Hello, my beautiful boss bees, my honey bees. Happy Thanksgiving Week. Oh my goodness, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. As you know, if you know me, you know that Thanksgiving is so today, and so naturally I wanted to dedicate an entire episode to it, and I'm going to be sharing what I'll be doing this year, some of my family traditions, and what I'm most grateful for. So let's hop into today's episode. Okay, So why do I love Thanksgiving? Yes, yes, because the
food is great and I like to eat. Yes, But I feel like every day should be Thanksgiving, and I love the fact that we have at least one day out of the year to really just highlight the importance of having an attitude of gratitude. I share this a lot on the podcast. I share this a lot on my social media. The power and being grateful for what you have because in the world that we live in, in this society, it shows us on social media, on
our feed. You just think of something that you want, you don't even have to verbalize it now, and it comes on the feed. I don't know how that happens, but it happens. And we're constantly chasing more everything.
More, and more.
I want this, I want that, I want what they have, what people are portraying on their social media, because a lot of it is a facade, guys, sorry to break it to you, but a lot of it is just for social media, and we just are it's starting our face everywhere on ads on television, like what we want by this, get that, and so we don't sit and just embrace the beauty. That's a lot of things that are free, you know, like being able to see the sunrise and the sunset and breathing air and running water
and having a roof over our head. And that's one thing I always say, God, thank you so much for the roof over my head, for the clothes on my back, for the food and my tummy, and my refrigerator, for the I have this whole thing that I say because there are things that we just overlook because we're constantly like, oh, I'm not making enough money, or I need this, or I need to pay that, and we just need to sit the heck down on Thanksgiving and be freaking grateful.
So that's why it's my favorite favorite favorite holiday. We don't have to worry about buying gifts and it's just we are eating, which we all enjoy and whatever it is it you eat. Because a lot of people don't eat turkey on Thanksgiving, I like to eat turkey.
I'm very traditional in that way. Some people eat.
Them alis and all, you know, whatever it is that you eat in your country or from where you're from. But the point is it's a moment to gather with your loved ones, to just really sit in your thoughts and in your grateful spirit. And that's why I absolutely love Thanksgiving and I have a lot of great memories around Thanksgiving with my mom, with my siblings on the
reality show if you guys watched I Love Jen. It was a huge holiday for us, and my mom knew it was my absolute favorite Thanksgiving, and unfortunately, I wasn't able to celebrate or to spend the last Thanksgiving that my mom had on Earth with her. We were not on talking terms and I had to spend it and
not had to. It was actually an honor and I'm so grateful that I spent it with one of my very good friends, Brianna, who has been on the podcast Missed Brianna Hauser, and they opened up the doors to their home and since then they've been a family to me because they didn't have to do that, and it was just as sad as it was not to spend it with my siblings and with my mom not knowing obviously was going to be her last Thanksgiving. I spent it with a beautiful family and we did exactly what
I just said. I wasn't with my family, but I was with a family, eating delicious food and talking about how grateful we are, and that's what we like to do. My siblings and I are very on the same page when it comes to that. We like to pray for our food, and usually I cook. This year, I'm not cooking. We'll get into that right now. But usually it's let's pray, let's all gather. I want everyone that's supposed to be
there to be there. We won't eat until the last person gets there, which is usually Mikey, my brother.
Mike.
Don't get upset, but it's usually the last one, and we wait, and we pray, and we will go around the table and say hey, especially to the kids, because we need to plant that seed in their heart and in their mind that being grateful is important. So we always ask them, what are at least three things that you're grateful for right now, and they could be silly things to us, but to them they mean a lot. So I think it is important to open up the table and the time for the adults and the children.
And I love that, like I love doing that. Usually we don't dress up when it's at my house. It's usually been at my house Thanksgiving. I love it because I love to host it because by the time I'm done cooking, I'm tired and I don't want to wear makeup. So this year we're going to spend it at Jenica's house. I don't know how we decided that. I think actually it was because Jenica's house is so cozy and everyone you know, she just got it not so long ago, and it's just so cozy. It's just so cute, and
we want to celebrate this big moment for her. She bought her her second home. I think that's how it happened. And she's a great cook. I might help. She hasn't asked me to yet. But at first I was like, oh my god, I can't believe that we're going to break a tradition. But I think this is starting a new tradition, and I'm excited to just be a guest and have time to brush my hair and put on some makeup and just enjoy because usually I'm the one to host, and I love to host guys, so I
won't sit down. Emilio's always like, baby, can you just sit down enjoy your food? Like, just relax. I'm like, I don't know how, Like, I just want to make sure everyone has something to drink. And I'm actually looking forward to not worrying I might make a dish. I don't know what I'm going to make, but Jenica, I know can handle it. Usually make the turkey. My turkey is always delicious. I bake one and I fry one. Don't got to worry about the house being a mess
this year. But I'm excited that I'm still going to be able to spend it with my siblings, my husband because it is my first Thanksgiving as a married woman. You guys, Oh my gosh, for the first time in years that I don't have to wear my Signora hat on that day, so I could just be a cute little wife. So I'm excited about that, and most likely for sure all my siblings and the kids, my nieces and nephews will be there. I think Immedio's mom and
his grandma, who I absolutely love. She's my grandma too, but don't call her grandma.
