Back To Mainland

After spending 2 weeks in Hawaii, we are now back in the U.S. mainland. This time, I can't wait to get back to work and earn some money for our next adventure. Our vacation in Hawaii was a blast and we really had a great time. We visited 3 islands of Hawaii namely Oahu, Big Island and Kauai. I wanted to go to Maui but it is not on our itinerary so maybe the next time I will visit Hawaii, the island of Maui is in for our next adventure. I had fun, got a tanned-skin and enjoyed our wonderful vacation in Hawaii.

Now that we are back, we have a lot of things to do. I have to go back to work and perhaps do a little grass mowing or gardening. I have to work to earn money for so many things.

Manic Monday #151

What do you do to make yourself feel better when you are sick?
::: Watch TV a lot with orange juice :::

What is the most amazing weather you've ever seen?
::: Here in Hawaii! I love the cool weather here right now! :::

Do you listen to music or talk radio in the car?
::: I do sometimes but I like to think quietly while on the road :::

You can join us here!

What Color Blue Are You?

You Are Ocean Blue

You're both warm and practical.
You're very driven, but you're also very well rounded.

You tend to see both sides to every issue,
and people consider you a natural diplomat.

What Color Blue Are You?

Big Island Pictures

Back In Oahu

After island hopping in the Big Island and Kauai, we are back in Honolulu, Oahu where we celebrated my husband's birthday at the Polynesian Cultural Center. We are staying at the Waikiki area and we are just minutes away from the international market of Waikiki. His birthday was actually last Wednesday but we are too late to make a reservation for a luau party so we decided to do it here in Oahu.

Pictures in Hawaii

More pictures in Honolulu, Oahu! We visited the Honolulu Zoo and the International Market in Waikiki. More pictures coming up! Enjoy viewing!

Hawaiian Luau

For today, we are going to the Polynesian Cultural Center where they offer the best Luau in Honolulu, Oahu. I booked the reservation for my husband's birthday celebration. It will be my gift for him. Pictures will be posted when I get back to the mainland. See you soon!

Hawaiian Getaway Pictures!

Here are the pictures from our trip to Hawaii. Some pictures are not uploaded yet but I will try to upload them as soon as I can and share them to you. Thank you for viewing!

What Kind of Puzzle Are You?

You Are a Crossword Puzzle

You are well read, and you have a good head for remembering facts.

You are a wordsmith. You have a way with words, and you're very literate.

You are a mysterious person who enjoys dropping little clues every now and then.

What Kind of Puzzle Are You?

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!

And now that it is my husband's birthday, I can't wait to go to Oahu to celebrate his birthday at the Polynesian Cultural Center. I am giving my husband a luau party on his birthday. I just can't wait to experience the culture of Hawaii. Good food and great show all in one! Happy Birthday My Love!

What Kind of Soda Are You?

You Are Dr. Pepper

You're very unique and funky, yet you still have a bit of traditionalism to you.

People who like you think they have great taste... and they usually do.

Your best soda match: Root Beer

Stay away from: 7 Up

What Kind of Soda Are You?

Manic Monday #152

What gives you hope?
::: My patience and good strategies in making a decision :::

How often do you get your haircut? Describe your worst haircut.
::: I want long hair. I get about 3 to 5 months haircut. My worst haircut is the recent haircut I got because I didn't get the actual haircut I really want. It was a bad service! :::

What's your most treasured piece of jewelry? Why?
::: My wedding ring! They are the kind I want and with diamonds! :::

You can join us here!

What Type of Fruit Are You?

You Are a Banana

You are mellow, easy going, and a total softies on the inside.

People find it really easy to get along with you.
You suit most tastes.

And while you're very sweet, you're not boring or ordinary.

You have an attraction to the exotic, and you could show up anywhere...
doing almost anything!

You are spirited, energetic, and a total kick to be around.

You're also quite funny.
Your sense of humor is on the goofy side, and it fits you well.

What Type of Fruit Are You?

The Beauty of Hawaii

The islands of Hawaii has a lot to offer. From their beaches to rain forest mountains. Nice golf courses, vacation rentals, the nice hotels around the beach, the good food, the beautiful sunset, the national parks and the shopping. They got everything here in the islands of Hawaii. It is truly a paradise! I would love to stay here for the rest of my life!

Island Hopping

Welcome to the Big Island of Hawaii! After spending 4 days and 3 nights at Oahu, we headed to the Big Island. The biggest island in Hawaii. We are going to spend 4 days and 3 nights in the big island too. We went to the beach, experience the good food at the bay area and went to see the active volcanoes in Hawaii. It was really a great experience for both of us.

We are sure that we will be back in the big island someday. We experienced the snow in the mountains of the big island. There's a lot more to see and 3 days is not enough to see and experience all the great things in the big island. I recommend the Big Island of Hawaii to everyone.

