The Newest Cake Fairy In Town!!

I've always known how artistic Jeh is. (Full name: Jerrielyn Dela Cruz - Albay, a stay-at-home mom of 3 and a loving wife to Joel). She is after all, my bestfriend.. Our friendship dates back since college and since we became best buddies, we've been inseparable,  that is until we had families of our own and could barely find time to  go out that often, but we never lost touch... Our lives are forever bound as we are practically family already. I am her eldest son's godmother and she is my soul-sister...

Today, after what seemed to be such a long time, I saw my bestfriend again, at my god-daughter Thea's 1st birthday party whose birthday cake she designed... Just to give a rundown on how the party took place, it was a simple yet very very lovely Hello Kitty party, everything was just downright awesome.

Going back to Jeh,  honestly when I learned that she was into baking lately, I had an inkling that she would do well in it. Even when we were in school, she was always the "all-knowing" when it comes to lay-outs and anything art-related.  She was born with that talent. Or should I say, blessed with an innate artistic skill that others could only wish for (that includes me)... sheesh....



And boy was I right... As soon as I got into the party, the first thing that caught my eye was the GORGEOUS Hello Kitty castle cake she did for Thea... Surrounding the cake were moist chocolate & banana cupcakes with edible  Hello Kitty toppers... Being in the events business,  I have seen so many beautiful cakes but still, this one took my breath away... Maybe I am biased knowing it was my bestfriend who did it, or I'm just crazy over pink and lavender or it could be that I am simply a cake addict. My husband even says cupcakes are my kryptonite.  But truly, the effort she gave into this creation was just remarkable. The designs were intricate, clean and very detailed, that's how Jeh really is.. The mixture of colors were perfect. Heck, I would love to have a Hello Kitty cake like this for myself.

can you be any more intricate than that???

I never thought she could be as good as those famous cake suppliers in my list. I couldn't help but sneak in for a cupcake and it tasted just as good as it looks, it was moist and delicious on the inside. Taking a bite at that chocolate cupcake was literally cupcake heaven...



I can never be any prouder than I am now for Jeh.. I think she has finally found her niche, who would ever think she'd be baking cakes and selling them too!!  Looks to me like you have to plan on getting that bigger kitchen and oven you mentioned. Expect more clients to surely come marching in.. We'll see each other again very soon, my dear...

For now, let me finish my last piece of banana cupcake... Oh yes, sugar rush, I love you.... Come to Mama...

Just Because....

And for no reason at all, I get this from "the boyfriend" upon arriving home from our food tasting... I was trying hard to remember what occasion it was intended for, turns out he saw this at the mall and decided to just get  it. Talk about pogi points...

Whooo hooo!!!

What's For Lunch?

Since I had been so busy the whole week, I decided to prepare something special that my family would surely love.. Leih was off from work so I wanted him to have a good home-cooked meal...

After finishing up with Ching's bath and breakfast, I headed to the market to buy my ingredients... I carefully chose the freshest shrimps and crabs for my ginataan, and of course the coconut milk (or gata)... I also picked a few veggies like string beans, squash, "sili" and pechay, and some fresh maya-maya fish to pair with my  menu...  The plan was to make Ginataang Hipon and Alimasag,  and fried Maya-Maya for lunch...

Here is the finished product, fresh from the wok to our table... This was what I served for lunch...  No need to ask my husband how it tasted, his bulging tummy alone is enough affirmation that I nailed this one perfectly... (^_^)


Bon appetit!!!

Pigging Out....

It's very rare for us to chance on a Sunday day-off for Leih.... Jobs that involve table games have a rotating schedule that can be such a pain in the @#s sometimes...

So today, we decided to pig out for a while just so I can have my favorite cake. We drove off to Alabang and headed to Contis at West Gate. I was literally famished when we got there so imagine my thrill when I got hold of the menu...

I wouldn't post everything I ordered for today (as my husband failed to take clear shots of the other items on the table).

