Yesterday we, Maegan (my four year old daughter) and I, went to meet my Aunt Esther (not my relative but a family friend), She just came home from her 2 months vacation in Japan. When we saw each other, we kissed, exchanged greetings, and of course lots and lots of talk about her personal experience there.
It was almost 7:30 when Maegan cut us off. She was already hungry. So, unfortunately we said our goodbyes and went home.
We rode on a public tricycle, we sat there silently, me not knowing that Maegan was thinking about her dinner. "Mommy, I want to eat spaghetti," finally she exclaimed. So, I replied ok. I was also thinking of buying her and Migo fastfood for dinner since it was already late to cook it.
Then thinking out loud Maegan said, "Mom, do you know that they put ketchup on spaghetti to make it red?"
Hmmm... I think some do, don't you think?
Anyway for reading this article, I'm throwing in my Personal Spaghetti Recipe which I have practiced on for almost 10 years now. The ingredients have changed throughout the years, to make it very nutritious but delicious enough for my kids to enjoy.
Adar Spaghetti Royale
Estimated & preparation & cooking time: 40 minutes.
Spaghetti Ingredients:
1 kg. spaghetti noodles
1/2 kg. ground pork
1/4 kg. hotdogs, sliced
2 cups eggplant, diced
1 cup carrots, minced
1 cup mushroom, sliced
1 kg. tomato sauce
4 green bell peppers, diced
1 cup onions, chopped
1 head garlic, minced
3 tablespoons of cooking oil
1/4 cup condensed milk
1/4 cup all purpose cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated cheese
Spaghetti Cooking Instructions:
Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.
In a sauce pan or wok, sauté garlic and onions in cooking oil.
Add ground pork, bell pepper and a cup of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste, carrots, mushroom, eggplant then let simmer for another 10 minutes
Add hotdogs, condensed milk, all purpose cream adjust to taste. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve with the cooked spaghetti noodles and grated cheese on top.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
My Buddy Body
This past two months have been crazy hubby went out of town. Talked about juggling business, kids, and another business all in one for six days a week that my Buddy Body was aching; shoulder aches, head aches, leg aches, feet aches, Body was aching everywhere.
Good thing Hubby arrived home but Body could no longer take it and got flu, was out of circulation for almost three weeks. Good thing Hubby was already there to take care of kids. Buddy Body had rested but was still feeling really beat up. Body longed for a bit of pampering and real relaxation.
Alas! Body got a GC* from Spa named Touch & Heal? It was Body's Buddy's birthday last September 9. Mean Buddy, wasn't paying attention to Aching Body up to now September 17. Still Body was faithful and helped Body's Buddy through the day.
Perhaps Body's Buddy finally got a guilty and took Body to Spa. It was first time. Buddy wanted Hubby to go along for moral support' sake but wasn't able to out of little embarrassment. It was first time! Buddy had mix emotions, when Buddy got to the door step Buddy almost backed out. Talk about ignoramus Buddy but Body didn't want to, Body was thirsting, no, longing to be pampered and this time Body wasn't gonna take no for an answer till finally Body won.
Spa was heavenly, first Body was serve with freshly made ginger ale and indeed it was totally refreshing. TOTALLY... that Body wasn't able to resist to ask for ginger ale ingredients which were:
1. freshly grated ginger
2. lemon grass
3. lemon
4. honey
Boil freshly grated ginger and lemon grass. Pour in a cup and squeeze in lemon add honey. Adjust to taste. Great for soothing Aching Body.
Spa was great it revive Body to its full. Now, Body is Happy. Bow*
Good thing Hubby arrived home but Body could no longer take it and got flu, was out of circulation for almost three weeks. Good thing Hubby was already there to take care of kids. Buddy Body had rested but was still feeling really beat up. Body longed for a bit of pampering and real relaxation.
Alas! Body got a GC* from Spa named Touch & Heal? It was Body's Buddy's birthday last September 9. Mean Buddy, wasn't paying attention to Aching Body up to now September 17. Still Body was faithful and helped Body's Buddy through the day.
