Thankful...

These damn holidays...Christmas and Thanksgiving....hard for me, yall. I'm worried about getting my kids Christmas presents as usual. That never changes, with a job or without a job. When I was employed, I saved my check before Christmas and bought all their stuff. Then I was begging the City of Union to not turn off my lights. Kids are expensive and my cousin always says "Their Christmas lists' get worse..."

Thanksgiving is always boring. I don't live out of town anymore, so its Momma's house for Thanksgiving 'lunch' (we eat @ noon) and then TV, internet, kids' naps...***snore*** I remember when Thanksgiving night was a party night!!! lol!

I think of my family on Thanksgiving. When I was young, my family from New York and Chicago would come down to my Grandma's house and it would be big dinner and days of non-stop gatherings. Those days are gone. My Granny, Aunt Maxine, and Daddy are gone. My other family stays put in NY and the Chi.

But I'm grateful to have my kids this year (per holiday visitation schedule) and Grandma's cooking everything. And we will take leftovers home!!

My mother actually makes a banging cornbread dressing and giblet gravy. I won't tell her that because she is narcissistic.

Jamie

I wanna be a big girl....

The Last Supper...Sunday

Okay. I know I'm fat. And I'm okay with it, Sort of. Well, I'm not okay when I can't get into my clothes. When I can wear the clothes I have( because I can't afford new clothes) I could care less about being fat. If I can afford to buy clothes in size, I would a big girl all day....

But, recently I've gained more weight and can't get into my old clothes. Its heart breaking. A diva got to go on a diet. Simply because I can't afford to buy new clothes....and I'm overweight.

I went for my yearly OB-GYN check up and everything checked out swell but I had an "issue" of sort about something. My doctor said it because your overweight, Ms. Jeter and that happens.

I just want to cry. I can't afford new clothes for "all" of me. I'm scared I won't lose the weight. I've been one diet all my life. I went on it for a man and still didn't pay me any attention.

I started The Sonoma Diet Monday and its Wednesday and want to quit. Its f'ing hard. No sugar, no white flour carbs, no sweets for the 1st 10 days....then doesn't really get better. all diets are like that.

I admitted this to mother, who lacks sincerity and compassion in the first place. She gave me one of classic blank looks. I wasn't surprised. She could care less about anything concerning me. I sound like a 16 yr old girl. I actually said this when I was 16.

I just rather be a big girl...really. I could just buy the clothes I want I wouldn't in this mess.

Jamie

Gum Crack....

I admit it....I'm straight gum addict...I chew when I'm nervous or anxious which is alot these days. Thank God, I brush and floss, because I would have no teeth.

I got all this gum at a salvage store in my town for .50 a pack. I'll keep about four packs in my handbag. My kids know have gum, so they ask, and I give. This is why I'm on the constant re-up of gum. Thank God for the Green's Salvage.

I know I haven't been on this piece, like I don't have randomness going on and such. I've planning and making goals for the next year and this Christmas season...

Randomness:

-making new Christmas decorations this year....I've had the same decorations and tree my ex-boyfriend and I picked out back in 2002. I'm sick of them. I have a two projects for the kids and one for me for the tree. I need a bigger tree too. A Big Family Tree:)

-made some new cooking goals: make risotto( again), gnocchi, and a frittata. I wish I can bake but my oven has no temp control( meaning it gets too hot) so baking is tricky.

-obsessed with appetizers as dinner. like a restaurant.

-I need a winter 'boo'...badly.

-I have a Christmas wishlist as long as the equator. who will buy me all these things, pray tel?

-ready to make this Cranberry Sangria recipe I found. I need a winter 'boo' to drink it with!!!!

-Speaking of 'boos'...I'm VERY VERY picky. I could thank various men for that. You showed me who I NEVER want to be with, again. One is probably reading this right now. Talk you later, non-boo.:)

-Need to get out of this town and visit. First Jocey and the fam, then D. Shannan...

Enough! lol!

Jamie

F&S Stuff #8

I haven't been getting alot of freebie goodies in the mail lately...either its been slow or companies aren't handing out like they use to, or I'm not interested...

Back in April I sent in a receipt via Everyday with Rachael Ray to win a her Big Orange Book. Well, last week they finally send me a letter saying they had ran out of the bag so they were sending me a bag instead. Cute bag though:) Magazine Promotions work...most of the time. lol!!
Go to Wal-Mart.com and sign up for samples. They ship out so fast it will make your head spin. I got this sample pack in two weeks...that's fast.

Jamie

I won it!: This Next & Twitter....

About three weeks I got a "RT" from This Next telling me I won in Twitter contest. So here is my gift:

an 'false teeth' ice tray

a AWESOME hard plastic straw( like the ones they sell at Pier One that are $12 a pack, I love straws:))

a This Next sticker

a sample of Propel

Cute! It made my day:)

Thanks This Next!

Coming Soon...Used, Abused, and Left Behind...

I'm going to a post very soon...Used, Abused and Left Behind. But, I want to pray on it before I let it loose.

Feel like you got cut off? You probably did.

Jamie

Weekend Cooking:Pottery Barn Cookbook Book Holder....

I dug Pottery Barn Cookbook Holder up Saturday out of my bowl cupboard. Yes I have 'bowl' cupboard with the electric items like the waffle maker, can opener, toaster stored together. I bought this Pottery Barn Cookbook Holder in February at the Pottery Barn Outlet for 7.00....At first it didn't work, but big cookbooks don't hold well in it. Only the smaller or medium ones.

Cook book holder with Food Networks...Making It Easy Cookbook...

Jamie

Weekend Cooking....#1

I love trying new recipes. My mother says I'm a true "Simuel woman", in that I LOVE to cook and I love food. However, I kept this fact away from people I know and MEN. They will be expecting a meal just to see if a CAN cook...


And people don't think I can cook...really?! I had guy tell me that because I was 'cute-acting'( what he meant was 'bourgie'..whatev, he off the list anyway). What?! I'm size 18 and I got two kids, how do you think we are eating? I'm cooking!!lol!


I tried three different things this weekend... First up was Curried Egg Salad from The Working Parents Cookbook.

It turned out well, but I did TOO much mayo( because I tend not to measure exactly but "eyeball it", blame Rachael Ray) and the next time I'll skip the green onions and red onions. It doesn't need both. I love egg salad. I use to pick up egg salad at Dean & Deluca when I worked in Charlotte. I would get the smallest container and that was almost $4.oo. I miss that place:(


Next up was Philippine Adobe Chicken from Making It Easy... The Food Network Kitchens Cookbook. It was AMAZING! The recipe was for a serving four, it called for chicken thighs( 8 of them) and a 45 minute simmer. I only did 4 thighs but within two days, ate every bite!! It's tangy, sweet, super spicy...ah!! I'm making it again this week for me and the kids...sans the pepper( black pepper and red pepper flakes)

Last I made Asian Slaw, also found in The Working Parents Cookbook. I've been dying to do an Asian Slaw, since I like good ole' country slaw, too.:) This turned out good too, super crunchy and tangy, good if you were pairing it with a sweet main dish. I would add a tablespoon or two of honey to counteract the sour and skip the cilantro. I love cilantro but when added in the slaw, it takes over....

Want more Cooking posts...let me know!!!

Jamie