Cute Friends

Got this from Vivek...

Thanks a lot! All my friends are cute, so I'm passing it on to everyone in my blogroll... hehehe!

My Newfound Fave

Last night I wanted to cook something different but had a limited supply of ingredients so I looked inside our ref and found half a kilo of chicken and the feta cheese that my uncle gave me after reading my post about cravings about a week ago. I know, the post is much older than just a week but what can I do, my uncle reads my posts once in a blue moon! *eyes rolling* But back to the cooking thing, I thought I'd try and imitate a dish I tasted when I attended a friend's wedding so I browsed the net for a recipe... and here's what I found:

CHICKEN WITH FETA CHEESE SAUCE
Ingredients:
Vegetable cooking spray
6 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon margarine
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skimmed milk
1 tablespoon freeze-dried chives
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add chicken, and cook 7 minutes on each side or until done; set aside, and keep warm.

2. Melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Gradually add evaporated milk to flour mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in chives. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 3 minutes or until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly. Add feta cheese, and stir until cheese melts. Spoon cheese sauce over chicken

The recipe's quite simple, I just made a few alterations with the portions of chicken and I didn't have chives so I just used scallions... It turned pretty good, actually. In fact this probably wouldn't be the last time I would be cooking it 'coz it tasted really good. But It wasn't the one I got to taste at my friend's wedding. Oh well, there's always the next time...

Of Tags and Awards...

This Tag I got from Vivek and I am tagging Jhona, Toni, Pat, Mhay and Kathy
Rule: Copy the entire list and add your name at the bottom. And tag at least 5 friends. (But you can tag as many as you like).
theachildstar
mike
my scrappy side
abie
aggie
alpha
apple
apols
jacqui
jane
jody
joy
kelly
mich
peachy
apple
joey
allinkorea
umsik
idealpinkroserickarickavieves
weblink
cheersgerlgentomsgingmunchkingenevericKavinMars
Jk
VIVEK
Heidi

And These awards, I got from Pat:

which in turn I am giving to Mhay, Mec and Jhona


which I am sharing with Meng, Juliana and Thet



which I am also awarding to Toni, Kaye and Liza



which I am giving to Vivek, Anne, Mec, Che, Meng, Mhay and Juliana


Thanks a lot Pat! You really have a way of making my day by being so generous with your awards!

Check it!

I visited Toni's blog today and found speed test to check your typing prowess. I got this result:

54 words

Speed test

If you want to check your WPM also, feel free to do so!

It's a Holiday!

Ok, so maybe there are going to be people who would say "she doesn't even care why it's a holiday today"... I know, I know.... It's in commemoration of EDSA and all that, but I am so trying to make this blog apolitical that I don't even wanna go there... (not EDSA, just not touch that subject)...

So, having said that... Yey! I'm so glad it's a holiday! First of all there's more time for me to tinker on my blog, plus I don't feel I didn't get any rest at all this weekend because, Well... I have an extra day after accomplishing my usual weekend chores! BUT, I have this one tiny dilemma. I just found out that I have to buy an i.LINK cable because I wouldn't be able to download the video I took using our handycam if I didn't... yikes! I knew I should have used the memory stick! But I wanted to take longer videos (I had pictures and other stuff saved in the memory stick that I didn't have the time to browse over and purge beforehand) and I didn't read the instructions before I did what I did so there! I don't want to leave the comforts of our home so I'll have to do that some other day. Besides, I have an AVP to finish for my godchild's birthday coming up, and once I sit in front of my PC to start editing that, I'm sure to lose track of the time. Oh, and also I have been eyeing digital cameras everytime I go to the mall and I promised my husband I wouldn't buy new gadgets for a while so I have to practice a little restraint on myself. It's not that I have a shortage on gadgets and stuff, but I am constantly on the lookout for something better, something shiny and new, hehehe! I know, I have an addiction... "Hello, I'm Heidi Yadao, I'm a shopaholic!" *LOL* Oh, and it's not even just gadgets, I also like shopping for clothes, shoes, makeup (that I don't use), and home decors! It's gotten to a point when my husband had to limit our malling time to the utmost "we really, really have to go" so I wouldn't get tempted to buy new stuff. Now I'm talking jibberish again, and blabbed on and on... What was the topic again? Oh yeah, today's a holiday and I have more time to write this post, which isn't always good because I don't always make sense or get the point through... but... I don't really have a point, except, I'm happy that today's a day to relax and do whatever I want to do. STOP! Before I launch myself into another paragraph of nonsense. I will pour my creative juices now into the AVP making and maybe even post it here (after the event, of course) and maybe do a couple of digiscrap layouts. ;-)

Our Future Home

Several weeks ago, Charlie and I visited the site where we were able to procure a townhouse in Cavite and forgot to post about it for whatever reason, but yesterday, as I was bloghopping, I came upon a post by Mhay about a house they were building and so I dug up the pictures that I took of that day that we went there and got all excited all over again... Just thinking of the many possibilities we could improve on and renovate when we have a house of our own as opposed to always renting and not being able to make changes on paint color or tiles according to what we really like. I'll have to admit that it would be quite expensive to embark on such a big project but in the end, it will really be worth it.


The two pictures on top plus the one on the lower left were those of our actual house. It would be turned over to us by April or May after it gets inspected and stuff. The house is bare with just a smooth cement finish on its walls and floor. While the outside is already painted to match the rest of the houses. The second level could be partitioned into 3 bedrooms so we would have our work cut out for us... I'm guessing we would dish out quite a big amount for the renovations but I'm not really worried, we don't have a child yet so we could still spare a chunk of our savings for the expenses. Our monthly expenditure mostly constitutes of payment for house rent, electric bill, phone bill, water bill, food and toiletries which would also be the case once we move (only we would be paying our monthly amortization instead of just rent). The picture on the lower right was taken in one of the bedrooms of the model unit. I am continuously browsing the internet, home improvement magazines and taking note of details whenever I visit other people's houses to get ideas on what I could incorporate when we start the actual renovations already. The picture below is that of the facade, but this one is of the model unit since our actual unit is yet to be painted. Haay! Finally, we would be getting our own home.


P.S. Expect more stories to our just starting saga of home improvements!

Desperately Depressed

A couple of hours ago got a text message from a friend whom I haven't heard from in quite a while. She was asking us (I'm guessing she texted most of the people listed in her phonebook) to pray for her as she was just recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer. I called her right away not even thinking first of what I was going to say... what words would ease the pain of a mother trying to fight for her life so she could watch her child grow for a bit longer.

As her soft, always cheery voice reached me, I could not talk for a moment. What was I going to say? "Hello, How are you?" seems to be inappropriate. She broke the momentary silence by saying "Heidi, I know... Thank you for calling me..." And so we launched into a 30-minute long conversation about her bout with her illness and how very sudden the events were and how she didn't feel sick at all until her doctor told her and how she would not even know if she didn't go for a check-up due to a suspicion of being pregnant again. What was supposed to have been a wonderful surprise turned out to be a series of nightmares. And here I was envying her just a couple of months ago when I received an invitation for her daughter's second birthday party. I was thinking... we got married almost at the same time, and now her daughter is turning two while I still have yet to conceive...

I know that people cannot even begin to understand the innerworkings of God's reasons for these things happening in one's life. Or what good it would bring us but I will not question God's plan, I will not even bring myself to think that this is unfair because, I have long understood that life IS not always fair, but fate has a way of showing us that eventually, something good is going to come out of every disaster, something nice will be born from mistakes and something great would be revealed from the worst packages. So when my friend told me that she was "desperately depressed" I told her, well then... expect wonderful miracles because nothing is impossible with a handful of faith and a lifetime of being good. So to you, my friend... know that you will always have friends to hold your hand in times of need, a family and a wonderful husband to stand beside you even if worse comes to worst and your daughter to always remind us that miracles do happen every single day!

Me? A Slug?

I found this while visiting Jhona's blog and even though I wasn't tagged by her with this, I just couldn't resist... then, when I looked up my birthday...

Wow! I'm slug! (Eewww!) It's a good thing being a slug doesn't mean you're a slimy, yucky invertebrate! Here's a what a slug is:

Always up to some sort of a mischief! The mischievous gleam in your eyes is what makes you so cute and attractive to everyone. You are an extremely fun-to-be-with kind of person. No wonder people seek your company and look forward to include you for all get-together's. However, you are sensitive which is a drawback. People need to select their words while talking to you. If someone tries to fiddle around and play with words while dealing with you, it is enough to invite your wrath. God bless the person then!

Meanwhile, Charlie's birthday made him a bullfrog! Hehehe, sorry honey there really are no cute fuzzy, furry animals here! Besides, being a bullfrog isn't so bad... when you get past the slimy, green exterior, a bullfrog is:

You symbolize a very happy-go-lucky approach in life. Whatever the surroundings may be, grim or cheerful, you remain unaffected. In fact, you spread cheer wherever you go. You are the leader of your group of fri ends! and go od at consoling pe ople in their times of need. You dislike hypocrisy and tend to shirk away from hypocrites. They can never be in your good books, no matter what. You are very methodical and organized in your work. No amount of mess, hence, can ever encompass you. Beware, it is easy for you to fall in love....

So for anyone who wants to know what slimy or smelly creature their birthdays make of them, feel free to look it up and post it on your blog also!

LOOK UP YOUR BIRTHDAY AND SEE WHAT YOU ARE. FORWARD ON TO PEOPLE THAT YOU THINK THAT WOULD GET A KICK OUT OF THIS... INCLUDING THE PERSON WHO SENT IT TO YOU. PUT YOUR BIRTHDAY ANIMAL IN THE SUBJECT LINE AND PASS IT ON.

Don't forget to scroll down to see what it says about you.

January 01 - 09 ~ Ass
January 10 - 24 ~ Slug
January 25 - 31 ~ Cockroach
February 01 - 05 ~ Parasite
February 06 - 14 ~ Bullfrog
February r y 15 - 21 ~ Skunk
February 22 - 28 ~ Snake
March 01 - 12 ~ Ape
March 13 - 15 ~ Cockroach
March 16 - 23 ~ Slug
March 24 - 31 ~ Parasite

April 01 - 03 ~ Ass
April 04 - 14 ~ Snake
April 15 - 26 ~ Slug
April 27 - 30 ~ Skunk
May 01 - 13 ~ Slug
May 14 - 21 ~ Bullfrog
May 22 - 31 ~ Cockroach
June 01 - 03 ~ Slug
June 04 - 14 ~ Skunk
June 15 - 20 ~ Ass
June 21 - 24 ~ Ape
June 25 - 30 ~ Parasite

July 01 - 09 ~ Slug
July 10 - 15 ~ Ass
July 16 - 26 ~ Bullfrog
July 27 - 31 ~ Parasite
August 01 - 15 ~ Ape
August 16 - 25 ~ Slug
August 26 - 31 ~ Skunk
September 01 - 14 ~ Bullfrog
September 15 - 27 ~ Parasite
September 28 - 30 ~ Ass

October 01 - 15 ~ Ape
October 16 - 27 ~ Skunk
October 28 - 31 ~ Snake
November 01 - 16 ~ Cockroach
November 17 - 30 ~ Parasite
December 01 - 16 ~ Ass
December 17 - 25 ~ Ape
December 26 - 31 ~ Bullfrog

If you are an Ass : A very loyal and sweet person. Your loyalty can never be doubted. You are quite honest and sincere when it comes to your attitude towards working. You are a very simple person, indeed. Absolutely hassle free, humble, and down-to-earth!! That explains the reason why your friends cling on to you! You have a good taste for clothes. If your wardrobe is not updated with what is trendy, you sure are depressed. Popular and easy-going. You have a little gr! oup of dignified friends, all of them being quality-personified.

If you are a Slug : Always up to some sort of a mischief! The mischievous gleam in your eyes is what makes you so cute and attractive to everyone. You are an extremely fun-to-be-with kind of person. No wonder people seek your company and look forward to include you for all get-together's. However, you are sensitive which is a drawback. People need to select their words while talking to you. If someone tries to fiddle around and play with words while dealing with you, it is enough to invite your wrath. God bless the person then!

If you are a Cockroach : Quite contradictory to your name, you are a peace loving person. You best try to avoid a situation wherein you are required to fight. An outdoor person, you dislike sitting at one place for a long duration. You are a born leader, and have it in you how to tactfull! y deriv e work from people. You love being loved and when you receive your share of limelight from s omeone, you are all theirs!!!! Well, well... Hence some people could even take an advantage, flatter you to the maximum and get their work done. So be careful.....

If you are a Parasite : An extremely lovable, adorable person, sometimes shy, with a passion for quick wit. At times, you prefer quietness. You love exploring various things and going into depth of each thing. Under normal circumstances you're cool but when given a reason to, you are like a volcano waiting to erupt. You're a fashion bird. People look forward to you as an icon associated with fashion. Basically, you mingle along freely but don't like talking much to strangers. People feel very easy in your company. You observe care in choosing your friends.

If you are a Skunk : You are near to perfect and nice at heart! . The e xamples of your kindness are always circulated in groups of people. You, too, love peace. You wouldn't like to retaliate even to a person who is in the wrong. You are loved due to this. You do not wish to talk behind one's back. People love the way you always treat them. You can give, give, and give love, and the best part is that you do not expect it back in return. You are generous enough. Seeing things in a practical light is what remains the best trait of you guys.

If you are a Bullfrog : You symbolize a very happy-go-lucky approach in life. Whatever the surroundings may be, grim or cheerful, you remain unaffected. In fact, you spread cheer wherever you go. You are the leader of your group of fri ends! and go od at consoling pe ople in their times of need. You dislike hypocrisy and tend to shirk away from hypocrites. They can never be in your good books, no matter what. You are very methodical and organized in your work. No amount of mess, hence, can ever encompass you. Beware, it is easy for you to fall in love....

If you are a Snake : You are mysterious. You are someone who can handle pressure with ease, and can handle any atmosphere without going berserk. You can be mean at times, and love to gossip with your selected group. Very prim and proper. You like all situations and things to be in the w! ay you desire, which, sometimes is not possible. As a result, you may lose out in some relationships. But otherwise, you love to help people out from difficult and tight spots when they really need you.

If you are an Ape : Very impatient and hyper!!! You want things to be done as quick as possible. At heart, you are quite simple and love if you are the center of attraction. That way, you people are unique. You would like to keep yourself safe from all the angles. Shall your name be dragged or featured in any sort of a controversy, you then go all panicky. Therefore, you take your precautions from the very beginning. When you foresee anything wrong, your sixth sense is what saves you from falling in traps. Quite a money minded bunch you people are

Heart Award

I got this from Kaye...



Now I'm sharing it with Raquel & Jhona.

What's Up?

My last post has been a hopeful one about the team I was routing for in Amazing Race Asia Season 2... unfortunately, Mark & Rovilson didn't win the grand prize... anyway, I am still proud of them for reaching that far. As for my whereabaouts since then...

Valentine's Day was celebrated with a romantic, at home dinner with hubby... nothing fancy, I just cooked chicken and chips, because he liked it so much when I cooked it for new year. Besides, It wasn't really a day to celebrate, I was not able to go to work because I was suffering from dysmennorhea plus I had a slight fever. Charlie gave me this:

(picture taken with my cellphone since my digital camera was borrowed by my sister)
And then after dinner we watched Amazing Race Asia together spent the rest of the night talking and reminiscing about our past valentines together...

Friday, Feb. 15, Charlie left for Ilocos to visit his parents over the weekend. Still, I wasn't able to go to work because I had to do last minute errands for Charlie before he left that night.

The weekend was spent at home doing chores while I was kept company by my youngest sister, Mae, my 6 year old cousin, Nene and my Dad.

Yesterday, Charlie came home with lots of pasalubong from cousins, Aunts and Uncles in Ilocos... We feasted on Bagnet and fresh vegetables which were gifts of our Ninong based there... and while watching TV, we munched on chichacorn which Charlie bought in Vigan.

Amazing Race Asia (Season 2)

I have been an avid follower of Amazing Race, and then when Amazing Race Asia was launched, it was just a given that I was going to be a fan of that show too. Anyways, tomorrow would be the final episode, and I am really excited to know whether it would be Mark & Rovilson, the team I am routing for, who will be the first to reach the pitstop or not.

Friendship Day

Got this award from Mhay. Thank you so much... You truly are a friend, and reading your posts makes me feel like I've known you forever.

"Friendship Day is a special day... It is a special time when you can tell your friends how much you appreciate them and show them how happy and thankful you are to have them... and well, it is the best to let them know how you feel everyday... A Friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway!!!"

I am in turn giving this award to Toni, Kathy, Mec, Anne and Raquel

Ash Wednesday

Wikipedia states that:

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays). It falls on a different date each year, because it is dependent on the date of Easter; it can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10. On this day Christians abstain from eating any kind of meat.

At Masses and services of worship on this day, ashes are imposed on the foreheads (or tonsure spots, in the case of some clergy) of the faithful. The priest, minister, or in some cases officiating layperson marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes in the shape of a cross, which the worshiper traditionally retains until washing it off after sundown. The act echoes the ancient Near Eastern tradition of throwing ash over one's head to signify repentance before God (as related in the Bible).

Today's workday was started with a mass which gave all of us a chance to take part in this catholic ritual. I'm hoping it would bring about true penance for us all to bring about the real meaning of the lenten season.