Easter 2016

This Easter is extra special because it's Zayden's first one!  I was lucky enough to find a local photographer who was offering cheap mini-photo sessions with love bunnies, so I didn't pass up the chance. I booked and scheduled the Friday before Easter Sunday. 

I wanted to match their clothes instead of making them wear the same exact outfit and it turned out so good. Our eldest loved his fedora. He's our little GQ man. I made the "My First Easter" sign for our baby on the last hour before we left to have the pictures taken. I'm so glad I decided to go through making it. 

I'm very happy their pictures turned out so cute! I will cherish these pictures forever! 

Random musings after lunch at Chili's and grocery shopping

We had lunch at Chili's today and for the first time we were the family that had that baby who slept all the time. 

We were already half way done by the time Zayden woke up and when he did, he stayed in his car seat for quite a bit. He was watching the other baby at the table behind us. He was very amused. 

After lunch we went grocery shopping and it's the first time I've gone grocery shopping with the boys for a quite a while. I didn't know that Zayden had already graduated from laying in his stroller to sitting in the cart. I shouldn't be surprised at all because he has been sitting up for a while now...but still. I didn't even take a picture. I was in denial that badly. He was very well behaved the entire time. He loves looking at things and being part of everything. He is very, very observant. He loves his Christmas blanket from grandma so we've been brining that with us. It's huge but it is very soft so I don't mind having it with us. I could use it, too if I needed. There's going to be more than enough for the both of us. 

Zayden had his 6th month check-up the first week of January. I was absent again, but husband enjoys taking him and having time with his baby anyway so it all works out.

At 6 months Zayden measures 28 inches and just a couple ounces short of 17 lbs. He is also now eating regular food...the food that we normally have. We've been given the go ahead since we told his doc we tried giving him grandma's home-made beef and noodles and he loved it. She said since he has responded well that that's very good and to continue. 

So last night he had fried rice. Not mashed...carrots and broccoli cut into small pieces. I can't believe he can eat that well now. Ever since we gave him those crackers he's been able to practice chewing and has been doing very good. He loves yogurt so he has that in the morning. He's been eating bananas, not mashed but the whole fruit. We watch him and regulate the bites to make sure he's not getting big pieces he could choke on. Ever since I tried that, he has not liked mashed bananas at all. It's either the whole thing or none at all. I pulled off a piece and tried feeding him that but he refused. He wanted the banana that was still attached to the banana peel. Oh goodness...

He's been on his walker too. He would still rather be held but he has managed to move himself around when he goes on his tippy toes, his walker doesn't go any lower. 

He's going to be 7 months next week. We think he's already trying to say doggie.

Sleeping at Chili's.

We arrived at Chili's and he looked like this. He fell asleep with his toy in his mouth! 

My Little Genius

It's that time of the school year again...Science Fair!!! This year Zenon gets his inspiration from the Mythbusters with a little twist on how to execute it from CoSi. 

As always Mom and Dad's roles are to make sure he works on it continuously so he doesn't miss the deadline, plus making sure he sticks to the criteria set which includes -- following the scientific process and keeping it neat and clean. He mostly needs help with the keeping it neat and clean. 

The only help he has needed in the past projects he's had are to make sure he is able to focus his ideas because I tell you this kid's brain is wired to explore everything and ask every question possible. As he does with everything else, we just need to help tone down the excitement but keep the enthusiasm up. 

This year we're also back to hand-writing everything...which is annoying because I never realized that he wasn't as familiar with a keyboard as I thought he was (using it for Minecraft doesn't count!). So last year when the school said typed text is good which is how I learned about the whole keyboard issue, I jumped to the opportunity of him sitting down and typing. 

I had to make sure of course that I sat by him because his hand-written notes are so neat he sometimes needs help reading it. Besides, I had him type it in an egg-shaped text box to keep with the topic/"theme" he had going.

I still remember the very first time he had to do a science fair project. It was also the very first time we went to Ohio thus our very first time going to CoSi. 

