Cravings of the Newlyweds

The Breastfeeding Family

2011-11-25T13:35:00.001+09:00

supplier, consumer and the cheerleader or let me say the supporter..

Breastfeeding, a journey, an everyday learning process, a sacrifice for both parents but most especially to the mom, but all in all its a priceless gift wrapped with love and joy.

Before getting the hang of it, its a challenge for me every day, every hour and every demand of lil boy. And yes for the first 2 weeks I pumped till my hands get numbed, just to make sure i have enough supply for the next hour or so, he's still learning to latch at that time. And to increase and established my milk supply i ate lots of soup and pump pump pump, from half oz, to 1 oz till i got that 4 oz per pump was really one of the blessed moments in my life. Raine learned to latch properly at 3 weeks, from then on till today I exclusively direct feed him.

I also experience an oversupply of milk and an almost empty breast for the hungry baby, the sore nipples, and the pain that goes with it that makes me shed a tear for the first two months of breastfeeding, thinking this too shall pass. Sleepless nights, feeding every hour or every 30 mins without the burping time, all in, there's no more time to sleep, again this to shall pass. The truth is, it's not easy to breastfeed but its all worth it.

Our breastfeeding journey continues with the support of my family, my husband and of course the free milk supply as a blessing from the Lord. And through this everyday journey I learned not only to value each drop of milk but breastfeeding is not only a choice but an obligation not only for the mom but for the dad also. Without my husband support and cheer, I wouldn't withstand those painful, no sleep and no rest days/nights. Taking breastfeeding as an obligation we (hubby and I) make sure we supply enough milk for Raine, with that comes lactation massage, vitamins, healthy food and reading researches, and yes who says it's simple and easy. and so, kudos to all the breastfeeding couples

What makes it worthy? its priceless (yeah free milk supply=savings) kidding aside its really priceless = healthy and happy baby= happy mom and dad= happy and blessed family! I guess I'll have another post about the joy of breastfeeding...

P.S I'm breastfeeding Raine while typing this..

Happy Baby.. Happy Mommy and Daddy!

2011-11-17T21:56:00.001+09:00

Raine just woke up and as always he smiles at us... yeah first thing he does after opening his eyes..

what's new? we're back in Japan and a lot of blogging to do but I'm a busy mom and wife, hope to be back soon....

Our Patutty- Raine

2011-08-17T15:17:00.000+09:00

Hi everyone my name is Raine Keistofer (from katherine mei and christopher). Mom and Dad is too busy taking care of me..I was born last June 29 at 11:44am via cesarean section, dad was there to witness it all (yeah, every process you couldnt imagine, dad was brave enough to capture it all).. Mom will do another post for our birthing story.. and oh..I'm a breastfed baby, yum yum!

Pako Salad

2011-06-17T00:57:00.000+09:00

Mom's Pako Salad

Since we are here in the Philippines and now living with my parents until baby pops out, mom do all the cooking while me and the little one do all the eating. My mom and my sister loves eating pako salad, I never bothered to try one back then (years ago), and now that I am pregnant I challenged myself to eat more veggies so I took a bite and was surprised, yummy indeed! After dipping the cut ferns to a boiling water (for a few seconds), then to an ice-bath, Mom added fresh tomatoes, red onion, calamansi juice, fish sauce and sesame oil, oh and some pepper and that's it! You can also add salted egg on it. the salad goes well with fried fish or pork, its crispy, sweet, spicy and sour taste compliments, and makes me crave for it!. And guess what, one bundle of pako costs only P10 (20yen) and its good for 2-3 persons (actually good for me and patutty!). Now, I want some pako salad!

Happy Food Trip Friday Everyone!

Double S Pasta: Spinach Fettuccine and Salmon

2011-06-12T18:02:00.001+09:00

The Double S pasta! tomato or cream? nah, will use oil.. so oil it is.. As mentioned above we used spinach fettuccine and canned pink salmon, lots of garlic and olive oil, salt and pepper and of course basil leaves. I rarely cook these days for my mom do it for me, and because I can't take long period of standing in front of our stove. Due to some interruptions earlier, I took charge of cooking. How I miss cooking for my hubby and those times he cooks for me. Soon we'll be cooking for our little boy too.. yey!

PotatoChip Chocolate

2011-06-10T15:15:00.002+09:00

While waiting for our boarding (narita-naia), hubby and I did some shopping, extra pasalubong and chicha. We grabbed a few boxes of mochi, wine and for our snack the royce potatochip chocolate.. Though I only ate a few pieces, controlling may sugar intake,it still feels good having a bite of this remarkably nice snack. yum!

Our recent cravings are not much into food, more on baby's needs, excited for baby's arrival! yey!

Happy Food Trip Friday!

Patutty: Shopping Basket # 1

2011-06-06T21:45:00.000+09:00

Hubby and I decided, actually wants all white for our newborn baby (for his first few weeks or so)..We bought plain white tie side shirts, onesies, frog suits, bibs and added a few kaartehan to make it more unique and cute (at least for us), turned out to be a semi DIY apparel and we love it to bits..for now here are some of them..

32 weeks: We Miss you Dadad!

2011-05-30T17:37:00.002+09:00

BAD blogger? nah! Ive been wanting to post for a couple of days now, but i can't log in to my blogger account, ive tried hundred of times, maybe fifty, ok ok twenty, but to no avail, anyway Im here now excited for my new post..

Few more weeks...and our little one is coming out..few more weeks and hubby's coming home, yey! excited much. I miss my husband so much, kahit my skype. Patutty misses his dad too, he kicks whenever he hears his voice..And with few more weeks to go, we still haven't decided what name shall we call our little bundle of joy..we'll figure it out soon, hopefully before the big day comes..

checking baby names...

Before you touch, please wash your hands!!

We miss you Dadad! hug hug hug!

Little One

2011-05-12T16:32:00.000+09:00

At last! I got the chance and the will to blog again. Me and our little one is here in the Philippines, waiting for the 'd moment. And hubby is back in Japan last Monday. Im currently on bed rest for contraction reasons, nahabol ata si baby sa dadad nya. I miss my husband so much, and I bet patutty too misses his dadad, for he kicks everytime he hears his dadad's voice. Im counting the days that we can be together again, 44 more days.. but one day seems so long. arrgh! I hate this feeling, but for our little boy we can pull this off. then again, i terribly miss hubby! waaaahhh! Anyway, would like to share our baby's 3D images. check out one photo of patutty doing the "peace" sign, made in Japan daw kasi cia!

Meatballs in Sweet and Sour Sauce

2011-04-12T15:05:00.002+09:00

pure beef, salt & pepper, green bell pepper, carrots, onion, soysauce, vinegar, sugar, mirin and lil water

It`s kinda hard to blog these days, not because I`m too lazy to do so. Hay... We are still experiencing aftershocks, and radation problem isn`t over yet. Although radiation reading in our place seems decreasing, still as long as they haven`t resolve the nuclear plant problem we can`t be at peace. It saddens me to know that they already raised the nuclear accident level to a maximum, which is level 7 same as Chernobyl disaster way back 1986. We`ll be going to the Philippines next week, need to fly months before giving birth to patutty, but hubby will be back here after 2 weeks, and that troubles me. Not only because I will miss him, and surely patutty will but because radiation threat isn`t getting any better. He`ll be back before patutty`s arrival, but then how I wish for us not to be apart.. : (

Hot Pot!

2011-04-01T14:54:00.000+09:00

Hot pot (nabe)-daishi soup with assorted veggies, sliced pork and tofu

I was blogging about this and making kwento about patutty`s gender when the earthquake hits. This was supposedly an entry for March 11 on Food Trip Friday, but what happened then was really terrifying that it took me weeks to blog again. Anyway, we are doing fine, limited drinking water in the market, radiation readings in water, air and crops, but we are still ok, knowing God will never forsake us.

Will have our monthly check-up tomorrow, excited to see our little one after four weeks, yay!

Happy Food Trip Friday!

Our Patutty is a ________!

2011-03-26T18:16:00.000+09:00

I was making an entry about our little one`s gender when our place got struck by an Earthquake, yes last March 11, see previous post for the story.. Anyway, our patutty is a BOY! yipee! Here`s my patutty at 23 weeks!

Our Story: The March 11 Earthquake

2011-03-22T14:57:00.002+09:00

Last March 11, at around 2:44 pm, I`m starting to write a blog for my entry in Food Trip Friday, then suddenly i felt our house was shaking. Positively thinking that it`s just another ordinary earthquake ( we usually experience strong quakes here), i kept my calm and continue typing, but then after a few seconds the quake gets more stronger and meaner, the whole house seems swaying this time, I went out at the kitchen and saw our plates and other things got disoriented, I still waited for another seconds but it keeps on getting stronger, I went outside and saw people getting off their houses too, company buildings swaying in front of my eyes. I`m so scared that I couldn`t help but cry, I`m alone, hubby is at work and I`m pregnant. After a minute or two the quake stopped. I went inside, called my mom thru skype and before she can even answer it, another quake comes, still that strong that I didn`t think of anything but to go outside. The afershocks, strong aftershocks, continue.. every minute, every seconds, every hour... hubby came home few minutes after the first strong quake to check on me, I was crying and he calms me down. he went back to work assuring me that its all over, just after a few minutes another quake hit our place, i couldn`t recall how many times I went outside, my tummy was hurting, im freezing (winter here), and the strong wind seems blowing me to another direction. The whole time its happening Im with my mom and dad thru skype, calming and praying for me. I didn`t opened the television to get updates because I need to get out of the house every now and then. I only get to know that there was a tsunami and how bad the earthquake was through them watching news. Luckily our place is far from any body of water. I got dizzy with all the aftershocks we experience till night, and yes we can`t barely sleep.

After a day, aftershocks are still taking place, adding to that nuclear plant becomes unstable, limited food supply in the market especially drinking water, gas stations are closed, scheduled blackout, etc.. We packed some necessary stuffs and documents and placed it near or doorsteps, preparing ourselves, worst comes to worst.

Hubby needs to go to different grocery stores just to fill our pantry with food and water, even if it means biking with 9m/s wind going against your direction, even if it is kilometers and hours of biking, he doesn`t care as long as we have enough food supply.

And now, our air and water have radiation readings, we don`t use our air conditioning unit even if its too cold, hubby needs to use mask when going to work, we use mineral water to wash our veggies, cook our foods and even in washing our teeth, though the radiation level is way below health threat its never too wrong to be cautious, especially that I`m carrying our first baby.

On going home... as I`ve always said, if in a blink of an eye we are home, why not! But its not that easy. During those terrifying week, bridges here are closed, transportation are that hard and impossible, aftershocks were taking place every minute and every hour. now tell me how to go to the airport 4 hours away from our place? Week before the earthquake we already purchased our plane ticket for April because I`ll be giving birth in the Philippines, and now we are trying to rebook our flight to an earlier date but as per the travel agency, we have to cancel our flight and book for another flight. Going home is an option of course, but we cant just go home in a snap, if only we can why not! We are currently monitoring the radiation readings in our place, if this week seems to worsen, will get another flight back home even if it means paying another $$$$ for a new ticket.

All we can do now is pray that all these will come to an end and be cautious at all time.

After all these, we are still thankful and grateful to the Lord for keeping us safe in his arms..

Clams and Spinach

2011-03-03T20:37:00.002+09:00

clams in ginger soup with spinach!

The lazy me can`t even spare some time to post one blog in a week, I`m always sleepy! Maybe because, putol-putol ang sleep ko, I need to eat for my hungry tummy once in a while, midnight and early morning, either 3:30am or 4:00am or super early like 2:30 am, like last night! Happy part is, patutty is always kicking, just like now! We`ll get to see patutty this coming Saturday, hopefully we can see if our super kicker is a patutoy (boy) or pachuchay (girl), not only we are excited to know, we are excited to go shopping! Oh we are on our 20th week!

