WONDER WIFEY: March 2010

~ "C"

I came across this tip on TV last weekend and I thought I'd share it with y'all.

If you ever wonder if there is anything that can make your silverware sparkle again without putting any chemicals, here's what you need to do:

1. Line a shallow pan with aluminum foil.
2. Fill the pan with about 2-3 inches of warm water.
3. Sprinkle a lot of salt on the water (maybe 2 - 3 tbsp)
4. Soak your tarnished silverware.
5. Leave for about 15-20 minutes.

I wanted to verify this online and found out that 1 teaspoon of baking soda will do the trick as well instead of salt, just wash off, air-dry and buff with a soft clean cloth.

For the stubborn spotted pieces, you may also do the vinegar and milk method:
1. Fill a large cup with vinegar and milk.
2. Soak the silverware in it for about 5-30 minutes (depending on the tarnish level)
3. Scrub rust spots with a hard-bristled toothbrush.
4. Boil some water and soak the silverware in it for about 10 minutes.
5. Repeat as necessary.

Other ways:
Lemon juice!!! You can use it to polish up your silverware using a soft clean cloth.

If you want one more ways, you can use your toothpaste, though it is quite abrasive so don't rub hard. All you need to do is coat your silverware with toothpaste and run them under warm water while rubbing softly with your hand causing it to foam a little.

There you go! That should bring back the sparkle into you silverware. And to your home-dining life as well!

Don't forget...plastic spoons and forks and paper plates are convenient....

But love yourselves, dolls.

Make sure to use your silverware and real plates (not necessarily your finest china) even on ordinary days. They should make you, your husbands and your kids feel more special (even if you have to give just a tad more work for it).

Tags Cleaning silverware, Silverware to sparkle 0 comments | |

Mommy Bops' site coming soon!!!

~ "C"

My sis--my niece Baby Bops' mommy finally gave in today! After I have twisted her arm throughout the whole nine months that she was carrying Baby Bopsie until today, 2 1/2 months after her birth...she's finally putting up a website!

A thousand and one questions, reservations, vascillation about web hosting later, she's finally focusing on one webhosting site to focus on and use. I can't tell you yet because I don't want to steal her thunder, but I'm so excited. I can't wait for her to start her blog and finally post pictures. I warned her that time flies faster than a speeding bullet and so she can't let all those photos pile up on her backlog. After all, she really wants to do it and procrastinating will only put her deeper into the hole. She's the real writer in the family, I am surprised that she's a late bloomer with all this technology.

Driving home, I was already brainstorming on what elements can be added. I'm not a pro but I'm not definitely wet behind the ears either!

So that's what has been happening in our family lately. Blessing, indeed!

This is how she looks like now. And she's going to have her own corner of the world wide web soon!!!

I'll keep you posted!

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Getting Older

~ "C"

The hubs had the big 4-0 last year. One of the things I find amusing and cute about him is his excitement to get old despite the youthful and exuberant facade. He digs hip-hop like crazy still, even when we go out for a night in the town and start looking like chaperons instead. The radio is blasting when he does household chores, like you have a teenager in the middle of an angst-ridden identity crisis. He likes to be babied...to cuddle and to be taken care of (but aren't all grown men real tiny babies inside?). The thing is, he treats every 40-year old body ache as a milestone, an achievement so to speak. He takes pride in every sign and symptom of aging, instead of trying to fight the current. He embraces them, gracefully but without overdoing it. I like that.

Last year, he told me that he already has a style in mind should he start needing to wear prescription eyeglasses. He pulled me aside at the mall and showed me the style like a little child pointing to a piece of candy at the glass stand of the candy store. It looked a little bit like this:

But of course, he had to pick a designer one! It's something he would want to grow old prematurely for!!!By the way, that photo of the equally smart-looking pair above, is from The #1 online Rx glasses store and I'm glad I found it through Eric's Review of Zenni Optical because I will be able to run to it when the situation arises -- especially with pocket concerns. They also have the Lowest Price Progressive Glasses , something to keep in mind when the hubs' dream of looking old (gracefully) starts to set in, for real.

