Home Sweet Home

My husband is home from deployment. Arianna's reaction was kind of sad and funny. She just looked at daddy but didn't wanna be carried or be held by daddy. So I was holding her and she was just looking at daddy trying to figure out that he is real. I know she remembers him. ;)

Here are some pictures of today's sweet homecoming.



I am so happy that my husband is home!
(Thank you Liza for letting me borrow your markers. :)



She looked like she didn't know what was going on.

We are just so happy and that
Arianna didn't care about the picture. lol

She opened her gift from Kirk,(my cousin in the Philippines
who I babysat when he was a baby).

This kid is obsessed with anything
Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse, seriously!

Daddy was helping.

Gifts she got from Grandma in the Philippines:
Book of Mormon, church children's cd and a tagalog children's cd



We celebrated late Christmas! I just realized that I didn't take any picture of my husband opening his gifts. I was too excited for him. lol. I am glad that he liked the gifts I got him. He was so funny because he said "you didn't buy me any white socks did you"? Haha! Every  Christmas since we got married I always buy him white socks. LOL. I don't know why. But this time, I only got him a really good one pair of white socks. Ha! Well, I did buy him some clothes and this slippers that is worth 30 bucks but got it for free.Thanks couponing and free shipping! And lastly, he will get the transmission rebuild for his beloved Jeep. lol

My sweet husband got me my dream knife block set. (J.A. Henckels International Classic 15pc. block set). It was kinda of expensive and I even told him to buy a different cheaper brand. But my husband would rather wait(save money) and get the real stuff that would last for a long time. So we went to the mall to go eat at my beloved "Jollibee" (a Filipino fast food chain) then we decided to stroll at the mall. We ended up at Macy's and my husband told me to look around if I could find my knife set. So I did! I told him not to buy it because it's expensive and it's not on sale. And then, I saw the sign that says one day sale. So we were like, the knife set should be on sale and it was! and take additional 15% off already reduced price so my husband told me to grab it. LOL  (sale + 15% off = good deal)!

Well, enough for the materialistic stuff. I am just so GLAD that my husband is home and he's here with me and Arianna. Nothing beats the happiness I feel when I am with my husband and my daughter.

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Material possessions and honors of the world do not endure. But your union as wife, husband, and family can.... The only duration of family life that satisfies the loftiest longings of the human soul is forever...Our family is the focus of our greatest work and joy in this life."- Russell M. Nelson


"There is no other organization that can so completely satisfy our need for belonging and happiness like the family. Why do we yearn for home and loved ones? I believe this yearning is a universal, God-given instinct that all people in all cultures are blessed with. I also believe that a loving Heavenly Father gives it to us because within the family we experience most of life's greatest joys. The sights, sounds, and associations of family and home are among our most treasured memories and provide our fondest anticipations". - Marlin K. Jensen

Goodnight Moon

Arianna loves this book. My cousin gave it to her two Christmases ago. I have to read it twice or so (the most was 5 times) before she goes to bed. She gets very excited by the cow jumping over the moon and the red balloon. She likes to point where everything is.Well, this book I think is not a bedtime story. It's basically about describing what's inside the great green room and saying goodnight to everything you've just described. I have been reading this book to Arianna since she was 6 months old and now at 18 months she still enjoys it. I actually memorized the book already. Lol. There is something about it that she really loves. Maybe the colors of the things being described? Who knows...

In the great green room
there was a telephone
And a red balloon
And a picture of--

The cow jumping over the moon
and there were three little bears, sitting on chairs
and two little kittens and a pair of mittens
and a little toy house and a young mouse
and a comb and a brush and bowl full of mush
and a quiet old lady who was whispering "hush"

Goodnight room
goodnight moon
goodnight cow jumping over the moon
goodnight light and the red balloon
goodnight bears goodnight chairs
goodnight kittens goodnight mittens
goodnight clocks and goodnight socks
goodnight little house and goodnight mouse
goodnight comb and goodnight brush
goodnight nobody goodnight mush
and goodnight to the old lady whispering "hush"
goodnight stars, goodnight air
goodnight noises everywhere.

Called to Serve

Today was a good start of my 2011. I was called to be a Primary worker at church today. (This what I got from subsituting twice. lol. I'm so glad I did.) I will be teaching 4-5 year old kids. I started my first lesson today. I was nervous but I had FUN. The kids have sweet little spirits in them. I know that they will help me grow spiritually. I know that they will learn from me and I will learn from them. :)

On the other hand, I am looking forward to go to the temple again. The temple is the most peaceful place I've ever been in. I can't wait to go there again and feel the spirit and our Savior's love.

A long time ago, before I had Arianna, I used to say that I love kids but not for me. Well, I shouldn't have said that! Yeah, I was once stupid. I love kids and I am so grateful to have my daughter in my life. I am so glad that God gave her to me and my husband. She gives us happiness in our home. She teaches us how to be more patient and more understanding. There's more love in our home, we became more caring. Babies are definitely angels from heaven!

Arianna when she was 5 days old. (photo taken by my friend Angel)

after more than 24 hours of labor, I finally held her. The BEST MOMENT EVER!

Photo taken at the Coupeville Hospital

June18,2009

Arianna at 18 months. She's growing up too fast.

I wanna end this by leaving you a quote from David O. McKay:

 "The home is the first and most effective place for children to learn the lessons of life:truth, honor, virtue, self-control; the value of education, honest work, and the purpose and privilege of life. Nothing can take the place of home in rearing and teaching children, and no other success can compensate for failure in the home".





Happy New Year!!!

We went to the Convergence Zone (bowling alley on base) for new year's. We had FUN. I got a little crazy singing karaoke. I blame it from drinking too much soda. Lol.

Arianna and Mommy on New Year's Eve

with my friend Amengel

Amengel, Brendy, me and Arianna

I guess I wasn't that shy anymore. I sang some karaoke... in PUBLIC! I am pretty sure if my family and cousins were there, I would got tease by them. They all know I can't sing. Haha! I sang "I gotta feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas. I think it was an appropriate song to sing on new year's eve. lol. I met my two adorable back up singers there. Thanks goodness for back up singers. Haha! I was surprised they knew the song!

My back up singers will be taller than me in a couple of years. lol

yeah, I was feeling it.....

I wish you all the best in 2011. By the way, my husband will be home soon. I am getting excited. :)

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.  ~Oprah Winfrey

Arroz Caldo (Filipino Rice Congee)

According to Wikipedia, Arroz caldo is actually a Chinese congee that was adapted to the tastes of the Spanish colonial settlers who patronised Chinese restaurants in the Philippines.

Whenever I feel cold (due to the cold weather here in Washington), I often want to eat one of my favorite comfort food, Arroz Caldo. There are lots of variations out there on how to cook this and it's really up to you what ingredients you want to put in it. I usually make it with chicken.

Here's a funny traumatizing TRUE story when I was living in the Philippines.

One rainy day, (I think there was a typhoon that time), my mom told me that we were having Arroz Caldo. But there was a problem, we didn't have chicken in the freezer that time and didn't have money to buy some. So she grabbed one hen outside our house. (by the way, my mom was taking care like 4-6 chickens that time. We got some fresh eggs from those hens). ok, so, she grabbed it and asked me to help her to kill the chicken. I was like, oh no! My mom said, "you will starve if we dont kill the hen". (of course she said that seriously in Tagalog). My mom was right though. I think that was my mom's first time on killing a hen also. Long story short, we thought the hen was dead already so my mom put it on a basin. Then suddenly, the hen flew out of the basin and was trying to escape. I screamed but didn't cry. It was soooo sad. My mom laughed at me and took care of the business.

Then, recently, my husband got to spend time in the Philippines because their ship pulled into port in Subic. They went to an orphanage to help the kids. I think, that was really nice of them to go to an orphanage and help the unfortunate kids. Well, Tony told me that the kids there know how to kill chickens. And I told him, "well, my mom taught me how to kill one." LOL. I would never forget that experience. I am hoping that would be the last traumatizing experience I will ever have about chickens!

So everytime I eat Arroz Caldo, I always think about what happened on that particular rainy day. Lol.

Here's the recipe. Luckily, I didn't have to kill a hen this time. I had chicken in my freezer. Life is good!


Arroz Caldo

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb. chicken (I used breast but you can also use thighs and drumsticks)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
about 1/4 cup fresh ginger, julienned
1 cup uncooked rice (some people use sticky rice but I just use regular jasmine rice)
8 cups chicken broth
salt and black pepper to taste
a pinch of saffron threads (optional)

For Garnish
patis(fish sauce)
green onions
minced fried garlic
lemons

In a medium size pot, heat olive oil. Add the chicken and fry until lightly browned. Remove the chicken and set aside.
In the same casserole, saute minced garlic until lightly brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add ginger. Saute for a couple of minutes.
Add rice and stir until coated with oil.
Pour in the chicken stock. Add the chicken.
Add a little salt, pepper and the saffron threads. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat. Cover and simmer until rice and chicken are fully cooked, about 30-40 minutes. Stir occassionally to make sure the rice does not stick at the bottom of the pot.
Serve into bowls. Sprinkle chopped green onions and fried minced garlic. Serve with a sliced of lemon and patis on the side.

Arroz Caldo

Christmas morning

This morning, I got a wake up phone call from my husband.

Him: "You're still sleeping?"
Me: ""yessssss.... it's only 6:30am"

Arianna eventually woke up too. It was really nice to talk to him over the phone on Christmas but it would be better if he was here with me and Arianna. My husband got to spend Christmas with my family in the Philippines. His ship pulled  into port in Subic again.

Well, you probably would ask, "Why Arianna and I didn't go"? That would be a good question.

First of all, I procastinated to get a passport. It would take weeks to get one. You don't get good things from procastination.

Second, my husband will just be there for a really short time.

Third, I dont wanna waste $1500- $2000(that's just for the plane ticket) to go to the Philippines and couldn't stay for at least 2 weeks. If I went to the Philippines, I rather stay there for 2 weeks or a month or so.... (if you know where to get cheap tickets to fly to the Philippines let me know!)

I am just glad that my husband and his co-workers pulled into port. It would suck if they spent Christmas in the ship out in the middle of the ocean. ;)

On the other hand, Arianna had fun opening all her presents.

She cracks me up! I guess her and her baby doll can share a pacifier. HAHA!



I hope you all had a very Merry CHRISTmas!

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

I've been craving for seafood for weeks now and I only have shrimp in the freezer so I decided to make shrimp cocktail. I got so lucky because I had all the ingredients for the cocktail sauce.

This is my second time using this recipe. I think it's better than a store bought shrimp cocktail.

The package says "jumbo" shrimp and I got rip off. LOL.

They are so tiny.



Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa

For the shrimp:

15-18 count shrimp (jumbo size)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

1/4 cup chili sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

For the sauce, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Serve as a dip with the shrimp.