27 December 2008 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA                                        

 

The Typical American Christmas Meal

So how's your Christmas Day went?   Mine was a little stressful the few first hours that morning because DH was on call and I wasn't thrilled to take over the kitchen in case he gets called in to work. I only breathe a sigh of relief after everything was almost done and we were about to serve the family Christmas dinner at 4:00 pm.

You see, I am better off cooking a dish without a recipe.  I like to cook only when I can eyeball the ingredients and use my taste bud and sense of touch and sight. So for the most part, I like to whip up a dish that is simple, easy and quick.   The thing about me is, I am more of a visual person and I can’t just follow the elaborate ingredients and cooking instructions. The fact of the matter is, every time we have a new electronic gadgets at home and if I can’t figure out how to make that thingy works by experiment and exploration, then my last recourse is to ask DH to read the manual and I let him figure out the rest for me.

So anyways, I was so glad DH didn't get called in that day otherwise our dinner would have not turned out the way it did.  We  had the typical American Christmas meal at least for the lower middle class American family here in the States like us:  (1) Baked Turkey with Cranberry Jelly, (2) Turkey Stuffing,  (3) Green Bean Casserole, (4) Mashed Potatoes, (5) Gravy and Corn Casserole, (6) Crescent Rolls with Butter,  (7) Tea Tassies,  (8) Oatmeal Cookies, (9) Cinnamon rolls,  (10) Apple Oatmeal Pie, (11) Key Lime Pie and (12) French Silk Pie for desserts. 

        

               

             
 

And I thank heaven for DH's passion for cooking, baking, grilling or barbequing but you know what the downside of his leisure pursuit is? The delicious foods he cooked are going straight to our gut and waistline.   Like Ate G said, “the problem with your situation is that both of you are good cooks. And you know It is easy to over eat when your food tastes good.”  So now you know why we got a big problem in losing weight?

On top of that, the ingredients (He spent $50+ for spices alone every time he goes to Penzeys Store), the cooking gadgets he uses (I thank my mother-in-law for buying most of them for him every Christmas) and more in his wish list eats up our budget.

Now here's what DH fancied since last week: Weber 731001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 22-1/2-Inch Smoker

• Two 22" cooking grates
   

• Built-in lid thermometer with 1.5" stem
          Temperature range of 100-350°F in 5°F increments
   

• Additional handle on edge of lid to assist with lifting

• Larger 4-1/4" vent dampers, each with four 3/4" holes
   

• Improved access door
        Taller, much wider door opening
        Door handle indicates locked position
        Latching mechanism pulls door tight to middle cooking section
        Clever new design allows the door to be removed entirely or
         have it open downward but still attached to the cooker—without hinges
   

• Improved water pan
      Three-gallon capacity
       Wider rim and redesigned grill straps ensure rock-solid fit
   

• Sturdier legs

• Improved charcoal grate prevents charcoal from falling through into the bowl

• Larger charcoal chamber holds an entire club-sized bag of briquettes

• More headroom between the top cooking grate and the lid, and more space between the top and bottom cooking grates

• Heat shield mounted to the legs under the charcoal bowl protects patio or deck

• Improved packaging protects the product during journey from factory to front porch

• Updated owners manual operating instructions and modern recipes

• World-class Weber engineering, quality, and customer support
  
                                     This cooker is now available from Amazon.com

  • 18" WSM, MSRP $349, Amazon price $299
  • 22" WSM, MSRP $499, Amazon price $399

 

    24 December 2008 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA                                        

 

For God So Loved the World

May we all have a Blessed, Safe and a Very Merry Christmas!  Remember the traditions and fellowship of this season are more important than the presents.

 

Tell the World of His Love
 Sung by Jamie Rivera

(Some footage from World Youth Day in Manila, Philippines 1995)
I Was There and it was so moving!!!

For God so loved the world He gave us him only son Jesus Christ our savior
His most precious one; He has sent us his message of love
And sends those who hear; To bring the message to everyone
In a voice loud and clear

Let us tell the world of his love; The greatest love the world has known
Search the world for those who have walked; Astray and lead them home
Fill the world's darkest corners; With his light from up above
Walk every step, every mile, every road
And tell the world, tell the world of his love

(Tell the world of His love)
(Tell the world of His love)

Our lord our savior our king; Emmanuelle prince of peace
Begotten of the father's love; Born to set us free
Let heaven and earth sing his phrases
His righteousness proclaim
Let every heart rejoice in his love
And magnify his name

Let us tell the world of his love; The greatest love the world has known
Search the world for those who have walked; Astray and lead them home
Fill the world's darkest corners; With his light from up above
Walk every step, every mile, every road
And tell the world, tell the world of his love

(Tell the world of His love)

Let us tell the world of his love; The greatest love the world has known
Search the world for those who have walked; Astray and lead them home
Fill the world's darkest corners; With his light from up above
Walk every step, every mile, every road
And tell the world, tell the world of his love

(Tell the world of His love)
Tell the world of His love
 

Here are some of the holidays that we are celebrating this season:

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Boxing Day, and Happy Chinese New Year!

