There is something that fascinates me with anything falling be it rain and much more with snow. It brings out the child in me. Now that I am living here in Poland, everything new to my eyes really amazes me and that the world is such a wonderful place to live in.
Travel with me as I go tru this unnerving ferris wheel of life.
Been looking forward for this day. It was a whole day of eating and merry making. Everybody is busy catching up with everyone. Gathering like this is our chance to get to see each other personally other than chatting over YM.
It was a blast! A funfilled day with our small filipino community here in Poland.
Father Herbie hosted the said event. We are looking forward for next years gathering or for more gatherings.
Description: Want some Japenese taste? I'd like to share Okonomiyaki, a japanese recipe that I truly love.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Okonomiyaki ( Okonomiyaki?) is a Japanese dish consisting of a pan-fried batter cake and various ingredients. Okonomi means "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki means "grilled" or "cooked" (cf. yakitori and yakisoba); thus, the name of this dish means "cook what you like". In Japan, okonomiyaki is mainly associated with Kansai or Hiroshima areas, but is widely available throughout the country. Toppings and batters tend to vary according to region.
Ingredients: 1/3 cup flour 1/4 cup water 1 egg salt to taste 1 mounded cereal bowl of cabbage add green onion, cheese, etc. meat (thinly sliced pork or beef, squid, shrimp)
OR FOR DETAILED INGREDIENTS HERE IS IT: Base: 1 cup flour 3/4 cup dashi (or water, see below)* 1 egg 1/8-1/4 of a cabbage
Toppings - any of the below: Chicken Roast pork or beef Squid, Octopus, other seafood Corn Mushrooms Onion
Garnishing - any of the below, if you can find it and actually want it: Katsuo-bushi (dried bonito flakes) Sakura-ebi (dried shrimps) Beni-shoga (red ginger) Ao-nori (green seaweed)
For sure it's hard to find okonomiyaki sauce in the market especially here in Poland so you can make your own okonomiyaki sauce which is: 3 tbsp ketchup 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
Directions: Combine flour, water, and egg and possibly salt in a bowl. Mix in cabbage and onions. Combine throughly. Split mixture in half (or you'll have a hell of a time flipping if you're not used to it) and place one half into a buttered pan. Form into a disc. Fry until bottom is golden brown. You can either add your meat to the top of your okonomiyaki and then flip it, or place it on the pan before you pour in your batter. Flip, fry until other side is golden brown, and serve with mayo, shredded nori, katsuobushi, and okonomiyaki sauce
Here's the detailed one: my own style of making it..
Step 1: So firstly grab that cabbage and chop it up finely. Better to have too much than too little because it shrinks a little as it cooks, and it's mega cheap anyway. Get out as much of the white stem parts as you can.
Step 2: Now break an egg into a large bowl and pour in the dashi/water, and the flour.
Step 3: Then beat with a whisk until smooth.
Step 4: Now add some of the finely chopped cabbage and mix as best you can. It should end up looking like this.
Step 5: Heat up your skillet, electric frypan, grill, whatever you're going to use to cook for it. Preferably use something that's got teflon on it :-)
Step 6: Now prepare your toppings. I'm using pork BBQ slices, a little bell pepper, some onion, mushrooms, parsely and spring onion. Just chop it all up good.
Step 7: Throw it all in the frypan with some oil (sesame is good) to keep it all well-lubed. Cook until either heated through or in the case of raw meat or veges, for a few minutes until it's getting close to being cooked.
Step 8: Arrange the nearly cooked toppings in a round...
Step 9: Then throw the cabbage/dough mixture on top, also in a round!
Step 10: Turn up the heat a little to medium and let it cook through for 5 minutes or so. Then flip it. In the picture below, I had to cut the round in half to flip it, which doesn't matter because we'll be cutting it into pieces later anyway. You could always make two okonomiyaki instead!
