More Space for the Newlyweds’ New Present

My newlywed brother called us yesterday to inform us that they got a new flat screen television from his mother-in-law. Karen’s mom is now based in New Jersey and wasn’t able to witness their civil wedding last month. In a way, they were able to witness the event through Skype. See how new age technology can touch people’s lives?

But my brother is now searching for a TV wall mount. He’s always preferred a wall mount to save space in the bedroom, even when he was still a bachelor; you know how messy guys’ rooms can be. He mentioned that he’d been browsing the internet yesterday for TV wall mounts but was yet to find the one that he liked and that fit his budget.

I know you’ll see one soon, bro'. Just be patient. And you know what? I’m kind of jealous about your flat screen TV. Wish I could have one too. Maybe when I get married next year my Big Angel will get me one. Hee hee.

All I Want For Christmas Is...

...“no more lives torn apart, that wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts. And everyone would have a friend, and right would always win, and love would never end. This is my grown up Christmas list...”

I was doing my usual blogging stuff in my dad’s office when I heard this song being sung on a variety show on television in the adjacent room where my mom was watching. I sang along while thinking about my Christmas wishlist. Over the years since I was in college there have been the same things on my list, material wise. And on top of that list is a laptop. I’ve tried saving for it but due to unavoidable circumstances, I've had to prioritize things and use some of the money in a frugal way and take care of responsibilities.

But if ever the time comes that my finances allow me to pamper myself, I would definitely think of choosing from a selection of refurbished laptops. They're sold at quite a reasonable price. Still, I do wonder when that wish of mine will be granted. Who knows? Maybe I'll win the lottery! Then, it is again the holiday season. Maybe someone will make that wish of mine come true this Christmas. (Hint-hint to my Big Angel) *wink* (",)

In the meantime, though, I will hold onto those grown-up wishes in the song, for those are the most important things that anyone could ever hope for.

Good Food and Good Friends: A Wonderful Combination!

My BA’s 16-day vacation here was filled with good food which made both of us gain weight. By the time he left to go home, my once-flat belly was bulging and my arms were bigger as compared to before he came. But no problem; 'tis nothing to fret about; if I keep gaining weight since my appetite has been good lately, I’ll just get myself a Kettlebell and problem solved.

We sampled so many different cuisines in the abundance of restaurants here in my city, but being a pasta lover which is just one of the many things that my BA and I have in common, we made sure that we shared pasta together though we never really planned what day it would be until that Saturday afternoon. And at that, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. We were just hanging out in his hotel room when we thought of having a snack. We were too lazy to go out so he called room service and ordered a plate of pasta for each of us. I had Fettuccine Cream Sauce (mixture of Shiitake mushrooms, bacon and white sauce) and he had Linguini Alla Gambiriti (a mixture of shrimp, black olives, tomatoes, olive oil and basil). Both were delish as you can see in the pictures. I’m actually drooling now just staring at it. I wonder when will be the next time my BA and I will share pasta again. Yes, I am continually daydreaming of the time we'll be together again to share not only pasta, but our lives...(",)

Linguini Alla Gambiriti

Fettuccine Cream Sauce

An Odyssey to Paradise

That's what my BA called his trip here to meet me, an odyssey, and while here for 16 days he said he felt as if he was in paradise. And in three more days will mark the three-month anniversary of his touching down in my city for the first time after a 28 hour trip from halfway around the world, of which he spent over twenty hours in the air on planes. He set foot on our city’s soil on the 23rd of August, and the moment we first met is still very vivid to me. I went to his hotel to meet him, and seeing him for the first time at the lounge clad in his favorite rugged traveling attire with his Kipling backpack hanging over his right shoulder, I was filled with happiness. For sure, my eyes twinkled and glowed for I felt joy in seeing him for real.

Does it sound like I terribly miss him? Yes, I definitely do. Being in a long distance relationship is not at all easy but as they say, patience is a virtue and knowing that someone is waiting for me at the end of the road gives me hope and direction. I know we’ll be together soon, and I just have to hold on and believe that what we have is meant to be.

