STONECPS

Partly, 2010 has been a very great year for us. Things would have been perfect with the arrival of our dear Jacobo but then we are deeply saddened by the passing away of my husband’s mom.

But we know that God has a reason for everything and there are still a lot of things to be thankful for 2010:

• I have a very responsible and caring husband who always put his family at the top of his priority.
• I have my B and Jacobo who is our source of joy, happiness and inspiration.
• I have my loving and supportive family who is always there by our side to support us. And most especially my mom, who tirelessly takes care of Jacobo while I and my husband goes to work. (That is why I am constantly teasing her that she can easily get jobs in health care industry as she takes care of Jacobo, my B and my brother’s daughter with no sweat).
• I have a job that helps us pay the bills and allow us to enjoy life with travel, shopping, etc.
• I have great friends, online and offline, who is always there for me all the time as my sounding board, my shopping buddies, my chat mates, my support system, etc.
• Good health for my whole family.
• My new bags that I added to my collection. LOL.
• Extra work that I allow my family to splurge a bit.

I know this list will be endless. I am happy and thankful for all the blessings that we received for this year and we hope that we will have the same kind of happiness, love, and success for 2011.

Happy New Year!!

Last Monday, we went to Greenhills as hubby needs to look from the toy store there as he is looking for the last piece that will complete his toy collection. Since it is still a holiday, the mall is still very crowded that as soon as hubby is done with his shopping, we left the mall even if we wanted to have snacks first as we are all very hungry. So we just used the Mc Donalds Drive Thru to order for food and we just ate in the car.

Jacobo saw us eating and he started to grab our food and so I gave him one small piece of French fries. But to my surprise, he started coughing and I thought that he is choking that I passed him to hubby and I quickly panic (No wonder I can’t be in the medical field and draw blood and push poc carts as I am really bad when dealing with an emergency situations).

Thankfully, Jacobo is just okay and he just needs to spit out the milk that he consumed (and this is normal for him). But I swear, I will never ever give him a bite of my French fries again as it almost killed me in fear when I saw him like that. LOL.

2011 will be a very challenging year for my family as we will start paying our housing loan for the new property that we purchase by mid of the year. I have been doing some computations and it looks like my husband and I will really have to work overtime if we want to make both ends meet.

We know that this will be a great challenge for us but I know that with hard work, we know that our family can make it. One of my plans to help my husband pay our loan is by doing extra work. I have been searching the net and maybe it was destiny that led me to the site of Beads and Findings, an online bead store.

I love shopping online and so it gave me an idea to make jewelries made from glass beads and I can sell it online. I checked the site of Beads and Findings and saw the different creations made by their customers and so it gave me inspirations on the different products that I can make for my online store. I am not just limited to making jewelries but I can also make pouches, bags, cell phone holder, and many more by just using the high quality and very beautiful loose beads of Beads and Findings.

So wish me luck and hope that this business will be successful so I can help my husband pay for our loan for our dream house.

My husband will be attending the baptism of the daughter of one of his colleagues and of course, I am the one who should look for child baptism gifts.

Well you know men (well at least for my husband), they are really not good with shopping and so I would rather do it myself or else he might just buy NBA or NFL action figure or Manny Pacquiao souvenir for the baby. LOL.

Just look at this cute gift ideas that I found:

They are so cute that I am planning to get one for Jacobo too.

It has been a while since I last posted about Artscow promos here. So sorry because I have been very busy lately. But here is a list of some new promos from Artscow:

1. Two 20"x30" Posters
For only $18, you can get to order two 20”x30” posters and it even comes with free shipping. To avail of this promo, just use the promo code below:

Coupon Code: 2POSTERS18
Expiry Date: December 31, 2010

2. 7” x 5” Photo Book
I am sure you will accumulate lots of pictures in the coming Holiday season and this promo is just perfect to have those pictures printed in a photo book. You can order you photo book for only $5.99 with free shipping.

To avail of this promo, just use the promo code below:

Coupon Code: 7X5NEWBOOK
Expiry Date: January 5, 2011

3. New 2011 Photo Calendars
With the coming of 2011, this promo from Artscow will be perfect to create those unique customized photo calendars for only $8.99.

To avail of this promo, just use the promo code below:

Coupon Code: 899CALS2011
Expiry Date: December 22, 2010

I think I really need to start reading proactive reviews as I really need to find the best solution for my acne. We went to DFA yesterday to apply for passport renewal and since they take pictures for the passport on the spot, I have no choice but to have my picture taken with acne, eye bags and all. The clerk who is taking my picture even noticed it and has to tell it to my face how bad my picture was. That is why I did not even requested for a re-take as the clerk might just tease me and for sure there is really nothing that I can do to make my acne disappear.

