Happy Hour

It couldn't be a more appropriate day for a Happy Hour post than the day before Thanksgiving. In a world that seems to become more wrapped up (pun unintentional) in holiday presents every year and less interested in being grateful, it can be hard to focus on what truly matters. Instead of my typical picture HH, I wanted to share a few things that I'm especially thankful for right now. Because I hate having all the attention on me (yes, I'm aware how ironic that statement seems) I'd love to hear things that you're thankful for in the comments below, or, if you share a picture of something your thankful for on social media, use the #rchappyhour. And if you think you have nothing to be thankful for, well think again!

1. My husband- I know I say it a lot, but this guy is my entire world. There are not enough words in the whole dictionary to describe how thankful I am for all his unending love, support, hard work, dedication, honesty, patience, food-tasting, and photography taking.

2. My family- They may be slightly dysfunctional and there may be a few people who are no longer with us, but the older I get, the more appreciative I am of the family that I do have. I heard a story on the news about a man in Virginia who was staying in a homeless shelter. He had put an ad out looking for a family so he didn't have to spend the holiday alone like the previous year because it made him so sad. It was a reminder to me, that no matter how crazy my family can drive me, there is someone somewhere who would do anything to have those people in their life.

3. Setbacks and difficulties- It may sound like a funny thing to be thankful for, but every single difficulty or set back in my life has always helped me learn a lesson, work harder, become a better person, or led me down a better path than the one I had originally planned for. I wouldn't be who I am or where I am without those experiences, so for that I am truly thankful.

4. Food- The ability to have it, to know how to cook with it, to enjoy and taste the flavors of it, to be able to appreciate it, to live in a city full of restaurants that serve it so well, that I can make a living with it, and to be able to share it with loved ones.

5. Blogging World- Last, but certainly not least, I'm so incredibly grateful for this blog and everything that has come through it. Not a day goes by that I don't realize how lucky I am that I get to share things I love with you, every.single.day. It's taken a lot of hard work, love, and sacrifice (from myself and my family) to get RC where it is today and for all of that I'm truly thankful. But the thing I'm most thankful for are all of you who come to read, comment, pin, share, tweet, like, email, etc....it truly blows my mind away. I simply started this blog as an escape from a mountain of job applications and it has since turned into so much more- a network of friends, an escape from the dramas of real life, a wonderful community and support system, and a means of helping me provide for my family. I'm truly, beyond words, grateful to each of you.

Don't forget...I really want to hear some things you're thankful for in the comments below or on social media! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and I'll see you back here Monday morning!