Let it cook for another 5-10 minutes. You can break away a bit of the dough bit when it doesn't look raw any more and see if the cabbage and dough is cooked through.
Step 11: Flip it out onto a plate and cover liberally with Okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise! OH GOD MY TASTEBUDS!
Step 12: Cut, serve and savour! Enjoy!
SMACZNEGO! ( Enjoy your meal or Bon appetit in Polish)
As much as i want to post an entry in my blog as often as i want but some important roles needs prior attention. If there could have been a remote control that in just one click of a finger we can change and do things instantly...i would really buy one.
There has been many changes in my life and I am needing to remind myself to make time for the things that bring me balance, such as designing, reading and writing.
In the last few months I have...
-Been so down and itching to be home in the far away tropics -Cried a record high -Began mentoring all moms in the world esp. my mom Thinking of a new project to do at home for the holidays and the coming events -Contemplated what to do if i go back or changing carreers -Learned how to be a better cook to hubby -Struggled with how to handle dealing with a 4months old baby who is growing so fast -Taken out my stress on people that love me -Tried to push myself away from people because the narcissistic me strikes again -Been a friend -Been a caring and more loving daughter to my mom -Been impatient and frustrated wifey to G...giving him all talks about how lonely i am (geesh its all in my head, i realized that now.)
We all play different roles in our lives. I know I do. Often, it's a challenge to always be on top of your game on so many different realms, with so many different people and relationships, in so many different circumstances and states of mind. On top of assuming the responsibilities of your different roles, it's an additional task altogether to ensure you have proper life and health balance.
One solution that will help handle everything is to set a routine of the fundamentals that you should do every week that take care of YOU first. Set time before bed three times a week to read, do a life talks at best with your mate (im trying to do that often now to hubby) exclusive only dinner or out with hubby once a week without tagging along our little one, etc..
You cannot change the world, other people, relationships, etc. if your core is not healthy and stable enough first and foremost.
On St. Nicholas Day, December 6th, the youngsters are visited by Santa Claus (Sw. Mikolaj). In Poland, Sw. Mikolaj is not an oversized man with red pompom topped cap, red Jacket, and riding boots. Instead, he is a saintly, more dignified figure, dressed in the regal purple and gold robe, wearing a cape and bishops hat, and carrying a crosier (a crooked staff, the symbol of his bishop station). He travels the countryside on foot, occasionally astride a white horse, blessing the children, and distributing goodies to well behaved children and swishes to the naughty. Sw. Mikolaj does not live at the North Pole, but up in Heaven.
December sixth, St. Nicholas day — Dzien Swietego Mikołaja — brought a slight reprieve to gray monotonous days, especially to children, who felt that the Christmas Gwiazdka (star) - would never come. St. Nicholas was revered because of his compassion and love for orphans whom he often visited and comforted with little gifts. His name is celebrated more in some Central European countries than in Christmas itself.
My little baby girl Iza got goodies too in which we told her from Santa. She loves the red socks that was hanged with goodies inside. For sure, she will look forward to this day especially now that she is growing.
Here's my baby Izabela Wiktoria at 4months old going 5months this month.
....in here playing mat...
With her best smile..
She takes our blues away..she paints our heart with so much joy & love...she gives us more sense in our ordinary life....She lights up the whole house with her smile...she is our angel... There is nothing more we can ask for but only our baby izabela.
Last week was such a downer week, but today, ah today! I feel so rejuvenated. My heart is singing with joy. I am looking forward to a great week, great month. Good things are in store for us ahead. I feel hopeful and positive again, the world, my world is where it should be. Finally! I hope my little girl have a great day, a great week and a great month! And most of all, a wonderful Christmas with her for the first time!
