couponing 101

ive been really wanting to try my hand at couponing after hearing the ridiculous amount of savings left after purchase from some people. the photo above is my first couponing transaction. 6 items for less than $10! what an awesome deal! i was both perplexed & amazed while wanting to give myself a pat on the back on the drive home. amazed because i paid so little for everything. perplexed because my game plan of one transaction didn't quite work out & instead was split into two transactions from the cashier, which actually turned out in my favor. 

after watching more you tube videos & post briefing after with my friend who's been coaching me, i think im slowly seeing the main objective of how to coupon to get the best prices! i have a few couponing terms under my belt such as "ecb" & "matched deals" & have quite a ways to go as far as learning & stacking coupons in order to get the lowest deals!

what's also serving as my motivation to learn more is preparing a balikbayan (box sent over seas by filipinos containing goodies) box for my parents with the items they requested. items like paper towel, laundry detergent, dish washing soap, etc are items i always see on sale or have some sort of deal going on. these items can be stock piled for both my parents & myself. 

im terrible at math but determined to save where i can & shop wiser for basic living necessities! 

more paper projects

my little journey of craftiness & creativity started when i was gifted a cricut after my engagement. prior to that i didn't think i had a creative bone in my body. or perhaps i just never made the time. i love the excitement, exhilaration, & feeling of accomplishment when i've completed a project. it's allowed the perfectionist in me to be messy. to have failures & start over again if i didn't get something right. after all it's just paper right? :) 

here's a look back at two projects. 

cake topper for a friends birthday cheesecake. 

i made hot chocolate + marshmallow favors for my bridal shower. the font i used had these darling hearts. i printed out a "you warm my heart" tag to finish it off. 

i can't wait to grow my skills in this little area of my life that brings me such happiness & excitement!

glitter star bobby pins

i made these adorable glitter star bobby pins for a few girlfriends & their daughters. they were quite easy to make & all i needed were 3 items! gold star embellishment found at michaels (or you can even modge podge your own star shape & just add glitter), bobby pins, & a hot glue gun! it only took minutes to make & the end result were cute hair pins with a bit of sparkle! 

to finish it off i cut out some gift tags, attached gold ribbon, wrote a personalized message for the receivers, & placed the star hair pins on the gift tag. 

san francisco outting

the bff & i had a day date in sf today. i haven't seen her since our wedding so it felt great to be reunited again. we started our morning walking around haight street. we also scoped out the area in which she will be working at starting tomorrow. 

the bay area has been undergoing odd winter weather. while the east coast is experiencing their coldest winter, it feels like spring here. sometimes it's almost even like summer. with fall & winter being my favorite months i certainly miss cold & cozy winter days. however. we took advantage of sun's prescence & had lunch at delfina & ice cream at bi rite. 

i ordered my favorite spicy cauliflower dish. it's a combination of chewy, crunchy, soft, spicy, mild, & briny. absolutely delicious! we also shared pizza. after lunch we walked down the street for an obligatory salted caramel ice cream. 

emboss like a boss

being a paper craft nerd, anything paper related projects for our wedding, was something i looked forward to! in fact it was probably one of my most favorite parts of our wedding. 

to tie in with our accent color of gold, i embossed gold name tags for the groomsmen gifts. i loved the end result & it was much more friendly on the wallet than gold foiling from vendors. i found these awesome stamps at paper source that mimicked a vintage typewriter font. armed with my embossing gun, stamp pad, & gold powder my friday night in was spent diy-ing & having fun! 

mississippi crock pot

i saw this recipe floating around pinterest so i thought id give it a try. butter? yes! pepperoccini? heck yes! super tender meat? oh yeah! i set the crock pot over night so it would be ready by morning to pack for lunch at work. it took me less than 5 minutes to prep..so very quick & easy!

most reviews for this pot roast were promising. i don't think i saw more than one complaint or alteration amongst the reviews. however, while delicious i would definitely lessen the amount of butter next time around. the sauce was delicious but one whole stick was to much for the hubby & i. id like to add in some mushrooms & carrots too. 

mississippi crock pot: 

1 beef roast 

1 pack dry ranch dressing mix

1 pack dry au jus mix

handful of pepperoccini 

1 stick of butter 

1) dump everything in the crockpot

2) set on low for 8 hours

3) enjoy! 

the three B's

today i was in a hurry to cook lunch that doubled as my dinner to take to work. had some brussel sprouts & bacon in the fridge so i quickly made my no fail dish. balsamic glazed bacon & brussel sprouts. two birds with one stone & oh so yummy!

