My Stephannie

Every year my Mycah always joined the extra curricular activities in their school like some competition, like poster making, and qiz bee in all subjects. Her favorite was poster making, science and math.

This year I was so surprised that she did not join in any of those. Especially poster making . Ever since she join in poster making contest , she always win,

What she said to me was that she wants to give others a chance to win. so I thought that mi child was so nice that she wanted to give others a chance. Well..... OK, OK... reason accepted.

But to my surprised again... it's my Stephannie who joined the contest in College level. I know her that she's so lazy joining in any activities in school. She said she was just forced by her professors to join.

Aside from winning in the school, she won also in the whole 3rd District of Bulacan Private School Association - competition. Unexpectedly, a Gold Medal.

Ever since she started going to school, unlike my Mycah, Stephannie just joined twice in competition. The first one was when she was still in Grade 2. She won the 2nd place that time. And now her 2nd time, she won the first place.

Her professors congratulate me too when I went to school the next day ('coz I'm not with them during the competition, my daughter just sent me a message). The professsrs said my daughter is very good..... ha ha ha ha, again ... I was a proud mommy.

She joined in essay contest too, but sad to say, she didn't win :( But it's okey, at least she tried and done her best.

The School Admin., Stephannie with her gold medal and her winning piece and the 2 judges .

The coach, Mrs. Vinas(administrator), Stephannie, The judge, the trainer and the other 2 judges.

Her certificate if partiicipation

Certificate of Recognition

And her Gold Medal

Her winning poster was not returned to her, the school kept it,
so I told her to draw again the replica so that I can post it her
but as I see it , it's not exactly the same...

Rain or Shine.....

Today's monthly exercise venue was in Malawak, Bustos, Bulacan. This little barrio, is situated in the center of wide rice field (bukid). It's far from the town proper.

We went there to do our monthly exercise. It's raining but the exercise (show) must go on.
Everybody don't mind the rain, everybody were very active with their exercise, so cooperative and no complain. They all did their part and even the officials still joined the fun. All were dancing in the rain. Hope nobody get sick tomorrow.

Click the collages to enlarge and see clearly.

Me dancing in the terrace of the chapel, because my partner is one of the Phil. singer. And he can't dance in the rain, he might get sore throat and sick, his name is Dennis Santos and me of course leading the dance number, he he he...

*^__^*

My Mycah Turns 14

Happy Birthday My Mycah Chang

Sampaguita

You know that being a Roman Catholic, I always went to church every Sunday with my kids and every Wednesday and Friday for my novena to Mama Mary and to Lord Jesus Christ.

After the mass, outside the main door and around the front gate of the church, there are lots of Sampaguita vendors. And it's for some decades that Sampaguita vendors in almost all churches in the Phils, have become an ordinary sight.



I always bought Sampaguita for my Altar in my house.It gives pleasant smells inside.

This one is our Guardian in front of our main door.
The statue of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And speaking of Sampaguita more - it is believed that the flower was brought from Himalayan region here in the Philippines in 17th century. And in 1934, Gov. Gen. Frank Murphy declared Sampaguita as the "National Flower Of the Philippine"through Proclamation #652.

Sampaguita is a sweet scented tropical flower. Grows with a woody vine or semi shrub. A pure white, small, dainty, star shaped blossoms that opens at night and last for about a day. The plant blooms full year.


The word Sampaguita comes from the Filipino words "Sumpa Kita" which means "I Promise You". The flower symbolized the fidelity, purity, devotion, strength, and dedication.

Filipinos string the Sampaguita flowers together as a garlands. You can hanged it in your altar, others hanged it too in rear view mirror of their car as an air freshener.

And still there are lots of uses of Sampaguita .
1. The oil extracted from the flower is used as perfumes, lotion, hair care and even deodorant.
2. Leaves and flower can be used as Herbal Medicine (antiseptics and decongestant)
to relieve many ailments such as headaches, fever,sough, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
3. The ground roots used to treat cuts and snake bites.
4. Sampaguita petals are mix to some Herbal Tea.
5. Sometimes used for hair ornamentation.
6. Specially made garlands used to welcome guest and tourist.
7. Sampaguita is regarded as auspicious and is used in religious ceremonies.




Later in 1990- Sampaguita was adopted in Indonesia as their "National Flower" too.

My Sinigang

I cooked a Sinigang last week for our lunch.Sinigang na Hipon (Shrimps or Prawns).

I cooked first the veggies and put some seasonings. Then when it was boiling , I put the Shrimps and leave it on low fire and I went up stairs 'coz I have to do something.

I was so (busy upstairs) engrossed with what I've been doing when suddenly I jumped out when I remembered that I'm still cooking downstairs. I hurriedly run down on the stairs and I opened the lid of the kaldero (my Pyrex casserole) and when I stirred the boiling soup, I can't fine my shrimps anymore, because it shrunken too much, Oh my ... oh my.... I was so dismayed...

But suddenly(again) I laughed out loud... and laugh...

WHY...

Because I remember what's my "Honey Baeb" Yong Joon ssi written before to one of his essay....

He said.. he went to Hajodae and gone fishing. He caught 4 Goonsoo fish about 1 foot long each and he boiled it 'coz somebody told him that if he just boil the fish, it has a especial taste. So being so curious how it would taste, he did and let it boiled, too. And when he looked at it, he was confused too that the fish shrunk to a finger size and he just laughed too to his surprised.

There.... it's boiling!!!!

Can you see the shrunken shrimps???

Sinigang is a Philippine dish famous for the variety of ingredients. Sinigang often incorporates fish, pork, chicken, shrimp, or beef. I used Shrimp for my recipe. Sinigang’s characteristic taste is attributed to the ingredient that gives its sour taste and most commonly use ingredient is Tamarind or Sampalok for its sour taste.

Sinigang na Hipon Ingredients:
1 Kilo Shrimp
12 pcs Tamarind (Sampaloc) or 1 pack Sinigang Mix
1 big Onion (diced)
3 big tomatoes (quartered)
2 pieces Radish (sliced)
1 bundle Sitaw (Strringbeans)
1 bundle Kangkong (cut into 2″ long)
3 pieces long green pepper
5 cups ricewash or water
Salt or Patis (fish sauce)

Sinigang na Hipon Cooking Instructions:
Boil Tamarind in rice wash or water to soften.
Pound and extract all juices and set aside.
In a casserole, boil rice wash or water, Tamarind juice, onions, tomatoes and Radish.
Lower fire, add in Shrimps, Kangkong, Sitaw and green long pepper.
simmer for 5 minutes.
Season with salt or patis.
Serve hot.

Some Of My Activities This Past Few Days

Aug 8, 2009 - the monthly exercise of HHC (Happy Hearts Club),
BHW(Bustos Health Worker),
SK (Samahang Kababaihan or Women Org.)
SC(Senior Citizen, Female only, me not a member here yet)
Federations and with some Gov't Officials

The man in Yellow in the middle is the Bustos Mayor Toti Reyes
and far left is his Vice, were stretching with the tune of Jai Ho.

Medical mission for this month:
Aug. 12 -- Blood Donating
Aug. 22 - Tubal Ligation
for the women who have 5 children already.

With my lovely chubby daughter - Mae Stephannie

----------*****----------

Aug. 15, 2009 - The sudden invitation from the
Knights of Columbus in Baliwag, Bulacan
On their 56th founding Anniversary

It's so sudden for me , because I don't have time to rehears the dance number.
I don't want to attend but they won't accept my refusal.
Together with my Aero mates.
They told me to dance only once but they requested for more.
I was so embarrassed, I couldn't move well...see how clumsy I was.

Forever


Just Can't Get Enough

Poker Face

@^__^@

My Sunday With Mycah

After going to church, my Mycah ask me to buy an ink for our printer. She has an assignment to print she said. So with her alone, without my other two children, we went to a bookstore inside the mall.

Upon entering the mall she saw on the glass wall of the restaurant the people eating. She spotted the one eating a Halo-halo. Then she told me she wants to eat a halo-halo too. Even though it's raining outside and the cooler inside was so chilling. But my child wants to, and I can't say no to my child. The restaurant was full already, there's no vacant seat, it's Sunday, lots of family were shopping or just went to see a movie. So we walked further more and found another place. But I said the halo-halo there looks not so good, but she said it's okey, her mouth was watering already.

So we enter there and got our orders. She ordered halo-halo without an ice cream topping.

Btw, Halo- halo is (from tagalog word halo, "mix") is a popular Filipino dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice and milk to which are added various boiled sweet beans and fruits, and served cold in a tall glass or bowl.

There is no specific recipe for this dessert, and a wide variety of ingredients are used. The order in which the ingredients are added varies widely. Primary ingredients generally include boiled red mung beans(monggo), kidney beans, garbanzos, sugar plumfruit (kaong), coconut sport (macapuno), and plantains caramelized in sugar. Other components may include jackfruit (langka), sago, nata de coco, purple yam (ube) or sweet potato(kamote),pounded crushed young rice (pinipig), leche flan or custard, and gelatin. Some preparations also include ice cream on top of the halo-halo.

And for the final ingredient, evaporated milk is used instead of fresh milk, due to the tropical climate of the Philippines. (See: Halo halo - Wikipedia)

and for me, I ordered only a La Paz Batchoy for it's only snack time yet.

Batchoy (contention states that the word may have originated from the Chinese (Hokkien) Ba-chui (肉粹) meaning "pieces of meat") is a noodle soup which originated in the district of La Paz, Iloilo City in the Philippines. As with most noodle dishes in the Philippines, batchoy mayhave been first concocted by Chinese immigrants.

Ingredients include pork organs (liver, spleen, kidneys and heart) crushed pork cracklings , vegetables, shrimp, chicken breast or beef loin, shrimp broth, chicken stock and round noodles or miki. The noodles are similar to spaghetti, but are generally a bit finer. Oil is heated in a stock-pot. The pork organs, shrimp, chicken and beef are stir-fried for about a minute. Soy sauce is then added. The shrimp and chicken stock is then added and left to simmer for a few minutes. This broth is then added to a bowl of noodles and topped with leeks, pork cracklings (chicharon) and sometimes a raw egg is cracked on top. (See: Batchoy - Wikipedia)

After eating we continue to our destination ... we walked, and walked slowly, looking what's on sale and what's new on display as we walked by. She spotted a food stall selling a Japanese pan cake, she told me to buy for her brother and sister at home.

My children eat so fast, I'm too late to take photos of the cake, only the box was left.

Then we continue walking, but on our way my Mycah saw again her another favorite, a shredded japanese corn with butter and bought again. But she can't go in the book store eating that corn so we decided to stay at the corner and wait her to finish her corns.

At the book store, aside from the ink for our printer, I bought a new books and my kid too. "Seven Things That Steal Your Joy" by Joyce Meyer and "The Power of a Positive Mom" by Karol Ladd. Mycah picked "The King's Fifth" by Scott O'Dell.

^___^