We came home and went through his binder and there it was, the science fair packet. We were sitting down and asked him what he wanted to do and he blurted out excitedly, "Sound waves!!!". 

Andrew and I looked at each other in shock and awe. We were very proud and quite confused. All amazement and all these questions in our head started popping up.

Where did he get that idea? Sound waves?? What does he know about sound waves?? Oh my god he's so freakin' smart! I always knew he was smart but this?? My god our son's a genius. Wait, science fair, sound waves...yes, awesome idea, but wait...how in the world???

So our brains processed all this a million miles per second and Zenon unfazed by the reaction we had simply continued explaining like everything was normal, "Yeah like the experiment at CoSi. I want to replicate that." 

Replicate. Did he really use the word replicate??? ...Okay, okay, calm parent. Remember, parent not child. Who's the parent??? Oh yeah...yay!!! I'm the parent!!! 

Okay, calm. Ask him how and if he can't answer we make him do a different experiment. One that he actually understands.

We got shut down by a 6 year old. He explained how to he was going to make his experiment. He was going to get speakers like the one dad has on his computer (old school! Haha!), then get a water bottle or tube then play his favorite song on Mom's iPad and go from there. 

Well, what do Andrew and I know, we're just the freakin' parents right??? 

Zenon has so far placed first in his very first Science Fair when he was in 1st Grade and 4th place the following year. Praying for a win again this year! 

Zenon is by no means aggressive even when it comes to sports but his competitive side comes out when it comes to this. He always goes for the gold. 

God my son is gonna make me so rich! Hahaha!!! No seriously, we have lotto tickets but I have a million times better odds Zenon will make us stinkin' rich than winning the lottery!

Zenon's First grade Science Fair project on sound waves won him First Place. 

His Second grade Science fair entry was on staining teeth using hard boiled eggs and the effectiveness of brushing your teeth. For a project that is not very original, he did a very good job and won 4th place. He got his idea from me nagging him about brushing his teeth. 

New Year's Resolutions 2016

I never used to believe in New Year's Resolutions until recently. I've always tried making some nonetheless but without any success, not even a hint. 

Through the years of having been with the husband I have slowly been thinking more and more about making a New year's resolution that I truly believe in. Although he and I have never spoken of this specific topic before and if we have, probably just in passing. We have however, had many a conversation about not changing but bettering ourselves.

He has taught me that to ask for someone to change is unrealistic and quite unfair. 

He explains this by taking our relationship as an example. He says he fell in love with everything that I am. To him, I am perfect in every way. Of course I start to protest this every time he says I am perfect and that I'm his angel. He shushes me and tells me to listen. He then proceeds to explain that, yes, I have some qualities that are considered not good, for example, having a temper. To him he says, all that I am, all of who I am even if it's considered bad is what makes me perfect for him. He fell in love with the woman he has seen smiling, witnessed losing her temper, has had sudden inexplicable tantrums, has given him the most loving hugs and kisses, has made him lose his mind over something so trivial, the woman who gave him his perfect little family, the same woman who starts a fight because she had a dream about him leaving her. He says all that, everything else and more is what makes me, me -- the woman he loves and he says, the woman he will love forever. So to ask me to change is stupid on his part and unfair. 

Although, we both believe that we both need to better ourselves...together. Despite the fact that we've only been married a year, The year's before when we were the best of friends, working together in the same office and both wearing the uniform, we have proven that we truly do work together harmoniously. We were both pulling each other up althrougout the time we worked together. We both kept each other inspired and aspiring for more. The goal? Nothing. We just knew we were both smart and good enough not do well with work that we wouldn't allow ourselves not to do well. We were a very good team at work. Fast, efficient and we never brought any drama to work. Work was work and everything else was private. 

At home we were raising Zenon. Although, the husband  came into Zenon's and my life quite a bit later, we acted like we've been married for years. 

We have been told we act like an old couple at work. We bickered and competed at work like an old couple - mean but respectful and loving to each other. 

We respected that we were both parents and to not have our son see us fight.. We never correct each other in front of Zenon especially when we're trying to discipline or teach him. 

