life after the wedding

mini tuna pizza

2010-06-20T21:31:00.003+08:00

I found this cute pizza crusts during one of our grocery shopping escapades. Bought one pack and here is what I did with it...tuna pizza! It is healthier as opposed to having meat as toppings. But still yummy!

1 pack of mini pizza crust
1 sachet of del monte pizza sauce
1 can of tuna, drained
cheese

Using the oven toaster, I cooked it for 4-5 minutes. Just be vigilant as it can toast pretty quickly. The last batch I made was overdone even if I timed it the same. Must be because the oven toaster was hotter as opposed to the first batch I made.
You can experiment and try other toppings whatever you fancy. It's more fun that way.

happy mother's day to my inang!

2010-05-09T23:26:00.010+08:00

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my field, since the payment is pure love.
~Mildred B. Vermont

She never quite leaves her children at home, even when she doesn't take them along. ~Margaret Culkin Banning

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

To my Inang happy mother's day to you! I love you very much!

organic farming

2010-04-22T16:35:00.003+08:00

A couple of days ago I wrote about our backyard harvest. And in honor of Earth Day I am writing about organic farming.
Organic farming is technique used in farming without the use of any chemicals or synthetics. The aim of organic farming is to produce crops which have the highest nutritional values with least impact on nature.
There is no definitive study whether organic food is more nutritious than conventional food. Testing was done with animals only. And before you get all worked up no harm was done to the animals. They were just fed with organic food. And the animals that were fed with organic food appeared to be healthier and had better reproductive performance as compared to animals that were given conventional food.
Whether or not organic food is more nutritious one thing is certain, organic food definitely tastes better.
Here are pictures of our mini-organic farm:

cards and a massage

2010-04-18T20:42:00.006+08:00

Since hubs' blood pressure is rising we've agreed that he should refrain from sleeping in the afternoons. And so to occupy ourselves we decided to play cards (pusoy dos) with the loser having to massage the winner for 30 minutes. Guess who won?
Me!

I so love having massages!

(btw, the woman in the picture, not me)

from our backyard

2010-04-17T19:20:00.003+08:00

All of these came from our backyard.

Earlier in the year my mother, my husband and our helper started planting vegetables in our backyard. And in time all the watering and gardening paid off. If we need egpplant we just pick it off from the plant. Like here in this picture we harvested malunggay leaves, talong and tanglad. We also needed tomatoes but our tomatoes aren't ripe yet so we bought from the village talipapa.
We also have chinese kangkong, sili, kamatis, pechay, and mustasa. They also planted squash but no flower from it yet so we still have to wait before we can eat off of it.
I can honestly say we are eating fresh and organic vegetables. May mas fresh pa ba sa pagkapitas eh lulutin na?

love shopping...for groceries!

2010-04-07T23:16:00.005+08:00

One chore I love doing is shopping for groceries. Really. And so I am looking forward to tomorrow because it's time to go to the grocery once more.
One brand I buy a lot of is Del Monte...tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, tomato ketcup, fruit cocktail, fruit juices, and yes even fit n right (sometimes!)I am not getting paid to blog about them ha! I'm just sharing.

I usually do my grocery shopping at SM. Although I sense that their meats aren't so fresh. I like buying meat from Fresh Options Meatshop. For the fish, we usually buy at the market or from our neighborhood talipapa.

boracay again

2010-04-04T17:32:00.002+08:00

On August we're going to Boracay! I know, Boracay again. But this time around hubs and I are not "alone" coz we're going there with our relatives. Yey! As of the moment there are 7 of us but this will increase as the date nears. Kami pa! Eh mga lakwatsera ang aming pamilya. Hehe!

Top 1!

2010-03-28T14:21:00.003+08:00

The school year is over! I can finally get to sleep in during weekdays! Rejoice!
But the school year isn't all about me. For I am not the student. I am the student's mother. And I can happily share that I am very proud of our student daughter. For she topped her class once more! She also did during the first grading period, second grading period, third grading period and of course the fourth grading summary.

The only sad thing about it was hubs was unable to attend the recognition day for he couldn't get out of an important training session. But over all we were all ecstatic about V's achievement.

milo balls

2010-03-24T21:41:00.005+08:00

Before the school year ended V had their class picnic (within the school grounds). Her teacher told each student to bring food that they can share to everyone. I decided to make desserts for the whole class. Something simple but tasty. So I made Milo Balls.
I remember this from when I was younger. But back then we would crush Marie biscuits to pulp. This time it's easier for there is crushed Graham crackers available in the market.
I just can't recollect the whole recipe so I improvised.

crushed graham crackers
condensed milk
milo
confectioner's sugar

I didn't use any measuring cup whatsoever because I just did it by "feel".
Mix graham crackers, condensed milk and a little milo. Make sure that the mixture is goeey enough to hold together. Form balls with the dough. Roll in milo and then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Refrigerate.

Fyi, I definitely remember when I was younger that we used dessicated coconut. But since this was not in our cupboard I just made do with confectioner's sugar.

Iceberg & Red leaf lettuce

2010-03-15T10:05:00.004+08:00

Yesterday I blogged about the thousand island dressing I made. Now I'm sharing V's reaction to the vegetable salad.
But first a little background sharing.
Whenever we have fried food I try to prepare vegetable salad to balance things out. So when V came to be a part of our family it wasn't long before she had a taste of it. Of course being a little girl with no inkling as to what a vegetable salad is her reaction to it was both funny and endearing. She refused to taste it because "hindi luto ang gulay." An explanation was made and she hesistantly ate it. Slowly. Ever so slowly.
Fast forward to yesterday.
In my vegetable salad I usually use iceberg lettuce as it's more commonly available in the grocery. But this time around I added another variety of lettuce. Red Leaf lettuce.

So there we were all seated at the dining table when V blurted out, "mommy nasunog mo yata ang gulay?"
We adults looked at each other and laughed. Kids say the darnedest things!

thousand island dressing

2010-03-14T22:36:00.003+08:00

Sunday = family day. That's why I always try to prepare something special for the family.
We had pork barbecue, cheesedog and vegetable salad. The dressing I usually prepare for our vegetable salad is vinaigrette but this time I decided to make another salad dressing. Thousand Island. So we had two choices on which to use. Maybe because this is "new" to us but my thousand island dressing was sold-out. Ubos na ubos.
I searched the internet for the recipe, experimented and made it my own.
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp sugar
1 hardboiled egg, minced
salt and pepper
Mix the ingredients together.
That's it. Very simple but delicious. If you want a little bit of kick, add a few drops of chili sauce to it.

ang mga kaganapan sa Ocean View Beach Resort

2010-03-09T19:01:00.004+08:00

Para sa birthday ni Tita Mel we all trooped to Olongapo to celebrate with her. At dahil mainit na go kami sa beach. Ocean View Beach Resort.

Una nga gusto ng mga thunders sa Kali Beach (cali? basta!) reminiscing of the past ang drama. Pero closed na nga ito. Pwede pumasok na parang wanted dahil pupuslit ka lang at ang sasakyan eh maiiwan sa labas ng gate nila. Eh since di naman namin gustong maging fugitives sa birthday ni Tita eh sa Ocean View na nga kami.

Ang mahal ng entrance ha! 180 na! At ang cottage nila na butas butas na ay 800. Simpleng cottage lang ha! Yung small.

O ayan na nga dahil di pa peak season ang daming choices. Aba ilang beses kaming naglipatan ng cottage. Choosy ang mga Samson! Mga ala-una na ito ng hapon ha. Kasagsagan ng sikat ng araw at gutom na gutom na kami! Eh dahil beach nga panay ihaw-ihaw ang baon namin. Ang tagal naman dumating ng ihawang tutong na sa pagkaoveruse na may rental fee pa na 150. Nakakahighblood! At ayan dumating na nga after 48 years. Sige ihaw agad para naman makapaglunch na kami.

Pag ganyang nakapwesto ka na attentive naman ang mga crew. Akala nyo para tumulong? Hindi ah! Para iverify kung nagbayad ba kami. Tiningnan ang headcount at ang resibo ng cottage. (hindi ito OR. malamang hindi sila nagbabayad sa BIR) May comment pa sya na ilang cottage ba nirerentahan nyo? Eh kase nga dahil halos solo naman namin ang beach eh dun sa katabing cottage naupo ang grill queen at king para magihaw. At dun sa kabilang cottage naman nakapatong ang cooler. Wala naman tao! At di naman siguro big deal yun di ba? Di naman kami nagkakalat sa ibang cottage. Hindi na namin masyadong pinatulan ang katarayan ng mamang crew.

Eto na. Para naman lumuwag luwag ang cottage namin (na kung tutuusin ay table and chair with butas na bubong lang naman) napagpasyahan na itayo na ang tent at dun ilagay ang mga bag. So sige go itayo ang tent!

Napansin agad ng aktibong epal na crew. Lapit agad sa amin. Naniningil ng 200. Dahil naglagay daw kami ng tent. WTF!!!!

