Mother's Day Celebration

They are the first woman in our lives.They are the first woman who loves us unconditionally. They may not be perfect but we still consider them as the best mother in the whole world. Our lives will not be complete without them. They have showered us with constant love, care, guidance and have done so many sacrifices for us to become whatever we are right now. We owe a lot to them but they are not asking something in return from us but our respect and to show our love to them too. We may have different mothers but God has given the best MOM for us.

I can still recall when I was younger how my Nanay:
- wake me up in the morning and say "Toto, bugtaw na kay makaon na"
- iron my uniform the night before I go to school
- go to market and bring us home wth goodies
- cook the food for us and she will not eat until we are finished.
- go to school to support whatever activities that I have
- defend me when my father got angry to me
- take care all of us '9' without favoritism
- make my projects in school even she is pregnant
 If I can only enumerate all the things she have done to us this blog page would not be enough.

To all the Mothers especially to our NANAY Alice,

Happy Happy Mother's Day!!

We really appreciate you for being there everytime we need you, thank you for everything and WE LOVE YOU so much.

  

To celebrate the Mother's day ( May 12, 2013) even away from our Nanay I prepared a simple dinner for my brother, his wife Lynn ( a mother of 2 also) , my sister, my Tita, and my best friend.

  

  Pork Barbeque with Mango-Tomato Salsa 

 

v 1 (kl) pork chop

v 500 (ml) sprite

v 15 (pcs) calamansi (extract only)  or juice of two pcs of lemon

v 1 (cup) soy sauce

v 1 (head) garlic

v 1 (tsp) chili powder

v ½ (tsp) pepper (crack)

Marinate the pork with the ingredients above for 1 hour. Grill.

For the salsa:

v 2 (pcs) ripe mango

v 4 (pcs) tomato

v 1 (pc) onion 

v 4 (pcs) basil leaves

Dice the mango, tomato and onion. Cut the basil leaves into tiny pieces and mix with the mango, tomato and onion.
 

Best serve with rice a slice of lemon.

   Pandan-Lemon Drink 

v 20 (pcs) pandan leaves

v 2 (l) water

v 6 (pcs) lemon (extract)
v sugar

Boil the water with the pandan leaves. Once the water turns green and you alraedy can smell the aroma of pandan remove it from heat. Set aside and let it cool. Slice the lemon or extract the lemon juice. Combine with the lemn extract and the pandan juice. Add sugar according to your preference, cube ice and slice of lemon.

 



Cucumber Apple and Calamansi Shake

One of the best time of the year in the Philippines is SUMMER. Most of the families are going to their vacation places either in their own provinces or somewhere where they can have a place  to bond, to relax and to enjoy the long days of vacation. Being a tropical country, the summer in Philippines brings high temperature and humidity that even when you are just sitting it can make you sweat.

In order to fight the hot weather, ice cold drinks, shakes and smoothies are readily available anywhere. These refreshing drinks do not only give you a cool feeling but help you in repleneshing the lost water from your body beacuse of sweating.

So I made my own experiment of fruits to make a good refreshment. And this is what I have made.

Cucumber-Apple-Calamansi Shake
 
Ingredients:
1 medium size cucumber
1 apple
8 pcs calamansi
4 cups of crushed ice
1 cup or less of refined sugar
 
How:
1. Remove all the seeds of apple,cucumber and calamansi
2. Put all ingredients in a blender.
3. Top with slice calamansi. 

You have the option to peel or not to peel the cucumber. But I only peel the 50% of the cucumber.

REFRESH.REPLENISH.ENJOY.

 

God's Blessings

Life has so many surprises. Surprises are sometimes good and sometimes bad. But today's surprise ( May 09, 2013) is not only good but a great one. Working in a semiconductor company for almost 6 years is quite a challenging job. There are so many highs and lows that go with the business situation  which either UP or DOWN (being FLAT means just idle). When a business is not making  profit for several quarters or even years, the business is not in good shape. And that is what is happening in my company now.

Few announcements has been relayed to us from the top management that our company is closing in the 3rd quarter this year. But as employees in the Philippines our future and what will happen to us in the next 2 quarters is very blurry. Questions like "Does the mother company will hire us if our company closes?" or "Does the company will give as separation package in the case that we will not be absorbed by the parent company?". As a man who has a dream to go abroad and save for my dream to become a Chef, I really want that the company will give me the separation package. And the question for that separation package has just been answered this morning.

Being the eldest in my family, I have the responsibility to help and support my younger siblings' college education. If I resign in my current company for abroad I will not receive any amount and that is my problem - money to finance them. Today's announcement is an answered prayer because I will be receiving the separation package. This is a blessing from God at the very perfect time.  Now I don't have to worry any more where to get the money which will I need for my siblings when I leave for work abroad. God has provided for it.


One step at a time by God's grace and guidance I will be reaching my dream to be a Chef. And I believe that He is working with me. Actually HE is the source of everything..my finances, my time, my passion, my dream and my life.

Thank you so much GOD. In Jesus name. Amen.

The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it. Proverbs 10:22 (NIV)