Ratatouille

I have watched this animated movie more than once and never grow tired of it as the movie reminds me of my own heart's yearning. My enduring relationship with cooking is and always will be. Both my parents are wonderful cooks but I inherited more than the ability to do so. I can say that my passion for the culinary arts is so deeply rooted and yet it was a realization that came only later in life. As a child, I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. My dream of becoming a doctor was to evoke fondness and approval from my parents but was never realised. Instead I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Albeit always with a steady and promising career, I found that it was one without direction. Always a job that I can never be too passionate for. 

Then...

One day I woke up with a better perspective, everything seemed to fit like a puzzle. But I was scared because I did not know how to start though the eagerness was definitely there. So on one of my evening shift at work, I brought sandwiches which became an instant hit to friends and colleagues.  By word of mouth alone, advertising was not a problem.  But I had to transfer to another job and it was only after 4 years in that job that I began to be able to sell openly on the floor. Again I started with sandwiches, and added pasta, then rice meals. Cooking in the morning and working nights was tough but my passion for the former made such difficulty manageable. 

Then...

I found myself bidding farewell to friends and colleagues again because my children and I had to leave the country to be with my husband. I left behind loyal client-colleagues and loyal client-friends. It was another journey to the unknown. I had to find another job to sustain the family's needs. And again found myself lost in the haze and maze of my career. So, I resigned but with much difficulty because my former boss would not let me go. But resign I did and for a few months I was just plain mom to my kids and wife to my husband...no career...everything was zilch except for my blog which I tried to keep alive.

Then...

a bright idea began to form again. Remember my previous blog? Baking Buddies? This revived my passion so I started with cookies, while my husband started with bread :)  I began to explore the possibility of learning how to bake with the aide of  technology...the internet was like a long lost friend.  My first try with bread was making my first croissant. Boy! That was hard but it was the next best thing to my first roller coaster ride. That was my first step and I went on to baking cookies and bars and then cinnamon rolls. I was in my own heaven! The house smelt of cinnamon, the warmth of the oven brought me home. I was at peace with my career and the "self" I wanted to re-create.

Now am a full time mom, wife and entrepreneur. And I can finally say that I have nurtured the gift that the Lord has bequeathed to me. Wisely said...

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
Colossians 3: 24-24

A 10-minute conversation with my son

My son, coming home from school one day, was so silent and seemed to be contemplating on something. So i asked what was bothering him but for a while there I felt like he was sort of figuring out whether it was a good topic or not. Then he suddenly said "Mommy kakainis po kasi yung kaklase kong babae hingulangot ng hingulangot sa harap ko!" ("Mom you know my seatmate who is a girl, keeps cleaning her nose in front of me and it's  very bothersome").  I felt relieved that it was something that trivial but at the same time almost fell from my chair laughing. This was the flow of our conversation:

 Me: (still smilng) "Anong ginawa mo? May sinabi ka ba sa kanya?" (So what did you do? What did you say to her?)

My son: (still agitated) "Wala po. Sabi ko lang wag niya ipahid sa upuan ko." (Nothing. I just told her not to wipe her booger on my chair)

My son: "Mommy bakit po ganun, hindi po siya nahihiya mag kulangot sa harap ko?" (Mommy, why is she like that, she does not even feel ashamed of cleaning her nose in front of me?)

Me: "Hindi ko alam anak e, baka meron siyang nakikita na ginagaya niya" (I wouldn't really know son, perhaps she sees it from someone?)

My son: "Ay oo nga po pala kasi nakita ko yung nanay niya nung sinundo siya ganun din" (Oh yeah, I remember seeing her mom doing the same thing)

Me: Ngek!

End of conversation. hahaha 

Story of Mom and Dad

I mentioned in my previous blog that my husband and I received interactive homemade cards from our kids. This is one of them and was given by Alloy. This is how he depicts our love story...

Cover of the mini book that he included in his card

According to our son's story, this is how his dad and I met.
 His dad saw me from afar and fell in love at first sight. (so true! so true! hahaha)

So terribly in love that his dad woeed me with flowers and a box of chocolates.

We decided to get married. That's the priest over there marrying us. 

After the wedding his dad carried me over the threshold. :)

So sweet!

This is something that money can't buy! :) Thank you son!

You complete me

Finally, my husband was able to buy a 7-seater sofa set for a song! Really! He bought the second hand sofa for only SAR 125. Originally he wanted to buy a new sofa set but then we would not really be able to bring everything with us back to the Philippines. I had to wash the covering 3times just to make sure that it would be rid of dirt and grime. The first wash was such a nightmare hahaha the water that came out of our washing machine was so black you would not believe that something like that can happen. I had to rinse it more than 3 times for good measure.