Perhaps Body's Buddy finally got a guilty and took Body to Spa. It was first time. Buddy wanted Hubby to go along for moral support' sake but wasn't able to out of little embarrassment. It was first time! Buddy had mix emotions, when Buddy got to the door step Buddy almost backed out. Talk about ignoramus Buddy but Body didn't want to, Body was thirsting, no, longing to be pampered and this time Body wasn't gonna take no for an answer till finally Body won.
Spa was heavenly, first Body was serve with freshly made ginger ale and indeed it was totally refreshing. TOTALLY... that Body wasn't able to resist to ask for ginger ale ingredients which were:
1. freshly grated ginger
2. lemon grass
3. lemon
4. honey
Boil freshly grated ginger and lemon grass. Pour in a cup and squeeze in lemon add honey. Adjust to taste. Great for soothing Aching Body.
Spa was great it revive Body to its full. Now, Body is Happy. Bow*
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Teaching Honor Through Common Courtesy
"foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." Proverbs 22: 15
As a young mother of two, I always wonder what the proper guidelines to teach my kids are. My mother is an OFW at the age of 12 I learned to live and survive on my own.
Without a parent, especially a mother to teach and train me - discipline and the ways of life, I struggled on my own identity. I don't blame her, I know in her heart she wanted to uplift our lifestyle and give us greener pastures to tread upon and indeed she has.
In my teen years, I observed other people’s traits and behaviors in hope to build my own. Despite of all these, it is by God's grace that, although not 100% perfect, I survived.
The next phase in my life has now commenced. I am now a mother myself. My kids' infant stage, taking care of them- feeding, changing diapers, putting them to sleep, t'was a breeze. Now that they are 4 and 6 years of age I am troubled as to how and what are the proper and right ethics, behaviors and guidelines I should teach them.
True that my mother have taught me most of them in my younger years and most of them are instilled in my subconscious but with no proper training and discipline at all, I had difficulty in applying and observing it myself.
In my desire to teach them correctly, I searched and looked. As the Bible saying goes, "Seek and ye shall find..." indeed I have and listed some of them, but first let me quote:
"Honor thy father and thy mother which is the first commandment with promise." Ephesians 6:2 KJV
Teaching your kids honor and respect through common courtesy which some of them are:
As a young mother of two, I always wonder what the proper guidelines to teach my kids are. My mother is an OFW at the age of 12 I learned to live and survive on my own.
Without a parent, especially a mother to teach and train me - discipline and the ways of life, I struggled on my own identity. I don't blame her, I know in her heart she wanted to uplift our lifestyle and give us greener pastures to tread upon and indeed she has.
In my teen years, I observed other people’s traits and behaviors in hope to build my own. Despite of all these, it is by God's grace that, although not 100% perfect, I survived.
The next phase in my life has now commenced. I am now a mother myself. My kids' infant stage, taking care of them- feeding, changing diapers, putting them to sleep, t'was a breeze. Now that they are 4 and 6 years of age I am troubled as to how and what are the proper and right ethics, behaviors and guidelines I should teach them.
True that my mother have taught me most of them in my younger years and most of them are instilled in my subconscious but with no proper training and discipline at all, I had difficulty in applying and observing it myself.
In my desire to teach them correctly, I searched and looked. As the Bible saying goes, "Seek and ye shall find..." indeed I have and listed some of them, but first let me quote:
"Honor thy father and thy mother which is the first commandment with promise." Ephesians 6:2 KJV
Teaching your kids honor and respect through common courtesy which some of them are:
- Say the magic words - please & thank you.
- Say, “Excuse me.”
- Say sorry if mistaken
- Say yes or no mom/dad after being questioned.
- Say proper greetings such as - good morning, good afternoon, good evening
- To answer only and when spoken to.
- To look at the person's eyes when talking
- To knock at the door before entering and close it after entering.
- Not to yell at you from the other room.
- Not to enter a room talking.
- Not to interrupt adult conversations.
- Not to play tease.
- To watch where he/she is going.
- To respect others things and belongings.
- To respect the elderly and smaller children.
- To be kind to animals.
- To never challenge parent's authority through arguments. This would leave the child to undermine your authority over his/her.
I am not perfect neither have I perfected the list above nor neither does my children. But it would be much easier to know them to guide us in our daily living.