Together, we've had many dreams come true, many goals realized and we continue to dream and make plans together. We have so much we want to accomplish and we know we can only do them together because apart we're very good, but together we're unstoppable.

So my new year's resolutions consist of things I want to be able to make better so we can be a better, more loving couple whose dreams are fulfilled because no matter how good things are, things can always be better, and because we never stop dreaming!

1. I want to be more confident. To stop questioning myself and my capabilities. 

Husband described me as being badass at work. I was confident and I was good at it because I knew my as we like to call it, s**t. Yet, for everything else, I always second guess myself and he says I shouldn't...I now agree he is right. I have yet to fail miserably in things I do. Although I haven't achieved some goals as of yet, it doesn't mean that I have failed. I haven't failed because the opportunity for me to make good the plans I've had, the plans I've abandoned and the goals I have yet to begin working on, all opportunities remain viable. They are viable and with all honesty so much easier for me to grasp because now I have purpose. I have a reason to push myself now and I have learned and grown so much these past few years, too.

2. Allow myself to accept that not everything has to be perfect.

"Fights will happen and it's normal". ~Husband

I have to realize that our fights shouldn't be a be all, end all. Fights are normal because we are both very passionate and we are both needy. We need each other, we rely on each other so much that fights will be inevitable but they have to be taken for what they are and not blown out of proportion.

3. To take my time and learn to relax.

Everyday doesn't have to be a hectic week and overly productive day. Lazy days are good because it's the lazy days when we're at home doing nothing that the kids will remember the most. It's when we're at home simply enjoying each other's company that they will have the most memories of not the trips, and not the expensive gifts. 

Everything does not have to be a learning opportunity. I have to allow our kids to be kids and learn on their own. I need to chill and stop worrying that they're going to fail if I don't push the learning in their souls. 

I need to be able to sleep without waking up in the middle of the night worrying about sown thing that's beyond my control yet insist on having control over. 

Relax. What matters is we said good morning, kissed each, kissed the kids to start our day right, greeted each other welcome home and hugged and kissed again, made sure wvryoen had a good day and addressed any issues we may have had during the day so we're all stress and problem free, that we said goon don't and kissed and hugged again, and lastly, repeat again and again and again to perpetuity.

Allow things to happen as they should. Not all plans unfold all at once. Some of them take years and I have to be patient.

Meanwhile my least profound resolutions are:

1. Save for our dream home, for travel, for fancy clothes, etc. just save because I'm ready for our dream home to be ours.  Also, I love to travel and traveling and experiencing new things with my little family is so much fun so more of that please! 

2. Do more of what I love and enjoy the process of getting better at it.

Write, draw, paint, even decorate the house or plan the kids' birthdays and make my arts and crafts project for it. The more I do it, the better I become.

3. Learn something new.

Sewing machine. I'm still not for with you! 

4. Read more by myself with the kids.

I used to love books and I've finally found a book that I love but I've only been able to read a fifth of the book and I've had it for 4 months now. 

Zenon is an amazing reader but he does not enjoy reading the am way I used to. I would love for him to enjoy it, too. As for Zayden, I really believe that reading a lot to Zenon helped him to become the super smart kid he is now so I need to read more to him and have Zenon continue to read to him. He loves his Kuya Zenon so much! 

So much more to add but I have to take it slow. That's part of my New Years resolution after all right? Take it slow, enjoy the process of getting to where I want to be. 

Happy 2016!

Cheers to making your own New Year's resolutions! I hope that fulfilling your goals will be an amazing journey for you! 

New Traditions

This year I wanted all of us to make our own special Christmas ornaments. We've been so busy ever since I started my small home-cooked food business and I've been lucky that it's picked up so fast especially on the last week I'm open for business for 2015, that we've had to hold off making them. 

Hold off we no longer can because we're leaving on Friday! So glad I decided to push myself and commit to my biggest order yesterday instead of delaying it to this evening. So tonight, we were able to sit down at our dining table and make very big and very fun mess making out personalized ornaments.