Pork and Pinya

2011-02-18T15:35:00.000+09:00

Hubby wants hamonado, and I want one too, so I asked him to buy pork and pineapple. Too much excitement for cooking hamonado, absent mindedly mali cut ko ng pork! cutey naging ka size cia ng pineapple. hubby was laughing, seeing what I have done with pork. But then again, its the taste that counts!

Want a Slice?

2011-02-10T16:48:00.001+09:00

One large thin crust pizza!

Want some?

Green Mango I love!

2011-02-03T15:58:00.003+09:00

ahhhh! for the love of manga and to end my cravings we ordered green mangoes online, since philippine mango is out of stock we got thailand mango. Oh, i love it, it`s like giant piko na mura. I want kasi na maputi and walang pang buto (don`t know if the term is right), but thats how I always describe my perfect manga, puti pa at wala pang buto (natutuklap pa cia). Hay, I want another batch of mangoes kaso its too pricey! wants to go home and eat all mangoes I want!

Iwashi: Sardine

2011-01-29T15:33:00.002+09:00

Don`t want to end this week without any post, so here it is our fried iwashi. Been craving for galunggong, so we tried frying some iwashi or sardine, paired it with steamed veggies, some fresh tomatoes and for the dipping sauce hubby wants soysauce with lemon, as for me its garlic with vinegar.. ahh..love it! Such simple dish reminds us how it feels like to be home. I miss my yummy hubby, working saturday for him, hayzz I hate working saturdays! Next saturday will be another working one! hmp!

Sweet and Sour Salmon

2011-01-21T14:21:00.000+09:00

Hay, I couldn`t update this blog as often as before, for reasons that pregnant women may know. whew! Couldn`t recall the time I cooked this dish, I still cook for lunch but I rarely take photo of them na, why? don`t have time to do that. Before getting pregnant I usually start my cooking at 11am, plenty of time to prepare and have some photo ops.. but now, i`d rather stay in bed after hubby leaves for work and get up to cook at around 11:30 or sometimes 11:45. dragging myself to prepare a decent lunch.. and I still do..but no more picture picture! another whew! Hubby prepares our breakfast and dinner, lucky lucky me..

For the dish, we fried the salmon until crispy.. then cooked the sauce in a separate pan, ketchup, soysauce, vinegar, water, sugar, salt and green bell pepper.. a little pineapple juice would be also nice, but instead of adding some pineapple tidbits, I ate them fresh. oh well. that`s it for now..

happy Food Trip Friday!

Big Burger

2011-01-10T15:55:00.002+09:00

sorry, i had a bite na, super gigil na sa burger!

Im craving for Big Mac! for reasons that we avoid eating at fast food chains because of baby patutty we decided to make one ourselves, only that instead of using sesame bun we used English muffin, but I don`t mind I love how juicy our homemade patty and how fresh those veggies! Hmm..you bet how we enjoyed the burger, love love it! the taste? tasted perfectly like the one I crave! waahhahaha!

English muffin, ground beef, lettuce, pickles, onions, cheese and dressing....

happy foodtrip!

Wanton Soup

2011-01-07T14:29:00.000+09:00

At last! whew! I`ve been tyring to post yesterday but it seems tampo ang blogger ayaw mag open, anyway its really been awhile. I have lots of cravings to post but couldn`t find the energy to do so. If I`m not sleeping, I`m wide awake and eating. Hungry every 2 hours, sleepy, lazy and pampered all day, yay! Will visit the doctor tomorrow for pattuty`s checkup, yey! For the soup, hubby made siomai and the left over siomai turned into wanton soup added pechay and carrots, simmered in chicken broth.

Noche Buena

2010-12-29T15:40:00.000+09:00

We started preparing for our Noche Buena at around 830pm, cooked and Pinoy style spaghetti and crispy chicken, we also had ham , fries and buttered corn and carrots. Hubby ordered chocolate mousse at La Bettola two weeks before Christmas! It was a yummy feast, excited for new year`s eve!

A Blessed Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T02:23:00.000+09:00

Pan Grilled BBQ

2010-12-21T15:26:00.000+09:00

Pan grilled BBQ spare ribs with corn and carrots

It`s been a week since our last post, tons of pending cravings to share..hay.. We are on our 10th week today, looks busog pa lang cia.. Hubby would always talk to our baby, rest his ears on my tummy for he wants to hear baby`s heartbeat. He`d prepare our breakfast and dinner,not to mention my 2nd dinner, and my milk at night, do the dishes, wash the clothes and clean the house.. basically everything that I am doing before, lucky to have a husband like him. We`re excited to visit the doctor after two more weeks, would love to see our baby again..

For the dish, its pan grilled used regular yakiniku sauce for that smokey bbq flavor.. i love our new pan, need not have to use that huge and heavy grilling plate, at my stage i need to do everything as easy as possible for I feel nauseated every minute........................and here it goes again.. so bye now!

Sorry Broccoli!

2010-12-15T15:19:00.000+09:00

Yay! i`m back again, we heard baby`s heartbeat last Saturday yey! I couldn`t explain how I felt during that moment, beyond being happy that indeed I am pregnant. anyway, i cooked beef and brocolli with yakiniku sauce and look what i did with my broccoli, yup i chopped it off for I couldn`t stand the taste of chewing whole broccoli florets and because I need to eat veggies, theres no other way for me to eat those so I chop chop chop! Well, hubby wasn`t surprise at all after seeing the dish, guess he knows I did it for love!

thinly sliced beef and broccoli in yakiniku sauce

Pan-grilled Salmon

2010-12-10T16:31:00.000+09:00

dash of salt,pepper, rosemary and a squeeze of lemon!

Sayang didn`t have a photo when its was sliced, a beautiful peachy/pinky salmon meat.. anyway, ill cook another salmon and will take note of that.. Also cooked bean sprouts in soysauce, mirin, sugar and salt ,pepper. I rarely cook nakakapagod meals or with one that requires sauteeing, hate the smell of onions..again part of being preggy.

Hungry..Happy and Pretty este Preggy!

2010-12-08T14:26:00.001+09:00

thinly sliced pork with spinach, carrots and spring onions in sweet spicy sauce

Glad to be blogging again, whew! Was really not feeling well the past few days, well as of the moment I`m still a bit nauseated. Morning Sickness? actually its an all day sickness and it strikes me more during night time, luckily I have a sweet and comforting husband at my side, and not to mention that I never mind feeling all those things for I know there`s a growing baby inside. I could eat normally this week, but then after a while ill just throw it up, there`s no particular food I want or have in mind or go gaga for. Just when I know hubby`s coming home and would ask me what I want for dinner thats the time for me to start thinking. I`m always hungry.. always wants seeing and hugging my husband well I always do but nakakagigil siya now, ahaha! A bulge is starting to show, looking more preggy everyday.

Oh really don`t know what to call the dish I made a few days ago.. all i know is that its healthy.. ahaha!

Pork Kilawin

2010-12-02T14:42:00.000+09:00

radish, pork, garlic, onion, vinegar, salt/patis, pepper, sugar and little water

Cooked two versions of pork kilawin, the first was experimental and the other was per my mom`s recipe.. both are yummy, but mom`s recipe is better than mine.. anyway. its hubby`s idea to have pork kilawin to consume those gigantic radish we have, its been more than a year since we had one so its not really a bad idea. now I`m thinking to have another bowl of it with steaming rice.. ahh.. im always hungry!

Adobong Pusit with spinach

2010-12-01T21:19:00.000+09:00

Hubby saw mini pusit and bought a pack for he wants adobong pusit, he cleaned the pusit with no clue where those ink are, and yes, he cleaned everything including the ink.. well I have no clue either, its our first time to cook adobong pusit. back home, my mom used to cook one for us but she rarely used squid`s ink, so I really don`t care if the ink are gone, plus it looks less scarier without the ink, for the sauce would literally turn black. Anyway, for the reason that I need to consume veggies every meal, I added spinach and yes clean plate after.

Oh, I sauteed garlic, onion and tomatoes, added a little water, soysauce, salt, pepper and a little vinegar, bring to a boil then the pusit. simmer until its tender, then the spinach. now I`m off to bed!

Petchay and Tokwa

2010-11-30T14:02:00.000+09:00

hay, im back, after a week of laziness... Actually thinking of it, its not necessarily laziness, i couldn`t post any cravings, for i can`t tolerate looking at foodie pictures, feels like im about to throw up if ill stare at them for too long..Anyway, cooked ginisang pechay, but i added tofu and separately fried the pork, yeah there`s egg, didn`t used any chicken cubes for these.. just plain salt. ahh.. enough of that, im already at my 6th week, hmm, come saturday baby will be on its 7th week! yay!

Crab in Tomato Cream Pasta

2010-11-23T15:09:00.001+09:00

Hubby cooked crab in tomato cream pasta, yup, fresh tomatoes, and crabs.. he even got hurt while pulling the meat out of its shell.. anyway.. I`ve been too picky these days, really can`t decide what I like to eat, even my favorite dish wont appeal to me at all.. but its ok, because I`m preggy, yay!

We`re having a B-A-B-Y!

2010-11-20T19:05:00.000+09:00

see those lines?

Yes I`m officially Pregnant! Two pregnancy test last November 12 (11.12), we visited the doctor day after..to confirm through an ultrasound, and it seems it`s too early to see.. not that visible, 2.44mm.. so we are asked to be back today ( after a week) for another scan..and voila gestational sac is there with a size of 11mm or 1.1cm and that I am 5 weeks preggy! there goes all my abodo cravings! and all the laziness to post.. and that`s why hubby do almost everything!

Spinach in my Pork Adobo

2010-11-17T13:35:00.000+09:00

adobo sa asin with spinach!

Ahh.. another adobo sa asin! I know its my third post regarding the dish, but i can`t really resist my cravings. I want the smell of vinegar and garlic as it cooks.. and I want a simple dish every meal...hmm.. the only thing that differs are those spinach. Wanted to add veggie on my dish.. and so as soon as my adobo was done, i tossed some fresh spinach and cover it for another minute, stir it a bit and that`s it.. earlier I just cooked chicken adobo! waaa! well, its not always adobo, the week started with hubby doing most of the cooking, actually almost everything..

Can`t help it!

2010-11-13T17:30:00.000+09:00

Ahh, really can`t help it, I'm craving for another adobo sa asin...so again, I made one paired with garlic fried rice and made it a little spicy this time by adding chili flakes and more pepper.. yum yum! now, i m asking hubby to cook one for me.. waahh.. love love love!

White Adobo: Adobo sa Asin

2010-11-10T14:55:00.003+09:00

A fellow foodie blogger posted about adobo sa asin and suddenly I crave for my mom and lola`s adobo sa asin and voila, made some for lunch..asked my mom how to do it for I am not sure if ill be doing it right, well in a pot add the pork, salt, water, vinegar, pepper and lots of freshly smashed garlic and konting-konting soysauce (for color i guess), simmer until its almost drained or oil comes out from the pork.. though pork here are sold with not much fats on it, still fatty pork or not what important is the flavor..simply delicious.. yup! clean plate after.. hubby liked it too..guess next time ill make more servings..

Sweet Pinya

2010-11-09T15:34:00.002+09:00

Was doing my grocery when I saw Dole Pineapple, got that little pinya for 150yen. There`s a tag attached to it for cutting instructions..much easier compared on what we do in the Philippines, still didn`t followed it, cut it the usual pinoy way, its more cute really!

