yet (yet!!) progressed to the point where we can all quit our day jobs, I once got some free yogurt and a free spoon that is really great. But more than that, we get to write every week and we get friendly, positive, encouraging likes and comments from all of you. So thanks for reading, and reposting, and sharing and liking and all those things. Thanks for telling your friends to read, and sending us nice emails and notes. It always amazes me when someone that NONE OF US know in real life, reads this blog. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

If you need to keep reading so you can avoid hearing about the growth on your aunts ankle, here's a few more things to check out.

Ken's List of 100 things he is thankful for.
My thoughts on Pie. (Spoiler: I pie per adult in attencance at your Thanksgiving gathering.)
And if you are one of those people who is going shopping at 7pm on Thanksgiving day: a retailers's guide to Black Friday. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Independance

My magical blogger analysis tools tell me that not all of our audience comes from the USA (Which kinda blows my mind. People living in foreign lands, let us know who you are!) But if you do call 'Merica your home, Happy July 4th to you. I hope you are doing something more fun than reading blogs today. I'll be working (boo!) but hope to eat some BBQ and blow some things up later.

July 4th is one of those low expectation holidays that I love more and more as an adult. There's not a lot of prep work for most of us. If you want to have a BBQ, that's pretty simple. Just pick up some stuff at the grocery store and you're good to go. Not a lot of pre-planning required. If you want to set off some fireworks (maybe you don't maybe you hate them (I do.)) you pick some up at the store, put some lawn chairs on the lawn and go to town. If you want to go to a parade, go for it. If you want to play football in the park (That was for you, Chris Liv,) have at it. It's a day to relax, have fun and be happy it's summer. And to be glad that you live in a great country. Sure, we're not a perfect nation (We continue to allow Michael Bay to have a career.) but at least we can say we are a nation of open political dialogue, non-didactic discussions about our beliefs and acceptance of one another's viewpoints. What's that, Great Bird? We don't do that, either? Well, at least we have apple pie.

So have fun today. Be safe. Know that we here at PTA will proudly stand up, next to you and defend her still today. And eat pie. We will stand up next to you and eat pie.  Happy Independance Day!!

Happy Pie-Day!!

Thanksgiving at my Mom's house last year. 18 pies.

I believe Thanksgiving needs three things to be successful: Turkey, Gratitude and Pie (not in that order.)  Sure I love many of the other elements of the meal, but for me, it is the pie that is king. I have long held that there should be one pie per adult in attendance at dinner. That's not to say that you need to eat a whole pie, (though if you need to, go ahead.) But you want the variety, the choice. What makes you feel more thankful than having to decide which of the 18 pies presented before you you are going to eat.

This year I am bringing 4 pies to my MILs. That way if someone else shirks their pie duty and only brings one, or -- the horror -- NONE AT ALL, I can offset it a little bit with my 4.

This years entrants:
Pioneer Woman's Pecan Pie - the best you'll ever eat.
Pioneer Woman's Cranberry Pie - I have a crush on the Pioneer Woman.
Ken's wife's apple pie - thanks for marrying someone awesome, Ken!
And a last minute entrant because I had some leftover dough - Lemon Meringue Pie. This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen big red book but this pie always reminds me of my Grandma Pendleton, who always had it at thanksgiving for me because she knew it was my favorite.

So have a wonderful day! May you be safe, happy and loved and full to bursting with pie.