ETHAN

My not-so-little Ethan. He loves to stay on the balcony and look out at the world from up there. He just loves the outdoors a lot and he loves observing people and things. =D

BANANA CAKE

1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir until well mixed. Grease and flour a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 deg F for 45 minutes, or until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

from Cooking For Two

TAGGED!

Michael sent me this. Which is so unexpected because I would think that he's not one to do this. But cheers to him for being a great sport! Miss yah!

1. FIRST NAME? Lea
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Last night while watching Ghost Whisperer. Hey, I'm a cry baby!
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yup.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? What kind of question is this? Any meat will do as long as its properly cooked.
6. KIDS? Two wonderful boys.
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Why not? I would love to be friends with me. =D
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? My Cozy Nook is my journal now.
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Nope. Not the type.
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Yeah, even if the idea scares the hell out of me, it's in my ___ Things to Do Before I Die list.
12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Corn flakes. I'm a simple girl.
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Not always.
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I have to be for my boys but Ruther has always been my rock. Always.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Oooh! My all-time favorite is Mango and okay, Rocky Road, but I love Arce Avocado ice cream too.
16. SHOE SIZE? 7.5
17. RED OR PINK? Pink.
18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR SELF? Ruther says I think too much. And okay, I agree.
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My sweetie.
20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? It's okay. I would love to hear what they have to say.
21. WHAT COLOR TROUSERS/SHORTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Green shorts. Barefooted.
22. LAST THING YOU ATE? A slice of pizza.
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? "I'm the Map" from Dora the Explorer (the boys are watching it behind me)
24. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? A lovely orange.
25. FAVORITE SMELL? Scents of home.
26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE: Do cellphones count? My husband then.
27. THE FIRST TWO THINGS YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Personality and smile.
28. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Hmmmm... Let me think... Hahaha! Of course!
29. FAVORITE DRINK? Used to be coffee but I'm playing the healthy card so good ol' water.
30. FAVORITE SPORT? Badminton.
31. EYE COLOR? Brown.
32. HAT SIZE? Will tell you when I find out.
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Not anymore.
34. FAVORITE FOOD? Don't have a particular favorite. Really depends on my mood and yes, hormones. =D
35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Always always happy endings.
36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED AT THE MOVIE THEATRE? Jumper.
37. WHAT COLOR TOP ARE YOU WEARING? Light green blouse (to match my green shorts).
38. SUMMER OR WINTER? Autumn is my favorite season but I'll take summer over winter. Am just not used to the cold - yet.
39. HUGS OR KISSES? Why can't I have both?
41. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I really don't know...
40. FAVORITE DESSERT? Leche flan.
42. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I also don't know. (But I'm saying this to be on the safe side.) =D
43. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? The Ultimate Guice to Homeschooling by Debra Bell, Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark, Survival Japanese by Boye de Mente, and my Psychology textbooks.
44. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Am using Sanseido's New Concise Japanese-English Dictionary as a mousepad.
45. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? American Idol. Am hoping Ramiele Malubay makes it to the top 3 at least. But Carly is a strong contender.
46. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Sounds of nature.
47. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? Beatles. Thanks to my mom and dad and of course, Ruther.
48. THE FARTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Japan. Miss it so...
49. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? I can sneeze with my eyes open. Kidding! Hahaha! I am a resourceful person. I'm like a female McGyver. =D
50. WHEN & WHERE WERE YOU BORN? July; Zamboanga City
51. WHEN YOU ARE THINKING, DO YOU LOOK UP, DOWN OR SCRATCH YOUR HEAD? I just look straight ahead.
52. WHAT NAME DO YOU WISH YOU HAD? I don't know. Am happy with my name.
53. NAME OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CRUSH? Nasul Sajili. (Hope I got that right.)
54. LIVING WITH PARENTS OR ALONE? With in-laws.
55. DO YOU LOVE YOU BROTHER(S)/SISTER(S)? Of course I do!

CEREAL

Nikki strings some cereal for the birds. =D I thought he was going to like the cereal but he didn't (he's sooooo picky with food) so I thought of giving some to the birds outside. Fortunately he agreed. =D

END OF FEBRUARY

Can you believe tomorrow is the last day of February? Or is it just me who's wondering about this really mundane thing?

I know, I know. It's better not to count the days before I see Ruther. It's better to just live through everyday and not reflect on Ruther's absence (as if that's possible). It's not as hard as I imagined it to be, to be honest. I thought that I would really be so affected and depressed. I think it helps that I'm too distracted with my lessons and homeschooling the boys. I suppose I have to be grateful for that. But then, in the evenings, when I sense the empty space beside me, I know that my life will not be complete until Ruther and I are together again.

BREAD PUDDING

The secret to really good bread pudding is to let the bread soak in the custard mixture well before it is baked. - Vicky Barrera

1 egg
1 C milk
1/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 C leftover bread, torn into small pieces
1/2 C raisins or chocolate chips

Beat together the egg, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Add the bread and mix well so that the bread is well moistened with the custard. Stir in the raisins or chocolate chips. Pour the bread pudding into a small ovenproof casserole and bake at 350 deg F for about 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.

PLAYDOUGH FUN

For 2 days now, Ethan and I have been having lessons while playing with Playdough. Ethan is a sensory learner. Not only that, he likes fun, spontaneous learning and he usually thrives in a very creative environment. So I always have to think of ways to have lessons with him in the disguise of play. Ethan has always loved arts and crafts and never minded getting messy so I thought it would perfect to have lessons with him with the Playdough. Here were some of the things we did:

1. Rolled play dough into long sausages and made letters and numbers out of it.
2. Used cookie cutters to make different shapes and he had to match a particular shape with its partner.
3. Using his plastic knife, he would chop the ready-made sausages like a chef.
4. Using a smooth bottle as a rolling pin, he would flatten the Playdough and pretend it’s cookie batter.
5. We would cut out different shapes and things and make Playdough sandwiches.
6. Using the cut-out shapes, I would ask him to count the pieces we had already.
7. Mixing 2 colors of Playdough to make new colors.
8. Making Playdough insects and bugs. He loves bugs a lot. He loved the millipede I made although the tiny legs kept falling off.
9. Using a special toy, we would press Playdough in the mold and make noodles. He also loves this one and even pretends the noodles are hair!
10. We would roll the Playdough out and then press some prints onto it using his toys and other things.

So far, Ethan is having a lot of fun with the Playdough so I’m thinking of getting him more colors. Admittedly, it’s not cheap here in the Philippines, but I suppose for someone as creative as Ethan it will be something he will appreciate a lot.

Here are other Playdough ideas:

• Make a birthday cake. Use real candles or pretend ones made from straws orpopsicle sticks. Count out the right number of candles and sing “Happy Birthday toyou!"
• Roll the playdough out and then use spools to print flowers into it. Try other thingsthat make prints, such as Duplo.
• Make a nest and some bird eggs.
• Make a cup, a bowl, etc and pretend to use them.
• Make a road and drive cars around it. Put playdough in dump trucks and drive themaround.
• Make a pretend jungle or river, or whatever, and use your plastic animals to playwith it.
• Roll it into a very thin sausage and then make it into a spiral or a cobra.
• Roll it into balls and make it into snowmen, animals, etc.
• Make a self-hardening dough or one that you bake. Give your child some things tostick in the dough to make a sculpture. Use feathers, coloured pasta, pipe cleaners,popsicle sticks, coloured straws, etc.

BIRD

You might think we were at an exotic resort but Ruther took this photo at Bluroze. It's such a funny-looking bird, isn't it? =D

Photo taken last February 8.