Syempre diskusyon na ito! Wala naman sa rules and regulations nila yan ah! (may ganun?) Wala namang gagastahing kuryente yang tent na yan. Bat may bayad? Ganun daw talaga. Kanya kanyang ratatat na ito. Aba eh pamilyang war freak kami eh. Ang tahimik na resort ay biglang nagkaingay. Aakalain mong may isang batalyon na nagwewelga. Ako aba eh di syempre hinanap ko ang manager. Sabi ko papuntahin sa amin. Aba di daw lumalabas ng office yun manager. Bawal daw na magpunta sa amin. May ganun? Di ba ang manager dapat always available to the customers? Nakakapagpanting talaga ng tenga. Sabi ko nga sa kanya umalis ka na dito. Ayaw kitang kausapin. Wag ka babalik dito kundi mo kasama ang manager mo. Hala! May ganun? At eto naman ang hirit na Ateng Glo lumalayo-layo ka sa amin at baka ihawan kita! Hala! Brutal! Talagang nagmana kay Gabriella Silang ang mga kababaihan ng aming pamilya. Natakot yata ang epal na crew ayun umalis. (at hindi na bumalik)

May kasabihan nga tayo na igalang ang mga gutom. (May kasabihan nga bang ganun? O gawa-gawa ko lang yun?)

Hindi pa dyan nagtatapos ang aming Ocean View Escapades. Meron pa. Nung kami ay naliligo na natibo si Ateng Glo. Dahil low tide na nito mahaba ang dalampasigan (natural!) Napagpasyahan naming pulutin ang mga basag na bote sa harap ng cottage namin para naman safe kami at wala ng iba pang masugatan sa amin.

Ang picture na yan ay ang mga nakuha naming basag na bote/plato/baso at kung anu-ano pang babasagin. Lahat yan ay sa bandang harap lang ng cottage namin. Nakakaloka di ba? Ang dami! Di pala safe maligo dito sa Ocen View! Di pala naglilinis ang mga staff nila. (malamang dahil busy sila sa pangungulit at pangongolekta mula sa mga turista).

Ang Ocean View Beach Resort ay matatagpuan sa Lower Kalaklan, Olongapo City.

manila hotel valentine

2010-02-06T20:19:00.002+08:00

Nakakaloka naman itong valentine offer ng Manila Hotel!

Mega Valentine's Day
for Php 1.4M
Availability : Feb. 13-14, 2010
Inclusions: Overnight stay at the MacArthur Suite, Room décor with flowers and pralines, Limousine pick-up and drop-off service within Metro Manila, Express check-in/out, 24 hours butler services, Special Treatment Package (Detoxification Package) for 2 (two) persons, “A night under the stars” special romantic dinner at the roof deck of the Manila Hotel, 1.5K diamond ring for the lady in the room, Unlimited wine service, Special room service breakfast & Free mini-bar.

Last valentine nAPO concert

2010-02-04T13:13:00.004+08:00

There are a lot of upcoming concerts this month but the one that I am most looking forward to is Apo Hiking Society's Last Valentine nAPO concert.
The trio after 40 years in showbiz is retiring as a group. They have 131 songs that they themselves sang, 20 songs they composed, 20 songs they put the lyrics to and 2 songs they arranged. I grew up listening to them croon.
...Panalangin ko sa habang buhay makapiling ka, makasama ka yan ang panalangin ko...

The concert is on February 13 at the SMX convention center with ticket priced at gold (Php2675), silver(Php2140), and bronze(Php1605).

something sad, something good

2010-01-28T01:20:00.000+08:00

Hubs aunt (V's real grandma) died last week, a day before his birthday. We were planning on an out of town beach trip for the family to celebrate his birthday but our plans had to take a backseat because of the sad incident.
V knows that her grandma is sick so she was kinda expecting this to happen. According to her, lola will lose her hair and eventually die. That's what she said when I talked to her about grandma's disease. Evidently the TV is a powerful media as she compared her lola to lola Getz (from the soap Tayong Dalawa). When we called on her for "the talk" she was steeling herself already. She knows. She did not shed any tears but she was quiet the whole day.
So last week was spent commuting between Laguna (where MIL lives) and Muntinlupa (where V's lola's wake was).
The good thing that came out of that week was V got to spend time with her sisters and brother.

daddy thoughts from brian tracy

2009-11-23T07:05:00.002+08:00

If you raise your children to feel that they can accomplish any goal or task they decide upon, you will have succeeded as a parent and you will have given your children the greatest of all blessings.
-Brian Tracy, author and speaker

lechon sabroso

2009-11-16T14:35:00.007+08:00

I'm not a big fan of Lechon but I know of someone who does..*wink*..who if given the chance to spend Christmas in Pinas would definitely want one for Noche Buena. I've heard so many good feedbacks about Sabroso Lechon. My curiosity is piqued and I'd really want to have a taste of it. They only use free range native pigs for their lechon and it is then filled with spices. Looks really yummy!

field trip IT

2009-11-14T19:17:00.002+08:00

V's school field trip will be held before the month ends. They were supposedly going to Malacanang Museum during one of their stop-overs but this was ditched because apparently the museum is closed to the public as it is being used as packing station for the relief goods for victims of Ondoy and Pepeng.

Here is the revised itinerary for their trip:
U.P. Puppet Show
Philippine Aircraft Museum
Lunch at Market Market
Tiendesitas, Fun Ranch and Avilon Zoo
Early Dinner at Gateway Mall

This is V's first time to experience a school field trip. Hope she'll have a good time.

8 years

2009-11-13T23:53:00.002+08:00

Today is our 8th year anniversary not as husband and wife but as boyfriend-girlfriend. We never stopped being bf-gf because we want to always experience the wonder of finding each other and falling in love with each other. So even if we are already married we make it a point to go out on dates. It maybe as simple as watching a movie or as grandiose as taking a trip. Basta enjoy kami.

I want to tell you this boyfriend, "When I think of our tomorrows, I think of all the happiness we've yet to discover, I think about all the plans we've made, all the late-night talks we've had, stringing our dreams together, beginning every other sentence with "someday." And the longer we're together, the more I'm convinced that nothing could mean as much to me as a lifetime of loving you."

mommy thoughts from diane loomans

2009-11-11T12:59:00.003+08:00

If I had my child to raise over again
I'd build self-esteem first and the house later
I'd finger paint more and point the finger less
I would do less correcting and more connecting
I'd take my eyes off my watch and watch with my eyes
I would care to know less and know to care more
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites
I'd stop playing serious and seriously play
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars
I'd do more hugging and less tugging
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often
I would be firm less often and affirm much more
I'd model less about the love of power
And more about the power of love.

-Diane Loomans, speaker, author, success coach

grocery and curry

2009-11-08T10:42:00.002+08:00

One chore I most enjoy doing is grocery shopping. I enjoy going through all the aisles in the supermarket poring over the items on the shelves. Even before I learned how to cook I already like going to the supermarket. Peculiar? I don't think so.
The very first viand I cooked for my family is chicken curry. I was so proud. I was still in high school that time. I love chicken curry! (Any curry for that matter.) Unfortunately it is only me who likes the taste of curry in our family. So I rarely get to cook it. But I always have curry powder in our pantry, just in case! There are times I also cook curry and just freeze portions of it so that when I feel like it I can just reheat a batch and voila! Although most often than not I get my curry craving fixed by ordering out or dining out.
There are various kind of curry seasoning I found online which I don't find in the supermarket like the hot curry sauce, curry seafood sauce or the mutton curry seasoning.I have looked at other supermarkets in our area but they don't sell these...Online shopping still has its perks.

allergic to her husband

2009-11-08T10:06:00.003+08:00

This is a weird one.
Mike and Julie dated for 2 years before deciding to get married. Come wedding night she suffered from intense pain like someone was sticking needles inside her. Numerous medical tests later the verdict is out. She has seminal plasma hypersensitivity. In layman's terms she is allergic to her husband's sperms. This is the first time I have heard of such a thing. Well stranger things have happened, I guess. But due to her condition they have no chances of her conceiving a baby of their own. Sad. Of course they have not given up hope, they are now actively participating in adoption procedures.

he has a car!

2009-11-08T09:47:00.003+08:00

My friend just got the company car that he is entitled to. Thankfully it is brand new so he has no auto problems at the moment. I remember when another friend's car conked out and we had to make do with an auto air conditioning-less travel. Totally uncomfortable! And then we had to wait in a machine shop for it to get fixed. I heard that DiscountACparts delivers and no shipping cost is charged. Now that is one fine service!
Next week us friends will go on a joyride in the new car. Of course we expect a smooth ride all the way.

still #1

2009-11-06T15:39:00.006+08:00

I hoped that V makes it to the top 3 but she outdid my expectations and is still top 1! Yey!
I'm one proud mama jumping for joy while dancing jiggity jiggity yeba with my hand up in the air! (yikes! scary scene!)

going natural- tried Giga products

2009-11-03T20:46:00.004+08:00

In my efforts to know more about safe, healthy and organic products I have heard about Giga ventures. So when hubs and I chanced upon their stall in Greenhills I browsed around and I so want to buy most of their products. Of course I had to curb my shopping instinct and instead bought what we wanted the most.
No Pain all natural balm which is made from virgin coconut oil, beeswax and essential oils and extracts. I like how it smells. And I've used it several times not just on myself but also on hubs.
Relax Massage Oil which I use on hubs. He likes me giving him massages (which of course he reciprocates by giving me one too) so this one is well used in our home. We opted to get the Relax rather than the Refresh variant but both smell good.
We also bought essential oils that we use on our oil burner to make our room smell heavenly and soothe our senses.

egg sandwich spread

2009-11-02T19:58:00.003+08:00

One of the baon I prepared for All Saints' Day is egg sandwich. This is a fairly easy recipe to make even kids can do this. (as long as they are supervised by an adult)

Ingredients:
4 hardboiled eggs
80mg of mayonnaise (1 small packet)
1 onion
salt and pepper to taste
wheat bread

Here's how:
Chopped the boiled eggs and put in a bowl. Add in the mayonnaise. Chop the onion and combine it into the mixture. Add salt and pepper according to your taste.
To serve a healthier snack I use wheat bread but any bread will do.

spending time reading

2009-11-02T18:16:00.003+08:00

Eversince I became a stay at home wife and mom I find that I have more time to read. Yup I do! I guess I am the different from other SAHW and SAWMs because I have time on my hands. When the kid's in school I have "me" time. Sometimes I spend it online other times I try to catch more zzzzzs. But most of the time I spend it reading. And since books are expensive one way for me to save is to read ebooks instead of buying books. Of course ebooks are in PDF format so I had to find a PDF Search Engine that works for me. And yes I did found one. So I'm now one happy lady.

daddy thoughts from Jesse Jackson

2009-10-19T21:46:00.002+08:00

Your children need your presence more than your presents.
-Jesse Jackson, American civil rights activist and Baptist minister

periodical exam week

2009-10-18T10:42:00.003+08:00

Exam week is here once again. I'm a hands-on mom when it comes to V's schooling. No I do not make her assignments for her. I believe that she should make that on her own. But I painstakingly go through her notes with her. I give her oral exams which she has trouble in. And spend time making written practice exams for her which she excels in. Last time my efforts paid off for V topped her class. This grading period my expectations are high but I also know that I should not expect too much from her. Besides during hubs vacation I was too busy and hardly had time for V's daily assignment review. Well, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that she'll at least make it to the top 3.