I'm thinking of getting him one just for kicks on his 41st birthday, even he doesn't need them yet. I'm sure they come in non-prescription ones too. You know, just for fashion statement purposes. It's amazing how people who need glasses don't want them and try their best to be treated (surgically or with laser technology) just to get rid of them. While those who have perfect vision, are green with envy and would resort to wearing costume non-prescription specs just to exude intelligence, be treated seriously, or to be admired and respected.

I know the hubs just want to speed it up in order to see what he will look like when he's...let's say...50.

Slow down, my dear. I'm not even done with my 20s yet. Yeah, right.

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Simplified Fish Bouillabaise

~ "C"

Apparently is not that simple (if simple=quick and fast), but doable!

I'm currently missing my aunt who lived in France intermittently and would whip up the best bouillabaise in town, stayed for a long time in Australia, worked at United Nations in NY, art dealer and french interpreter on the side, a brilliant financial specialist who could be dabbling in online trading in France right now. ..bourse en ligne , calcul pret immobiliern and dassurance décès would have been a a breeze for her.

I said "COULD BE" or "WOULD HAVE"...

Because you see, she disappeared from our lives. We never heard from her again since 9/11. Yes...the World Trade 9/11. We are not completely sure if she was one of the casualties because her name was not in any roster of those who were unfortunately working at the World Trade Center during that tragic event. We made sure to scour every list and check every report but she wasn't there. It's like she disappeared from the face of the earth.

And thus, we don't have closure.

I sure hope she just suddenly realized she wanted to live a new life, changed her name, and settled back in France, where her heart had always been.

I hope so.

But through time, all these years, we've gotten over stressing and obsessing about monitoring every missing persons' list. How can you find someone in this big, big world? Instead, we now focus on every nice and happy memory we had with her. Hoping and praying that one day, she'll show up. Or something will show up to give us closure. Y'know...

Here's one happy memory I have with her... eating Bouillabaisse! She also made sure that I pronounced it properly!!!

Simplified Fish Bouillabaisse c/o La Tartine Gourmande You need:

8 large fresh scallops
8 large fresh shrimps
14 oz white fish (firm and softer such as monkfish and tilapia)
14 oz fresh salmon
Squids and fresh mussels (optional)
10 fingerling potatoes, (I particularly like those ones because they are very tasty and firm)
10 saffron threads
4 roma tomatoes
1 cup chunks of celery root
1 sweet yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
4 1/4 cups fish stock
2/3 cup dry white wine
Fresh coriander
Fresh flat parsley
Fresh tarragon
Fresh grated parmesan

For the rouille

1 garlic clove
Olive oil
1 egg yolk
1 tsp harissa
1 ts tomato paste
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Steps:

Preheat your oven at 400 F.
Slice the onion thinly.
Chop the garlic thinly.
Boil the tomatoes in order to peel them (1 mn). Once done, cut them in quarters and remove the seeds. Chop them thinly.
Peel the cerely root and cut in big chunks.
Wash the potatoes and cut them in big chunks.
Heat up the fish broth until boiling point and reduce.
In a separate bowl add warm water to the saffron and let it soak for about 30mns.
In your braise pot, heat 1 large tblsp of olive oil. When hot, add the onion and garlic, and cook on low to medium heat until softer (about 4 mns).
Add the tomatoes and cook for a few more mns before adding the celery and potato pieces. Cook for a few mns.
Add the white wine and fish broth with the chopped herbs, season with salt and pepper and cover before placing in the oven for about 15 mns.
After this time, start by adding the bigger pieces of the white and red fish. Cover again and place in the oven for about 15 mns.
Take out again and now add the shrimps, (squids, mussels if you have them) and scallops. Place again in the oven for 5 more mns.
In a food processor or by hand (which I prefer), place the chopped garlic, the egg yolk and mix well.
Add then the tomato paste and harissa. Mix well.
You will then progressively add the oil. Work quickly. When the rouille is thicker, it is ready (it can also keep a more liquidy appearance, depending on your liking)
Toast a few pieces of nice bread.
Grate the parmesan.
Take large soup bowls in which you pour 1 or 2 large ladlefuls in each bowl.
Spread rouille on the toasted bread and place in the soup (2 small pieces per person, or more if you need).
Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese, decorate with fresh flat parsley leaves and serve without waiting!