To end let me leave you with this bible proverb:
"Train up a child in the way he should go and, when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
A Tribute To Mom's On Mother's Day
This piece is not my work. It is given by my mother-in-law during mother's day of 2005. One of my favorites, it outlines a typical mother in her daily activities reminding that we should do all things out of love.
I Corinthians 13: A Homemaker's Version
Though I work from early morning to late in the evening cleaning the house and making it attractive to anyone who may come to visit, yet spend the day irritable with my family, I have only beautified my house but have failed to make it a home.
Though I strive and learned to cook all kinds of recipes and serve my family meals that are nutritionally balanced, yet neglect to take time to kiss, hug, or just listen to them , I have fed their bodies but have starved their hearts.
Homemaking with love means being patient even when muddy shoes walk on the newly waxed floors. It means being kind to the child who painted the walls with peanut butter.
Homemaking with love means being contented with my house and what's in it and not envying other homemakers who have more helpers, better gadgets, bigger budgets and prettier houses.
A loving home maker does not boast about her housekeeping efficiency. She does not look down with pride on those who struggle with homemaking chores. A loving homemaker is not rude - especially with her kids and their friends who mess up the living room which she spent the whole day cleaning up.
She is not selfish, thinking only of herself and how she works hard for everyone. Instead, a loving homemaker looks for things to appreciate about each member of the family. Her love does not easily get angry with the tiny hands who pull out her plants and scratch her precious china, glassware, ceramics, figurines, or picture frames.
She does not tolerate wrongdoing in the house but promotes character building and righteousness.
A loving homemaker is loyal, always believing in her family, expecting the best from them.
A loving homemaker always hopes that all the love and hard work she puts into making her house a home will help her family become more secure and happy.
A loving homemaker never gives up.Kitchens to clean, laundry to wash, floors to polish, gardens to grow, rooms to tidy, food to cook and all housekeeping chores will one day come to an end, but the love I have given to my family - this will remain.
For the greatest is LOVE.
Written by: Melody Joy I. Maraat
Kudos to you and may God bless you with more inspiring pieces.
I Corinthians 13: A Homemaker's Version
Though I work from early morning to late in the evening cleaning the house and making it attractive to anyone who may come to visit, yet spend the day irritable with my family, I have only beautified my house but have failed to make it a home.
Though I strive and learned to cook all kinds of recipes and serve my family meals that are nutritionally balanced, yet neglect to take time to kiss, hug, or just listen to them , I have fed their bodies but have starved their hearts.
Homemaking with love means being patient even when muddy shoes walk on the newly waxed floors. It means being kind to the child who painted the walls with peanut butter.
Homemaking with love means being contented with my house and what's in it and not envying other homemakers who have more helpers, better gadgets, bigger budgets and prettier houses.
A loving home maker does not boast about her housekeeping efficiency. She does not look down with pride on those who struggle with homemaking chores. A loving homemaker is not rude - especially with her kids and their friends who mess up the living room which she spent the whole day cleaning up.
She is not selfish, thinking only of herself and how she works hard for everyone. Instead, a loving homemaker looks for things to appreciate about each member of the family. Her love does not easily get angry with the tiny hands who pull out her plants and scratch her precious china, glassware, ceramics, figurines, or picture frames.
She does not tolerate wrongdoing in the house but promotes character building and righteousness.
A loving homemaker is loyal, always believing in her family, expecting the best from them.
A loving homemaker always hopes that all the love and hard work she puts into making her house a home will help her family become more secure and happy.
A loving homemaker never gives up.Kitchens to clean, laundry to wash, floors to polish, gardens to grow, rooms to tidy, food to cook and all housekeeping chores will one day come to an end, but the love I have given to my family - this will remain.
For the greatest is LOVE.
Written by: Melody Joy I. Maraat
Kudos to you and may God bless you with more inspiring pieces.
A Luau to Remember
Following up on the Luau Party, it was a success.
Only a few people were invited, only family and close church friends and officemates of the host.The party started at almost 6:30PM although the invitation was 5:00 PM. Here's one of typical Filipino parties, where the host would usually indicate in the invitation 1 to 2 hours advance in their planned time set because guest would almost always arrive 1-2 hours late.
