Small Favors

It's the holiday season; the time for entertaining our beloved family and friends. It's either a casual open house, or a formal sitdown dinner. We're always thinking of a game plan with stylish decorating ideas and fantastic menus to wow our guests.

Greet them with a little something extra before they sit down to dine. This special something is a table name tag. For a fresh approach, cut two circles from heavy paper. Glue a floral pick between the circles. Wrap the pick with a thick ribbon and finish it with a bow. Stick the pick into a bright apple. Personalize the decoration with guest names before gluing it.

This out of the ordinary table name tag is impressive, yet simple to create. After dinner, let each guest bring it as a take-home party favor. Here are some pictures of the decoration from our Thanksgiving dinner.

Fall Season

     October has begun and although we're still getting sunshine, it's starting to get chilly and cold out. Leaves are turning to the shades of yellow and orange and started falling. We went to the Bi-Zi Farm Pumpkin Patch recently, so I decided to do some initial Halloween decorations for our entryway. Kids like it if you have nice decorations in front of your house and it's the first thing they'll see while trick or treating!
     Fall is one of my favorite seasons, it's the first time to start wearing scarves, boots, and sweaters. Since there is nothing much to do outside, it's perfect to just watch movies and sip tea. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and I'm anticipating the upcoming holiday season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Sanctuary

I like the flowers in my garden;

the pink, the mauves, the red,

hydrangeas and begonias

make such a pretty bed!

- June Botham

 



     Summertime is almost over so I made a lookbook of my plants around the garden which I captured their beauty while in full bloom. On the front porch, since it's the focal point of the house, I put a planter of flowers on top of the balusters railing. This is a good alternative to hanging plants, which is hard to maintain because of its height.

     There's an old fountain which is now dirty and ugly so I planted some flowers to enhance it. Some of the flowers all around the house are also included.

     Whenever I'm tired and stressed out, I just gaze at the flowers. It's therapeutic and a stress reliever. It's like my little sanctuary.

 

 

 

 



Viva La Cancun!

     It's been years since we've last went on a vacation, so we've decided to go on a trip-- along with my sister's family (who are from Canada). It was the first time for my family to meet my sister's family, so it was a reunion. It was our 20th anniversary too; my husband and I thought this was a perfect way to celebrate our milestone after years of raising our daughters, working hard, and being busy in general. We couldn't hold in our excitement, mostly because it was our first time in Mexico. The anticipation while waiting for the date was really nerve-wracking.
     We had a lot of fun exploring the island of Isla Mujeres, and the beautiful Marina Lighthouse overlooking the breathtaking view of the Cancun Lagoon.
     We were amazed by the spectacular view and splendid torquoise water of the beaches we visited and the Caribbean Sea as well.
     It was nice to be away from the real world for a few days, just enjoying our trip, relaxing in the beach, and being stress-free from our job. It was really worth it, mainly because of its world class  service and amenities. I wish we could have stay longer. Staying in Cancun was our dream vacation. The memories will forever be cherished by our daughters. I thanked the Lord for protecting us and keeping us safe during our stay in this beautiful island.

Cancun Palace ( the hotel where we stayed )

20th Wedding anniversary celebration

Isla Mujeres ( part of our tour )

A beach below the Mayan Ruins overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Group picture on our last day at Cancun.

Aventura Cove Palace ( part of our tour )

A view from our hotel room.

At the lobby of Aventura Cove Palace

Mayan Ruins ( Tulum Mexico )

At the pool of  the hotel.

Early morning walk at the beach.

Sunrise ( taken at the back of our hotel )

A view from Aquaworld ( a place where we did the snorkeling excursion )

Lorna's family ( at the entrance going to the Mayan Ruins )

Sweet Dutch Baby

We’ve been busy during the weekdays, so Sunday is our family day. If I have time, I would prepare a special dish or dessert that the whole family could enjoy. Last weekend, I served this “Sweet Dutch Baby,” also known as a German pancake, for breakfast. This is a tasty treat of a plus-sized proportion. This outsized pancake is a fun departure from a typical breakfast fare. I also got this recipe from an old magazine!

Ingredients:

1.    1 medium apple (we used half a Granny Smith and half a Golden Delicious)

2.    3 table spoons sugar

3.    ¾ teaspoon cinnamon

4.    2 tablespoons butter

5.    3 large eggs at room temperature

6.    ½ cup milk at room temperature

7.    ½ cup flour

8.    1/8 teaspoon salt

9.    ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

10.  Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Step 1:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel and quarter the apple, then trim away the core. Thinly slice the quarters.

Step 2:

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the sugar and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon with a fork. Add the apple slices and toss until they’re well coated.

Step 3:

Slice the butter into two equal pieces and place them in a 9- or 10-inch glass pie pan or ovenproof skillet.* Put the pan in the oven until the butter melts, about 2 minutes, then use an oven mitt or hot handle holder to remove it from the oven, and swirl the pan to coat its surface.

Step 4:

Spread the apples over the bottom of the pan. Bake until the apples have softened slightly and the butter is bubbling and beginning to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.

Step 5:

Meanwhile, make the pancake batter. In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, four, salt, vanilla, and the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Blend the ingredients on medium speed until they’re well mixed and frothy, about 1 minute.

Step 6:

Use an oven mitt to carefully remove the dish from the oven. Pour the batter over the apples, then bake the pancake until it’s puffy and golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool slightly on a wire rack. (Note: It will deflate quite a bit.) Dust the pancake with confectioners’ sugar and cut into wedges before serving.

*It’s best to use a pan at least 9 inches wide. In a smaller pan, the pancake will take longer to cook and be moister and more custardlike.