signs of a happy home ...

The pictures above were taken early today. I think those two pictures depict a happy home. For me, it's not all about maintaining everything in an orderly manner but more of making sure that you allow your kid to be able to play and learn things on his own. The first picture shows that I let him play in the bathroom so he can learn about cleaning himself and having fun doing it. The next one shows that I let him turn our floor into his canvas. He's slowly getting the idea that the floor needs to be yellow for him to draw things on it. Thank God our floor is white and brown.

What is the sign of a happy home to you?

Banana Spring Rolls

Been a lil bit busy since I'm officially gonna be on the floor next week. Lots of things to learn and learn it I must since I will be handling other people's money.

So here's a recipe that I think you must all try since it's healthy and tasty. Surely will be a best seller on barbecue parties or as a midday snack.

Wish me luck. Send me hugs. Pray for me. I really need it.

a lot of B moments

with Yaya Vangie on her birthday

b sleeping on his daddy

b learning to climb out of the crib

B and Yaya Vangie at Leisure Farm

b opening his gifts last Xmas

this is with Mama Becca and Papa Pino

munimuni # 20

Well. I'm back now and I did have a blast. It started out a wee bit boring but things quickly picked up. Being Filipino, we all started doing renditions on the videoke (karaoke) and everyone started loosening up. It was a night to remember. Seeing people having a blast and loosenign up was real good.

This week has been full of blessings. I've passed the second stage of training at the BANK. This week will be leadership training and next week, it's live. We're gonna be on our own. I hope I get a really nice schedule and that my people will be cool.

The pictures above give you a view of where we went and the people there are my coworkers who gave consetn to have their pictures posted. Like the place?

Tessa in the walkway towards our room

Mico and Laura in front of the hotel cafe

SPH #17: SOFT

SOFT

This is called chicken feet. It's a Chinese delicacy and is uber delicious. This is what I had for lunch last week at the office. Yum-O! For those who is adventuruous enough to try it, here's the recipe. It's really soft and even if you have no teeth, you can chew this.

Chicken Feet in Black Bean Sauce Recipe

on another note ...

I will be away for about two days ... I'm going to the office outing where I will have no net access. Sigh sigh ... I know that it will be fun but I agree with Judy ... it's really more of that I want to be with hubby and the tornado ... sleeping in the same bed and the same house ... waking up to screams of "Mommy!"

I should be excited right?

I just found out that we are going to be going out of town on a sponsored trip by the office and it's even going to be an overnight thing. I should be excited right?

I'm not.

H is not gonna be with me since he has an early shift the next day. The tornado won't be with me as well. What's wrong with me? Am I becoming too much of a Mom? Then again, I was never into the whole office outing thing. I've only gone to one outing and it wasn't overnight as well.

You think I should go? H says I should go and bond with my coworkers. Hmmm ...

on another note ... I received another package ... this one from a friend who I am unable to see because we are geogaraphically undesirable with her living in the North and me in the South.

The tornado loved the Sponge Bob lunch bag. It was so cute. I loved it as well. I also loved this bracelte. It's a two toned one and matches my ring and watch perfectly. Loved it!

Isn't it perfect?

mañana habit and a fugly dog

I have been guilty of this. Due to training and taking care of the tornado, I have forgotten to send out some packages. I am so sorry. Judy, your Feb swap will be sent out next week after my taining and payday. I will make sure that I will be able to make it up to you because I will put out a fab accessory swap.

Len, your gift will be sent out as well. I swear!

Lastly, LovemyStarr ... thank you for the wonderful TN magnets. I love the googly eyes and it was such a nice surprise. I had a pretty long day with people that are just too arrogant for their own good. Grrr ...

Your magnets save the day. Thank you.

I'm watching American Idol Season 6 and Paul Kim is blowing my mind. He has a really good voice. Dang! The falsetto ruined it though.

Who's your favorite so far?

cute or ugly?

a different relationship

They say that most daughter in laws and mother in laws are not able to stand each other. They say that the movie Monster in Law starring J. Lo is indeed a realistic take on most in law relationships.

I feel blessed that I am not part of the norm then. I love my MIL dearly and I know that she feels the same way about me as well. Granted we don't agree on everything but we know how to deal with each other when the other is being a wee bit pernisckety.


Earlier today, we went to the mall and I bought her a few stuff since I've come to realize that I've never really invited her out where it's just the two of us. It felt great. We really connected and bonded. We also ate at Chef d' Angelo where the serving was huge! It's good chicken but the pasta had way too much rosemary and the pizza was blah. Service was wonderful and the burger was divine. The soup was also really tasty. It was called cheesy bacon chowder. Yum-O!

All in all, it was a really great date for us.

How is your relationship with your MIL?

B stories

This is where he draws most of the time.

vaccines and what nots

I'm about to go out today to get the tornado his much needed and a month delayed booster shot. We weren't able to get it last month because he got a fever for a day and I thought that if he gets the vaccine, he'd get another fever.

Apparently, it is possible.

Here's my paranoia and I am hoping that I will get to hear some reassuring things from you guys. The tornado is really really energetic. How can I get him to stay still long enough to be pricked by a needle? What if the needle gets stuck in his muscle? What if he gets a raging fever? What if he gets forever traumatized by hospitals? He's only a year and 7 months so most of the monthly shots are over and done with but still ...

Sigh. What to do what to do?

And am I a bad Mom? I'm hoping the tornado will not get sick as well since I'll be meeting a friend tomorrow coz she's about to leave for Spain and stay there for good. How can I meet her if the tornado is sick? Sigh sigh.