ALL ABOUT ME

This tag is from Mhay. Thanks for this girl! =D

My name: Lea (Yette is my nick)
Childhood ambition: to be a doctor (I don't know why but during my childhood, most of the kids I know answered "doctor" to the question, "what would you like to be when you grow up?") Now, though, I'm happy being a stay-at-home wife and mom but maybe someday, I could be in a job that involves kids. =D
Fondest memory: Ruther's and my wedding day, hands down
Soundtrack: none in particular. I try to listen to all sorts of music genres but I do love the soundtracks from Adam Sandler's movies
Retreat: the bathroom
Wildest dream: to live in Japan and travel the world
Proudest moment: bringing Nikki and Ethan into this world
Biggest challenge: successfully homeschooling the boys and finding my life's purpose
Alarm clock: my trusty cellphone
Perfect day: spending it with Ruther and the boys
First job: Blue Cross (and let me just say, it really sucked so I quit)
Indulgence: chocolates
Last purchase: groceries
Favorite movie: Meet Joe Black
Inspiration: my family
My life is: simple and happy and once Ruther, the boys and I can finally be together, it will be complete
My card is: nonexistent =D

BEEF WITH BROCCOLI OR CAULIFLOWER

1/4 kilo sirloin steak
2 tsp salt
2 tsp rice wine or sherry
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 C oil
1/4 kilo broccoli or cauliflower, divided into flowerets
chicken stock or water, if needed
2 stalks leeks, cut into 1" lengths
1 small can button mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce

Slice sirloin steak into narrow strips. Put in a bowl with 1 tsp salt, wine and cornstarch. Mix well. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Heat half of the oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the broccoli or cauliflower and the remaining salt. Stir-fry for a few minutes, adding a little stock or water to moisten, if necessary. Remove from pan and drain. Heat the remaining oil. Add the leeks and stir fry for a few seconds. Add the steak and stir fry until evenly browned. Stir in mushrooms, soy sauce, and broccoli or cauliflower. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes.
Serve with hot rice.

6:04

It's 6 in the morning and I just called Ruther to wake him up. He has to wake up early on Wednesdays and Fridays because he has Nihongo class and it's earlier (8:30am Japan time) than his usual work time (9am Japan time). Sometimes I worry about Ruther not getting enough rest in the evenings. I think I mentioned before that he has some difficulty sleeping or getting a full night's rest when he's not with me (he told me this). Sometimes though, it's the other way around with me (I said "sometimes", sweetie!) . Anyway, I like waking my husband up in the mornings. I think it's nice to start the day by talking to him, even if it is only through the phone. I like that we still have that connection despite the distance between us. Sometimes I have to wake him up more than once because he dozes of again after I call him. During the first few years of marriage, I would really hate that and think that he was intentionally ignoring my wake-up calls. But then I realized, even before we were married, he already had difficulty waking up in the mornings so I just told myself, "You have to learn to accept it, girl!" And so now, when I wake him up in the mornings, I try to put myself in his shoes and try to be more understanding. But of course, when he's going to be late for work, I try to use a sharper tone of voice to break the sleepiness from his brain. It usually works. Sometimes. =D

TREE OF LIFE

The lowly coconut tree...

Photo taken January 2008.

TUESDAY THOUGHTS

I'm thinking of getting a trim. I have a pretty good idea of what I want my hair to look like but I still need to find a photo of the hairstyle just to minimize the chances of well, I dunno, accidents maybe. :P I just don't want to risk looking like a hag after I leave the hair salon so I'm still looking at magazines for the hairstyle I want. Hopefully, it won't be too hard to find.

.....

I'm going to the post office later this afternoon to send Ruther his "care package". I'm sending him his butong pakwan (salted watermelon seeds) and a few other items that could not be found or that would be difficult to find in Japan. It will be nice to see the woman I made friends with there. She always takes the time to chat with me even if there's a long queue of people (I know that can be irritating to them but I'm not the one making conversation!). Last year, I gave her a nice pasalubong from Japan. I gave her a fan and some munchies and she was happy with them. It's always fun to make good friends in uncommon places and it's also nice to know that there's someone working in the post office who will not overcharge you for your packages to your husband. :D

CONGEE

1 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 C cooked rice
1 C minced cooked chicken
1 C chicken stock (use more if you like a more soupy consistency)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp minced green onions

Heat the cooking oil in the saucepan and saute the minced ginger for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, minced chicken and chicken stock. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with green onions.

MANGOES

Mangoes are in season again! Yay! Love this fruit a LOT! Don't they look yummy, not to mention sweet and juicy? =D

EDSA/ PEOPLE POWER DAY

The People Power Revolution (also known as the EDSA Revolution and the Philippine Revolution of 1986) was a series of nonviolent and prayerful mass street demonstrations in the Philippines that occurred in 1986. The protests were the culmination of a long resistance by the people against the 20-year running authoritarian regime of then current president Ferdinand Marcos and made news headlines as "the revolution that surprised the world". The majority of the demonstrations took place at Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, known more commonly by its acronym EDSA, in Quezon City, Metropolitan Manila and involved over 200,000 Filipino civilians as well as several political and military figures. The protests, fueled by a resistance and opposition of years of corrupt governance by Marcos, occurred from February 22 to 25 in 1986, when Marcos fled Malacañang Palace to the United States and conceded[4] to Corazon Aquino as President of the Philippines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_Power_Revolution

ALL BETTER

I'm feeling much better today, thankfully. I don't even know what caused my tummyache last night but I'm guessing it was something I ate for supper that did not agree with me. It was just a horrible feeling to just lie in bed and try not to move and pray that the pain would subside. I really don't like to take medicine these days (been taking so much analgesic when I was in college) so I try to use other ways of alleviating my symptoms. Anyway, shortly after I blogged yesterday about my tummyache, I emailed Ruther about it (he was sleeping by that time) and told him that I wish he was here with me to give me a hug. I just felt so low last night. And because of my tummyache, the boys and I slept at 2am! I know, not good, but I'm trying to remedy that tonight. Hopefully, I won't have any more tummyaches in the near future.

.....

The boys and I spent yesterday with my sis and bro at the mall. It was a nice family day. We went to Alabang Town Center because I had to buy Ruther's butong pakwan (salted watermelon seeds) there. It's his favorite and he's running out. The boys had fun playing in the activity center and even played a bit of duckpin bowling. Then we went to the dollar store and I bought lotion and peppermint tea there. My sis and bro bought some stuff as well. We then had some lunch and I got the boys some (what else?) fried chicken. My bro and I had the Balot-balot tapa which was yummy with the salted egg and tomato. Mmmmm... Anyway, I was going to look for a toy for the boys at Toys R' us but they were closed for renovations so I settled for the bookstores instead. Anyway, I got the boys several nice books and a workbook for Nikki. We went home after getting some ice cream and the boys were all tired out. After napping, we went to church and I really missed Ruther's presence there. I suppose I'll just have to think that in a few months, we'll be hearing mass together again. I just have to be strong about this.

Anyway, in the evening, Nikki and I did some lessons. We did more than usual and I was happy with Nikki's progress. We also did some cutting and pasting, an activity that he loves. Hopefully, later will be another successful homeschooling night. We'll just have to see about that.

P.S. Thanks to Amy and Becky for cheering me up. You guys are really great friends! =D

TUMMYACHE

Can't blog now. Got a really terrible tummyache. Need some medicine, tea, hot water bottle and rest.





Catch y'all tomorrow...

BAGUIO - LAST YEAR

With my brother, sis (taking the photo), mom and the boys in Baguio City. This was taken June last year. I am excited to take new photos when we go back there in a few weeks.

FAMILY TRIP COMING UP

My mom and dad will be coming to Manila next month. My dad has a golf tournament in Baguio City and we're going with them! Yay! I am quite excited because this will be the first time in years that we'll be in Baguio with my dad. It'll be a 5-day trip and my mom and I have already been planning our itinerary. We're going to try new things this time and not go to the places we've already been to last year. If we're lucky, we might even go strawberry-picking! I'm sure the boys will love that! Anyway, my parents will be arriving on the 8th and I'm really looking forward to spending time with them because after discussing our schedules, I really don't think we can go home to Zamboanga this summer. I told my mom about my plan of enrolling the boys in summer swimming class and it's a good thing she's so supportive or I would have felt really guilty about not going home. We've been spending at least 2 months every year in Zamboanga and it helps with the bonding of the boys. I think my dad is a bit disappointed but at least he'll get to have a week with the boys before flying back home. Hopefully, he'll be okay with that.

