Saturday

It is Saturday today! I actually planned on taking the kids to the wax museum today, but never did it, perhaps tomorrow, as my hubby has a day off.......woohoo!

It is a three day weekend, and plus it was payday yesterday! woohoo... Only thing is I am already broke....LOL

Oh well, seems like the days are getting shorter... Christmas is just around the corner. September is Monday, which by the way is also the first Monday of the month, which means there will be mass at the cemetary.

Anyway, Christmas is just around the corner, what are your plans?

Take care all and I will update my blog later~

Anyone selling a laptop? I need two, one for my son and another for my daughter. They do not have to be the best laptops, just as long as they can go on the internet..... Let me know if you know anyone selling a laptop, at a decent price ofcourse.....!

Enjoy the three day weekend all, and be safe!

Okay, so we are all suffering! Everyone has questions, everyone is frustrated, everyone is pissed!! It is bad, it is terrible! Having to load up buckets of water just so that you have water to shower with should the power go out. Now, as soon as I get home from work, I rush to cook, clean, and make sure the kids have taken a bath.... throw in a load of clothes in the laundry, etc...

Last night, my son was using the internet at a online tutorial site about the human skeleton! Then, the power goes off...... shwip, shwap, no internet again! I started realizing that this power situation is really costing the CNMI Government and our society. Think about it, school is delayed just so that PSS can save money on power! WTF? I understand the rational and the need, and I understand the reasoning and logic for the decision, but I mean, has it come to that bad of a situation? Sacrificing our children's education to save money. Can't we teach like the good old says, without the a/c ? I mean, as long as there is a generator to run the water pumps so that the school will have a sanitary and flushing toilets for the kids! How about if PSS lobbies harder to private entities for donations in return the entities get tax credits! How about if those funds are entered to help pay for the power system?

I mean the school my kids attend sent students home at 1:30pm yesterday, after a 4 hour power outage...............................................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~~TIME OUT~~

In my post last week I stated that I brought a confiscated specie to the local veterinarian for a health assesment. As I was heading back to work, I told my son I had to go to work and "Time Out" first, before I could go home and pick them up. He seemed puzzled on the phone, but agreed.

As I pulled up to the parking lot at home, my son asked me "what did I do wrong" at work, and why did my boss make me "time out!" For a second there, I could not understand him, as my mind was caught in all the chores, but for a while there I thought, his thinking was a bit funny. When I meant time out, I meant time out on the clock, but in his mindset, he thought that my boss had instructed me to time out and face the wall, for doing something bad!! LOL..

It was the joke of the day..... I thought it was hilarious and cute! Funny how children have a different and innocent (yeah right!) perspective on life! LOL

Suffering from the CUC blues?

Gov. Fitial on you tube

So, we have so many issues on island, left to right, from CUC, federalization, minimum wage, border protection/national security, military build up, and then the recent indictments of the second in command of the CNMI, as well as his sister and brother in law. Here is what Gov. Fitial had to say, as broadcased on KSPN news.. this is the entire uncut/unedited version posted on you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv80ZwL_W98

August 21, 08

Lunch for the kids today is not really a work of art. I have downscaled my creativity with my son's lunch as he said his friends will jokingly comment on the small size sushi shaped into bears with a bear happy face..or his egg molded like a fish........ So, to save his macho reputation, I have decided to go normal lunch today.... somewhat..LOL

Today's lunch menu: Steamed white rice, steamed mussel with a shot of soy, small salmon flake onigiri sushi, deep fried crispy chicken, macaroni and cheese and for their drink....kool aid......

si, marianne

Dinner out.....

I have been good... we have eaten at home for both lunch and dinner for atleast 2 weeks straight! This includes breakfast too....usually, there is no time for breakfast on the weekdays, but on the weekends, we eat out.... These past two weeks it has been breakfast, lunch and dinner from home! Oh my, you would be so proud of me........

But then it hit...... the crave to eat tofu seafood hotpot kept creeping up on me... the more I tried to avoid that craving the stronger it got...... so I told my kids to get ready and off we went.....





I







Since school has started this month for my kids, it has been hard to go anywhere at night. They come home from school, and then get ready for yet another lesson, either in private music class or private Japanese language class. Then depending on the day and the class, they might come home at about 6:30pm to about 8:00pm.... then we begin homework session. It is always stressful to try and cook dinner, get the kids showered, help with homework, do some house chores, etc... but hey, I made a good schedule and I have stuck to it. Also, my son, who used to lack confidence in math, is now finishing math home assignments I give him in less than 5 minutes when it usually takes him double that time in the past. His skills are really improving!

Only time will tell.....

si, marianne

Flame Tree cheer up

Well, it is a WEDNESDAY!

Today's Bento for the kids...
Pork Bulgogi...
Boiled Egg shaped into a bunny and fish mold
Green Bean Saute'
Cucumber sliced with Kimchee base dip
Steamed Hotdog
Steamed Crabmeat (immitation)
Rice........Rice.....more Rice.....

Visiting the vet

We went to vist Dr. Tudor at the Paradise Animal Health Clinic, on Tuesday Aug 19. Actually, Dr. Tudor was going to assess the health of a "wildlife" specie we confiscated from a person several weeks go. The kids got carried away quickly with the cats they have up for adoption!

