Monday, July 28, 2008

Photo to Sketch

I am looking for a way to convert photos to sketch, or some sort of coloring page. I have an idea for a kiddie work book / coloring book / activity report. Anyway, I was playing around with my son's and my grandma's photo, and this is what came out.. from a regular photo to a coloring photo!! NEAT'O.... I am like ecstactic! This is BIG!! this is great! LOL

check it out.... www.sketchmyphoto.com

--marianne

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Breakfast at Hyatt

I went to eat at our usual morning kitchen, Shirley's and I was a bit dissapointed with being over charged. I ordered two ham and egg with fried rice (one was for take out and the other was for dine in) however, they charged me three ham and egg! On top of that my gift card balance was lower than it should be, which means someone was deducting from it. I am the only one that uses my gift card as it is always in my purse.... so, I am on strike from Shirley's, at least for a while. It is hard avoiding it because it is my moms kitchen every morning as well. So, I vowed not to eat there for a week... it has gone good. but tomorrow is Sunday and we always go to breakfast after mass, so we will see if we can go somewhere else..





Anyway, I had the day off last Wednesday, so I took the kids and my hubby to Hyatt Kili Cafe and Terrace for a buffet breakfast. There is a hot item station where the chef can make you a waffle/pancake/french toast/eggs/omelette to your liking! Talk about yummy! Plus they have blueberries and strawberries and whipped cream for my waffle topping, reminds me of IHOP in the states.... There are other hot item stations like rice, sausage, bacon, usually there is a ground beef dish of some sort and usually grilled fish, like the japanese like. I am always happy when I see grilled makeral, I like that more than the other fish they have. I guess it also depends on the day, and the type of fish they have... well, they also have cinamon rolls (which I really like), miso soup, cheese and crackers, juice, breads, etc... The best part is kids price is $7 and adults is $14. However, because Raymond and I have a membership card "CLUB at HYATT card" we get 50% off our adult food... so if Raymond and I go there for breakfast, which we usually do, we only pay $14 for buffet, for both of us.... talk about cheap! Ofcourse those club at hyatt card membership cards have an annual fee, I bet you will save your money in the long run, especially if you are going to have a banquet, or some sort of function at the Hyatt! plus the card also entitles you to a free room for a night, and some other perks (like two for one massage at I Sagua')..

Babe and Baby Ki
Me'Mong and I
Family Photo
I like putting whipped cream (from the waffle station) on my coffee!! reminds me of starbucks!)
Ofcourse, one of Me'Mong's favorite things about Hyatt, is he gets bread from the buffet, or even those small cereal boxes and feeds the fish!!!
si, marianne

Wave Jungle




We went to Wave Jungle last Saturday, July 19th!! I purchased a Wave Jungle Splash Card from the CHC Gift Shop (CHC Volunteer Association). The card costs me $10, with a free entrance to wave jungle. The feature of the splash card is that I can purchase five more admission tickets to Wave Jungle at $10 each..Once you purchase five more tickets, you get a free ticket again! (so, 7 people = $50) talk about a great deal.. So I called our visiting friend Marianne, and also my cousin Regina, gathered up my famila and picked out the best towels from the towel cabinet, and off we went.....






The Kabana was pretty small, so most our feet were sticking to each other.. he he he!

Raymond and I spent most of the day on the lazy river... The kids were able to get a couple of rides on the slide, but wave jungle was pretty packed that day..we had to wait in line for the tubes to go down the slide... either wave jungle has lost some of its tubes to theft or perhaps they are broken, or they just oversold tickets for the day and were running at over capacity.... BUT, all in all, it was a great relaxin day for us, especially going around in circles at the Lazy River...





si, marianne

Lunch at Fiesta


Well, I have been going to lunch and dinner, but I have not really been taking photos of food, it was a bit embarassing always bringing out my camera and taking a photo of food! People are probably thinking, aii adai, her first time eating out that she has to photograph the event.. LOL


So, to be good, I only took photo of the desert bar over at the Fiesta Resort Mai Restaurant. Lunch there is like $16 / person, however I do have a Grand Hotel / Fiesta Resort VIP Card (anyone can purchase it for $50/yearly) and so I get (along with 5 friends) 20% off.. This makes the food even sweeter. They had chili shrimp, and it was very tasty... Plus, I had strawberry shortcake, which I would usually buy at the lobby for like $2.50 each..
Hope you are enjoying your weekend!
si, marianne

Kalabera Cave


I took my friend over to Kalabera Cave last week... we were sort of laughing because I was a bit scared to go to the cave. I mean me, head of enforcement and scared of going to the cave>>>! I guess I was afraid because it was just her and myself! Perhaps if my hubby was there I would feel safer, as I always do..... t


Anyway, it was a spectacular site!
si, marianne

July 14

I have been so busy... sorry I have not updated in a while.. anyway, this was lunch last week!
Tropicana Restaurant at the Hafa Adai Hotel. Lunch Buffet is $7.00 Iced tea and Ice Cream included...



You can always count on the menu to offer curry... so when you are in the mood for some curry and rice head over there to Hafa Adai Hotel. I have to admit that it is mostly curry soup, the flavoring is good for me, but there are no chunks of meat.... sometimes they offer two kinds of curry (green and red) and then sometimes they have seafood curry...depending on the day I guess..


