When our children were here for their semestral break from school, eating was no doubt a family affair.  And since our children has been away from us for almost a year, making up for the lost time is what we prepared for.   Of course, our wallets are open for their little indulgences like dining out and shopping on the side.  So, we hardly rest our tummies for special dishes each night that we dined out.   Really, “the family that eats together, gets fat together” because no one amongst  us  has ever  thought of dieting those times.

Before hubby and I set off to work, we already had plans where to take our children to dinner.  Yah, kinda spoiling them but nevermind.. both of us are happy to see them full and satisfied!   We know that rarely they can eat to their hearts content because as students , their monthly allowances are on budget.  We are teaching them how to budget their finances and that they are accountable for their expenditures.   So, they really know how to budget wisely.  We have  had imbibed in their minds the value of money and we taught them to cook at home rather than eating out.  I was amazed that despite their limited budget, they can still manage to save.   Of course, the emergency money are sent to my sister and will be dispensed to them everytime a project , field trip or unexpected expenses comes.

Our  food tripping were done successively, till we have noticed that the pounds were slowly creeping in.   We promised to have another motto that is “the family that exercise together, looks better together”.  However, we put off that motto for and let them enjoy their favorite pastime.. eating!

So, we have to double time (?) with rounds of fine dining restaurants in the city.  I will be posting some dining places we’ve been to.  And you will understand why we gained weight…..

1. Turkish restaurant –  eating in a Turkish restaurant is only once a month treat for us especially after payday but for a while we did not follow our regular schedule.

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shawarma

shawarma in plate…grilled lamb chops, homous, khobous, cocktail juice

2.  Steak house

3.  Pizza

5.  Ice cream stands

The pictures posted already depicted how we indulged.   A lot of dining places we’ve been to but  I wasn’t able to take pictures…. next time when we have the chance to go there again, I will surely post or blog about the place.

Oh dear…yah.. we know that gluttony is a mortal sin….. but I believe that we are not in that category yet… Anyway, the children had left already and it will be in 10 months time that they will come back here.  Well, it will give our tummy the time to rest.

Lol… my socks do not come in pairs. What a sight!   This was taken last night.. exhausted of finding a matched pair, I decided to use it anyway.  I was exasperated looking for a pair to match the white, black, brown socks that I’ve found mismatched in my drawer.   What a topsy turvy cabinet I have these days, that I still need to dig deeper just to look for another pair.  That somehow irritating occurrence  prompted me to ask  hubby to accompany me to a home depot that very minute to look  for an organizer.   I must admit that I recently have neglected that part of organizing things due to my busy work in the office, at home and in the community.   After the clothes has been laundered and dried,  I will just toss it in the drawer and put off the task for the next day until I’ve forgotten to do it.   Lazy me…

So this morning as he promised, we woke up early and went to Ikea and there I found useful organizers that would definitely make my life easier.  Can you imagine the frustrations I just had only with that very simple task of finding pair of socks?  Well, I had a good time doing rounds of the store mostly in the bedroom and bathroom section.  I fancied bright colored towels and pretty shower curtain on display and end up buying not only organizers but some stuff not on my “to buy” list.

Never mind.. hubby paid for it…. and I know that he also wanted me to organize our closets…

My husband cooks well,  his culinary skill is far better than mine.  Well,   I can cook but only simple and no fancy dishes.  In fact, I can survive with sandwiches alone.   But hubby won’t settle for fast foods because he loves to stay in the kitchen preparing and cooking dishes which are mostly from their region.  His favorite – combinations of vegetables simmered all together.  For true blooded Ilocanos or the G.I’s (Genuine Ilocanos), I know that this dish is their favorite too.    I would like to share the pinakbet recipe of my husband by posting it here for your reference.  For those who are not Ilocanos but would like to sample cooking this popular dish, read on:

How to cook Pinakbet Ilocano Style

Ingredients:

Vegetables like:

1/2 cup squash, cubed
5 pcs string beans, cut 3 inches long
5 pcs okra, sliced lengthwise
3 bitter melon (ampalaya) halved
5 pcs eggplant, cut half
3 pcs tomatoes, quartered
1 tbsp. ginger strips
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 pcs onions, quartered
1 tbsp. fish bagoong
1/4 kilo bagnet or pork belly, fried until crispy
1 cup water

• Arrange all the vegetables in a saucepan.
• On top place the bagoong (shrimp or fish paste) and the pork belly then add water
• Add 1 cup of water. Cover the saucepan and bring it to a boil.
• Lower heart and simmer while stirring it slowly with a ladle
• Make sure that all vegetables are cooked and simmer until almost done.

