A Birthday to Remember =)

Today is my birthday in the Philippines =)

Under the Weather...

My husband and I are both under the weather right now..

I pity my husband for most part because he really struggled to go to work this week while I felt so helpless watching him everyday =(

I thought to myself I don't mind getting sick since I just stay home all the time but my husband is a different story because he has to go to work and on top of that deal with me. If only I had a magic wand I would have taken away that cold and cough away from him!

Anyhow, my mom gave me a list of things to do, medicine to take and food to prepare to help my husband get better. It brought back a lot of memories from when I would get sick when I was still back home in the Philippines.

I remember my mom would lovingly prepare either a huge pot of chicken noodle soup or arroz caldo (chicken and ginger in a porridge) to feed me and the rest of the family. She also makes this special concoction of tea, calamansi (citrus fruit similar to lime or lemon) and honey or a ginger brew with a little sugar and have me drink that to soothe my sore throat or simply give a calming effect. She would rub my chest, back and neck with Vick's Vapour Rub and wrap me in a blanket and before I know it I have fallen asleep. I'd wake up feeling better and ready for another round of my chicken soup or arroz caldo and my mom's concoctions =)

My mom's love is the best drug I know of! Nothing compares to a mom who selflessly, lovingly and patiently nurses you back to health, a mother's healing touch!

I made a big pot of chicken noodle soup today and some ginger brew for my husband and me =) I purchased Vicks Vapour Rub as well and rubbed it on my husband before we go to bed at night and whenever I wake up in the middle of my sleep. If anything, I would do anything to make my husband feel better! =)

I enjoyed my day today spending it with my husband. I am very truly lucky to have a husband who's very appreciative of what I do for him and very giving of himself.

Flower Power =)

My flower projects =)

Expedition for Shorts

Whoever thought that getting a pair of shorts can be so difficult?!

My home work from my husband this week is to get myself three pairs of shorts to replace my old ones. I thought to myself that's a piece of cake and who doesn't like shopping anyway?

I was completely wrong, shopping is hard! I spent sometime yesterday looking for a pair of shorts and I was just blown away with the prices of things nowadays as well as how hard it was to look for a pair of shorts that fits me just right. I guess the combination of those two made it even more difficult. To add a third thing I was looking for is a pair of shorts that doesn't look sloppy on me. I figured if I am going to pay for a pair of shorts for this price it better be something I can comfortable and proud to wear. I got one pair yesterday! Weeee!

Today, I went out to search for two more pairs and the struggle I had was looking for my size and the style I can tolerate wearing. I didn't want to buy a pair of the "undone" style because I am a married woman and not a teenager! My mom kept appearing in my imagination like what would she say about this pair of shorts on me! ahhahaha! My mom always told us, the girls in the family, that we should present ourselves well when we are out and about because more often than not people judge you by the way you look and unfortunately there is a long lasting effect to first impressions. I know my mom meant well all the time so when she's not happy with what we are wearing she sends us back in the house to change =) Oh I miss my mom!

I was so tired by the time I got back home and my husband beat me home which made me feel so bad! I always feel like I am a bad wife to not be home when my husbands gets home. Why? I want to be there and take care of my husband's needs and wants. I miss him when we're not together and I always just can't wait to see him and hold him! I went home with good news for him though, I finished my home work today! I beat my deadline (tomorrow!). Hhahaah!

What an exhausting expedition for shorts!

My Wonderful Family =)

This is the recent picture of my family with my nephew minus me and my brother.

How I miss everybody!!!

My nephew and my mom are wearing the hats I made not so long ago from fleece and some other scrap fabrics. It's funny how this picture seemed like it was taken on a photo booth but this was actually taken at my parents place using a webcam. Everybody just seemed so happy and nothing beats the feeling of knowing that the ones your love are happy and safe back home =)

I pulled up the last family picture taken with me and my brother four years ago when I graduated college and it's amazing how we all looked the same, almost ageless, only that we have plus family members now. Somehow looking at the pictures made me realize how time really flies and how much the role reversal has taken place over the years within my family.

I remember my dad clipping our nails every weekend when I was still a little girl. He'd have us put up our hands on the table as if a military inspection! He used to shine our school shoes every week as well and boy my shoes were always spotless. My mom on the other hand did all our laundry and so lovingly ironed our uniforms, prepared our meals, helped us with our home works and cared for us when we'd fall sick.

The role reversal kicked in sometime around when I was 7 years old when my parents started teaching us to be independent and self-sufficient by helping them with chores and what not. I didn't realize as a kid that my role grew day by day. Somehow it was like play to me and my elder sister. This is where the role play began =)

We enjoyed folding clothes by pretending we were in a department store. One played as the shopper and the other played as the cashier. We always saw the cashier fold the clothes before putting them in a bag and so folding was fun that way.

I remember much later on when there were four of us already, there would be times my mom had to run errands like pay bills and get groceries so she'd have to leave us. She locks the door and as soon as our mom's gone, we all get our tents up using our blankets, flat sheets, clothes pins and hangers. My brother had some radio controlled cars and he pretended that he's a food delivery guy. He assembled snacks in little plates, tied the plate snug up his radio controlled car and zooms it to my sister's tent. Somehow when our mom rings the door bell in a heartbeat we're able to take everything down and hide everything out of our mom's plain sight if not totally put everything away! This is so funny now that I am remembering all these! =)

Growing up had been very challenging and fun. I didn't come from a rich family but I am myself now because of how my parents raised me for most part, some I can attribute to the environment around me while I was growing up and some I think is just genetic. I understand that we are all unique in our own little and big ways but we should never let that uniqueness be a hindrance for us to achieve and better ourselves.

