a very sinful weekend!

First the Thanksgiving and the leftovers, and then feasting out elsewhere! I don't remember exactly what I ate yesterday but I will try:

Brunch:
cheese bread w/butter (way lami! i only ate a few bites)
banana
milk tea

Early dinner:
tuna
mango salsa
grape juice

Evening snacks:
one loaf raisin bread
leftover turkey w/gravy
a handful of frosted cereal

***

Today, Sunday 11/30

Breakfast:
A whole lot of nothing! Had to do a mad dash to church...

Lunch:
Chinese buffet (no need to explain myself!)
kropek, grapes, fried chicken, veggie rolls, wonton soup, steamed chicken w/broccoli, honeydew lemon, iced tea
(I must say that I have been good considering it's a buffet!)

Dinner:
(had to order in from pizza hut)
cinnamon sticks
creamy pasta
buffalo wings

Exercise:
I shoveled snow!!! Kuyapan ko!

getting that christmas spirit back...

I haven't made my Christmas until two days ago. I felt that I had to. Thanksgiving kicks the holiday spirits off in this side of the world. We need to take advantage of the Black Friday sale. I need to mail a few stuffs by next weekend and cross my fingers they would make it on time. Otherwise, some greetings would be perfect for Sinulog! HAHAHA!

But it's not the sale nor the thanksgiving feast that got me on my feet about this holidays. It's my son! He's so excited about Christmas, Santa, baby God's birthday, his toy cars, the stockings and the tree, and the lights!!! He begged me to put up the tree. I would have procrastinated if it wasn't for him. (I told him about Santa giving away gifts underneath the tree on Christmas eve... and since then... oh well!)

And so I made my list, went shopping, wrote Christmas cards, and got excited about the holidays!

I wish we'd be spending it in Cebu though! SIGH!

Food Log: My Thanksgiving Confession

Brunch:
quesadilla
coffee

Thanksgiving FEAST:
chicken noodle soup
fish sticks
turkey w/gravy and cranberry sauce
chocolate cheesecake (lots of it!)
banana bread
fresca (a very very delicious soda! yay!)


***

Black Friday Indulgence

Brunch:
rice
turkey leftovers w/gravy
milk tea

Early Dinner:
Italian Sampler (chicken parmigiana, meat lasagna, fettucine alfredo)
gnocchi soup (YUMMY!) with bread sticks
toasted bread with artichoke spinach dip
tiramisu
raspberry iced tea

Evening Snacks:
haven't decided yet! hahaha!!!

Exercise: shopping for 2-3 hours ;-)

***

I don't how many kilo calories I've had but bleh it's the holidays!!!
LAMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

Happy Birthday Normita!

In honor of my wonderful photography enthusiasts, I will be attending a book (of photos) party next week with the husband. I wish one day soon we will be attending yours! (I will host the cocktails hahaha!!!)

I am looking forward to an afternoon by myself and an evening with him. My friend Carine will take care of the little one.

It's amazing how events like this can make my day!

Food Log: Nov. 26, 2008

Brunch:
One slice of raisin toast w/butter (good for the heart daw to!), coffee w/half&half and 2 sugars and a slice of ham

Snacks:
A couple of cinnamon sticks

Dinner:
(Mexican Hodge Podge)
Half flauta
A couple bites of grilled chicken
A cup of steamed veggies
Half empanada
A bite of an enchilada
A couple of sopaipilla for dessert (it was educational)
Iced tea w/2 sugars

Exercise:
A few steps around WalMart hahaha!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your family be blessed
and bountiful in the coming years!

Happy thanksgiving from my kitchen to yours...

***
Thanksgiving 2004. San Diego, CA. My very first turkey & thanksgiving!

Food Log: Nov 25, 2008

Breakfast: SLEEP!

Lunch: A little tuna salad and some crackers, iced chocolate milk

Snacks: Cheese crackers and banana

Dinner: Salmon in Oyser Sauce w/Sesame Oil, some rice, iced tea, iceberg lettuce w/grape tomatoes, parmesan cheese and asian dressing

Dessert: half of a pecan tart

Exercise: Housekeeping and putting up the tree!

The Devil and Miss Prym

I just finished reading this book last night. If you must know, I started reading this a month ago! It takes time for me to finish a book because I read them in installments while lulling my little one to bed. And there have been several nights when I got busy tinkering with Scarlett and quite a few desk works for my kitchen...

I must say that it's refreshing. I am amazed that I wasn't as bored with this like I was with The Alchemist (I don't remember what I've read nor did I even bother to finish it). Without pretensions, I am not a claimed book enthusiast. I just read whatever book it is thrown my way by my book fairies! Quite frankly I am amazed by most of my friends who know the upcoming books before it hit the shelves.