My husband loves this dish and I also came to like it.   It is mostly vegetables but go slow with the bagoong or shrimp paste since it is salty.   You can do the dish without the pork belly and you may substitute it with chicken or shrimp.   However, if you do and made revisions, this will not be anymore considered as an authentic Ilocano dish.

Try it and you will like it.

Gracing  a carpet trade show last week- end made my husband and I dream of having any of those luxurious carpets on display!   We were able to check on countless styles and textures and up to date designs which are already teeming  in the market.   We were particularly in awe with the handwoven, intricately designed carpets on display and I felt that my carpet at home is very much outdated compared with the new selection that we’ve seen.  My thoughts wandered far and I am getting disturbed with this feeling of  buying new home carpets as my special project this 2011.

It is known fact, that carpets  connotes affluence because of its added elegance and sophistication to any home.   However, my idea of carpet is the  comfy and casual look – practical and affordable but should not be compromising the quality.   Of  course, I would love to own plush luxurious carpets where nothing feels as good as sinking your feet into it because of the richness of its’ texture.  But those kind really need expensive and proper maintenance.

Our home carpet can weather the almost every other weekly meeting held in our place and as part of our role as leaders in a community, we often offer and open our homes to members especially during combined trainings that needed a bigger space.   So, I was thankful that we opted to have easy to maintain carpets laid out when we transferred almost 2 years ago.  Vacuuming can be tedious at times especially if there are little children who sometimes can carelessly spill food and drinks.  And so, what more with luxurious carpets?  That requires professional cleaning and maintenance.

Actually, we were planning to have the carpets replaced by vinyl flooring early this month but upon seeing those colorful and intricately designed carpets, I can’t help but think anew.  I should have not gone to the trade show.. . it polluted or shall I say corrupted my mind… lol!  Hubby will not like the idea of changing my mind again because the budget and the contractors for the vinyl flooring are all set.

Oh dear….

 Home ownership is a dream come true for my friend Manuel who lives in Arizona with his family. I was really convinced from the profile status he posted in a Social Networking site that he was really beaming with pride.  He also posted the  picture of  his new found gem – a dream house.  His last post was “Deam House No More”!   According to him, it  was answered prayers for him and his wife Judy.   Exaggerated it may sound,  they stormed heavens with their prayers and they have never stopped dreaming because they both believed that dreaming is free and so they dreamt real big!  And their faith coupled with hard work sustained their wishes!

Since the dream of homeownership burned boldly in their hearts, they really strived and worked hard despite the looming financial crisis, barely months after they have settled in Arizona.  Initially, they stayed with their  in-laws until such time the couple was all ready for a bigger leap.   They found the ultimate answer to their dream when they were referred by a friend to a good agent of CAMEL BACK MOUNTAIN HOMES FOR SALE.  Of course, billions of others share the same dream and they were among the countless of individuals who have been given the chance to own a beautiful home in Arizona.  

I am happy for my couple friend!  However, a tinge of enviousness somehow prompted me to ask my husband to browse the website and get some needed information from the real estate agent.  Hmmm, let us positively view good luck as coming in the hundreds.  I might be one of them!

We were privileged to have a 10 days Haj holidays so we thought that the house needs to be cleaned to make wise use of our idle time.   We’re almost halfway packing the boxes and are ready to be shipped anytime this week but I know it will be past Christmas time they might receive the cargo.   Anyways, it will be worth the wait!

Excitedly, I woke up early today and started my project clean-up but the problem with me is, I always find that once I’ve started to clean, I won’t stop until I’m done.  Oftentimes, I will be engrossed in de-cluttering the room that I tend not to mind other members of the family because I am all set in finishing the work that I have started.   I will just give detailed instructions to my children and they will carry on.

I am proud to tell that my children were taught early the importance of helping out with chores at home.   We made them learn how to do the dishes, make their beds, set and clear the table and do simple house cleaning.   We do it on rotation basis and so far, till today, they are doing their chores without being reminded or bribed which sometimes most parents do.  They have learned their responsibilities and that started at home so now that all 3 of them are living together in a condominium by themselves, we never worry because we have already taught them  basic life skills which they are now putting into good practice.  We have instilled into their minds the importance of learning to help out , team play and the pride in every work accomplished.

I always work with attitude….  Doing chores with music makes the time goes by fast and before you know it, you are almost done with work.  I never see it  as drudgery so as not to give wrong signals to my children and they might pick that attitude and carry it on with them.   They too learned the art of working with a smile, sorrounded by music.  Every heavy work becomes light because we are happy doing it.   That’s attitude!

So, let us adapt the “let’s whistle while we work attitude”.  It works!