Conserve water when you brush your teeth

2009-10-15T21:04:00.003+08:00

Do you keep the faucet running when you brush your teeth? I don't. This is one of my conscious effort to conserve water and save the environment. Hubs on the other hand likes to keep the faucet on while he brushes. When I see him do this I immediately go beside him and turn it off. (Plus he usually get an earful from me)
Did you know that keeping the faucet on while brushing teeth for about 2 minutes wastes 2 gallons of water? So if you brush 3 times a day you waste 6 gallons daily. Add it up to the rest of your family members who does. What do you get? Too much wasted water.
Also, did you know that 17% of the world's population has no clean water to drink? Yup. 17%. That's more than one billion people.
Knowing these facts can you turn the faucet off the next time you brush?

daddy thoughts from Douglas MacArthur

2009-10-09T23:38:00.003+08:00

By profession I am a soldier and take pride in that fact. But I am prouder to be a father.
-Douglas MacArthur
American General, United Nations General, Field Marshal of the Philippine Army

bruising in children

2009-10-09T22:35:00.003+08:00

Eversince V came to be a part of our family I've noticed occassional bruises on her legs. I shrugged it off. But the past weeks the bruises have increased. When previously there were 1-2 on each leg now there are 2-3. I didn't think it would merit a doctor's appointment so I just bought a multivitamins with high iron content. I left it at that because aren't children more prone to bruising because of playing/roughousing/bumping into things? But just this afternoon I noticed that V had a single bruise on her arm too. Just this one bruise but it made me go online to learn more about bruises.
And I found out from Dr. Geoffrey Allen of Children's Memorial Hospital that anemia is the most common blood disorder in children. Children become anemic when their bodies are unable to make red blood cells fast enough to replace those that are broken normally, or if their red blood cells are either being broken down faster than normal or are being lost through bleeding. The two most frequent cause of anemia in children are low iron levels and frequent infections.
Did you know that most children are iron deficient? Yes they are. Apparently iron in their diet is not enough for their growing bodies needs. (--> cause #1 check) But taking iron supplements or a change in food intake is enough to treat it.
Now since V started going to school she became more sickly. It is not unusual for her to go home with colds which lasts for a few days and then goes away. (I have previously complained to her teacher about the rate of contamination in class. When a kid gets sick the virus spreads like wildfire.) --> cause #2 check
But is V's bruising a cause for alarm?
These are the things to consider:
- severity
- location - bruising in the trunk and upper arms are not normal
- onset - if the bruising occurs that is not associated with physical activity
- other symptoms - if the bruising occurs with nose bleeding, gum bleeding, etc.
With these information I conclude that V's bruising is "normal" because she has low iron level and is frequently sick. Her multivitamins with iron supplement is still more than half full so I can't really say if it has taken effect. If in a few weeks the situation hasn't improved then I will take her to the doctor to have her checked.

cold and lonely

2009-10-06T18:34:00.007+08:00

Happy days are over. Cold, lonely days&nights are back again. Hubs airplane just left which will bring him to Amsterdam with a quick stop at Kuala Lumpur. Waaah! I miss him already. Now we have to battle months before seeing each other again.

(this is very obviously not a painting of me, although i wish i were this sexy)

Milenyo and Ondoy

2009-09-26T17:22:00.005+08:00

When Tatay died bagyong Milenyo has taken over Luzon. Today is Tatay's 3rd death anniversary and bagyong Ondoy is devastating Luzon. Metro Manila is flooded with some people staying at the roof of their houses. Here in Pampanga, the water is knee-deep fortunately it is only in the streets and has not reached our house yet. I hope the rain lets up soon. According to the news, Ondoy has officially reached Pampanga at 4PM but even before that the rain was nonstop.
My titas from Quezon City and Paranaque who went here for Tatay's anniv have decided to sleep over. My uncle who went to a meeting in Makati is stuck in EDSA.
Here are some pictures I took while watching the news.

mommy thoughts from Madonna

2009-09-25T22:53:00.003+08:00

My daughter has a problem picking things up in her room. So if she leaves her clothes on the floor, we put them in a bin bag. She has to earn them back by being tidy.

-Madonna, Hollywood icon and singer

Chicken Barbecue in Beer

2009-09-25T22:38:00.002+08:00

Tired of your usual chicken barbecue? Then try this recipe. It has a certain kick to it. I found it online and just revised it a bit.

Ingredients:
1 cup beer
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
6 chicken thighs
salt and pepper
pinch of chili powder
Directions:
Mix all ingredients. Marinate the chicken for at least 8 hours. Then grill on each side.

It's a simple recipe that you and your family will enjoy eating.

flying

2009-09-22T21:47:00.000+08:00

I have been so busy these past weeks I hardly have time to blog. Sorry.
Anyways, a few days after hubs arrived we celebrated V's birthday at Villa Antonina . Then after two days we were off to Boracay for some R&R. We enjoyed the place and each other's company for 6 days. A few days after going back home my Inang arrived from Qatar. And in between these days we also went to Laguna to spend time with MIL.
Time really flies fast when you're having fun.

yes!

2009-09-08T21:21:00.002+08:00

After months of planning tomorrow is the big day! Hubs and I are going on another of our out of town trips. Hopefully the weather lets up so we can enjoy our time out.
Oh and yes since he arrived I hardly have time to blog so bear with me. I will try to update my blogs as much as I can.

V tops her class!

2009-09-02T22:31:00.005+08:00

At first I had to go through the taxing reviews, then came the test scores and now that the grades have been tallied the ranking is announced. V topped her class! Yahoo!!!
This weekend we are celebrating her birthday and her achievement.
Double Yey!

marriage thoughts from joanne woodward

2009-08-21T11:07:00.003+08:00

"Sexiness wears thin after a while and beauty fades, but to be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that's a real treat."
- Joanne Woodward, actress, television and theatrical producer
(Joanne married Paul Newman and stayed married till Paul died)

the scores are in

2009-08-20T06:41:00.002+08:00

After the gruelling week of review for V's periodical exam, the results are finally in. And she passed with flying colors! I'm so happy! She had a perfect score for Civics! And an almost perfect score in Science and Filipino. Yup, just one wrong answer in these 2 subjects. Math would have been perfect too had it not been for one part of the exam. She got confused as to the odd and even numbers. She mixed it up and so everything was wrong. But all other answers except for these were correct. Sayang talaga, perfect na naman sana.

surviving V's periodical exam

2009-08-16T22:58:00.003+08:00

I survived!...The first grading periodical exam of Vivian! So on Friday afternoon we all went out to celebrate. Picnic sa Good Shepherd (para ka-join si Tatay). I ordered take-out from McDonald's at dahil ako ang nagcecelebrate ang kinain ko ay ang Big Mac meal. Akala nyo si V ang magcecelebrate? Hindi ah! It's me who is celebrating kase nasurvive ko ang pagtuturo sa kanya for the first grading period! Hay! Ang hirap kaya ng pinagdaanan ko! Feeling ko I deserve a medal dahil sa na-experience ko the past months.
Now the agony of waiting for the exam results. Sana naman pasado sya!

daddy thoughts from ninoy aquino

2009-08-10T20:13:00.004+08:00

You are my only son. You carry my name and the name of my father. I have no material wealth to leave you. I never had time to make money while I was in the hire of our people. For this I am very sorry. I had hopes of building a little nest egg for you. I bought a ranch in Masbate in the hope that after ten or fifteen years, the coconut trees I planted there would be yielding enough to assure you a modest but comfortable existence. Unfortunately, I had to sell all our properties as I fought battle after political battle as a beleaguered member of the opposition. And after the last battle, I had more obligations than assets.
The only valuable asset I can bequeth to you now is the name you carry. I have tried my best during my years of public service to keep that name untarnished and respected, unmarked by sorry compromises for expediency. I now pass it on to you, as good, I pray, as when my father, your grandfather passed it on to me.
-Ninoy Aquino, Philippine senator and hero
(letter for Noynoy Aquino)

mommy thoughts from bette davis

2009-08-09T23:11:00.002+08:00

If you've never been hated by your child, you've never been a parent.
-Bette Davis, actress

picadillo

2009-08-09T19:15:00.002+08:00

Ingredients:
1/2 kilo ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
4 cups water
1 beef broth cube
2 tbsp. patis
oil
salt and pepper
Directions:
Saute garlic and onion in oil. Add ground beef and cook until it browns. Pour in the water and add the broth cube. Bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat. Add potato and carrots. Simmer for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are done. Add patis. Season to taste.