I am not much of an avid reader of fiction and whatnots. I am a very moody reader just like I am to almost everything that I do in life. It's surprising to have made lasting relationships with friends and with my husband! But yes, my taste in books is let's just say dependent on my book fairies again hahaha!!!

Oh, back to The Devil -- I got disappointed. I don't like it when I can tell what's going to happen in the end. I want to be surprised. This is like watching a movie when I almost always can predict who the killer is and who is going to die next. Grrrr! Perhaps my mind is the same as the authors and screenplays... if only I could write very eloquently. Blah!

And the lesson of the story is, we are all made up of good and evil. Don't we know that by now? =P

Food Log: Nov. 24, 2008

Breakfast: SLEEP!

Lunch: Leftover Thai Basil and a few spoonfuls of rice

Snacks: Pecan tartlets (in the spirit of thanksgiving)

Dinner: Shrimp in Garlic Butter (only one piece!)

Midnight Snacks: Salsa & Cream Cheese Crackers and a bowl of shrimp noodles

***
Exercise: Hula for about 20 minutes (di ko kabaw mosayaw! hahay!)

***

I have to stop wearing myself out the whole night. I prefer sleeping early and waking up early without having to drag my bottom and my eyebags with me. This morning, as soon as I packed Mark's lunch I went back to sleep in the couch. I didn't even say goodbye. I just want to sleep!

Breakfast:
quesadilla with guacamole and mango salsa
coffee with 2% milk and 2 sugars

Lunch:
shrimp tempura
vietnamese egg rolls
thai basil combination and some rice
iced lemon tea w/brown sugar

Dinner:
tuna salad w/crackers
water

Evening Snacks:
his leftover noodles about two spoonfuls blah!

NO EXERCISE! GRRRRRRR!!!

Geriatric?

I found my teeth guard! Hahaha!!! I saved myself from ordering to have another one made. I scrubbed and sanitized it. For some reason it felt like I was cleaning my dentures... and then my imagination took me to some place probably 30 years to the future! HAHAHAH!!!

This is awesome... it actually prevents me from grinding my teeth to my demise. It's a true stress reliever and hopefully prevents my jaw from shifting towards ugly-dom. Anyhoo...

***

I will make a food blog from now on (simang)

Phone Calls

After several weeks of not having a decent conversation in any other way, it was good to catch up with you. I guess that's quite a perk to wake up very early in the morning. Sorry I woke you! I know you're so stressed...

***

And you who I always bother (including your husband) at dinner time, thank you for never ceasing to make me laugh! Will not dare call you on weekends anymore, lisod!

***

You from down under, thanks! Next time we catch up there will be three of you supergirls in the same town... I really enjoyed listening to your Kiwi-ness hehehe!!! My little one just told me he likes to have a baby sistah and he will name him Lucy (from the movie Narnia) hehehe!!!

***

Hey, I was about to call you too but my boss woke up very early! Wa kaikyas si Inday =P

Thank you for all the blessings!

• my five wonderful years with him...
• my very adorable son who can now go to the potty most of the times
• friends who have cheered me on!
• family and friends who are that to me already
• getting my groove back
• the awesome time in Cebu
• our little hub in Minglanilla
• the inches I've lost!
• for his job
• this house
• our community here
• scarlett
• their glorious moments, I'm proud to know them.
• to be continued...
  

You Got Me Fever!

And fever it is, 102F. He brought KFC for dinner, I didn't feel like eating. I guess I ate only a few bites and had lots of iced tea. I feel like crying!

***

I am grateful that he took care of the whites that I washed earlier. I forgot to put them in the dryer.

***

I have not finished the KH books yet. My deadline was today. My brain is so stupid even for mundane tasks like this.

***

Thanksgiving na! Perhaps will put the tree out tomorrow so the little one will have fun this weekend.

Shots

One can never be too old to hate vaccine shots! It's painful and annoying. Since I came back I've had four shots, had my blood drawn twice, and poked once for TB skin test. It's never fun.

Now, my arms feel heavy, tired, and achy. I feel like I'm about to get a fever. I am lazy. I just want to sleep or perhaps finish The Devil and Miss Prym. But who will make our lunch and dinner? Who will clean up after wards? Who will sort the laundry and load the whites? Who will finish the bookkeeping for KH? Argh! Most of all who will wash my little one's bumbum, he's still not fully potty trained yet... accidents happen. Hahay!

And during times like this, I want to pull my hair and strangle my neck with it! Being sick on your own is never pleasant.

In My Pantry

This triglycerides issue has made a me a health freak. I am almost close to being a food-phobe. It has taken the fun out of eating! No more appetite, but very hungry. Like having sex without an orgasm, what's the point?!

In my pantry/grocery list you will find the following:

• flax seeds
• almonds
• weetabix
• oatmeal
• bananas
• salmon
• chicken fillet
• mango salsa
• salsa
• corns and beans
• bean sprouts
• tofu
  
• broccoli
• grapes

How boring could this get! HELP!