First on my list was the Mango Royale Salad... I thought, it was a great way to start our meal by getting something light and healthy. The mango was sweet, it complemented the fresh lettuce and the delicious dressing (along with the other veggies in it)... I  was able to finish the "solo" serving in a few minutes..  Ahhhhh..

crisp and fresh... that's how I like it!!!

My second favorite  was the pasta with marinara sauce and cream cheese- filled meatballs...  I am a self-confessed cheese addict so it is expected that I'd be loving this.. But hey, you can't go wrong with anything stuffed with cream cheese, right?.... Every bite was gooey, creamy and delicious... You gotta try this!!!! Arrrggggh!!!!!!!!

cheese, cheese and more cheese!!!!!!!!!!

And of course, who in their right minds would forget about the cakes??? This was my most favorite part!!! The Dulce cheesecake!!! Oh, I wouldn't mind traveling an hour and be stuck in traffic for 2 more hours if it was this I'd be going for... This is heaven on a plate, baked by the gods specially for me (har har har).from the word itself Dulce, oh man,  I am at a loss for words...

silky and creamy, DELICIOUSLY SINFUL...

 Last but not the least is their very own version of fresh strawberry yoghurt shake, you gotta have something refreshing in the end.. So here .... See the small berry seeds? You can't get any fresher than this..

How I wish every Sunday was Leih's Day-Off.. Then probably, I wouldn't need to salivate like this and wait until the next Sunday off is next...

I love pigging out... (no pun intended) (^_^)

Mother's Day = Peach Walnut Torte

Since it was Mother's Day, I had an excuse to indulge myself with a  big serving of cake... The pastry chef who concocted this and the famous Mango Bravo is a genius in his own right.

  This is the mouthwatering Peach Walnut Torte, with an ice cream filling on the inside, crunchy walnuts, sweet yet tart tasting peaches, and a creamy heap of icing on top...

what I got my mom for Mother's Day!

I have (again) gone to cake heaven today... Happy Mother's Day Mommies!!! (esp. to my mom).. Luv u!

My Own Version of the Funny Bread...

It was raining the whole day so I decided to make something cheesy for merienda... A friend of mine used to do this so I decided to give it a try...

This is my own version of  the so called "funny bread".... Yummy quickmelt cheese, bacon and hotdog slices wrapped in a crunchy breadcrumb encrusted roll.. I dipped this in milk before frying it over low flame.

 Just looking at this makes me hungry again... Dang....

The OC & The Inflatable

We are scheduled to go swimming tomorrow with my cousins so I prepared Ching's things early on, wanting her to have an unforgettably enjoyable first time in the water...

Turns out I was more than excited than the little girl. I got her a new Hello Kitty swimsuit and will be bringing 2 more tomorrow, some mini inflatables for her arms, and of course, I got her this umbrella type inflatable  two weeks ago... Isn't this the cutest?

Just looking at it gives me the shivers... It will be her first time in the pool tomorrow.. I don't think I'll be getting any sleep tonight... (ano beh).....

Cheesy Dynamites...

Being a cheese lover, I am forever busting my brains out on what else to cook, with cheese in it...

So for our merienda, I decided to make some Cheesy Dynamites... I cleaned the insides of my green peppers, stuffed it with quickmelt cheese, rolled it in lumpia wrappers, and fried it in olive oil at a low flame to a golden crisp until it turned out this way..


I had to make another batch for the husband after my  mom and I finished the whole plate in one sitting.. That's how good it is! Crunchy, with gooey cheese inside and a wonderful spicy kick from the pepper.. Perfect combination!!!

Saying Goodbye....

my Kuya Borge...

April is a month of mixed emotions for me... So many things are taking place too fast and though I must say, it had been a blessed month so far, I couldn't hide the sadness I feel as two of my loved ones are leaving for abroad, a week apart from each other... First, my dad will be leaving back for Jeddah tomorrow, and a week after, my Kuya Borge will be flying to Chicago for good...

        Kuya Borge and I grew up together. Him, me, Injey and Jates who happens to be the youngest. The three of us (Injey included) were born a few months apart from each other. We literally played & slept in one crib, shared meals and other things, had the usual petty fights, we pretty much have one memory of us growing up...

       They are the closest  I have to real siblings. But when  Injey left for Germany after graduation, I was heartbroken. I could still remember the day I cried a bucket when she left. It felt like losing a loved one.. Little did I realize that this familiar feeling would be back very soon.


      Kuya and I have always been there for each other... We may live in different houses now but still, he is a very big part of my life, him and Jates We've gone thru graduations, birthdays, weddings, heartbreaks, practically all the ups and downs (even silly instances like trips to the doctor for rabies shot which he loves making fun about) name it, I have a long list on standby...

      Whenever I am sad or troubled, it's him I run to for help. With Kuya Borge,  I  feel safe because I know I have someone to back me up. That whatever happens, he'd be there for me and he will love me just like he does his sisters.. And if you must know, I love my Kuya more than words could  measure, (maybe soooo much wouldn't suffice). Leih would tell me how amazed he is at how I've grown to love my cousins, and he feels sorry for me for not having a brother of my own.
 

Jates, me, Ching & Kuya...

          In a few days, he'll be off to start a new life in Chicago for God-knows-how long, and that's what chokes me to tears. I've been crying a river to Leih  since I learned about the possibility of my Kuya Borge leaving for work and now, the inevitable is slowly taking  place. It won' take long before Jates follows in next and just thinking about it drives me into deep depression.

      But as much as I would love him to stay with us here,  I am more than happy that he's finally going to start a whole new chapter in his life, I'm not sure if I told him how proud I was of him when he passed the PT State Board Exam with flying colors and how he got himself hired by a reputable rehab facility in the States. Not everyone could accomplish the things he did... I always knew he was an achiever.

Ching's 1st Christmas with Kuya...

 And despite the "separation-anxiety" I am now experiencing,I am thankful  for all the things he has now, even if it means I might not be able to see him for years... I just wish it won't take him long to go home back again..

      Ching will miss him more than I will... For now, all I can do is pray and wish him luck that wherever the wind takes him, he'll have a great life ahead of him...(and hopefully, he'll give us nieces/nephews in the future)

    We love you  so much, Kuya Borge... we'll miss you for sure..

Ching's First Car

         Back when I was young, toys like these didn't exist. Maybe because life then was simpler, kids were satisfied with whatever toys they are provided with, to add, we grew up playing outdoors... But if I were a child, I would love to have this... Kids nowadays are much more priviledged. It's a usual thing for me to see kids holding tablets playing online games that I hardly have any idea about.

        I'm not saying it's wrong, but I would like my little girl to have a more "traditional" childhood. I want her to experience how to fly kites, play hide-and-seek, "siatok" and "habulan".. I believe it would make a child more grounded...

       Don't get me wrong.. This doesn't mean I won't be buying her nice toys.. Of course,  every parent would love to provide the nicest things to their kids. Leih and I pondered hard on this as we thought of getting Ching a beautiful auto-manual car of her own - - - something she could use in the comforts of our home. Good thing we have a spacious yard, it did fit our plan perfectly.

          Leih and I purchased this beauty after his birthday blowout. I admit I was much more excited to get it for her maybe because I would have wanted one of my own .. And boy did she love it.. I'd say this is pretty classy of a car for a girl's first - a pink Beetle type which comes complete with an MP3 tuner/player and a dock, and of course, a remote which I could operate (and enjoy) when it's on  auto mode.. Every afternoon upon arriving from work, we get to have our mother-daughter playtime with this beautiful car.

By far one of our best purchases ever, though I must say, the  price tag made us want to wail. =)

An April Fool's Birthday Celebration

the free birthday cake from Vikings

      Days before Leihson's birthday, our little girl has been singing the birthday song non-stop, courtesy of my mom. She was such a joy to listen to even if we hardly understand what she's saying. She couldn't quite grasp the lyrics yet but you'll hear  "Daddy" at the end of her song, and add a silly smirk after she finishes it.

        Leih thought it was so sweet of his 2 -year old to actually sing to him and so, he agreed to give Ching a big surprise. We've been eyeing on this thing months ago and now that the store is on sale, we thought of finally getting it .

Ching with my parents on our way to dinner...

    Since it was the lenten season, we didn't plan much on how to spend his birthday, save for a special dinner reservation at Vikings. It wasn't crowded that night and the ambiance was so relaxed. We all had a great dinner, even Ching who loved the grilled fish and orange-peach jelly...As usual, I enjoyed 2 glasses full of frozen choco-shake, some maki, grilled seafood and a few more that I can barely remember...

After dinner, we went straight to the mall to get Ching her surprise... Seemed to me that it was Ching who was celebrating the day and not Leih.. But can you blame the dad for giving in? I know how rewarding it must feel to hear your child sing to you, kiss you and give you the sweetest hugs on your special day...

Ching with the birthday dad...

always ready to give a smile...

that's where she got her looks from... (my dad)

About the surprise, you'd have to read my next post... For now, let me share with you the beautiful pictures we took that night...

 

Oatmeal = Healthy Brekkie

Some would think I don't have difficulties feeding my child  because she's plump. But if they knew the "ordeal" I had to go through especially when she was just starting on solids, you wouldn't believe how I got over everything.

my Chingching....

My little girl is now over 2 years old and yet she doesn't chew as much as other kids her age... She still prefers soft textured food and gags when encountering big chunks inside her mouth. It isn't unusual for us at home to see vomit on the floor... But as patiently as we could, we try to feed her  the most nutritious meals we could whip.

Everyday, we cook separate meals for Ching, her own rice and stewed veggies consisting of brocolli, carrots, squash, beef or chicken, and spinach... She also loves fish and chicken, & steers away from beef. Thankfully, she is able to finish a big bowl every meal time, with fruits on the side.

oatmeal & bread for her....

For breakfast, that's another story... When she was little, I used to give her a bottle of  organic Spinach & Potatoes from Earth's Best... But when she got older, a friend of mine convinced me to give oatmeal a try. And so I did... For the past year, Ching has been eating oatmeal and milk every morning and I must say, it has done a great deal to her health. I have read somewhere that it has soluble fiber and could very well reduce the chances of hypertension, cancer and other illnesses in the future. I was hoping I could incorporate healthy eating into my child's system as early as now and looks to me like I'm on the road to that.

Lately,  I tried adding some variety to her breakfast, alternating oatmeal with spaghetti or palabok, and I always give her a piece of bread with fruit jams which she loves. But I'm definitely not steering away from oatmeal. 
         As they say, it's never too early to start your child on a  healthy habit... I'm glad I did...

Home-Made Strawberry Milkshake

Since it was a Sunday, I had a little extra time to prepare a fruit shake for lunch... You see, my everyday goes on very fast, I barely have time to blink with all the things I need to do before I go to work... This makes my weekends more special especially when I have no events on schedule. I could spend time cooking, cleaning the house, and taking care of my kid... (among some of the chores I do).

For today, I whipped a mean strawberry shake. I wasn't sure if my little girl would like it though but I wanted her to try something new. We had fried tuna  and veggie salad for lunch, paired with this special fruit shake.

I started off with  2 small trays of strawberries which I got  from the market the other day, a small can of evaporated milk, a small carton of cream and some shaved ice...

sliced fresh strawberries...

shaved ice

After slicing the strawberries and shaving the ice, I started liquifying both with the use of my trusted blender, along with  half cups of evaporated milk and cream, and a few spoonfuls of sugar.

ready to blend!!!

see that creamy froth??? yes, it's sinful...

It tastes as good as it looks... Say gourmet?? Nope... that's definitely homemade...

take note of the lavender straw... screams OC??

And yes, I am color-coordinated with everything. (",)

First Hair Cut... Action!!!

It's only now that she's two that I decided to give Ching her first real haircut. I first thought, the hair would be much easier to manage if it were longer, not to mention, the grandfather (my dad) specifically told me to maintain the length as he did to me when I was little.

Let's just say I felt Ching needed a new look and it seemed fitting that I be the first one to give it to her (considering she wouldn't let anybody cut her hair).

my little girl in her Chinese dress...

So I did... And boy was I too weird, shedding a tear or two after I finished trimming her hair, collecting her very "first cut" hair strands as if it were of value.. Of course it was of value, at least for a mother who was witnessing yet another first with her only child. Moments like these are priceless.

Now I wonder how I'd fair when Ching gets older and starts school, goes to the prom, gets into college... I can't imagine when she falls in love and starts getting suitors, something tells me I might just freak out..

Oh well, I have a fair amount of time still left before these things take place, so for now, let's just stick with this first and enjoy the moment while it lasts... and before I forget, yes, I'm keeping the strands...

 (",)

Our Cold Tagaytay Family Dinner-Date

It was a rainy Monday and a cold one to add but it didn't stop us from pushing through with our family dinner-date in Tagaytay.

After work, I hurried home as I had to prepare my little girl and her things... I made sure Ching  and everybody were all bundled up as it was very chilly. We left home at around six and came just in time for dinner at 7:30.

just about to have our dinner...

sisters.... Mommy Abut and my Mom..

Ching with Ninang Jates...

 It was my aunt, Mommy Abut's last two nights here before her flight back to Germany so we had to utilize whatever little time we have left. Too bad Kuya Borge couldn't get a leave off from work.

We all had a wonderfully satisfying dinner at Josephine's and headed to Starbucks afterwards for some warm cup of coffee and chocolate... We arrived home just before midnight struck. It was tiring but definitely worth the trip.

            FAMILY DINNER IN A WONDERFULLY COLD RELAXING PLACE = PRICELESS...

Ching's Special 2nd....

      I admit, I love fancy parties... the details, the chic-ness of it all.... But I would never in a heartbeat, miss the simplest  type of get-togethers  with people that matter so much to me...

      I was raised in a typical neighborhood where life seemed so easy and simple, people were wonderfully kind and families were close-knit.. This may be why I look at things in a much simpler and more down-to-earth perspective... This is also one reason why I decided to hold this simple get-together  at my grandmother's place...

a very  laid-back  typical get-together in our place...

 Today, my little girl celebrated her 2nd birthday... After coming from her monthly medical check up and scheduled immunization, we headed to Tous Les Jours to get her a delicious chocolate icecream cake and proceeded to my lola's house in Bagumbayan. It also happened that one of my aunts, Mommy Abut was home for a quick vacation so we didn't waste the chance to be with her....

our former helper ,Ate Marlyn  with my Mami Abut and my mom...

 Almost everything had been given to Ching as gifts, from  Kuya Leo's special homemade Ube-Queso Ice Cream (gift from Ninong Borge), to the super delicious Kare Kare from Nanay (my mom-in-law) and of course, the creamy spaghetti from my Mom.. Even the balloons were gifts from my good friend Ate Bernadette...

Our relatives from the neighborhood started coming in at 4PM and enjoyed the small get-together we prepared.... The atmosphere was so relaxed, everyone had fun, and we all had our fill of the delicious mini feast... We also had fun singing with my cousins and Ching instantly warmed up to my "kuyas".

Ching with Kuya Teddy...

Sofia, Ching's cute playmate...

Everyone also enjoyed the delicious  Chocolate Ice Cream cake I got for her. I had it frozen for less than an hour and believe me, I've never seen a cake get wolfed down  this fast...   It was also my first time to have a taste at Tous Les Jours and I'm coming back for sure.

the ice-cream cake....

                  It had truly been a great day for us... A memorable "2nd" for our little angel...