This is my first time to cook this recipe and ayun sold out! (kaya walang picture kase immediately after cooking we ate na)

bagoong rice

2009-08-06T00:30:00.006+08:00

I first learned about Clara Ole Ora Mixmo from my Ate Cel. She was asking us if we can send some to her. This came as a surprise to me because my sister is based abroad and she is asking us to buy this product which I haven't even heard of. So the next time I went to the grocery I looked for it. Bought some and tested it in our kitchen. From then on I was hooked. The next time I went grocery shopping I bought tons of it to stock at home (of course, I had to send some to my Ate)
Yesterday I tweaked the recipe just because... (I am a girl and I want to do so) and the outcome was yum yum!
Here is the recipe:
oil for frying
2 cups cooked rice
1 pack Clara Ole Bagoong flavor
2-3 tablespoon of Barrio Fiesta Bagoong

Heat oil in pan. Add cooked rice and mix to fry for a few minutes. Pour in Bagoong flavor. Mix until well distributed throughout the rice. Add Barrio Fiesta Bagoong. Mix well. Serve hot!

potassium: regulates blood pressure

2009-08-05T22:29:00.005+08:00

Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in our body. It is an electrolyte that carries nutrients into the cell and wastes out of them.
Is potassium important in our diet? Yes of course! I haven't really realized the importance of potassium until recently. I read that potassium is best known for its blood-pressure regulation. This made me sit straight and pay attention. My mother has hypertension. My father had borderline hypertension. I have aunts and uncles with hypertension. So I am preparing myself because it is pretty obvious that I have (+) family history. Plus hypertension is also prevalent in hubs side of the family. (Double whammy for our future kids)
Potassium can be found in most foods that we eat but there are still studies that says that we aren't getting enough of it. So starting today I am making a conscious effort to include potassium-rich foods in our diet.

closet space: organize!

2009-08-03T21:03:00.005+08:00

There's never enough closet space. At the start of our marriage hubs and I share one closet. Now we have two and there's still not enough space for our clothes and shoes.
A major organizing revamp is needed!
The closet should have varous partitions so you can group the clothes according to kind. And when folding shirts, it is best to fold it trifold. It looks more organized that way.
Just like in the kitchen, a pull-out pantry can also be used in a closet. Just make sure that it is installed in an angle. There is a terrific way to store shoes. And we have a lot of these! Hubs collects rubber shoes while I heart sandals/slip-ons/flip-flops!
Before storing handbags take out all its contents. I have a habit of putting back the bag I used without taking out the contents and this consumes time when I'm trying to find something and don't know which bag to check. So before you put it back in the closet, dump it's contents on a table. Then put acid-free tissue paper inside the bag so as to preserve its shape.
(pictures grabbed from marthastewart.com)

before the month ends

2009-08-03T13:56:00.003+08:00

It's August already! And (gasp!) before the month ends my hubs will be with me again! Four months of being apart is a long time.
We are both counting the days till we can be in each others arms again. Plus we are going to be away for a few days for some R&R!

ginataang kalabasa

2009-08-03T13:09:00.004+08:00

Here is my recipe for ginataang kalabasa:
1/2 kilo squash peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup kakang gata (1st extract)
1 1/2 cup second extract of gata
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
pinch of chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
fried dilis

Saute onion and garlic. Then add in the ginger.
Add the squash and second extract of gata. Bring to boil and then let simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour in the kakang gata. Bring to a boil. Add in the chili powder, salt and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes till the squash becomes tender.
Remove from heat. Top with fried dilis.

Most ginataang kalabasa recipes calls for either shrimp or pork. I decided to veer away from this and try a different approach to this viand. And since we usually have ginataang kalabasa wth pork my new version of ginataang kalabasa with dilis was a hit with my family!

PR up and down

2009-08-02T17:54:00.003+08:00

Sadness! My other blog bumagsak ang PR...waaaahhhhh! Napenalize na ng google for all the paid blogging I did! Kaya pala kumonti ang opps!
The bright side is this blog tumaas ang ranking! Only thing is I haven't enrolled this in paid blogging pa. So I have to work on this muna and hopefully get opps for this blog.

removing garlic smell

2009-07-31T18:25:00.003+08:00

My hands smell! From the garlic I used for the marinade I made for the chicken barbecue we had for lunch. Ugh! I have watched my hands numerous times, and used alcohol but the smell is still there. So I went online to find the best ways to get rid of the garlic smell. And here are the tips I found:
Use lemon juice to wash your hands. It not only removes the odor but it also softens the hands as well.
Mix in salt with the water when you wash your hands.
Rub your hands with stainless steel. Whether it be your spoon, your fork, or your sink just make sure that it is stainless stell and it will remove the garlic odor.
Baking soda also removes the odor. Just rub your hands with it and rinse.
Squeeze toothpaste on your hands, rub, and rinse.

couples money wars

2009-07-26T19:43:00.003+08:00

When you get married you also marry the financial aspect of your partner. That means the riches and the debts. So what happens when you marry someone who has the opposite money sense as you do? Chaos ensues.
Of course, a spending habit which has been going on for the longest time will be difficult to change. But like everything else in a marriage, compromise is neccessary.
When you are opposites like us, one is a spender while the other is a saver disagreements are commonplace. While the other spends too much the other would like to scream like a banshee (can you guess which of us is which?). Fortunately for us we've solved this by setting an amount that can be spent without resulting to world war III.
Being married, when one applies for a loan the other is of course involved too. So a poor credit history by one will definitely affect the other. So when we apply for a housing loan both of our banking and credit history will be perused upon. Good thing both of us have good credit standing. Of course this did not come naturally for us. We worked on that too. Again, the saver took an active role in making sure that the spender pays the debt.
Decide on your financial goals as a couple. Early this year we talked about what we want to achieve financially. We had year-long goals and long-term goals. Because we have a tangible list on hand it is easy for us to determine whether we are right on track or if we are so far-off the mark.
As I said earlier, financial "peace" just like marriage can be achieved with communication and compromise.

tomatoes

2009-07-26T11:35:00.003+08:00

I try to cook using tomatoes as much as I can. Why? Because it is rich in lycopene and it contains lutein and zeaxanthin. Lycopene lowers the risk of heart disease and cancer. While lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants that decrease the rish for macular degeneration. When buying tomatoes make sure that you choose the deep red ones with no cracks or bruises. And it is best stored in room temperature. Yup, not in the fridge. This is a common misconception. I myself am guilty of storing our tomatoes in the vegetable bin of our refrigerator. If the tomatoes are ripe it can be stored in the fridge but in the warmer part only (the butter compartment). And make sure to wash it gently in cold water before you use it for cooking.

marriage thoughts from helen rowland

2009-07-25T19:37:00.004+08:00

"When you see a married couple walking down the street, the one that's a few steps ahead is the one that's mad."
Helen Rowland

difficult

2009-07-25T15:54:00.003+08:00

I know that raising a child is a tough job. But all the more when one is dealing with a problem child. V has been with us for a couple of months already and lately she has been talking back to me. Others might think that it's bibo the way she talks back but for me it is not. I find it disrespectful. The talking back is not the only problem too. There are a lot more. I pray for patience to continue guiding and taking care of her but I am near my breaking point. I have never encountered a more difficult child like her.

10 Trying To Conceive to-dos

2009-07-18T20:48:00.002+08:00

1. Get An OB-GYN Check Up
Let your doctor know your pregnancy plans are on the horizon. Talk about any meds you take for chronic conditions (like diabetes, acne, or hypothyroid disease), update your immunizations, and find out what medications are safe to use while pregnant.

2. Get Your Genes Tested
Ask your gyno or a genetic counselor to check your DNA to see if you carry untreatable genetic disorders like Tay-Sachs, cystic fibrosis, or sickle cell anemia.

3. Start Taking Vitamins
You’ll want to start a vitamin regimen that includes folic acid. The sooner you start these positive habits, the easier your pregnancy will be.

4. Go To The Dentist
All of the extra blood flow and estrogen in the body can lead to more plaque production and bleeding gums. Get a cleaning and any X-rays done before you get pregnant and make sure your smile is in optimal condition.

5. Create A New Budget
Ask friends with babies how much they spend on junior each month, including diapers, baby food, clothes, and splurges. Try factoring this into your budget now, saving the rest for the baby just-in-case fund, and see how you adapt.

6. Get Rates For Disability & Life Insurance
Disability must be purchased before you get pregnant if you want it to cover your birth and postpartum time. Beware: Most policies require several months before you're actually eligible. Also, meet with a few agencies to find a good rate on life insurance (your car and health insurance companies may give you the best deal).

7. Learn Your Cycle
Women typically ovulate mid-cycle. This is your most fertile time and when you’ll have the best chance of conceiving. But the timing of it differs from woman to woman—and possibly even from month to month. The first day of your cycle (day 1) is the first day of your period. Therefore, if you typically follow a 28-day cycle, you would most likely ovulate on day 14. Track your body over the course of a few months to get an idea of the best time to try. To determine when that is, visit our ovulation calculator at TheNestBaby.com/ calculators/ovulation.aspx.

