My Busy, Yummy Week

heart shaped pancake for my little girl

I had a busy but fruitful week. I finally brought back some order in the house, made a list of the things I have to do but still have yet to accomplish those things on my list. I just want the house to be super clean in time for Leila's 5th birthday.

Revamping our menu gave me more time for other things rather than spending so many hours laboring in the kitchen. It wasn't intentional but in our quest to budget, I have steered away from meals with so many ingredients. I just want our meals to be simple and appealing to the kids as well.

So here goes our food all week long.

Saturday breakfast

sausages and eggs

cheese omelet

hotdogs and omelet

roasted gourmet veggies

slow cooked leg quarters then deep fried

cheap frozen veggies cooked in butter

Leila's after school lunch consists of mini pizza and bananas dipped in strawberry yogurt

grilled marinated porkloin

marinated in two sauces (honey garlic and hickory)

roasted peppers

with pho soup and Lance's cheese omelet

porkloin with arctic gardens frozen veggies cooked in mushroom soup

Lance's snack bag

chicken pork adobo

chopsuey

cheese spring roll

I love these simple, easy to prepare meals. They're as good, probably even better than those meals I prepare for hours. I can't wait to do grocery shopping this weekend. Since I don't plan my menus, I literally wait for that light bulb moment in my head, so far it's working to our tummies' advantage :D

Shopping High With A Strict Budget

things I got for free and cheap last week

So I set a weekly budget of $75, so far from our $500-$600 monthly consumption back when I didn't have a care in the world. I have grown wiser and frugal in so many ways which is good and hopefully I'll see results in the months to come. I have amassed so much toiletries so we don't buy them anymore. I am concentrating more on food and some household supplies (detergent, garbage bags, cleaners, etc). I am beyond happy I can score drinkable yogurts for cents and kids' snacks for less than a dollar. Saving on those extends my budget and  let me try other stuff which we don't normally buy. I now pay more attention to the price of meat and only buy when they're at their lowest. I still have to know the lowest prices of fruits and veggies, I honestly don't know when they are cheap. Another thing that helps me save money is price matching. If only I'd have the courage and confidence to do it with meat and produce as well.

Lance's Pediasure stock

My favorite Arm & Hammer liquid detergent and Glad bags

I need more pantry cabinets :P

I went shopping last night and today with my friend Jocelyn. I spent $23 and saved about $285! Stocked up on Pediasure, granola bars, scored some cheap chicken, more liquid detergent, 500 Glad bags, free juice, cheap frozen veggies and free razors. I still have to get 11 more of the Pediasure before the sale ends. Sooo happy even though most of the stuff I bought are still on the floor :D

Thanksgiving 2012

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.  ~W.T. Purkiser

Thanksgiving Dinner 2012

 

A lot has happened since last year's Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for this year. Our prayers have been heard regarding our status here in Canada which was our biggest concern, we were able to go on a trip to the United States, the kids are both healthy and doing good in school, and many more.

We have been through a whole lot as a family and being grateful is something I won't forget. We have made changes in our lives lately by reconnecting with our faith. It is a promise hubby and I both made at the same time without even talking about it. We have everything except our relationship with God and now that we have it back on track, I feel like I don't have to ask for anything more. I feel like I'm on top of the world :)

On top of my prayers always, is good health. More than the material things I desire, I always pray for safety and for each and every member of my family to be spared from any illness. It is also about time to pay more attention with our health. I want to see my kids grow, have grandchildren and I want to experience growing old with hubby. I see hubby and I driving a Buick Enclave maybe 30 years from now or having breakfast with him at the Casino :P

It's been one heck of a roller coaster ride. Exciting and yet full of ups and downs and yes, I am talking about LIFE in general. I am so glad that I was raised having an attitude of being content and happy whatever life brings. I embrace positivity as if it's a life saver and it really is a life saver.

I have learned not to entertain negativity in any way, bitterness, anger, envy and jealousy aren't in my vocabulary. I am HAPPY with who I am and what I have. I am thankful for EVERYTHING in my plate, my DREAMS and ASPIRATIONS that help me ACHIEVE. I can't wait for my time to SHINE, I feel it in my bones haha!

Patience and courage are all I ask for the tasks I'm about to tackle, and of course, SUCCESS! :D

Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart.  ~Seneca

Post Summer Vacation Diet

I have mentioned that hubby and I gained weight during our vacation. We vowed to go on a diet the moment we come back. We did, for a few days I think and then we forgot we were on a diet haha! Here are some of the food I prepared during our 'diet' :P

squash in coco milk with shrimps

marinated boneless chicken thighs, mushrooms sauteed in lotsa butter and garlic

garlic butter mushrooms

perfect together!

My friend Jocelyn let me harvest fresh veggies from her garden when we came back. We got carrots, tomatoes, celery and beans. Perfect for our 'diet' :P

used fresh carrots for Caldereta

tomatoes, carrots and celery salad paired with fried chicken wings

my fave! sweet tomatoes with bagoong

my other version of pork adobo

There goes our cheat 'diet' haha! Believe it or not we cut down on rice for a bit and ate bread as much as we could but of course, hubby wanted his sandwiches loaded :P

Leila's new fave, bread dipped in sour cream

ham &egg sandwich

i love orange marmalade used as glaze for the ham

me being frugal, ends of bread used for pizza bread

Few weeks into our 'diet', we went back to eating our favorites. During our US trip, we ate at a Vietnamese restaurant and had the best Pho soup and pork chop. We tried two Vietnamese restaurants here but we weren't satisfied plus I hate wasting money on eating out. I decided to try cooking it at home and it was a success! We've been eating it almost every single day :)

sweet porkchop

Saturday brunch (Pho, bacon & waffles)

Vietnamese Pho

Pork Tonkatsu and cheesy omelette

scrambled egg cooked in a lot of chopped tomatoes

Egg Sarciado

To be honest, I haven't weighed myself to check if I lost any weight. I won't be surprised if I didn't :D

Our First US Trip (and hopefully, not the last!)

We had a fun summer vacation in the United States last August. We stayed there for more than three weeks and we had a BLAST! It was our first time setting foot in the US. I wasn't just excited for the kids but also for hubby and I. It was nice being with family, going to places I've only seen on TV, seeing the cousins bond with each other, shopping, etc.

Calgary airport

Calgary airport

boarding the plane

too scared of the view up in the sky

Lance's stuff

Leila pretending to read :P

almost there!

IKEA! :p

Okay, enough of the good stuff! Hubby and I didn't enjoy the traffic, long walks, long travel hours haha! We live in a small city here in Alberta where everything is within arm's reach. Just kidding! We are just lazy peeps that's why. We were in awe of the whole experience, bad or good. And we will be forever thankful for the generosity of my bro/sis in law.

wasted no time, went straight to Carlo's bakeshop

Cannolis from Carlo's

1st stop was red Ribbon Bakeshop

pretty girls!

precious moment :)

We had so much fun eating, hubby and I gained 10-15lbs during our vacation. We ate like there's no tomorrow, rice from breakfast to midnight snack not to mention the street food, fast food and buffet! Who cares! Life is about enjoying the things we love and eating is number 1 on my list :)

fish soup

Binagoongan

boiled peanuts

Sisig

other versions of Sisig

One of the most memorable places we went was the Statue of Liberty. The kids were very excited to see this landmark, ride the ferry and get those cool souvenir sunglasses. Our Washington trip abruptly ended because of heavy rains but we got to see beautiful landmarks as well.

We still have hundreds (maybe thousands?) of pictures to remind us of our wonderful summer vacation. I wish we can do this every year. Again, huge thanks to the people who made our stay memorable. We miss you guys! Til' we meet again :D