There is something really weird happening in my system the whole week. It seems I can't get the right look of my site. I am trying to make my own layout but it seems there's still lots of things I need to know about this techie thing. Really I freak about this whole thing. Changing one temporary layout to another leads me to feeling high as in super over high! 'Till I lost my favicons...and I freak out to death coz i have to install it over again. So, trying to design my own favicons again but this whole damn downloading thing don't want to accept my new design..there is something wrong with pc saving system. GEESSSSSSHHHH!!!!!! Nevertheless, I still manage to put my old favicon back. Another power of patience & determination has to be put in me just to be successful with these whole thing. Anyhow, 'till now I am still on the process of making and learning my own layout. One friend voluntarily said he will make one for me. Yepey! but so kahiya coz I will be using the persons time..what are friends for anyway, right? hehehe!
So, that is all for now...i have to get back to business. I need to run a lot of errands here in the house. It's weekend by the way.
I received an email from babycenter.com today about what things that change when you have a baby. I go over the script and find it so very true.. with what I feel and the lifestyle I am living now..all these things are the changes in my life. Read on..... *************************************************************************************
What changes when you have a baby? A better question may be: What doesn't change? Here, writer and mom Rebecca Woolf lists her most notable post-baby observations. Then scroll down to read our favorite comments from readers about how their babies changed their lives.
1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.
2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.
3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.
4. You respect your body ... finally.
5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.
6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.
7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.
8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.
9. Your heart breaks much more easily.
10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.
11. Every day is a surprise.
12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)
13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.
14. You become a morning person.
15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.
And from the readers...
1. "You discover how much there is to say about one tooth." — Ashley's mom
2. "You finally realize that true joy doesn't come from material wealth." — Anonymous
3. "You now know where the sun comes from." — Charlotte
4. "You'd rather buy a plastic tricycle than those shoes that you've been dying to have." — Sophie's mom
5. "You realize that although sticky, lollipops have magical powers." — Roxanne
6. "You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night." — Kellye
7. "Silence? What's that?" — Anonymous
8. "You realize that the 15 pounds you can't seem to get rid of are totally worth having." — Brenda
9. "You discover an inner strength you never thought you had." — Ronin and Brookie's mom
10. "You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule." — Thomas' mom
11. "You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one." — Jaidyn's mom
12. "Your dog — who used to be your 'baby' — becomes just a dog." — Kara
13. "You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late." — Tracey
14. "You learn that taking a shower is a luxury." — Jayden's mom
15. "You realize that you can love a complete stranger." — Dezarae's mom
Naging boring ang mga past days ko. Di ko malaman ano ba talaga ang gusto ko. Pagnababagot ka naman oo walang ibang magawa kundi magsenti. There's goes series of questions comes to mind. Hay life naman! Bait ganito? ganyan ang mga bagay bagay? O di kaya dala din ito sa cold weather ngayon dito. No matter how i manage to aliw myself, di maiwasang mabagot at malungkot. Natural feeling ba ito or talagang praning ako? hmmmm...
Ito umandar, na naman ang pagka narcissa ko. Sa nakakakilala sa akin, alam nila pag ako'y bagot dami daming kung magawa out of boredome. Sabi nga nila before, buti padaw mabagot na ako palagi kasi I am more productive and my creative side excels more. Heheheh! Ka weirdohan ika nga. Werdo talaga ako in real life. Di mo malaman if ako'y nalulungkot or kaya masaya..o di kaya galit na. Sabi nga nga mga tao na nakakilala sa akin...di ba daw ako marunong magalit. Di lang nila alam singkatotak na power of patience na ang ginamit ko para di ako makasakit ng tao. Besides, ayaw na ayaw ko talagang magalit. Feeling ko nakakawala ng poise...nakakadis-beauty. As much as possible, I tried my best to stay calm and compose myself. Mahirap na if sasabog galit ko 'coz i really know ga'no ako magalit. Talagang lilipad ang lahat na nasa harapan ko (lol). At heto na naman ako nanaig ang lungkot at pangugulila sa aking mga mahal sa buhay sa Pinas. Dahil kaya ito sa incoming na pasko? o kaya talagang umiral ang pagka-praning ko? What yah think mga dude? heheheh.. oh ayan tumawa na naman ako. Cge na nga paalam muna.