The kids ended up with snow globes instead while husband and I made ours simple but very sentimental. We had only planned to give Zenon an option to make a snow globe instead but then husband came up with a great idea of using Zayden's "old" (only very recently did he stop using) Tommee Tippee baby bottle for the base. 

Zenon painting the small mason jar base for his snow globe.

We put red paint on Zayden's hand because we wanted his hand print on his snow globe. 

Zenon's snow globe with the mason jar base. He glued a Lego man inside and out some snow flakes in it so he's standing in snow. He painted the globe with a silver stripe with red running down the middle because he wanted it to look like a football helmet from his favorite college football team, The Ohio State Buckeyes. I found some letter charms in one of craft supplies drawers which he used to spell his whole name out. 😊

Zayden's baby bottle snow globe! We filled the bottled with snowflakes up to the 2 oz mark which is how much milk we used to have to make for him. We ran out of the letter "N" so we used "U" and turned it upside down. Make it work! 

 My snow globe is very simple but it has very thing that's so special to me in it --  husband's and my hospital bracelets when we had Zayden, beads and puff balls which Zayden gave me 2 years ago (He said to keep it with me for protection while I was in Secuirty Forces Augmentee duty), and a few things from husbands and my wedding, "Happily Ever After" charms, pink glitter and some beads.

Hisban's is decorated with all 4 of our handprints and he labeled Rachel one with paint -- his says, "Dad", mine says "Mom", Zenon's says "Z1" and of course Zayden's is labeled "Z2".

What Christmas traditions do you and your family have? 

An Ode to Fall

Winter weather slowly creeping into our sleepy little town. I'm happy and sad at the same time. Happy because we love Christmas and this will be our second baby's first ever Christmas. Sad because I just realized that my favorite season while in Texas is the fall. I have otherwise not had a favorite season. I love being able to walk our eldest to school every morning in this perfect fall weather. Sad because this year marked the end of my service, but happy because I'm lucky enough to be able to be a full-time Mom to our 2 boys, an ever-supportive wife ;) and at the beginning of November, a small home food business owner.

Thanksgiving Feast 2015

It's official, we now have a family Thanksgiving tradition. 

We get dressed nicely, making sure everyone looks their best. 

This is the one day during the year that we get dressed up and have a nice semi-formal sit down dinner at home.

I love dressing up! Besides, it also gives our 8-year old to get dressed up because he is our little GQ man. It's so cute seeing him happy walking out of his room showing off his outfit. He has actually asked for a suit to wear for school pictures! 

Aside from the clothes, Thanksgiving for us is a very special and unique day. We look forward to a hectic day of snacking all day while cooking a great feast to dine on for dinner. 

The husband, the father of the home, is in charge of making the turkey and owns the honor of carving the turkey. This is his second year of using the same recipe. A couple of tweaks here and there, both turkeys turning out perfectly, but this year's turkey more delicious than last with crispier and tastier skin. 

This year, we had twice the amount of food. I prepared a few things that I cooked for the first time ever and I am grateful they turned out really good. So good, we're keeping all of them as part of next year's Thanksgiving feast.

I put out a beautiful table scape and we sit down to dine.

For this Thanksgiving we tried out some new recipes -- all of them keepers. 

Here are the dishes we made.

Stuffing, more specifically Stuffing Muffins

I have never met a stuffing that I have truly had a liking for. The husband hasn't either. However, stuffing is a Thanskgiving staple so I wanted to try one more time.

Since I've been a SHM (stay-home mom) I'v been able to watch quite a bit of different cooking and home shows, including a Rev Run Thanksgiving special. They made this dish called "stuffing muffin" and although they didn't show much of it, they sold it as one of heir best dishes ever. They described what it was like and said it had sausage and corn bread in it. 

...SOLD!!!

I had to make it. It had the uniqueness that has been tickling my fancy these days with recipes I choose to try, AND, it had meat in it! We are definitely meat lovers in this family so having meat in the stuffing was the perfect ingredient to us loving stuffing. 

