Wow, the most awaited time of the year is over and we are only few days before the new year rings in. It is amazing how our family celebration only lasted for a few minutes minutes but it took many hours of preparation. Don't you agree?
This year we really did not cook a lot. I learned from the past that we just wasted food for cooking too much when there are only 5 of us to partake it. I was also able to convince hubby not to over spent this Christmas. He tends to cook up a storm during occasions like this. This time he cooked 2 main dishes, chicken marsala and stuffed cabbage. I did 2 side dishes, rice and roasted mixed veggies. The girls baked the fudge brownie and I baked apple pie for our dessert.
We had a great dinner and celebration, though I still wish we have more families over here to spend time with at this time of the year.
Christmas is Over
Our Tree this Christmas
I thought we can get a real tree this Christmas, but we decided to make use of our artificial one instead. So after Thanksgiving we had the tree up and we're working on the decors. I have red and gold for color theme this year for our ornaments as well as other house decorations.
I was at the store to get some Christmas bows but I am aghast at how pricy it can be. One bow will cost you $5. So I went to youtube and watched some instructions on how to make one yourself. I found a good how-to video which is very easy and voila I did my own Christmas bows. I had fun doing it. I utilized my old wired ribbons for my trial ones. It came out good and from now on I will do my own Christmas bows.
This time around I did not buy too many gifts for everybody. I just picked out 2 each for our girls and also for hubby. Our DD1 also picked out something for her teachers at school that she gave to them on their last day before their Christmas break. In all, I think for next years to come I will do a 2-color theme for decorations. It looks neat. I can recycle one color a year and pair it with another one for next year. We'll see if I can keep it as our family tradition as well.
Focusing on the desserts for this year's Thanksgiving
Guest post written by Rebekah Winters
Even though I'm hosting this year's family Thanksgiving, I'm not entirely trusted with the food preparation. I guess that you burn a dish one year and you're never trusted again. But I don't mind. I'm already having to go to the trouble of doing all the cleaning anyway. The food that I'm left to handle is the desserts, which is actually my strong point when it comes to cooking and baking.
I've been researching some really good recipes online to fix for the dessert table and while I was online doing that not too long ago, I ran across some info on internet providers by zip code. I showed it to my husband and we agreed that we should switch over our home internet service to one of the providers for our area listed on there.
I know that I'm definitely going to fix some apple pie and chocolate cake. Now I just have to come up with some other dessert to fix that seems appropriate for the season and the holiday. It might just end up being pumpkin pie, after all.
Thanksgiving Celebration
Thanksgiving is here again. Of course it is time to celebrate and be thankful for all the blessings that we all received through the years. It is not only this particular day that we give thanks but every day in our lives.
I am so thankful for everything that I have right now; my family, friends, and relatives. I am thankful that God continues to bless us with good health and sound mind to do our daily tasks and decide rationally. I thank God for the ups and downs that He let us experience in order for us to be strong and courageous to tackle the odds of life.
This thanksgiving we will celebrate it here in our house. This will be the first time that we are going to celebrate in our home. This is one of the things that we are most grateful for this year. And I am hoping to celebrate more years of Thanksgiving here with my family.
2011 Pumpkin Patch
Last October 17 our DD1's school had a field trip at a pumpkin patch. It was a nice day although chilly but sunny. Since she is in a morning class, we also have to go to the farm at that early. Most of the people at the patch were from her school. They surely had a great time and our DD2 enjoyed it as well, especially when we started checking out the animals. She loves touching animals and every time she touch one she will give out a hearty laugh that is very contagious.
Daddy was not with us this time because he is in training. Last year we went to the same farm and our DD2 was still tiny one at that time. Now she can already enjoy the farm and also went along with older kids playing around. I just wish though that husband was with us so we experience it with the whole family.
Our DD2 Turned 1 On April
I wasn't able to post anything about our two lovely girls the past weeks. Last month our DD2 turned 1-year-old and we can't be happier of her milestones. She is growing fast and we are very happy with her development. Along the way there were some trials regarding her weigh issue but everything is settled now and other worries were being ruled out.
For her birthday celebration, we did not really had a grand one. We just invited few of our friends and the celebration went well. I think everybody enjoyed especially the kiddies. Our DD1 will not be able to remember her 1st birthday but she can have pictures to look in to when she is old enough.
