Happy Anniversary, ChiLyn!

In the real world, marriage is not always about rainbows and butterflies. It's not always about a prince finding his princess and living happily ever after. However, when the two people who have decided to bind themselves together agree to work on their marriage for better or for worse, and dedicate their union to God, marriage CAN be about rainbows and butterflies. It can be perfect in so many perspectives you look at it.

Like a lot of couples, my husband and I started this relationship wherein we had to deal with a lot of positive and negative situations.. But we strive to stay with the good ones and learn from the bad. We communicate; we don't just talk, we listen. We engage ourselves with couples who we can learn from. We respect each other. We never cursed at each other, ever. We put eagerness on learning the other half's likes and dislikes. We give, and take. We don't point fingers on who's right and who's wrong. We say "Sorry". We say "I Love You". We say "I'm proud of you". We say "I appreciate you." We say "I support you."

When we got engaged, we spent more than 14 hours together in a day. And ever since we got married, we have been under each others nose for 24/7. We have become insuperable.. for 365 days today. And as expected, discussions, issues, fights, and problems have risen.. but never our voices. We have been blessed with the Holy Spirit to know what we are in this relationship and who we really are dealing with-- God. And I am grateful.

Happy 1st Year Anniversary to us, Love. You will always be the man I adore as I will always be the woman who will stand beside you, love you, support you, and care for you and our children all the days of our lives. :)


- by the Wife

-- Post From My wife's iPhone

Grab and Twist

What were you thinking?! I was referring to Sovi who has already started to grab on things on her own (hand and eye coordination) as well as twist her body to the left and to the right while she's lying on the bed. Accomplishments not just for her but for us too, as her parents.

From Day 1, we have already been very excited of what's to come for us and this little fella. Lucky enough, we have witnessed the first time she attempted to raise her head, the first time she tried to talk, the first time she giggled and laughed, the first time she coughed, sneezed, and had hiccups, the first time she tried sucking her fingers, and the first time she tried to crawl.

We have also realized that babies are really smart.. they cry for you when they see you trying to hide from them, they automatically put their tongue out when they see their bottle of milk, they smile to make you smile after they cry their hearts out because they know one smile will take all that stress they caused you, and they can instinctively do something to make your world a better place. We hope we can do that for our Sovi too.

It's sad, and happy at the same time to see this little angel grow up this fast.. because in as much we want to keep on taking care of her, she'll eventually be exposed to the real world where she'll run around and experience the many beautiful things that God has instored for her.



-- Post From My wife's iPhone

Yummy Mag

Long time no post. Sorry, been busy with being a new dad to our little angel, Sovi (will have to post stuffs about her and our parenthood soon).

Latest update? We're featured in this month's issue of Yummy Magazine: "Kings of the Kitchen"! Thanks again to our neighbor and friend Frances Haw, who's also an Associate Publisher of the said magazine, for this opportunity (to see our faces printed on a magazine being sold nationwide). LOL. Kidding aside, really, we're very much flattered.



-- Post From My wife's iPhone

Sovi's Stroller is coming!

Here comes Sovi's traveling companion! Still fresh in the box :)

Thanks to Sovi's ever reliable uncle Bny for travelling all the way from North Point to Tsim Sha Tsui and back to pick up Sovi's Peg Perego stroller! 

Pare thanks so much! I owe you one! :)

Thanks also to Canny from 0/3 Baby for reserving the stroller for us! and answering all my questions about the stroller. She even opened their online delivery service to Manila. :) I just didn't go with that service because it was expensive! Thanks again Canny!

Check 0/3 Baby at G08, G/F., Ocean Terminal, TST, Kowloon.

http://www.o3baby.com.hk/

Scallop Risotto with a twist!

Scallop Risotto with a twist. (my twisted mind)

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

Shallots finely chopped

Garlic finely chopped

Arborio Rice

Dried Scallops already soaked in water

white wine

fish stock infused with Saffron

Parmesan cheese

butter

heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

dangit

Heat around 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pot. Drop in the Shallot and then followed by the garlic. Pour in around 3/4 of Arborio Rice stir and coat the rice with the oil. When mostly all the rice turns pearl white, drop in the scallops and stir around and pour in some white wine. Reduce the wine and scoop in 2 to 3 full ladles of fish stock and continue stirring. Remember to regulate the heat. When the liquid in the pot is decreasing, pour in some more fish stock. Keep on stirring until the rice reaches al dente, and then pour in some heavy cream, butter and Parmesan cheese. Season with Salt and Pepper. Continue o

n stirring until rice is cooked and finally drop in some more parmesan cheese and serve.

For the twist, I didn't put too much salt in the risotto for this...

I cooked some crispy dangit and paired it with the risotto. That provided the saltiness for the risotto and that is the twist. hehe... It went well for my taste, so I'm sticking with my weird fusion. :P

Verdict... My wife and sister liked the taste of the risotto paired with the dangit.

Keeping myself Busy... Cooking! :)

For the past few days I have been busy in the kitchen prepping and cooking. I miss being in the kitchen, I miss the smell of oil, I miss the joy of getting burned, I miss the splitter splatter of oil on your skin and I miss seeing my creations being munched by friends and family. :)

It started three days ago, I made some chicken stock and fish stock and cooked my mushrooms in white sauce pasta for two of my church friends; John and Jean, and my family. This was a very simple dish but I love cooking it and it is one of my favourite dishes. I am glad John and Jean enjoyed my cooking and commented highly on the pasta, thank you very much! :)

Ingredients:

olive oil

shallots small diced

garlic small diced

fresh mushrooms thinly sliced

white wine

culinary cream

milk

fresh Parmesan cheese grated

salt and pepper

thyme for garnish

Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot. Drop the Shallots then the garlic. Keep on stirring until fragrant and the onions become translucent. Drop in the mushroom and keep on sauteing until you see the mushroom become soft and cooked. Pour some white wine to deglaze. Reduce wine into half or until the smell of alcohol is gone. Pour in Culinary cream and milk. Keep on stirring until sauce simmers, put a handful of Parmesan cheese and stir. The sauce should thicken. Taste the sauce and season with Salt and Pepper.

Up Next... Scallop Risotto with a twist. hehe...

Happy 1 Month Sovi!

Happy 1 month Sovi Caryn! Mommy and Daddy loves you!





-- Post From My Wife's iPhone