All About Beauty

Articles about beauty interests me and I think most women do. So when I saw the newest beauty handbook that mom bought, I checked it instantly. I haven't read the whole handbook yet, though, I know I'll be able to finish it in a day if I really want to. But anyway, here's one article that I wanted to share with you. It's definitely true so read on.

Beauty is not skin deep. It is a culmination of many factors - the way you look, how you carry yourself and also as to how important you feel.

Face is the index of the mind and reflects your inner thoughts. Depression, greed, contentment or happiness are eventually reflected through your face and body language.

Beauty can be defined as a quality which gives one pleasure on sight.

Nature may have been generous with her gifts, but have you enhanced your individual attraction. Beauty is not about your tiny waist or height or your hair - beauty and health are interwoven.

Nobody is perfect. There is no vanity in looking after yourself. A healthy diet and personal hygiene should be a part of your daily routine. A good posture, a radiant face and a confident approach attracts everyone.

An Accountant You Can Count On

Trustworthy, competent and diligent are just some of the qualities that people look for in regard to the accountants that they entrust their financial issues to. I am aware of that because that’s the qualities that we searched for when we started our business several years ago. Businesses revolve around money, the most important factor that determines whether a business will either be a success, thrive and survive, or go kaput and bankrupt.

Choosing the accountants who possess those qualities can be difficult, especially considering the number of accounting firms vying for your business. The secret to choosing the right one to entrust your money to is to find an established name that has a good reputation and gives genuine service to their clients. And one firm known for such qualities is the Las Vegas accounting firm, Kondler CPA. They have been trusted by many, the reason why they have become a respected leader in the financial accounting world. So don’t take any chances with your hard-earned money. Put it in the hands of those who will treat it as their own.

Bro's Birthday Cakes

These were his cakes when he celebrated his 35th birthday two months ago. Ooops! Sorry for divulging the age. Hehe. I bought the first cake and it says there, "Happy Birthday Tito Wing from Yogi and Nikko." And the second cake is a gift from his wife, Karen that she bought from Goldilocks. I so love sweets and just looking at these cakes again make me drool.

Chocolate Mousse... My favorite!

Rocky Road... from Karen

Win With Wii!

It's been my son Yogi’s dream to have a Nintendo Wii since his cousin got one. I was thinking of buying him one this Christmas but I am still hesitating because knowing him, he would want to skip his afternoon naps so he could play. He’s already addicted to computer games on Facebook and if I buy him a Nintendo Wii, he’d probably try to skip meals, too.

But, I feel that everything can be worked out with a compromise. I’ll get him one if he’ll promise to be a good li'l boy and take his afternoon naps on time and come to the table when food is served without me having to tell him more than once. It will be a nice gift to give him this Christmas, and if he breaks his promise and doesn't keep his end of the deal, then it’ll be mommy who will be playing with the Wii. So either way, mommy will be the winner, as always.

Hamburger and French Fries

My son Yogi's favorite snack. He would even prefer this over rice with viand during meal time. This was actually the only food that he ordered whenever we're out the whole time my BA was here. And they get along when it comes to it since it's also BA's favorite food. (",)

Just the other day, he asked for a hamburger from Jollibee again. He was sick so I gave what he asked plus spaghetti and french fries too. He was all smiles upon seeing the food. And the next day? His fever was gone. Nah, just kidding! It wasn't because of the food, okay? Hehe.

Tick, Tock, Goes the Clock, and it's...

...only thirty six more days to go and that magic day will arrive: Christmas! Time flies so fast. It seems as if it was only yesterday when we exchanged gifts here at home, and now, everybody can hardly wait for that moment to arrive again. Seeing the kids with their eyes all aglow while opening their presents never fails to put a smile on my face. And even the simplest gift can warm a heart and bring smiles.

I am always looking forward to the holidays because it’s my favorite time of the year, and most especially this Christmas because it will be different for me this year. It will be more joyful and warmer because of the simple reason that I now have my fiancé as an addition to the list of people that I will buy gifts for. And speaking of tick tock, I already have an idea of what to give him – a Timex Camper, simply perfect for the rugged, hard-working man he is. I’m sure he’ll love it. I get giddy whenever I think of him opening up my present and seeing his eyes aglow just like a kid. Knowing him the way I do, they will glow for sure because he's just a big kid at heart. (“,)

Say Cheese!!!

