gps

We bought a GPS last July 17. We thought we did not need one. But we want to explore places and it's so hard to read the map. And we decided to have one. We bought ours from Future shop - $69.99 on sale, TomTom brand but refurbished. Normally prices of GPS ranges to $100-$300, that's why before we don't buy one. Asked some questions about how it works and what's the difference between refurbished and not refurbished.

We tried it and oohh... it's better than the map! after exploring and trying we saw ourselves already heading to harbour front in downtown. My husband is not really familiar with the streets in downtown and GPS really helped him a lot! So we reached harbour front easily parked and headed to centre island. Stayed there for 3 hrs. We enjoyed the place and we're coming back definitely.

And with the help of the mighty GPS, we easily got home without hassle. Thanks GPS, and I think this a good decision and good buy, too.

my andrius

One day in downtown Toronto,
my son Andrius said "Mom, I want to be an actor."
"Ok, son, but you have to follow what the director will tell you, like cry.
Then he said" What??? Why?"
I answered "because an actor should know how to do all kinds of expressions and feelings."
Then he asked again "why?" I answered "because it's the way it is. Can you show me diffent expressions? Can you show me a happy face, how bout an angry one? a scary one? Wow, pede na. You can be an actor.
The he smiled back at me.

These past few days, every time Andrius gets frustrated, he cried with tears. Every time he gets mad he cried. Yesterday while he was eating lunch, he said to me that he's finish already but when I saw his plate he's not yet finished. So I told him eat your food.
"But I don't want to. I'm full already."
"No, you're not, eat."
Then he started crying again.
"Why are you crying? I told you, you should not cry because your a big boy now not a baby anymore. You're turning 5 this month. So from now on no more crying."

Then, he looked confused and said "How can I be an actor if I'm not allowed to cry?" with teary eyes again.

I answered with a smile "Oh, dear baby andrius, it's a different thing. Ok stop crying now. You can still cry if the director requests it." And i gave him a hug.

Oh, kids, I love them. Their lives are so simple but complicated to them.

cheesecake

i love cheesecakes especially the blueberry one. Ever since I came here in Canada I think I just ate cheesecake only twice because it is expensive. The first cheesecake I bought was from Fortino's (a grocery chain here) and it's the house brand, President's Choice. It costs I think CAD$7.00 for a quarter of a 9-inch round pan.


I also tasted one from Karpaty/Euromax (Polish Grocery) but I don't like their version of cheesecake because it has gelatin in it, not pure cream cheese.

Since I really crave for blueberry cheesecake, I decided to make one last weekend. But first I have to buy the ingredients, cream cheese, filling, sour cream. I bought first also a baking pan from Winners. I really have to do this because I have a pan already. We went to NO Frills last Sunday, bought cream cheese, blueberry filling (No Name brand since it costs less but the same quality), 14% sour cream, Graham for crust, all these from the recipe "Philadelphia New York Cheesecake Squares."

I did not follow the exact recipe since it calls for a square one, so I used a round pan, reduce the measurements in half (I'm on a budget!), and it's my first time to do it so making a small cake is OK in case the output will no be ok. But I'm really hoping it will...

Ingredients complete, measuring cups, spoons, checked. Oh, the mixer! We dropped by at my sister-in-law's house to pick up the long overdue of picking up the mixer. She gave me the mixer because she's not using it for a long time. Did I mention that my husband's family are experts in baking? Yeah, my mother-in-law and her daughters. I think they grew up baking since they make good money out of it. And they made good cakes as I have heard. I tasted the rolls, macaroons and chiffon cake, and they are right it's really good!

So I had the mixer and I'm ready to roll. I made the cake last Monday, so tired already last Sunday.

Read the recipe over and over, then started. Crust first, then mixing the ingredients, cheese, sugar, sour cream, eggs. and i forgot to add vanilla. It's not on my list when I did the shopping. Hmmp, one ingredient out. What the heck, with or without vanilla, I will finish the cake!

After preparing for about 30 minutes, baked the cake for an hour (the recipe said 40-45 mins.) Cooled it down and refrigerated it. I reminded my kids not to touch the cake because it's not yet done.

I came home that night from work and excited to finish the cake. I opened the blueberry filling and put some on top of the cake. Wow, I can't wait to taste it...




Not bad for the first time, even though the sides are not perfect. My craving for cheesecake is satisfied now. My husband and kids liked it and they want me to bake one again...
And the cheesecake only lasted for 1 day...





Next for my baking, carrot cake (I did this before!), Mommy Fely's famous rolls(only tried once) and crinkles (as inspired by my friend Duch back in college).

homesickness

it's been almost 2 years since we left the Philippines. Everything is new for us (my family migrated here in Canada), a big adjustment will be made. New environment, new weather, new people, everything is new. but i did not really felt homesick.

last night, i greeted my mom through FB. It's their 40th wedding anniversary. Yes, 40th. I asked her did you have any celebration? She answered "wala, kasi wala nman kayo d2 e." then she told me she felt like crying after she read my greeting in FB.
We chatted for few more minutes and i told her it's time for me to sleep since it's already late.

I can't sleep that night. i was thinking about what she said. that she really missed us, ginger and I since we're very far from her. I missed the times that I can easily talk to her. The times that we chatted, mom, ginger, me and toni. It's like we're just sisters even with the age gap. I miss her very much even sometimes I gave her sermons, it's the other way around, I gave sermons to my mom. I missed that. I missed her advices and teachings about life. I really learned a lot from her especially as a mother. I learned to be strong, be patient, be respectful because of her.


Now i felt homesick. I missed home, even my second home (mommy fely's home.) Maybe someday I'll be home, but not now...

reel mower

i finally assembled our reel mower. got it from canadian tire for only $69.99 (yeah, it's on sale). I thought it's hard because when i opened the box and saw the knots, bolts, etc. i thought i cannot do it. but yesterday bravely opened it and patiently read the instructions. it's easy, i thought only a guy can do it! but i did it!

next step: MOW THE LAWN

after assembly, did some testing to a part of the lawn then it goes, and goes, easy, gave a big push, hmm yeah it can cut grass! not bad for a non-electric/gas operated mower. and i finished mowing the backyard. not bad for a beginner!

now, removing the mowed grass. yeah, since it's a reel mower, there's no bag to catch the grass unlike lawn mowers (expensive ones $200 and up) with so many gadgets or specialty included.

ours is just a mower. It cannot cut the tall, long, skinny grass. i think i need a grass trimmer. maybe i'll just borrow. we bought also a rake. so i raked (is it the right verb?) the mowed grass. it's easy but it's tiring to hold the rake for a long period. took a rest every once in a while.

now i'm looking at the back yard, i think it's better but not comparable to my neighbor's backyard, but at least it's a start.

now it's the front yard's turn.