Below is her picture when we were coaxing her to play or eat with the cake that was meant for her. But we were waiting so long that she did not touch it with her hands. When I tried to dip her fingers into the icing she was shaking her head. I gave her a spoon and she started scooping the cake but did not put it in her mouth.
Charlie Brown's Christmas a Hit on Satellite Television Schedule
Thanks for the guest post by Jonathan Curtis.
Each year our family gathers in the den to watch the animated Christmas special of 'Charlie Brown's Christmas' on satellite television from www.cannonsatellite.com/. Of course when I first saw this wonderful holiday classic it was before cable and satellite television had even been introduced to the viewing world.
Now I am happy to continue this holiday tradition with my kids. Charlie Brown, Linus, Sally and Lucy are just some of the beloved cartoon characters who make us laugh and cry each year as they search for the true meaning of Christmas. Charles Schultz created the Peanut's comic strip many years ago but today these characters are still at the center of my favorite animated cartoon. The bedraggled little Christmas tree that the Peanut's gang transforms toward the end of the show is always my favorite scene.
With popcorn, freshly baked cookies and hot chocolate on the table, and a festive air in the house it is the perfect opportunity to watch 'Charlie Brown's Christmas' and remind ourselves of what is truly important in our lives. This animated cartoon special makes its annual appearance in December, usually within a week or two of Christmas Day.
Thanksgiving and Family
The article written by Debra Herman.
By far, my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. It seems to be the only holiday where the family is just together and enjoying each other's company without a strict agenda. For me, Thanksgiving is a whole day festivity with family. Often we arrive in the morning and enjoy a light breakfast such as coffee and donuts. The adults catch up with what is going on in everyone's busy lives and the children scurry around and play. Following a light breakfast, the women begin to cook in the kitchen and the men conjugate in the living room and begin to watch football on the directstartv.
In the late afternoon the Thanksgiving meal is ready and we enjoy the typical dishes such as turkey, mashed potatoes, macaroni, green beans and pumpkin pie. Most importantly is my grandmother's homemade cranberry sauce. It has the most delicious taste of both sweetness and tartness. It is my favorite and I only get it once a year.
The rest of the day is often for resting, napping, watching satellite television and enjoying family.
DD2 @ 7 Months
Our DD2 turned 7 months last week. She is now beginning to sit by herself and learning to push herself to crawl when she's on her tummy. It's amazing how you see the changes they go through every single day. They grow fast like a weed that when you wake up each day you have to savor the moment for it will never come back again.
The picture here was taken when we went to Seattle Children's Museum. I know she did not understand what was going on around her but she was having a good time watching her sisters running around and by just following at Shi. How I wish though that she can also try doing the things by herself but have to wait til she is old enough.
Halloween Costume
This post is overdue already. I know Halloween had passed and I totally forgot that I made a draft about what we did during Halloween. Our DD1 was bugging me that she wants to go trick or treating. I told her that if it ain't raining we are going. I also promised last time that this year I will get me a costume to wear for trick or treating.
When we went to the store to buy costumes, I really didn't find something that I like. When DD1 choose the princess dress I was looking at the adult costumes if there is one similar to what she like. Good thing I saw the empress costume that matches with hers so I ended up buying it.
We wore the costumes on October 30 during the trunk or treat activity of one of the church near us. Our friend invited us and I like the idea since we don't have to walk through many houses. It was just around the church's parking lot. We all had a great time except for the incident where my car was locked while it was still running. That wasn't cool at all. But I learned my lesson and our DD1 did enjoyed her 2010 Halloween.
Playing Doctor for Halloween
Guest post written by Tina Fowler.
My son is really excited about the idea of becoming a doctor when he grows up and he's really smart so I think that he can pull it off. Plus, it would be nice to have a doctor at all of our family functions. But for now he's just going to dress up like a little doctor for Halloween this year.
We didn't have hardly any of the things that we need for his costume, so I started looking onlien for it almost a month ago with my clear wireless internet. It's a good thing that lab coats aren't really that hard to come by and I was able to find one pretty easily. Then I even made a fake doctor badge for him and bought some little laminate paper and a clip to clip it onto his lab coat.
Finding a little fake stethoscope was a lot harder, but I tracked down one through a little kids play doctors kit that I just ended up ordering offline. HeÕs going to be such a cute little doctor!
Grilled Shrimp with Garlic
During hubby's birthday early this month I cooked some food for the first time. I made the grilled shrimp with garlic as pictured above to which I copied the recipe from Food Network's top chef Bobby Flay. It was easy to prepare and it tastes great too. I will definitely make this again.