8. Find Out About Family Leave
Have you been at your current job long enough to be covered by the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act? Every employer has its own policies on top of the law regarding how much maternity leave is paid (or partially subsidized). Get your man in on the act and have him find out about paternity leave too.

9. Create A Will
Make sure your baby-to-be is as covered as possible in case something horrendous were to happen to either one of you. Enlist a Plan A and a Plan B person with power of attorney so your financial and medical affairs are in good hands if one of you becomes unable to handle them. While you’re at it, consider a health-care directive or health-care proxy that will make your wishes clear if any kind of medical situation arises.

10. Quit Your Vices
You’ve heard it a zillion times, but you have to stop smoking and drinking heavily. See if you can do it now—so there’s no worry when the test is positive.

as posted here.

saturday classes

2009-07-18T06:23:00.002+08:00

It's a saturday and I'm up bright and early. Why? Because of school! V has makeup classes today because they didn't have classes for 2 days last week. (grumble rumble) Whatever happened to sleeping late during weekends?

breakfast is important

2009-07-14T22:11:00.007+08:00

Breakfast. Now more than ever I find it important to prepare one.
I wouldn't send V to school on an empty stomach. That just isn't done. But did you know that when children eat breakfast they perform better in school, get higher grades and spend less time being sick? Yep eating breakfast does that.
I usually serve pancakes, oatmeal or bread/sandwich to V for breakfast.
I don't let her eat rice during this time because she tends to vomit when she gets too full. Plus her recess time is just 2 hours after getting to school so I reckon she won't have much of an appetite for recess if I feed her rice for breakfast.
Now when hubs is home I definitely have to prepare more than that for breakfast for hubs like to eat rice in the morning.

mommy thoughts from doris day

2009-07-02T20:20:00.002+08:00

Wrinkles are hereditary. Parents get them from their children.
-Doris Day

5 signs that a marriage will crash and burn (as stated by a wedding planner)

2009-06-28T22:50:00.002+08:00

I plan 50 to 80 weddings per year. And let me tell you, I've dealt with all types of brides — from those who were more obsessed with me than with their fiancé because they had seen me on the Style Network's Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? to women who called the whole thing off with just a week to go.
Crazy brides aside, planning such a big day means I get to witness behaviors that a couple doesn't always reveal to others. And over the years, I've deduced that certain actions — as trivial as they may seem — are predictors of whether a couple will live happily ever after or bite the dust. These red flags that pop up during the planning process tell me a couple doesn't have a shot in hell at making it.

The Bride refuses to let the Groom choose the cake
It's true: Brides are almost always more interested in the minutiae of wedding planning than grooms are. But when I encounter a woman who refuses to relinquish any control to her fiancé, it doesn't bode well. I can think of a few instances in which the woman ruled the event with an iron fist and the couple ended up in divorce court a few years later. Basically, they weren't able to make decisions together.
On the flip side, it's a positive sign when a bride takes the time to understand which part of the wedding is most important to her groom and then gives him full say in that area. A couple I worked with years ago — who happen to still be very happily married — serves as an example. He couldn't have cared less about the flowers, color palette, and hors d'oeuvres, but he was completely obsessed with the cake. When it came time for the tasting, the bride said, "Let's get whatever you want." Whether it's the cake, the photographer, the open bar, whatever, a bride who lets her almost-hubby have some say proves she's empathetic, and a guy who wants his taste to count shows he's not aloof — both necessary traits for the relationship to pan out.

The Groom Lets His Mom Call the Shots
Most of my brides involve their moms in the planning process, and why wouldn't they? It's like having a second planner for free. But sometimes, grooms' mothers try to muscle in too, which is something I'll never understand. Not only is it inappropriate, but it's up to her son to tell her that.
Unfortunately, I've seen quite a few grooms chicken out. In one case, a domineering mom wanted nothing to do with her future daughter-in-law's Indian heritage and argued that it shouldn't be part of the wedding. Thinking it would only make things worse, her son didn't put up a fight on his bride's behalf. Watching him let his mother walk all over the woman he supposedly loved was heartbreaking. If the groom had put his foot down in the first place, there's a chance his mom would have gotten the message. Because he didn't, she is still trying to rule their life and putting stress on them that could lead them to break up.

The Bride Blows Half the Budget on Her Dress
I will never forget the look of fury and horror on one client's face when his future wife revealed she'd spent most of their wedding savings on a designer gown. Weddings are pricier than ever, and money-related issues can cause a lot of undue tension. So when a bride goes behind her groom's back and splurges on a big-name dress or expensive flower arrangements, I start to get nervous. It's a huge sign that she doesn't respect him and refuses to compromise...and trust me, those tendencies don't disappear after she walks down the aisle. I have worked with tons of couples who fought viciously over the wedding budget and learned later that many of them continued to argue and eventually split.
Recently, I signed on with a bride and groom who really impressed me. Throughout the process, if the bride wanted to spend extra on something, she would call her future husband, and they would discuss if it was worth it. She wasn't giving him full veto power, mind you, but she was showing regard for their union. I'm guessing they have real staying power.

The Bride Freaks Over the Groom's Bachelor Party
I've seen some women wig out about the possibility of her guy having a boys' night at a strip club. One client of mine even threatened to leave her fiancé if he had a bachelor party. But my motto is: If you can't trust him, why the hell are you walking down the aisle?!
The women who tell their man to have fun and don't grill him for details seem secure and confident in their relationship...and from what I've seen, that trust makes for a lasting marriage. On the other hand, the brides I work with who give their man the third degree either are really insecure or know their guy can't be faithful. One woman got so crazy over the thought of her fiancé going to a strip club that she threw a big fit and he canceled his plans. She'd made a big deal because she was afraid he would stray. Well, she ended up being right — I heard they separated a few years later because he wasn't faithful.

The Bride and Groom Fight in Front of Me
No matter how in love two people may be, planning a ceremony and reception is overwhelming and will no doubt cause a few tiffs. But warning bells immediately start ringing for me if the couple gets really heated with each other in my presence. Arguments are private, and dragging me into them shows that there is a lack of respect for each other and for their bond.
Once I was meeting a couple for the first time for a consultation — something I like to do before taking on new clients. I would ask the bride what kinds of things she wanted to include in the wedding. Anytime she said something, the groom would say, "That's stupid. We aren't doing that." Right then and there, I knew I couldn't take them on as a couple. I was unable to plan an event for people I knew wouldn't last. Sure enough, I heard later that they had divorced soon after getting married.

Our wedding is far from being perfect. So much more during our preps. We argued - a lot! We talk things out and eventually work out all the kinks.
For those still preparing for the wedding, keep this in mind, a wedding lasts for a day while a marriage lasts a lifetime.
So don't sweat the small stuff in your preps. Let it go. Let love lead the way.

marriage and scissors

2009-06-22T23:46:00.005+08:00

Marriage resembles a pair of shears - so joined they can not be separated, often moving in opposite directions, yet always punishing anyone who comes between them.

I don't remember if I have blogged about this before but I so heart this quote that's why I am (re)posting it here.

happy fathers' day tay!

2009-06-21T15:21:00.002+08:00

My tatay, for those who knew him, was a very quiet person. At di ba nga ang tahimik mas mabangis? Kaya nga tingin pa lang nya tiklop na kami agad. Di na nya kailangan pa magsalita we just knew. Syempre behave naman kami agad.

Akala ng marami si tatay kuripot. Pero not to us. When he was still working lahat ng kaya nyang bilhin for us binibili nya. Lahat ng request namin sa kanya pag-uwi nya for sure meron syang dala.

But like most old-school dads si tatay rarely shows his feelings. Pero alam ko mahal nya kami. One instance I can vividly remember was when my heart got broken. Balde-baldeng luha ang iniyak ko dito. Walang hiya-hiya basta bigla bigla na lang akong umiiyak na parang luka-luka. Si inang would hug me etc...Si tatay quiet lang. Pero he was always there for me. He wasn't crowding me naman pero during that time na kaaway ang tingin ko sa opposite sex I felt na kakampi ko sya. He'd see to it that I was eating. He'd peek at our room to see if I was sleeping pag madaling-araw na and gently remind me to sleep na. Small things na tumatak sa isip ko.

One thing I regretted when I got married was that my tatay wasn't there to walk with me down the aisle. Ang lungkot nun. Pero alam ko naman wala man sya sa tabi namin nun he will always be in our hearts.

At ngayong fathers' day miss na miss ko na sya!

and the doctor said...