PORK ESTOFADO

1 1/2 K pork, cubed
1/2 C soy sauce
1/4 C vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 big onion, sliced
6 pieces peppercorn, crushed
oil for frying
1/2 C tomato sauce
1/2 C olives (optional)
2 pcs. chorizo, sliced
1 pc. canned pimiento, cut into strips
4 pcs. saba, quartered and fried

Marinate pork cubes in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, onions and peppercorns for 1-2 hours.
Remove pork from marinade and fry until brown. Pour off excess oil, leaving 3-4 tbsp in the pan. Put back fried pork in the pan. Pour marinade and enough water to cover it. Simmer gently until tender. Add tomato sauce, olives, chorizo and pimiento. Cook for a few more minutes. Serve with fried saba on top.

NEW BOOK

I found this book at National Bookstore and I just had to get it. It was on sale and only cost P50!! Can you believe it?! Anyway, I thought that it would be great for our homeschooling lessons. Besides, sometimes it's hard to research and browse the internet for crafts ideas. It takes a lot of time and I sometimes spend 2 hours just checking for ideas and tips. With this book, I can simply mark the pages of crafts that would be ideal for Nikki and Ethan and prepare the materials beforehand. Neat huh? =D

SUNNY AT LAST

At last, the sky cleared a bit and today, we actually felt a little sunshiney heat. It was a beautiful day that I let the boys do their painting session on the terrace. It was nice to see them paint while enjoying the fresh air. Then after their nap (at around 4pm), we went to the playground. Ethan played on the slide while Nikki and I played a bit of catch. Nikki is not very good at sports but I still want him to practice. We did have fun though, and I think that was the most important thing. Of course, there were some pesky kids there who tried to ruin the day for us but other than that it was a fun day. Nikki and I reviewed the clouds (there were only cirrus, stratus and altocumulus today) and Ethan had some milk on the bench swing. At 5pm, we went out because Nikki wanted some ice cream. I also bought a barbeque, isaw and balunbalunan for supper. Tonight, after we have our videochat with Ruther, we might so some studying again with the boys. Maybe we'll read some books as well. It was a lovely bonding day. I hope there will be more days like this.

BEEF TAPA

200 gms thinly sliced beef
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, pounded
1 tbsp peppercorn, pounded
1 tbsp patis
oil for frying

Marinate beef in the rest of the ingredients for at least 3 hours. Stir fry in a small amount of oil. Serve with hot rice.

ROAD TRIP

I took this photo on our way home from Batangas. I will miss our family road trips.

Photo taken February 8.

COLD DAY

It's very cold today. It's still overcast and when we went out this morning, it was drizzling. Now, it's just grey skies and a cool breeze. We usually sleep with a blanket now, not because the boys like it by the way, but because I don't want them to get sick. I kinda miss Ruther. It is always nice to cuddle, or to have some coffee together during cold weather like this. In Japan, he would take us to a ramen place for some hot steamy noodles and soup. Me, I always burn my tongue so I need to wait a few minutes for my soup to cool but it still warms me up so wonderfully when I finally get a sip of its rich broth. I kinda miss that. Ruther on the other hand would slurp his noodle and soup expertly. I still need some help with the chopsticks but I'm getting there. Sometimes too, when my hands are cold Ruther would go to a vending machine and buy me coffee. He usually gets the UCC cafe au lait one for me, if I'm not mistaken.

It's been a gloomy day. Can't help but feel a bit sad and lonely. Now where's my jacket and hot chocolate?

PINSEC FRITO

1 C chopped shrimps
1/4 C ground pork
1 C chopped singkamas
1/4 C chopped spring onions
1 medium-sized onion, chopped finely
1 Maya Farms egg, beaten
1 tsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
wonton wrappers
oil for frying
calamansi or lemon juice and soy sauce for dipping

In a mixing bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients and mix thoroughly. Put about a tablespoon of the mixture into each wonton wrapper. Shape into a triangle and seal the edges with a drop of water. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain. Serve with dipping sauce of calamansi and soy sauce.

SNORKELING

Here's an underwater shot of Ruther snorkeling at Balicasag Island in Bohol. There's actually a lot more color than that on the sea floor but I think the photo studio did a poor job in developing the prints. We're going to have another studio do the reprints.

And here I am feeding the fish with soggy biscuits. Our guide actually suggested feeding them with bread but I didn't have some with me but only had biscuits (meant for our snack). He said that was fine and it was a good thing I had them too or I would not have experienced this. The first time I fed them, the fish all swam to my hand, I was so shocked, I had to move away and surface. One fish was as big as my fist! I thought it was going to bite my finger! But after several feedings, I even tried to "pet" one and it was fun! A Korean guy who was snorkeling nearby was fascinated with the way the fish swarmed around me. I gave him a biscuit to feed the fish and he nodded his thanks. It was really fun and if we go back to Bohol again, this will be one activity I would love doing again.

THE BIRDS

A few weeks ago, the boys and I made a bird feeder project. I had to buy some birdseed at a nearby pet supply shop and even if I only bought P5 worth of birdseed, I still had more than was needed for the bird feeder. So, the other day, I decided to put some birdseed in our windowbox for the birds that come and visit the mango tree outside our window. I saw these really nice brown ones (not the mayas) that had a somewhat long tail and really pointy beaks. They frequent the mango tree a lot and when I am typing away on the laptop, I sometimes spot them outside the window. One time, I even saw a bird with a fat caterpillar on its beak. It was really big that I could tell it was yellowgreen in color. (Yucky, I know.) Anyway, a few weeks ago, I noticed about 3 birds frequenting the mango tree. After I started sprinkling bird seed in our window box, we now have lots of birds. This morning when I woke up early to ring Ruther to make him for work, I could hear them twittering away outside. It was actually nice to hear the sounds of nature first thing in the morning. It's also so much fun to watch them. When I spot a bird, I try to be as still as possible and I could see their little heads tilt left and right and then slowly, they would inch their way towards the windowbox for some seeds. Funnily though, they won't go near the bird feeders. I think I put them in the wrong place in the tree because they are so well hidden. I think I'll move those bird feeders to a more obvious location. Anyway, am looking forward to seeing more birds outside my window. I just love the company. I could almost be like Cinderella singing with all her animal friends.

I said almost.

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

1 package fettuccine
2 C low-fat milk
1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 C freshly grated Romano cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp reshly ground pepper
pinch nutmeg
2 tsp butter or margarine
1/4 C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
fresh lat-leaf parsley sprigs for garnish

Start to cook pasta according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, whisk together milk and flour in a medium saucepan, until flour is blended. Add bay leaf and garlic and cook over medium heat 8 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until mixture becomes slightly thickened. With slotted spoon, remove bayleaf and garlic. Add grated Romano cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg, stirring until cheese completely melts.
Drain pasta in a large colander; transfer to a bowl. Toss pasta with butter and parsley, then stir in cheese sauce and toss again.
Spoon pasta into 4 shallow serving bowls; sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.

WEATHER AND DREAMS

It's another overcast day today. It's so frustrating because I want it to rain so badly. I was thinking the boys will have fun playing with their umbrellas under the rain and splashing in puddles but then, there's no rain! It literally is so cloudy right now, I can't even see a bit of blue sky at all but - no rain. Well hopefully it will rain any day this week. It would be nice to study the rain with the boys as part of our homeschooling lessons. =D

.....