Anyway, today would have been a very productive day if not for that strong wind outside, couldn`t hang the clothes nor go for a grocery, so what else to do but to be bum the whole day.

Daing na Saba (mackerel)

2010-11-05T15:57:00.002+09:00

It looks tinapa, but its daing.. hehhe..missing my mom`s daing na bangus I thought of using saba fish (since that`s the only fish I like here, aside from sushi dishes) for my daing experiment, and yes it worked! marinated it with vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper for 24 hrs and fried it until golden brown.. love love love how it smelled while frying. Also tried making sinaing na saba.. wahahhaha.. for we crave for sinaing na tulingan..and it`s also yumyum, after turning it into sinaing i fried it..love it fried though..anyway, we love them with garlic-y fried rice and egg..oh.. we ate it with pickled cucumber (kimchi styled) and taku-an or pickled daikon (radish)..

Happy Food Trip Friday everyone!

Stolen and Found

2010-11-03T17:50:00.000+09:00

Happy coke in can..

you read it right, stolen and found..received a call from the police station early this morning and guess what, they found hubby`s bike..and now, we have 3 bikes! hubby bought a new one last Sunday.. we didnt expect for it to be returned to us so we opt to buy a new one, and yes just two days after purchasing the new bike, the stolen one is coming home few hours from now..

Busy Monday!

2010-11-01T19:45:00.001+09:00

garlic shrimp in sweet n` spicy sauce

I`m uber-ly tired, too much work load for today! thankfully I'm not making dinner, hubby will. and now, i don`t even know what to write..

It was a long week, since hubby worked last Saturday, we only have one day of rest, hoping this week to end soon! hubby bought another bicycle yesterday, yes another! reminding him to keep it locked even if its within our premises. oh boy, seems we always have a stash of cash to spend for that two wheeled thing, still positively thinking that the person who took it needs it more than we do. hayyzz..and have a good choice too, picked hubby`s bike instead of mine because its a lot pricier! we could have refunded the 60% of the bike`s actual price if it was stolen within 6 months after purchased, sadly... it was 7 months already!! hayyzz..now wishing.. thief took my bike instead and/or took it a month or two earlier!

on a lighter mood, dinner is almost ready! speaking of lighter...hoping the stuff I did today makes me a kilo lighter! sounds impossible?! ok then, lets make it a pound lighter!

Chicken-Tomato Spaghetti

2010-10-29T15:54:00.003+09:00

We haven`t had red pasta lately, so decided to cook one yesterday, used ground chicken, tomato, garlic,basil, chili flakes.. Parmesan cheese (lots of it)... actually, the usual. We ate it with crackers, for the verdict I`d like to add cream next time and try grilling chicken meat instead of using ground chicken meat.. Anyway, was alone earlier for lunch, so I didn't bother to tire myself cooking a decent meal. Hubby took an exam for a drivers` license, he was out at around 630 am, woke up to prepare a beef fried rice for our breakfast. He passed the exam so he needs to stay there the rest of the afternoon for the training, he promised to treat me at Zacks`s Steak Resto if ever he`ll passed it, and yes, Im now looking forward for it yay! Oh we ate the blueberry cheesecake while studying for his exam, and sadly forgot to take a photo of it..

Chocolate Chiffon

2010-10-27T18:56:00.001+09:00

It`s freaking cold really need to turn the heater on..can`t hardly move my fingers.. here`s a slice of the chiffon cake im talking about, we bought it last Sunday together with those French macaroons. and now, while typing this entry hubby handed over his pasalubong, another cake! yay! seems i can`t stop posting about sweets, he got me blueberry cheesecake, then I told him Im freezing and he says "exercise mo yan, mawawala yan" well, those cakes are the suhol, so off to go, need to pay the cake!

SteakyMia and Kimchi Fried Rice

2010-10-26T15:55:00.000+09:00

"Mia" is my real nickname, it was changed to "Mei" because its my second name and that`s what my teachers used to call me, so my classmates followed.. still I am "Mia" to people really close to my heart. And yes, when hubby makes kwento about me to his friends he used "Mia" instead of "Mei", but now he prefers "misis" (Mrs.) instead of my nickname.. cute and sweet don`t you think? ah.. anyway.. I bought a pack of thinly sliced beef, cooked it with a steak sauce. Saute garlic and onion over medium heat, add beef , simmer until its cook, added 4 to 6 tbsp of ready-made steak sauce, from one of our fave steak resto, a pinch of pepper and garlic bits and its done! Also prepared kimchi fried rice to pair with it..how? actually there`s a variety of flavored seasoning for fried rice here, all you need to do is add egg or pork/beef bits into it. We usually made our own special fried rice as shared before, these one`s for a quick and easy lunch meal.

French Macaroons

2010-10-25T19:18:00.003+09:00

choco and strawberry YUM

Been out for a couple of days and I guess you know why... yes! its getting colder so I`m getting lazier, actually was busy last Friday, our friends came over, prepared some dish, get a little drunk and without any clue hubby`s bicycle was stolen, then Saturday...hmm, we woke up late, hubby went to the police station to report the incident, ended the day with a movie. Yesterday, we went out for a date, we ate at our fave Italian resto, bought our fave mochi, and another slice of chocolate chiffon cake and grab a few french macaroons..it was a yummy day! And that reminds me that I'm wolfing a lot of sweets lately...so i better be going and start sweating before it adds another inch to my cheek, my chin and my hips! sigh!

Strawberry and Chocolatey Cakey!

2010-10-21T15:05:00.000+09:00

It`s tempting!

Really tempting!

But I can`t have one.. big sigh! We just had one the other day and I can`t request for another today, not healthy if I`ll always give in to my cravings plus the thought of adding extra calories to burn, thanks to my yummy hubby for always reminding me that. It`s raining today, really don`t know if Im gonna be happy or sad.. sad? for I cant hang the clothes outside, cant go biking to shop for some goodies...happy? `coz will not go jogging later! bwahhahaa! Its really tiring, workout every other day and cardio or jogging in between those days. Hubby`s really passionately into it. Or Im just getting lazy because of the cold weather.. Whatever its is, my body tells me that I either jog or do my workout, three times a week only! I can`t do it every day.. Still, after a minute of hubby`s bugging or let me say "suhol" , I gave in and do the cardio thingy, and yes it feels good and can`t hide the fact that its really fun running with hubby.. then again, Im hopping today will be a jogging FREE day! Just wanna do the grocery and watch movie! Lazy brat me!

Oh the cake? Really yummy! waaah! On second thought... can I have one? I`ll jog later!

Pan-Fried Chicken in Rosemary and Lemon

2010-10-20T15:16:00.000+09:00

Earlier while Im browsing the site it suddenly occur to me that I haven't posted new recipes... or let me say, experiments. So here`s our lunch yesterday. almost similar to our "surprise dinner" chicken, its grilled though..I used chicken breast for these one.. dipped it in flour with salt and pepper, saute some rosemary in olive oil, then the chicken, squezed some fresh lemon, cooked it until golden brown... and voila! Also prepared fried rice to go with the dish. We had steak today, but i forgot to take some photo.. Oh well, I need to buy some stuffs in the market..

Boo!

2010-10-19T13:34:00.001+09:00

Boo! Happy Halloween!

It`s getting colder everyday.. hay, soon will be wearing winter clothing and that means double/triple laundry clothes! but that`s ok, mighty washer is here to help. Speaking of laundry, I planned to do the laundry today but the sun is a no-show! still I need to do the laundry and let the cold breeze do the work..

For the photo, its not a cake, its a purin, kinda like leche flan in Philippines but its much softer.. anyway, its decorated with cream and fruits so you wont see the real purin, i think i need to buy one and post it here.. Hubby bought that last Sunday, yeah our anniversary day.. I thought he bought a slice of cake, with a note happy anniversary! surprisingly the note says, " Happy Halloween" .. truth is I told him not to buy a cake for we already had a slice the night before (the surprise dinner).. oh my ever obedient husband, exactly did what I told him to..not a cake so he bought a purin.. and the funny thing? the Happy Halloween note! he really never fails to make me laugh..

Surprise Dinner for Hubby!

2010-10-17T11:43:00.004+09:00

Invitation for the occasion.. placed inside the bicycle`s basket..

personalized postcard used at our church wedding, we still have a few left so I used it!

Let`s play! Posted notes with instructions.. Made 10 instructions until he gets to me..

Im at the living room waiting for him.. What`s the first instruciton? Get the key and find the invitation to get in, then as he entered the front door, another message was posted on his white polo asking him to wear it, as per the invites` request, next a note posted on our bedroom door telling him to groom a bit (perfume and comb lying on the bed), then a note was posted telling him to go to the desktop computer`s screen and read the final message.. and that`s to "click" Play (I compiled our favorite Michael Buble`s songs and other songs we love) and enter the living room... yeah! he was surprised, super that I thought he would cry..He was laughing with joy the whole time..

Fixed the living room a bit to have the "Bistro" Theme Dinner , yeah I even bought a checkered table cloth for that..Also Used my fresh mini roses for our centerpiece.. wanted to use some candles but the mood lighting of our lamp gives the effect I want..

Prepared Dinner

Oh, see those bee centerpiece? hubby bought that a year ago for our church wedding`s paraphernalia, but we didn`t have the chance to use it..so I used it as a centerpiece together with my fresh roses

Chicken in Rosemary and Lemon, Steak Cut (beef), baby leaf salad in roasted sesame dressing and

a sparkling wine...

Oh and strawberry vanilla and chocolate slice for dessert

and here we are.. wearing the same clothes we used last 8.8.8 (our civil wedding)..

Chesse and Pepper Pizza!

2010-10-14T18:40:00.000+09:00

Another cheesy day! Our merienda today! four cheese pizza with black pepper.. easy, simple and cheesy! yup.. I just sliced it into two.. ahahha! but i did sliced it before serving..oh.. we ate it with salsa, and its more yummy..but didn`t have a photo, for hubby just thought of having salsa into it minutes after.anyway, need to go again, someone`s bugging me to jog with him.. . and he is all geared up! and patiently waiting for me..hmmm...

Cheesy `n Sausage`y

2010-10-13T17:12:00.000+09:00

Well, I really don`t know if there`s such term.. but those two are both cheesy and sausage`y.. It will be our snack later, which I wish would be now but hubby isnt home yet so I have to wait...

Hokkaido Squid turned Calamares

2010-10-11T18:25:00.003+09:00

We already posted calamares~calamari, but these one is different, hubby used Hokkaido squid (fresh and not frozen) and oh its so yumyum, it has a certain sweetness and chewiness thats really to love.. And we couldnt have enough of it, so we bought another pack two days after. Love how my husband do the calamares, actually he prepared two mixture, one with bread crumbs the other with just plain flour and seasoning, love both..and love the mixture with breadcrumbs more.. anyway, its holiday today, we are off for our movie marathon! gotta go!

Lazy Day!

2010-10-09T16:40:00.000+09:00

another porky day, but I can`t remember when.. We have three 3 chops and hubby love to have a fried porkchop.. for I can`t remember when was the last time we ate one, luckily this blog will tell me, but i didn`t bother to check... oh.. Im so lazzzzyyy... yeah..with a quadruple "z" and triple "y". The colder the weather gets the lazier I become. For today, hubby prepared the breakfast ( well, he always does that during weekends),not that I am lazy to prepare, but I am lazy to eat.or both.. Maybe because there was no kimchi yakisoba and cheese bread..was substituted by a black yakisoba that isn`t charming nor yummy for me and what I thought to be a mini cheese cake turned out to be a baked sweet potato!waahh.. and for lunch.. I asked hubby to do the cooking..anyway, it seems I have done a couple of sentences for today`s blog. so bye now for I wanna spend the rest of the day being lazy!