On a funny note, my lil sister was showing off her spelling skills yesterday. She was looking a a brown crayon and memorizing it. She then said "Hey sis! I know how to spell brown. It's B-R-W-N!" Lol!

* Why did I only see this now? My lil tornado was a finalist on Tiny Love's Cutest Valentine baby and he got ZERO votes because Mommy did not know about it and did not promote him!!!!! ARGH! I want to bop my head. But thank you so much Tiny Love.

munimuni # 19

For this week, I am thankful for ...

1) Kiong Hee Huat Chai! It's the Year of the Fire Pig and they say that it brings prosperity. May we all have prosperity in our lives!

2) I will be spending time with my parents again with Hubby and the Tornado later to celebrate it. Dad said he got me lots of food from Chinatown. Whee!

3) Week 2 of product training from the BANK is almost done and so far I have not failed anything. Whee!

4) We had a pretty good Valentines dinner.

5) The earrings is arriving later.

6) We're all alive and in pretty good health.

7) Car is registered. We had more than enough to pay for it. It WAS expensive. Sheesh.

8) I have been able to forge friendships in the BANK and I'm pretty positive that they're keepers. I hope they are.

9) I am meeting with some old friends on Tuesday and having the Tornado vaccinated on Monday. I hope he will not get sick.

That's about it. I am now on my way to work. I hope I won't be late. Mwah and hugs to you all! Have a great weekend!

SPH # 16: ANTIQUE

ANTIQUE

I saw this book at a thrift shop and it was untouched. I immediately bought it and decided that I will be giving this to my son when he reaches 21 years or maybe 26 years of age. He would be mature enough by then to appreciate reading about my story. By that time, this book which was published in 1992 would be 40 years old. A sure antique. But one filled with lots of memories, stories, and love.

What's your story?

the way to my heart is through my ....

It was funny coz early morning I asked Hubby if we were going out that day and he told me that we weren't. That there was no point since there would be too many people and all that hoopla. So I got depressed coz I'm a romantic at heart. I was really set on going home after work when upon getting into the car, he said "Let's go eat at Don Hen!" My smile would rival that of the Chesire Cat. Lol!

So there. For Valentines, we ate at Don Henrico's. I'm not sure if there is a Don Henrico's in the US or other countries but it's an Italian place here that serves knick knacks of everything, as every restaurant in this country is wont to do.

For me, it has the best tasting Buffalo Wings and Petite Mozzarella Sticks. I love it. My diet went right down the toilet. If you look at the picture, you will surely forgive me. It was so yummy. We also had some creamy seafood pasta and boy was it creamy. I still tasted the pasta even when I was about to go to bed. I don't know yet if that is a good thing or not. The service was also good since they were fast and very efficient.

After that, we took some more buffalo wings home and had dinner with the family. Then I surfed and blogged, hubby fell asleep. He was dead tired since he had to register the car and had to drive 3 hours away due to traffic. All in all, it was a good day for me. Thanks hubs!

How did you spend your Valentines? Were you happy? Were you sad?

Thursday Thirteen # 15

13 ways to show love

1. hug them
2. compliment the one you love every single day
3. write them love notes on post its and stick it anywhere
4. have your picture turn into a magnet frame and put it on your fridge
5. have a street artist draw their picture and give it to them
6. let them have control of the tv remote
7. buy them that book, dvd, or cd they've been drooling over
8. forgive them their silly antics that irritate you
9. buy them thier own creative board and let them pin anything without ridiculing it
10. let them pick the next movie you watch
11. create love coupons and give it to them for them to use when they want
12. get an illustration board, use the black part, and write a love note on it using metallic pens and put a picture of the two of you anywhere on it
13. get a love box and put small things in there that you know they love (it may be a tweety collection, a purple collection, stamps, hearts, anything)

How do you show your love?

400 Words

Got this from 52 Projects ... seemed interesting!

Write the story of your life in 400 words. When you are done, write the story of your life in 400 words again -- but don't repeat a single detail. The first time, write about all the houses you ever lived in. Then write about all the jobs you ever had. All the people you kissed. What you wanted, when. Then write about the people you knew and how they influenced you. Write about the clothes you've worn. The foods you've eaten. The things you believed. The times you changed your mind.

Embarrassments. Triumphs. Write about the forces of history that have shaped you: what was going on in the world when you were born, or the first story on the news that you remember? Write about the way you looked or the way that you thought you looked.

How many different people lurk inside the truth of you?

Happy Valentines Everyone! It's alla bout love and showing love ... tell the people you love that you love them! =)

Mango Feather Cake

Ingredients:
a bunch of lady fingers or broas
1 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup all purpose cream
1/2 cup butter
2 pieces ripe mangoes (you can replace this with another fruit if you want), diced

for topping:
2 pieces ripe mango, thinly sliced
250g of all purpose cream

How to prepare:
Line a 9"x9" or 8"x8" square pan with a layer of broas.
Using a double boiler, cook the condensed milk with the purpose cream until it thickens. Stir in the butter and diced mangoes. Cool.
Pour half over the broas and cover with another layer of broas and cream.
Decorate with piped whipped cream and slices of mangoes. Chill until set.

B stories

He's turning into a big boy now. When we're outside and I ask for a kiss, he would give me one but he would just turn his cheek towards me and let me kiss him. But if we're in the house, he would give me a big "MWAH" on the lips. My lil boy, 1.6 years old turning 16.