it's a party

a friend recently came into town from seattle to celebrate her birthday & we all had a blast celebrating her! one thing definitely is for sure...i can't party like i used to in my early & mid twenties. i was beat! i spent the next day in bed, sleeping, resting, & recovering. how did i do it back then? partying until early morning with only a few hours or even minutes sleep before reporting to work. only to go out again the next night. thinking about it is exhausting! nonetheless, good times were had!

friday night

the bff & i had a faith filled friday night at the launch of the dare to be event. hearts were lifted, hundreds of women raising their light, & daring to believe they we were made to shine from & through gods love & his purpose. a friday well spent! 

reusable bags

hubby & i hosted a welcome luncheon with guests the day before our wedding. we opted out of a formal dinner rehearsal & wanted to include others outside the wedding party. we thought a luncheon at the beach would be a great way for guests to meet one another. i ordered  reusable bags with our custom logo & made gift tags. i ended up loving the uneven, imperfect, & sometimes faded application of the letters i stamped. then i finished it off by neatly folding the bags & securely wrapping twine around it for a nice presentation. 

the guests ended up using it as beach bags, dirty laundry bag, & to haul snacks/food they purchased at nearby stands & market. im glad it was both multifunctional & useful! 

one month married dinner!

the hubby & i decided to celebrate our one monthaversary dinner at wayfare tavern. sometimes it just all feels surreal..like im going to burst from all this happiness!

today, i came home from work happy & excited to kiss my husband goodnight. i was off at midnight so even though he was already asleep i kissed him on the cheek & gave him an extra tight hug. ive always been so excited to come home to him but now im ten times giddy! newly wed bliss! im taking it all in..absorbing the goodness of this time in my life.

kielbasa skillet recipe

today, i finally got started on the laundry, unpacking, & cleaning that i needed to start. i have been putting off everything that needs to be tackled, since coming back, due to crazy times of waking up & sleeping, only to have a difficult time going back to sleep. major jet lag. yesterday, i decided that it was time to use an over the counter sleep aid to help me re-adjust back to normal sleeping times. i slept early & woke up at a decent time. hooray!

anyhow, today's lunch was a savory homemade kielbasa dish. the recipe is as follows. 

1 onion (diced)

1 pack of smoked kielbasa (cut diagonally)

2 red potatoes (diced)

1 yellow potato (diced)

handful of baby spinach leaves

2 tbsp dijon mustard 

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1) chop potatos & fry in oil 

2) set fried potatos aside & add in sliced keilbasa & onions. cook until brown.

3) add in dijon mustard, cider vinegar, & brown sugar to onions & keilbasa. add in potato. stir everything together. add in spinach until it reduces in size & wilts. 

enjoy with rice or eat as is! 

one month married!

a month ago to date i married my husband. its been pure newywedded bliss since & i'm soaking it all in. thankful. beyond grateful & incredibly blessed.  what will stay etched forever in my memory during this time in our lives is that extra squeeze in our hugs as we hold on to each other a little tighter. i'll never forget the extra tenderness in the words we express to one another & how proudly we both say "husband" or "wife."

everyone has different fairy tales they envision in their lives. ever since i was a little girl mine was my career. i put myself through college & sacrificed greatly for this.  it's been a difficult reality to face that my "happy ending" has not yet come. things don't go exactly as planned no matter how much i prepared. as always, in gods eyes, my timeline is not my lifes plan. hard work doesn't always guarantee the goal i had envisioned would come into fruition. even if its years of dedication. its been a struggle to accept that. i am still working on it. i have to keep putting in work. everyday, i remind myself that gods delays arent his denials.

the past 3 years have been a difficult one. i hit rock bottom. i felt depression like i've never known. i found myself in dark corners & endless pitfalls. god truly humbled & open eyes to realize i cannot do it alone. it is through my weakness that he is slowly strengthening me. it is through casting all my fears & leaning on god that i have learned how much i should depend on him. if theirs on dependable person in this world who won't fail me, it is god.

my husband saw me at my lowest. he wiped away every aching tear. always reassured me i'd have a place to go to. bought me groceries & made sure i ate. held me tightly when i didn't want to get out of bed. he has been such a huge support system & i found myself slowly asking for help. you see, when you've been accustomed to doing things on your own for a very long time its not easy asking for help. it made me feel stupid. i felt foolish. sometimes ashamed. i constantly beat myself up for not being able to provide for myself like i use too. i felt unworthy. still, i was loved despite not loving myself enough.

i truly believe god has his reasons to open certain doors. he also has his reasons to keep certain ones closed. even when i struggle to believe the latter because of my emotions, it doesn't change the fact of "according to gods plan." in his time & only he knows his reasons. in my quest to become an licensed registered nurse & land my first job, he opened the door to a fairy tale i didn't think would happen until years (2-3 years according to my life timeline) later. i was so fixated in my dream fairy tale of a career coming true that i didn't even see the proposal coming. what i didn't see coming turned out to be this huge blessing enveloping me in love. my husband teaches me about self kindness. a gift he reminds me to give myself.