DD#1 Turned 3 Years Old
Our DD1 turned three years old last month. Since we were not able to give her party on her 1st and 2nd birthdays, we decided to give her one this time. It was really a Filipino kind of party where there is lechon baboy. Glad to find where we can get one. I must say it is a little expensive but it's for our little girl and it's worth it. We invited our friends here and their kids. Many accepted the invitation. It was fun and the party was a success.
So, we passed the terrible two. Honestly when she was two I don't think it was terrible. She's a mild baby. Now that she's three she's becoming more assertive and is learning to negotiate when she wants something. At two her patience was short hopefully it will change now that she's a year older.
We are also thinking of enrolling her in pre-school. I already called couple of schools but boy it's very expensive. We will still enroll her regardless. I asked her if she wants to go to school and she was very excited saying yes. She knows her alphabets, numbers 1-10, some shapes, colors and can identify objects. She is talking more now too and it's fun to converse to her. When she's asleep and I'm watching her, I feel kind of sad but amazed at how she have grown.
Our Easter Sunday Celebration
Anyways, the picture above was taken while on our way to church yesterday. It wasn't raining although was a gloomy day so she was able to walk to the carport and not in her stroller. She likes it when she can choose to walk.
Happy New Year!!!!
CHEERS!!!!!!!
Our Little Dance Diva
Our 31 month old toddler girl is also our little dance diva. I don't know but she really love dancing. Every time she hear music with a fast beat or tempo she will dance to it. Yesterday we attended the Filipino Community Christmas party and there was a live band. When we entered the hall the band was already playing. There were few people inside since we got there early. The band was playing Nobody by Wondergirls and she was dancing to it right away. Even when we started eating and the band was still playing, she stood up to her chair and danced . The people from other tables were looking at her and clapped their hands because she just grooved away. Below is the picture my friend took when she was dancing on her seat while I was feeding her. I can't keep her from dancing.
We left the party past 9pm and the dancing just started. Before we left she run to the dance floor where there were lots of party goers doing the line dance. I had to scooped her so we can leave since she just won't go. I hope she will not be a party girl when she grows up :-)
Gift Card for Your Loved Ones
If you are feeling the crunch time to buy Christmas gifts to your loved ones, you can opt to give them. If the receiver love the outdoors, there's the Bass Pro Gift Card that will surely fill their hearts with best outdoor stuffs. Before I really feel like giving a gift card is too impersonal. But practically it works. Sometimes it is just hard to know what your gift receiver like or need that giving them something to use to get what they want is just appropriate. I came to realize this when I was having a hard time figuring what to give to somebody. Then hubby told me to just get a gift card and the recipient can use it for whatever.
Right now I still have to buy gifts for our exchange gifts on the 24th. I am confused of what to get since the person I will be giving gifts with is not really close to me. We only met once I believe and so I don't know what's her likes and dislikes. Good thing I was able to find online at GiftCardMall.com different gift cards that I can get. So if I still can't decide on what to get then there's the gift card that will rescue me. Honestly for convenience reason, gift card can solve your gifts dilemma.
Checking My Christmas List
It's twenty one days before Christmas and I am pretty sure some of us are now making sure to check the Christmas list and hoping shopping is done as early as possible. Honestly I am not done with my Christmas shopping. Going out is a task because the temperature is dropping down. I have to make sure both me and our toddler girl is bundled up for warmth. The other day we went out very early because our daughter's doctor's appointment is at 8:20am. Good thing I decided to drive past 7am since the car was covered with frost. I need to have it melted so I can drive. So definitely we are feeling the winter weather now.
Last week I started my Christmas shopping out to the stores. But considering the chilling weather I may have to go online to finish my shopping. I have been browsing different sites that offers good deals for Christmas gifts and found some that I like. I only have two person left to buy presents and I am looking at Patagonia kids brand at Zappos.com. I am thinking of getting our daughter the on sale puffer coat that she can use this winter.
I am browsing more about Patagonia brand and I ind of like their products. They have different collections for men, women and kids. They have all the apparel you need and it's very durable and quality too. A friend of mine mentioned it to me also and she too like this brand. So now I may have to get something from this brand for my husband as well. Although he is not here to use it yet but he will be able to use my gift when he gets home. Now I know what to get to finish up my shopping list.
