I am Southern born and raised and have lived in all 4 US time zones. I will be 40 this year and am in better shape and loving life more than ever. We love to hike and camp here in the desert. I like to run and although have trained for a marathon prefer 3-5 mile runs. I have 7 children who love to cook. We aren't gourmet, but we have fun in the kitchen. Holidays are big food events around our house. The more the merrier. My favorite time is when family and friends fill our home and there is so much food that you can't get a sample serving of everything on one plate. And the laughter and conversations are so many that is creates this warm buzz. These are the moments i cherish. I love comfort and southern foods including smoked barbecue and hash (something my current neighbors don't know what to do with) I try to provide good tasting food for my family that is also healthy using as many whole natural foods as possible. Sunday after church dinners where the house filled with the good smells of pork roast, gravy and butter beans and chocolate pie. I love the holidays. To me it's all about family. Cooking is just another way to express love to those around my table. When i spend 3 days in the kitchen preparing for Thanksgiving it's my way of saying I LOVE YOU and their smiles and oohs and "Mom, this is sooo good" means they will be blessed with memories similar to my own and i would work countless hours for that. I was given a fabulous but simple cheesecake recipe when i first got married. It took me 3 years to get up the nerve to try it. It was so good, and everyone ranted and raved about it that it has become a staple for important family dinners. It has never failed me and i have never gotten a mediocre review. My first Thanksgiving as a newlywed was a hilarious disaster (although not so funny at the time). We were living in Texas 1200 miles from my mom and I had never even stepped foot in the kitchen on Thanksgiving before but i was determined to give my husband a wonderful meal. We invited his aunt and her boyfriend over. I cooked the Turkey upside down, the potatoes were green. I still haven't figured that one out and the dressing was so dry it made cornbread seem moist. My husband was so gracious and his aunt and her boyfriend made the best of it, but i was so humiliated. We have laughed about it so many times since. Now Thanksgiving is one of my best meals. And all my kids get involved in the process. Each gets to add 1 dish to the menu and they get to help prepare that dish. We eat for days off this one meal.