I can be cheesy at times, and so can my fiance’; that’s why we both love cheese. LOL. Just kidding! Seriously, cheese is one of the many foods that I really love to eat, as well as my son and fiance’, both. It’s the sandwich spread that we prefer above all and cheese is always present on my macaroni salad or fruit salad. I’m always on the look out actually for cheese recipes to add to the many cheese recipes that I already have.

Have you tried putting cheese on Adobo? I haven’t and it’s one of the many things that I found interesting when I visited SarapNgBuhay.com. Not only that, they have a lot of other cheese recipes on the site, many of which were contributed by cheese-loving individuals like me. The pictures below are just some of those mouth-watering recipes that I’ve seen. I did contribute one of my recipes which is a “Cheese Omelet.” You may check the site for the recipe and perhaps share your cheese recipes too.

Kraft Eden, one of the world’s best known makers of cheese, is having an event on December 14, 2009 entitled “Breaking the World Record” and their goal is to generate as many cheese recipes as they can, so let's help break the world record. Share your cheese recipe and let’s make it an unqualified, successful and cheesy event.

Blog Pro or Newbie, This May Be the Answer to Your Needs

As always, I keep my eyes and ears open in regard to ways of improving my success as a blog writer. And one of the most important facets of owning a blog is that it be accessible and easily found when people search the World Wide Web. The best way to assure that is to belong to a professional and quality site that is dedicated to blog web hosting.

Though happy with my current host situation, I’m always doing research on other possibilities, and recently while browsing the net I came across JustHost.com. There you’ll find anything you would ever need to help you do your blogging. You can sign up and register up to three blogs for a very reasonable price. Included with your membership you’ll find many wonderful tools. New users can take advantage of 1-click installs of current, up-to-date applications that make even the not-so-savvy techie look like an expert. They have a fantastic Learning Center to answer your questions; a Host Directory; and a listing of the Best Hosts in 2009. Also offered is 24 hour support (7 Days a week), an anytime money back guarantee, a free domain name, and unlimited web space.

So why wait? Check it out and see what you just might be missing. I’ll certainly be looking closer at this and my situation.

Binagoongang Baboy Again

My last din din with my BA before he left the next day. We had this at the hotel lounge. He just had pasta so I had this all for myself. I'm not a big eater so I brought home my leftovers. It's yummy though I would prefer something without the sauce. The drier the better. Hehe.

To those who doesn't know, this is pork (baboy) with shrimp paste (Bagoong) and you should try it because it's really delish.

"It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year..."

...and “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire”… I’ve been hearing these songs on the radio lately and they're definitely a couple of my all-time favorite Christmas songs. That being said, it can’t be denied that Christmas is definitely in the air. It is my favorite time of the year for its spirit brings us joy and happiness despite the bad economic news and all the other problems facing the world.

Nevertheless, that won’t stop us from having a merry Christmas for we can still shop for affordable gifts for our loved ones this holiday season, and that includes the popular $8 Prescription Zenni Glasses from Zenni Optical. They have new arrivals, so you better check them out before they run out because I know a lot of people who would love to get a pair as a gift. Well, you really can’t blame them for those Holiday fun eyeglasses are definitely a must-have item this time of the year. Have a Merry Christmas one and all!

Spicy Chicken Wings and Hungarian Sausage

I can still remember the day when my BA and I had these. It was on a Friday and we both couldn't decide where to eat because we've almost eaten to almost all the restaurants in the city. That was the time too wherein I was starstruck with a Filipino actor whom we saw and had our picture taken at the hotel's lobby. That's probably why I couldn't decide where to go because I got all tensed up meeting the actor. LOL.

Anyway, after much thinking, I just brought BA to the pizza resto located at the hotel's arcade - Giacomino's Pizza. I like their Hungarian Sausage a lot so it's what I ordered. BA couldn't decide whether he'll have pasta or have something that has rice in it and as you can see in the picture, he decided to have Spicy Chicken Wings with rice. I wasn't able to finish my sausage because I was already full so BA finished it for me. (",)

BA's Spicy Chicken Wings

My Hungarian Sausage with Yellow Rice and a cutie mixture of corn and carrot side dish.