***

i found a recipe book from the american heart association... i need to be diligent in preparing my own food. kapoya!

I went for another physical exam today, I weigh 99 lbs! Yay! A few more to go and I'm back to my old weight.

My Job

I am mom, housekeeper, cook, and teacher during the day.
I am wife, boss, and crazy at night time.

This holiday requires me to fix myself up. Mark and I will be renewing our vows twice, and there is this company holiday party as well. I don't hoard dresses. I can count my pieces with one hand and God knows how many times I've worn them.

How am I going to dress myself up without recycling one too many times? Buying is not an option. I think it's such a waste of money to buy a dress for one occasion without plans of wearing it again.

So I went through the old pile. I noticed all of them have the same cut, empire tapered, and sleeveless. I tried them on (crossing my fingers) that they will fit me. And they did!!! Yey!!! This really made my day.

***

I can squeeze myself into my civil wedding dress and to my almost 8 year old navy blue dress!

Dear Friends

I miss you! I miss talking to my girlfriends. The nonstop gab, the chuckles, the giggles, the noise, the gossips err updates, stories under the moon and stars, brunch, to lunch, to coffee, to dinner... I miss filling up my calendar with social calls. I miss going to places. I miss taking a cab. I miss the malls and the chaos.

It would be too dishonest not to accept the fact that despite being happy living with him, I am alone. And I dread Mondays. I sometimes catch myself pining to have him here all day, the way the little one does every time he wakes up in the morning looking for his "DADDDDY!!!"...

Wouldn't it be nice to just wander off in a not so far way place for some chitchat? And then I miss the happenings we've had last year. Our little circle have had a lot of get togethers... halloween, thanksgiving, holiday parties, girls night out, impromptu dinner get togethers, shopping, etc... It is not the same anymore =(

The other family left for Dumaguete for good, the other couple will be relocating to Texas for several months (or years?), and the other one is expecting their second bundle of joy this Christmas. This apart from the fact that every Jane and John I know is morose and belt tightening because of the financial crisis (don't get me started on this).

It's just cold and un-exciting. Although the weather has been great since I arrived. Today it was in the 50s-60s! Imagine that on a November in Colorado!

Oh well, I miss Cebu and the beautiful people I left there. Hopefully next year I will be able to visit for a couple of months... for now, blogging works. FULL STOP.

Rediscovering An Old Flame

I have been caught up with too many desktop duties. I have forgotten how fun it is to actually create something from my hands. Tonight I have rediscovered my love of baking! I immersed myself with online tutorials on decorating and whatnots.

It's funny how an online buddy who recently learned the joys of baking (and claimed that I inspired her) rekindled my want to pursue this craft. And what are the odds of Zar posting her friend's website on cupcakes too?! Oh dear, it felt like a message from the heavens...

I have so much to learn! My sibs who were my students back then are way better than I am! I am proud of them... and I want them to be proud of me too!

I can't be a think tank all day long, sounds like a big BORE.

On our way to our gastronomic hunt, we were almost hit by a car! This stupid lady did not pay attention to where she was going! If he was not fast enough to swerve the car to the left most lane, I could have been the victim.

We were at the middle lane and this lady was from a strip mall at our right side. She just came right to our lane without reducing her speed! Goodness gracious, gi atay ka day?! Hapit gyud ko mamatay! He gave her the finger and the words to match it. Unfortunately she cannot hear him pastilan!

Too many idiots driving around town... this scares me a lot!!! I don't know when I will ever have the guts to drive!

Spicy Weekender

As always it's sweet and lovely to have a long weekend with him. To cap the weekend, we thought of having a gastronomic adventure! After mass I thought we'd grab lunch at our usual place, but he actually surprised me by saying he wants something else. (For as long as I can remember, he doesn't really mind ordering the same thing over and over again... if not for me, he will not dare try out other dishes)

So I cheerfully told him I feel like eating Indian food. I was craving for roti! I remember the ones I've had at Spice Fusion and all the roti, nan, chapati, etc. I devoured while in Hong Kong with my South Asian friends. He was game and so we were on a hunt for that Indian resto, thank goodness for Google maps.

He, who claims to eat anything except vegetarian, had lunch with me at an authentic Masalaa Vegeterian Resto! I had a hard time going through their menu. I was expecting to order meat! But since were already there we just had to savour that very moment. I chose chapati, samosa, and chana masala... that's all. I was scared to be disappointed... we were not! We loved it! Lamia gyud!

I told him that it must be that good for their fellow South Asians to dine in there. We were the "alin, aling ang naiba?!"

***

I thought of Vibha, Rosa, Maimai... I am sure they will be ecstatic if I bring them there =)

***

I don't mind being vegetarian with those kind of dishes... but too much spice gives me heartburn! HAY!