2009-06-20T22:03:00.003+08:00

I finally brought V to the pediatrician. She started getting sick thursday afternoon. I had to stay up all night because she was so hot already. I was thinking of bringing her to the doctor when morning comes. But by friday morning she felt better already. Like she didn't get sick at all. So the trip to the doctor was cancelled. But before the day ended she was feverish again. I spent another sleepless night by her bedside. At the back of my mind I was thinking of dengue. But what I really suspected was tonsilitis for V kept on complaining about difficulty in swallowing.
So anyways, off to the pedia we go. V was quiet all throughtout our travel. I was thinking that she must really be feeling bad for V rarely shuts up. Turns out, she did feel bad but the reason for her sudden clamming up was because she was nervous. She confessed that this is her first time to go see the doctor. Her parents (the one before us) just took care of her at home whenever she got sick. And since her secret is out she begun asking questions...what is that thing that the secretary stuck up her armpit? What does it do? What will the doctor do when she sees me? What will happen inside the room? etc,etc...I had a lot of explaining to do.
At last after waiting for a few hours our turn finally came. The doctor interviewed and examined V. She even got to lie down the examination table. Then she received some lollipops (to be eaten when she feels better) for being a good girl. And the doctor's verdict: tonsilitis.

mommy thoughts from jamie lee curtis

2009-06-15T22:09:00.006+08:00

As a parent, you have to look at how much time you are spending with your kids. There is nothing you will regret more in your life - nothing- than not being present for your children.
-jamie lee curtis

PTA meeting at ang pagsugod

2009-06-13T14:16:00.003+08:00

I survived my first Parents-Teachers Association meeting! At eto pa ha di lang nagsurvive kundi naiboto pang officer! hehe.. kung alam lang nila...
During the meeting we found out na more than the said number of students per class pala ang mga grade 1. So syempre affected ako dito. Grade 1 si V eh. 22 na sila per class. Madami na yun ha! Eh sa mga early enrollees sabi 15 lang daw. Ako naman when I enrolled V sabi 15-20 daw. Pero now 22 na at may parating pa. Aba di naman pwede yan. Kailangan makibaka. I proposed to make a letter to the administrator about it. Pero na-hyper yata ang mga kapwa ko magulang at gusto kausapin agad si admin.. Ayun after the meeting go kami agad sa opisina. Sugod mga mommies!
So ang siste, di na kailangan pa ng complaint letter, maghahire na lang ng additional teacher and yung original na 2 classes for the Grade 1 mahahati into 3. Ayos! Mas matututukan ang aming chikiting.

usapang kusina at in-laws

2009-06-10T06:19:00.003+08:00

My contribution for wife speaks.

1. Kung ang mother in law mo ay isang dish or ulam, ano siya? Pwede mo rin sabihin kung bakit, pero kung ayaw mo, okay lang.
Ginisang ampalaya with egg. Kase when I was still single I don't eat this. Di ko ma-take ang kapaklaan. Pero now that I'm married kasama na sya sa menu na hinahain ko sa family ko.

2. Ano ang madalas ihandang pagkain kapag may party sa bahay ng in laws mo?
Grilled anything and everything

3. Ano ang pinakamasarap na pagkain na nailuto ng in laws mo?
Wala. She doesn't cook for us naman. Si hubs ang taga-luto nya.

4. Anong pagkain ang nailuto mo na para sa in laws mo?
Wala din yata.

5. Meron bang dish na itinuro sa iyo ang in laws mo, either traditional family meal or paborito ng iyong asawa?

6. Mahalaga ba sa in laws mo na matuto kang magluto bago kayo nagpakasal ni Hubby?
Wa sya care. Kase magaling naman si hubs magluto eh. So siguro alam nya di magugutom ang anak nya

7. Anong eating habits ng in laws mo ang na-acquire mo na rin through the years?

8. Meron ka bang unforgettable kitchen moments with your in laws?

9. Binibigyan ka ba ng cooking tips ng in laws mo? Ano-ano ito?
Kase nga si hubs ang tagaluto nya nung binata pa si hubs. And nung buhay pa si FIL sya naman ang may kitchen duty.

10. Ano ang paboritong pagkain ng father in law mo?
di ko na sya inabutan eh.

11. Mahilig ba sa desserts ang in laws mo? If yes, anong hilig nila?
chocolate

12. Pagdating naman sa inuman after meals, “Go” ba sila or “No”?
hmmm..ang alam ko lang like ni MIL ang red wine.

13. Saan madalas mag-dine out for family dinners ang in laws mo?
Max's at Shakey's

14. Mahilig ba sila sa exotic food? If yes, ano-ano ito?
Not that I know of.

15. Lastly, masasabi mo bang bonding moments are “food moments” mo with your in laws?

cash it!

2009-06-07T21:31:00.003+08:00

Watching a showbiz talk show can be rewarding. Sometimes.
I was glued to the TV this afternoon (breaktime ng study session with V) and they were doing a segment on the latest controversy about the Arlene Manalo and Jose Manalo controversy. And Kris Aquino said something to this effect: Don't buy something if you can't afford to pay for it in cash. ...Hubs and I live by this principle too! Eversince we received more financial blessings from the Lord it has been a spoken agreement to refrain from using the credit card. The only regular credit card expenditure we have is the one for the charity that we are supporting. They debit from the CC monthly. Other than that we rarely use it...hmmm..I don't even remember if the card was used this year. I don't want to be all preachy here but this has worked for us. Hubs has eradicated the false pretense that the card gave him. He is more attuned to his expenses and has become more capable of sticking to the budget.

adobong sitaw recipe

2009-06-07T21:14:00.004+08:00

Cooking adobo has been a tricky task for me. I just can't seem to get the perfect combination of the vinegar and soy sauce. But yesterday I copied this recipe and it tasted wonderful! So I'm spreading the news.

Ingredients:
250 g ground pork
2 bundle of sitaw (cut into 1 inch long)
1 bay leaf
1/4 c vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 head garlic (peeled and crushed)
1 onion (peeled and thinly sliced)
groud black pepper to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 hardboiled egg (this is what the recipe called for but I altered mine and used 3 instead!)
cilantro and red pepper flakes for garnish

Place the garlic, onion, pepper, bay leaf and pork in a pan.
Pour the oil on it.
Mix in the vinegar and cook over medium high heat until it boils.
Stir.
Pour in the soy sauce.
Stir.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the sitaw.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
(optional: add 1/4 c water...I added about 3 tbsp of water to my version)
Garnish.

Instead of cooking pork adobo, the main ingredient here is the sitaw. This is because I wanted to serve healthier food to my family.

18

2009-06-02T22:03:00.006+08:00

Today we are celebrating 18 months of being married. In other words, one and a half years! Yey!
I love you dada

Myspace I Love You Comments & Graphics

classes start tomorrow!

2009-05-31T21:21:00.003+08:00

Tomorrow is V's first day of school! Yey! Hubs and I are both excited to see her go to school. Only thing is her classes starts at 7:40 and the school bus said they'll pick her up at 6:00 A.M. tomorrow. Too early! Of course I had to speak up. They said that since it's the first day of school they don't have a final route to follow in picking up the kids so they said it's better to be prepared early. But goodness me I still think it's too early! So if the month passes and nothing changes I'm taking her off the school bus and finding myself another one.

green leafy vegetable

2009-05-29T21:38:00.004+08:00

It is usual for me to include vegetable salad in our menu if I'm cooking something fried. That is so that we can eat something healthy too. But the lettuce tends to wilt easily. And here are some pointers that I got:
Purchase whole heads of lettuce because they stay fresh longer than buying loose leaves or those pre-packed ones. And before buying check the leaves, they shouldn't have brown discoloration.
When storing make sure that the vegetable can breathe. Lack of air makes it wilt faster. So store it in perforated bags or poke some holes into the plastic.
Before serving, wash them, then dry the leaves with a paper towel. If there are any left-overs wrap them in paper towel and store in perforated bag.
So there. Some tips to make your green leafy vegetable last longer.

Car AC

2009-05-26T21:38:00.001+08:00

I go this from one of the emails sent to me and I am reposting it here in the hopes that it is true and others may benefit from reading this.

Please do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car.
Open the windows after you enter your car and turn ON the air-conditioning
after a couple of minutes.

Here's why:
According to a research, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emit Benzene,
a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen - take time to observe the smell of heated
plastic in your car)..
In addition to causing cancer, Benzene poisons your bones, causes anemia and
reduces white blood cells..
Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer.
May also cause miscarriage.
Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft.
A car parked indoors with windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene.
If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F,
the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level...
People who get into the car, keeping windows closed will inevitably inhale,
in quick succession excessive amounts of the toxin.
Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver.
What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.

So friends, please open the windows and door of your car - give time for interior to
air out -dispel the deadly stuff - before you enter.

Thought:
'When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it,
you have a moral obligation to share it with others.'

- Chinese Proverb.

mag-aaral na sya

2009-05-25T18:58:00.002+08:00

I've previously blogged about our frustration in having V's BC. Thankfully her BC is now on hand! At naienroll ko na sya!
Kaya officially may estudyante na kami! Mahal pala magpaaral! hehe! Pero since we both believe na ang edukasyon ay isa sa mga karapatan ng bata go go go pa rin kami para sa pag-aaral ni V.

marriage is...

2009-05-22T11:18:00.003+08:00

Marriage is like being on opposites sides of a chasm and lovingly building a bridge toward each other.
-becca kaufman and paula ramsey (of weddingquestions.com)

Sometimes our marriage can feel like this, that we are in the opposites but thankfully we try our best to bridge our differences. So even if our marriage is not perfect, it is a work in progress.

spicy kangkong

2009-05-21T14:20:00.002+08:00

I found this spicy kangkong recipe online and did a little tweaking and voila..my own version!
Very easy to do and delicious too!
Here's what I used:
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 pc. chopped siling haba
2 pcs. chopped tomato
1 small sachet of maggic sarap
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2 bunch of kangkong, trimmed
1/2 tbsp patis
1 cup crushed chicharon
oil for frying
And here's how I did it:
Saute the garlic, ginger, siling haba, and tomato. After a few minutes add the magic sarap and the sugar. Then add the milk. Let simmer. Then add the kangkong and stir to coat it with the sauce. Cover and bring to a boil.
Season with patis.
Top with chicharon before serving.

