Don't We Just Love to Eat?

This Friday's theme for Mommy Moments is "New Family Photo". Here are our most recent pictures among the many pictures I've taken or asked to be taken. I love taking pictures of my family.

The first one was taken on Dec. 29 after church. We had our dinner at Luk Foo, a newly opened restaurant near our place. I was first introduced in this restaurant during a birthday of a mommy blogger buddy. She treated us at another branch of Luk Foo. I love their spare ribs and peking duck.

The second picture was taken at Italianni's. We had our dinner there after watching Gulliver's Travels. And the third picture was taken at Max's. I just came from an out-of-office meeting, called hubby if he can pick me up because it was pretty late and I was a bit tired to call a cab. We had late dinner before going home. Or more like they had, not me. :) I'm watching my diet.


The family that dines together, stays together.

***Read more sharing at Mommy Journey.

Sunday Bonding

The husband has work on Sundays so it's usually just me and my daughter who go out and bond. After church today we went to the mall for our lunch and did some groceries and a little shopping. I bought her a camera case and a tote bag which she will use on their class' field trip next week.

This is just so ordinary but I really look forward to weekends when we can just be with each other whether at home, the mall, a recreation park, hotel, movies, bookstore, tiangge, salon - wherever as long as we are happy with what we are doing together. I cherish times like these with my family. Simple events (or in this case, non-event) like these make it great to look back when all these are just memories.

This was how it was with my family then. It really makes me feel good looking back at my childhood - visiting my aunt's house and walking a kilometer or so to get a ride. There was not much public transport back then in Diliman, Quezon City. We also go to Luneta Park for some picnic. We go to C.O.D. in Cubao during the holidays to watch the show in front of the department store. Yes, that was how simple our life was. But it still makes me smile when I remember those times. Simple joys and yet they keep me happy until now.

Anyway, back to the present time.

Again, it was T.G.I.Friday's. I have mentioned countless times this is my daughter's favorite restaurant. She said she likes the ambiance. Ambiance, yes, from a twelve year old. When I was twelve I only know about SM Foodcourt and Jollibee. She said she likes the wall decorations with old mementos just like a museum.

I like their tacos in spinach and cheese dip. Yummy dip!

This is already good for two, about P245.

My daughter, as usual, had her chicken fingers with fries and honey mustard dressing.

Chicken Fingers, P295

And as usual too, I had my favorite from TGIF, cajun shrimp and chicken pasta. This is really good, must try!

In creamy spicy sauce, P335 for regular plate

And lookie here, part of our groceries include our healthy binge. I did not bother to include the rest outside the green basket. They are indulgences we should be doing without. Haha.

Since I had pasta for lunch, I made sure I will eat light for my next meals for the day. I thought of papaya and toasted wheat crackers.

Don't we all wish it's always a weekend? Or any day just spent with the family doing mundane things which make you simply happy.

The Tourist

Finally I have watched The Tourist. I have wanted to watch this movie from the first time I read about it because it stars Johnny Depp. Though I am not so fond of his long hair here and his beard, still, it's Johnny Depp. I watch him not only for his looks but for his talent. He is a great actor and an accidental movie star.

I like the opening scene - Angelina Jolie under surveillance from the police working for Scotland Yard. I like it when she went out of the building looking so poised and elegant. In fact I should say looking at how beautiful Jolie is made me continue watching the film and not choosing to snooze instead.

Sometimes the film borders on the ridiculous but I guess it was deliberately done, like a satire on gangster films. It was really funny how Depp and Jolie even danced in the middle of a very critical moment. It was also funny how the crowd in the party sort of parted in half to make way for Jolie's arrival. Well, she is stunning but it was too contrived. But as I've said methinks that was the point. Emphasize the obvious.

Yes, I find the film really slow. I kept on waiting when it's going to pick up, have some action and some witty dialogues. It's not until about 70% of the film has gone when I got really interested with what is going on. Who is Alexander Pearce.

I love Angelina's gait. I love her full lips and her make-up and how she moves her head. That's about it. Johnny Depp is as usual good. Though I love him when his character is more intense or over the top, I still find him credible as a timid, unsuspecting Math teacher here.