I was complaining to my husband but of course he always has the nicest things to say and he told me that the picture is not important and I should just look forward instead to the travels and adventures that our family will be having in 2011.

I was not able to watch religiously the Amazing Race Asia Season 4 as I don’t get to watch television at night but I heard that the Philippine team won. So the first thing I did after learning that was download the full season 4 of the Amazing Race Asia.

I am actually on the ninth episode now and it is getting intense and exciting as the two Philippine teams are among the top contending teams. One of my favorite is the episode where the pit stop is a cruise ship as I get to have a preview of what it is like in a cruise. This makes me really dream of joining a Caribbean cruise someday.

My husband and I loves to travel and that is the reason why I love this show as it is like I can get to see different places around the world. And sometimes it is nice to see on the show the places that my husband and I have been to before.

I am sure I will not be able to endure the stress and pressure of the Amazing Race so I will just be on the back seat and just enjoy watching the teams as they race to the finish. Go Team Philippines!!

Tomorrow would have been the annual Christmas party of my SK friends at our house but unfortunately we have to reschedule it as majority of us won’t be able to make it because of previous engagements.

Too bad as I really wanted to meet up with my SK friends and their kids before Christmas. But at least this will give us more time to prepare our house like clean up for a bit and install lighting fixtures for home and to put up our Christmas tree too so our house will be more presentable as we host the party.

Next weekend will still be a busy week for all of us so I am assuming that this will be a post-Christmas party instead. I do hope that it will still push through though as I really miss them so much as it has been a while since we last saw each other.

Just look at our picture from last year’s party:

I miss these guys. Hope to see them all soon.

It is beginning to look like Christmas. For us Filipinos, Christmas will not be complete without the Christmas carols, the Christmas decorations that you can see everywhere, and most especially, Christmas won’t be complete without good food serve at Noche Buena.

So here is one dessert recipe that you can try to serve to your family during the festive holiday season.

Pine-filled Meringue

Ingredients
FILLING
1 can (439 g) DEL MONTE Crushed Pineapple, drained (reserve syrup)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup pineapple syrup
MERINGUE
1 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 cups white sugar
3 pc egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Procedures

1. PREHEAT oven at 275ºF. Grease jelly roll pan. Set aside.
2. FILLING: Combine all ingredients. Cook until dry. Set aside.
3. MERINGUE: Combine baking powder and sugar. Set aside. Beat egg whites. Add sugar mixture gradually. Stir in vanilla. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Put in pastry bag and pipe into pan with a hollow space at the middle. Spoon each meringue with one teaspoon filling . Bake for 20 minutes or until dry. Cool on wire rack. If desired, garnish with red kaong or cherries.

My daughter has a new favorite movie now. It is her favorite as she watches it everyday, sometimes even more than twice a day. It is the movie Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.

Well I can’t blame my daughter as the movie is indeed good. It has a good mix of characters from the 243 year old Mr. Magorium who owns the magical store. Then the store manager Molly Mahoney who they say has a great potential as a pianist when she was a kid but now she feels that she is stuck in life as she has been working in the toy store for ages already. And then there is Eric who has a hat collection (and I bet a Stetson Hat is part of that collection) and he is a shy boy but loves interacting with grown ups.

The peak of the story is when Mr. Magorium suddenly announces that he has to leave and has to leave the toy store to Molly. This part of the story is very sad. Even B will start to cry when it is time for Mr. Magorium to leave.

But all ends well when Molly discovered the reason why Mr. Magorium left the store to her. It is because, if she only believes, she has the power to make magic too.

Try to watch this movie. It is one of those feel good and light movie that you can enjoy watching after a busy and tiring week.

As I mentioned in my previous entry, we went to Rocwell last night for some quick shopping. We were already on our way to eat dinner when hubby saw a store which sells Manny Pacquiao action figures. Of course hubby got interested again as he is one big fan of Pacman. Who wouldn’t? Even I was impressed by Manny.

I watched his last match with Margarito and I was really proud of how a good boxer Manny is. I was even scared at first because Margarito is definitely bigger than Manny but he was still no match to Manny. I got even worried during the last few rounds as Margarito was all beaten up already and I even wished that he knows about Allsup so he can get help from them in getting his social security benefits. Even Manny got worried too as Manny kept on looking at the referee and is waiting for the referee to end the game already.