i can't even begin to describe what an incredible journey being engaged was for me, let alone put into words the abundance of pure joy & overwhelming happiness i felt on our wedding day. up until that day on december 7,  i had never felt so much hope & faith not only in love but in life! it gave me a renewed sense of courage that i can tackle what life brings me firstly with god by my side & now an incredible man i get to call my husband!

their are times where i still feel pain in my heart & things are still unresolved but their is also love. a lot of love. an abundantly overflowing love that will only grow stronger, atleast i hope, over the years. love conquers & it is much more powerful than any pain or brokenness we experience in this world.

sometimes, in the middle of an ordinary life god gives you a fairy tale & the things happens not in accordance to your own timeline turn out be the biggest blessings. my husband is my biggest blessing & i'm infinitely grateful.

hello & farewell

a little over a week later, im still feeling quite jet lagged. bed time is in between the hours of 6(am)-8(am) instead of 10(pm)-11(pm). the hubby & i, when we do sleep early, wake up at random hours in the wee morning & their goes our efforts to sleep at a decent time. 

laundry has yet to be folded, were only half way unpacked, things need to go to storage or donation, grocery & meal planning need to commence & none or barely half of it has been done. 

as soon we arrived back from our honeymoon our main priority was spending time with my parents before they were off. my tito & tita hosted a small dinner at their house as both a welcome to the newlyweds & farewell to the retirees.

tito chris made the delicious duck, brussels sprouts, & the dacquoise..oh that chocolate espresso dacquoise it was beyond divine! crispy layers of almond & hazelnut meringue sandwiched in buttercream. it was gone in less than 10 minutes & had all of us wanting more! 

praise god!

today the hubby & i attended our first sunday service of this new year. how fitting that the topic was about "newlyweds." when i am in the presence of people sharing their vulnerable truths i am always so touched & humbled by their bravery to tell their story.

the pastor recalled a story of when he was a newlywed 35 years ago. he shared his anxieties about the role of being a husband in his twenties, with financial struggles, & a baby on the way. we even chuckled when he admitted "i wanted to return my pregnant wife to my father in law. i was so worried about not knowing how to figure all of it out." we left with the affirmation of gods continued prescence in our lives. the sermon, so fitting, of where i am in my life was gift. 

my hopes are that we grow stronger over the years & work hard to keep god as the center in our marriage. 

torta

that little pile of omelette stacks may not look the most appealing but it is hubby's favorite filipino food. ground beef, eggs, garlic, potatoes, onion, & tomato mixture with rice & a dalop of ketchup on the side. he can eat this for breakfast, lunch, & dinner! 

brown apple betty

i made my first brown apple betty last fall & it's something that i knew would become tradition every autumn & winter season. 

it's one of those "i don't have anything in my fridge or pantry" desserts that's so easy to throw together. after tearing/slicing apart pieces of bread (any bread works wonderfully) & slicing up some fruit (any seasonal fruit works from apples, pears, or peaches) you're not to far from a comforting dessert that's just as delicious as a traditional fruit pie or cobbler. it's so easy to make using only five ingredients! after layering the bottom of my pyrex with apple slices (i used 3 apples) i sprinkled one cup of brown sugar on top of the fruit slices. then i lay the sliced pieces of bread at the top. i add i cup of melted butter, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon, & bake in oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. 

no need to worry about making the  crust. the crunch of the bread gives this dessert a nice texture. it takes me about 20 minutes to make & its easier than pie! add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dalop of whip cream & you've got a delicious & comforting all american dessert!

10 things you think about too often

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”

―Albert Einstein

You do know you talk to yourself in your mind all the time, right?

Pretty much every one of us has a non-stop stream of thoughts – a mental monologue – that has a powerful impact on how we feel, how we behave, and how we live our lives.  Too often, this mental monologue consists of unhelpful thoughts that hinder our happiness and effectiveness.

Which is why it’s time to stop thinking about…

1.  Who everyone else wants you to be.

You were born to be you, not who they tell you to be.  You are not here to be perfect; you are here to be true.  Be gentle and kind to your heart and soul.  Accept who you are, where you are, and where you came from.

Don’t make a decision based solely on popularity, or based on what others think is right for you.  Just because others are doing something doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for you.

Listen to your gut.  Now is the moment to follow your intuition and pursue what matters most to you.  Reach deep within yourself and awaken to the purpose that moves you and makes you feel alive.  The world is filled with opportunities to do an infinite number of things, so why not align your efforts with the activities that speak to your soul.

