Bernkastel-Kues Weinfest

This was our first wine fest last Sept. They are celebrated everywhere between the months of June-Oct, or can last until Nov depending on the state and villages. I love living in Europe! There's so much to see and do that amazes my tickled feet for traveling. Just yesterday I was telling the hubby that my foot was itching and he asked why, I said it hasn't been anywhere lately and it's itching to go somewhere haha! He has been busy at work and getting time off is not in the works right now especially that it's PCS (permanent change of station) season. 

Good Riesling right here!

Landshut Castle on top

 Worn out from the festivities

It's fun going to these festivals and knowing more about their culture and tradition.

Until next time. Cheers!

Sewing Me Softly

Sometimes I have this idea in my head that the clothes I buy are easy to make and then  I will picture myself making my own. I'm not a pro yet when it comes to sewing but I know how to make it work :) My friend got me a sewing machine for my birthday and I was excited to use it! The very first project I made was my old pajamas turned into a tiered skirt for my friend's little girl. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the outcome. Next was my friend's jeans I had to hem and this is my 3rd, with pics.

I'm in the process of making something from hubby's old uniforms. Well see how it turns out.

Until next time. Cheers!

San Francisco, California

I try to go to different state every chance I get when I was still living in the US, so since I haven't seen my friend and her family for a long time, I made a quick visit. We had a lot of fun hanging out! I actually wanted to visit them so I can eat at Jollibee, Chowking and get some cake at Red Ribbon/Goldilocks. :)

China Town

The Alcatraz

$1 can go a long way! :)))

Until next time. Cheers!

Republic Of Korea

When hubby was stationed in Korea last year, I went for a 3 week visit. It wasn't enough having to travel from US to Asia, a week in Seoul, a week in his dorm, going places in between, very sick for few days then back to US. Hectic as it sounded, I was grateful enough to have vacation leave from work and spent those days with my love. We were apart for a year (duty call) and time flew by fast that next thing I knew, he's headed back to me. Oh, the joys of military life! :)

The Blue House from afar 

One of the bars outside the base in Osan 

For our 1st anniversary, we ate at Wang Thai in Itaewon-dong, Seoul. Delicious food, nice place and good service!

Gotta have mango and sticky rice

One of the many Korean dishes I love, not brave enough to drink soju so I opted for water :)

Yep, I had to get a picture of him at least even if it was just a poster. He was once  the reason why I sleep late at night, weekends were spent watching his drama instead of going out with friends and listening to songs played in "Secret Garden" on the way to work. Crazy I know. I'm back to normal now :)

Until next time. Cheers!

Some things to remember

 I was browsing my email from years ago and found this. Thought it's worth sharing.


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~ Faith is the ability to not panic.
 
~  If you worry, you didn't pray. If you prayed, don't worry.

~  As a child of God, prayer is kinda like calling home every day.

~  Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

~ When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

~ Do the math. Count your blessings.

~ God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
 
~ Dear God: I have a problem. It's me.

~ Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.

~ Laugh every day -- it's like inner jogging.
 
~ The most important things in your home are the people.

~  Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.

~ There is no key to happiness. The door is always open. Come on in.

~ A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

~ He who dies with the most toys is still dead and spent a lot of money on things. Things you can't take with you. It is why God says to lay your treasures up in heaven.

~ We do not remember days, but moments. Life moves too fast, so enjoy
your precious moments. Make sure those you care about enjoy your precious moments as well. They may have had something to do with you having Precious Moments.

~ Nothing is real to you until you experience it; otherwise it's just hearsay.

~ It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.

~  Surviving and living your life successfully requires courage. The goals and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle, it only makes progress when it sticks out it's neck.

~ Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what  others think you are. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting. Leave gentle fingerprints on the soul of another for the angels to read.




I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well. Be a blessing to someone today! :)


Until next time. Cheers!

Tribute to Military Wives

This is to you, the one who married the uniformed man. To you, the one who stands beside him. You, the one with whom he links arms, but not hands, because, of course, intertwined fingers aren’t authorized while in uniform.

This is to you, the one who planned your wedding alone while he was across the globe. To you, the girl who met him at the airport and drove straight to the rehearsal. To you, who spent one week with your new husband before he boarded a plane and flew away for the first six months of your marriage.

This is to you, the one who plans your career around being transient, knowing you won’t stay anywhere long. To you, the one whose resume is a mile long, but not because you can’t hold a job. You, the one who works at the bank, the salon, the retailer, the clinic, the studio, logging long hours to supplement military earnings.

