My entire life we have done the same thing every year for Thanksgiving. Along with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins, we would load up the car with food and go to my Grandma and Grandpa's house. The memories of those holidays are some of my favorite - and some of my favorite traditions!

Before dinner, we flip through all the cookbooks in my Grandma's kitchen looking for the annual "dinner prayer." We found it by chance one year and have read it ever since. Problem is, every year, we forget which cookbook it's in! Yes, we've marked it, but when we finally do find it, we read through it and it never sounds right. We use it anyway! Then, at dinner we go around the table and say what we're thankful for. This is something me, my sisters and cousins (all girls by the way) thought was such a "clever" idea. We usually cry or make our parents cry. Then, someone would read the prayer from the cookbook.

After stuffing our stomachs, then cleaning up the kitchen, we pick a board game to play. Two things always happen: fights and laughing so hard, we cry. When we finally think our stomachs can hold more food, we have dessert. My Grandma always makes pumpkin pie and real whip cream. It's extra work, but worth it!

Since I've graduated college, I have not spent a Thanksgiving at my Grandparents house. I guess you could say I'm taking on new traditions of my own. (Even if those traditions mean working!) I've spent them with my husband's family, at my place here in Knoxville and in front of a camera anchoring a show. Either way, it's a day to be thankful for all the blessings I've been given.

If I would have been at my Grandparent's table this year, I would have said I'm thankful for each and every one of my family members for their love, support and strength. I would also say I'm thankful for each and every person that makes me smile every day - whether I work with them, they live across town or across the country.

Since I'm not there, I'm also thankful for cell phones. I got to talk to my family while they played a board game.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones.