Look Who's 30 And Still Looking Fabulous

Here's my Birthday Roundup guys! This was one of my best birthdays ever. It's been a day full of surprises. Just a few weeks back my husband gave me the go signal to purchase a new camera. Which was the best news I received this year. But...I have to wait til December or longer than that to be able to purchase it. I agreed with all my heart as long as he already said yes.

Last sunday, I accompanied my Dad to Sm Megamall. Since the shop he went to was beside Canon, I asked him to take a look at the camera I wanted. Tuesday, yesterday, My Birthday! My husband took me to Canon and we purchased our precious camera.

But without me, wishing for it, we wouldn't have had the intention of buying. Well, Canon Eos 1000D will answer our every need. It was built for those who are in transition from point and shoot to a more advanced one.  It has a well-set package. The features? Just right! Nothing much, nothing less.

My husband took a day-off, had lunch at Almon Marina. While waiting, we played with our new toy and took pictures.

Had an awesome meal of Stuffed Porkchop, Pasta and Burger

May I also include that early yesterday, my husband surprised me with these cool bags. I asked where he purchased it. He said: "I bought it online". I was really happy and touched by this loving gesture. I can't imagine him shopping for bags, without asking for any help at least from a friend or family.Late in the afternoon, we had some Tea at Bubble tea. I had Jasmine. Milk tea for Him. Jasmine is my favorite tea. (Aside from the fact that it smells so good) I had to try it cold, and I love it! We had dinner at Terriyaki Boy in Galleria and decided to go grocery shopping at SM Tiendesitas before heading home.

I am very thankful that I was able to celebrate my 30th birthday with a blast. Thanks for the greetings everyone. Right now, I am still having some hang-over. I need to study and practice my new buddy and update my blogs at the same time. Which is kinda making me lazy...doing both.

What's Cookin'--- Chicken Cream

Let me share my version of Chicken Cream

What you will be needing:

2 chicken breasts (adobo cut or chopped into desired size)
5 garlic cloves (minced)
1 medium onion (chopped)
6 celery stalks (chopped)

Celery leaves chopped
4 potatoes (cut into quarters)
1 red bell pepper (cut into quarters)
1 Cup full cream milk (this is a powdered milk & water mixture)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup water

2 green chilis
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (or any oil)

note: milk and water measurement are based on liquid measuring cup


How to:

Saute garlic with olive oil until golden brown. Add onions.
Add chicken breast
Add 1/2 cup water (add enough water if needed)
Simmer until chicken is half cooked
Add potatoes
Simmer until potatoes and chicken are cooked
Add milk
Simmer until the milk is a bit thickened
Add the celery
Salt & pepper to taste
Add red bell pepper

Top with Green Chili

Simmer for a minute

Ready to serve

note: you can slice the chili a bit to add a little spice.

Servings: 3-4

There's a big difference between simmering and boiling.

Simmering is below boiling point. Food that is simmered in milk or cream instead of water is referred to as creamed. (wiki)

Reduction is performed by boiling liquid (whether stock, wine, whiskey, vinegar, or sauce mixture) rapidly until the volume desired is reached by evaporation.

Enjoy!

Big Hugs!

Becoming an Inspiration

Yesterday, was a pretty bad day for me. I was down with colds and at the same time, I needed to purchase some supplies for our house and tried to keep my son busy with some stuff so he won't get that close to me (I don't want him to catch my colds). Getting sick gave me a lot of advantages in a sense that I didn't do any house work for the day, I surfed and surfed the net, which eventually, gave me the strength to visit my blogger friends.

One thing officially made my day, was a YM chat with my classmate from Montessori. She's one of the nicest people who welcomed me when I transferred from Assumption. I won't mention her name...
Our chat started with a question, if I worked before I became a housewife.
 My answer: I was literally a full-time housewife. I didn't enter any work of any kind.

All she said was...your blogs inspire me... In a way, you changed my perspective in life.
 

I'll be honest, I told myself that I will not blog about it. But her story inspired me more, that's why I am here sharing it to you. Girl, you are one of the few who touched my heart. Now I know why I'm blogging.

 The soul purpose of my online journal is to be able to release the sweets and spices my life is made of. I am not a writer. I am just your typical girl next door. I don't ask so much in life. And I love discovering things, helping people, and now inspiring them.

Nowadays, being a housewife has become a privilege. A position that requires so much! (emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual) and you don't get paid for all the work you do everyday, 24/7.

Now, how can a person survive this kind of situation? It's the reason/s why you are at home. The chores doesn't really matter. It's all 4 aspects, (emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual).

These are the things you will not only give yourself, but to your family too. To provide some love and care, support to your husband, keeping an over-all healthy relationship with your famiy and developing your child/ children into a God- fearing and loving person.. My statements are all based on my experience for 4 years and inspirations from my mom, full time, for 33 years.

Finding the right partner in life is a big factor too. I wanted to work. But I saw the deeper meaning of looking after my family full- time, and my other half couldn't agree more.

My stories comes naturally. I am also the same in person. Me online, are for the people I couldn't reach physically.