Paul Bettany is also good, I love his accent. I remember him as Silas from The Da Vinci Code. This guy should be given more breaks. Timothy Dalton is a lot better when he stopped playing James Bond.

This movie grew on me. I thought it will just be one of those movies I've watched because I love The Depp. Well, yes it is but the twist, which I quite suspected, leaves me snickering. Nice one. This will make you say I knew it all along and leaves you quite satisfied.

Justin Bieber

See you on May 10, 2011, Justin Bieber. My daughter is a big fan of this boy.


We are so jeje I know. Haha.
I remember when I was in my early years in college I was a big fan of Duran Duran. But I was not able to watch any concert back then especially when I was my daughter's age. I got to see a local artist, Martin Nievera at the Don Bosco High School grounds when I was in high school I think. And that was about it. I tagged along with one of my cousins.

Though I love music, I am not fond of going to concerts. Money was a constraint too that time. I have other priorities and concerts are not one of them.

These days kids as young as my daughter, and even younger love going to concerts. It helps too that malls sponsor concerts for the C-List music bands. You just have to purchase a certain amount from their tenants to get free tickets or you have to be a member of the mall's club to get prime seats.

These bands are popular with tweens and teenagers alike. I remember watching Metro Station with my daughter about two years ago. I enjoyed observing my daughter and the kids her age dance to their music.

Things are different now. "You can't do this and that" just won't cut it. As a mom, I have to and I want to participate with my daughter's activities to make us closer, to help me understand her better and to be able to guide her as she grows up to be a fine young lady. And that includes getting to know her likes and dislikes even in music. Growing up with a tween going on her teens is one roller coaster ride. Generally I pray it will be one great joy ride.

My Favorite New Year's Eve Delights

I tried a different menu for the NY's Eve. Nothing really grand but I did away with        the usual food we prepare year in and year out. And the best part was just having enough serving. Yes, the food still lasted for three or four days but at least not a week like the past years. Haha.

Anyway, my top three favorites for the night were 1.) the chocolate cake from Mary Grace, 2.) Seafood Pasta, 3.) Shrimp and Ham Jambalaya.

I would have preferred the cake to have the caramel drizzle all over but the staff said we should have pre-ordered the cake with the drizzle. Now I know. My husband had to go back for the cake after an hour because they ran out of it and the delivery was scheduled at lunch time. Well, I can't allow not to have this cake for NY's Eve.


By the way, I'm the only cake lover in our house so we still have more than 1/4 of the cake. How do you measure that, more than 1/4 but less than 1/3.

Next was the jambalaya. I sourced the net for this. Yummy! We all love this. I love the smoked sausage and the shrimp which I added so generously. That's one thing we have in common with my family - shrimps. I was tempted to hide shelled shrimps underneath for my own consumption. Lol.


I saw the recipe for this seafood pasta from one of my networks over at Facebook. It was a link from Nestle actually. Squid rings, fish fillet, shrimp, shiitake mushroom, light cream, bacon bits. Instead of penne I used the wheat pasta which my mom sent me. I saved a few pesos and had a healthier serving. :)


Oh yes, I didn't bother to take off the plastic wraps before I took pictures. :D

New Year celebration is one my favorite times of the year. It's now back to the daily grind for me as well as the no-rice meal diet. Glad to note I did not gain much weight during the holidays...well, 2 lbs. And from 117 lbs, my target is to hit 112 lbs until the second week of February. May the force be with me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

***More food sharing at Picture Clusters and Food Trip Friday.

LBD: Starbucks Planner

I have not had Starbucks planner for three years or more already I think. It's been Belle de Jour and company planners for the past years. Now that I got myself a Starbucks again, I am not really happy about it. I finally completed the stickers yesterday, actually care of the hubs. :)

The material is good but there's nothing much in it. I just might buy BDJ after all. I like the brass bookmark though. It's really cute.

Life Bliss Daily

I decided to revive my Life Bliss Daily blog. I tried it last year, post pictures on a daily basis which speaks of my day. I was able to do it for a couple of weeks which did not even last a month. But now I am quite excited to really work on this. So help me, God, to do this. :)

2011: Manual for Conserving Paths by Paulo Coelho

Let me just post the entirety of this work by Paulo Coelho. I am just so inspired by this. What work of Coelho am I not inspired in the first place? I just have to put it in my blog as I can go back here easily and read it again and again.