Early this morning I had a dream about my friend. This girl has been my friend since kindergarten and we email and send SMS to each other from time to time. She currently lives in Davao, a city in the southern Philippines. Anyway, I dreamed that she was singing videoke. In the dream, I was a bit surprised about it because I never thought of her singing (she's a dancer). Well, I can't seem to remember the rest of my dream but that basically was the gist of it. So this morning, I sent her an SMS. I told her about my dream and I was like, "How long have you been doing this?" (in my dream). She sent me a reply and this is where it gets really weird. She said that she's into videoke right now! She said that she even asked her husband to buy her a Magic Sing mic so she could sing at home. Hahaha! What a coincidence. And so freakishly weird. And now, here's the million dollar question: Did I really channel my friend while I was deep in my subconscious or is it just all a coincidence?

LILY PADS

I think this would look pretty for a greeting card, don't you think so too? Took this one at a pond. It kinda makes me feel a bit sad...

ON COOKING

I miss cooking for Ruther. I suppose, that's one of the times when I can get creative and actually do something so accomplishing. When we were in Japan I would check my cookbooks and sites for some great recipes. I had to pick something that would be okay for everyone because the food would just be a waste if Ruther would not enjoy it or if the boys would not like it. Me, I like to try new things. I like trying new foods just as long as it's not something totally exotic. Ruther has specific taste and usually likes soy sauce-based foods. And don't get me started on the boys. So anyway, it's hard to be creative and satisfy 3 picky palates. Sometimes I hit the mark sometimes I don't but it's still fun to cook, come up with new dishes once in a while and it's nice to see my family enjoy my cooking. Here at home I don't cook as much. We already have a cook (hired by Mama) and if I cook something as well, we'll end up with a lot of food on the table which would just end up as leftovers and be a waste. So I usually just cook for the boys (which are really very simple meals) and there's hardly any creativity there. Oh well. If ever we make it to Japan in a few months, I'm hoping that I could do more creative cooking and be more adventurous in the kitchen. You see all these recipes I've been posting? Well, I'm filing them away here so I'll have them all ready just in case I need a specific recipe. I won't have to search through all my recipe books for ideas and such. Actually, I'm also saving it here for Ruther just in case he wants to cook something (while in Japan). He could just find the recipe here but apparently, he hardly has anytime to cook dishes because when he gets home in the evenings, he's usually tired out from work. Hopefully in a few months, I'll be cooking for him once more. Keeping my fingers crossed on that...

ONION RINGS

Got this from a magazine. Ruther loves onion rings so I'll prepare this for him when we're together...

1 C buttermilk
1 bottle vegetable oil
breading powder
1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 pcs white onion
salt and pepper
ground red pepper (optional)

Heat oil in a deep pan. Mix the breading powder and flour in a separate bowl. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and even ground red pepper if you prefer. Slice onions crosswise into 1/2 inch-thick slices. Separate slices into rings. Working in batches, dip onion rings in buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off into bowl. Toss rings in flour mixture until well coated; gently shake off excess. Repeat process with remaining onions, buttermilk and flour mixture. With long-handled tongs, carefully place one quarter of onion rings in hot oil. Cook 3-4 minutes, turning rings a few times, until onions are golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Repeat process with remaining onion rings. Arrange fried onion rings on a large serving dish. Sprinkle with some salt and maybe ground red pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

FLUFFY

Fluffy chicken. It was our first time to see a chicken this fluffy. I thought it looked like it had a coat on. It was so cute though. The boys were quite fascinated.

Photo taken at Bluroze Farms, Parks and Wildlife.

MISSING F R I E N D S

Before Ruther left for Japan, we were watching episodes of FRIENDS. I dunno why, maybe I just miss this so much. I told Ruther then that I noticed that there were no more "FRIENDS-type" tv shows these days, you know, taped in front of a live audience. We have Heroes, Psych, Monk, Prison Break, Lost, and all that and I kind of miss the wacky and fun FRIENDS show. It's just a wonderful show and I love the close friendship they all had and their really unique personalities. If you were a FRIENDS character, who would you be? To be honest, I think I would be Rachel. I'm not as obsessive-compulsive as Monica I suppose. Also, I just like to have a guy to depend on and I'm also a bit of a crybaby. =D I'll ask Ruther who he is later. I think that will be veeery interesting...

IS IT GETTING TOO WARM FOR PENGUINS?

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1712518,00.html?cnn=yes

By BRYAN WALSH

King penguins are supposed to be a wildlife success story. The flightless Antarctic bird — the second-biggest penguin after its movie-star emperor cousin — was hunted into near-extinction by sailors in the 19th century, who used their fat as cooking oil. When the slaughter ended — penguin fat no longer being the preferred way to simmer your cruise dinner — the penguin bounced back, and today numbers about 2 million. This is a healthy, robust species that sits near the top of the complex Antarctic food web.

They may not stay that way much longer. A new report by French scientists in the Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences finds that king penguins could be wiped out over the coming decades due to global warming. Led by Yvon Le Maho, a physiologist at French National Center for Scientific Research, the team of researchers followed 456 adult birds with radio transponders implanted beneath their skin. Over an eight-year period, the researchers correlated survival rate to changes in sea surface temperatures, and found that in warm years, penguin chicks were less likely to survive the lean months of winter, because there wasn't sufficient fish to feed them. (Warmer temperatures seem to lower fish populations in the Southern Ocean, off Antarctica.) Adult survival rates dropped as well in warmer years. Ultimately, the scientists report that a 0.47 degree F increase in the temperature of the Southern Ocean — considerably below current forecasts for the next several decades — would reduce penguin numbers by 9%, enough to touch off a population collapse. "Our findings suggest that king penguin populations are at heavy extinction risk under the current global warming predictions," the study's authors wrote.
That's bad news for the penguins, and worse news for the rest of Antarctic wildlife. Sitting near the top of the food chain, the king penguins are useful markers for the health of the rest of the Antarctic ecosystem. If global warming means they're not getting enough food, the conditions below the penguins could be even worse. Temperature rise due to climate change is occurring quicker at the poles than the rest of the planet — on the Antarctic Peninsula, temperatures have risen five times faster than the global average over the past 50 years. Even if we can manage to slow the growth in carbon emissions, the poles will likely continue to warm. Though the species that have evolved to survive in harsh Antarctic conditions are necessarily tough, they're also delicate. They're built for the snow and ice — change those conditions, and you take away their habitat and their food supply. Extinction comes next, and nothing can stop it.

The situation is no better in the Arctic north, where studies predict that polar bear populations will rapidly shrink over the coming decades, thanks again to warming. Environmentalists are pressing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to declare the polar bear threatened, which would make it the first species to be recognized as endangered specifically because of climate change. The government recently failed to meet a self-imposed deadline to make the decision by Feb. 9, and the fate of the polar bear remains unclear. But if we fail to slow down the rate of warming, the polar regions as we know them will no longer exist — and possibly, neither will many of the species who live there now.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

I haven't been updated with the news for a while now. It's not that I don't care (okay, maybe a teeny part of me doesn't) but politics does not interest me at all. I find it very disturbing, boring and utterly chaotic. Besides, I would not want bad news from the politicl arena to ruin my day so I try to stay away from the news as much as possible. I figure, if it's THAT important, I would hear about it anyway. But this morning, when I went to the bakery to buy some hot, yummy pandesal for breakfast I decided to get a paper as well. Well, the only word I could use to describe the headlines was "shocking"! I mean, what is happening to the Philippines? I know there are problems in the government but all this transparency is destroying us all. I mean, isn't there a more subtle (I'm not saying "hushed") way of fixing all these problems? Frankly, I don't even know what all the problems are. I hear things like ZTE, stocks falling, calling GMA's resignation (is this going to be a frequent thing in Philippine history?!?!?), J de Venecia and all that. It's all very disturbing, confusing and irritating. Really, who could take the Philippine government seriously with all these controversies? Really really depressing. I wish all those people would just resign on their own and fresh new people step up. Or, we could always migrate. Now that's an idea...

MOMMY AND NIKKI

Nikki and me sharing a heart lollipop. I love this photo.

