Crema De Fruta

I can't help it. I really have to take a photo of the crema de fruta the step daughter made last Easter Sunday. Her crema is as delicious as it looks. She also makes a yummy leche flan. She loves baking and she has time to do it. Now, all orders are pouring for birthdays and parties.

Back To Work

After a five day break from work, now it is back to reality. My daughter also went back to school today and she was so happy about it. She missed school so much. The only good thing is, I am still on a break from my online courses but I have other classes to attend to at school every Tuesdays and Thursdays. Right now, I am looking into getting more credits this summer. Online degree programs in healthcare are taken at your own pace so the more credits you get each time you enroll the faster you are going to finish your degree. If only I have enough money saved for the whole program, I will be done with school ahead of time. Although, I get all these tuition fees loan programs and there is this Free Application For Federal Student Aid too but I have not made up my mind on getting these student loans. To me, I would rather work myself to finish school than be indebted when I graduate.

Hope everybody had a nice Easter weekend. I am just thankful for the beautiful weekend weather we had and also for a sunny day today. It is perfect for walking at the park after work before the sun sets at 7:30 pm. I'll try to get out of work early to enjoy the sun. We will be expecting more rain but that is ok. I like April showers than snow.

A New Car For The New Hire

When a person gets hired, it means one person out of the unemployment rate. This is a sign of progress while a lot of companies are laying off workers due to recession. Two lucky people were hired here at my job today, one as an area manager and the other one as a warehouse man. When you get hired as an area manager, you also get a company car plus gas. Just in time when gas is almost at $4/gallon.

My boss prefers to get the company car from the Jeep Chrysler Dodge dealer or visit http://www.palatinecjd.com which to him is a great place to buy a car. He maybe looking for a car that is efficient with gas and a reliable one for travel around the new manager’s area. The area manager will be overseeing three branches so his job involves a lot of travelling every week. A dodge charger has been a favorite for the past two years but I am not sure about this time. They are now checking if there are reviews written on the dealer’s blog that can help them decide which among the brand new models meet their needs with total efficiency. My personal choice is the Nitro but I do not think my boss would like that for his sales people.

Black Friday Food

Grilled salmon with steamed asparagus in garlic and green onion teriyaki sauce - the perfect food for Good Friday. Our brunch was fried daing na bangus in vinegar with tomatoes and barrio fiesta's spicy shrimp paste. You know what i missed, the grilled eggplants! Next time.

Car Warranty

Today is the start of my daughter’s spring break and my husband’s week vacation. If my husband was not able to switch his vacation days from last week to this week, it could have been a big problem because the babysitter is on vacation. I gave him to wrong date for Isabella’s spring break and I only found out two weeks ago. It is not easy to re-schedule vacation days at hubby’s job but with a little scolding from the HR dept, he was able to change it.

Right now, they are having the van serviced. It is a free service being offered by the dealership under the 36,000 mile auto warranty. Once this vehicle warranty is up, I think we might get the extended auto warranty that they offer for another 36,000 miles. Paying for this is a lot cheaper than spending money for car repairs. From the dealership, they are coming here at my job to pick me up and have lunch together. I cannot take vacation days until Thursday, so for now it’s just the daughter and daddy bonding together when Mommy is at work.

Family Lunch

Hubby and daughter came by today at my job to pick me up for lunch. I only have a 45 minute lunch break so we just went to the deli for a quick lunch. The step daughter joined us too since her new job is just next to mine. It was a good lunch over a tuna and roast beef sandwich, chips and iced tea.

Our Triple Play Is Almost Over

I am talking about our internet, TV and phone subscription. I know I got a good deal when I signed up to them a year ago but when the contract is done, I will be hit again with regular pricing. For some reason, being tied up in contract really worked well on me this time. I know that the TV company has already raised their prices but the new pricing does not apply on my account yet because I am in contract with them for two years. But once this is done I will be switching to satellite TV and take advantage of the better deal they are offering to customers right now. Direct TV is offering a tv package for $39.99/month with the choice ultimate package plus free starz and showtime for three months with access to 61 hd channels plus free hd dvr receiver.

When I told my husband about my plan of switching to Satellite TV, he was excited about the hd channels they offer. If you want to know more about the different Direct TV packages, you can call 1800-378-9318. This is a limited time offer so make your call as soon as possible. Do not let the good deals slip away.

It's Costco Time

Friday was Costco time for us. We always want to go on a weekday because weekends at Costco is always packed. Not all our groceries are bought there but there are stuffs that are cheaper to buy in bulk so we go to Costco.

Here is a picture taken at Costco with my big daughter still want to get into the cart.

