Giving Thanks.

Thanksgiving has never been a big deal for me. Growing up, Thanksgiving always involved just my immediate family. Don't get me wrong, it was awesome, but I saw these people all the time, I was living at home, we always ate together, etc. 

Then I moved away and went to school. I missed 3 Thanksgivings in a row because I was unable to fly home. Besides, I was going to see my family in like 3 weeks for Christmas break. It didn't make sense for me to fly out twice, especially so close together. 

So now you have a background of what Thanksgiving was/is to me. Not a big deal. The older I get, the more I appreciate everyone in my family gathering together, especially since we have all gone our separate ways. And just because I am the Grinch of Thanksgiving, does not in any way mean that I am not thankful or grateful. I am well aware of what I have and I give thanks all the time, and not just once a year. 

So this year, I decided it was important to make something that was uniquely me, that was not a part of someone else in my family. Having lived in Hawaii, I decided to make a pie, inspired from a bakery on the North Shore. So Wednesday night I came home from the gym and started making my chocolate haupia pie. It was my first time ever making a pie, and for my first time, I think it turned out pretty great. It's important to incorporate something from your culture or lifestyle when gathering together with friends or family. Now that I found mine, I'm looking forward to perfecting it, and making it for whatever gatherings there might be in the future. 

So to sum up Thanksgiving 2014 in one phrase: The year I learned how to make a pie. 

Happy Thanksgiving!!