Saturday, July 31, 2010

welcome!

I just wanted to post a quick blog and welcome my oldest sister Pamela to the blog world once again! She's so insightful and talented and you guys definitely have to check her blog out!

Mistress of all trades

By the way, I ordered these Puma sneakers from RueLaLa at the beginning of this week and they came in yesterday! They're so cute and I can't wait to wear them! I love that site! I think
Well I'm off to enjoy my weekend. It consists of cleaning? and a surprise birthday party. Pictures to come! Hope you guys have a wonderful weekend!
you guys should check out the deals they have and I'm sure you'll love them too!






Tuesday, July 27, 2010

pooped.

Since I'm pretty exhausted at the moment and can't really post a substantial blog, I thought I'd let you enjoy a few pictures I've managed to find on my Blackberry. Haha. =)



How cute is this picture?! This is my beautiful goddaughter Kyleigh enjoying the Tinkerbell ball pit I bought for her! She's just the cutest thing! Look at that smile! I guess she likes my gift!



Me and Kate. I love this little poopie! She has the loudest bark ever and loves to lick everyone and everything. Oh, I mean everything. Haha.




And this is her sister Bella! She's soo lazy and cuddly! Definitely has a different personality from Kate even though they spend every hour of the day together and love to follow one another. I love those two girls! <3>




I don't remember if I mentioned in one of my previous blogs about my new favorite gadget at the moment, which is my Barnes & Noble Nook! I've already read two books and in the process of reading a third one. I really love it! Of course, I do miss the process of turning a page, but it's so convenient having this thing. I won't have a whole bunch of books laying around in my room anymore. Well anyway, about the picture. I bought a really fun case for it at www.javoedge.com. I wasn't too crazy about the cases they were selling at Barnes & Noble so I searched online and found this really cute red one! I just love it! I also love (and craving at the moment) Mocha Frappucinos from Starbucks!




And finally, currently my favorite snack... Pretzel M&M's!! They're soooo good! If you haven't tried it yet, you don't want to miss out! I do wish they would bring back the Crispy M&M's. They were really good too. Haha.


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Well that's it for now. Hope you guys are having a wonderful week!





Saturday, July 24, 2010

domestic.

So the other day I had the sudden urge to cook. I have no clue where it came from. Must have been from watching the Food Network all day at work, but it was the perfect time to do so because my sisters were having two guests over.

After work, I went straight to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients to my Chicken Pasta with Mushroom Sauce. To be honest, this might be the only thing I know how to make. My sister's ex-boyfriend actually taught me how to make this dish so I can't even take credit for it. Haha. As soon as I got home from the store, I rested for about 10 minutes before I decided to run on the treadmill. I know I've mentioned before that I was doing Zumba, but honestly, I only do it with my sister Peejay and trust me when I say that we've been somewhat lazy lately. Haha. So I ran a half hour or so and then started dinner.

I know my sister will read this and she's been asking me for the recipe so here is it. (Fyi, I'm not writing exactly how much of each ingredient you really need because it all depends on how much sauce you want to make.

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Ingredients:
  • Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Egg noodles
  • Chicken Breasts or Chicken Tenderloins (whichever one you prefer)
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Garlic cloves
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Garlic Powder
  • Olive Oil
Preparations:
  • Cut carrots and celery into small bite size pieces.
  • Dice and mince garlic.
  • Cut chicken into small cubes and season it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
(This picture is somewhat a lie because I didn't season it yet... haha)

Step by step:
  • In a large saucepan, put Olive Oil in and add the minced garlic and saute until light and golden.
  • Add the seasoned chicken cubes and cook chicken until it is no longer pink. During this time, you can add more salt, pepper, and garlic powder if you wish to.
  • Then add carrots and celery into saucepan and stir for about a minute or two.
  • Add a can or two (depending on how much sauce you want to make) of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup.
  • Add a little water to make soup less thick. If you added too much water, you can add some cornstarch to make it more creamy. If not, a little water should help make sauce creamy.
  • Continue to stir and let everything simmer for about 10 minutes or more until carrots and celery are softer.
  • In another pot, boil hot water and add egg noodles.
  • When egg noodles are nice and al dente, put noodles in pasta strainer.
  • When everything is cooked, you can either mix sauce and pasta together or keep them separate. This is how it should look like:
And that folks is the pasta I made with a side of garlic toast! Yummmm!


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I know. I know. I should have been more specific with measurements, but to be honest, I just wing it every time I make this dish. So, sorry! =) I thought dinner was a success, but dessert was even better because I made them some homemade Rice Krispies Treats! They were sooo awesome. Nice and buttery and soo not as sweet as the ones you buy in stores.I'm actually debating whether or not I should make some after this post. Haha.

Well, that was my night of feeling all domestic. Haha. It was definitely fun making dinner and dessert for others, but clean up was such a bitch. Excuse my french! Especially cleaning up the wok I used to mix the Rice Krispies Treats. I think it took me about 10-15 minutes to get that wok nice and clean. Oh well. Maybe next time I won't wait so long to wash it. Note to self: Wash it right away.

I can't wait until my next dinner party! =)




Monday, July 19, 2010

all about me.

TEN THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF:

1. I love my family and friends so much. They mean the world to me.
2. I own 34 pairs of jeans. =X
3. I tell people I'm 5'1 but I'm really 5'1/2.
4. When I'm feeling down, I sing my heart out to help me feel better.
5. I'm constantly working on cleaning my room. It technically has not been clean in about 5 years. Haha.
6. I cannot go a day without my beloved Blackberry.
7. I'm slightly dyslexic. I spelled "represent" as "resprent" on an in class essay one time. So embarrassing.
8. I have an obsession with Target. I shop there on a regular basis. It's sad. Haha.
9. It's rare for me to try new foods. I rarely have brave moments when it comes to food.
10. I think I'm in love with the idea of "Love."

NINE THINGS YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT RECENTLY:

1. "I wonder where I can buy nose clips." - I cannot swim without them! Haha. I was so upset when I accidentally threw out my nose clip during one of my cleaning sessions. They meant so much to me since it was a gift from my dad.
2. "What time do I have to be in at work tomorrow? I wonder if it'll be busy...." - This weekend has definitely exhausted me. I think I start at 11 o'clock which is so much better than starting at 9!
3. "I miss him...I wonder what he's doing." - Enough said.
4. "Ugh...my hair still smells like chlorine." - Swam this afternoon and my Dove shampoo definitely did not get rid of that smell.
5. "What book should I buy after I finish reading The Last Song?"
6. "I wonder if anyone really reads my blogs." - Haha. So sad.
7. "I love my baby Simba! His squishy face is soo adorable!" - I just loveee Pugs. I think they're one of the cutest dogs ever!
8. "I should run, but I'm feeling lazy so I'll just do it tomorrow." - Procrastination kicking in. I hate that.
9. "I miss Jay-R..." - My sister's boyfriend of 6 years passed away last October and we all miss him so much.

EIGHT WAYS TO WIN YOUR HEART:

1. I love a guy who can sing.
2. I love a guy who can carry a conversation with my family and best friends.
3. I love a smart man.
4. I love a sweet and charming man.
5. I love a guy who can make me laugh and smile for days.
6. I love a guy who can make me feel safe and who is trustworthy.
7. I love a guy who can have a serious conversation with me.
8. I love a guy who can love me for the person I truly am.

SEVEN PIECES OF CLOTHING:

1. Skinny jeans from Charlotte Russe.
2. All my cardigans.
3. Wifebeaters in all colors.
4. My gold ring that's in a shape of a belt that my parents gave me.
5. My brown Kate Spade bag.
6. Purple I <3 style="font-weight: bold;">SIX THINGS TO DO BEFORE BED:

1. Dry my hair.
2. Wash my face.
3. Brush my teeth.
4. Drink water.
5. Go on Facebook. Haha.
6. Set my alarm clock.

FIVE THINGS YOU WISH YOU COULD SAY TO FIVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT:

1. "Thanks for always being there for me. You really are my best friend."
2. "Remember, focus on your career first then love."
3. "I'm sorry for buying unnecessary things."
4. "I really wanna see a therapist. Do you want to go with me?"
5. "If you say you love someone, shouldn't that be enough?"

FOUR THINGS YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW:

1. Writing this blog.
2. Checking the time on my cell phone.
3. Sitting up in bed.
4. Looking at my newly painted nails while I think of something to type. Haha.

THREE THINGS YOU'RE SCARED OF:

1. Freddy Krueger.
2. Not being able to graduate by December.
3. Losing another person I love dearly.

TWO THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:

1. Get married to the man I love.
2. Have children.

ONE CONFESSION:

"I love writing in journals and blogs. I do have both and I try to write as often as I can. I do get upset at myself at the fact that I only write when I'm feeling down. Like I said, I'm trying to write as often as I can now so I can look back and remember the happy times and the bad times as well."

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Thanks guys for putting up with this entry. I wanted badly to blog, but couldn't think of what to say so I decided to do one of those survey things I see on Facebook. Don't worry... I won't be doing it often. I just figured I'd fill one out as a little introduction and so the readers can get a sense of who I am. =) Well until next time...



Saturday, July 17, 2010

city days.

Hi guys!

How was everyone's week? My week has been slow and uneventful until Thursday or I should say yesterday.

I spent the day in Manhattan again like last week with my cousin Macy. Last week, my whole reason for going was to speak to the head adviser of my major; however, she actually wasn't there that day. So I just spent the day roaming around the big apple. Yesterday I got to speak to her about whether or not I was meeting the requirements for graduation and she gave me great news and said I was on track!...of course that's if I pass my classes next semester. *Crossing fingers. After that, Macy and I just went to Central Park, found a nice shaded area and laid on the grass and just spoke about everything and anything. I swear I love that girl. No matter how big our age gap is, which is actually about 5 years, we talk to each other like we're the same age. She's intelligent and so insightful on everything. I love going to her with my problems. She gives great advices. I feel like she helps me more than I help her though, which is something I should definitely change. I'm the older one. I should be helping her more. =)

After Central Park, we met up with my one of best friends Richy downtown. We got some bubble tea to refresh ourselves from the scorching heat then headed to his apartment so he could change out of his work clothes. I'm usually not a big fan of bubble tea, but we went to this store called Quickly and they served this Strawberry Slush with Tapioca balls. It was sooo delicious! It kind of looked like this:

It was actually really good and I'd like to have some right now as I'm typing this. Haha. I'm definitely going back!

After we left Richy's apartment, Macy and I had decided earlier in the day that we wanted to see a Psychic. So that's exactly what we did. All three of us. Yes, we were able to force Richy into doing it with us even though he refused at first. We found a psychic in the East Village and got a Palm reading for only $15. It was my first Palm reading and I must admit I was pretty impressed. She told me a lot about my personality, which were on point, but then again, I guess those are such general things that can easily be guessed. But then she warned me about a certain someone "resurfacing" and that I "shouldn't get involved." She was right about a certain someone "resurfacing" in my life recently and the entire week I have been thinking about what that person's intentions are, but I guess I shouldn't wonder anymore since "I shouldn't get involved." Haha. The other things she told me were pretty positive and interesting and to be honest, I'm looking forward to seeing how my life really turns out. I hope she's right about a lot of those things she mentioned.

I know you're probably saying to yourself, " I really don't need to know about this girl's day in so much detail" but the reason I am telling you this is because GOING TO A PSYCHIC is one of the things I wanted to check off my 25 things to do before my birthday! =D 1 down...24 left to go! I'm still debating whether or not I should do 26 things instead though. You know...one for good luck. Haha. What do you guys think?

On a different note, I know my last couple of blogs haven't been the most fun to read, but like I've said, I'm going through a difficult time right now. I want to apologize in advance if my blogs start to get all serious. I'm usually happy, upbeat, or I usually don't even show when I'm down. Things just have been tough for me. I also want to say that I did not and have not shed a tear yesterday or today. I am very proud of myself. I was able to control my usually uncontrollable crying. Haha. I've been trying to keep myself occupied, which really works. I guess I'm slowly coming to terms with things and just need to keep moving forward. I say this now, but watch me breakdown tomorrow. Haha. Just kidding. I am trying my best, but it's still very hard. I miss him a lot.

Well this is getting long, but I want to end this with some pictures from my day(s) in the city. Pictures from Thursday of last week and yesterday. Enjoy!









Tuesday, July 13, 2010

uncontrollable.

I hate crying. It makes you look all puffy and ugly. And people always know when you've been crying. It's a bit embarrassing to be honest. Why can't there be a way where you can cry as much and as often as you want and not have people notice?

This is seriously the part I hate the worst about a heartbreak. The crying uncontrollably. It sucks. I just can't help but cry. A lot of things just trigger it and it just flows. People say it's a good thing to cry cause you'll usually feel better after, but I really hate it. I feel weak, depressed and to be perfectly honest, I don't feel any better. The situation is still the same and I'm stuck to feeling this way. I definitely hate feeling this way. Of course this only happens to me when I'm home in bed just thinking about things.

Usually I'd talk to my sisters, cousin, or friends about the different situations I'm going through, but this time I can't. I just never feel like talking about it. I feel like keeping things to myself, which people can argue isn't healthy. I don't know... I know it's so weird to say this, but I actually can't wait to go to work. BLAH.

I guess I should distract myself, by living my life vicariously through one of the books I've purchased through my Nook.







ps. I'm hungry, but don't have the appetite. How is that possible? Sigh...

Monday, July 12, 2010

heartbreak.

In my previous blog, I've spoken about how I've been going through something. Well this something is kind of like a breakup. More like a heartbreak to be honest. I don't really want to get into it, but I've been trying to make a list in my head of things to do to distract myself from feeling down. Here's what I've got so far...

  • Continue to workout and lose weight. My goal is to weigh 115 or 120.
  • Shop for new clothes. This is where I have to be smart though. I am currently losing body fat and I was thinking of buying an outfit like once every three weeks or once a month. Still haven't decided.
  • Read more books. I recently bought myself the Nook and just finished a book last night.
  • Work on second job...aka sell more Mary Kay products.
  • Work on my 25 things to do before my 25th birthday.