She likes amma.
So I think they'll probably be joining us because Amedio's family, which is great.
It works out.
Actually, they have Thanksgiving like at eleven AM or one pm the latest, and they're done by four. They're like, okay, get out of the house by you know. So it's perfect because in our family we usually start at like six seven pm. So it works out wonderfully. So I can go do that and then come hang out with the family and eat. So yeah, and you know, we're very traditional. We make the turkey, we make the mashed
potato from scratch. The macaroni and cheese. I make this like macaroni and cheese that has like Doritos on top of it. I'm not making it this year because Jenica absolutely surpassed my recipe. She just made it the other day for a friend of hers. Some macaroni and cheese. Oh my god, you guys, ah amazing. I will take pictures and you guys will see it on my feed. But that is what we're going to be doing. And we also like to do you know, the stuffing and
a green. Jackie's usually the one in charge. My sister Jackie's usually the one in charge to make either mushrooms or spinach or some type of green because we need greens.
And of course the corn bread. Oh my gosh, I'm looking forward to cornbread.
And I'm assuming Jennica is going to make all of this because she has not asked me to make anything.
I'll probably take some soda or something. I don't know.
I used to back in the days, guys, I used to wake up early and do all the Black Friday shopping and go to Best Buy and try to get the best TV and all that stuff.
I don't do that anymore. That was I want to.
Say, at least fifteen years ago. I would wait in those lines at four in the morning. Or we did this one time that they were doing something I think at one of the electronic stores, I don't remember which one. They were having this amazing crazy sell and everyone was there, like I want to say, like it seemed like to be right after Thanksgiving dinner, but it got so crazy after that, I'm like, I'm not doing this. We waited in line, we basically camped out. How to chair the
whole thing and all to buy. It was a television like a sound system thing, and it was insane. The amount of like when they opened the doors and how everyone was rushing through. It was just not cute. And I'm not doing it again. So I'm just going to do a lot of online shopping and of course on my brands, we will definitely have great deals for you guys, so look forward to that. I mean, I just had to bring up Black Friday because it's literally the next
day after Thanksgiving. I've always wondered why Thanksgiving lands on a Thursday. I don't know if there's a reason for that. But anyways, back to the food, because the food's important. I always say Sundays no one gains weight. You can eat whatever you want on Sundays because it's the Lord's Day and calories do not count. Obviously, you know, you don't have to limit yourself, but anything and access is
bad for you. Anything, don't be excessive. But on Thanksgiving, guys, I feel like this same that's.
The same rule.
You can eat whatever you want, and you know, if you pray for your food, especially if you ask God for it not to affect you in a negative way and make you gain weight, you won't. So I don't necessarily limit myself per se. I'll eat everything in like my everyday life, including Thanksgiving, but of course portion control that's been important to me. So I'll have a little bit of everything, and I'll have seconds and of course dessert.
But I definitely like to try everything because then the next morning I'll wake up and I'm like, oh, I want this. Why didn't I have that? And I don't want to regret it. So that's kind of how I do it in my everyday life. You know, if I'm trying to be good during the week and I want some chocolate cake, I'll have a little bit for sure, especially if I worked out, and I like to work out on Thanksgiving. So we're working out on Thanksgiving, Pape okay,
and meeting it's right here. He's sitting right in front of me. He thinks I'm crazy he's working, but I think Equinox is open on Thanksgiving? My love, are we going?
Sure? He's over me? Are you over me? Or you love me? How much are you going to be grateful for me this Thanksgiving?
Okay? I love it, guys. I just thought it would be cute for you guys to hear that. But now, if you know, we should definitely talk about you know what I'm grateful for this year, and a lot has happened, guys. This year has been full of ups and downs. Mainly ups for sure, but a few very low moments, but they've balanced each other out in some way.
I've had a lot of work.
I have been more tired than I've been in the last I don't know how many years. I haven't felt this amount of fatigue or like on the verge of a mental breakdown in a very long time, in years and years. But thank goodness, I've done the work. I've done therapy, I meditate, I've learned to do all these healthy things that make me feel like my healthy self. Even if I'm having a bad day, I know how to navigate through it and work through it. But it has been a tough year. But I'm very, very grateful
for everything that's happened, even the miscarriage. Guys, it might sound weird, but I'm grateful. I'm grateful. Only God knows why it happened, and it just it helped me understand that my body is doing what it needs to do and that I'm going to be okay, and as painful as it was emotionally, I'm grateful for that because it brought it me to and I and I've always said, if I'm going to conceive, I do want to be married, and we weren't married.