Saba Fish and Kabocha Soup (Squash)

2010-10-07T13:16:00.000+09:00

Was asking hubby last night...

M: beh, mataba na ba ko?

T: hindi, payat ka lang dati

and because I am not contented with his answer, I asked him again earlier (morning)

M: beh, mataba na ba ko?

T: hindi nga.... payat nga ka lang dati

M: ????

lunch time..while eating (photo above)

M: beh, sexy ba ko?

T: (as if he heard nothing)

M: beh, mas sexy ba ko ngaun kaysa dati?

T: (looking at me, and there goes the fish, natinik)

M: whoa! natinik ka sa tanong ko?

T: paano bang sexy? sexy na payat ganun?

M: hmm, di mo na alam ang sexy?

T: bat mo ba kasi naitatanong yan?

M: eh kasi, di mo ko sinasagot sa tanong ko, kung mataba na ko

T: hindi ka nga mataba, payat ka lang dati. di mo alam ibig sabihin ko?

M: hindi, di ko maintidihan

T: hindi ka mataba, dati underweight ka, ngayon nasa healthy range ka na di ba, sabi mo.

M: ang ganun, kasi sabi ko, parang di ka naniniwala, so mataba na ko

T: hindi nga, iba ang mataba.

still wondering.. he didn`t answered my first question.seems he forgot what`s the meaning of sexy, but then again......

minutes before going back to work, while hugging, hubby said.. Sexy naman na asawa ko!

Bistek

2010-10-06T14:46:00.000+09:00

Bistek Tagalog! Beef cut, soysauce, lemon juice/calamansi, salt and pepper, onions.. yum! Ahhh... i couldnt think of anything to blog right now.. Im doing the laundry, I mean the washer.. and there it goes... its done..time to hang the clothes.. bai bai!

Sashimi: Maguro

2010-10-05T15:41:00.000+09:00

We spent our Sunday enjoying ourselves at a nearby city, Takasaki, and with that we did our weekly grocery yesternight. Hubby bought some sashimi, for he`s been wanting to have one for quite some time now, just a simple sashimi, maguro only.. for he thought, it wouldn`t be that hard for me to eat it coz I love maguro sushi. Anyway, wasn`t too scared to eat raw fish, it was dipped in soysauce and a bit of wasabi.. it`s not that fishy, but its softness reminds me that its raw.. (feels like its telling me "hey! I`m raw, can you swallow me huh?)...needless to say, I only ate a piece. I should have eaten it with that shredded radish, anyway, will try again next time. It`s not that bad, I just need a little practice.

and yes, hubby ate it all.. YUM for him!

What`s for Breakfast?- II

2010-10-03T12:39:00.000+09:00

I ve been craving for cheese bread and kimchi yakisoba for days..Its our usual brekkie for saturday and sunday, since september.. actually since we moved-in to our place..its much more accessible to the bakery.. anyway, hubby had to work yesterday so no yakisoba and cheesy bread for me, until today.. he also bought some chicken sandwich.. hubby waited for more than 15 minutes for the yakisoba, he doesn`t wanna go home without one for he knows it would make me feel bad.. coz ive been looking forward to munch some..for that he was given a free iced tea for patiently waiting...

Happy Yummy Sunday Everyone!

Hubby`s Merienda

2010-09-30T17:37:00.000+09:00

Oh yes! other square plate.. kinda like using it since its new.. ahahha.. Oh well bear with me.. here`s hubby`s snack yesterday, yup after work. Served it with freshly squeezed orange juice (accdg to the carton), some Parmesan cheese and 2 kinds of hot sauce (red and jalapeno) .. Its the usual spaghetti.. i know... but i used fresh tomatoes and fresh button mushrooms..really not a fan of canned goodies unless its sardines. It`s also nice to make your own spaghetti sauce, unique taste and flavor. Love making my own for i love experimenting and as I`ve mentioned, there`s a uniqueness in every dish, plus it somehow give a sense of surprise and excitement not only to me but to my husband.. And with that... I gotta go.. need to prepare hubby`s merienda! actually OUR merienda! yay!

The housewife in me speaks!

2010-09-29T16:33:00.003+09:00

Yay! another bean sprouts! hubby wants lumpiang toge, and as always his wish is my command. he did helped me though.... he made the dipping sauce.

Change topic..

Ive been asked a couple of times... actually a lot...if im working here, and I`ll say no... and questions will not stop from there..to make it short, there are a lot of people wonder why I choose to be a full-time housewife.

Well, i stopped working before T proposed, I can say that I am almost at the peak of my career, salary and benefits are really great, still I choose to end it there. Why? because I am not happy..

And now, I am officially a full-time housewife, many may raise their eyebrows thinking I am not helping my husband bring bread to our table..I thought so too sometimes..

Before marrying my husband, I already invested my hard earned money, for I want an early retirement.. I may not be working today, by my investment are working for me... and yes, I retired early..

others may think that being a housewife is an easy weasy thing to do.. but its not.. its really not..

I may not be the perfect housewife.. or the perfect wife but I can say I am good at it..and I love it. and I can brag about it all day.

I feel proud and fulfilled doing a housewife`s task every single day.. i never felt discriminated nor ashamed about it, nor get tired and bored doing it.

I love preparing food every lunch for hubby (yeah he comes home for lunch), love serving it fresh from the pan.. love cooking again for our dinner (yeah different menu), and preparing something to munch for hubby`s merienda. Cooking is easy.. but thinking what to cook is really difficult.. 2 menu for a day x 7 days..yeah, we rarely repeat a meal, for i cook only the exact amount for us.. serving new dish every time..

I love keeping our place spic and span, from the bedroom linen to the carpets and curtains up to the tiniest details in the kitchen...and sorry if I have to brag, but if I may say, I really do an awesome job when it comes to cleaning.

I love washing our clothes to make sure it`s clean and fresh. When the sun is up, it`s a washing day!

I love making our home a nice place to relax and enjoy.

Love to make hubby feels his always checking-in into a hotel..

I wouldn`t trade being a housewife for a nice paying job.. I wouldn`t trade the time I have to cater every needs of my husband, nor will i ever trade the peacefulness and the fulfillment I have now.

I once dream to be a career woman, with a respectable rank that almost everyone admires.

BUT dreams do change...when I was at the peak of my career, I realized it`s not what I want my life to be..

and I dream.... to be the best wife and the coolest mom...and now I`m starting to fulfill that dream..

It`s not always Money that matters... it`s the bond of relationship we now have, the happiness more than we can ever imagine, the sense of satisfaction and completeness.. We may not have the resources to have all materials things we want in a snap, we need to budget what we have.. but we still feel satisfied.

I know, some will say being a housewife need not to have a college degree.. it comes naturally..so its really easy... I guess... BUT it requires Dedication, easy to spell and easy to say.. but not that easy to do and rarely do someone have it..

I always asked hubby if he wants me to work..and I think you know his answer..

I am happy and I think I am doing well with these chosen career of mine...

Again, I am happy and so be it..

We can never replaced those time spent so might as well do something that make us feel fulfilled..

Oh... its not about the visa why i can`t work... I can.. but I choose not to..

Beef and Bean Sprouts

2010-09-28T17:06:00.000+09:00

I`m really not a veggie eater, especially beans and all its relatives.. but then again, everything seems to change when your the one cooking. Moyashi or bean sprouts so far are the cheapest veggie we saw in the market.., we got ours 19 yen per pack, maybe because it`s not that tiring to harvest nor to plant one. For the dish, its a simple stir-fried bean sprouts, only added beef to it.. Fried the beef in a little oil.. then stir fried the sprouts, flavor it with soysauce, mirin, sugar, salt and pepper and sesame oil. That`s it!

Peek-a-Boo: Our Crib Part II

2010-09-27T15:20:00.000+09:00

As mentioned before, ill post another photo our our living room.. we bought a center table and did some rearrangement. and here it is.

too much light outside..sigh! hope to have a nice cam soon.. next month? hmmm...

we also bought a mini plant for the center table, oh the mat. we bought it last week during our Tokyo escapade, its chilewich`s dahlia (gunmetal).. little cheaper when you buy it online..

Anyway, that`s it for now.. it`s Monday.. and its a busy day!

Big Plate!

2010-09-25T12:50:00.001+09:00

Hubby wants porkchop, for I haven`t cooked one for almost weeks now. and since its the "porkchop" come back I thought of cooking it differently, yeah another experiment, just to tire my brain cells once in a while. Cooked the chops with little boiling water (3 tbsp or so), simmer until tender, then i brushed both sides with butter, then added the sauce, brushing it for every minute, until both sides were covered and chops were done.... Made some sauce (2 tbsp soysauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 1/2 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp sugar, pepper and salt), roasted some garlic too for hubby loves it.oh.. and a homemade mashed potato drizzled with the same sauce used in my chops.. and some blanched carrots. hubby loves it so much that he tells me its "Masarap" after every bite.. just by merely looking at it now makes me feel full!

Steak Salad and Pizza at Wolfgang Puck Resto

2010-09-23T18:30:00.001+09:00

We went to Tokyo yesterday for hubby`s passport renewal. Before heading to the Philippine Embassy we decided to eat our lunch since we are hours early to our appointment.. We ate at TGI Fridays, really misses our weekend dates in the Philippines, we had Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta, Smoked Salmon Pizzadilla and Chicken Fritters Lunch Set.. then off to the embassy, where I have to wait for hubby outside, yeah only applicants are allowed inside, still it was fine with me not only that I have no choice but witnessed a lot o scenes outside the embassy (which I rather not blog about). Hubby finished at around 330 pm, we went to Tokyo Tower, had ice cream at Baskin Robbins then another stop at a home depot, Living Motif, and yes we can`t help but to buy a decor for our crib. Another shopping for knick knacks (I guess its a treat for an hour of waiting and standing outside the embassy with temperature at 33C).. and then had our dinner at Wolfgang Puck`s Restaurant. We ordered salad and pizza for we are still full, we just needed something to eat before heading back home for it`s a long ride. Anyway, their steak salad was really good as well as the pepperoni pizza..We love the medium rare steak.. both are superb.. will surely grab another bite at Wolfgang Puck`s Resto when we visit Roppongi Tokyo.

Long hours under the heat of the sun was worth it! Thanks to hubby for keeping me well fed! Lol

Yesterday was fun and yummy day! Sorry for the blurry photo, taken using hubby's iPhone..

Steak Salad.. see the steak? well its medium rare

pepperoni pizza

Oh my! Sardinas!

2010-09-21T20:17:00.001+09:00

Ive been busy... lazy rather..been hooked with movies.. the fact that our computer was placed in our room makes it even more less tempting, id rather stay at our living room and watch movies for hubby was out working or else I`ll be sleeping the whole day.. anyway, here`s our lunch last Sunday, at last after almost a year we got to taste a sardine.its an oil sardine, missing it so much.. there are variety of sardines here, a lot actually. We rarely buy canned goodies.. so it took us almost a year to have a taste of these one.. yum yum! I served it with pickled radish or tako-an (yellow), pickled cucumber (green) and freshly sliced tomatoes! yummy!

Friday Night

2010-09-19T16:13:00.000+09:00

I was about to start typing my post yesterday when I got a phone call from a friend, telling me that they`ll be coming over..so there goes my reason..

