May your homes and hearts be filled with gratitude, love, family and happiness.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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I launched a clandestine offensive against my wife months ago. I learned my lesson from the year before ---

The year before I asked my wife if we could go to Chicago (my home) for the Thanksgiving holiday. Our talks broke down. Since leaving the NYC and even when we were there the MO for us was to stay there because "We do Thanksgiving in New York". Last year she did the classic I'm not really going to answer you one way or another until it's too late to do anything but what I want to do move - in other words she stonewalled me. I made the decision back in 2010 that would never happen to me again...

Once I realized it was no longer summer I began my offensive.

A few days ago I found the following note on my phone:

Technology left in the hands of a child...

I laughed because it is true. I smiled because at the age of 5 my daughter writes down her very collected thoughts, with near grammatical and spelling perfection, everywhere --- including my phone. I was getting ready to delete the note when I was overcome with joy and satisfaction over life's simple things. Such as, finding this note filled with a child's honest and innocent observation. I was immediately thankful for all of them --- my big one and all his teenage flaws, my little one, and the woman who is their mother. And recharged to be the best that I can be...for them.

No matter what your circumstances were yesterday and will be tomorrow, Today, please spend some quality time with some loved ones or people who could benefit from your care and company.

From my family to yours --- Happy Thanksgiving!

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Welcome to Monday's with Michelle! With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought this would be the perfect time to get into some yummy seasonal dishes! I want to take a few traditional side dishes and show you some great ideas that I have found to kick them up a little.
First things first, what is a Thanksgiving without Stuffing? Well, depending on where you are from, you may call it Dressing, but it is more or less the same thing. (Of course that is up for debate too.) There are cornbread versions, meat filled versions, Oyster filled versions and the old fashioned traditional day old bread version. Check out a few of these versions below.

Besides traveling, dreading the sight of "that cousin" or "Aunt So & So" and going hog wild in the kitchen, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to reflect on everything that you are thankful and grateful for.

...and everything that you are not. Sometimes it's good to be thankful for things you don't have, like that woman/man who turned out to be a psychopath, that house you couldn't afford last year that is only worth half it's value now, or a sickness/disease that you've overcome.

Many of us walk around thinking how bad we have it. But best believe someone might just be a little worse off than you. Some people aren't even here to celebrate the season.

From the House of Payne to your house, be well, be blessed, be thankful whatever your circumstances may be and be easy on the pies.


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As I was putting my daughter to sleep last night I asked her what she was thankful for.

"My family!" she answered, almost as if I had asked a stupid question.

It's the little things...

The holidays, particularly during this era of economic uncertainty and hardship can be a source of great anxiety if not dread. But before you go too far down the rabbit hole of hopelessness ask your child (avoid teens at all costs) what he or she is thankful for. If you don't have one then they can be easily found at the homes of friends and relatives. You'll be
surprised how their simple, innocent answers can put things into perspective for you.

I want to challenge you to take this one step further. Write down everything you have. Not your needs or wants but exactly what you have. More than likely there'll be at least one thing on your list that will give you cause to be thankful.

Pass it on...



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