JUMPER

I want to the movie yesterday. I know, surprising, right? Well my sister was available to babysit and the movie was only 2 hours long so I figure, it would be nice to watch Jumper. I actually got curious about it when Hayden Christensen appeared in AI with Ryan Seacrest. They showed some of the Jumper moves there and it caught my attention. So yesterday was a "me" day. It was nice actually. I enjoyed the movie. It was different from the usual. Hayden and Rachel Bilson (from The O.C.) were a cute couple. Samuel L. Jackson scared me. He was a really bad guy there. The story/plot was all right. It was cohesive enough but there were some parts where I thought that went too fast and should have been explained more. But that's all I'm complaining about because I enjoyed it. The action scenes were great too. And I loved how the jumpers kept on popping everywhere on the screen. I mean, who would not want to teleport these days? That would me my superpower. Really. So cool. I might just appear on you doorstep one of these days. =D

PINAKBET

1 C fatty pork, cubed
1 medium-sized ampalaya
3 small eggplants
5 pcs okra
4 pcs tomato, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
2-3 tbsp bagoong isda
1 C water

Brown the pork cubes in a little oil. Set aside.
Cut the vegetables into 2" lengths. Wash and drain.
Arrange vegetables in a deep palayok or saucepan. Top with tomato and onion slices and the pork pieces. Season with bagoong and add water. Simmer until vegetables are cooked.

8:05

It's 8:05 in the morning but the house is still so quiet. It's so relaxing and peaceful when it's this quiet. I could only hear the faint sounds of a basketball outside and some happy kids. The sky is still so bleak and the air so cool. Beside me is my (really hot!) chocolate milk to keep my insides warm (and which burned my tongue not a few seconds ago). It doesn't feel like a Sunday at all. When I was little, Sundays would always bring out a panicky feeling because I knew that the next day was a school day and I knew that I still had so much schoolwork to do and would not enjoy the day so much.

Anyway, I would have to go back to my studying today. I want to read 1 to 2 chapters a day just to keep my lessons going. I'm currently in a very interesting topic now: sleep. Here's one that caught my attention: It is not necessary to completely replace lost sleep. Most symptoms of sleep deprivation (sleep loss) are reversed by a single night's rest. (Coon, 2006)

Interesting, huh? And here's another one that is pretty important to know: A microsleep is a brief shift in brain activity to the pattern normally recorded during sleep. Even if your eyes are open, you can fall asleep for a few seconds. (Coon, 2006) I guess those sleepy drivers should get out of the road then.

Okay, one last: Only 8 percent of us are short sleepers, averaging 5 hours of sleep or less per night. On the other end of the scale we find long sleepers, who doze 9 hours or more (and tend to be daytime worriers). Most people sleep on a familiar 7- to 8-hours-per-night schedule. For a few however, it is quite normal to sleep as little as 5 hours per night or as much as 11. Urging everyone to sleep 8 hours would be like advising everyone to wear medium-size shoes.

Anyway, I'm almost done with this chapter. Next one is Sleep Disturbances and Dreaming. Am looking forward to that one already! =D

FROOT LOOPS

It was just too colorful, I had to take a photo. =D Looks yummy too!

WE BELONG TOGETHER

This is for my sweetie...

We Belong Together
Mariah Carey

I didn't mean it when I said I didn't love you so
I should have held on tight I never shoulda let you go
I didn't know nothing I was stupid, I was foolish
I was lying to myself

I could not fathom that I would ever be without your love
Never imagined I'd be sitting here beside myself
'Cause I didn't know you, 'cause I didn't know me
But I thought I knew everything
I never felt

The feeling that I'm feeling now that I don't hear your voice
Or have your touch and kiss your lips 'cause I don't have a choice
Oh, what I wouldn't give to have you lying by my side
Right here, 'cause baby
(We belong together)

When you left I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby, please
'Cause we belong together

Who else am I gon' lean on when times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me on the phone 'till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place there ain't nobody better
Oh, baby baby, we belong together

I can't sleep at night when you are on my mind
Bobby Womack's on the radio saying to me:
"If you think you're lonely now"
Wait a minute this is too deep (too deep)
I gotta change the station so I turn the dial
Trying to catch a break and then I hear Babyface
I only think of you and it's breaking my heart
I'm trying to keep it together but I'm falling apart

I'm feeling all out of my element
I'm throwing things, crying
Trying to figure out where the hell I went wrong
The pain reflected in this song it ain't even half of what I'm feeling inside
I need you, need you back in my life, baby
(We belong together)

SWEET NIKKI

Yesterday morning, when Nikki woke up, I went over to him and kissed him good morning. Then we cuddled a bit (it was a cold morning) and I asked him, "Are you Mommy's baby?" He smiled and said "Yes". Then I asked him to hug me and he did. And then I asked, "Do you miss Daddy?" and he said "Yeah" and so I said "I miss daddy too. Can I hug you? Are you Daddy?" and you know what he said? He said, "Yes. I'm daddy for you." =D

Doesn't that just make your heart melt? I think I have the sweetest boy in the world.

.....

Of course, I told Ruther about what Nikki said to me and he said that Nikki is responsible and sweet without even trying. And Ruther said he missed us all. Almost made me cry there.

Anyway, I forgot to mention that Ruther bought an iMac computer the day he arrived in Japan. He already sold his old laptop (he meant to use the money for a new computer) so if he didn't get a new computer, we would have no way of having our video chats in the evenings. Anyway, he was at first undecided between the Macbook and the iMac. He actually called me while deciding on the purchase. He told me that they both had the same price but that the iMac's specs were better. Downside is, it would be difficult to lug it home because it's huge and heavy. But all things considered, he thought that the iMac would be a better buy. So that's what he got. So now, my sweet hubby has a new gadget to tinker with. He loves his techy stuff. He told me that I would love using the iMac but will just have to adjust to it. Well, as long as we have a computer I could use, it's fine by me. You know, Po-ta-to, Po-tah-to... =D (Ruther would disagree, of course.)

SWEET AND SOUR PORK

1/2 kilo pork kasim, cubed
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp cornstarch
oil for frying
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
3 tbsp vinegar
1/4 C sugar
6 tbsp catsup
1 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
pineapple tidbits


Cut pork into cubes and marinate in the next 3 ingredients for 10 minutes. Dip in cornstarch then deep fry until golden brown.
In a bowl, mix together the next 7 ingredients. Set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet. Saute garlic until light brown. Add onions, peppers and sauce mix. Let boil then transfer to a plate. Garnish with pineapple.

BIGGEST HEART AWARD

Ai, a sweet blogger friend from Poland, gave me this wonderful award!

Thanks so much for this, Ai! I really don't know if I have the biggest heart around (maybe we could ask Ruther about this), but I try to be as loving as I can to the people around me. I would like to think that my heart's capacity to love has grown a lot since I became a wife and mom and really I am just so grateful for this great opportunity to love.

I am sharing this award to my good friend Mio (who takes such good care of her family - miss you!), sweet Kari (who really has a big heart and deserves this award a lot) and fabulous Becky (who always takes the time in her busy life to listen to my little problems and worries and comforts me like a true friend) . You are all wonderful women! Keep on lovin' gals!

NIKKI'S CARD

This is the card Nikki made for his dad. Isn't it cute? We just used paper from an old magazine to make the dog. And he's made out of hearts! Such fun. I got the idea from an arts and crafts site. Really cool. =D

POST-VALENTINE'S DAY POST

Valentine's Day has come and gone. As planned, the boys and I went to the mall. That was my date for the day. Anyway, Nikki had ice cream and Ethan and I shared some fishballs. Romantic, isn't it? =D We did some grocery-shopping and for my Valentine treat, I got myself leche flan. I know that's going to ruin my weight-loss goal but I think I deserve the treat. Ruther and I did talk in the morning because I woke him up. But I guess he went back to sleep so he was late for work. I now have to ring him like 3 times just to make sure he gets up and gets ready. Anyway, before Ruther left for Japan last Monday, I gave him 2 Valentine's cards from me and told him not to open them until Thursday (yesterday). I don't know if he did already. Nikki also made a cute card for him. We did that during our arts and crafts lesson. Anyway, the rest of our day was pretty routine. We did some lessons and then I did some studying. It was okay I guess. Not much of a Valentine's Day but it could have been a lot worse and I'm happy with how things went on yesterday.