Last Friday, hubby prepared snacks for our movie date (at home)... nachos and salsa.. beer for him and mix drink for me (Kahlua and milk)..yum! lasheng after! but fun fun fun..sarap ng tulog...looking forward for another friday night..well everyday is a friday night! that` how we enjoy each other company.. oopps.. we even went out last night at 11pm to buy some drinks. yeah for the two of us.. ahahha!

and yesterday..our center table was delivered , we did some rearrangement, so our living room looks a bit different compared to what I posted before.. will post another one soon.. : ) bought another indoor plant for the center table..ehhehe..

today, we are busy (kitchen and laundry area naman)... gotta go!

Chicken-Tofu Balls and Squash-Tofu Soup

2010-09-17T13:51:00.001+09:00

A Drop of hot sauce for the ketchup..

Another round-and-round for the week, well, i have done these before.. my chicken and tofu balls.. though its a bit easy today (chicken, tofu, carrots, salt and pepper, and flour for coating), just to empty carrot and tofu stock, then I made squash and tofu soup. It's tofu day! Used 1/4 of the tofu for the balls and the rest for the soup. Everything was going well, until... I saw the rice cooker empty.. yeah! forgetful me, its 20 mins before hubby's lunch.. you bet how panicked I am...yes, rice was n't ready when he arrived, thankfully I have some soup to lure him, and sweetly telling him that soup is served first in resto.. and thankfully he understands and never mind, and told me that the soup was good.. well.. after a couple of minutes I served the rice..whew!

Bite Me!

Oh for the squash soup I used chicken stock, squash, tofu, milk, salt, pepper and spring onions...I peeled the squash when its already tender, then mashed it a bit..

More food posts on visit Food Trip Friday!

Happy Food Trip Friday!

Something Fishy!

2010-09-15T15:11:00.001+09:00

I smell something fishy! fishy fishy fishy! Rarely do we cook fish, either we buy cooked one or have it raw (sushi), i really have no idea why fishes here are soooo fishy (i know they should be..) when cooked compared to eating it as raw. No kidding! well for me, who hates malansa thingy! And yes, it took me some time to appreciate sushi, and yes, hubby was right, once you learn how to eat sushi you`ll crave for it.. So much for that, For us to have "fish" in our diet, we eat sushi or buy seafoods like clams, shrimp and squid. Still, there are few kinds of fish here that has that less fishy smell and taste when cooked, like these one.. It`s called "saba".. I fried one earlier, then prepared some clam miso soup and served it with pickled radish. Another clean plate... and again, the squeaky clean freak me cleaned the kitchen to make sure there`s no fishy smell left..well..whether its fish or not i really don`t want that amoy ulam smell especially when that dish is all gone, and with that, thanks to the exhaust fan inventor! and to odor-absorber and room freshener..

Round-and-Round

2010-09-14T13:44:00.001+09:00

I am sooooooo sleepy right now, challenging myself not to sleep or let me say cutting a few hours of being drowned to sleep.

cooked meatballs (ground beef, carrots, white onion, soysauce and pepper) earlier and fried okra.. lots of carrots huh? just to add more veggies on the dish, also made some sweet and sour sauce (soysauce, sugar, vinegar, sake, a little water, a pinch of salt, a freshly grated ginger).. Also served it with pickled radish and pickled cucumber, there are variety of pickled veggies here, all taste good after the 3rd time of eating, or after you get used to it! Lol!

Now... i couldn`t think of anything to write! waaahh.. i am that sleepy!

Peek-a-Boo: Our Crib

2010-09-13T17:04:00.001+09:00

Been busy for a couple of weeks with our new crib, and yet, again, it`s not yet fully done. But anyway, take a peek on our living and dining.. We want it to be simple yet cozy.. The house is in cream wallpaper and dark brown wood floor, so we opt to have wood furnitures and used colors of dark brown, ivory and a touch of orange.

oops, click to enlarge

We added floor lamp at our sofa to have that cozy feeling at night, and we bought an indoor plant that help soothes our eyes after watching. For the wall, we hanged wooden frames.. there are four frames, and each frame consists of a photo depicting one season, yeah... winter, spring, summer and fall.. and that tells me that fall is coming anytime now..Curtain? Orange, brown and ivory stripes matches with another curtain in plain dark brown. oh, for our sofa pillow case, its with the same color as the curtain, difference is.. its in polka dots! ehhehe..

that`s it for now... : ) it would have been much nicer if I have a nice cam, i guess..

Big Bite!

2010-09-11T23:02:00.001+09:00

Hubby bought 5 pcs of pork ribs, and boy it`s huge! I grilled the 2 earlier for our lunch, paired with grilled onions and bell pepper and hubby`s "again" all-time request stir-fry bokchoi. While grilling the ribs it made me realized that we really need to have at least one huge serving plate. just by merely looking at those ribs makes me feel full. what a heavy lunch that was! Oh for the marinade? I didn`t have time to marinade the ribs, what i did was..grilled the pork until it`s halfway done, then brushed the marinade mixture on both sides, until its tender. made my own mixture too...2 tbsp soysauce, 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp sugar, freshly ground pepper and chili powder.. and that`s it! Burp!

And it`s fingerlickin good! we opt not chop it, its more fun eating it that way!

Just Another Salad

2010-09-10T17:10:00.000+09:00

It`s been two weeks since we moved-in and still there are a lot of things to do, if only we can have it done in just one snap! Whew! Earlier, I cooked hubby `s all-time request, pork sinigang, waahhh! will he ever get tired eating it? I guess not.. After finishing his plate he says, "at last! after waiting for a week!".. If not only for the radish and the spinach I wouldn`t bother cooking it.. and yes.. because i can`t resist hubby`s request! Anyway, here`s a Caesar salad, i don`t feel like eating much.. a salad will do.. we ate it weeks ago at a Steak and Hamburg Resto near the Home Depot. And that reminds me that I still have a pack of croûtons, hmm..salad time!

Happy Food Trip Friday Eveyone!

Chicken Afritada

2010-09-09T15:19:00.001+09:00

I was hesistant to cook chicken afritada, for some reasons that my husband wouldn`t like green bell pepper on his dish, but because I couldn`t think of any "new dish" for our chicken, and wanted to cook one easy dish with veggies in it so I do not have to tire myself cooking a separate one for the veggies and yes, was too lazy to do some major experiments I decided to go for it. It`s my first time to cook chicken afritada, for neither of us craves for it. For the dish I used fresh tomatoes, rarely do I use canned tomatoes I always go for fresh and because my tummy aches when I ate dishes with it.

As soon as hubby got home, he kept on guessing by merely smelling the dish, saying " hmm..sinigang!" and then after a couple of seconds.. "sinigang ba yan?" and my mind goes, "is afritada smells like sinigang or because he is expecting me to cook his all-time sinigang request?" And when I opened the casserole, i saw him walking towards me and peeking at my dish and in a snap says " Ano Yan!!!", shocked and clueless..

he took a bite and say.. " sarap" and that`s the best part of cooking..couple of minutes passed and its a clean plate!

Ingredients:

chicken, oil, garlic, red onion, tomatoes, fish sauce, bit of soy sauce, pepper, potatoes, carrots and green bell pepper, chicken stock..

How? saute garlic and onions, add chicken, fish sauce/soysauce and pepper, let it simmer until chicken is halfway cooked, add 1/2 cup of chicken stock, tomatoes, potatoes, and carrots, simmer until tender..add green bell pepper, simmer for another minute and serve with rice!

Clam Soup

2010-09-08T22:21:00.000+09:00

wakame, tofu, clams, spring onions

Actually its miso soup with clams, Hubby thought of adding clams to our regular miso soup. He made it while I`m burning some fats (he`s done burning his..hehehe)..lol, hubby`s a little scared of cooking miso, overcooking it will ruin the dish, thankfully as per my instruction it all went out well.. And the taste? super yumm yummy! Regular miso soup turned extra special. And guess who`s doing the dishes? Oh happy day!

We already posted our miso soup recipe, all you have to do is add 150g of clams! and its done! yum yum yum!

Oh.. our crib is almost done, a little tweaking and its ready for sharing!

Our Wedding is Featured at BridalBook.ph

2010-09-07T16:45:00.001+09:00

Featured Wedding: Mei & Toper | Articles | BridalBook.ph

BridalBook.ph, which is the newest website from Summit Media. It is an online directory for wedding suppliers; the site also features practical tips, inspirations, and planning tools for brides.

Another Happy Day! : )

Ampalaya Con Carne

2010-09-06T16:47:00.000+09:00

Yesterday was another busy day, happy day too our TV frame, bed frame and dining chairs were delivered, still there are a lot of things to do to, one at a time...we are into DIY so it would take us a little more time to complete it..hubby made the console table for the room, we did the painting and it turns out really nice.whew! we wanted to buy side table and center table but after seeing our DIY table we changed our mind. Plus its really fun doing DIY, love painting under the heat of the sun, love watching hubby doing those carpentry stuffs.. More DIY projects coming soon.. Anyway, here`s a quick and easy meal, ampalaya con carne, just saute some gralic, onion and tomatoes, add ground pork, salt and pepper, then the amplaya, simmer for a few minutes until tender, add beaten eggs and serve with rice.Oh for the amplaya, 30 minutes before cooking, sprinkle ample amount of salt, let it sit for 30 minutes, wash thoroughly..to lessen that bitter taste! happy monday!

P.S

We`ll share photos of our crib soon... Excited?

Funville este Farmville

2010-09-04T15:34:00.000+09:00

click to enlarge

It was a late post for a meme, still would love to do it..

We`ve been playing online games on facebook since last year, but there is only one game that got us hooked. Why us? We only have one account in facebook, no separate account for wifey and hubby, why? much easier and less complicated or that`s just how we are, we always wanted to have everything shared. Anyway, after a week of no internet connection, we have failed to play our online games, failed to have new items, not to mention levelling-up and now that we got our connection back it feels like most of the online games are eating so much of our time, actually my time, for hubby are just into decorating and designing and most of the everyday clicking works are mine. Realizing that, I`ve decide (since it eats more of my time) to maintain one game and its farmville. For we both enjoy the game, it`s fun when we are redecorating, hubby`s more artistic than me, more fun when there are new items and new buildings to build. hubby is still aiming to have our farm expanded, for sure after expansion he`ll redecorate it again for the nth time. Love how our idea jives in developing that farmland.., feels like owning a real farmland. Good thing about it is that we both enjoy it, the laughter, excitement and the feeling of achievement. It may be just an online game but the bonding it brings to us is another priceless moment.. : )

Hot Hot Udon

2010-09-03T13:25:00.000+09:00

One of the things we enjoy doing, except for eating, is biking, we do it anytime of the day when we feel like it. Not only good for our body but for our money as well.Lol. Another nice thing about it? We can go to nearby Resto without bothering how much the transportation would costs us, for it is free, plus in a way lessening the guilt feeling of adding another inch to our waistline. Anyway, it took us 30 minutes or less to have these yummy udon, ebi (shrimp) and kabotcha (squash) tempura, mixed veggie tempura. then another 30 minutes going home... but then again it`s worth it. The fun of enjoying a ride with each other is priceless..

udon with ebi and kabotcha

udon with eggplant, ebi and mixed veggie tempura

Happy Food Trip Friday!

We`re Back!

2010-09-02T17:31:00.002+09:00

Gomen Nasai! (Sorry), we just moved-in to our new crib last week and the internet connection was just transferred earlier, really have no connection for a week, forgetful and the busy bee in me forgot to leave a post about that. Whew.. It was fun packing, fun but tiring... fun part was i can request any kind of snack and my hubby will gladly get one for me.. from makisushi to karage (chicken) to donuts.. and hubby will always have his burritos!

Hubby surprised me with a turtle donut, its filled with creamy milky something inside, similar to a bavarian donut, its too cute to be eaten.. actually i didn`t wanna eat it but i should. So i bite the legs first and shared the body part to hubby, oh for the face, i gave it to hubby.. eyes are made of chocolate..the shell part is kinda hard made of sugar.. and oh its super yummy...