My last post was about my next project of general cleaning and re-decorating our flat.  However, when my husband fetched me from work this afternoon, he sadly mentioned that the haris (caretaker) of the building told him that all tenants need to move out after Haj holidays.  Haj holidays?  Are they kidding?  It is barely 2 days from now and where on earth can we find ready flats for rent!   Apparently, the buildings were sold to another real estate office and that the new owner will renovate the 3 buildings.  If that happens; after applying fresh coats of paint and the flats re-modeled,  they will demand for higher rental fee. The news came as a bombshell because such short notice will displace us.  It is hard to scout for a new flat nowadys.  Thus, clever real estate businessman are in disguise of renovating the flat to bait for higher rental.

Moving out from a flat you called home for so many years entails struggle and to let go is to disassociate your emotional attachment to the house.  You need to psyche or make the mental decision to let go and focus that you won’t live here forever.

I did not have much sleep last night that is why I was yawning from time to time while in the office.  I started to talk to officemates and friends in case they know of any available flat but still I am not convinced that we will soon be transferring.  My fears are silly!  I hate moving because we had tons and boxes of clutter we have accumulated through the years and each one hold sentimental values.  Every nook and cranny of every room holds a special memory.   My children spend much of their youth in this home.

We called our flat our home and this is a source of pride and the personal touch and investments we had done to make this place homey with all the decor and improvements made us feel accomplished and satisfied.

Thing is we can’t stay here forever.  I am having separation anxiety because emotionally I am not ready, we are not ready.   In fact,  we wanted to stay…  However we have to look towards the future.  Never look backwards….

We will in time… and we are still hoping there will be positive changes coming before our lease contract expires.

For now, we are going to scout for a possible new address…

The cargo boxes that needed to be shipped are still here… Due to our very busy schedule in the office and other community activities, I almost forgot that there should be a lead time of 45 days cargo time if its by sea and about a week by air.   The boxes are lying around here and for sure my relatives back home are all excited because almost every year we sent them cargo to feast on.   So, this morning, realizing that I might be caught in the middle of cargo traffic, I told my husband that I will set my week end for organizing everything for shipping.  That way too, I can start doing my general cleaning and hopefully a little re-arranging and decorating just in time for the holidays.

I thought of getting rid of the carpet in one of the big room where we usually use as holding area for guests with kids.   Holding area for them to watch TV, draw and play around while we elders do our household meetings (it’s a part of our spiritual get together).  I would like to have the carpet replaced with either  vinyl or parquet floors.   It will be easier to clean and would save us from the hassles if we party or receive guests with kids who sometimes can accidentally spill drinks on the carpet.

So that would be my project before Christmas for I am sure that we will partying more often than usual.

Don’t laugh now! I am serious! Even how silly it may sound but I am telling the truth, my stiff neck was caused by a ceiling fan! The other day, we graced the housewarming of a friend, an occasion we all looked forward to. The said house was on the buzz lately because our common friends were like bees talking about how majestic its interior, furnishings and appliances are. We were not disappointed for true to our expectations the house was adorned with beautiful vases, painting but we were particularly in awe with the decorative ceiling fans.   We all can’t help to look up all the time because it was an instant conversation piece the whole evening.

Obviously, those elegant fans have caused the strained soft tissues on my neck for I was trying to figure out its brand and kept looking up. A guest who for sure had noticed me,  whispered that I don’t need to strain my neck any further and scribbled a site in a scratch paper.  It was written exactly like this- the best place to shop -Hansen Wholesale Ceiling Fans and he further wrote to visit this site if you really want to find out who makes the Best Ceiling Fans here! It was written with conviction! I later found out that he too owns a beautiful home with fans of those brands and he swore for its super quality performance and never stops recommending the brand to his countless friends.

In the meantime, I will continue to draw inspiration from my friends’ home decorations and should we decide to re-decorate our house for a modern look, I would definitely consider buying from Hansen Wholesale those ceiling fans.

However, I am afraid that if I will frequent my friends’ house, for sure my stiff neck will linger on and on.

Sleep is very essential and lack of it will quickly cause irritability, grogginess and fatigue that usually will affect our activities even throughout the day.  That is what I patiently explained to my husband when we he accompanied me to shop one time.  He was asking me countless of times why I need to hoard those linens.

I love to invest in good and luxury bedding for there is nothing indulgent or as pleasing to the senses when we used luxury ben linens.  Hitting the bed after a days work is what I loved to do most and the bedroom is as inviting as ever if my pillow cases matched the sheets and comforter.  It lulled me to sleep with the touch and smell of crisp freshly laundered linens.

I think my husband is not aware that is one reason for me waking up not  feeling “grumpy”.  I always have a good night sleep.  Ah! Dreamland…