I can identify talking about crossroads, honoring my path and loving my path. This year I intend, I expect to walk on the paths I have been praying for. Through God's grace I shall.

1] The path begins with a crossroads. There you can stop and think what direction to follow. But don’t spend too much time thinking or you’ll never leave the spot. Reflect a lot on the choices that lie ahead, but once you have taken the first step, forget the crossroads for ever or else you will always torture yourself with the useless question: “did I take the right path?”

2] The path doesn’t last for ever. It is a blessing to travel the path for some time, but one day it will come to an end, so always be prepared to take leave of it at any moment. However enraptured you may be at certain landscapes, or scared whenever you have to make a great effort to go ahead, don’t get too used to anything. Neither to the hours of euphoria, nor to the endless days when everything seems so difficult and progress is so slow. Don’t forget that sooner or later an angel will appear and your journey will reach an end.

3] Honor your path. It was your choice, your decision, and just as you respect the ground you step on, that ground will respect your feet. Always do what is best to conserve and keep your path and it will do the same for you.

4] Be well equipped. Carry a small rake, a spade, a penknife. Understand that penknives are no use for dry leaves, and rakes are useless for herbs that are deep-rooted. Know also what tool to use at each moment. And take care of them, because they are your best allies.

5] The path goes forward and backward. At times you have to go back because something was lost, or else a message to be delivered was forgotten in your pocket. A well tended path enables you to go back without any great problems.

6] Take care of the path before you take care of what is around you. Attention and concentration are fundamental. Don’t be distracted by the dry leaves at the edges or by the way that others are looking after their paths. Use your energy to tend and conserve the ground that accepts your steps.

7] Be patient. Sometimes the same tasks have to be repeated, like tearing up weeds or closing holes that appear after unexpected rain. Don’t let that annoy you – that is part of the journey. Even though you are tired, even though certain tasks are repeated so often, be patient.

8] Paths cross. People can tell what the weather is like. Listen to advice, and make your own decisions. You alone are responsible for the path that was entrusted to you.

9] Nature follows its own rules. In this way, you have to be prepared for sudden changes in the fall, slippery ice in winter, the temptations of flowers in spring, thirst and showers in the summer. Make the most of each of these seasons, and don’t complain about their characteristics.

10] Make your path a mirror of yourself. By no means let yourself be influenced by the way that others care for their paths. You have your soul to listen to, and the birds to tell what your soul is saying. Let your stories be beautiful and pleasant to everything around you. Above all, let the stories that your soul tells during the journey be echoed at each and every second of the path.

11] Love your path. Without this, nothing makes any sense.

From Paulo Coelho's blog, 2011: Manual for Conserving Paths.

2011!

Today is 1.1.11. It's the first day of the new year of the new decade. It's like a new chapter in our life book. And so it is. :) I feel so positive not just for the year but for the decade and let me say the whole life time. Haha. :)

Why is this so? The coming of a new year is my favorite time of the year. I feel renewed, recharged, raring to go especially now that I am older and wiser. I have been true to my resolutions and achieving my goals. I only have God to thank for for guiding me, "pushing" me and leading the way.

There were challenges, plenty of them, and not all goals are achieved, some are answered as I prayed them to be, some are delayed, some are not according to how I prayed for, some are still not answered. But through God's grace, I was able to grow through them, learned from them indeed.

I made a resolution when I attended our church worship service last Thursday. The message was clear, anything and everything is possible through God who loves us. I should know that. I am a living testimony of that. I pray a lot but I am openly saying this, that I will live a God-centered life that all my actions and decisions are all for His glory. I cannot do it alone as I have my vulnerabilities. God is my strength and I openly acknowledge that.

I am so excited for this year and the years to come. Indeed, more positive, fruitful, productive milestones will be achieved this year and beyond for myself and my family. I am grateful for all the blessings and ever ready to receive more blessings from God.

God knows the desires of my heart. He planted them there and He will guide me, as always, to get to them and share my blessings. Thank You for a rewarding year that was 2010. I am definitely looking forward to 2011, a year to soar further.

Three things on top of my list and on top of my mind this 2011: Be God-centered in all that I do. Share. Expect greater things to happen to me and to my family.

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade!