Hi, My Name is Baby Wall-e!

Hi, my name is Baby Wall-e. I'm the newest member of the Sanchez household.

I used to have a lonely life inside a plastic box. But one day, someone picked me up from the shop counter and I found myself being separated from my friends (who all seemed to look like me!!!).

At first, I was scared, everything went too fast. I noticed I was handed to another man's hand and in a couple of seconds, I head a beeping sound on my bottom. Then I heard the clicking sound of coins as I was given back to the hands of the man who picked me up at the counter. All of sudden, I was placed inside a dark, crowded room. It was a bit uncomfortable, I was squashed between a notebook and an umbrella, and it was very bumpy.

It seemed like forever. All of sudden, the bumpy ride stopped. I heard doors opening and closing and a woman's voice. Little by little, I seemed to forgot about being scared. The man and woman seemed to be having happy exchanges.

Man's voice: I have a surprise for you.
Woman's voice: Really???

Suddenly, the man pulls me out of the dark, crowded room I was in.

Man's voice: Ta-da!!!
Woman's voice: Wow!!! A baby Wall-e!!! Thank you!!!

Right there and then, all my fears vanished when I saw the man and woman looking down at me, smiling. I felt so welcome wherever I was at that time. The woman kept calling me her "Baby Wall-e" Isn't that sweet?

She immediately opened me while she laughed. I can tell that she's very happy. She kept saying she likes me. I hope she didn't notice me blushing because her laughter made me warm.

Finally I was out of my box. First thing I noticed was that my vision got clearer and every color I see around me seemed brighter. Then I felt the soft touch of the woman who carried me in her hand. I had a giddy feeling inside me when she did that.

See how tiny I am?

So that's how I met the Sanchezes...and how I became their baby robot. And since I'm a member of their household, I will also take part in sharing with you my happy encounters with my new Masters.

Have a great day and nice to meet you!

Recipe: Creamy Baked Potato

A word of caution: this recipe I'm sharing is high in cholesterol and fat. Very very sinful but very delicous. So eat in moderation. I do not recommend eating this all the time.

This recipe is inspired by the many variations of baked potato and Potato Au Gratin I found on the net. Most recipes don't have Bacon as an ingredient (so Bacon is optional)...but since this is my recipe, itinodo ko na sa fat and cholesterol :P.

On personal note, this is one of my favorite food--potato...either baked or fried or found inside a bag (like a bag of potato chips hahaha), my guiltiest guilt ever.

I highly recommend this for handaans or when you're having a couple of family or friends for dinner. At least you get to share not just the food but also the high calories. :)

What you will need:

4 medium to large-sized potatoes (peeled, sliced and cooked)
6 tbsps of butter
4 tbsps of flour
2 cups of milk
1 cup cooked bacon, cut into bits
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
salt and pepper

What you will need to do:

1. Place cooked potatoes in a shallow baking dish or Pyrex container.

2. In a saucepan over medium to low heat, melt butter. Add flour and stir to blend well, gradually stir in milk. Stir constantly until sauce is thick and smooth. Add bacon and cheese. Add a dash of pepper and salt to taste.

3. Pour sauce over potatoes.

4. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top before placing inside the oven.

5. Bake for 15 minutes at 200 degrees.

Serves 6-8 persons.

Christening and Furniture Shopping

Busy day on Sunday. First, Husband and I had the privilege to cover Isabella Rae's Christening, the newest princess of our barkada. :)

The Kolokoys all had a share of tasks to help our dear friends Richard and Rachelle and our part was to take photographs.

It's been awhile since Chris and I covered an event and like always, it was fun because we were surrounded by friends.

Jiona is sooooo cute!!! *Gigil* It's so easy to photograph this kid because everytime she sees her Tito Chris, she laughs like crazy.

Cheek-to-cheek moment with Evan and Hilda.

I finally found the courage to wear heels (wedges actually) and a dress while covering an event but I can't say that it was a good decision. During reception, Hilda asked me how I was and I could say was "My feet is killing me!"

With the Husband in our happy-and-a-little-bit-ngarag look. This was towards the end of the reception and it's only in this photo that I realized that the camera strap goes well with my dress hehe.

For more of Isabella's christening photos, click here.

Right after the christening, we went straight to Ikea for some furniture shopping. Busy days at home in the coming days as we get ready for my parents to arrive. The goal was to buy a bed, mattress and lamp shades. All done and more---as always, you can never leave Ikea with just what you need. We stayed til late afternoon and decided to have dinner there. At this time I was feeling stressed with the highlights of our day. Ikea is a big place and it's self-service so Husband and I carried the furnitures when we needed to. After our Ikea adventure, I felt really really tired, my arms hurt a bit from all that carrying. When we arrived home, all I did was get ready for Monday's work and lie down.

Anyway, everything's set. We're just waiting for the furnitures to arrive today (as in now while I'm writing this).

Aliwness

Last year, after Vday Chris' spouse visa application got approved.

This year, five days after Vday, my parents' visit visa got approved.

Last year, from February to March, Husband and I prepared for our reunion in Dubai.

This year, Husband and I have been preparing for my parents' Sydney vaycay since January. So now that we know what they are really coming over, this month and the next will be pretty hectic for us.

Last year, we busily prepared for our travel--flights, accommodation, itineraries, gears, etc. and Chris' homecoming to Sydney.

This year, we will get our home ready and the places we will take them to when they arrive here.

Last year, it was all about us.

This year, it will be about people that we love.

Aliw.

Elated. Excited!

My parents are coming to visit!!!!!!!

Thank you, thank you , thank you

for making my birthday wish come true

for listening to my affirmation for two weeks.

Since last week, my parents' visa application has been eating up my mind. When our travel agent told me that the documents have been sent to the immigration, I hoped and prayed for the best and fought back any negative thoughts that seeped thru my mind. This recent visa application is kinda different in the sense that it was the first time that my dad applied for an Aussie visit visa--and for those who know, it's not easy to get a tourist visa from the Aussie immigration especially when it's your first time to apply. My mum has been here a couple of times so that kinda gave us a bit of an assurance. But still, for someone like me who wanted to see and be with her parents so badly, I prayed for it so hard and just let His will be done.

When I arrived home from work, a text message was waiting for me. It was from my mom telling me the good news that their visa has been approved :) :) :) and we will be seeing them in March!!! Yehey!!! :D

Affirmation for the Week: Being Ready for Positive Things

I am ready for more

POSITIVE THINGS

in my life.

{Photo source}

People wish so hard for so many good things to happen to them but not all are ready to accept them. I believe that is one reason why it takes awhile for some good things to happen or fall into place. So if you're wishing for something, let the universe know that you are ready. Let God know that with every good thing that will happen in your life, you are willing to accept it and be responsible for it.

LDR Chronicles

When I wrote two articles regarding surviving Long Distance Relationships (LDR), it never occured to me that there are a lot of people who would be able to relate to my LDR entries. And why not? When in fact lots of families, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends and soon-to-be couples are indeed going thru this overwhelming experience.

I've received a couple of messages asking me where they can find my LDR articles and so here it is:

The first LDR article I actually wrote was December 2006, in time for my ex-boyfriend (now husband) and I's 4th syota-anniversary.

Of Love and Distance

In this entry, I wrote about how we sacrificed being apart in the midst of our wedding preparations. I wrote about how we miss our life in the Phils and how we kept our cool inspite of the life-changing decision we have made--and that is to be apart in order to fulfill our dreams.

The second article was about how we were able to survive another 14 months of separation, this time, after our wedding.

Surviving a Long Distance Marriage

This experience was more painful in the sense that we parted having a more binding connection (we were husband and wife!). When I dropped off my Husband at the airport (he left two days before I went back to Sydney) in time for his flight to Dubai, I almost didn't let go. I thought it would be easier saying goodbye for the second time, but it wasn't--it was so much harder. And thing was, we didn't know when will see each other again (unlike our first separation). However, we tried our best to practice loving smartly---which for us meant, focusing on our goals, being positive and hopeful.

Looking back at what I've written, I will admit that both articles still tugs at my heart, some phrases still bring back some tears and reminds me sometimes of good and not-so-good moments we've had when we were apart. It's nice to go back to the learnings, it is useful at most times when we are having rough times now that we are finally together. There's also a sense of accomplishment after the LDR stage is thru, gives more definition to the innermost core of our relationship. At the end of it all, we both just said, "It wasn't so bad, after all."

So to you my loving readers: have faith, have hope and have love...always.

Recipe: Stir-fried Honey and Black Pepper Beef

I've been spending lots of time in the kitchen for the past two weeks. Last week, I got inspired by a book I saw in my office about Stir-fried food. So even late at night (on a workweek, take note hehe), my husband found me whipping up something in the kitchen. My first try at stir-fried food: Honey and Black Pepper Beef.

What you'll need:

Oil for cooking
500 grams beef, cut into strips
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced
300 grams snow peas
2 tbsps honey
2 tsps soy sauce
2 tbsps oyster sauce
A dash of black pepper, to taste

What you'll need to do:

There are three phases for this recipes:

(1) Cooking of Beef

Heat the wok until very hot, add 1 tbsp of oil. Stir-fry the beef in batches over high heat. Wait until beef becomes brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.

(2) Cooking of Vegetables

Reheat the wok, add 1 tbsp of oil. Stir-fry the onion, garlic and snow peas. Wait until snow peas softened (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from the wok and set aside.

(3) Cooking of Sauce

Pour in honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce and black pepper into the wok. Simmer medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Increase heat, then add in the beef and vegetables. Toss for 3-5 minutes.

Preparation and cooking time: 20-30 minutes; Serves 4.

Calories per serve: 335 calories.

Fun-filled Valentine Weekend

Husband and I never really celebrate Valentine. Based on our "Valentine history", it's the occassion that we never really think about and which we almost always spend with family and/or friends. I think the only time we really made an effort was on our very first Vday--that was in 2003. We had to watch a Boyz II Men concert because we were given tickets (which was one of the coolest gifts we have received in our couple life). The following years after that, we either get-together with my parents for dinner or hang out with our friends. Vday was never an exclusive thing for us.

It was a normal day for us on Saturday, only that the Husband surprised me with a gift at 12 midnight. I was embarrasingly amused hehe. I didn't have a gift for him. I never thought he would get me something.
Anyway, the highlight of our was day was the Vday party our friend organized. Since our circle of friends have not seen each other for a while, we decided to celebrate Vday together.

On Saturday night, we met up at a friend's place, shared yummy food and lots of laughter.

We also played couples games...and Wii!!!! We played Guitar Hero and an array of Sports games: Tennis, Baseball and Bowling.

Husband and I pretending to be rockers

On Sunday, I prepared a small feast for dinner...my way of making up for not getting him a gift. I cooked Penne Spaghetti and my own version of Creamy Baked Potato.

So how was your Vday weekend?
For more photos of our party, click here.

weekend-snapshot

Spam Messages Using My YM I.D.

To anyone who receives a message from me via Yahoo Messenger recommending some diet tea...PLEASE DISREGARD THE MESSAGE. That is not me messaging you but some kind of spam message from Yahoo.

The message is about some diet tea DAW that I use----OF COURSE THAT IS NOT TRUE. I'm not a follower of any diet or a drinker of any diet tea whatsoever. Just for the record, I'm not a believer of diets, I'M A BELIEVER OF MAINTAINING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, which means eating a balanced diet and engaging in exercise. In the past I've tried (for the sake of trying) to drink a detox tea but as soon as I saw the bad effects on my body, I stopped--that was the end of detox tea for me.

I'm pissed off that Yahoo would use my YM I.D. for spreading this spam message when in fact I have a website I'm responsible for spreading information for. Not good. Now I'm thinking of creating another Yahoo address which I don't want to do anymore.

Anyway, to my friends in YM, please know better. I'm usually offline so please if it's about DIETS of some kind asking you to check out a website---IT'S NOT ME. For one, it's not in my character to spread out information by sending messages ONE BY ONE (that's tedious ha?) to my YM friends. I'm busy and I don't have to do something like that---I'd rather blog about it when I want to share something.

What a way to start the morning...hayyyyy.

Good morning and happy heart's day, by the way.

Litratong Pinoy: Puso

Ito ang aking lahok para sa Litratong Pinoy na may temang PUSO.

Dalawa sa pinakaimportanteng bagay sa buhay naming mag-asawa ay ang aming Unity Coins at Wedding Cord.

Ang pinaka-paborito kong Unity Coin ay ang coin na may simbolo ng Love.

At ito naman ang box kung saan namin nilagay ang aming Unity Coins at Wedding Cord na may simbolo ng dalawang Anghel na may nakasulat na Love.

Dalawang simbolo na maaring nakakalimutan namin sa araw-araw. Dalawang simbolo na maaring hindi na namin inilalabas sa munting kahon nito para tignan. Pero ang dalawang simbolo na ito, hindi man maisip or makita, ay palaging nasa PUSO namin.

Maligayang Araw ng mga Puso...hindi lang para sa Sabado, kundi para sa araw-araw :)

25 (Very Very Random) Things About Me

Got tagged in Facebook four times now, so I might as well get it over and done with. Sharing with you 25 things about me, here goes:

1. I cried when I watched "Marley and Me" because I was reminded of my dogs in the Phils--I miss them.

2. People who follow my blog assume that I will always write EVERYTHING that happens in my life. I sometimes get reactions like "Bakit wala pa sa blog mo?". I never answer those kind of questions--obviously, I have no obligation to share everything in my blog.

3. I hate waiting because I hate wasting time. BUT I can endure waiting and I forgive people easily when they're late.

4. I drink pineapple juice but I don't like eating pineapple (the fruit)--the smell makes me dizzy.

5. Misconception #1: that I am a coffee addict. The truth: For the past three years, I normally drink coffee twice a week (Friday and Saturday) only. The only time I drank lots of it (2-3 cups a day) was when I worked in Makati for six years.

6. However, coffee addict or not, I love coffee--I'm passionate about it in the sense that I want to learn everything about it.

7. Misconception #2: that I am a chocoholic. The truth: I can actually live without chocolate or at least survive without eating it for the longest time. The only reason why I frequent hanging out at chocolate cafes is because my husband is the one who can't live without chocolate.

8. However, I do have my favorite chocolates: Hershey's Kisses with Almonds, Lindt White, Cadbury Dream and M&M's with Peanuts.

9. I average about 40 minutes of walking everyday.

10. One of the happiest times I've had at work took place inside the training room where I'm surrounded by my trainees.

11. My principle in getting things done: Do it right the first, all the time.

12. The one person that helped me got over my issues/angst in life was a life guru (life coach) who made me realize my substance, self-worth and potentials, and that I'm capable of forgiving.

13. I don't take pride in having too many things. My goal nowadays is to live simply.

14. In relation to #13, I was appalled to see that I have acquired so many clothes (for the past three years that I've been living in Sydney) when I had an inventory of our closest in the new year. I now have a balikbayan box full of clothes that will be sent off to charity.

15. I drink tea twice a day: organic green tea at 10:00am; vanilla green tea after dinner.

16. I'm mataray but never an iskandalosa.

17. One of my dreams is to have a recording studio inside the home.

18. I'm such a big fan of Madonna when I was a kid that I named our first dog "Madonna".

19. I love "Big Bang Theory". My husband uploaded their episodes in my iPod and I always watch them when I'm onboard the train or bus. Even if I've seen all their episodes a thousand times, it never fails to make me laugh.

20. My favorite character in "Big Bang Theory" is (Dr) Sheldon Cooper. He's sooo funny!!!

21. Husband and I made a vow not to buy stuff related to our photography hobby (i.e. new body and lenses) this year. We have chosen to lie-low on our love for photography for a year or two because we are preparing to buy something big next year.

22. Two things I'm know for in my circle of friends: (1) I call my girlfriends "Hane" and (2) During ranting sessions (i.e. barkada talking about her fight with the bf, etc), I would always be the one ask "So, anong learning mo sa pangyayaring ito?"--para sa akin kasi, walang kwenta ang kwento kung walang aral na natutunan.

23. My most favorite cities in the world would be: Dubai, Manila, Cebu, Makati, Hongkong and Sydney.

24. It took my husband two years to convince me to marry him.

25. I never thought I'd love being married---but I DO!

Couple Reflection: The Direction of Your Thought Life

The direction of your thought life can determine the course of your marriage.

"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

As train 8017 made its way through Salerno, Italy on March 2, 1944, it gave no sign that disaster was in the making. The chugging train didn't collide with anything on that rain-soaked evening. It didn't derail or burn. But........shortly after 1:00 am, the train loaded with 600 passengers lumbered into the Galleria delle Armi. When the two locomotives pulling the train reached midtunnel, its driverwheels began to slip. Sand was sprayed on the tracks but to no avail. The wheels lost traction and the train stopped. All else is speculation since both engineers died. Carbon monoxide snuffled out the lives of nearly 500 people.


As analysis surveyed the wreckage, they found that the leading locomotive was unbraked, its controls set in reverse. The second locomotive was also unbraked, but its throttle was positioned "full ahead." The two locomotives had pulled and pushed against each other, their engineers obviously having fatally different ideas about what to do! Some have speculated that no lives would have been lost if the engineers had only been in agreement about which direction to go.


Make a decision today with your spouse that you will both move your thought life in the direction of God----then stay close by the controls of your minds.

Source: from an email forwarded by Gary.

Having True Friends...

make up for not having a brother/sister.