After packing all our things we were surprised, we didn`t know we have a lot of stuff until it was all packed, and the old house was fully loaded with boxes. It took us a whole day to pack and another day to unpack. what`s nice after unpacking? the cozy feeling of our new crib. I didn`t get to cook for several days before moving out, we dine-out or have some obento. Then after moving in and everything was settled I got to cook again.. Oh.. I cooked pinakbet earlier, sadly i didn`t have the chance to take any photos ..my hungry hubby immediately grab a bite.oh well nice to know he likes it. Some of our furnitures will be delivered on Sunday, to complete our crib, we`ll share some photos soon.

Mr.Turtle peeking!

Happy 11th year Anniversary to US!

2010-08-23T00:52:00.001+09:00

To my dearest baby,

Happy 11th year anniversary, even if we are already married it is still nice to celebrate the day we became sweethearts, i bet you still remember what happened that day when I said Option 1, for I can clearly imagine how your face reacted to those words. Funny how time flies, we were still young then ,studying to have good grades, you always lend me your Math and Statistics Notebook for my notes are always incomplete, we helped each other with our projects, we joined several quiz bee but not as team mates but as opponent, and yes you always won. how we enjoy peeking at each other`s classroom just to have a glance, I love laboratory time for I can just see you across the room and yes another time to glimpse at each other. Do you still remember how we got to college? My dad drove the two us for our entrance exam, we both passed but I changed my mind and decided to study to a different school, the school where you didn't had entrance exam. And with that you choose to study to a nearer school, we choose not to be on a same school for college for it would be better that way. Come college time, you`d pick me up at my dormitory every Friday afternoon. Sometimes you`ll wait for me for hours until my class ends, or until I`m done with my exams. We still helped each other in our school projects, oh and daddy lend his old engineering books to you and I find it sweet. We graduated and worked, at these time we became much more mature and dreamy about our future, you proposed and we said "I Do" and now we are living as husband and wife. There are many happy moments and I still can go on and on.. still as normal couples we`ve been through a lot of challenges in our relationship and yet we never gave up. Life isn`t always a fairy tale, but it seems we live like one..Because we believe it is, and because we enjoy playing the roles God has written for us, Without any complaints, whatever the script may be..

We`ve known each others for years that living in a single roof seems so easy, feels like we have done it before.. Do you remember what we were told years back? That we were husband and wife in our past life but were separated due to some inevitable circumstances and now getting back together... with that you responded quickly with " kaya pala nung una kitang nakita nung grade 1 feeling ko matagal na kitang kilala.." and i just smiled, or maybe because we enjoy and accepts whatever differences we have. Everything seems so fast and again, time really flies. And a lot has changed, wedding magazines are out but home designs and baby books are in, from a career driven me to a full-time happy wifey, if its a job its the best one so far and I love to be promoted to a wifey-mommy someday. I hope I am doing well , do you think i am doing pretty well? i love how you appreciate all my prepared meals, love how you beg for me not to do the laundry and rest (for I love to clean everything and love to wash the clothes everyday but you think I'm tiring myself too much, but No baby.. I just love to have everything clean and fresh smelling and yes i love our washer..). I love seeing you as I open and close my eyes, i love greeting you home with a warm hug, love eating your cooked meals, strolling for grocery under the heat of the sun or the cold breeze of winter, love the way we laugh at each other's joke/stories/etc (never a day passed without any laughing), love starring and resting my head on your arms, love the feeling of security and contentment, oh... here i go again... I can go on and on.. but the best part is i Love thanking God everyday for you and that never changed nor forgotten even if it is our 11th year, even more I needed to thank God...

thanks honey for loving me more each day, for striving hard for our future (Im super proud of you), for never failing to put a smile on my face, for the simple yet happy life we are having.. am not only lucky to be your wife, I am blessed.

P.S

Your my cozy place! oh..I love you! Happy! can we have pizza later?

--Mei--

Makizushi: Futomaki

2010-08-20T13:19:00.002+09:00

Craving again and again for makizushi/makisushi, been eating maki for two days now (freshly made one everyday) and I want some again later. It`s a no sweat maki for we only bought it at the local store, ahahha! After hubby`s work we would usually go out to burn some calories or to add some (yeah, buy additional calories and that is foodies), anyway, I couldn`t resist not get a pack of maki once I saw one. Lucky me it`s always available anywhere here. But these maki is my fave!

We`ll buy our TV later, and I think I am not excited about it, I feel more excited to eat at the nearest sushi restaurant near the appliance center, but hubby wants to have Ramen and gyoza later..Whatever i love both..Calories? for sure we`ll burn them as we go home, yeah, thanks to our bike and to the appliance center`s location, a lot of calories will be burn, whew!

Happy Food Trip Friday everyone! -- visit here to see more food entries

Not the Ordinary Fried Chicken

2010-08-19T00:12:00.003+09:00

Ooppss, I`m a minute late for my Aug 18 post.. what can I do, I am busy bee...Why not the ordinary fried chicken? hmm.. guess what I used to flavor the chix.. No, not the usual friend chicken breading, Nope, not salt and pepper, Not fish sauce and lemon, any more guess? ok ok, actually I got it from my mom, she used it to marinade whole chicken for broiling and I find it yummy. Tried using it for my fried chicken and alas, hubby liked it.. Ok.. its sinigang mix... ahahaha.. just a little or the chix will get super asim and you wouldn`t like that. rub a dub dub then fry it. you can add a little salt, pepper and chili powder if you like.. weehh.. well for us it tasted good, and we get to use our sinigang mix stocks, for it is really plenty that would last till next year, hopefully not. So there you go.. quick, and super easy.. remember.. Little amount will do! Rub a dub dub!

Tapsilog

2010-08-17T16:48:00.000+09:00

fried egg, beef tapa, vinegar/chili/fresh garlic, rice topped with roasted garlic

At last, I did it! I finally copied hubby`s tapa, bwaahahhahaha! We love beef tapa, whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner.. I love hubby`s tapa, and since he doesn`t want to cook tapa yesternight I was oblige to do it, and thank you Lord I did it right. On the other hand, hubby did the cooking of the eggs and the dipping sauce. Each of us has our own preferences when it comes to fried egg, hubby wants a runny egg yolk, crispy egg white bottom and for me, I want it well-done but not the middle part (kinda hard to explain) anyhow, only hubby can cook the eggs perfectly just the way we wanted.

I just finished doing my chores, i love everything spic and span. Love the smell of fresh clothes, fresh towels and really hates to see dirty plates sitting in our sink. when i saw the sun shinning all I wanna do is toss all dirty clothes in the washer, clean freak? ahahha.. Oh, I remember! hubby called me house freak last night for I can`t get over imagining how our new crib will look like, love to have a new sofa, new dining chair, sadly we can`t have a new sofa even if we wanted for our old sofa is still new. being wise and practical dictates. So I`m settled for a new dining chair, hubby wants a TV and I want a dining chair...but i still want a 3 seater sofa! waaahhh... NO NO NO!

Chicken Ketchup

2010-08-16T13:57:00.004+09:00

We just had these for lunch, hubby started working again so I needed to cook again. Well I miss cooking especially experimenting.. For these dish, of course there`s chicken and ketchup, soysauce, mirin, pepper, garlic and onion and voila! How? sauté..The taste? sweet.. no need to add sugar..mirin did the work.. : ) We also had some fresh salad.. : ) Now I`m thinking what to have for snacks? hmm...Why can`t I stop thinking about foods, is that because of the wifey in me?

Rice Croquette

2010-08-15T22:44:00.002+09:00

Yum! We had it last 8-8-8, celebrating our 2nd year anniversary, together with some pizza, creamy crab pasta, salad.. Actually we ordered a good for 3 meal and yes, we didn't finished it, pizza wasn't touched and the croquette was half-eaten. oh well....lesson learned: pagsinabing good for 3.. good for 3! good thing, we have a take home pizza for dinner..

Sorry for the blurry photo (taken using our mobile phone)

No more cooking lately? why oh why? because we are always dining out, yup..everyday, enjoying hubby's vacation, but since it ended today.. we'll start to cook again tomorrow.. whew!

Date Night: Hamburg-Steak, Gratin, Sausage, Shumai, Karaage....

2010-08-14T23:26:00.004+09:00

Another Day of Strolling... And Today, we rode a train.. going to another City.. It was fun and not that tiring.. well.. riding a train going to another city is really not tiring compared to riding with your bike going to another city, but then it`s much more fun biking with hubby even if takes 30 minutes to go from one city to another, its much more sweet.. laughing and joking while biking, feeling the air as it blows your hair, and the feeling of achievement once you reached your destination,well for me.. Still love biking than riding a train, ok ok..ill include the fact that it really does burn more calories.. Anyway, we just got home, and we only have one day left before hubby`s work resume.. time really flies.. Oh and for our dinner, we just dine-out, The place is called, Skylark/Gusto.. here are some photos (from mobile)..We also had some warabi mochi and hot mint tea after..Best part of our date, we enjoyed it!

Shumai/Siomai with potatoes, carrots, broccoli and a bed of cabbage

Hamburg-Steak, Salad, Creamy Squash, Seafood Gratin

Hamburg-Steak, Sausage, Vermicelli Salad with sesame seeds (actually really don't know what it is called) and Chicken/Karaage

Kids and Kids at Heart!

2010-08-13T22:03:00.002+09:00

Flower Girl`s Basket during our Wedding

Another rough day, went out to do some canvassing..for our TV, it was tiring yet fun, and the nice part was we ate at a Ramen house, sad thing..we forgot to take some photos.. Anyway, yesterday, while we were waiting for our ride, I asked hubby to get me some books, luckily there`s an english translated book, entitled Children`s Letters to God, published in 1975... We had fun reading it... really laughing..wanna share some of it to you...

" Dear God, Do you get your angels to do all the work? Mommy says we are her angels and we have to do everything"

" Dear God, My Little brother is four and I wish you could please get him to stop driving me crazy"

"God Dear Sir, The reason Iam writing is this. My Mommy and I are going to spend Easter with my Aunt Bea, my Daddy can`t come. We are supposed to fly but my Mommy is scared to go, Maybe you better come with us"

"Dear God, I wrote you before do you remember? Well I did what I promised. But you did not send me the horse yet. What about it?"

"Dear God, Church is alright but could sure use better music. I hope this does not hurt your feeling. Can you write some new songs."

"Remember when the snow was so deep there was no school.Could we have it again?"

"Dear god, I would like these things, a new bicycle, a number three chemistry set, a dog, a movie camera, a first baseman glove. If I cant have them all, I would like to have most of them."

P.S I know there is no Santa Claus

" Dear God, I know it says turn the other cheek, but what if your sister hit you on the eye?"

" Dear God, If we live after we die why do we have to die then?"

" Dear God, How come your never on TV?"

"Dear God, Are you rich or just famous?"

" Dear God, Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident"

"Dear God, I think the Bible is very good. Did you write any other books"

"Dear God, Yesterday I had pizza for lunch, and spogetie and meat bulls for dinner. What did you have?"

" Why did you make the sky blue and the grass green.Is that the only colors you got?"

" Dear God, How come you didn`t invent any new animals lately? We still have just all the old ones"

" Dear God, Do plastic flowers make you mad? I would if I made the real ones."

" Dear God, If I was God I wouldn`t be as good at it.Keep it up"

Oh.. I could go and and on sharing.. that`s all for now.. need to rest... : ) Again, its from a certain book, Children`s Letters To God 1975..