.....

VALENTINE'S DAY IN JAPAN

Japanese Valentine's Day is for women to give men chocolates or gifts. This is a typical way to celebrate Valentine's day in Japan. Women are expressing love to men by giving chocolates. But it's also common for women to give chocolates to men who they don't actually love, such as co-workers and male friends. This kind of chocolates are called giri-choco which mean chocolates given because of obligations.
Many stores in Japan sell lots of chocolates before Valentine's day. Men who received chocolates or gifts on Valentine's day are supposed to give gifts back to the women on March 14th called White Day.
http://gojapan.about.com/cs/japaneseholidays/a/valentineday.htm

TINOLANG MANOK

4 pcs chicken
1 onion, quartered
1 small green papaya or sayote, quartered
1 small bunch of sili leaves
3-4 thin slices of fresh ginger
3 cups rice water
patis

Combine everything except patis in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer until the chicken is tender. Season with patis.

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA

I finally got to watch Memoirs of a Geisha last night. It was shown on HBO so I thought of taking a break from all my studying and watch it. It was really nice. But then again, I already read the book so I suppose I knew what would happen next, or who the characters were and the roles they played, etc. The movie was quite riveting. I loved the costumes, the cinematography, the props and all that. But I suppose in a way, I'm a bit biased because I love Japan and their rich history. Li Gong as Hatsumomo really amazed me. I liked her acting so much, even more than Michelle Yeoh's who played Mameha (my second favorite character in the book). I didn't like Zhang Ziyi as the lead actress because I thought Nakama Yukie would have made a better Chiyo/Sayuri. Why? Uhm, well, maybe because she's Japanese!? Sigh. I would have loved to see her in the movie. She's so adorable too. Anyway, I really enjoyed this movie. But when it came to explaining things like the kimonos (ownership, putting on one, etc), and geisha training, the book was (of course) more thorough. And I like those kind of explanations. Anyway, I guess I have to go back to studying now because there's nothing good on HBO today...

WHITE PAW

I realized I haven't posted a photo of While Paw in months. So here is one of him now. He's grown so big and could barely fit in his basket. I need to get him a new one. He also likes to hop out of it and lead me on a merry chase. Yup, he's a naughty little bunny.

BEEF STROGANOFF

1/4 kilo beef tenderloin
2 tbsp. butter or cooking oil
3 or 4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp. flour
1 C yoghurt or sour cream
1 C sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the beef into strips. In a laeg heavy skillet, cook the beef in the butter or cooking oil until it is done. Remove the meat and add the garlic and onions to the pan, cooking until the garlic is light brown. Put back the meat to the pan. Combine the flour and yoghurt; add to the beef mixture together with the mushrooms and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the stroganoff over noodles or rice.

WHAT COLOR ROSE ARE YOU?

You are a Dark Red Rose

You represent unconscious beauty and deep passion. Your vibe: sophisticated and worldly Falling in love with you is: wildly carnal and forbidden

What Color Rose Are You?

DAY 3

It's another glorious day in paradise...







No it's not.

But at least I got to talk to Ruther this morning when I called him to wake him up for work. He was funny because when I said "Hello!" he said "Hi! Happy Valentine's day! I'm the first to say it!" so fast I just laughed out loud. I miss my silly husband. Anyway, hopefully he will have a nice day today. The boys and I are going to SM City Sucat later for some grocery-shopping. I'm a bit worried about the weather because right now, it looks like it's going to rain any time. But if the sky clears a bit by 10pm, we'll be going to the mall.

HAPPY V DAY!

It takes more than caring

To be a real friend;

The nature of friendship;

Requires a blend

Of warmest compassion

And love deep and true

To reach and to comfort

The way that you do.

Because I can see

That your kind of friendship

Is priceless to me.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you, wonderful friends! =D

LEMON PEPPERED GRILLED FISH

250 g fish fillet
1 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp garlic, minced
2 pcs garlic bread
1 tsp parsley, chopped
1 lemon quartered
iodized salt

Mix lemon, pepper, garlic in a bowl. Rub fish fillet with the mixture. Sprinkle with some iodized salt. Marinate for at least an hour. Grill marinated fillet for 5-6 minutes on both sides. Bake for 1-2 minutes. While baking, prepare pasta to serve on the side. Remove fish from the broiler and transfer to a hot pasta plate and top with lemon wedge. Place pasta beside the fish. Arrange the bread inside the plate. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

KEEPING BUSY

I try to keep myself busy these days just so I would not have time to sit down and think about Ruther and cry. So far, it's been working. I started studying again. Remember the Child Psych course, I started to take last year? Well, I'm back studying it. I just put it on hold while Ruther was here because I really could not concentrate on my lessons (who could anyway?!). I'm actually glad to get back to my lessons because not only is it interesting, but it takes my mind off Ruther as well. I think I'm halfway over with the course. Hopefully, by April, I'll be done. Woohoo!

We have also been concentrating more on the boys' homeschooling. We're actually doing okay. Last night we started making Valentine's crafts. Nikki is such a careful crafter. He usually does not want to have paste on his fingers and hands and he cuts so carefully (he's terribly obsessive-compulsive) so messes are always kept to a minimum. Ethan on the other hand, loves chaos so if you leave him with colored paper and scissors, you'll have a bunch of confetti in no time. But he's very dextrous and really enthusiastic about arts and crafts. I also started teaching Nikki how to play the piano. Just the very basic stuff until I enrol him in formal lessons. He gets bored quite easily yet but he can play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with his right hand and using the correct fingers. The only downside there is that he counts his mistakes. "Oops! That's 2 mistakes now, Mommy!" I always tell him it's okay. We're going to study about money soon. Maybe this week.

It's so weird. It's like I feel I'm not doing anything at all. I feel like there's just too many hours in a day, that I have a lot of time in my hands. I feel like something's missing (I guess we all know what that is). It's just so strange. I suppose that's partly because the house now holds new memories for me. Before you go, "Huh?!" let me explain. When Ruther was away in Japan, Mama and Papa had the house renovated. When Ruther came home last November, that was the first time we lived together in this renovated house. It was the first time we made memories of this place. Before he came home our room was just a bedroom. But after he came home, our room now has meaning. It's like "This is Ruther's space on the bed" or "This is where he keeps his bag" or "This is where we slowdanced one night". So it's all seeped in memories and it just makes forgetting (well maybe not forgetting but perhaps not remembering) all the more harder to do.

Sigh.

It's difficult to think about tomorrow. It's difficult to look forward to a beautiful day because inside you feel so numb. The only happiness I feel these days is when I'm talking to Ruther through Skype in the evenings. I don't know exactly when I'll be out of the doldrums. But for the moment, it's where I am and where I'll stay.

BRIDGE

Family photo. Still at Bluroze Farms, Parks and Wildlife.

IDEAS (FOR ME?)

10 things to do on Valentine’s Day
By Bianca Consunji
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Last updated 18:40:00 02/12/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Valentine’s Day, more often than not, causes hundreds of people to run around in panic, looking for something to do either for their significant others or their lonely selves.

Thus, restaurants are always full of lovestruck couples or big groups of people out to have a good time.

However, Valentine’s celebrations need not be limited to expensive dinners and giant bouquets of roses. Want to do something unusual for the day? We’ve got a list of things for you to do, whether you’re preparing for a hot date with your significant other or celebrating contented singledom with your friends (or by yourself).

Have a picnic
Lay out a plaid blanket, make some sandwiches, pop some bubbly, and have a picnic in the park—or your backyard, if you prefer. A picnic will save you from the horrendous Valentine’s Day traffic and is infinitely more romantic than a generic dinner in a restaurant.
If you want something more formal, set up a candlelit table and serve cheese or chocolate fondue.