Fourth of July Experiments =)

I had a wonderful 4th of July this year! It was like no other 4th of July that I've had the last 3 years. This time around it was full of love, food, cuddles and giggles=)

My husband and I did a Barbeque and I decided I'd make the hotdog buns from scratch this time. The picture shows how my hot dog buns turned out.

I love making bread! Such a work of art, easy to make and oh fills your home with such homey feelings! ** Bread recipe below =) **

The top picture is me piping meringue cookies. My husband and I experimented on making calorie free cookies utilizing meringue cookie recipe. We figured that if we can use sugar substitute to make the meringue cookies and flavor it with some vanilla or liquor successfully we'd happily enjoy cookies without the guilt of putting in bazillion unnecessary calories in our bodies!

Anyhow, our experiment was not very successful. We did yield meringue cookies but they were very airy and they disintegrate in your mouth like right that moment you pop them in your mouth! However it was worth the try. It was an exciting yet not very traditional activity for 4th of July.

At some point my husband asked me if I want us to start a tradition for 4th of July and if so what would it be? I blurted out make meringue cookies?! Boy I think of it now and I am not sure that that's the most sensible answer or the most exciting thing to do for us every year or for when we have kids but oh well I was thinking of room for improvement for our airy meringue cookies this year! I just hope that this tradition I picked to do for fourth of July doesn't fire back on me later on. hahaahaha! Or we can change it anytime =) I love that my husband and I can work on things together and put our heads together to make things better.



Hot Dog Bun Recipe:

1/2 C warm water (about 110 C)
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
2-3 cups Bread Flour
dash of salt

Preheat oven at 400 C.

Combine the first 3 ingredients, stir with fork and let stand for 5 minutes. The mixture will be frothy and bubbly. This is called proofing your yeast. If it's not frothy or bubbly do it again as the yeast was not activated either because it's dead or water temperature was not right. Add the egg and butter and dash of salt. Work in a cup of flour using a fork. Add 1/2 of flour at a time after the first cup has been added. The dough will start to form. Use your hands and knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes until the dough is nice and smooth. Divide into 4 and roll into logs. Pinch the ends and tuck them underneath. Imagine how a hot dog bun looks like. You can also make burger buns by shaping them into circles and flattening them a little bit. Lay them in a baking non-stick baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap or damp towel for about 3o minutes to let it rise. Bake at 400 C for about 10 minutes then take it out and brush with egg wash to make it glossy and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Put back in the oven and bake until the tops are golden brown about 10-15 minutes more.

Egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp water mixed together.


Enjoy! =)

A Royalty Breakfast =)

I woke up late this morning and found my husband missing beside me.

I walked out our bedroom with Puti (my white teddy bear that my husband gave me when we were still dating) in my arms and found my husband in front of his computer. I took the liberty to seat on his lap and have him cuddle me like a baby. I hanged around there for awhile while I wasn't totally awake yet. I wasn't aware of the time or day but I know I felt good just right there with my husband when he broke the question "do you want me to make you breakfast dear? I figure you must be hungry since you got up late." I popped my eyes open and gave a big yes! I guess I was hungry!

My husband made me french toast with grilled bananas and caramel syrup topped with fresh whip cream! A royalty breakfast I call it! =) He made everything from scratch and it was really very tasty! Add the effort and love he put into making this wonderful breakfast for me oh it was just heavenly!

I just can't ask for anything more!

I was treated like a princess from morning and the rest of the day and days before today and tomorrow is undoubtedly another royalty day =)

I feel very lucky to have a husband who makes me feel very special. I can't help but brag about it because I know that this doesn't happen to every couple on a daily basis nor does it happen for free. I hate to say this but it seems like we all come with price tags in one way or another. We are all definitely flawed in one way or another but somebody's got to give way sometimes while the other receives and vice versa.

I am sharing this amazing experience I have with my husband right now because this is certainly the opposite experience I had with my ex husband. To those who just discovered my blog, I am on my second marriage now and I am very happy and contented. I had an ex husband who was a narcissist. I didn't even realize that he came with that price tag until after our divorce and I was married to my second husband. I was that naive and innocent as always! I realized I have to mention this to let you know that I have had the best and worst and I am talking from a stand point of both.

My husband has a saying that goes like "Happy Wife, Happy Life." It's very simple but the more I think about it, the more I believe in it. The wife has this big responsibility of holding the family intact and together but that doesn't discount the fact that the husband plays a very essential role in making the effort to help his wife fulfill that responsibility. I think that the husband being supportive, honest, caring, considerate and loving to his wife makes his wife happy enough to take on the responsibilities in their behalf and fulfill them. It sounds very plain and simple but I am not sure that this is very clear to couples.

Breakfast is not a very exciting meal for me but my husband cracked a way to make it exciting =) He doesn't prepare breakfast for me everyday but it's that surprise and uncertainty of when is he going to do it and how that does all the tricks! I am often the one thinking of how to surprise him but men, when he does it it gives me shivers!!!

Husbands, this is a sure way to make your wives happy, prepare a meal for your wife once in a awhile. It doesn't have to be gourmet, just simple and straight from the heart. Another is grab some flowers on the way home or take home a piece of pastry from a luncheon meeting or just any little thing to let your wife know you were thinking about her even at work. Same goes for wives, grab a bunch of flowers for your husband, clean up your place, light some candles, get your lingerie on and surprise your husband after his long boring day at work!

If couples untiringly keep the fire in their relationships, there is a good chance that you are going to stay together for a very very long time.

I hope I made sense. I am just so in love with my husband that I can't help but talk about it!