My blogging life started June 2007. Due to some turn of events, I removed my first site, created a new blog on Multiply "One Woman's Tale", and now, another one from Blogger "Sweet Nothings". I couldn't go for a more serious title because my family has a very pleasant personality. My husband alone can make the funniest jokes and pranks with a snap. One Woman's Tale is filled with my personal stuff. That's where my friend got inspired... There are stories in between that my readers outside my friend circle doesn't know. I hope you'll understand.

Here in Sweet Nothings, I share the other part of me. The Nothingness, that makes my own and my family's day extraordinary. It's nice to share to everyone the small things that can spice up life that not all can appreciate and see. I hope this site will also inspire people to look at the smallest things and moments as blessings to a happier disposition.

A Busy Evening Cleaning My Havaianas

As I was fixing our shoe cabinet when I found these 3. It's been awhile since I wore them. I recently bought a nice slipper from SM department and it's been catering to me since. I stopped buying Havaianas because I noticed, with these, I can't already figure out which one to wear. Anyway, I still need to take care of my little ones.

All black from dust and all kinds of dirt.

All good to go.

To clean, I used an old dishwashing scrub. The old ones are already soft and safe to scrub over the rubber. A drop of an all- around cleaner on each flop did the job. A little woosh- woosh here and a srub there, it's good as new. My clean Havs inspired me to use them again. Now, all I need is a reason to go out....Hmmm...

Big Hugs!

On My Successful 1st Month on Blogger---edited

I have to say that I am very proud of myself. I was able to keep this site for a month. This was my third attempt. I am very thankful that I was very successful. Not only that, I was able to meet some people of same interests and became knowledgeable of the important things that I am not yet familiar or even aware of when it comes to blogging. It is now a part of my life.

A part? because I know at a certain point in this lifetime, I was able to share my story and was able to inspire somebody else. Who? I don't know... maybe it's you. I thank my other half who gave me this laptop. He is very supportive with the things that I am very passionate about.

Thank God for Family and for the chance given to me to become a mom and to have my own home to nurture.

I guess being true to everybody made Sweet Nothings go all the way with flying colors. Everytime I visit a site, I leave a message, sincere messages I want the person to know that I dropped by and that I enjoyed reading his/her stories. The messages you leave in mine, are very much appreciated. Through that, I was able to discover your lovely sites too. For a time, I thought that I will never meet the standards or create a readership for both One Woman's Tale and Sweet Nothings.

All I needed to do was to wait, be real and not be such a try hard.

Like a break in the clouds and the first ray of sun

I can feel it inside something new has begun

This life this love what sweetness

I feel so mysterious yet so incredible real

It's an uncharted sea it's an unopend door

But you got to reach out and you gotta explore

Even though you're not sure, till the moment arrives.

-First Time-

I now give my BIG THANKS to you...

Keep your stories comin'!

Big Hugs!

And Then There Were 5...

Family is my no.1 in my list of priority in life. I can live without anything else but not without them... I cancelled several attempts to work abroad before I got married, just to save myself from being homesick. I'm glad I made the right desicion. Last Saturday, we visited my parents' home and after a month, the clan got together again. It's the busy time of the year for everyone. I'm glad we're back together. We shared a lot of stories, funny ones, serious and some recent scary stories, that my sister's friends experienced in our old house.

It is one of the famous haunted houses in our area...We're used to it. Before, my mom would see a lady in black going down our staircase, and people from outside would see a white lady going in and out and later they'll find out that nobody was home. For the past 20 years, nothing bad happened to our family. Everyone was very successful, so I guess there's nothing really to fear. The family's aura helped create a pleasant atmosphere even with these elements around.

One of those pleasant-ness is having a fun night bonding with my siblings. We just sit at the dining area, eat dinner together and talk on each other's life. Note: Everything was meant to happen. One by one, the 5 of us sat down. Just the 5 of us. Usually, our parents, pamangkins or our husband and wife would join us. That night was given for the 5 of us...

Meet the Lara kids (L-R) Niño, Moi, Ella, Les, Ver

We asked our mom to take a picture of this one of a kind moment. We are looking forward for more of this bonding time as we grow old. I thank God to have given us a big family. A family who will always be there through thick & thin, happy & sad, scary or not. He!he!he!

Bonding with my siblings and my family is a very important "part" in my life. I feel so incomplete if I miss one family event. The support system is very solid. When I talk about family, that includes the people from both sides, my husband's and mine. Our families goes well together... I will say it again...

I can live without anything else, but not without them...

Suddenly, I have 402 friends

What's happening to Friendster? When I logged-in just now, I found my contacts, boomed from 268 to 402. And I don't know these people. Am I a victim of hacking? I tried deleting and keep on refreshing the page. My gosh! they're still there. I was thinking of deleting my account. Since most of the time, get in touch with my friends through my other networks. But... it's been up way back in 2003, it's worth keeping. It is where I first got in touch with my chums abroad. Friendster people, please do something about it! This happened after your site maintenance this weekend.

To clear things on my part...I use friendster to look for and keep my real friends. I don't just add contacts. For security purposes. (even in my sites) I build a certain rapport first.

Please let me know that I am not the only one who is under this friendster circumstance.