Locked Out Of The House

My husband just called me that he was locked out of our house. He and Isabella are going to the park to play tennis and he forgot to grab the key of the Kia Soul on his way out. He was asking me if I was already on my way home so that they can wait for me but I told him I was still at work. I suggested that he tried the kitchen window because I remember I opened it this morning when I was cooking some bacon for breakfast. I did not hear from him in the next 15 minutes, so I pretty much assumed that he was able to get into the house again. Oh, I just got a text message that they are already getting gas.

Speaking of gas, did you see how much it went up again? We are so thankful that we have this Soul that is so efficient with gas. This car has a very positive review on one of the used car blogs I have read. We bought from a friend who moved in from Chicago. He does not need the car for now because he takes the subway everyday so he sold it to hubby. I think our friend bought it from very reliable Chicago used cars dealership. The car is little but with big cargo space. This became our city car and the van for out of town and long trips only. I wonder what will be the price of gas this summer?

Home Alone For While Cooking Dinner

The father and daughter team went out to play tennis. The house is so quiet while I am cooking dinner. I'm not even watching TV. I'm in the kitchen cooking sinigang, longganisa and fried chicken. The only noise you can hear is the steam coming out from my cooking. Once they get home, the TV will be in full blast again. They're back!

A Tennis Weather

Finally we got a decent weather yesterday. I tell you, it has been spring for weeks but it was still cold. Yesterday was the first day that we had an 80 degree day.

It was a perfect day to play tennis. Hubby called me while I was still at work that he has a game at 4:30 p.m. and he will just bring Isabella with him. A game is like a 3 hr game and my daughter will not mind that at all. There is a playground right next to the tennis court where she can play. I just gave them instructions to bring my laptop to the park, put it inside my black messenger bag and I will meet them there. I have to specify which color bag I want since I have too many messenger bags but only the black one has enough protection for my laptop.

How I wish I could have played tennis yesterday but I was just a spectator. Not even, because I was studying at one of the benches the whole time they were playing tennis. I have a big homework for school that has to be done right away. I missed playing tennis but that can wait this weekend and during my spring break.

Sold Out!

On the third day of my daughter's fundraiser, the box of chocolates (45 bars, 5 bars were for me) is sold out! My workers love these chocolates. They want more but I said just wait for next year again.

I just want to thank everybody who supported my daughter's fundraiser. 'till next year.

Spring Break and Visitors

It is almost vacation time for my daughter. Her last day of school is on Friday then she will have a week off for Spring break. My husband took some vacation days too to be with my daughter next week. I cannot take the whole week off but when our visitors from Las Vegas come, maybe I will take Tuesday off just to be able to spend a day with them. Our visitors are from Philippines but they are in Las Vegas to attend a seminar about commercial pest control. They told us over the phone that they even met a Las Vegas Exterminator who was very helpful in showing them the process of exterminating pests and bugs in houses. This is relevant to their business since they are contractors on homes and buildings in the Philippines. Hope we will not be talking more bug facts when we see one another next week.

We really do not know where we are going to bring our visitors during their stay. Atlantic City is out of the picture because they just came from Las Vegas and our AC is just a mini Vegas less the beach. Of course, we have to tour them around New York City but other than that, we have no clue. They have been here once so maybe they just want to hang out with friends over dinner or go to the outlets for shopping. It is all up to them. We will just go with the flow.

Daughter's Fundraiser

I brought a box of chocolates at my job today for my daughter's fundraiser for her school. The bars of chocolates are a dollar each. The flavors are almond, dark almond, milk chocolate, crispy and caramel. After I opened the box, the dark chocolates were gone right away. Of course, I made sure I got mine too.

Now, the box of chocolates is now on a desk here at my job. Whoever wants, he or she can leave a dollar/dollars in the envelope and get the chocolate. Some who does not to eat still puts money without taking a bar. My co-workers are really supportive of school fund raising like this. Thank you guys.

Thanks To My Fast Internet Service

I just uploaded more than 300 photos on my online album. I have been doing this regularly now before my computer breaks down again (I hope not!). I’ve already learned my lesson of losing thousands of pictures when my computer broke and it happened again when my last laptop died. I never saved or uploaded any of the pictures online for storage. I have procrastinating again. I have nothing to blame but myself. I know it only takes few minutes to upload pictures online using our high speed internet service but I never did it until I cannot power back on my computer. If I have an external back up hard drive, maybe I could have saved some of them but never got the chance to buy one. I am hoping I can still save the computer hard drive and recover those pictures one day.

If you compare the speed of uploading pictures from the dial-up internet service we had ten years ago, it may take days to upload a thousand photos. And, I do not think computers 10 years ago can hold that much pictures. Now with this new models and dsl service, you can do multiple tasks at one time with no delays at all. Uploading and downloading music and photos are at a high speed. It will only take few minutes and the job is done.

Although I have my pictures stored online, I still pick some for printing and have them in a photo album. Call me an old fashioned but I love making scrap books and designing photo albums.

Spring Break

My online class is ending next week. My professor already posted our last batch of assignment, case studies and quizzes online to be submitted on the last day of the class on or before 11:59 pm. After this class, we are going to have our spring break for about two weeks but while on break I have to do my readings on medical management course in preparation for my next class this summer. As my professor is always saying, you do not stop learning. Just like him, he will also enroll into medical teaching course and teach the teacher course starting this summer.

So what are my plans for my spring break from school? I cannot take off from work for the whole week but I will think of something to do with my daughter. It is also her spring break and I am hoping that hubby can takes a few days from work so that he can join us. I just hope the whether will cooperate during this week so that we can go down the shore even for a day or two but we will be back for Easter.

Who Wants To See The AI Finals?

I have not been following the American Idol this season but here is something from Wendy's for American Idol fans. I got this from my mailbox. Who knows just by playing Wendy's Sweeptakes you can be a lucky winner and be at the finals of the American Idol. I love wendy's especially their fries and chicken nuggets plus the sweet and sour sauce (the best!). I will try my luck this weekend.

Reunion With Friends

Our phone was ringing out of control yesterday. Hubby did not ignore the calls but it seems that he cannot hear them. Those calls are from his friends in Australia who are all coming home to Philippines for a vacation. My husband lived in Australia for two years, so they are all trying if he can find last minute flights or last minute accommodation available online then join them for a quick reunion. It is hard to find cheap flights if your target date is too close. They have been trying to contact him via skype too but we were out of the house during their conference video.

I have not been to any reunions yet. Actually, most of my elementary classmates are going home to Philippines this June for a get together but because of my school I cannot make it. We have been communicating with one another through various social networking sites but I have not seen each other in decades. I did not graduate with them during my elementary years but most of them are my classmates since first grade to fourth grade then I transferred to another school. I will just wait for the pictures when they post online and I’ll just my mom to go as my representative. We will skip Philippines this year. See you next year!

What's For Dinner?

So, what's cooking?

I can smell fried tilapia flillet, sinigang na hipon and eggplant torta. Hubby is cooking. Just the smell makes me so hungry already. Thanks to my wonderful husband for doing the cooking tonight.

Spring Cleaning

Once the weather gets warmer, it is the best time to do spring cleaning. I have started mine last weekend with the living room first and I also changed the curtains to something colorful. I want my living room to be bright for spring and summer. Our living room carpet is of neutral color so it easy to match with any color for the curtains. I already scheduled for a professional carpet cleaning to come this weekend.

Anybody who lives in Austin and Dallas areas that needs carpet cleaning services? The steam team of Texas can do all your carpet cleaning needs. If you do not know how to find them, just search for carpet cleaning Onion Creek or carpet cleaning Garfield and you will find The Steam Team of Austin right away. My friend had no problems looking for carpet cleaning Anderson Mill.

The Steam Team of Texas has been in the cleaning services for 25 years. They do, not only carpet, upholstery, leather, air duct, drapery cleaning but also pet odor treatments, 24-hour water extraction, marble polishing, construction services and a lot more. If you like to give them a call for your quote, here is their contact no. 1800-880-7785.

My Onions Are Growing

My onions are growing, not at my backyard from my kitchen. I bought bags of onions few weeks ago and when i saw them from the kitchen tray, leaves started to grow. It has no soil or water at all. My daughter was excited as she is learning about how plants grow. But how can i explain to her that these onions grew without soil and water?

So we planted some of them in a big pot with soil, then put it by the kitchen window to get some sunlight so that she can watch them grow. I also gave some to my co-worker for his vegetable garden. Oh my, they grow fast!

Hubby Got It

So my husband was a happy camper of the day. The day has come for his iphone upgrade. He was not playing because right after work, we went to the apple store to purchase his iphone 4. My husband is not a techy guy but he is an avid iphone user since day 1. I cannot blame him because the iphone is really awesome.

The apple guy helped him transfer all his apps and datas from the old phone to the new one. The guy does not really know how much time and energy he saved me by doing it. As i was looking at the new phone, my husband has apps for online trading and now the new mobile trading of stocks. When i asked him if he ever tried the mobile trading? He said, he will with his new phone. I have no idea about stock trading so i leave this all to him.

When we left the store, hubby was not the only one happy but me too. No, i did not get a new iphone too but i got hubby's old one. I have a very nice smartphone but i decided to switch because my phone's battery goes fast. I am fine with the 3Gs for now, i'll just wait for the iphone 5 to arrive.