bloggingthebasics

[bloggingthebasics]

This cute pup is now with her new loving family... Will miss you boots!!!

[bloggingthebasics]

Homemade maple syrup inspired by Lucynda of Allrecipes 1 Tbs maple flavoring 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup water Bring the water, white sugar, and brown sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in the maple extract; simmer 3 minutes longer.

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Semi-healthy Oatmeal BATTER INGREDIENTS: 2 cups instant oatmeal (blend the oatmeal until flour-like consistency) 1 tsp baking powder 1 mashed banana 2 eggs 3/4 cup almond milk 1/2 tsp salt 1. Mix all dry ingredients. Make a hole in the center and mix in wet ingredients, including mashed banana. 2. Mix smoothly 3. Heat pan with oil and cook pancake batter 4. Flip until sides are brown Put butter or margarine and maple syrup. Serve hot and enjoy!

[bloggingthebasics]

While waiting for the hubby I snapped a photo of Bedford Virginia’s library, I don’t know what’s in this library but I definitely can focus here than other libraries. Maybe because the setup is on point. Less distractions. I just love it!

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Our green card journey

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One evening, I and the hubhub went to see the Star! (If you are in #Roanoke it’s a must-see landmark) it was unusual for me to see a lot of people because we normally visit at odd hours, so we’d have the Star all by ourselves. I figured, the crowd may be tourists from other states since it was a Salem-fair-week, which I have yet to attend one of these days. It was nice to be on the overlook, as always. The city lights colliding with fireflies, as usual, is magical for me. 

After some conversations with strangers (this is mostly Jon) and some pictures (this is me), we decided to go to a quieter place. When we finally had a chance, we were able to stargaze for a while and marvel at the stars. Before these though, I realized there were no street lights along the highway at this point in the Parkway it was a little creepy, okay, a lot creepy, we’re in the woods fcol. With all the weird films and news I’ve seen of course my imagination went bonkers. However, I diverted my focus on the stars, I had to, and it was awesomesauce. My eyes just started to blur everything except the enchanting stars. They are so pretty and bright that we can actually see the constellations 💫 

It’s quite funny to finally see the same bright star together with the husband and in person now than when we used to be 13820 kilometers apart, sending our love through a machine, talking over the phone telling him that Venus is twinkling while he was on the other side of the earth staring at the sunshine or something along those lines. C-R-A-Z-Y times of our lives indeed. Wow, looking back to this particular long distance relationship memory, mmmm… just can’t thank God enough for the things He did to get us through those crayjy times… 

At some point I and the hubhub were in our individual spots connecting the imaginary dots to form a constellation, it was fun. I remembered my dad would ask us to all go out some nights, pull out a chair in the middle of the street and teach us the constellations with my sisters and baby cousin. I love the stars but I can’t seem to memorize which is which?! I would need a refresher because I never really paid attention to what my dad was saying. The thought of staying up late at night in the middle of the street with our chairs and this BIG book about stars was too fun and distracting. That was a pretty good memory though. 

So, I and the husband started to figure out the small dipper together when all of a sudden one star flew and I was shocked! It was mind-boggling I tell you. Turns out there are several satellites orbiting the earth for several reasons like GPS, security purposes and the list goes on, Alexa it or Siri it. I had my Jon to explain it. It was quite funny aligning the stars in your imagination and then suddenly it’s misaligned because your “star” got away. Then, it happened again when we found Orion, it was funny to me and fascinating at the same time. The husband is used to it and wasn’t amused as me. 

After a while a bright light was coming towards our way, it was the parkway officer’s headlights. He wanted to know what we were up to, we simply said, just star gazing. He was surprised, not many people are doing that anymore he said. We had a good chat with him for a few minutes. It was a memorable time with Le hubhub, especially when I saw several wishing stars. I went on a wishing spree that night hehe…. Ahhh another digitally immortalized moment here.

[bloggingthebasics]

Burrito Express

Ingredients:

Finley chopped lettuce (ala chipotle)

Cilantro

½ Diced fresh onion

1 Diced fresh tomato

2 cups Brown rice

4 soft taco shell

1 Microwaveable corn or canned corn

1 Low sodium kidney beans in can

¼ -½ kg Ground beef (I used what’s available which is a leftover patty and crumbled it to pieces)

1 small Canned diced tomato 

1 Tbs Low sodium Mexican mix

Iodized Salt (to taste)

Cream cheese (optional)

Mild salsa (optional)

Recipe:

1. Cook brown rice. (Water-rice ratio 1 cup rice:2 cups H20)

2. Wash fresh ingredients. Soak fresh ingredients in baking powder for 12 minutes. Rinse. Chop/ dice set aside.

3. Heat saucepan, add 2 Tbs. Olive oil and brown beef. (Mine was ready-made, my beef came after mushed beans) Add salt and pepper. 