I always think that having true friends is God's way of making me feel like I have a brother/sister (lots of them actually). Anybody may argue with me that having a friend is never the same as having a brother or a sister. Argue all you want, but I'd rather count my blessings and not look for something (or someone) I don't have.

I find it rude sometimes when people immediately passes judgement by saying "Ay, isa ka lang na anak, eh di ang lungkot ng buhay mo?" when I tell them that I'm an only child. And my answer has always been "No". Never in my mind or heart that I feel something is missing in my life just because I never experienced having a sibling. What I always feel is that I have special people in my life who will always be there for me and whom I'm bonded not by blood, but by heart.

When Was The Last Time You Did Something For Yourself?

Yesterday, I decided not to go to work.

I woke up a little late than usual. The alarm went off at 5:30am, touched the snooze button...alarm went off again after five minutes, I didn't get up still. After a few more minutes (that's an understatement), I realized it was already 6am! Immediately, I prepared to go to work. While Husband and I had breakast, I told him, "I don't want to go to work today, I want to go back to bed and sleep." The ever-loving husband replied, "Then stay home, what have you got to lose?"

My husband has never been a big talker but once he says something, more often than not, it is logical and will make you stop and realize, "Oo nga no?"

So I asked myself, "When was the last time I did something like this?"

"When was the last time I threw all my caution to the wind and just do what I want and not care about what will happen next?"

"When did I last rewarded myself with a day of sleeping?"

"When was the last time I gave myself something intagible?"

The answer to all those questions was "I don't know." With that kind of answer, I think that says a lot, doesn't it?

And so I stayed home and slept...and watched TV...and read a book...and just relaxed! It was a glorious day for me. I made up for lost sleep and at the same time, it not only rejuvenated my body, but my mind and soul as well.

Nowadays, it's so easy to get caught up in the web-like array of our day-to-day activities--work, responsibilities, bills to pay, parties to attend, a household to manage, kids to take care of, family and friends to be there for...and the list goes on and on.

These days, we only get to take a day-off when we're feeling really really sick---and more often than not, we even feel guilty for not going to work!

These days, it's just so easy to be an adult because we are faced with obligations. that we sometimes forget the child in us.

But once in a while, no matter how difficult or impossible we think it is, doing something for yourself can be the most rewarding thing. It is healthier too.

So be a kid sometimes and ask yourself, "When was the last time I did something for myself?"

Magnificently Melbourne

In celebration of our 2nd anniversary and my 32nd birthday, we decided to take a quick break from Sydney and spend it in MELBOURNE!!!

Melbourne is such a refreshing and welcoming place, so let me share with you the things I love most about it.

I love their quaint alleyways that entices you to follow your senses: you'll smell heavenly food offered by eccentric little cafes and see dainty boutiques that sell fashionable clothes, bags and accessories.

I love their different modes of transportation: the colorful trams, old and new buses and their cute cute trains.

I love that this place is the coffee and chocolate capital of Australia. Every nook and cranny, you'll find cafes that serve delicious chocolate and coffee.

I love that this is the fashion and shopping capital of Australia. Need I say more?

I love that everywhere I look, I find something artsy like sculptures in the middle of the sidewalk, graffitis that doesn't seem offending, and some of their buildings' architecture here are more innovative-looking that can rival structures in Dubai and Hongkong.

I love it that they have the better Casino place here that boosts of a great hotel (where Roger Federer stays so I'm told hehe), a beautiful view of the Yarra River, posh restaurants and designer boutiques.

I love that they have Nobu Restaurant and TGI Friday's here.

I love that this is the home of the Australian Open. This was an event that we weren't keen on participating on the onset, but we're glad we spent one day watching games at the Australian Open. It was such a marvelous experience.

I love their night market: numerous stalls of clothes, bags, house decors, lamps, food and even massages!

I love that they have an avenue full of photography shops where we even found a cafe called "Zoom Cafe" (how cool is that!)

I love that this is the maiden home of "Wicked" The Musical. It is because of this musical that made my birthday doubly special...and one of the main reasons why we chose Melbourne to spend our 2nd anniversary and my birthday in.

Our anniversary and my birthday were significantly more special because we spent it there, all the more making our trip to Melbourne magnificently memorable.

We were in Melbourne for only four days, but it felt like home...and we would gladly go back there with or without a special reason.

For a more detailed account of our Melbourne experience, please click on the following links:

First day in Melbourne

Anniversary Dinner at Nobu (Crown Entertainment Plaza)

The Australian Open 2009 Experience

Melbourne at Night

A "Wicked" Birthday Celebration in Melbourne