Quick Breakfast

2010-08-12T23:57:00.002+09:00

We haven`t done our grocery for the week, we decided not to since we plan to always dine out. And for our lazy bones... we opt to have some quick breakfast menu..cup noodles and burritos..

Again, we spent the whole day at a home depot, and yes, we already bought a curtain.. hubby`s choice. I never thought that choosing a curtain is that difficult, Ive been choosing for weeks.. and hours.. and yet I still can`t decide, so I let hubby decide. whew! we also bought matching pillow cases and place mats.. Oh and glasses... yes..I`m not good in taking care of glasses, already broke 4.. so we bought 4 glasses today, hoping it will last until December, as hubby jokingly said.. We also check on some ceiling light and floor lamp, dining chair (if the budget permits, love to change our dining chair..again..silly me), bed frame, center table.. For tomorrow, we`ll go to a appliance center to check some IH stove and.. TV.. excited? NO... super excited? YES!

And I must say, the curtain hubby picked was really nice...Art is really his forte, me? Ill stick with cooking..

Quick and Easy: Dried Sotanghon

2010-08-11T19:46:00.002+09:00

We already have several posts regarding sotanghon, whether it is dried or with soup..But these one is super plain (no tengang daga), easy and used fish sauce,yay! Hubby requested for dried even if I want the other, but its okey, it`s still good.. Super easy for I just boiled some chicken breast, cut into strips.. then in a separate pan, saute some garlic, the added the cooked chicken, fish sauce, carrots, pepper, chicken stock, then the vermicelli noodles.. simmer until tender.. topped with roasted garlic, spring onions and boiled egg! yum!oh.. and some drops of lemon juice...awesome!

So much for that, today is the start of hubby`s long vacation, its holiday here in Japan. and we started "our" vacation by tripping to all home depot in our area... looking for furnitures for our new crib. But up until now, we haven`t find a nice curtain and a console table.... Few more weeks and we`re moving out! excited? NO! super excited? YES...

My husband`s Turn: His Shorter Version of Our Story

2010-08-10T15:38:00.001+09:00

Written: Before our Church Wedding..

She was my schoolmate since elementary pero 2 times lang yata kami naging magkaklase sa loob ng 10 taon namin sa canossa. (hindi pa kc sya nahingi ng sign kay Lord nun eh.hehe) pero syempre kilala at medyo napapansin ko na sya.cute kasi.

Highschool.hindi na yata naubusan ng manliligaw ang bata na ito.pagkatapos mabasted ng isa eh may maglalakas loob na naman. ewan ko ba kung anong meron sa kanya (hindi tuloy ako makasingit).

Naging magkaklase kami ng 3rd yr. At syempre may mga asungot pa rin aalialigid wala na yata akong pagasa kaya pasimple na lang akong nagpapapansin sa kanya. Ayan na napansin na nga ang mga pa-style ko (effective hehe). Isang common friend namin ang kwento ng kwento tungkol sa kanya at ikinukwento rin pala nya ko sa kanya. Nagkabistuhan na nga... at doon na nga nagsimula ang simplehang pagtitinginan hanggang nauwi sa magandang usapan......

Maraming mga masasaya at malulungkot na pangyayari ang dumaan, ganun naman talaga, pero eto pa rin kami ngayon. We had our civil wedding before I left for japan at pagbalik ko sa simbahan na ang tuloy, pakakasalan ko na sa harap ni Lord at sa lahat ng tao ang babae na minsan ay pinangarap ko lang na maging akin.

Chillax: Saging at Sago con Yelo

2010-08-09T23:43:00.000+09:00

can you see the sago?

The last saba banana, turned it into a saging con yelo, perfect for the summer heat! Difference to the usual saging con yelo way back home is that,

1. Used Fresh milk instead of evaporated Milk- for our fresh milk will expire tomorrow and I plan to use my one and only evaporated milk (my precious..) in something else. Evaporated milk is not available in the local grocery store, a friend bought it for me in a Filipino store.

2. Added sago or tapioca pearls, actually that was the remaining pearls from our palamig. We Love the chewiness of sago, combined to the softness of banana.

3. White Sugar was used instead of Brown, again, forgot to buy one..

4. We don`t have an ice shaver.. option... used cube ice!

Still, it`s yummy and feels like home..and we enjoyed it so much, it was hubby`s favorite. Hoping to have saging na saba again, actually it was only given to us by a friend. It`s really not available in the local store, maybe in a Filipino store, but until now I do not know where in the city it is located.

Just realized that the saba and the sago was from one person, thanks to you dear!

Ingredients: saba, water, sugar, vanilla, pearl, ice and milk!

The Newlyweds` Love Story.. Our Story

2010-08-08T21:55:00.000+09:00

During that year, he told me that he`ll marry me after 10 years.

Toper and I were schoolmates since Grade One.. He knew me by the name “Mia” who`s playing ten-twenty during break time, and yes, had a crush on me.. And me on the other hand, never knew him at all..

Grade Four, we became classmates... and that’s it.. Never realized that, until we saw our class pictures, funny thing, he’s actually sitting in front of me.

1998, Third Year Highschool, we again became classmates. And everything started during this year. I asked him to draw Tweety Bird, out of fascination with that character. Toper is known for his skills in Arts, so without any hesitation I just asked him to do me a favor. After a week, he hand it over to me, and yes, my jaw-dropped! It was the most beautiful “Tweety Bird” drawing I saw, just by merely looking at it you may tell how detailed and how much effort he puts into, really way beyond my expectation. And yes, that piece of artwork catches my attention.

1999, Fourth Year HS, we’re no longer classmates. Every morning, as soon I enter the campus premises, I automatically go straight to our Chapel. It`s a routine, praying before anything else. Praying for guidance to make it through the day and...for me to find Mr.Right, asking God each day if there’s really a Mr. Right for me, if there is, would He please give me a sign. And if there isn't maybe I’ll go on becoming a nun. Truth is, there is no particular person I have in mind. Not even Toper.. nor my other suitors. All I want is a sign, something that could make me feel I am meant for someone. Not that I want to have a bf at that young age, all I want is to know if there really is a One for me.

First day of school, saw Toper with his friends, and as normal people do, we greeted each other... Few more weeks, As I was about to go home, I passed by Toper, who at that time was seating on a bench, he greeted me (uy, Mei) and asked me if I am going home (pauwi ka na? ), I said, Uy!, and yes (oo)..Again, as normal schoolmates would do. Another week, a post from the CAT regarding our assigned groups, surprisingly I saw my name under the command of Toper. And that scares me, why? No clue, was expecting to be under the command of my friend. Anyway, the whole fourth year students were gathered and introduced to the Officers, friend of mine saw (well I saw it too...), Toper starring at me. But I never mind.

June 23, 1999 my best friend and I are going home, few minutes before that we went to the comfort room and saw Toper’s friends, told me they have someone who they’d like me to meet. Asked them who, and they said it’s Toper, sarcastically answering them that I already knew him, and another butt in, (mabait yun!). And again, I never mind. While walking at the school’s pathway, meters away, I saw Toper with his friends, standing as if waiting for someone. As we walked closely towards them, heavy rain poured, in a split second Toper blurted, “Mei uwi ka na? (are you going home?), I answered yes. May payong ka? He said, (Do you have an umbrella?), and I said, Wala (None). He then asked his friend to lend him an umbrella, after handling him the umbrella he said, Ako meron, hatid na kita?. ( I have, can I bring you home). For I have no umbrella and its raining hard, I said yes. Still on shocked, that Toper literally talked to me, and asked me to bring home ( he`s a type of guy who rarely talks to girls), all I can remember was asking him, Anong nakain mo? Ihahatid mo ko?, and proudly he answered, Adobo, and because naulan wala kang payong. He then asked if he can call me at home, and that he already knew the number, just wants to know what time would it be ok. And the courtship started with that. Everyday, he`ll wait outside our classroom, and bring me home together with my friends. And yes, my parents knew him, for he visited me at home and because he was my partner at a school parade..anyway..

Aug 23, 1999 I gave him a leaf with my engraved hand writing “Congratulations” because their Class won on one of the school’s contests. And because of that leaf, he bugged for hours, asking what`s the meaning of that leaf. I kept on explaining the true reason, because their class won. Still he kept on asking, as we are on our way home, he said “ Sabi ni Mam, sabihin daw namin sa taong mahal namin, na mahal namin sila bago matulog, kasi baka hindi na daw kami magising bukas.” And he said, Mei Mahal na Mahal Kita. I was surprised for it is the first time he ever told me that. No suitors ever told me “I Love You” in Tagalog, except him, nor ever told me that phrase and instantly felt its real, it never happened to me, just these once and with him. Instantly felt how much he loves me. Then again, he asked me, what`s the meaning of the leaf...and as I was about to enter our house, he blurted “ Option 1, Option 2” ( Option 1 means- Love Me, and Option 2- Leave Me), its one of the ready-made cards we saw during our trip to the bookstore to buy some stuffs needed for the classroom. Then and there my heart wants to explode, that my mind can no longer control, feels like a million dollar question, and a life and death situation. And because, I really do love him (but waiting for the right time, maybe after HS or after college), and because I couldn’t let him slip away, so I said “Option 1”. He was speechless, and I am too, so I asked him to go home before I change my mind. All I know is that it took a while before the message sinks in to his mind, he said, he was smiling at the jeepney the whole time. And our relationship started to blossom. My first and last Boyfriend! And yes, I answered it correctly with smile in my heart, willing to take every challenges and accepting all the risks behind it.

During that year, he told me that he`ll marry me after 10 years.

2006-2007 We then started working.. His first job was in Japan, and that`s for a year and I was left in the Philippines. January 1, 2007, during our “chat” conversation, he said, he couldn’t wait to get home and asked me.. And I said, ask me what? And he said.. “Will you Marry Me?” I cried and said Yes.. And that was the first proposal. After a few months, he went home (Phils), surprising me in my office.

Everything seems to be fine, but still I kept on asking God, if he is really is the One. And for the nth time, I asked for a sign...asked him a pink polo/shirt and white flowers (a specific white flower).. Why pink? Guys rarely wear pink and so as Toper nor the guys I know. It happened, but it took me a while before realizing that it was indeed what I was asking for.

One day, while we are having some snacks at our kitchen, Toper was browsing a magazine, he showed me a photo and that`s it.. Along side of that photo was a white flower, and yes, Toper was wearing a pink t-shirt. It took me, minutes before realizing that it was exactly what I am asking. I guess, I`ve been asking for signs and God has been answering me for many times, (the rain, even the umbrella, the teacher, the card..)and yet I am always clueless. I cried after realizing that..

June 27, 2008, his birthday, he made a reservation at Sonya`s Garden, Tagaytay for Lunch. Before heading to Sonya`s we went to Caleruega Church at Nasugbu Batangas, as per his request. We went inside the chapel, prayed. And because there are lots of people inside, we went out and walked, I saw a bench, a kind of bench he liked, he sat and I remain standing admiring the beauty of the place. He then said, Beh, will you marry me? (he opened a box, showing me the ring..) And the speechless me, said “ Oo naman”, and I started crying again.

After a few days, he got the new job in

Japan

, and wouldn`t want to leave without me being his wife. He talked with my parents, well my sister was also there, and asked their permission. Then with his parents, then the pamamanhikan happened, Toper explained everything, our plan to have the civil wedding before he leaves and the church wedding after a year. After a week or two, we got married, at our own chosen date, August 8, 2008 or 8-8-8 at The Regional Trial Court.

Before he left we already made several reservations for our Church Wedding. Our chosen date was already been booked and the only date available for our preferred time and day was Oct 17…. And After a year, on Oct 17, 2009 at three in the afternoon, same church where he proposed (his dream church), after 10 years of being sweethearts, and as promised… in front of everyone we love, we said our vows.