"Researchers believe that musical training actually creates new pathways in the brain."
Does Music Make Us Smarter?
After listening to classical music, adults can do certain spatial tasks more quickly, such as putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Why does this happen? The classical music pathways in our brain are similar to the pathways weuse for spatial reasoning. When we listen to classical music, the spatial pathways are "turned on" and ready to be used.This priming makes it easier to work a puzzle quickly. But the effect lasts only a short time. Our improved spatial skills fade about an hour after we stop listening to the music. Why Classical Music? The music most people call "classical"--works by composers such as Bach, Beethoven, or Mozart--is different from music such as rock andcountry. Classical music has a more complex musical structure. Babies as young as 3 months can pick out that structure and even recognizeclassical music selections they have heard before.Researchers think the complexity of classical music is what primes the brain to solve spatial problems more quickly. So listening to classical music may have different effects on the brain than listening to other types of music. This doesn't mean that other types of music aren't good. Listening to any kind of music helps build music-related pathways in the brain. And music can have positive effects on our moods that may make learning easier.
New design ideas to beautify your homes. Been jumping from one interior designs to another to fully dress up our little cozy haven...till I stumble upon this site. So glad! since these has been the design we've been looking for. We had this idea in mind but don't know where and how to realize this. Check out the site Les Invasions Ephemeres.
Random pictures of Iza when I just gave birth to her and now that she is one month old.
FULL NAME: Izabela Wiktoria Skrzydelski NICKNAME: Iza BORN : July 22, 2007 TIME: 3:35p.m. european time WEIGHT: 3.2 kgs PARENTS: Ma. Aileen & Grzegorz Rafał
Yes! at long last I gave birth to a healthy baby girl named IZABELA WIKTORIA (victoria in english) last July 22, 2007 at around 3:35pm polish time.
It is not an easy birthing though but It's worth the pain when I saw my baby. She is our life, my world now and my inspiration. She's so adorable and I can't keep my eyes off her. Post more pics of her next time...
I came accross this rants in the net today. I laugh out loud all by myself since it's so timely that it fully concides with what I been thinking.. These has been my prayers before & what I been so thankful 'till now.... I guess it's been all girl's wish to have someone who could take their blues away & simply understand & accept them for what & who they are.
These are my A list of things for a guy...
I want a guy..... who would move the hair from my eyes and then kiss me..
who'd hold my hand in line at the mall or anywhere and make all the girls jealous (hahaha)
Someone who would sing to me at random moments songs that remind him of me or us.
who would let me sleep on his chest..
a guy who would get mad at someone if they called me ugly or was mean to me.
I want someone who would call me several times a day if he went away
Someone who would let me share the latest gossips to him and then would just smile and agree at everything I said.
He would mimic me if I did or say something funny just to make me laugh
He would tell all his friends about me and smile when he did it.
We'd share an umbrella in a pouring rain, and wouldn't mind if we got wet.
He would never be afraid to say "I love you" in front of his friends.
I want a boy who would kiss me at midnight on New Year's eve and count stars with me.
Who is willing to stay home with me on a Friday or Saturday night just to watch old movies or cartoons with me.
Someone who would tell me I'm beautiful & sexy, but not too often lest it gets to my head..
Someone who would try to make me laugh so much..
Who would bring me a glass of water when we both wake up in the middle of the night.
Someone who would take me as I am..
Someone I could laugh with and cry with..
Someone who would listen to my silliest jokes & never ending life's drama
Someone who would be my best friend and would never break my heart...
Oh well, who would have thought that I will have him now! He is G, an excited dad & a proud hubby to a Filipina wifey.
wish the wish you wish! been so grateful that I did found him & we are finally together at last! Prayers really do come true. How about you? you have A list of things too you want for a guy? Oh well, you don't have to list all what you want but instead lift it all up to our maker and everything else will surely follow.