The recipe was easy and the ingredients weren't hard to find. Mos important of all, we loved it! Next time I'll use non-flavored sausage though. I only found Italian sausage and used that. The spices were just a little bit too strong four our little man, Zenon. 

Aside from that, I'll maybe add some crispy bacon and it will be perfect! Definitely a mainstay in our Thanksgiving spread.

For the recipe I simply googled, "Rev Run stuffing muffin". 

Cranberry Sauce 

My first western Thanksgiving was at my Lt's house. All the Airmen in our squadron were invited for Thanksgiving dinner at his house with him and his wife. That was when I found out that cranberry sauce is another sauce option to have with your turkey. I tried and didn't like it. I chalked it up to the fact that it was canned and not fresh. So I decided I won't decide not to dislike it completely just yet and try it again when I get the chance to try it when it's made with fresh cranberries.

I never got to until this Thansgiving when I finally decided to give it a try. 

So I googled to see if The Pioneer Woman, my favorite cooking show host, had a recipe for cranberry sauce. I used her recipe and the cranberry sauce turned out amazing! 

Unfortunately, I still don't like it with my turkey. I need to figure out what it will be good with because it is very yummy...maybe corn bread? 

I can always just have it on its own, too. Mmmm~~~....

Bacon wrapped asparagus

This is the only way I am able to make my 8-year old eat asparagus! How? Because bacon is awesome.

We are a family of bacon lovers so it was no surprise he loved it. 

This time instead of having individually wrapped asparagus, we did it in 3's. 

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I have a fool-proof, super easy recipe for for mashed potatoes and they turn out very creamy but when it gets cold it becomes clumpy. 

So this time I added cream cheese and a little bit of half-and-half, put it in a baking dish, put butter on top and popped it in the oven to brown the top. 

The very creamy texture of the mashed potatoes went perfectly with all the food we had made. 

Corn and green beans

My husband loves corn! I've liked corn a lot, too but I can't say I love it. Well maybe not before my husband and I got together. After we did, corn is a staple in our home.

A couple of months ago, I got lazy and didn't want to cook green beans and corn separately. So chopped up a couple of cloves of garlic and sautéed both green beans and corn in butter with some garlic together. It turned out tasting amazing. So from then on, it has been how I prepare these two veggies. 

Simple, easy, fool-proof deliciousness.

Pumpkin Spice Leche Flan

Leche flan is a creamy, custard-like, classic Filipino, Spanish-influenced dessert. 

I made this the day before Thanksgiving. I started a small home-made Filipino food and Filipino fusion food business this month. One of the Filipino dishes I offer is leche flan. 

Inspired by Thanksgiving and my love for Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte, I started to imagine what pumpkin spice flavored leche flan would taste like.

I make my leche flan with whole eggs so it's very creamy. I personally prefer the simple classic leche flan but since I already had an order for a couple of them  and my husband loves the pumpkin spice flavored one, I just made an extra one for us. It is thanksgiving after all so pumpkin spice is perfect.

Lastly, 

Turkey Lumpia

I changed my Turkey Lumpia recipe completely. I used to make it the same way I make my Pork Lumpia. They both turn out good, but the turkey didn't seem to shine as much. 

So this time, I experimented and voila! The flavor of the turkey definitely shined through! 

I tried making Cranberry Chili sauce using  a recipe I made in my head. The lemon was a little too overpowering but the husband said he likes it a lot. 

Sometimes I wonder if he ever dislikes anything I make! Although I remember him hating leche flan when I made it for the first time last year. 

He did not like the texture of the leche flan. Ooh, he hated it so much! It didn't help that he is not big into dessert. I don't know what happened this year but he has been converted into a leche flan lover!

This is our Thanksgiving feast. We added some salad to try to add something completely health so we can enjoy guilt-free food binging! We bought the fresh fruit pie from United Market Street and it is definitely fresh and amazing. I ate the whole the whole thing by myself over the 4-day Thanksgiving weekend. Oops~~~

I had salad, too. See? Guilt-free! It works! 

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots of love, laughter and good food!