 

    14 December 2008 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA                                        

 

Our Shrinking Christmas Tree 

As the US economy continue to shrink so is our Christmas Tree.

Well, this is the compromise DH and I made when we bought this fresh cut Fraser fir tree last weekend. I detest the idea of shelling out  $100 for a Christmas tree and just throw it away after three weeks.  However, on a more personal note, DH's tradition for Christmas celebration is extra special and more meaningful if we commemorate the season by the smell of a fresh Christmas tree in our living room hence we made a compromise that this year, we'll just get a 5 foot tree which cost half the price of a 12 foot tree.

 

 

 

$98.00
12 ft Christmas Tree
December 2007

               5 ft Christmas Tree ($45.00)
                          more Pictures here

Our Christmas decors this year are pretty much the same as last year and the year before.  We just recycle these beautiful Christmas ornaments every season.  One of the best features in owning a house here in America is having a garage with an attic.   Utilizing a garage attic is a neat way to get things off the garage floor.   We don't use the attic storage for anything heavy though.  Instead, we use it for things like empty traveling bags/luggage, seasonal decorations like the wreaths, Christmas lights and Nativity and just about anything else that we seldom use. Not surprisingly, the space DH created up there filled up so fast with lightweight clutters.    Getting to the access hole will require some type of ladder and we have two types of ladders:  One is an aluminum pull-down attic ladder and the other than is an extension ladder and they're easy to push back up into their stowed position for safe keeping.

I wish everyone a Blessed Merry Christmas and have a safe holiday celebration!!

 

 

    6 December 2008 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA                                        

 

The Big Motivation to Lose Weight

Getting the motivation and setting realistic goals to follow through are certainly the most important part of getting back in shape. They give me the willpower to get up at 5:00 o’clock in the morning and exercise even if I don't feel up to it. Also it compels me to be conscious and be mindful of the portion of the food I eat each meal.

This is only the beginning. It’s been a week now that I consistently snubbed the doughnuts, cookies, pastries, cakes and other goodies that people bring to work every morning. It’s amazing how I used to tell my colleagues that I would never ever refuse FREE food under any circumstances but when I am beginning to notice a touch of middle age spread; my waistline slowly creeping up from 26 to 30, there’s a good reason for it to say, ‘thanks but no thanks’.  As the doctors at the Weight Management Center of the University of Pittsburgh say, “metabolism slows by 5 percent every decade after age 25. You will burn 100 calories less at age 35, 200 calories less at age 45, and it continues after that. With age, muscle mass declines with your metabolic rate, the number of calories you burn in 24 hours including sleeping and active time. Muscle burns more calories than fat.”

Researchers at McMaster University in Ontario say, “when you want to lose weight, it pays to lose slowly.  Reduce calories but not dramatically and include more protein from chicken, fish and lean meat in your diet. Protein will help to preserve your muscle mass. Exercise, but don't just do cardio. Walking, biking, and swimming help the heart and lungs but in most cases, they don't build much muscle. Pumping iron does. Regular strength training builds muscles that burn more calories day and night. And muscle takes less space. Replace three pounds of fat with three pounds of muscle, and you'll be smaller.”

So there, I counted every bit of food I shove in my mouth and work-out five times a week.  The result in just six days, I have lost 2 lbs. already!! Yaay!

I now enjoy a hot, zero-calorie beverage of green and white tea in the morning, feels so good especially in cold season. I love those Celestial Seasoning's holiday teas like the Sugar Plum Spice, Apple Cinnamon Spice, Decaffeinated Green Tea and Lipton White Tea with Island Mango & Peach flavor, sweetened with splenda. Also sipping a cup of spicy fragrance tea soothed and calmed down my whole body from working-out.

Another tip that works for me. After meal, if I still have those crazy cravings to nibble on the left-over or other sugary desserts and etc, then I run to the bathroom and brush my teeth that way I won’t have the appetite to eat, let alone smudge my freshly breath mouth again. It works, I promise you.

And to motivate me even more to lose weight, DH agreed to give me a shopping spree with limit of course. After all, we can’t afford to splurge this time of the year because as we all heard it last week, the US is now undeniably in recession.   Anyway, I placed an order for a set of clothes ALL in size 4 from Ann Taylor, Talbots and New York and Company this week. Oh I can't wait to get down to 108 lbs again to show off my new set of wardrobes. 

But fashion and style should never be about name brands or price tags. I believe that every woman or lady for that matter possesses her own sense of style. It's a matter of how we "carry" ourselves right? I so admire Lorna T. and Sarah Palin for her dazzling and very elegant bearing. I suppose for as long as we are confident and comfortable with what we are wearing, we’ll never go wrong with our style.