Price is right for $7 (locals)


The only disadvantage about eating at hotels is that you have to walk a long way from the parking lot to the restaurant... but it does make you work up an appetite!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

some past photos...
my brother and I at the unveling of my dad's monument (Grotto, Marpi (03/08/08)

Beautiful Rota...

I posted this photo to the flame tree tv contest, but I did not win.... perhaps next time!



the coolers at Winchells were okay, they weren't something that I will end up craving for, but they were okay!


Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Random Trips

So, this was one of our breakfast events last week! We took Rachel and Marianne around the island! To include some tours in the village, nothing you are going to see from the big tour companies! LOL
Enjoy the photos!
Me'Mong, Rachel, Marianne and Kiki at Mt. Tapogchao

Me'Mong and Kiki Kiki and Marianne at the Last Command Post Cave
Rachel and Marianne at Shirleys

Burnt Marshmallow anyone? yummy!

Dinner and Truongs

July 15, 08





What a busy day! Morning started off with dropping off Ray's new (used truck) car at the locksmith to change the locks and the ignition key, then off to work. Ray had to drop the kids at the Summer Youth Camp DYS is sponsoring, which is held at the Ada Gym.

Ray brought the kids to McDonald's for a quick on the go lunch, and saw this:

I wonder if all CUC customers rallied together with their damaged appliances (due to constant power outages), what would happen?

Anyway, the kids were dropped to my inlaw's for the afternoon. I had to take my lunch at 3:30pm so that I can go up to Kannat Tabla and pick up the kids, and drop them down to Japanese class. We sat at the class waiting for Sensei until 15 minutes later, my son says, I forgot to say that Sensei is Japan!!! Oh my Me'mong! So, off we went, dropped him off at ASKS for a haircut, and then waited for my hubby!


We went to pick up his car after being repaired, My brother calls at about 6:30 pm saying he is taking the kids out to the movies, and asked if my kids want to join! I felt like a horrible mother, it was 6:30 pm and my kids have not showered nor eaten, nor were they completely ready for the movies as they did not have their jackets. So to sum it up, I dropped them off at the movies, since it was my nephew's birthday, and then Ray and I went home to shower. We decided on eating at China House, but by the time we were heading out, I got a call from work for some illegal fishing activities so our dinner plans got pushed way back. At or around 8:30pm we headed to China House, and they had no power! So we had to go somewhere else...


Finally, we decided to go to Truongs! It was delicous!








Counter Clockwise: Me, Raymond, a family friend (she is like a sister!), her name is also Marianne (from Alaska) and then my mom... all enjoying a meal.

SPECIAL PRAYER:
A group of CNMI Reservists were deployed on July 15 and July 16, a special prayer to the soldiers and their families! We support you and we thank you for your service!

si, marianne

Monday, July 14, 2008

TreAt YoUrSELf

When you are feeling down and looking for a treat, check out the Fiesta Hotel Lobby..

I bought a strawberry shortcake ($3.50) and a tiramisu ($3.50). They are delicious. My favorite was the strawberry shortcake, the tiramisu was kind of over dusted with cocoa powder. Anyway, they are good for a pick me up...
marianne

where are we going for dinner


On Monday, after the cemetary mass, we were wondering where do we go for dinner. So my mom, my brother and myself were chatting on the parking lot, because we really did not know where to go..... then John Gonzales sees us and comments that we are all probably discussing where to go for dinner.... and he was right!! It was hilarious. So, in momento, I asked him to take a photo of our group... We ended up going to Cappriciossa.... Thanks John for taking the photo!!
BIBA JOHN GONZALES.... new era..new direction!
si marianne

July 10


I forgot to take photos of our dinner on July 09, anyway, we ate at Shirleys. For dessert we went to Cafe at the Park for some blended drinks. Here is a photo of us afterwards... This was also Rachel's last night in Saipan. She departed back to Portland Oregon on Thursday, July 10! It was nice showing her around Saipan....

Me'Mong

This is my son Me'Mong, he is a good boy. As he enters into teenhood, he has molded a mind of his own. Like any teen, he does what he wants, or does what he thinks he wants (ha!). Ofcourse it is our responsibility as parents to teach him good and right from wrong.
It is extremely funny when he gave me a goofy face.... My sweet boy is still somewhere in there..

July 14 Dinner.... Continuation

Here is a photo of my hubby, my mom and my son. My son was actually trying to make a funny motion and by the time the camera actually took the photo, it looks like he was disrespectful!

My brother's wife Evelyn and her daughter Binang (they call her Princess)
Here is my hubby...
Left is my son Me'Mong and to the right is my sister's son Adrian


BOYS will be BOYS!! It's playtime.. LOL
Ice Cream time...
Pale Jesse enjoying his treat...
Raymond and I... (man, all this eating out is really hard, check out the weight gains)
A group photo...

si, marianne

This was dinner on Monday, July 07, 2008.
Before we went to dinner we attended mass at the Chalan Kanoa Cemetary, offered every first monday of the month. Ofcourse we have to go and visit my beloved father and attend mass for him.
After, we went to Cappricciossa






Monday, July 7, 2008

This was our July 4th...




Here is Nang ready for some parade action!

Here is Auntie Gloria and my mom...waiting for the parade to start!
Here is Kindu Boy.... making my grandma's wheelchair patriotic!
Instead of watching the parade.... my son was FISHING!!
Here is my son's helper, Kindu Boy...







si, marianne