9 Years and Counting

The whole family woke up early. The scrapper in me wanted to have photos taken before we finally got up for breakfast. The girls made cards and letters for us. (How sweet!) Then we had a late lunch in Kambingan (I'm sure you can guess what their specialty is. Hehehe! Super yummy!) with my family. We bought some DVD's for a quiet night at home.

It pays to have your husband read Twilight!

Mier has always been an avid reader, something that we both have in common. We have shared a number of books between us, so much so that we had a helper comment that our house looks like a mini national bookstore. :-)

So when I got hooked on Twilight, he picked up the books too just to see what the fuss was all about. He's done with Twilight and New Moon and will be starting on Eclipse soon. So far, he enjoys the books. He says the concept of a vampire wanting to be good (being a "vegetarian" that is) is interesting. But of course, there were parts he found cheesy and tacky. It's probably more of a girl thing. Hehehe!

So why am I glad he's reading Twilight? Well, yesterday we were texting because he was asking for some information from me. After texting him back with what he needed, I added, "Anything else you need?"

His reply: You at 6pm and forever! :-) (I was picking him up from work at 6pm)

Hindi ba nakakikilig!!! So nice to have my own Edward Cullen! Hahaha!

Molo Soup

Description:
Well, since it has been raining (see Blog entry http://miamc.multiply.com/journal/item/175/Its_raining_its_pouring), I thought it would be a good time for good and hot soup. I checked out my friend Chinky's blogsite (http://feedingtheboys.blogspot.com/) and found her recipe for Molo Soup. Yum! Mier had several helpings last night. :-)

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground pork
1 lb. peeled shrimp, finely chopped
1 onion, minced finely
1 carrot, minced finely
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
salt and pepper
70-80 wonton wrappers
1/2 chicken or 2 bone in chicken breasts, boiled and shredded (use this to make your chicken broth)
2 heads garlic, minced
4 spring onions, chopped
8 cups chicken broth


Directions:
Step 1: Make the filling
1. Combine pork, shrimp, carrot onion, and oyster sauce.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
4. Set aside 4-5 tablespoons of the mixture and use the rest to make the wontons.
5. Place half a teaspoon to a teaspoon of filling in each wonton wrapper. Seal edges with a bit of water. Set aside.

Step 2: Fry garlic in oil until slightly golden.
This is a very important step. The savory, crunchy bits of garlic floating on the soup makes this dish. No garlic, no molo soup.
Note: Do this in the soup pot where you will actually make your soup so you can use the garlic infused oil to saute the soup base.

Step 3: Make the soup
1. Saute half of the chopped spring onions in the garlic infused oil for a few seconds.
2. Add the meat/shrimp mixture and break it up as you saute.
3. Add the shredded chicken.
4. Pour in the chicken broth.
5. When the soup is boiling, drop the wontons ever so gently in the broth, stirring gently after every few pieces so they don't stick to each other.
6. Season to taste with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
7. Simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Step 4: Assemble the dish
Ladle soup into bowls and top with fresh spring onions and fried garlic. Enjoy with eyes closed. Feel the warmth of the broth take away the chill of the nippy air.

It's raining, it's pouring!

I love the rain! I love the sound of pitter patter on the roof! I love seeing the windows wet and dripping with big raindrops. I love the smell of the grass and the ground getting wet. I love bringing out my sweaters and long sleeves. I love curling up in bed, reading a good book while sipping hot cocoa.

However too much of a good thing is definitely not good. It hasn't rained this hard in Cagayan de Oro since the 80's. So many homeless people because of the flash floods, so many crops destroyed, so many lives affected. This is probably Mother Nature warning us about getting into our senses and respecting the environment. Oh, when will man ever learn?

Two days before we arrived from Manila, Cagayan de Oro was a disaster. The river overflowed and many were rendered homeless. The Reyna del Rio (a floating restaurant by the Carmen bridge) was nowhere in sight. We thought our flight would be cancelled but thank God we made it home just in time before school started the next day. We surveyed the areas on our way to my mom's place, where we were having dinner, and were shocked to see many people outside their wet homes, trying to dry their wet furniture. The waters have subsided but you can see up to where the waters rose. We could only shake our heads in disbelief.

Last Sunday, we woke up to steady pouring rain that did not stop the whole day. This was worse than last week's experience. Strong winds howled as the rains did not let up. Mier had to go outside to untie our laundry lines so we could close our windows properly. My mom's house had waters coming in steadily and despite their tired arms and aching backs, they spent hours trying to control the water flow to lessen the damage.

Schools cancelled classes yesterday, something that has never been done before. I remember when I was in college more than 10 years ago, classes were never suspended due to rains. I used to be proud to say that Cagayan de Oro is never in the path of typhoons because it is protected by the mountains all around. What happened then? My guess is as good as yours.

Today, it continues to rain although the intensity is not as great. I pray that it would stop soon for the sake of all those affected by it.

What have you done?

Here's a fun little exercise I saw over at Dinah's blog.

You are to "bold" or highlight the things that you have done.
So let's see what I can "bold" ...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland /world
8. Climbed a mountain (not a big one! LOL!)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David

41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie .. no but been on TV!
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

If you think this is fun, then you should give it a try.

Hope you have a wonderful new year!

The Three Stoogies

Mier with Nixxio and Ovvian. Then with his mom and dad.

With Cousin Sabine

The girls were all excited to spend time with their cousin Sabine. They would eagerly play with her and watch over her. Even Alyssa learned how to "gentle touch" the baby. :-)

2008 Christmas Day

We flew to Manila on Christmas Day. It was a wonderful flight because not too many people were on it. :-) Mommy Rona, Ovvian, Nixxio, Sherly and Sabine picked us up at the airport and we proceeded to Tia Maria in Festival Mall for lunch. We then went to Cavite where we opened presents and enjoyed everyone's company. Gerry and Marla (with Nanay) came that afternoon til dinnertime.

2008 Christmas Eve in CDO

Instead of going to the Midnight Mass, we opted to go to the Anticipated Mass at 6pm so we can finish earlier because we were leaving for Manila the next day, Christmas Day. After Mass, we had dinner in Macasandig. Mier cooked Roast Pork and Pasta with Mushroom and Sausages. Yum!

The girls enjoyed opening their gifts after dinner. Alyssa was having so much fun getting her gifts, opening them and showing them off. As soon as she'd open them, she'd show them to Abu. Such a cutie!