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HAPPY WEEKEND, DOLLS!

~ "C"

TGIF! But I'm in pain. My back...and my knuckles hurt.

Am I getting sick? Or just getting old?

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Taking a Break!

~ "C"

What do bloggers do when they take a break from work?

BLOG!

Aside from social interaction, that is. This one still tops my list. But what do you know, I'm blogging! The hubs isn't home yet and it's so quiet I don't even have the TV or any music on. I'm loving my little windows of being alone once in a while -- just to relax my senses. I'll get to the spa music later, before I launch into a major clothes-folding project. I just need to type away by force of habit. It's because I still got my hands on the laptop after doing some research for this job I do on the side.

Yes, I write...not the blog-kind. Something less serious, LOL!

It's really more intellectual than sweeping my blog badges around and exchanging pleasantries in the blogosphere. It's almost close to making those pieces like a nice and solid custom essay, or writing research papers until your eyes turn white. That's why when I'm pressed for time, I find myself wishing that I can get the services of online research paper writing but since it's my job, that will not be honest on my part. If I was a student who needs guidance, yes! But I'm supposed to be the guide now. I have to work harder.

And blog less.

And blog less.

I'm not hearing myself.

Okay, time to shut this down.

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Totally un-St. Paddy's for Lunch

~ "C"

I brought New England Clam Chowder for lunch. Nothing fancy schmancy. Just one of those old reliable cans of Progresso soup that I always conveniently throw inside my work purse on rushed mornings (I carry a big work purse that my boss says I can even fit a child in there).

But today, something was awfully wrong. Our office cleaning lady went on a cleaning-or-was-that-obssessive-sanitizing spree that all our microwaves in the lunchroom are now still reeking of Windex as of press time.

What can one who is starving do if she has only half an hour to spare and her workplace is two miles away from the nearest store and the lunchroom vending machines sell nothing but M&Ms and Sun Chips???

Eat the soup anyway. Straight from the can!

It's the safer and healthier choice anyway.

Or is it?

Tags Clam chowder soup 0 comments | |

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

~ "C"

Why do I love St. Paddy's?

Click on the four-leafed clover to find out.

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BUTTONS FOR MY SITES

~ "C"

Well, first of all, I'd like to thank Kaye of Wahmaholic for making all these possible. Except for the top left (Sublime Spirit's)...but she'll be working on that soon. *wink* I'm not exactly devoid of creativity and inventiveness but I do not have the luxury of time to create my own. Plus, I believe in Kaye, period. This young girl's so awesome (aside from brilliant and smart)! And caring too!

So...

If you know me well, then you know that those five buttons above are only half of the deal. I have a few more blogsites but I don't feel that I have done enough for them to merit those cute square thingama-badges just yet.

Nonetheless,

here are three of the other half I'm talking about, clickable through the makeshift buttons I've made from photos I deemed most befitting.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CLICK AWAY.

I will really appreciate it.

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Teen Day Care Adventure Part 100

~ "C"

I've blogged so many times in my other site about having something like a Teen Daycare at our house about three times a year, particularly on spring break, summer vacation and Christmas time. That's every time my stepdaughter comes up north to visit us and her cousins. We normally let them stay at home doing so many different things while we are at work. They love to hang out in the living room or in my arts and crafts/reading room akaWifey's Cave. I am always happy to lend them my cave for a week. (see above)

It's amazing how fast time flies. Four years ago, when they started hanging out at our house during these vacation days, you would find me in the kitchen preparing food almost all day --and oh yes, stocking up the pantry with a lot of snacks before they all come. You'd find me cleaning up, organizing candy-colored Nike Dunks strewn around, giving advice on hair straighteners, nail polish and MySpace drama. You bet hubby and I always had a scary movie or two up our sleeve for those late nights that we want them scream and make fun of each other, especially the boys. There would be board games and contests, a lot of dancing and field trips that hubby and I would painstakingly plan out-- the visit to the Garlic festival, the museums, the USS Hornet, Santa Cruz Boardwalk, exploring San Francisco etc.