It is summer now here but it seems its not summer...Why? It's all because the weather is not cooperating well with the season for almost a week now. It the coldest summer this year I think. Yesterdays weather was really cooperating well. Not that cold and not that hot. It is the best time to go for a walk or be in the beach. When summertime comes, I always correlates it with beaches, out of town outings and vacation time. This year I have to spare my vacation time in preparation for my coming birthing. Yes...not so long ago or just few months ago I announced here that I am preggy and I shared it here too my agony over my pregnancy. Well, the agony will soon be over. Anytime this week I will give birth to our first child. Much preparations lately that is why at times I was in the edge over anything. My mind sometimes rants on some nonsense things that I should need to prepare before baby's coming. Maybe well, I am just overly excited about my responsibility. One can really not deny the fact, like if your pregnant a lot of apprehensions and fears sometimes just strike. And some can't understand it. Well, if your an experienced mom and been pregnant you can actually relate to my story. Anyway, I am not babbling here about my pregnancy...I started with the topic abut summer. Sorry if I cross a little away from the topic. Alright, let me go back to summer. Actually, I am just dreaming of a good summer vacation again. So I can unwind and smell the fresh summer breeze...Of course, with G this time. We never had the chance to spend summer together. Mostly late summer get away or that early holiday vacation. I know we can't have that summer dream this year since most of our time is preoccupied with baby stuffs and our house renovation. Well..well..well...we still do have a lot of time anyway...to be together!
I remember last summer I was touring Philippines from the capital city Manila down to the south of Luzon and of course explore my native Cebu. It was one of the funniest summer experience with family and friends before I depart to Poland. I took the time out with family & friends 'cuz I know it will still take me time to be spend summertime with them again. I miz the beach parties, my tanned skin during summer, sunburns here and there and that wonderful time without thinking of anything work, school & reports to make. Summer is summer! It has its own time and season of going. It is one of my best time of the year.
This year is my first summer here in Poland. Geesh! I love the summer here....the summer sunset where usually the sun sets at past 9pm. The green luscious colors of polish summer is really superb. Again, its been raining like cats & dogs for a days now. I do not know why the weather is not cooperating. I hope this week would be a fine summer weather so I could have more grasp of polish summer.... And of course, so I would enjoy my birthing. Wish me luck anyway....
I saw your blog from polish forum, I am an asian having a polish boyfreind since end of 2005. . . .I am looking for other asian female who finally married polish and like to knwo their experience,chit chat etc...I have been to Poland a number of times,...now i have to think hard and deep ;-)
Nice to read your blog, it does give me insights and realistics, thanks.
hi! i enjoy reading your blog. i have a Polish boyfriend, we were 8 months now and we are planning to get married 2011. i know its long time,. pls add me in your skype diws143. i really like you to be my friend
This week in Catholic Friends we are discussing anger and how to deal with it. Perhaps you would like to take part in the discussion too .It really is so interesting . See : http://catholicfriends.multiply.com/journal/item/1907
Ang sweet ng honey ko.Lagi siya nag se-send ng love quotes sakin.kinikilig ako lagi. ngayon alam ko na kung saan siya kumukuha.hehe dito siya kumukuha. GO LUVERS send sa 2800. nag se-send na rin ako sa kanya ngayon. kaya nagulat siya.:P
MA_A-I! a-i, thanks kau sa pag visit sa ako profile. i just told dolores a few days back that there are 2 people who inspired me to jot down whatever thoughts i have. believe it or not, those 2 people are you and dolores...hehehe. have beein reading your posts sa una pa. i like the way you both are, walang ka are-te-han, natural and real! basta it is just simply about writing down the "whatevers" in life and i love, love, love it!
hi I'm Erica, I wanna have filipino friends if you want to chat with me here's my account My Account please inform me that you are a filipino coz I don't entertain other nationalities juzfrens