The Boys Went Shopping

It was his day off work today. I would have loved to spend it fussing around the house... I can work better with him around because the little one has a playmate! But we had errands and I already made my list... one of which I had to cancel because we were running late. Darn!

Anyhoo, I told him Kohl's was on sale. So after grabbing lunch at our favorite Asian Bistro we headed to hunt for good bargains. He bought a new pair of office shoes, pants, and the little one got a new pair of boots which he never took off anymore. Spiderman boots with lights is too cool for a three year old, that he had to show it off to grand-ladies hehehe!

We headed to Ross to look for decent sweaters and outerwear, still for him. He badly needs a new set considering he has to look his best to work hehehe! I had a grand time going through racks and racks of items which unfortunately doesn't have enough choices for "S". But he got two pieces which actually look great on him and quite 'cheap' for a Calvin Klein. Blah, sometimes I feel like I was shopping with a metrosexual bestfriend nyehehehehe!

And then my turn, I wanted to get those knee high boots but no luck. The smallest size available are in 6 or 7! I think I may need to order online hahaha!!! Anyway, I also wanted to grab a waterproof heavy duty outerwear. I don't like mine. I got it before we went to Maryland, it's size 14 at the kids aisle. It's heavy and stiff. SIGH! Again, XS is very elusive! The nice ones are more than a hundred bucks... I can't believe I'm lusting over a jacket! Really... but he already gave me my Scarlett Black... so I just kept my mouth shut.

Perhaps Santa will be extra generous this year... hmmm!

***

p.s. The little one got a new set of toy and lots more from Walmart, I came home empty handed and sore knees. I think I will only enjoy shopping with my boys hehehe!!!

Bashful

"Cute kaayo ka ganina, nag pajama, sweater, nya katugon pa kaayo!"

"Nagka sexy naman ako misis uy...."

I like mornings like this before he leaves for work. I drag my sleepy bum downstairs to prepare his lunch box, with brunch and snacks as well. Despite the morning madness we have a few minutes to ourselves while the little one is still asleep. We say our goodbyes, blow our kisses and "I LOVE YOUs" as he drives out of the garage.

I feel like this little bashful suburban wife. I go back to my nook, either to catch some more sleep or start fidgeting with whatever that comes to mind.

Morning rituals like this make me happy! It's the act of not taking things for granted, being grateful for each morning spent with your loved ones.

But really, I'm happy he called me sexy! That's what matters hahaha!!! So, he noticed.

Welcome to my new home! It's refurbished and redecorated. Thanks again Mai!

I guess, I'll be staying here until the next exodus hahaha!!!

What's Cooking?

I honestly do not like to eat anymore. I started with no starch and no sugar more than a month ago. I have learned to let go of rice, pasta, bread, and my sweets. I was content to having eggs and my steak! But now, I can't have it anymore as well. I am scared to wits to even imagining how an egg or a steak taste like. I don't want to die because I have a clogged artery somewhere...

***
I feel tired and weak these days because of the cold weather. I can't breathe properly due to allergies. I feel the need to get my GROOVE back!

***
Must exercise!

Niacin

As prescribed by my doctor, I took Niacin supplements to hopefully increase my good cholesterol and decrease my triglycerides in the process. She has warned me of the 'flush' as a side effect which may be an annoyance, I read about it too. Little did I know anything about the sensation of having a flush. Syet!

I popped the 500mg Niacin, 2500 more than daily recommended dosage! And instantaneously I felt chilly, tingly, warm, and weird. I felt it from my throat, ears, neck, and then down to my limbs! I was scared! Mark was scared too, he was actually ready to drive me to the nearest ER! I thought I was having a heart attack or an allergic reaction because of the dosage.

Google was very helpful, we learned about the other side effects of Niacin and the tingling would last for about 20-30 minutes. It went away thank goodness. I also need to be still because it also lowers down my blood pressure.

Paeta murag tiguwang uy! I will continue this therapy for two more months and hopefully I'd be okay then!

I wish I can edit the layout as much as I want, but I don't freaking know how to do codes and html! Well, stupids can't complain... but I am happy I can change the header.

It still feels weird to be back in blogspot...

Five Years!

For some reason, I found myself back in blogspot. This was my very first online journal back in 2004. This cradled and nurtured my crazy soul. This witnessed the pains of being a new wife in a new place without friends, family, and a career to get busy of... and now I am back with a vengeance!

It's funny that my last entry was back in 2006, that was two years ago! Oh my... I've been around pretty much. And I thought I will be abandoning this site already.

Anyhoo, Mark and I are celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary this December 19th! Imagine that! FIVE years... we made it hahaha despite of my neuroses =P

Oh well, let's see how I will catch up with this old friend of mine...