Since I am not much of a cook, I miscalculated the amount of kangkong to put in the menu. Kala ko madami na ang 2 bungkos. Konti pala nun pag naluto na. So if you do decide to try this then adjust na lang the menu depending on how many will eat it.
Enjoy!

into our home

2009-05-20T22:43:00.003+08:00

Just this summer hubs and I took on the responsibility of being parents. Nope, I am not yet pregnant. Instead we took into our home a little girl. And since she is of school age already we want her to experience going to school. Only problem is, a birth certificate is required for her to enroll. And that is something that we don't have at hand. Not yet anyway. This is something that we are still working on. I just hope that we'll have it on time for classes are about to start in a few days.
We really want her to go to school. For we both believe that all children have the right to be educated.

10 ways to love our kids and spouses

2009-05-20T22:40:00.001+08:00

disappointed

2009-05-05T03:09:00.001+08:00

you let me down.
you proved me wrong.
you did it.
at least have the balls to own up to it.

KSP ako

2009-04-27T10:55:00.002+08:00

Oo inaamin ko, KSP ako. Kulang sa pansin. Kulang sa atensyon mula sa asawa ko. Isang buwan ang bakasyon nya dito sa pinas pero may mga kalaban pa ako. Itatanong mo marahil kung ano? Una na dyan ang TV. Sinusumpa ko talaga ang sports channel! Bat nauso pa yan! Ang sarap ipatanggal ng cable para lang mapansin naman nya ako. Mula pagkagising nakabukas na agad ang TV. At para akong namamalimos sa atensyon nya tuwing nanonood sya. Dahil nabibingi na sya at wala ng ibang iniintindi kundi ang pinapanood nya. Siguro katanggap tanggap pa kung mga 1 o 2 oras lang syang nanonood di ba? Pero hindi eh. Kung wala kami o syang lakad halos buong araw na nakabukas ang TV. At yup, halos buong araw din akong deadma. Pwera na lang kung sisigawan ko sya na o kakain na. Sigaw ha. Kase kung normal na tawag lang yun eh deadma lang ako. Hay. Pero di lang ang sports channel ang kalaban ko. Meron pa. Andyan ang DVD. Action movies. Meron ding internet. Basta. At sa May 3 sigurado yang half day na itsapwera ang beauty ko. Laban ni Pacquiao eh.
Ang iksi na nga ng 1 month vacation andami pang mga kakumpetensya.
At oo inaamin ko KSP ako.

chillax in Baguio

2009-04-23T22:24:00.003+08:00

Initially it was only hubs and I who were supposed to go to Baguio but hubs invited my sister, aunt, and cousin. The more the merrier ika nga.
So we chillaxed in the city of Pines for 3 days and 2 nights. (in the hopes of getting preggers, here we are touching the fertility statue in Tam-Awan)

celebrating at manila ocean park

2009-04-14T18:32:00.003+08:00

For our 89th monthsary (yup, I know the word doesn't really exist) hubs and I went to Manila Ocean Park. We haven't been there and we want to see the place so we decided to go there for our date. Since hubs works abroad celebrating our monthsary (and even the anniversary) is a luxury that is why when we are together we make a conscious effort to date each other.
(Btw, the monthsary we are celebrating is as bf-gf. The wedding date we celebrate yearly.)

ngayong holy week

2009-04-10T00:03:00.003+08:00

It's a little past midnight so it is officially Good Friday already! Don't forget to attend the Station of the Cross!
Yesterday was an eventful day for us. First off, Huwebes Santo na nga ayun at nagsaya pa kami. Magswimming ba naman. At ang mga guys naginom pa what do you expect eh natural na yata yun sa mga lalaki pag nagkita talagang may kasamang inuman. Pero kahit na nagkakasayahan kami alam namin na when night falls we will all go out para sa Visita Iglesia. Ang kaso mo may mga dumating na ibang bisita. Imbes na yung iilang boteng naunang nabili lang ang paghahatian ayun napadami, napabili pa uli sa tindahan. Yung planong Visita Iglesia napush off to a later time kase nagkakahiyaan na magyayaan na. Nakakahiya daw kase sa bisita. Fast forward na.. nakaalis na ang mga bisita kami-kami na lang uling magkakaibigan at syempre nagkakainitan na ng ulo kase nga naman di nasunod yung original plan di ba. Ayun when everyone is settled na nakasakay na sa sasakyan sa wakas mauumpisahan na ang Visita Iglesia eh biglang BAM!!! Nabangga kami! Mahirap talaga na nakainom at magdadrive. Swerte na nga lang namin kase no one was hurt. Lahat kami ok. Nanerbyos ng konti oo pero walang nangyaring anupaman sa amin. Thank you Lord talaga! Mahaba pang story ang kasunod nito..syempre nasabi ko na nga kanina maiinit na ang mga ulo...may mga lasing pa..basta ang ending ayun nakauwi kaming lahat safe and sound pero yun nga lang di natuloy ang Visita Iglesia.
Buti na lang din may walking distance na simbahan from our house kaya niyaya ko na ang asawa ko na magpunta sa simbahan. Di lang dahil sa Visita Iglesia kundi dahil gusto ko din magpasalamat sa kanya dahil niligtas nya kaming lahat.
Next year, wala na munang happy-happy pag holy week. Ilalaan na namin para kay Lord ang holy week.

date mistake

2009-04-04T23:48:00.003+08:00

Hubs and I are disappointed. We've been planning on going on an overnight spa trip to Tagaytay eversince Rosey told us of her son's graduation and birthday celebration. So we planned our trip around the party. We discussed the choices (red ginger farm, sonya's garden and nurture spa) for days. (It really is difficult to choose just one because all three have good reviews.) And just recently decided on going to Nurture Spa only to find out today that the party was today! Wtf! Today! Stupid, stupid me! How could I have missed the date? Naman! So all those careful planning, kaput! Buti na nga lang kamo tinawagan ko si Rosey kanina otherwise baka tumuloy kami sa Batangas yun pala tapos na ang party. Hay palpak!

sunday mass

2009-04-03T23:26:00.002+08:00

Isa sa mga naaappreciate ko na andito yung mister ko sa aking tabi yung pag-attend ng Sunday Mass. Kase madalas pag wala sya at ako lang ang magsisimba kinakatamaran ko na (oo, bad nga ako eh). But now that he's here kahit pagod na pagod o puyat na puyat pa kami pag Saturday eh gigising pa rin talaga sya ng maaga at pipilitin din akong tumayo para makapagsimba kami. Syempre at first asar ako sino ba naman ang gusto na naiistorbo ang tulog di ba? Pero pagpasok ko ng simbahan at pagharap ko sa altar ang laki ng ngiti ko kase eto na naman ako nasa Church kahit na once a week lang nakakapagbigay pugay sa Kanya. At laking pasalamat ko din kase yung asawa ko di gaya ng ibang lalake na napakatamad magsimba...na kailangan pa pilitin ng mga asawa nila para lang tumapak sa simbahan..o nagdadahilan pa para lang di makasama sa pagsimba..worse, iimpluwensyahan pa yung asawa na wag na lang magsimba..yung asawa ko di ganun. Sa aming dalawa, sya nga ang determined na magsimba eh. Sabi nga nya once a week na nga lang yan kakatamaran mo pa ba? Oo nga noh, once a week lang naman akong kailangan bumangon ng maaga para magsimba bat naman kakaligtaan ko pa? If I dwell on it, ano ba naman ang isang beses sa isang linggong pag gising ng maaga compared sa lahat ng ginawa Niyang sakripisyo para sa akin? Ano ba naman yun kumpara sa lahat ng mga biyayang natatanggap ko? Ambait talaga ni Lord kase bukod sa lahat ng iba pang magagandang qualities ng asawa ko, yung binigay nya sa aking makakasama sa habang-buhay ay yung magdadala sa akin para mas maging close sa Kanya

the patio

2009-03-31T22:19:00.007+08:00

Lately I've been obsessing with renovating and redecorating our house. (All in my head as of the moment for we don't have the complete budget yet...hehe).. I'm finished obsessing about the game room and has since moved on to another part of the house. And due to the extremely hot summer season, I'm focusing my attention on a patio/veranda cum backyard garden resting place. Here are some daybeds that has caught my attention. Aren't they pretty? Here are some furniture pieces that I like. Naku pag nabasa ito ng asawa ko baka mahimatay na yun sa mga naiisip kong pagkakagastusan..hehe!

andito na sya!

2009-03-29T12:00:00.003+08:00

Hubs is here! At last after working for 4 months magkasama na kami uli! Yun nga lang saglit lang. But I won't let his going back to work dampen my happy mood. Sa ngayon ang saya saya ko!

anticipating

2009-03-17T23:07:00.003+08:00

A few days from now and hubs will arrive na! I'm so excited! He doesn't have his flight details yet but we are both giddy with anticipation already! Oh sweet days ahead!

Mother's luggage

2009-03-16T00:10:00.004+08:00

The passport is finished, the visa has arrived, the supporting documents are approved and the flight has been booked so there's nothing left to do but to pack the bags! My mother is off to visit my sister and this is her first out of the country trip! She's very excited but she's also very adamant in having her own luggage. She didn't want to use mine's. Mind you my luggage is pansinin, it's a pink benetton case. And since malabo mata ni mother this is really an advantage aba with all of our travels wala pa akong nakasabay na ganito din ang maleta. So maybe it was too girly for her age? Good thing Robinson Starmills had their 3-day sale this weekend so we were able to buy Inang her very own luggage. I wanted to get her an altogether different one but she insisted on this. Color coordinated pa. Madali daw mahahanap sa conveyor. So ayan empake time!