But credit has to be given to Margarito too as he himself doesn’t want to end the fight and he wants to finish it till the end. But Manny is really a great boxer and I guess even a big guy like Margarito is still no match for Manny.

I can’t believe that it is just less than three weeks away before Christmas and I just started with my Christmas shopping last weekend. I checked off some names from my list but I tell you, the names that I checked are not even close to half.

So far, I did some shopping already for:

• My dad and bought him Lacoste polo shirts. We went to Rockwell last night so to makes things easy (as he is really picky when it comes to clothes), I asked him to personally pick that shirt that he likes and I bought it as our Christmas gift for him.
• My mom and bought her a nice dress from Dorothy Perkins.
• My sister when we went to Paseo de Sta Rosa last Sunday and I bought her Havaianas slippers.
• And my cousin Aliah where I got her a Havaianas slipper too.

So far I have some idea already on what t give my other relatives like I just have to look for cigars stores online where I can buy our gift for my brother-in-law and I am thinking of getting day pass tickets at Ocean Park as our gift for hubby’s nephews.

We have the time this Saturday while waiting for B’s ballet practice to finish to do some shopping at Robinsons. Hopefully I can finish shopping for B’s classmates, teachers and my mommy friends from B’s school.

You want to try something new? Then try cooking this Pata Asado, a recipe from Del Monte Kitchenomics.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup chopped onions
1 piece laurel leaf
¼ teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 piece star anise
1/8 teaspoon 5 spice powder
1 kilo pork pata (front) cut into serving portions
3 tablespoon oyster sauce
¼ cp soy sauce
¼ cup rice wine
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 pouches Del Monte Pineapple Tidbits

1. Sautee the first six ingredients in 2 tablespoon oil. Add pata and sauté until lightly brown.
2. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and 3 cups water. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until pata is fork-tender.
3. Add Del Monte Pineapple Tidbits with syrup. Simmer for 8 more minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

Looks like I will need hgh supplement to boost my immune system as we will yet have another busy and hectic week:

- Friday, will be the Christmas party at hubby’s office so after work, I will run there to meet hubby, B and Jacobo to attend the party
- On Saturday, we will accompany B for their school fair
- Sunday will be B’s PE demo in school and after the program, we will run to Ortigas to attend the Christening of my niece, Izzie.
- Then Monday, it is time to go back to work again and for sure my hands will be full as one of my colleague is on leave while my other colleague will be on training. My to-do list is already very long and the week hasn’t even started yet, so good luck really for me.

I hope I survive the weekend and the coming week without getting sick.

Hubby was busy last night using the scanning software to scan all our financial documents as he will be going to the bank today to file for a housing loan so we can purchase the property that we are eyeing near our house. This will be our future home.

Hubby already gave the seller earnest money so in a way we already sealed the deal. We are positive that we will get approved as we have a good credit standing with the bank as we have filed two housing loans and one car loan with them already and we always pay on time and in full.

The processing of the housing loan application will take around a week and so I am really excited and anxious to find out the result of our application as this is where the fulfilment of having our dream house lies.

Please wish us luck and help us pray that we will finally get good news from the bank next week.

Merry Christmas!! I can’t believe it is December only and in just a few days, it is Christmas!!

But before you get busy with the holiday soon, why not try to learn how to cook with the help of Del Monte Kitchenomics and maybe you can even use what you will learn from them to cook something special for Christmas and New Year.

Here is a list of Del Monte Kitchenomics’ Culinary Program for December 2010:

1. On the House: Leftover Makeover
This course is free and will teach participants how to turn leftovers to appetizing entrees.
Class schedule: December 2 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Dishes that will be taught during class: Chicken Surprise, Pasta Pospas, Beefy Topping

2. Potluck Treats
Course Fee is P2,600 and will teach participants dishes that they can cook for potluck for the coming holiday parties.
Class schedule: December 4 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Dishes that will be taught during class: Bruschetta , Meatloaf , No Bake Spareribs BBQ, Lasagna , Carrot Cake

3. Food Gifts
Course Fee is P2,600 and will teach participants to make great food gifts perfect for gift giving this holiday season.
Class schedule: December 11 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Dishes that will be taught: Chicken Embutido, Spicy Bangus Sardines, Mushroom and Pineapple Paté, Ube Bake Special, Pandan Salad Supreme

4. Desserts Galore
Course fee is P 2,800 and participants will be taught how to make sumptuous desserts like chocolate cake and cheesecake.
Class schedule: December 18 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm