KIDS' DAY!

IT WAS A KIDS' DAY TODAY. LUNCH AT MCDONALD'S AND A TRIP TO THE CANDY FACTORY. CANDY FACTORY WASN'T ALL THAT....BUT LOTS OF YUMMY CANDIES THOUGH. THERE WERE SUPPOSE TO BE A "HOW TO MAKE GUMMY BEARS" SHOW TODAY...BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN :T

its a chocolate machine...mMmm!



kute huh!!!?

MY NEW PIG, RUGBY!!!!!!!!!


kids wanted mCdonald's


I was being girly :)

MY NOTEBOOK

I wonder sometimes about certain things that happen in life. Whether they be good things are bad things. Does everything happen for a reason?! Or does SHIT just happens?!
This past year has been such an eye opener for me. I’ve had the best moments in life and the worse. I’m looking back at old photos of this past year and can’t help but notice I’m constantly smiling. Almost in every photo, my smile seems to get bigger with more excitement. But was it a genuine smile?! Why do I feel like, “all the happiness I may have experience was always tainted by sadness”?

So lets recap on this past year and analyze what events went on. The happy memories are always the easier ones to remember. The most valuable thing this past year has given me was the wonderful gift of friendship. The people I’ve met this past year has affected me in so many ways. AND I CAN’T THANK THEM ENOUGH. You know who you are. It doesn’t matter how I met you, the important thing is that I DID. I’ve grown with you. I’m a stronger person because of you. I remember each and every connections I’ve made with each person. And each person, has their own purpose. You wouldn’t see the smile I have today if it wasn’t for you. You have my eternal gratitude.

I took a big chance last year. Probably one of the biggest risk I’ve taken in my entire life. I met HIM. He made a difference in me. He made me believe that there’s the possibility of finding love from a distant. That happiness can overcome any obstacle. And although we didn’t work out in the best possible way, I never regret ever meeting Him. I’m happy that I made that step, took that chance. See for myself the possibilities I had. Out of all my relationships, He is the one I value the most. Why?! Because He gave me all the reasons to do so. He made me feel things I never thought was in me. Things I never knew existed. I’ve always lived my life as simple as it can be. I try to avoid all complications, avoid all obstacles. But He made me realize that I will regret knowing what can happen if I don’t try; how wonderful things can be if I just allow them to happen. <3

Last but not least, my family. We’ve certainly had our ups and downs. For those who know my family, we can be quite the crazy ones. We’re loud, annoying, and outspoken. We’re nothing close to the happy go family. We constantly have drama and never seem to completely get along. So why am I happy about my family with this past year?! BECAUSE ITS MY FAMILY. With everything that happened, we still seem to always have a kickass time. I think we came along way. I think we’re all finally adults. We finally became one. ONE HUGE PERSON. This past Lunar New Year, was probably one of the best family reunions we’ve had in a long time. I have never seen so many smiles in my entire life. I appreciated those smiles so much. It bring tears to my eyes when I think about how strong we are as one. How with everything life seems to throw at us, we still can pull together and be powerful. As some of you know, my dad was in a horrible accident recently. And its something that hit my family really hard. He did walk away healthy and strong, but the thought of something could’ve happened was terrifying. We couldn’t lose another family member, I won’t allow it. And the one thing that made me appreciate my dad even more, was when my sister told me that when she was in the emergency room with him, the two people that he was asking for was my mom and me. Why me?! Why not any of my other siblings? Not to say that my dad wasn’t thinking of my other sisters, but I was just wondering why me? I’m the splitting image of my father. Our personalities are almost identical. We’re both stubborn, arrogant, and dominating. We always want to be right and always want to be proven wrong. We’ll debate to the death. I can tell my dad sees himself in me. I can tell by the way he looks at me. He’s sees how much I’ve became and how much I’ve learned. That I was listening to all his lectures over the past year. I was expected to be the boy when I was born, and I was raised just like that. To be strong, powerful, and always test the waters, just like dad.

And so we get to the bad memories. Well I suppose there’s no such things as bad memories, for memories themselves serves a good purpose. Lets start with friendship again. I never thought of the day where I can lose a friendship over a misunderstanding. Over something that was so blown out of proportion. And I must say, this friend was one of the most interesting people I have ever met in my entire life. I haven’t known him/her for a long time, but long enough to understand that we have an amazing connection. Its one of those connections you only get once in a life time and when you do, you appreciate it to the fullest. But something happened and a decision was made. A decision, I believe, affected the both of us. I don’t exactly agree with the decision, but there’s isn’t anything I can do at this moment. The ball is no longer in my hand, not to say that it ever was. I really wish some day, we will all come to a mutual understanding. An understanding that can cause all these complications to go away. I understand that it really wasn’t about me; I just became the factor. But I must say, it does hurt to lose a friend over something so unreal. And to see him slip away further and further is heartbreaking. To see him not be the person I met is disturbing. To see him go back in what he believes in makes me angry. BUT, I do believe that he has it in him to see things through. To make the right decision for HIMSELF. I want my best friend back, I want him the way I left him….

As for my love life, it has been pretty simple. Ever since the wonderful HIM, I haven’t dated anyone. I’m not sure if its because I’m not quite ready or is it because I don’t see any potentials. Whatever the case, I’ve just been so out of it. Maybe I’m not allowing myself to see what’s out there, not letting go of something I no longer have. I’ll admit that I have crushed since. I felt 16 all over again. I would spend 20 hours of the day just thinking about him and wondering if everything is alright. It was a bittersweet feeling. I felt good that I can feel again, yet bad that I can’t do anything about it or choose not to.

One bad thing about my family is that we can’t be together more often. That we can’t be like we were back in the days when we were kids. We’ve all grown up and all in different directions. I miss being a kid……

So does this past year seem good or bad?! Are my smiles genuine or counterfeit? I think compared to must people, my year has been pretty ok. So why am I getting this yuckie feeling?!

WHAT DO YOU SEE?!

what do you see?!

THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKES ME SMILE

I got a really awesome surprise in the mail today. well it really wasn't a surprise. I knew he was gonna send me something, but I was only expecting cds and a letter. He gave me some pictures and this little bracelet. The bracelet is simple and kiddish, but its the thought that counts. AND I MEAN THAT! Its one of those, make it yourself bead bracelets. I was touched!!!


THANKS JFAN!!!!! KICKASS!

I DON'T KNOW THE PURPOSE

I CALL THIS: TO MUCH MAKE UP

NEW PROJECT

NEW PROJECT:
PURPOSE: NIECE'S BIRTHDAY

**wish me luck**

VALENTINES DAY...EWWW ;)

Valentines day. EWWW!! Just joking. Valentines day wasn’t that big of a deal for me. It wasn’t last year, it wasn’t this year. However, the night before Valentines day, I got an interesting surprise in class. Ok, so here’s the story. We just had out break time, about 10 - 15 minutes, then back to the lecture. I’m sitting there looking bored and eating my chips when I get this note passed to me. It was from the guy who’s sitting on the same table, just 2 seats down. I gave him the look like.. “did you want me to pass it to someone else?” But yea, I opened it and it read “Do you have a Valentines for tomorrow? Would you like to have dinner with me? I would like to get to know you.” Hm. What was my reaction? I laughed! Thinking to myself, wow this is so high school. HA! But hey, you gotta admit, it was kinda cute. But anyways, I wrote back, “I actually don’t have a date for Valentines, but if you give me your number, I’ll get back to you.” Sounded like a fair responds right?! So anyways, I didn’t pass the note back right away. The teacher was giving me looks like, MmM Hmmp! So I waited until the end of class. I walked over and gave him the note saying, “That’s a funny way of asking.” Then he gave me back the note and said, “Some things are easier to write down.” [thinking] wow…HMmp!?
I thought it was a pretty interesting class, totally didn’t see this whole thing coming. I was pretty antisocial in that class. But when I got home, I was thinking should I or shouldn’t I. One of friends was encouraging me to do that date just because “its time”. I sorta didn’t want to because I do have class with this guy. Ya know. I don’t want it to get weird in class. But blah blah blah. I texted him that night and he called me Valentines day morning. We talked for a little bit. He asked me again “Would you be my Valentines?” Well, instead of a dinner, I suggested a coffee date. I didn’t want to make it a dinner date, just because that’s so my formal. I wanted something casual.
Ok. The plan was to meet at Starbucks for 9, but when I got there, it was closed. So I thought. I called him, left him a message saying that its closed and asking him what he wanted to do. I saw this other coffee shop across the street so I texted him and told him I’ll be there. I got there around 9:10, bought a coffee and was just waiting. I waited and waited and waited. 9:40 came around, and Kristi left the building. Thinking to myself, wow this guy stood me up. I’m gonna sooooo give him dirty looks in class. He called many times when I got home, I didn’t pick up. WHY?! Cuz I’m stuck up that way. HA! Then he texted me explaining what happened. “STARBUCKS WAS OPEN! I FORGOT MY PHONE I THOUGHT YOU STOOD ME UP! I RECEIVED YOUR MESSAGE WHEN I WENT HOME, CRAZY DAY! I WANTED TO MEET YOU TONIGHT…” I’m like BLAH! So he called and I picked up. It was just a misunderstanding. Starbucks was apparently opened and I just thought it was closed. So he was at Starbucks waiting for me and I was at Caribou Coffees waiting for him. He didn’t have his phone, so he didn’t know what was going on. I still blame him for forgetting his phone. I mean COME ON!! If you gotta date meeting you up, the most important thing is your phone. DUH!
It was sorta too late to do anything because he had class around 11:30 and his call was around 10. He did ask me to meet him at this lounge for drinks and I did. I mean, I guess it was partially my fault for assuming Starbucks was closed. So I met him out there around 10:35. It was ok. Pretty simple conversation. My goal was not to talk about anything personal. We talked about off the wall stuff. None of our topics connected. He was a pretty kute guy, nice and soft spoken. I think he’s prettier then me. HA!!!
So yea, we just talked for about 45 minutes then he had to go. He walked me outside and we said goodbye. Oh! He did give me flowers before I left. It was sweet. What did he get in return?! A HUG :)

I'M ALL CUPCAKED OUT

MISSION: BAKE/DECORATE/WRAP 70 CUPCAKES FOR THE KIDS' VALENTINES PARTY
DUE TIME: BEFORE 8:00 AM VALENTINES DAY
STARTING TIME: 10:30 PM
ENDING TIME: 4:30 AM

SEND THE RIGHT MESSAGE

courtesy of: about.com

Valentines Roses - Rose Colors and Traditional Rose Meanings

Roses are the traditional gift given on Valentines Day, but they're certain to be well-received any time of year. But before you buy roses, know what message you're sending.

The color of a rose can have a very different meaning from what you intend. To ensure that your love understands what the roses you bestow mean, check this guide to rose colors and their meanings:

Red Roses
Red roses proclaim "I love you." They are the ultimate symbol of romantic love and enduring passion. Florists can't keep up with Valentines Day demand for red roses, which makes them especially expensive in February.

Pale Pink Roses
Pale pink roses connote grace, gentleness, and gratitude.

Light Pink Roses
A joy to behold, light pink roses express fun and happiness.

Deep Pink Roses
Deep pink roses say "Thank you."

Lilac Roses
Lilac roses indicate the sender has fallen in love at first sight with the recipient and is enchanted.

White Roses
Pure white roses symbolize truth and innocence. They also send other messages: "I miss you" and "You're heavenly."

Coral Roses
Coral roses express one thing with their passionate color: Desire.

Peach Roses
Peach roses speak of appreciation, gratitude, and also sympathy.

Orange Roses
Orange roses communicate enthusiasm and desire on the part of the sender.

Yellow Roses
Yellow roses indicate friendship and freedom -- so don't send them if your intentions are romantic and long-lasting. Yellow roses are also appropriate for sending congratulations to newlyweds, graduates, Texans, and new mothers.

Dead Roses
Regardless of the original color, dead roses say "It's over" loud and clear.

COMBINED ROSES
Put two or more colors of roses together, and a new rose meaning arises:

White Roses + Yellow Roses
A symbol of harmony.

Red Roses + Yellow Roses
A message of happiness and celebration.

Red Roses + White Roses
An indication of bonding and harmony.

MORE ROSE SYMBOLISM
While roses are traditionally presented in bouquet form, these are also acceptable:

Single Red Rose
"I love you" (but I'm not going to go broke telling you).

Single Rose Any Color
"I thank you" (and I'm still not going to go broke saying so).

Two Roses Entwined
An engagement or marriage is imminent.

MAKES YOU WONDER

You won't need caffeine to have that "I just drank a quintuple espresso" feeling this month. Channel excess energy into exercise and you'll take your body to new heights of hotness. But don't rock that already-shaky boat at work. Lay low till the lunar eclipse restores calm. Single Gems: Give long-distance love a chance.


SOURCE: GLAMOUR

Practical Mercury, your ruler, turns retrograde on the 2nd, causing you to wonder if that really big decision you recently made was actually a huge mistake. Don't stress about it or attempt to change the past -- when the planet turns back around on the 25th, you'll understand that your choice was clearly the right one.

SOURCE: SEVENTEEN

TODAY WAS A BORING DAY

Around 10:30 am this morning, I was in the middle of painting on my face when I heard a loud BOOM. Then the lights all went out. I ran downstairs to make sure nothing blew up. I went back to painting my face and then realized that the garage doesnt work. I was suppose to pick up my niece at ll:15. SoOOoOOOOOO I'm stuck. Can't leave the house because my car is in the garage :T I waited...and waited...and waited. I was soooo bored. I started washing the dishes...then cleaned the living room...then laid on the couch and stared at the ceiling. Luckily, one of my friends called and he kept me company for a good 2 hours. So after I got off the phone with him...I waited...and waited ..and waited. 4 o'clock came around. The kids got home from school, still no lights, no electricity. We basically just sat around and stared at each other. Very very boring. And boredom led us to do idiotic things.....

our little camp fire

I was trying to take a nap

"SHE LOST THE WILL TO LIVE"

I watched Star Wars III, Revenge of the Sith tonight. Well actually, the kids were watching it when I got home. After watching it for a good 5 minutes, I realized that I haven't seen this particular episode. Weird! But anyways, I caught part of the ending and I gotta say, it was kickass.

One scene that caught my attention was the scene with Padme dying. The robot nurse said she was medically healthy, yet she was dying. "She lost the will to live". Isn't that quite interesting?! Something so cliché yet so real. We've all heard of the phrase, "I would dye for love." Padme's death is the best illustration of that. Anakin broke her heart, harmed her body, and discouraged her soul. Her body is physically healthy, but her mind is letting go. Is that really possible in real life?! If you lost someone you truly love, can you die from it?! Die from a heartbreak?! Die from betrayal?! Everyone suffers from a heartbreak, but we always seem to bounce back. In this case, Padme didn't. Does that mean she understands LOVE better than we do?! Does the love between Anakin and Padme overpower everyone elses?! I know they're just characters in a fictitious movie, but love is never unreal. Right?! Have you ever been so heartbroken to the point where life no longer exist?

STINKY FISH SAUCE MAKES ME HAPPY

A must have, FISH SAUCE. If you’re Vietnamese, you know how important fish sauce is to our food. I was making lunch today and my dish required fish sauce. As I reached for the bottle, I came to find it was EMPTY. EMPTY!! I became nervous, concerned, dissatisfied. I needed fish sauce; it was my main ingredient. My food would not taste right without it. As I’m looking at the empty bottle in shock, I realized how important fish sauce is to me. Sounds cheesy, but its so true. Almost every recipe I cook, I used fish sauce. I grew up with the taste. I’m familiar with the smell; its something that reminds me of home.

For those who are wondering….

Courtesy of www.recipesource.com

Title: Fish Sauce (Nuoc Mam)
Categories: Vietnamese, Information, Ceideburg 2
Yield: 1 servings

1 Fish Sauce Information

Fish sauce is to Vietnamese cooking what salt is to Western and soy
sauce to Chinese cooking. It is included in practically all recipes.
Prepared from fresh anchovies and salt, layered in huge wooden
barrels, the manufacture of fish sauce is a major industry. The
factories are located along the coast to assure the freshness of the
fish to be processed. Fermentation is started once a year, during the
fishing season. After about 3 months in the barrel, liquid drips from
an open spigot, to be poured back into the top of the barrel. After
about 6 months the fish sauce is produced.

The first draining is the very best fish sauce, lighter in color and
perfectly clear. [Kinda like "Extra Virgin" fish sauce. S.C.] It is
relatively expensive and is reserved for table use. The second and
third drainings yield a fish sauce of lower quality and lower cost
for general- purpose cooking. The two towns most noted for their
fish sauce are Phu Quoc and Phan Thiet. Phu Quoc produces the best
fish sauce, some of which is exported. On the label, the "nhi"
signifies the highest quality. When fish sauce manufactured in
Vietnam is not available, that of Thailand or Hong Kong is quite
acceptable. Philippine or Chinese fish sauce will not be
satisfactory. For table use and available in all Oriental groceries
is Squid Brand Fish Sauce, the best one on the market. Whatever
brand, look for the "Ca Com" on the label, which means that only
anchovies were used++an indication of the highest quality for table
use.

From "The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam", Bach Ngo and Gloria Zimmerman,
Barron's, 1979.

Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; February 2 1992.


I probably spent about 5 minutes looking at the empty bottle and my half cooked food. Still dumbfounded. Then, my light bulb turned out. I remember that we stole a whole case of fish sauce from my parents place and its currently in the garage. My mom stocks up on fish sauce when its on sale. I mean, she’ll buy like cases just because its 20 cents cheaper then the regular price. TRUE STORY. So yea…I found more fish sauce. God do hear my prayers =) I was so happy, felt like Christmas morning. Haha!

KIDS CAN BE SO MEAN

funny?! no?! maybe a little?! :)

JEANY VS. KRISTI

I GOT SOME PHOTOS FROM MY PARENTS WHEN I WAS IN LOUISIANA. I JUST HAD TO POST THIS PICTURE OF MYSELF. PHOTO #1 WAS TAKEN WHEN I WAS 8 (ACCORDING TO MY MOM). WHILE AS PHOTO #2 WAS TAKEN LAST WEEKEND. SEE THE DIFFERENCE?! I ALSO NOTICED THAT IN MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD PHOTOS, I'M NOT SMILING. HmM?! I WONDER WHY. AH WELL :) ITS STILL FUNNY AS HELL!!!!!!

NOW and THEN

THEN

NOW

[SIGH] KIDS :)

:T

:T

PICTURES MAKE MEMORIES LAST

MORE TO COME.....