My first out-of-the-recipe cooking experience

For the past few days, Little Andoy has been having asthma attacks accompanied by runny nose and slight fever. It might have been caused by the crazy change in weather. We usually stay in my parents’ house when Little Andoy is sick so my mom and sister can take care of the sick little one while I am in the office.

I love staying at my parents’ place from time to time as I get to bond with my sisters like we used to. The other night, while looking for something to munch on, I saw a bag of oatmeal in their kitchen cabinet. Then I remembered seeing an oatmeal recipe when I was browsing the internet last week. I asked my sister if she wants to try it out and so we did.

I love reading recipes and looking at pictures of food but I very seldom cook. This is a first for me.

Ingredients:

1 cup oatmeal

1 ½ cups water

Flavoring

Butter

Bananas

Cooking procedure:

Cook the oatmeal in water. Once cooked, spread the oatmeal evenly in a pan (about 2–3 cm thick). You can add some flavorings and a little sugar, if desired. I dropped a little banana flavoring into the oatmeal mixture and sugar. Let it cool down and put it in the fridge overnight. You can also use left over oatmeal from breakfast.

The next day, take the oatmeal out of the pan and cut into serving size. Fry the oatmeal in butter until brown and crispy. Fry the banana in butter and place on top of the fried oatmeal. Serve.

I did not put fried bananas on my oatmeal because I used the sweetened bananas I found in the fridge which my mom cooked the past weekend

Not bad for a first timer.

 

Fresh out of the pan

 

My fried oatmeal topped with sweetened bananas

Daddy's shirt

I have been missing in action for the past weeks because I was making the most out of my hubby's remaining days before he went on board the ship. He flew to Singapore last week to join the other crew members for another nine months contract. I don't think I could ever get used to dropping him off at the airport every now and then. I always dread the day of seeing the NAIA Terminal 1 or 2 departure area. I hate goodbyes at the airport.

We didn't bring Little Andoy with us this time because it is more heartbreaking to hear him wail while looking back at his dad as the car pulls away from the departure area. That's what he did last year when we dropped his dad off at NAIA Terminal 2.

Every time his dad leaves for work, I always keep the last shirt he wore the night before. I put it beside Little Andoy every night so he won't miss his dad. I do this for a week or two until he stops asking where his dad is.

We left for the airport before 6am last week while Little Andoy was still sleeping. His dad left his shirt beside him and kissed him goodbye. When I got home a few hours later, he was still sleeping. When he woke up, he saw his dad's shirt and said, "Look, it's daddy's shirt!"

It has only been four days since my husband left so Little Andoy is still holding on and playing with daddy's shirt.

A surprise visit to relatives

My maternal grandmother is from Morong, Rizal. When I was young, we often visit our relatives there. Even though it is just a two-hour trip away from Marikina, I always feel as though I am in a much far away province because of the ambiance. My parents both grew up in Marikina so I don't get to spend summer vacations in the province like my classmates back in grade school and high school. A visit to nearby provinces always make me excited.

Last Sunday was Morong's town fiesta. My mother called me up at around 9 in the morning to ask if I wanted to go. Of course I said yes. If my memory serves me right, I last visited the place when I was still in high school. My mother, my sister, my husband and Little Andoy took a cab to my aunt's house in Antipolo for the carpool with her family. It was only an hour drive from Antipolo so we arrived shortly before 1pm. Just in time for lunch. Not knowing that we are going to their place, my lola's sisters were very excited to see us. It was also my husband's and Little Andoy's first time to go there.

I couldn't remember how many times I went back to the table to eat. There were lots of food. Everybody was so happy to see each other again. It was like a mini family reunion.

 

Little Andoy 's milk time while lying down the papag in the front yard of my lola's house

 Playing around

Piggy back ride with dad

 Enjoying the fresh cool breeze at 3:00 in the afternoon

 Pose with mommy and tita

Bingo time!

Why are you crying?

I just wanna share one of Little Andoy's sweet random moments which always make me beam with pride and joy. Before going to bed, I always wash my face and put on some moisturizer. One evening, I was in front of the mirror and was applying moisturizer on my face. When I got to the eye area, I closed my eyes and gently applied moisturizer around my eyes. While I was doing this, Little Andoy was jumping up and down the bed and watching cartoons. Little did I know that he was also watching me. He stopped jumping, stood beside me and said, "Mommy, why are you crying?" Haha, he thought I was crying and wiping the tears from my eyes! Such a sweet boy. Makes me so proud to be able to raise him into such a sweet and caring person. This sure is one of my precious mommy moments and source of happiness.

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Little Andoy's weekend getaways

I’m glad that despite my busy schedule at work, we were able to squeeze in a little family getaway this month. Hubby’s sister, who works as a nurse in the Middle East, is in the Philippines for a short vacation. She wanted to have some family bonding and so the story of our two consecutive weekends getaway.

Last January 14, we went to Pangasinan to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag. If I remember it right, I last visited the Shrine sometime in 1999 or 2000 while I was still in college. I’m glad to be back after more than a decade. It was hubby’s first time to go there and of course Little Andoy, too. It was a six-hour trip from Marikina so we left just before sunrise. With my mother-in-law and four kids in tow, we had to make a couple of stop overs at some gasoline stations along the way – to stretch out, take little snacks and to use the toilets. We arrived at the Shrine just in time for the next mass. After attending mass, we explored the place for a while, took pictures and had lunch at the picnic grounds. Little Andoy enjoyed watching the fishes in the fish pond.

Sorry for the not so good shot. There were too many people in front of me.

At the garden.

Little Andoy watching the fishes.

The next weekend was a long weekend. Thanks to the Chinese New Year holiday. We went to Pansol, Laguna for a nice warm overnight swimming. Little Andoy was so excited the moment he saw the swimming pool, much more when we took a dip that he was screaming and laughing so loud. He didn’t want to join his cousins in the kiddie pool. He wanted to swim in the big swimming pool instead.

A nice warm night swim

We left around 8am the next morning to head on to our next destination. From Laguna, we went to Tanay, Rizal to visit the Regina Rica. It is a pilgrimage site being managed by Domincan sisters. The place is very serene and on top of a hill is a huge statue of Regina Rosarii. You have to climb the hill to get to the statue. Inside the statue is the prayer room where you can ask Our Lady for your prayer requests and interventions.

Enjoying the cool breeze and green surroundings

We went to my brother-in-law’s house after visiting Regina Rica to eat lunch because it was also their town fiesta that day. We arrived home at around 6pm already.

It was indeed a fully packed weekend for us. Tiring but all worth it.

My sweet little Andoy

Before I leave the office everyday, I always make it a point to give little Andoy a kiss and a hug even on days when he sleeps late in the morning. And every night when I come home from the office, I also hug and kiss him and always ask how his day was.

I got home a bit late this evening because I had to finish some work in the office. Hubby and little Andoy were watching TV in our room when I arrived at around 8:30 pm. I immediately went upstairs, swung the door wide and said “Hello, my little boy! How are you?” He immediately stood up and gave me a kiss and a hug. Then to my surprise (and to my husband’s surprise, too), he said “Dad, kiss mommy!” pointing to me while jumping up and down and grinning from ear to ear. Isn’t he the sweetest? Dad didn’t just give me a peck but also gave me a hug. Little Andoy jumped in and we had one big group hug.