After weeks of saying "We Do", he went back to

Japan

, and I on the other hand, followed him after two weeks. And now, we`re sitting next to each other reminiscing our story and believing that its indeed A Match Made in Heaven..

P.S

A few more details..

1. sitting on Toper`s right (at our class picture) was also the same person standing next to him during our church wedding, my groom`s best man..

2. I was under his command at our CAT, because he requested it.

Afternoon Delight: Turon

2010-08-07T18:29:00.002+09:00

After waiting for the saba/banana to be perfectly ripe, here it is.. Turon.. saba-banana wrapped with spring roll wrapper coated with sugar. The outcome.. yumminess! A friend of ours gave us saba, and all I can think of is to make Turon and Banana Split/Saging con Yelo.. Yum! Now, we have to wait for the other half to ripen so we can have our Saging con Yelo..

We don`t have brown sugar so I used white.. plus.. didn`t coat it with too much sugar, just enough to make it sweet..

how to do it? Peel the banana, cut it in half, lengthwise. sprinkle some sugar.. Wrap it, brush the wrapped banana with a little water, then sprinkle both sides with sugar. Deep fry until golden brown. That`s it!

Pork Kimchi with Spinach

2010-08-06T13:59:00.002+09:00

We already have several posts regarding kimchi, but it doesn`t stop me for blogging these one. See, I added some spinach, and that`s it. Same thinly sliced pork, same pre-made kimchi brand..same everything except for that green leafy veggie. We bought 2 packs of spinach, neither of two were used..So instead of waiting for them to be wilted, tossed it to our pork kimchi. Just had it for lunch, and for sure ill be adding spinach again on my next kimchi dish...

Happy Foodtrip Friday everyone!

Oh my! Chocolate Slice

2010-08-05T17:17:00.001+09:00

A bite for you and a slice for me..

After craving for weeks.. and weeks for chocolate slice, finally! Nice to have it with hot tea or coffee but since its suppah hot I`d rather have some ice cold water!.Cakes here are not that sweet, just the right kick of sweetness, truth is, sweets here are not that sweet and we love it that way. Hubby will soon be coming home and I still don`t know what to prepare for his afternoon snack, planning to cook pancakes but we ran out of eggs, used it earlier for my ginisang amplaya. hmm.. thing is, its too hot here and I don`t feel like cooking! feels like I am being cook as well. It`s kinda maarte, to cook while the AC is on.. so I guess hubby will have crackers and orange juice. as for me, I still have my pocky...

Counting the days for our anniversary... for our new crib and for the "launching" of A Match Made in Heaven Featured Couples..Excited to share their stories and of course excited to share ours. Submission is still on going.. we`re happy to receive one from you..

Hot Hot Hot Sopas!

2010-08-04T20:42:00.002+09:00

It`s hot hot hot but I want my sopas.. I`ve already posted chicken soup or sopas before, but today is different, I now have my fish sauce and evaporated milk. And again, I still used the spaghetti pasta, still forgot to buy macaroni noodles, anyway it`s still sopas! We just had it earlier as our afternoon merienda, hubby`s not busy at work so he`s home at 5:40pm..After the merienda we went out to buy some whole peppercorns and lumpia wrapper, have saging na saba from a friend and will make turon tomorrow. Thing is, we also bought some snacks, fruits, breading.. the supposedly two stuffs was doubled actually more than tripled! Extra expenses here we go again! Anyway, we also visited our new crib, for nothing just checking..guess we are really excited to move in! ah... and bought some chocolate slice, craving for it for weeks now..

For the sopas: pasta noodles, butter, garlic, onion, carrots, chicken strips, fish sauce, water, evaporated milk, salt and pepper and spring onions..

How? cook chicken in boiling water, set aside..., saute garlic and onion in butter, add chicken, carrots, fish sauce, mix and add noodles, and water, dash of salt and pepper.. Let it simmer... add evaporated milk.. let it simmer, add spring onions and voila! Oh, and add some boiled egg! yummy! oopppss..Hot hot hot!

Vote for Our Wedding Photos in Facebook

2010-08-03T16:47:00.000+09:00

Please vote for us in Facebook. :)

How to Vote: 3 simple steps for vote to be counted

1. "Like" The Wedding Planner Magazine

2. Then " Like" our album : Toper-Mei

3. "Like" each photos in our album (total of 5 photos)

Photo # 1
Photo # 2
Photo # 3

Photo # 4

Photo # 5

Thanks thanks... : ) Oh.. can you share it with your friends too? Thanks guys!

Chicken and Sausage Roll

2010-08-02T16:21:00.001+09:00

see the sausage? the toothpick peeking? well, you can immediately take it off after frying, just wanted to show you how i secure the meat.. : ) check out the other two.. no more stick sticking on it!

We`ve been busy these couple of days..busy planning and conceptualizing .. and your guess?.. no..not the baby thingy.. We`ll be moving to a new crib next month, yay! We`re now craving for furnitures.. and what theme we would love to have..oh well..anyway, hubby was out yesterday to buy some drinking water and some bathroom gadgets while I was left home sleeping. he asked me what I wanted for breakfast or let me say... Brunch.. told him not to bother, I`ll just cook one for us.. just to save a few bucks.. the only thawed meat that I have was chicken breast, wanted to make some sopas (but I aint got no noodles, we haven`t had our grocery that time), ahmmm.. chicken bbq? no... chicken inasal.. no.. in the end I decided to do some experiment.. sliced the chicken breast thinly, then stuffed it with some japanese sausage..sealed it with toothpick...rolled it with some chicken breading and fry to perfection! no super sauce, just your favorite ketchup will do..a nice fresh veggie salad would compliment it..

Homemade Salted Egg: Itlog na Maalat

2010-07-30T17:43:00.001+09:00

It`s my second attempt, and finally got it right! We`ve been craving for pinoy dishes these past few months, and one of the simplest joy of being pinoy is eating salted egg. Love them with bangus, though it`s kinda hard to find milkfish here. Anyway, we enjoyed our salted egg with pan fried pork bbq and rice rice rice.. Actually its easy to make salted egg, the waiting part is kinda long.. well patience is a virtue.. we bought a large glass container, (the usual garapon from the usual tindahan sa atin). What I did? boiled some water, just enough to submerge all the eggs.. then add some salt.. actually not some.. lots of salt, until the water becomes supersaturated (salt can no be longer dissolve), then set aside until the water is cold enough. Pour the super saturated water in the container, add the eggs, sealed it, and waited for 12 days.. or 14 days, boiled the egg with the supersaturated water and voila! salted egg na! (try 2 eggs first, if its not that salty for you, wait for another day or so.. until your desired saltiness is met)

More foodtrips at FoodTrip Friday!

Be our Featured Couple: Share your Love Story

2010-07-29T15:47:00.000+09:00

Our blogsite, A Match Made in Heaven will be open for couples who would love to share their love stories, starting on August 9, 2010, in celebration to our 2nd civil wedding anniversary and 11th year anniversary as Sweethearts.. Joining is easy... see below for details..Share and Inspire Others!

Each of us has our own stories to tell, and every story deserves to be told..

Let your Love Story be featured!

Who can join?
1. Anyone..what matter is that your in-Love

How to join?
1. Email us your Story at newlywedscravings@yahoo.com.ph
2. Attach 3 photos of you and your partner
3. Insert your own Story Title
4. Insert your Website/Blogsite (yes, will feature both, your story and your site)
For those who don`t have a website/blogsite, no worries... as long as you have your stories! : )

You can request any date, as long as it is still open.. Of course.. First Come First Serve!

English, Tagalog or Tag-lish stories will do, whatever is comfortable with you..

Its that simple... will start featuring your stories on August 9, 2010 (Monday)

Love..Love..Love...

Note:
1. Will email your confirmation that we have received your story, and the date when it will be featured.. : )

It`s Official! I AM ___________________

2010-07-28T21:47:00.000+09:00

All I can say is..... Hayyyyzzzz.. before talking how sweet the melon is..I`ll tell you first what happened earlier..

As mentioned last night, we went to the hospital to check what`s going on with me..Left the house at 9am, arrived at the hospital at 930am, hubby filled up some form and went straight to Ob-Gyne clinic... after 7 long hours.. YES! AFTER 7 1/2 HOURS! we are finally called! And it doesn`t end there, went to do some tests, and consultation which took us another hour.. A total of 8 hours straight in the hospital, sitting in front of the clinic, break at around 12nn just to have our lunch..We don`t have a reservation, just a walk-in patient so it took us almost the whole day burning our butts off the chair.. Anyway, we`d rather wait than nothing. And guess what.... after waiting for so long, after undergoing some tests, it`s official I`m not yet PREGNANT! geezzz...the spotting that I`ve been experiencing are actually menstruation.. Well, we are not that disappointed nor too sad about it, actually it gave us peace of mind for we thought that my spotting that turns heavy are leading to miscarriage. We`re still young and maybe it`s not yet the time for us. The good thing is we have nothing to worry about on everything that i am going through right now, we could sleep knowing that everything`s fine... We left the hospital at around 530pm. We`re really hungry so we decided to dine-out, not just any dine-out, went to a eat all you can italian resto. As my hubby says, its our treat.. for being patient, because its our job as a patient..to be patience (and that`s for 8 long hours!). We couldn't have waited if we only have a reservation days ahead, but since it`s an emergency we have no choice but to be a walk-in patient.. so all in all.. we are tired and full, burp! and can peacefully sleep..and that is now... zzzzzzzzzz

Oh for the melon.. that`s the melon from our last weeks post! And boy it is sooo sweeet!

Aglio e Olio

2010-07-27T21:28:00.000+09:00

I`m not feeling well today, for some reasons that I myself couldn`t answer. Asked hubby to go home early, for I am feeling terribly bad. My back is aching as well as my right side, I` m feeling tired and weak and yes sleepy, and........... Slept almost the whole day. Anyway, was hungry and told hubby I want spaghetti, been craving for spaghetti for quite sometime now, he went to 7-eleven and found nothing, so I insisted that he cooked one for me. All I have in mind is Aglio e Olio, just a simple pasta dish. hubby did the cooking and i loved it, i almost ate everything, he just sautéed the garlic(lots of it) with olive oil, then some chili flakes were added, shrimp and little chicken broth to taste or salt if you want.. then parsely, served with lots of Parmesan cheese. As simple as I wanted to eat. Will go to the doctor tomorrow to rule out what`s with me these past few days..As of now, I need to rest.. good night!

I don`t eat Okra, but now I do..

2010-07-26T16:55:00.000+09:00

Marrying a veggie eater somehow changed the picky- hatey eater in me..One of the veggies I hate is okra, i could even remember my bf then, husbannd now, trying to fed me with okra and I was crying, and he still insisted telling me that if I love him I would eat it, and I did while crying. And now, I`m tempted to eat that sticky veggie out of no reason, but hubby would just stare at me with doubt in his eyes (maybe because I cried once eating it), still after weeks I finally decided to try eating it again. Grab a pack in the market, looking at my hubby and hearing him say, sure you`d eat that?, and I was like, yeah will see, if i can`t you`ll still do.. To cut it short, cooked it with sautéed shrimp paste or alamang, actually its a spare ribs with alamang, then when its already done, added the okra on top, then after a few minutes served it hot with white rice. And yes, hubby was surprised seeing me munch those veggies. And that`s a great accomplishment on my part! yay! Now, I want more okra! yumm!

Ingredients: oil (little), garlic, onion, tomatoes, spare ribs, alamang, chili. and yes, Okra!