Fast forward to today, gatherings have become more quiet, not exactly cold get-togethers, but girls have learned how to gather in one corner talking about boyfriends (?) and other secrets, while the boys plug in their earphones to listen to their iPods or iPhones, or stay glued to the computer chatting with their girlfriends. One thing they haven't outgrown is playing video games together. We always have our XBox 360 in our living room, ready for the most favored XBox 360 games and others. They still stay up late playing sometimes, but I'd see some of them wanting to stay up late more to talk (and whisper) on the phone.

This great adventure is about to happen again next month on Spring Break. I wonder what changes and milestones are there to notice this time. I'm sure they still love to eat (like a bunch of hungry pitbulls on steroids --which is cute actually), and I'm sure they will play video games. I'll start stocking up my pantry with microwaveable snacks again soon. And oh, we need to find more games and new XBox 360 accessories.

Hubby will take care of that, they're easy with Shopwiki. Me...I want to plan out the field trips. I wonder where they will choose to go this time. Not so much kiddie stuff adventure anymore, I guess. Maybe they will also try to ask to go on their own. After all, one day (soon?), they will stop needing us.

Oh drat, hubby and I aren't even done with our own childhood list yet.

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BUTTON SWAP MEET

~ "C"

BUTTON'S I'VE GRABBED. CHECK THEM OUT!!!

I will appreciate it so much if you can exchange buttons with me.

Feel free to grab and post my buttons on your site (SEE BELOW). The HTML link codes are right beside them for your convenience.

Don't forget to leave me a comment so I can visit your site and grab your badge as well. I will be happy to add it up here!!! Thank you!

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Kodak PlaySport HD

~ "C"

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Why do we always think people look older than we do?

~ "C"

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dermajuv Skin Care Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

Okay, I'm not a good joke-cracker (is there such a thing!) but I'd like to share what my co-worker forwarded to me this morning. It's about this woman who went to the dentist for some dental work. She read the certificates and diploma on the wall and thought that the name seemed familiar. He could be the handsome man from high school who she had a crush on. Then the dentist came out to meet her and she immediately changed her mind because in her opinion, he looked too wrinkled and aged, too old to be in the same class as her many years ago. She asked anyway. He was delighted by the question and even uttered, "Oh yes, I'm a Mustang!" to which she replied, "Then you must be in my class". And this decrepit and very-old looking for her man said, "Yes maybe. WHAT DID YOU TEACH?"

I suck at delivering jokes. But you know what, this is so true! How many times in class reunions did we have those thought bubbles floating above our heads thinking how bad some of our classmates have aged? Not realizing that they are having the same thought bubbles above their heads, thinking of exactly the same thing about us.

I realized that facing the mirror some months ago. Remembering that only about three years back, I was still getting carded heavily in clubs or whenever I bought my wine at the store. I was carded big time on my 34th birthday! At 37 and looking closer, my eyes now reveal traces of the years behind me. Beginning crow's feet, more freckles than the bunch I used to love...I panicked at one point and started a shopping spree for age-defying skin care products. I thought I was going to start the regimen at 40 but it happened too soon. The hubs is amazed at how much goop I pack on before bed. It smells good though, so no problemo, amigo!

Right now, I'm watching my usual friday night Criminal Minds marathon and noticed how many former cast members of 90210 were tapped for different episodes. Each one, in my opinion, looking so much older--horribly aged, if I may say--than how they used to be back then. I belong to the same era. I wonder if I would think that of myself if I was watching me.

I think I'll be fine, as long as I age gracefully.