Other than that, the party was a blast; Maegan and Migo especially enjoyed the venue because it was held in Harbor Lights, a restaurant situated beside the sea. What she enjoyed most was the wide open grassy space they had where they run around and round and round and round to their hearts content. It is good to note that there is also swimming pool beside the venue.
Oh! Dora the Explorer was there. She was the hosts' chosen party mascot. She wasn't in her Hawaiian costume, although, I think she cut her hair short, one of the guest commented she looked like Suzy, the mascot from Sustagen*. Later on, the adults on the party began to call her Suzy, while my eldest son Migo called her Chikadora* because of the recent BubbleGang* episode (09/12) he'd seen where her cousin Diego was beaten up by a gang of intoxicated bystanders. But that's a totally different story.
Having themed parties, for me, is quiet different from typical parties. What I noticed the most in the party we attended is that guest stayed longer despite the fact that it was on a weekday where people have work and students have classes the next day. The guests were enjoying the mood, the Hawaiian music, and the cool ambience as if we were really in Hawaii. The feeling was relaxing.
If you plan on hosting a Luau themed party, here are a few pointers I've come up with:
- Plan ahead of time and distribute invitations early so that your guest will have ample time to prepare especially for their costume.
- VENUE: Luau themed parties can be successful outdoors as well as indoors. You can let your imagination be your guide. Indoors, you could either decorate the room with palm trees/leaves and flowers and have a beach backdrop. Anything goes as long as it relates to the theme. Outdoors: first concern for outdoor parties is the weather so you better check it up in your local weather station, or if not have a back up plan in case the weather doesn't cooperate. You can set your party on your backyard, seaside, or poolside to create that tropical island paradise mood.
- Costume: Grass skirts topped with colorful/floral halters. Sarongs, thongs and sandals are a few examples of costumes women can wear. A traditional flower head dress completes your Hawaiian ensemble. For men, Hawaiian match polo and shorts, straw hats or beachcomber, sunglasses, and sandals. Hey guys can wear grass skirts and coconut bras too!
Every Luau parties must have Leis to greet their guest with. Leis are floral necklaces which can easily be made and materials can be found right around your backyard.
Activities/Entertainment: Set the mood by playing Hawaiian music. Popular games used include Limbo sticks and Hula hoops or go on the internet to look for other games to make your party more fun and alive. - Food Preparation: Hawaiian food are influenced by so many different cultures, each unique in its own culinary way. You can create/mix up your Hawaiian dishes by looking up the internet different recipes. Make sure that you will be able to finish the food preparation and process before your party starts.
These are just a few tips to create a Luau party. Whatever you decide, the most important thing is that you enjoy what you are doing. Aloha!
Let's Luau!
Aloha! We have been invited to a Luau party….WHAT TO DO?!
This party, unlike all other parties we've been invited to, will be our first costume party. So, this will be quite significant to us.
It’s the first birthday of a close family friend of ours named Lauren. Here’s a picture of her very cute invitation.
This is one of my favorite kinds of invitations. It is so cool because it's not only an invitation but also an audio cd as well. In it are kids’ songs. It's very functional and the kids are going to enjoy listening to them.
Here are 5 Examples of personalized birthday but functional invitations:
1. Audio CDs: Just like the invitation we received, this type of invitation will surely not go to waste and will make your guest happy.
2. Personalized Picture Cards: These are cards that made out of PVC material and you can
personalize it. It is one of the newest trends today. You can either print beautiful, spiritual quotes or different kinds of picture designs you wish to put in this cards, also great for debuts and weddings. For more information on this kind of invitation please e-mail me at jhk_jaire@yahoo.com.3. Miniature Frames: Place personalized invitation inside frame and guest can later on replace the invitation with their pictures.
4. Pocket Calendars: Personalized the background picture, it can be of the birthday celebrant or his/her favorite cartoon character.
5. Little Candy Bottles: These are candy bottles, of course, with candy still inside them. Print birthday invitations onto sticker paper, as if they were product labels, then stick them on the candy bottles.
Whatever you decide to make, a little more effort goes a long, long way.
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