Yet, so I don't know.
It just helped me understand a lot of my life and why things have happened, and I shared all of that with you guys on the podcast already. But I am definitely grateful for my husband and the relationship that I'm in right now and enjoying it, and grateful for my past as well, because if none of that would have happened, then I wouldn't be able to really enjoy and embrace what I'm living now. So I'm grateful for
my siblings, for my nieces and nephews. Oh my gosh, Jayla, the eldest granddaughter is fifteen, now, what the f Literally, I'm grateful that I'm going to be able to spend some time with them. We're going to New York on a trip on a girl's trip for her birthday, so I'm really excited for that. I'm excited for the amount of work guys that we've had, so.
There's a lot to be grateful for.
And yes, we all have those moments where we are sad. And you know, I just had a little breakdown last week, guys, I did. I was not feeling it. I something was going on, and all I needed was to rest. I literally slept and I felt better. So make sure you guys are listening to your body. Be grateful that your that your body speaks to you. We just have to listen. We have to quiet our mind and listen to what our body is saying and not ignore those things and
try to push through. It's very important to rest your mind, your body, your soul, to listen to it and honor that. And yeah, that among so many things that I'm grateful for. And now that we're here talking about being grateful, some people may be going through a tough time, through somewhat of a dark season in your life. I was there in twenty twelve. Like I just mentioned, I was in a very very very bad state emotionally mentally. But that day I remember waking up I said, you know what, Yes,
I'm going through this. I'm very sad. I feel like my life is falling apart. I remember that day waking up and saying, okay, it's Thanksgiving. Today is the day where we highlight being grateful. And I'm like, yes, I need to be grateful. It would be a disservice to myself, to God, to how good He's been to me to not be grateful today and try to put a smile on my face and put all those things to the side for a moment and just live and just say out loud what I'm grateful for. And I sat in
my little one bedroom. I was living in a garage actually then, and I turned the only bedroom into a closet, very Janet fashion, and I was sleeping in the living room basically, and I'll never forget that apartment. I felt so much peace. But I sat on my bed by myself, I read a devotional, prayed, and I set it out loud. I am grateful that I'm here. I'm grateful that I have a roof over my head. I'm grateful that I
have this space where I feel safe. You know, I live in the garage of a wonderful lady and her daughters, and they're very nice to me. And I'm like, I'm gonna be okay, I'm gonna be okay, this too shall pass. I kept telling myself that, and then I got a message, Hey, would you like to come spend Thanksgiving with us? And I'm like, oh my gosh, I don't have to eat cereal.
So I was grateful for that. So I think there's definitely, as cliche as it may sound, there is always something that we can look at and be grateful for, even if we're going through those tough times, if we if it's our first Thanksgiving without our loved one. I went through that as well the following year. Not only was my mom on earth in twenty twelve and I wasn't able to spend it with her, the following year was my first Thanksgiving with my siblings without my mom, and that was very different.
And of course we just sat around and we're.
Thinking about all the beautiful moments we spent with her and laughed and listened to her music and watch movies and we did things that made our heart feel good.
So I get it.
You're not alone. It will be okay. You just really have to dig deep and inward and find at least one thing to be grateful for, because there's always something to be thankful for. So that is Thanksgiving, guys, that is this is the week. I think, like I said earlier, every day we should be grateful and have an attitude of gratitude because I feel like when we do that, we attract more good into our life. And it's not just just to say it, it's you really have to
mean it. So I hope that you guys have a wonderful Thanksgiving and take the time by yourself in the morning or whenever you can before cooking, after cooking, to sit by yourself and really just reflect and sit in that atmosphere of thankfulness, and then do it with your family.
So yeah, I just.
Needed to talk about it and express all these things, and hopefully you guys enjoyed this episode and hopefully I reminded you of a few things that maybe because of life, because we're life in. Because life be life in, we forget about. And if you are spending it alone this Thanksgiving, do not worry.
It's okay.
Sometimes being alone is beautiful because you can listen to your thoughts, you can do whatever the heck you want to do. So find something that is going to make you feel good, that it's going to make you happy and feed your soul. Okay, it doesn't have to be a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It could be I don't know, an order from popeyees, anything that you can pray for and be grateful for. So AnyWho, guys, I love you, guys.
Thank you so much for listening. I appreciate you. I am also very grateful for you for taking the time to listen to Chekys and Chill. To Dear Cheeky's, it means a lot. I know that it is your time invested, and I truly appreciate it. So I'm also grateful for each and every single one of you, and I will catch you on the next episode of Cheeky's and Chill.
Bye.
Do you need advice on love, relationships, health emails? I'm so excited to share with you that my Cheeky's and Chill podcast will have an extra episode drop each week. I'll be answering all your questions. Just leave me a voice message. All you have to do is go to speak pipe dot com slash Cheeky's and Chill Podcast and record your questions.
I can't wait to hear from you.
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