So, if you are looking for a friend, visit Dr. Tudor at Paradise Animal Clinic, Middle Road.

Attempt at Obento

Today is Tuesday, Aug 19. It is only my second day making obento for my kids. I have used some of my molds which I ordered from Japan, but they did not turn out very well.

for Me'Mong, I attempted to make a peace sign from my bunny rabit mold. My attempt at creating finger nails were not so great! I am not really the artisic one in the family, that category prize goes to my sister Bobbie. But, here is my attempt at it!

Hopefully, my attempts to make creative, fun and pretty obento will pay off! In the meantime, my kids think they are cute! LOL... Enjoy!

si, marianne

Bento ~ O'bento

I think I was just hit by the Japanese mom craze of making obento! I have been reading up about this for several years but never really had the urge to do it, until I started making lunch for my kids... You see, when they were at public school, I just had to send them with $1.50 (.75 cents for breakfast and .75 cents for lunch)... however, now, they are at Ladera, and lunch there costs $3.00 , so to help save funds.... I decided to pack lunch for them every day!

Because I am packing lunch, I have tried to get more creative, in order to please their appetites, both their eyes and there tummies! So, last Saturday my three boxes came from Japan! It is like scrap booking, but except my medium would be food! Today is my first day in making fancy obento, so here it is:

I made salmon onigiri shaped into bears, hearts, stars with some unique faces, and also some fried crab claws... I can't wait to do tomorrow's obento!


Eventually, I want to make obento like these, perhaps in a few months! or maybe weeks!

Bear?

Cat? Well, I am not sure if I really want to eat this! Perhaps it may give me the idea that I am eating a cat, but imagine the time and artistic talent that was spent into making this yummy lunch!

Perhaps, this is good for a computer tech, or an I T position?

Cute for the kids... check out the heart made of hotdogs!

I bought some other molds that I will be trying this week and perhaps next.. hopefully, I will have enough creativity for this! If you have any suggestions, email me !

ENJOY!
si, marianne

Christine's Shower

My cousin Christine had a surprise baby shower last Saturday (08/16/08). The party was packed full of people, the food was delicious, and the ban was super loud, so in essence it was a good party!

This is my cousin Paula and her mom, Auntie Arlene, soon to be grandma and aunt!
My son and I... waiting for FOOD!!!
Raymond and my mom... waiting food!!
This pina's for you! Auntie Arlene and Auntie Gloria... Auntie Gloria got caught sneaking away a piece of fresh pineapples...

Here is Christine!!

FOOD,, FOOD,, and more food!
Sushi...
cakes.....
Christine and Evelyn, waiting while Pale Jesse blesses the table!
Kiki and Babe..
Me'Mong..
Mom...

Shabu ~ Shabu

SHABU SHABU DINNER...

No,I am not talking about amphetimines, I am talking about a Shabu Shabu dinner. Have you ever had it? It is so delicous! Well, it depends on where you go to eat Shabu Shabu, because there are some chinese restaurants that I have tried but weren't as good. So, for some good shabu shabu, go to Mistue. It costs like $40 for one pot, which usually can feed a family of atlest 5. However, my family eats so much!! so, my mom ordered two shabu shabus.. yummy!

First, you have to grind up your seseme seeds and then you mix it up with a black miso. This is some really good miso, I have tried to replicate this at home but was unable to find the exact miso they use..... anyway then you toss in your meats and your veggies and wala.. a shabu shabu dinner.

A nice gesture

So, two weeks ago, as I went to visit my dad's grave, I saw a new basket of flowers laid nicely on the left corner. I looked at the card and it stated "Came to see you brah, but you were already gone" and a name.

I looked up at heaven and fought back my tears. It was so wonderful for a person to take the time out and come and visit my dad at his grave site and give a basket of flowers. Now, usually some of my dad's repeater customers will come to Saipan hoping to go diving and or fishing with my dad, only to their surprise that he is no longer here. These customers will request for us to bring them to the burial site, to which we do, and it is touching to see them cry, and pray for dad.
Now, the most touching part is when we happen to come to the cemetary to visit dad, and we see a Bangladeshi guy standing at his gravesite, praying for him, or when we see a poor guy burning stick candles and aplogizing to my mom that all he can afford were stick candles instead of glass candles. These are all heartfelt and really appreciated, and it helps with the healing process.

Missing my sister

I miss my sister Bobbie who is in Oregon! I miss her kiddies and my godson, Jun. I miss all the jokes and how we would harass her son Jun. Whenever he would make us mad I would tell Jun "Your Mama!" and he would be even more furious with me! I would do it just to see the anger in his face... call me a bad auntie, or call me a bad nina, but for some reason, I thought his mad face was kinda cute.. for his age.... wait till he gets bigger.

Anyway, my sister is enjoying the mainland life, but every once in a while she will miss our island life here. When she tells me they are at the strawberry patch picking berries, I would say I just ate a carabao mango! When she tells me how cheap the fruits are, I would say how cheap "free food is here" you know, the kind when you go your family's house and see what's cooking! LOL. When she tells me how cheap her power bill is there, I tell her how we would have power outages here and skyrocketing power bills......

Anyway, just wanted to say that I miss you my dear sis.....