(p.s. our cat is very chismosa obvious naman pagkakita nya sa maleta ayan oh inusisa agad)

bar and billiard

2009-03-14T14:10:00.003+08:00

When hubs read my post about the game room he immediately called me and was excited. So now this is not just in my wanna-have list but also in hubby's. Hmmm...all the more reason to save!
I was looking through the net searching for billiard tables and bars. And I must say that having a game room is not cheap. Boy! I didn't know the billiard tables are that expensive! Napasubo ako!
But I know that having one will surely bring joy to hubs. Sa idea pa nga lang excited na sya what more kung totoo na di ba?

a game room

2009-03-11T21:52:00.008+08:00

A game room is one of my wanna-have for our house. Since hubs is mostly abroad it would be nice to have a room for him to unwind. One with a pool table and a mini bar so that when he is here he can have a place for himself and for his friends too when they come over. It doesn't have to be a big and elaborate space. Something simple will do. Guys like things simple right?
Well, this is something that has to wait for we have a lot of plans yet to be realized.

80% vs. 20%

2009-03-06T17:28:00.002+08:00

I read this from an email and I want to share it here so that others may also read about it. This is very real. So read on...

In most cases, especially in relationships, you will only get 80% of what you NEED and you will hardly get the other 20% that you WANT in your relationship. There is always another person (man or woman) that you will meet and that will offer you the other 20% which is lacking in your relationship that you WANT. And believe me, 20% looks really good when you are not getting it at all in your current relationship.
But the problem is that you will always be tempted to leave that good 80% that you know you have, thinking that you will get something better with the other 20% that you WANT.
But as reality has proven, in most cases, you will always end up with having the 20% that you WANT and losing the 80% that you really NEED and that you already have.
Be careful in deciding between what you WANT and NEED in your life.
Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. 'Wow, this girl in my office is a real looker. But it's not her Wynona Rider features that got me. I'm crazy about her because she's also understanding, intelligent, tender - so many things that my spouse is not'
Somewhere along the way, you'll find a woman or a man who will be more charming or sensitive. More alluring. More thoughtful. Richer. Have greater sex appeal. And you will find a woman or man who will need you and pursue you and go loco over you more than your spouse ever did.
Because no wife or husband is perfect. Because a spouse will only have 80% of what you're looking for. So adultery takes place when a husband or wife looks for the missing 20%. Let's say your wife is melancholic by nature.
You may find yourself drawn to the pretty clerk who has a cheery laugh no matter what she says: 'I broke my arm yesterday, Hahahaha . ...'
Or because your wife is a homebody in slippers and pajamas, smelling of garlic and fish oil, you may fall for a fresh-smelling young sales representative that visits your office in a sharp black blazer, high heels, and a red pencil-cut skirt Or because your husband is the quiet type, your heart may skip a beat when you meet an old college flame who has the makings of a talk show host.
But wait! That's only 20% of what you don't have.
Don't throw away the 80% that you already have!
That's not all. Add to your spouse's 80% the 100% that represents all the years that you have been with each other. The storms you have weathered together. The unforgettable moments of sadness and joy as a couple. The many adjustments you have made to love the other. The wealth of memories that you've accumulated as lovers.

Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have.

But faithfulness happens when you start thanking God for what you already have.

ang diaper cake

2009-02-27T20:48:00.003+08:00

Diaper cake is the new in thing for baby showers. So when we were planning Dugs' baby shower I knew I wanted to get her one. So I googled numerous sites trying to find the most affordable but bongga diaper cake. Unfortunately, bongga=mahal. So I vowed to do it myself (read: kuripot ako). Naging bestfriend ko ang google bigla. So when I finally had the courage (read: the afternoon before the shower) namili na ako ng gamit. And ayun pinagpuyatan ko tuloy! As always cram baby cram! Mainit ulo ko nito ha! Pano I was not liking what I'm seeing. Parang may kulang. At totoo naman. Kinulang ako ng diaper! Hehe! At dahil late na wala na akong mabilhang tindahan. So back to google. Hanap uli ng better way of doing it. At sa wakas ako ay nagtagumpay! Clap! Clap! Clap! para sa sarili ko..hehe! Bonggang bongga ang gawa ko. (magbuhat daw ba ng sariling bangko)
Center of attention during the baby shower. Lahat kase first time makakita nun...hmmm..ganun na ba ka-behind ang pampanga?..hehe.. At lahat napabilib na ako mismo ang gumawa. Sabi nga nila, pwede ng i-negosyo! So may gusto bang umorder dyan?

chili crabs

2009-02-19T14:15:00.003+08:00

1/2 cup flour
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. ginger, grated
4 red chili
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. hot sauce
1 tbsp. vinegar
4 tbsp. brown sugar
cooking oil
salt and pepper
Wash the crabs thoroughly and scrub the shells. If you have bigger crabs it is better to cut it in half. Rinse under cold water. Remove the spongy parts.
Coat the crab with flour, salt and pepper. Then fry until it turns red.
In a separate pan, cook onion, garlic, ginger and chili stirring regularly. Add the tomato sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil.
Return the crabs to the wok. Let simmer.

disappointed

2009-02-17T21:40:00.002+08:00

Sad ako sa wedding video namin. Kase it wasn't what I expected eh. Super bilib pa naman ako sa videographer namin. Pero when I got na the video and watched it ayun na. Hay. Sadness. Iba ibang songs ang ginamit. Although may iba namang tumama. Pero ayun nga di ko feel yung ibang siningit eh. When I asked our videographer about it ang sagot sa akin kase ang tagal na daw kaya sya na lang ang nagdecide what songs to include. Hello!!! Ang tagal tagal ko na kayang nagbigay ng songlist sa kanya. Saka nagconfirm pa sya when I got it. And he even asked kung may mp3 ako nung 2 songs na wala syang kopya. So obviously he is lying when he said na he made up the list na lang sa tagal. Saka I also read sa e-group na may couple din na nag 1 year anniv na when they got their video pero they are perfectly satisfied with it naman. Hmmmm... Eh bat sa amin palpak?

where should we honeymoon?

2009-02-07T19:01:00.003+08:00

You Should Honeymoon in Europe!

You are a traditional romantic at heart...

With a taste for fine wine, museums and beautiful walks.

You and your sweetie should get romantic in a cafe in Paris

Or get a Eurail pass - and see as many cities as possible!

Suggested destinations: Paris, Venice, London, Greece

Where Would Your Dream Guy Take You on Your Honeymoon?

Imagine that! I've been dreaming of Europe for the longest time. Kung swak lang talaga sa budget namin malamang dyan kami naghoneymoon dati! Kaso hindi eh :-( Again, our honeymoon was spent with the family. Sobrang gastos naman kung buong pamilya kaming lalarga ng Europe eh ang laking gastos pa ng ikasal. So save first and travel later ang motto namin ngayon!

thinking of a bed

2009-01-17T20:31:00.004+08:00

I find this bed nice.

And it is a space saver. Which is a big plus for me because we always have a problem when we have guests staying over. I admit we do not have a guest room. Our house has 3 bedrooms. One for my mother, one for my sisters and the other one for me and hubs. So when we have guests/relatives they sleep in my sisters' room. There is an extra bed available but it is so old I can't even remember when my parents bought it. Having a bed like this would be a big boost not only to our sleeping problems but also help in decluttering the room. Notice how there are built in shelves that can be used? Nice di ba? Very much needed since ang daming gamit/kalat sa room. :->

bora

2009-01-07T14:14:00.004+08:00

Hubs and I were talking about his vacation this summer and our plans for it. Hubs wants to go back to Boracay. Which got me thinking about our Bora trip last year ~ I haven't blogged about it! hehe.. pasensya na tamad lang..

We spent 5 days in Bora and feeling ko andami pa naming di napuntahan at nagawa dun. Oo nga! Eh yung famous na bora rock (willy's ba yun?) di nga namin napuntahan. Lagi naman kaming nagiistroll pero ewan ko bat di kami nakarating dun. Malamang siguro kase panay kain at tambay lang ang gusto naming gawin. At etong si hubs nagkasakit pa nung andun kami! Timing nga naman. Ang magaling na lalaki ayun at nagderilyo pa nung gabi! Ninerbyos tuloy ako. Akala ko tuloy maaga akong mabibiyuda! Naku may sinasabi pang kayamanan! Akala ko magmamana na ako ng limpak limpak na salapi! charing! Syempre grow old together ang drama ko noh pero ano ba yan bigla nag appear ang mga dollar signs sa harap ko..hehe.. Eto pa natiming pa na nasira ang chuvaness ng hotel! So habang tuliro ako sa nagdederilyong asawa ko nawalan ng kuryente sa buong floor lang naman namin. Malas talaga! Di na nga makatulog dahil sa asawang maysakit eh napakainit pa! Ilang oras pa bago nagawa.

Hmmm...parang nawalan ng direction itong post ko ah..sige na nga tama na. Next time na uli ang kwentong bora!

new look for the new year

2009-01-03T23:12:00.002+08:00

Yey! I have a new blog background. I was getting tired of the old one but I didn't know where I could get a free one. (hey, eventhough it's a new year I'm still kurips!) And at last I've found a free site! So how do you like my new look?

My other blog is also sporting a new look!

kitchen stuff

2009-01-03T23:00:00.002+08:00

I went to the mall to check out some kitchen items that I've noticed are lacking from my mother's kitchen. Of course I couldn't just shop for all of those missing items so I settled on buying a cake server and an ice cream scoop. I was also eyeing a breakfast table but since it wasn't included in my budget I had to walk away from it. Although hubs and I have previously talked about buying one so that when he's home I can serve him breakfast in bed OCCASIONALLY. Emphasis on occasionally..hehe..