Shake that booty!

I am so proud, my Xofia dances Jai ho and sings along as she does.

She wasn't a Slumdog Millionaire fan, but her Auntie Han probably was, or she's just liking the theme. The two had the Bollywood dance steps memorized perhaps while the Auntie is killing time or generally just wanting to make fun of her niece. Whenever Xofi starts getting fussy, turn the volume up and play Jai ho... everything in the world will seem right in an instant.

Presently, these are Xofia's favorites. She's also memorized some of the lyrics and sings along whenever she can and when she's not busy concentrating on her spin, skip or hop.

1. Jai ho from Slumdog Millionaire
(Xofi: hooooooo.....)

2. Honey, Honey by Amanda Syfried from Mamma Mia!
(Xofi: Honey, honey, pa-pa-pap; to me.....)

3. I Hate This Part by the Pussycat Dolls
(Xofi: heeeee.....)

And oh, she loves it if she's infront of a mirror while dancing. Doncha?

Welcome to our home

Hi, thanks for coming over. Welcome to my living room. Make yourself at home. I hope the furniture is warm and cozy enough.

What can I get you? I have freshly brewed iced tea and freshly-squeezed tropical fruit juices. It's humid, but no matter, I just plainly love our weather! Anyway, I guess we better help ourselves to an air-conditioned room. Come, follow me. I had a hard time looking for the perfect living room furniture. The market nowadays is cramped with contemporary, sleek, futuristic designs. I love the plain, old-fashioned comfort. This one imparts a sense of warmth and historic feel to the room. Don't you agree?

Oh, let me show you the rooms upstairs.

I know I only have a twin bed here, but I'm planning to change this one to a more spacious queen-sized. Me and the husband doesn't like extra luxurious bedroom furniture. The thing that really matters is that the mattress is extra comfortable. You might say that the room is too youthful. That is just what I was trying to achieve. I hate four-posters, but gosh, how I swoon over storage beds. Crazy? Nah, I love the freshness and the extra storage spaces.

This is the Princess' but she can only hold on to it long enough. She loves that the bed has an "attic" where the loft bed is located. I like how the cubbyholes are designed beautifully to blend in with the rest of the design. It keeps her toys, knick-knacks and whatnots neatly in order.


When she's older she may move into this room which I already prepared for her.

I can't imagine her liking to stay in this floral-bordered pastel-themed room forever, though. I bet after high school, she'd wanna move in here.

I may have to change the beddings to suit her, but that can wait. I like how the storage is neatly tucked in this loft bed. She can just hide the pull-out to use the workstation, pull a chair -- it's all so clutter-free. The bed maximizes the room for some other things I know she'd have a lot of come college.
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OK, enough dreaming! Back to reality, but before you do, check out furniturefromhome's Captain Bed. Or you can use their Advanced Search feature to refine your searches based on your preferred room, style, and color. I had so much fun visiting the rooms and dreaming my dream home! :-)

Broccoli and prawns stir-fry

It was all I could ever wished for. I think not a day has passed since I had the duo (grill pan and wok) that I haven't used them. I cannot believe why I waited this long to have a grill pan, it's totally crazy! And the wok? HA! I think I just told the husband that I am never going back to using any other wok, ever! See how gorgeous and spacious that is!

I thought stir-fries can never go any easier. Then I stir-fried using THE wok, and guess what, it was so so much easier, I'd like to stir-fry anything and give some to the neighbors :-) Of course, there's a lot that I can do with the wok (I think I may be trying paella soon) but for now, let me give you this awesome broccoli and prawns stir-fry dish.


Recipe

• olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, pressed and chopped finely
• thumb-sized ginger, grated (I used microplane zester)
• 1 red onions, sliced
• three medium heads broccoli cut into florets, washed and drained
• three prawns, shelled and cut in bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• salt

1. In a heated wok, pour 2 tbsp olive oil and saute the prawns. As soon as they turn pinkish, set these little guys aside.
2. In the same pan, heat another 2 tbsp olive oil and saute the aromatics: garlic, ginger, then onions. You'd want the oil to get all that infused flavor.
3. Mix in the broccoli florets and stir fast coating each floret with the flavorful oil. All these must be done in high heat.
4. Pour the chicken stock.
5. As soon as the florets change color, add in the reserved prawns. Give another minute to mix these little guys in, season with salt, then turn off heat.
6. Serve immediately onto a plate. Be careful not to let the stir-fry sit in the wok long after it's done because the heat in the wok will overcook the dish.