Watch a play
Take your date to watch a play (trust us, a movie won’t produce the same effect). Have coffee afterward as you talk about the production and share a laugh or two about your favorite parts.
Looking for the ultimate Valentine’s Day play? Check out Dulaang Sibol’s “Sinta” at the Tanghalang Onofre Pagsanghan at Ateneo de Manila High School.

Explore the city
If you have the whole day blocked off for your date, explore the city. Try a coin-flip date—heads, turn right, tails, turn left. You might end up discovering places you’ve never heard of before, like a cool hole-in-the-wall café or a small art gallery.

Go to the spa
A day at the spa is something nearly impossible to refuse. Whether you’re trying out a new salt scrub or relaxing massage with your significant other, or having a full-body treatment to escape from the nauseating Valentine’s Day songs, a couple of hours at the spa will guarantee pure bliss.

Bake cookies for single friends
This is a foolproof way to make other people happy on Valentine’s: if you’re single, you’re sharing (non-romantic) love with other people. If you’re attached, you’re showing them your world doesn’t revolve around your significant other. No better way to prove that giving is better than receiving!

Have a romantic scavenger hunt
Go beyond merely handing over the usual bouquet of roses or box of chocolates by setting up a scavenger hunt for your special someone. Plant clues in places that mean something to both of you, like the place where you first met or had your first kiss. This will take a lot of effort, but could be one of your most special Valentine’s Days.

Hire a singing telegram
“Uso pa ba ang harana?” We think it will never go out of style. If you don’t have much of a singing voice yourself, get some friends to sing for your significant other, or hire a singing group. If you’re still in school, there’ll surely be an organization that offers singing telegrams as a fundraiser. Surprise your crush with a song or two.

Go dancing
Dance like no one’s watching. Visit a ballroom-dancing club and be the only young couple or group in a sea of matrons and have some wholesome giggly fun. Want something more romantic? Bring your date to a rooftop of a condo and play music from your iPod dock.

Set up a date for your parents
Whether you’re single or not, Valentine’s Day is a good way to repay your parents. After all, if they didn’t get together, you wouldn’t even be alive. Get them tickets to a concert of a retro band, or splurge on a fancy dinner for two. Can’t break the bank? Get your siblings out of the house and set up dinner for them, or be their maitre’d for the night.

Hold an anti-Valentine’s party with your friends
When all else fails, hold an anti-Valentine’s party with some good friends. With them, you don’t have to pretend you’re not bitter or heartbroken—sing cheesy songs on videoke, watch a movie or two, and binge on pizza and ice cream. You can also go for the slightly less pathetic route by going for a theme party (say, Las Vegas night or Welcome to the ’90s) to make things more fun, with less wallowing.

E-mail the author at biancaconsunji@yahoo.com

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/you/2bu/view/20080212-118422/10-things-to-do-on-Valentines-Day

ROWS

Ruther took this photo at Bluroze Farms last Friday. Don't you just want to take a stroll between the trees? Or maybe share a kiss or two underneath it with your sweetie? Hmmm... Maybe I am missing Ruther too much...

OVERCAST

The weather outside looks so bleak and grey. It matches my emotions perfectly. I could sit in front of this window and stare outside all afternoon. I just feel so numb.

Ruther's departure feels a whole lot different this time. The last time we parted ways was when the boys and I came home from Japan last year (February) and he was left behind. I suppose all the new experiences in Japan were just so thrilling that our parting did not seem that painful.

Ruther has not been home in Manila for a long time. He did come home for 4 days in January last year (while we were in Japan) for work-related activities and although I missed him then, it did not make our parting difficult to handle because I knew that he would be back with me soon. Coming home and having him here for 3 months was just really special. We tried to make the most of our time together especially during the holidays and we did make a lot of wonderful memories. Which is why I think his departure this time is just affecting me a lot. As always, when I've reached my highest highs, I can sink to my lowest low as well. All those wonderful memories and experiences we have had together makes this (being apart) really really hard to accept and comprehend. Sigh... Do I even make sense?

I think the weather right now understands me. I think it empathizes with me and really, even if I read meanings in the strangest things, it still makes me feel a little better that I am not the only gloomy thing around here.

I am usually easy to please. As we say here, mababaw lang kaligayahan ko. When I receive a "hello" from Ruther through chat, my heart skips a beat. When I unexpectedly receive an SMS msg or he rings my phone, I do get excited. I'm happy to hear from my sweetie. And even if these things are so very little, they amount to something really huge. He loves me. And I love him. And maybe, just maybe, love really does conquer all. (With a little help from technology, of course.)

THANKS

I just want to say thank you to all of you who took the time to comfort me these past few days. As much as possible, I don't want to be emo because well, I really dislike bringing people down so I try to at least be upbeat more often than not. But lately, I really can't help feeling blue because of Ruther's departure and my PMS so it's like I'm almost a total wreck these days. And thank you for being so understanding and wonderful as true friends are and should be. I love you all!

HASHED BROWNS

1 large potato, peeled and diced
1/2 onion, chopped
pepper to taste
2 tbsp bacon fat or olive oil

Combine potato, onion and pepper. Heat the bacon fat or olive oil in a small heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the potato mixture and press the mixture down to form a flat cake. Let it brown on one side, then turn the potatoes over and brown the other. Allow the potatoes to turn really brown. These are good served hot or cooled.

Could be served with any of the following:
Veal chipolata- small while sausages with a mild flavor
Nurnburger- small pork sausages with a strong flavor of sage and spices
Italian sausages- pork sausages that are usually spicy, but still acceptable to the Pinoy palate

MISSING MY BABY

Reminiscing the happy days... Miss him so much.

Photo taken at Bluroze, Batangas last February 8.

BASIC VINAIGRETTE

3 tbsp vinegar (preferably wine or herb vinegar)
1/3 C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

optional flavoring:
1/2 tsp mustard or 2 tbsp tomato sauce or 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs

Combine the vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Beat together with a fork to emulsify, that is, to blend the oil and vinegar together into a thickened mixture. Add optional flavoring if desired.

Basic vinaigrette can be made ahead of time and kept chilled. Beat again before serving.

Good for 2.

GOODBYE DAYS

This song is for my sweetie, who said goodbye to me this morning... I love you, baby.

GOODBYE DAYS

by YUI

Dakara ima ai ni yuku

So kimetan-da

Poketto no kono kyoku wokimi ni kikasetai

Sotto boryu-mu wo agete

Tashikamete mitayo

Oh Good-bye Days

Ima, kawaru ki ga suru

Kinou made ni

So Long

Kakko yokunai

Yasashisa ga soba ni aru kara

La la la la la with you

Katahou no earphone wo

Kimi ni watasu

Yukkuri to nagare komu

Kono shunkan

Umaku aisete imasu ka?

Tama ni mayou kedo

Oh Good-bye Days

Ima, kawari hajimeta

Mune no oku

All Right

Kakko yokunai

Yasashisa ga soba ni aru kara

La la la la la with you

Dekireba kanashii

Omoi nante shitaku nai

Demo yattekuru deshou, oh

Sono toki egao de

"Yeah, Hello My Friends" nante sa

Ieta nara ii noni

Onaji uta wo

Kuchizusamu toki

Soba ni ite I Wish

Kakko yokunai

Yasashisa ni aeta yokatta yo

La la la la good-bye days

Translation:

So I'm going to go see you right now, that's what I've decided

I want to have you listen to this song, that I have in my pocket

Quietly, I turned up the volume, to make sure that it was there

Oh good-bye days, right now I've got the feeling that things are going to change;

so long to everything up until yesterday

An uncool kindness is at my side~With you

I pass one ear phone over to you

And this moment slowly streams over to you

Can you really love me?

Even though I sometimes lose my way

Oh good-bye days, right now things inside my heart have begun to change, alright

An uncool kindness is at my side~With you

If possible, I'd like to not have sad feelings

But they'll come to me, won't they?

