The Good Life: The Joy of Cooking

First off, I would like to say that one of my resolutions of the new year is to blog more. So sorry it has been almost 2 months since my last post! This post is long overdue, but I wanted everyone to know about the best Christmas present I received this year. Let me preface this with saying, Rachael Ray is pretty much my cooking role model! Ever since I was little I have been fascinated with cooking and even pretended that I had my own show on the Food Network. I remember only being able to get the Food Network on vacations so every chance I would get I would be glued to the TV to watch the Essence of Emeril featuring Emeril Lagasse. Now that the Food Network is on my basic cable....I pretty much watch every show they have! In college, my roomates always knew when I had been watching TV if it would be turned to the Food Network! All that to say, sophomore year of college my mom, Lauren and I got to meet Paula Deen! She was so sweet and I was so excited to meet her but a life goal was to meet Rachael Ray! In December I saw that Rachael Ray was going to be at the Borders in Rogers, AR! Seriously! As soon as I move to Dallas she shows up in NWA and of course Dallas was not on her list of places to go! The weekend she was supposed to be there my parents had already planned to come to Dallas to help me set up my apartment so I just accepted the fact that I would have to wait to get one of my cookbooks signed by Rachael. :( Fast forward to Christmas morning.....I open up a present from my Grandparents (who live in Bella Vista) and they had bought me the newest Rachael cookbook! I was so excited to add this to my collection which I started about a year ago! I had almost bought the cookbook myself the week before because I had really wanted it.....then my Grandma tells me to open the book....It had been signed by Rachael herself AND my Grandma even got a picture with Rachael!! At this point I was so excited that tears started rolling down my face because I realized that my Grandparents had gotten up early on a Saturday, waited for hours, just so I could have a signed cookbook by my cooking idol! It was seriously one of the best presents I have ever received! I know my grandparents were surprised by the tears rolling down my face but the hours in line made it all worth it to see that reaction! Needless to say, this present was all I could talk about at Christmas and it will be something that I cherish forever! Sidenote: If anyone is ever stumped on what to get me for birthdays, Christmas, etc. get me a cookbook! I think they are a great present that keeps on giving! (to quote Cousin Eddie). Sorry for the long post but I really wanted to share that story! More posts to come soon!

XOXO

My Grandparents, Mom, Dad, and Me.