Take me to HOME COOKING tab

I should get a Home Treadmill Equipment

I don't know what will finally make me move my lazy butt and exercise. Definitely the scale on a threatening forward lurch is not enough. I also don't know what number is enough for me to do something, but this I know: I must do something before it's too late.

The extra 10 lbs is definitely the hardest to shake off. I can imagine myself going to the gym, but have no idea how to fit gym time with my routine right now. If you know me, I'd rather be cooking or playing with Xofi than doing anything. And going to the gym takes so much time. Plus I hate taking showers in locker rooms where people I don't know take their showers, too. Sorry, I'm just weird like that.

I guess the best thing I can do is get my lazy self to use the treadmill. The best thing is I can do it at home, thus, I can take my shower at home. I'm not getting any younger and staying healthy as much as I can is the best thing I can do to myself and to my family.

Now, I have to work it into my routine. I can't do it in the morning. I am so not a morning person. Even my taste buds don't work on mornings. Dinner at home is around 8-8:30ish. An hour after would be a good schedule. I just have to muster enough will to do it. And here's hoping that putting it in writing helps. Cheer me on, people!

Because hey, it's bikini season. Gotta do something fast which doesn't include starving myself. That, and staying fit. Should be enough reason to shake off laziness.

My first grill pan

...is an IKEA Grilla.


I've been wanting to have one for the longest time. When I pass by the nearby mall, I'd sneak a visit at Rustan's and run my fingers on their pans tracing the grill lines. That's how much I wanted it.

Not so long ago, sister asked me what else I lacked in the kitchen. (She's my primary provider when it comes to pots, pans, and kitchen gadgets. My sister simply rocks!) In passing I think I mentioned a grill pan, a non-stick wok and Corelle dinnerwares. Of course, my stuff makes most of the box space. "Happiness" was my name when we opened the box! :-D

This one's from IKEA, and so far, I've read this is the best grill pan for less than $20. I really have no point of comparison. I'm just so so happy I finally got one.

OK, so for the first day that I got Grilla, I was able to grill chicken breasts, pork belly, pork chops, clams, and prawns. Ain't that a par-tay!

It just made my whole life a lot easier because grilling can now be done 15 minutes before meal time. I'm loving every minute of having Grilla. Sometimes, I find myself reaching for it thinking what I'd grill next.


Take me to HOME COOKING tab

Must.Wean.

When Xofi was hospitalized for pneumonia, we had to take the paci out to give way to her breathing. One can't really suck on a binki with a stuffy nose, so even if it comforted her greatly, we had to take it away. She survived. She did not ask for it. Or maybe because she was way too preoccupied with the pain and the medical people in white uniforms to bother with her binki.

Then she got well. My husband and I let out a gallop of joy thinking we finally weaned her from the binki. She did went through a couple of nights without it. But without the pain from being sick, I guess she remembered. She'd wake up in the middle of the night, though not a great crier, still enough to keep me awake. She fussed and couldn't go back to sleep.

It must be the binki. We thought. So we tried giving her the binki, and instantly, she fell back to sleep. She's been on the binki since, but only at night.

I want to wean her off it. I gave myself until she's 18 months, which is NOW. She'd be 19 months old this month. And I still don't know how to do it. I know for sure that I'd have to give up more sleep in the process of weaning. I read some moms put holes in the binki so it's not as effective as it should be, thus discouraging the baby from using it. I'm tempted to try that, but isn't it dangerous to be giving your kid a defective paci?

If you have tricks that worked, let me know. For whatever it's gonna take, I am so weaning her off the paci. Just don't know when, or if I'd have the energy to go through the pain of sleepless nights yet again.