This is to you, the base housing goddess. The one who reuses curtains, rearranges furniture, and transfers the pictures from one faded white wall to another. The one who hopes for an address in the good neighborhood, prays for quiet neighbors and crosses your fingers for appliances constructed during your lifetime.

This is to you, the off-base dweller. The one who dreams of paying a mortgage instead of rent. The one who forms community with people who don’t always understand the demands on your life, people who have family nearby, people who don’t plan to move away in three years. You, the one who ensures the military clause in your lease, ever prepared to break the contract if you’re ordered to move in less than a month.

This is to you, the one who hasn’t been home in two years, because your parents are thirty hours away and plane tickets are expensive. To you, the one who sends photos and plans Skype dates when new babies are born. You, the one who spends Thanksgiving with friends you’ve met at church.

This is to you, military wife, the one who delivers a baby without him. The one who calls your friends to drive you to the hospital, to hold your legs while you push. This is to you, the one who talks to him on the phone, tears staining your smile as you describe to him his newborn’s face.

This is to you, for when you felt yourself slipping, darkness pressing close, and everyone told you to buck up, told you it was just stress. To you, the one who heard that weakness is failure and that admitting it would harm his mission. To you, for when you went to the clinic doctor anyway and were strong enough to ask for help.

This is to you, the one who stands in the dining room, wiping the table with a rag the night he comes home and announces he has orders. To you, whose heart drops to your feet as your eyes lock with his. To you, the one who breathes in sharply, who feels your throat tighten. You, the one who wipes tears and stands taller and feels ill and immediately begins to compose a mental checklist.

This is to you, the one who wakes at 3am and bundles the little ones in blankets. To you, the one who drives him to an empty blackened parking lot. You, the one who waits in the cold while he loads his sea bags, gathers his weapons.

This is to you, the one who clings to his neck, who kisses his lips, who waves your hand high while he drives away on a full white bus.

This is to you, the one who waits for a call, who keeps your cell phone glued to your hand. To you, the one who checks the mailbox incessantly and refreshes your inbox ten times an hour. You, the one who quells the ever present pit in your stomach and refuses to listen to the news. 

This is to you, the one who holds your little ones when they don’t understand. The one who explains why Daddy is gone again, or why he’s working so late each night, or why it’s time to say goodbye to their friends yet again. This is to you, the one who steels yourself, for them, when your own heart breaks.

This is to you, the one who maintains the routine, who moves through the days, who sits in the quiet of the evenings. To you, the one who pays the bills, mows the lawn and takes the car for its tune up. You, the one who falls asleep on the couch, who tries to fill the bed by sleeping diagonally.

This is to you, brave military wife, the one who counts the days and then the hours and then the minutes until he returns.

And then he does.

This is to you.

This is to you, the one who makes it to ten years, and then to fifteen, and then to two or three decades. To you, the one who thought he’d be out by now. To you, the one who remains as he reenlists, as he pins on rank, as he earns medals. You, the one who holds him close, knowing he’s yours, but sharing him every day.

This is to you, Air Force wives, Army wives, Navy wives, Marine wives, Coast Guard wives. I raise my glass to you, the brave and proud ones, strong and valiant ones, veterans in your own right.

This is to you.

This is to us.

                                                                                                           ~~Credit to Ashleigh Baker~~

Until next time. Cheers!

Keukenhof Garden, Holland

Before the garden closed their doors for visitors this year, we made a trip to Holland last May to see their beautiful and stunning array of flowers! It has more than 7 million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths sitting in a 32 hectare land.

We stopped by first at this family owned farm/restaurant for an authentic Dutch breakfast. 

Dutch cheese made by owners, first two to the left was my favorite!

Pretty nice, huh!

Showing us how to make clogs

The weather was a little gloomy and cold when we arrived at Keukenhof Garden but that didn't stopped me from admiring the beauty of the place, who wouldn't? :)

Until next time. Cheers!

Chicken with coconut milk and malunggay leaves

Tonight's dinner was simple but healthy, because of malunggay leaves :) When I cook, I only eyeball it. I made this dish by sauteing garlic and onions, then ginger for a few minutes. After that I put the chicken in the pot, poured a can of coconut milk, put the chilis, lemon grass altogether, seasoned with salt & pepper, let it cooked until chicken was done. Malunggay leaves was put in the pot about 3 minutes before turning off the stove.

I was surprised hubby liked the 'green stuff' i put in. He said it tasted better than spinach. I'm happy every time his plate is empty, like a good boy haha! 

And because I wanted to spoil him just a little, I made brownies from scratch for dessert.

Picture doesn't do justice on how good these brownies are! :)

Until next time. Cheers!