2.  What you don’t have.

Instead of thanking the heavens for two strong legs and a body that’s capable of running and jumping and dancing, lots of people complain about their weight and appearance.

Instead of appreciating that they live in a country that protects their basic human rights and civil liberties, lots of people complain about laws, taxes, and politicians.

Instead of being grateful for the roof they have over their heads, lots of people wish they had a larger house and a fancier car.

Don’t be one of these people.

To witness miracles unfold in your daily life,count your blessings and be thankful for what you DO have.  Lots of people aren’t so lucky. 

3.  What you fear.

As Franklin D. Roosevelt so profoundly said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

That’s the honest truth.  The real thing that keeps you down is fear.  The reason your fears have so much power over you is simply because you give them this power by thinking about them – the worst-case scenario, what you don’t want to happen, etc.

It’s time to take a stand.  It’s time to clear your fears from your thoughts.  It’s time to acknowledge that your fear of grief is far worse than the grief you fear.

4.  Old mistakes.

Why regret?  This moment doesn’t have any mistakes in it yet.  It’s brand new.

You have a choice to make right here, right now.  You can hold onto old mistakes or you can make progress going forward with the new beginning you’ve just been given.

It’s time to be bold.  It’s time to stop reading the previous chapter of your life and start writing the one you’re currently living.  Learn from your old mistakes and march confidently on.  Sure you’ll make new mistakes along the way, but that’s the whole point – you want to learn from new mistakes, not rot alongside old ones.

Living means taking chances that are worth taking and making mistakes that are worth making.  Right now is simply a new chance to get it right, but you have to let go and take this chance.

5.  Old wounds.

You will grow much stronger and find peace once you stop picking at your old wounds.  Consciously replaying a painful memory over and over in your head is self-abuse.  Your past has given you the strength and awareness you have today.  Don’t let it haunt you.  Celebrate it.

Your wounds are your wisdom.  Let them heal.  Let them scar.

In order for this to occur, you must know why you felt the way you did, what you learned from it, and why you no longer need to feel that way.  It’s about accepting the past, letting it be, and pushing your spirit forward.

You may carry a small scar with you for the rest of your life.  Realize that this is perfectly OK.  A scar is the effect of healing – it’s what makes you whole again.  

6.  Impressing the wrong people.

You could spend your entire life trying to impress everyone around you.  Of course, it wouldn’t get you very far.

Purposely impressing people is an act that brings nothing but a fleeting ego boost.  Be real instead.  Connect with fewer people on a level that is deeper and more profound.

If you want to impress someone, impress yourself by making progress on something you’re sincerely proud of.  It’s truly amazing what you can accomplish when you aren’t worried about what everyone around you thinks.

7.  Important dreams you aren’t actively pursuing.

The point here is simple:  STOP thinking and START doing.

The road of life is jam packed with dreams that aren’t going anywhere.  Why?  Because the people driving these dreams haven’t started their engines.  So many people endlessly put off until tomorrow what they could do today.  There are literally millions of promising, intelligent people in this world who have no plan at all, who wait for others to drive and steer their lives and their dreams for them.

Having a dream without an action plan is exactly like a beautiful sports car without an engine.  You know what she could do if she could do it, but she can’t.  Turn your dream into an actionable plan and then start executing your plan.  Make no promise for tomorrow when you have the opportunity to make progress today.

8.  The impossible looking aerial view of a big project.

An aerial view of a big project always looks daunting.  But once you break it down into small parts, suddenly it’s no longer a big, impossible project.  It’s simply a bunch of little, achievable ones.

The key is to subdivide a big project into smaller tasks and break each task down further into logical steps for each task.  Thinking about the big picture is important on occasion to keep track of your progress, but on a daily basis you should be focused only on the step you’re taking at the time.

The toughest part is laying out what you actually have to do to get each task done, but it’s worth the time and effort.  By thinking about it, and breaking it down, you’ve already accomplished the hardest part – you’ve built yourself a step-by-step instruction manual for getting the project completed.  

9.  Situations you have zero control over.

Some parts of your life are simply meant to be lived, not controlled.  No matter what happens, no matter the outcome, you’re going to be just fine.  Let the things you can’t control, happen.

Spend your thoughts and efforts on controlling what you do have power over, rather than wasting your peace of mind on the uncontrollable.

10.  Another time and place.

Sometimes we avoid experiencing exactly where we are because we have developed a belief, based on past experiences, that it is not where we should be or want to be.  But the truth is, where you are now is exactly where you need to be to get to where you want to go tomorrow.

The present moment is always filled with wonder.  Right now is a phenomenon.  Right now extraordinary things are happening.  If you are attentive, you will see them.

i received that in my inbox this morning & what a wonderful reminder to start 2014 by being in the present moment as much as possible!