Blogging with Blogsy

Blogsy

 

I know I've been remiss with my blog posts. I haven't even shared our Northern Mindanao family adventure. I promise to write about it soon.

Blogging on the iPad is not as easy as I thought it would be. The Blogger App was just too much of a hassle and full of limitations. I've done my homework and concluded that the Blogsy App is the best blogging tool for the iPad. I bit the bullet and purchased it for US$ 4.99.

My previous post was done using Blogsy and all I can say is that the cost is definitely worth it. I should have gotten it sooner and saved me a lot if headache shuffling from drafting my post on the iPad and working on my office computer or borrowing the husband's laptop to add/edit photos. Sheesh.

So there, now I have no more excuse not to blog.

Except that the Christmas Holidays are fast approaching and I've barely started on my shopping. Already, the littlest kid is saying (well actially, bordering on the nagging) that she has at least 20 friends from school that she will give gifts to. Parties and get-togethers are sure to abound as i've got a brood of three girls and a husband with a number of extra-curricular activities. Life will continue to take over but I'm not complaining.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Against All Odds

Thank heavens for Mr. Sun is finally out! 

We are quite thankful too that our family and friends were spared from the onslaught of rain and flood. We pray for those who were affected and may they find strength, courage and incessant faith during this trying time.

Over the past couple of days, my Facebook wall was filled with posts ranging from the gravity of the situation in Metro Manila and in other parts of Luzon to rescue efforts and prayer requests for deliverance. Then too, a number of posts showed  our people's uncanny ability to make light of the catastrophe befallen us. 

Take this, for example:

And this:

And this:

Seriously, I am amazed at our resilience. Amidst tragedy, we, Filipinos, are always ready with a smile (and a joke) to ease our burdens.  No amount of rainfall could dampen our spirits. As a parting shot, this last one says it all.

Yey, I Cooked!!!

Me, slaving in our kitchen is such a rare sight. Lucky me, it is dear HB who cooks for me and our girls. Last night, on no special occasion, I did putter in the kitchen and produced this treat for my family:

Sukiyaki

I scoured the internet for the easiest recipe for this and was slightly disheartened to see that my ingredients were not complete. Most of the recipes I found called for mirin (Japanese cooking wine) and celery. But HB had already bought the meat and the green onions and he had Kikkoman in the cupboard. Another dash to the grocery would have made my feet cold in spite of the hot and dry clime we are currently experiencing. Postponing the cooking to another time until I get the ingredients complete was out of the question as I would find other things to do then and HB would have no recourse but to cook it. Such was the cycle of my "attempts" to cook something for my family.

So last night, I made do with what was available and cooked. And it was an easy task! I did have a stumbling moment when I didn't know what to do with the vermicelli noodles (whether to soak it first in water or submerge it directly on the stew) and HB sneaked out to buy beer so I couldn't ask him. Thank goodness for Google, I got my bearings back. 

I'm happy to say that I managed to elicit good reviews from my brood. Now I am inspired to try a few more easy dishes. Suggestions, anyone?

Glorious Sunset in Boracay

The Boracay sunset is truly a picturesque and must-see attraction. As the sun goes down on the horizon, an orange glow is cast over land, sea and sky. 

Sunset cruises aboard the paraw (sailboats) are offered and I could just imagine being in the midst of the sun, sea and sky seemingly afire.

As twilight beckons, people revel on the shore, savoring that last luminescence of the sun.

Happy Birthday Princess Fiona!

The stress level has gone own dramatically ... all the Christmas gifts are wrapped and most were given out during the kid's school parties and our office parties ... the gifts for my side of the family were given out earlier while we are due to have dinner with HB's family in a while. And if I may say so, our party for my youngest daughter, Fiona, went well and was a hit with her close friends. I am so grateful for the parents of her classmates who took the time to bring their daughters to celebrate with us. I am quite thankful too for my brothers and sisters in-law who all exerted efforts to brave the traffic to party with us. We were deeply honored with their presence and it all made Fiona's day special.

To my princess Fiona, happy birthday sweet sweet child and may all your wishes come true! We love you so so much!!!

"This Too Shall Pass"

I first heard this line from the movie, My Best Friend's Wedding. It was in that scene in the hotel corridor when Jules (Julia Roberts' character) was smoking and a bellman walked up to her, told her that she was on a non-smoking floor. Jules then offered the bellman the cigarette and seeing that sad face, he obliged by puffing on her cigarette. Before leaving, he then delivered this line: 

"My grandmother always said, 'This too, shall pass.'"

I tried to Google this line, as I wanted to know who its original author was. Instead,  I stumbled upon this poem which I would now like to share:

This Too Shall Pass

Helen Steiner Rice

If I can endure for this minute

Whatever is happening to me,

No matter how heavy my heart is

Or how dark the moment may be-

If I can remain calm and quiet

With all the world crashing about me,

Secure in the knowledge God loves me

When everyone else seems to doubt me-

If I can but keep on believing

What I know in my heart to be true,

That darkness will fade with the morning

And that this will pass away, too-

Then nothing in life can defeat me

For as long as this knowledge remains

I can suffer whatever is happening

For I know God will break all of the chains

That are binding me tight in the darkness

And trying to fill me with fear-

For there is no night without dawning

And I know that my morning is near.