Here’s a confession. I used to do a lot of thrift-shopping and brag to DH my "fabulous finds". However, after one wash or two they shrunk or the discoloration becomes even more apparent with every wash. Like DH said, you pay for what you get for. For him it's the quality the matters the most and although it took a while for me to adapt this notion but when he finally did convince me, I am for it for a long haul. From then on, I started re-building my closet slowly with some quality and name brands stuff. However no matter how willing I am to indulge myself with signature brands, I can never bring myself to shell out for the retail full price no matter how elegant and sophisticated that is! I will never pay for any name brands unless it's marked down at least 50% off the original price.  Yes, I am a certified haggler and a bargain hunter!!

Look at the set of fabulous finds I ordered online. What a deal eh?  Now, here's what I am going to be blabbering more in the near future.  Once I get down to size 4 again, I'll post a photo of me wearing all my size 4 clothes including the ones I already have in my closet. Hmmm  "Rhebs' journey of finding her own personal style wearing name brands' bargain" is in the making? ;-)

This photo is from Ann Taylor Website

 

    1 December 2008 -  Jacksonville, Florida USA                                        

 

Desperate To Get Back In Shape 

I went to the mall yesterday and saw a section of Esprit clothes on clearance sale up to 70% off at Dillard's. I was so excited; imagine the long sleeves button shirts which were normally priced at $49.50 to $59.50  are on sale for $14.85 to $17.85?   So I picked out 3 shirts all in size 6 without trying them on and when I got home, I put it on to show off to DH but to my dismay I can hardly button it. They were too tight!!! Oh my God! Three months ago--just before we went on a Caribbean cruise I was wearing size 4 petite. Now, I can no longer fit to regular size 6???  DH was speechless as he looked at my face looking so disgusted at myself.   So starting today, December 1, 2008 I will be following the Weight Watchers points very closely. I should think ten times first before I shove a piece or two of cookies, chocolates, doughnuts, pies, and other junk foods in my throat.  I told my good friend Geri that I am going to print her advice for me and post it anywhere near me both at home and at the work: 

"Rhebs, remember this is not the "ideal" or easiest season to start living healthy but for me the holidays was the best time to do it because from my experience it really made me take a closer look (or taste) to what I was eating. I realized that not all cookies (my weakness) actually tasted that good, I would just take a bite, chew it and really think if it was worth it, then dump it if it wasn't. I became more picky. And I applied it to all food.  I remember at holiday parties I ended up just having a taste of whatever interested me and found out that most of them weren't worth a second bite.

Try not to get too concerned if you gain a pound after you ate a big meal the night before, from my experience it's mostly water and goes away in a couple of days as long as we get back to eating healthily the next day as what I have learned from Lanie's 3 day buffet."

Geri has amazingly lost 20 lbs early this year and is able to keep it off by counting everything she eats and working out regularly.  Heck, if she can do it considering she had a baby and now a demanding toddler to attend to, why can't I not do it right?

And here's another very sound piece of healthy advice from Ate G. 

"Rhebs, this is not a battle. This is journey towards better health and well being. We would want the journey to be joyful. If we make it painful, guess what, you might sabotage your success. Remember, this is a life long journey. Do not focus on weight, do not look at weight as an enemy, do not focus on what you don't want - weight, rather focus on what you do want, good health (do not focus on weight loss because when that becomes your focus, you are still thinking of weight). So while you follow the WW program, try to also tell yourselves a different story. Something like this, "The body's natural state is towards health. When I have a wound, as long as I don't keep messing with it, it will heal on its own. When I have a headache, even if I do not take drugs, it will pass when I try to relax. I am confident that my body will go back to its natural state of wellness when I make some changes that are good for my body. I can help this process by enjoying food that I like which only contain healthy ingredients. My body feels better and functions better when I only eat the right portion because it makes my body digest and assimilate my food easily and efficiently. I like the idea that I can make this process easy and even fun. I like the idea that when I love my body, my body will love me back. I like the idea that we are doing this together in a manner that is easy, safe, and nurturing. I will do this in a relaxed manner. I will not push myself nor judge myself or sabotage the process by being judgmental and critical of my progress. When I do something that is not in line with the program, I will simply say, 'It is ok, I only need to get on track again' and I look forward to getting on track again. I can do this. I know I can do this. I did it before and I can do it again. I will not make the scale an enemy. The scale is only a telling me when I am not on track so I can get back on track. I look forward to the healthy, fit and sexy body that is in store for me."

There, I should be able to lead a healthy lifestyle even in this holiday season.  Ate G has always been good at being able to maintain her ideal weight to 105-108 lbs.   Both ladies are my inspiration to get back in shape.  I should be able to fit with the  Esprit long sleeves button shirts I so love to wear in less than three months.  If not,  I have no choice but to donate them to my friends.