In those times, it would be good, if only I could say

"Yeah, hello! My friend", with a smile

When we both are humming the same song, I wish for you to be by my side

I'm glad that we were able to meet each other, with such an uncool kindness...

Good-bye days

GONE AGAIN

Ruther just called me a few seconds ago. He told me he was boarding his plane already. And now, it's goodbye again.

I woke up this morning to the sweet realization that I was in the arms of my sweetie. Then it hit me that today he was leaving and it will be quite a long time before I'll be in his arms again and then my heart ached. We whispered sweet nothings, promises and never-ending love and exchanged bittersweet kisses until we had no choice but to prepare for the eventual drive to the airport. Every once in a while, I would breakdown and cry but I managed to collect myself in time. The drive to the airport was depressing. I just held on to Ruther and buried myself on his neck to inhale his scent, to fill my senses, to get whatever I could so I could keep him with me longer. I cried, of course. How can I not when there's this sharp, stabbing pain inside me? The day was sunny but I did not feel the warmth. The people outside were busy and hectic but I felt utterly empty. A bee could have stung me and I would not have felt a thing with my emotions slowly draining from me as we neared the departure area of the international airport. Again, we whispered reassurances, promises and love to each other. I cried even harder. Then I had to let him go. It was so painful I just cried and cried while hugging him so tightly in my arms. And then he was gone. On the way home, I just stared out the window looking at nothing. The day I feared has come and I'm just so terribly sad I could cry an ocean of tears.

I hate goodbyes. They never were my thing. Especially when it came to Ruther. I would always hate it. It doesn't matter of he's just going to work, or going out with friends, or walking to the nearby sari-sari store. I just don't want to be away from him for too long. He just makes everything in this world a whole lot better.

I miss him so much. We're going to talk soon. He promised me that when he arrives at Narita Airport he'll ring my phone so I could call him. I know that it won't make me miss him any less but hopefully, it will ease the pain if only for a little while.

RUTHER'S BIRTHDAY PHOTOS

Birthday breakfast: french toast and hotdogs. And of course, maple syrup. "Where's my orange juice, woman?" =D



At Bluroze in Lipa, Batangas. The boys just could not sit still. Love the place.




With one of the ostriches. I tried to feed it some long grass and I think it was so hungry it pecked my fingers! But I was more startled than hurt. Nikki was too scared to go near it and Ethan refused to go down the van although he kept saying, "It's an ox-trich! It's an ox-trich!" Haha!




Nikki loved this swing. It's a rubber tire tied to 2 coconut trees. I loved it too when I tried the one next to Nikki's but had to get off because I felt guilty for hogging it.






The birthday boy having a lot of fun. =D Will miss this silly guy...



The boys in their element.


Back home, with the birthday cake. I love the 3 + III candles.

ONE MORE DAY

Just one more day and Ruther will be back in Japan. Just writing that here already saddens me. I could feel my heart weeping with the same familiar and sharp pain that accompanies such depressing thoughts. I know that again, life will just be muted while he's not with me. It's always been like that so I suppose I have to brace myself for tomorrow.

I could hear him snoring softly behind me on the bed. He was so tired from yesterday because he woke up so early and lacked sleep. I know he will be surprised to see me awake and up already when he gets up later. It's only 530am right now. I guess I just can't rest knowing that in less than 24 hours, I won't have my husband beside me again. As always, that scares me and really depresses me. The other day while I was with my brother-in-law Russell dining, we talked about Ruther's departure. I said that I still can't really think about it because I don't know how I'll feel then and I don't want to ruin the next few days by being mopey. He commented that I should be used to this by now and I said never. It's never going to be any easier for me. Really. I mean, sure, some people would say that you get used to it as years go by and it'll be easier to handle and some people actually DO get used to it and accept it, but I guess I'm just different because everytime this happens, it's the same painful experience over again. It's the same wrenching sharp pain the the heart, it's the same sadness, it's the same longing for a better tomorrow. I just wish this would not happen any more.

One more day. Who knows what could happen, right? Maybe next year will finally be the year where we finally start living permanently together. That's not too much to hope for, is it?

MUNGGONG GUISADO

3 cups munggo (mung bean)
4 cups stock
1/4 cup chopped pork
1 small head of garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
4 pieces tomatoes, sliced
2-3 cups water
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup malunggay leaves
Salt & pepper
Patis (fish sauce to taste)

Boil munggo beans in water until tender, strain and set aside. In a pot, heat oil and saute the chopped pork until light brown. Add garlic, onion, and tomatoes. Add in munggo and stock and let simmer. Season with salt & pepper and patis. Add in the malunggay. Serve hot.

RUTHER'S BIRTHDAY

Yesterday was Ruther's birthday.

I already greeted him with a kiss the night before (we slept at 12am). So I hoped I was the first one to greet him. Anyway, we had plans to go to Batangas (a city south of Manila) for his birthday as a family trip so I woke up early yesterday. I made some french toast with hotdogs on the side for my sweetie. I hope he liked it.

We left the house around 8am and reached Batangas at 10. Mama and Papa came with us and it was nice for the family to get together before Ruther leaves on Monday. I thought that the trip was going to take 3 hours (based on our map) but because of a new tollway constructed in Batangas, we had a pretty smooth trip. We went to this place called Bluroze Farms, Parks and Wildlife and it was our first time there. It was a lovely place. There were animals like ostriches and peacocks and even a huge snake (penned, of course), camping sites, a garden for meditation (garden of saints and way of the cross), cottages (for overnight guests), a pavilion (for weddings and parties, a playground, an area for company trainings, a family garden resthouse and pool (for reservations only), a chapel, an RC racetrack, function rooms, a huge maze, a restaurant and dining hall and a prayer cave. The boys had a lot of fun at the playground and these tire swings that were tied to coconut trees. Mama enjoyed the garden of saints and the way of the cross. She really loved the place and I was glad because it was our first time there and I wanted everyone to have fun. Me, I loved everything and the fact that I was with my family. I was also happy that everyone appreciated the place because well, it was my idea that we go there (I just looked it up in the internet).

The entrance fee was only P80. But they also had the day trip rates which was: P110 (entrance + snacks), P125 (entrance + regular meal) and P150 (entrance plus sizzling meal). When we had lunch, it rained hard and I was worried that that was going to ruin our day but fortunately, the sun came out and we continued with the fun until we had to leave at 3pm (to avoid the traffic). We were home by 5pm and after settling down a bit, I took Ruther's photo with his birthday cake. I didn't tell him that I was going to get him a birthday cake so he was pretty surprised to see it on the table. I got him a 12x16, mocha-flavored cake with a badminton design. Ethan was delighted to see the birthday cake. He loves to blow out the candles. Anyway, we also had some spaghetti so it was all right. I gave Ruther a couple of boxers as my present for him. I know it sounds a bit tacky, but hello, stay-at-home mom here and I wanted to give him something he could use while he was in Japan. I also could not get him something heavy because he'll be bringing a lot of stuff with him.

It was a fun day and Ruther (and everyone) had fun and that's all that mattered. This at least will be another fun memory to remember once my sweetie is away.

FRENCH TOAST

1 C milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
8 pcs sliced bread or medium-sized pandesal, halved
4 tbsp butter

Beat together the milk, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Dip the bread in the milk mixture, coating well. Heat the butter in a skillet and cook the bread over medium heat, about 2 minutes for each side, or until golden brown. Serve with pancake syrup or bottled maple syrup.

PHOTOS FROM MEDICAL EXAM

This medical center is located near Ruther's office in Alabang. It was our first time to have our physical examination there but everyone was nice and more importantly, there was no long waiting lines.

I was surprised to find out that Nikki was lighter than Ethan. That kind of bothered me but I am checking his food intake frequently so I hope that will change soon...

Nikki was very brave although he did complain when the needle went in. But he tried to stay as still as possible and did not cry. I was so proud of him. =D

Ethan pretends to give Nikki a shot with his toy syringe. He doesn't realize that it will be his turn soon...

Nikki and the doctor. He was quite cooperative during the physical exam.