3. Add can of kidney beans. Mush with a spatula. 

4. Add can of diced tomatoes. Let it simmer.

5. Add a Tbs of Low sodium Mexican Mix (add more for more Ariba flavor)

6. Add salt and pepper to taste

7. Mix in rice and corn

8. Warm soft taco

9. Lay soft taco in a plate and add in mixed beans with lettuce, fresh diced tomatoes, fresh diced onion, cilantro, cream cheese, hot sauce, wrap and serve! 

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Sunday to morning Monday reads...

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IF

Day 1- Started to fast from 7pm last night. Woke up around 7am undecided if I will fast today. Waiting for the hubby to arrive from his evening shift.  It is now 12:43 pm the next day and got a message from my cousin and sent me the benefits of fasting for 30 days. So this is officially day 1. The mental challenge is real. I’m hangry (angry+hungry or more on the frustrated side). 

Unsuccessful! 3 or 4 pm I broke my fast. I will stick to exercising and eating better. If you were unsuccessful too. You're not alone! We'll do better next time.

[bloggingthebasics]

Puppies started to open their eyes. 🐶😄🐕😚

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The feeling of seeing your first Disney film–not a huge fan as an adult now– that’s what I felt the first time I saw something extraordinary in person for the longest time. Tonight, I witnessed a beautiful site. A picturesque view of glowing fireflies and a dear on a wide field. It’s magical! It’s so pretty it hurts kind of moment. It didn’t end there, after a few miles of driving with the hubby, we saw two horses and fireflies around them too. Aaaah… Mt. Ridges and it’s creatures are awesome. Hashtag Virginia is for (nature) lovers too.

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It’s the end of Spring and the start of Summer in Virginia now. It is pretty hot and humid but heat dissipates with occasional rains and the ever so reliable AC. it feels like home, the Philippines.

As I get acclimated to weather changes in the US, little inconveniences from shivering cold weather to squint causing heat don’t bother me as much. I love the four seasons, they have their own “personalities”. I was able to experience Fall which is something to look forward to when in Virginia. And I was able to survive the snow season too, although, I have yet to experience a thicker snow people have been talking about.  

Now, I am enjoying Spring and Summer. The four seasons have been kind to me. The other evening a beautiful glowing tree was calling my attention. I have never seen a tree glow as if Christmas lights were hanged and had the twinkling setting on. The sight of hundreds (or thousands) of fireflies glow was pretty, calming, and mesmerizing. I have seen some in the Philippines--we call it alitaptap, I remember having a thick yellow book of folklore from back home I think it was part of our Filipino literature--but, not this plenty. I can live in the country if this was my view every night, it takes my worries away. 

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I'm a grandma! Furgrandma that is! 6/7/2018

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At Holden Beach with my love, family and friends. Will never turn down beach invitation. How are you spending summer?

[bloggingthebasics]

One time, my mom-in-law and me were driving to the house from work and just conversing. Mid-conversation I smelled a pleasant burning wood. Then after a few miles it smelled like sesame oil. Smell just changes every mile. I realized there’s something funky going on, but mom was just chill. After a few more, I smelled ammonia, after a while, I was coughing and catching my breath. I couldn’t keep up with our conversation and was disoriented by the smell. Mom was laughing while she was driving. In my head I was hysterically asking myself “what is going on”?! I couldn’t think straight but wondered why she couldn’t stop laughing, she asked, do you smell that? I coughingly said yes! She said, that’s a skunk! I paused…And then we laughed. Finally know how they smell like and what it can do to you. Phew! I felt like a 5 year old learning to smell new smells. While laughing, mom said she was glad she was there to witness my first skunk encounter and reminisced the time when her children had their first skunk encounters. Haha l❤ve my momma-in-law and our little moments together.

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In case you’re looking for Vietnamese food in Roanoke, Virginia. Visit Viet Sub. 1403 Williamson Rd NE, Roanoke, VA 24012 Place has no air condition though but has outdoor seating. I was a little disappointed with the peanut sauce and fresh spring rolls because I’m used the sweet nutty taste of the Vietnamese restaurants back in the Philippines (shout out to Banh Mi and the other one near my Baptist school) and having shrimp inside it. However, overall, it was a pleasant experience. Price and serving size are reasonable. Will definitely visit again. 😊

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Few days together, after the wedding was interesting. A lot of adjustments and learning were made. One time, one of these rings actually almost got into the sewers and my husband had to get it out of the sink’s pipe. The whole mishap got him in trouble (somewhat) and made him late for work. Looking back, I felt like a frantic Frodo, I felt bad and devasted that the ring went down the drain (literally and figuratively) and the hubby had to go through the yucky part while all dressed up for work.  

Moral of the story:

Never leave rings beside the sink.