I can finally say that we have completed the stuff that we need for our living room...we can live without a center table. But if there would be a chance to buy one in the future we might consider. In the meantime, I just want our flat to look comfortable, and smelling of baked goodies, cinnamon and freshly brewed coffee. That would be good right? 

Baking buddies

My husband has a acquired a newly found interest in baking fresh bread since he bought our first oven. Two weeks prior we were in Carrefour buying some stuff for the house and he asked me whether I wanted a water dispenser or an electric oven. I wanted so much to say "electric oven" but I did not want to impose i mean to outwardly...obviously impose hahaha. So I made him choose instead. I showed him two sides of the coin and told him to think about the benefits that he can get if  a) he chose to buy the water dispenser or b)  if he chooses the oven.  I helped him by saying that the water dispenser can give him hot or cold water and that's it; whereas if we have the electric oven I can bake goodies, and roast chicken...etc... He did not need too much prodding and talked to the first salesman he saw on the floor hehehe. Wagi! (Success!) hahaha

The next day coming home from work he handed me recipes for baking various breads, cookies, brownies and other recipes that he downloaded from the internet. His darn interest and excitement was just too infectious, already I, too, was excited to start the "pin" rolling.

He baked his first pandesal one antsy pantsy thursday night...

I jokingly told my husband that he probably was a Panadero (Baker) in his previous life :)

Lookit those cute litte things!

Ready for baking

smells good!!!

my husband's first pandesal customer :)

The next day my "baker husband" made Monay and this time he recruited our kids :)

Baking buddies

too busy to see me taking their pictures

Ready for baking 

the finished product which our kids named as Monay Swordcheese,
Monay Sweetheart, Monay Fried chicken cheese, while my husband
named his creation - Monay croissant, Monay long john and Monay donut LOL

Expats Arabia

ExpatsArabia.com where the sun is smiling. This should be your ultimate site where you can advertise your stuff for free! And when I say everything, I mean everything under the glare of the sun! I am using it now to advertise my baked goodies and in the near future perhaps my food delivery service. Back in the Philippines I used to deliver sandwiches, pasta and other packed meals in the office. I also used to cater food to some schools and small establishments and for friends. Websites where you can advertise for free are very useful for entrepreneurs like me. ExpatsArabia.com is practically a new site but with a lot of promise. Not only does it work well, but it too is user friendly and is arranged in a very organized way that it would be easier for future customers to find your stuff! Not only is it an e-place where people can engage in business but it is where you can advertise job openings, services, rental service, flats and apartments you would like to rent out, etcetera... the future is limitless! 

Everyone is invited! Be one of the firsts to sign up and have a unique email address that you can use for correspondences as well, without compromising your private email address. Go and visit ExpatsArabia.com!

The Eight of the Eight

Photo borrowed

"We fought all day about whether the pyramids were majestic or 'magnificent. It was magic. Twenty-eight years. I woke up every day smiling." this was Richard Dreyfuss' dialogue as he played Irv in the movie "My Life in Ruins". I am quoting this because it reminded me of my own marriage. My husband and I would debate most times about a lot of stuff but it has always been done in jest. And everyday since the day I married him, I have always woke up smiling. (<= Click here for a review of my previous Anniversary blog)

Today we celebrate our Wedding anniversary and as we celebrate we recall the first time we became friends, fell in love, and eventually got married. As husband and wife, we celebrate everything, our triumph and failures, our imperfections, our dreams... while we continue to build our family as partners, friends, lovers, and parents. We celebrate this day and look forward to more years of togetherness. 

We had dinner at Applebee's Restaurant (similar to TGIF which my husband says jokingly, is the big brother of Jollibee) by the Corniche in Al Khobar. Had the weather been cooler and the place conducive to strolling, I would have insisted that we walk around Corniche ala HHWW (Holding Hands While Walking). But the weather is so humid that after dinner we just went home with a bag of donuts for our children. 

Unlike back home it's difficult to find a good Anniversary card here that I had to improvise and make one and send my husband an e-card as well for good measure :) We received interactive homemade cards from our children too!

Happy Anniversary to us my dearest husband! You were the only one who taught me about courage, about unconditional love,...while I sold myself short you saw my imperfections as trivial. Thank you! May God in His infinite kindness bless this day and our marriage as He has done this very same day so many years ago and always....