Well, it's a short list, but I figured most of the things I can distract myself with will fall under the 25 things to do before my birthday list. A lot of them can definitely be done during my summer vacation...before my final semester. =) Saying final semester actually makes me happy. I can't wait to finish, but then I think about my birthday and I start to feel down again...

Sigh...my 25th birthday is in about 6 months and I'm nowhere close to where I wanted and pictured myself to be. I wanted to be done with school, have a career, and have my own apartment at least. I wanted to be engaged at the age of 25 with the man I've been with and love for about 3 years. I wanted to travel, but how can I when I've spent my money on worthless things. I should definitely add work on saving money on that distraction list. Haha. Thinking about the things I've wanted definitely opens my eyes. I'm probably doing something wrong in my life and I should fix it. That is what I should work on and maybe I won't have to think about him as much.

Well I guess that is it for now. Until next time...


Thursday, July 8, 2010

apologies!

Sorry guys! I know I said I'd try to blog as often as I can, but I've been going through some things and wanted a little time to myself. So...apologies! =)

Well enough of that. How was everyone's Fourth of July weekend? Mine was pretty good!

Last Friday, I first spent a couple of hours at work. I work at an awesome Orthodontist office as an Orthodontist Assistant, but that Friday we didn't have any patients coming in so I went in to do some paper wo
rk and help the front desk answer the phones. After work, I spent the early evening at the mall with my favorite gals! I went with my sisters Pam and Peejay and my mom and also met up with my best friend Lyssa. We had a cousin's wedding to attend to the day after and wanted to help Mama dear look for a lovely dress. It worked out well because Lyssa and I also needed to buy our other best gal pal Sheila a birthday present. Of course we all found what we needed to get.

After the mall, I went to Lyssa's house for dinner. She made me the best spaghetti ever!...well not really the best because my spaghetti is best. =P Just kidding. It was pretty delicious. Then the birthday girl (technically it wasn't really her birthday because her real birthday wasn't until that Saturday) came over and she opened her gift. Sheila and her husband had recently purchased the cutest starter home and Lyssa and I decided that the only thing she was missing in her kitchen was an electric mixer. So what did we buy her? The Kitchen Aid mixer in Metallic Chrome to match all her other appliances in her kitchen! Look how happy she is!! Haha.


We then spent the rest of the night watching a movie and catching up with one another. It's been a while since we had a girls night like that. Oh how I've missed those two! That is something we definitely need to do more often.

Then Saturday, we had to travel all the way to Northampton, MA for my cousin Cristina's wedding. So we
had to wake up early and get all dolled up for the wedding and travel two and half hours. It was a great road trip I must say. I always have a great time with the whole entire family just talking and telling jokes. The wedding was also nice. The bride look great and they just both looked really happy together. To be honest, I kinda don't like weddings that much. I guess it's just the thought that I'm nowhere even close to having one of my own or even just have someone to be that in love with. Yes, you can say I get a bit bitter and jealous when it comes to weddings. Come on... I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way. Haha. Well anyway, it was awesome to see a lot of my relatives on my father's side again and also meet new ones. =) My family isn't really that close to any of our relatives on my father's side to begin with so hopefully that little reunion at the wedding will bring us closer to each other and see each other more often. Here's a picture of my beautiful family after the ceremony.

From left to right: Peejay, Mama, Papa, me, Jerome & Pamela


The following day, my family and I spent the afternoon at my mom's sister's house. They had a small BBQ for, of course, 4th of July and also it was a goodbye party for my Uncle and nephew who were going to the Philippines for a whole month. I spent that afternoon eating and laying on the long patio chairs and eating some more. I felt like such a beast that day, but I'm convinced I didn't gain that much weight because of the heat. I sweated all of it off. Haha. My cousins John, Macy and Mikey then went to watch the local fireworks. It was nice. There was a lot of people, but we still got a pretty good view of the show. It did, however, take us forever just to get back home. So much traffic. We ended back at my cousin's house and watched Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction. The four of us are such scaredy cats, but we love watching these things. We're just weird like that. Haha. =)

Then Monday, I went to my Lyssa's brother's house to swim. It was so hot that day and the water felt so great. I did get a little dark, which is a good thing because I've been in dire need of some color. Haha. Well that pretty much sums up my weekend. I had a great time spending them with family and friends. I do wish I got to spend some time with another person, but oh well. There's alway
s next time.

Going to the city tomorrow to speak to my adviser about graduation in December. How exciting! I really can't wait to be all done with school. I definitely need a break and need to work more to pay off some of these bills. Haha. Well hopefully one more semester. *Crossing fingers!*

Since I am spending most of the day in Manhattan tomorrow, I was told by my sister Peejay to do something I haven't done before. She told me before my 25th birthday, I should do 25 things that I've always wanted to do. So tomorrow I'm determined to cross off one of the things on my list. Stay tuned for
my list of 25 things to do before January 4!