Exploring Oahu, Hawaii

Day 3 in Hawaii - We went to Honolulu Zoo. We went to the beach park and walked around. Our feet got tired and we headed to our hotel room and rest for few hours. We grabbed a late lunch at the Chinese restaurant. The food was really good. We went to Waikiki International market. It was a very tiring day for me and my husband.

Aloha, Hawaii!

Day 1 in Oahu, Hawaii - We arrived in Honolulu International Airport around 4PM. Rented a car and drove around town going to our hotel where we will stay for 3 nights. For our first night, we walked around Kuhio Avenue (Waikiki area) just to see what the place has to offer.

Day 2 in Oahu, Hawaii - The real first day experience of the beauty of Hawaii! We visited some historical places like the USS Arizona Memorial, Dole Plantation and Turtle Bay Resort. We drove around West and North Oahu. We had a blast driving around.

We are taking it slow since we are new and it is our first time to visit to Hawaii. The people always say Aloha and Mahalo which is kinda cool because it is just easy to pick up the words. I am pretty sure that we will have a wonderful vacation here in Hawaii!

Off To Our Honeymoon!

As what I have posted earlier in my other blog - A Place of Reflection, I will be out for 2 weeks to escape from the cold weather here. I have been looking forward for spring time to come and just last week for about 3 days, we experienced another bad blizzard. I stayed home the entire week with no water coming out from the faucet. I felt depressed and bored the whole week because of the weather.

And now, we are about to experience a trip of a lifetime. This is what I and my husband been wanting for a long time. A honeymoon trip to a warmer place where we could enjoy and feel the sunshine. It is a treat for both of us and I am loving every day that will passed because today is the day we will enjoy being away, will have fun and explore what the place has to offer. I will see you when I get back!

Saint Patrick's Day!

May the luck of the Irish be with you!
May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Manic Monday #153

What's the most embarrassing song on your iPod (or music collection)?
::: It is a very old country song and I don't even know why I added it to my music collection :::

How much time do you spend each day in your commute? (Or if you don't work outside the house, how much time do you spend in your car or other preferred mode of transportation?)
::: About 5 minutes and I am already in my destination (city/town limits only) except if I have to drive many miles away from home :::

What's your favorite wardrobe item and why?
::: shirt and shorts (for summer), and lately, I want to wear dress! I wish it is spring and summer time :::

You can join us here!

Double Check!

Tomorrow will be a big day! I don't even know if I can have a goodnight sleep tonight because of my excitement. I have been preparing for a week and my nerves are all excited for our pre-spring trip. This will be one of the happy trips I have been looking forward since I set foot here in United States.

Things to bring and must haves:

• camera
  
• extra battery
• sunglasses
• flip-flops
• sunscreen lotion

Weekend Snapshot #2

It's Saturday and I am staying home. All our bags are packed and we are ready to go. I cleaned the kitchen today and got my nails done after doing the chores. I did it all by myself.

What Sex and The City Character Are You?

Charlotte

Fairytale were made for you.

You're optimistic, romantic, and perfectly put together.

Try it here!

Are You a Maneater?

You're a Part Time Maneater

While you're not a black widow,
you've definitely left a few guys feeling used and abused.

You're only out for fun, but sometimes
you get a little carried away with your flirting.

Cute guys tend to make you lose control.
You really can't help it!

You're a good girl at heart...
you just can't help but let your bad girl side out sometimes!

Are You a Maneater?

Five Facts About Me

I noticed lately that there's many awards and tag passing around. I am glad that my friends were able to pass those to me because I have something to post here and get things done. Besides, I am still clueless on everything that I wanted to post here since I am still addicted playing scrabble. I sincerely thank all my friends who keep visiting me and dropping some comments. You just don't know how grateful I am for everything.

I grabbed this tag from Cecile - Small and Simple Things. Thank you Cecile for letting me grab this tag.

Rules:
1. Post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their name as well as links to their blogs.
4. Link the person who tagged you.
5. Leave a comment for each blogger.

Five Facts About Me:

• I am addicted playing scrabble. I can even play it the whole day with the same person over and over. I enjoy and learn from the game.
  
• I love watching action-adventure TV series such as - The Unit, 24 and Law and Order
• I am a pasta lover. I can cook and experiment any recipe with pasta.
• I love watching Travel Channel especially the shows of Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern and Samantha Brown. I want to be part of their shows.
• I love giving surprises to my loved ones.

Where is Spring?

I am talking about spring time. For almost 2 years living here in the United States, I have been looking forward for the spring to come as soon as possible. But living in North Dakota it feels like it will never come. We are already in the middle of March and we are still having blizzards and it is bad! They closed the Interstate 94 last night and no one is allowed to travel. Anyone seen traveling or crossing the I-94 will be given a ticket.

We got additional 20 inches of snow and counting

And if that wasn't bad enough, our water froze up for the first time this winter! Imagine, no water when I woke up and I couldn't do anything without water. That means to say, I can't take my bath today, huh?

Manic Monday #154

What is your favorite candy?
::: I always love M&Ms and Tobleron :::

Name one thing that you'd want to receive as a gift for Valentine's day.
::: Jewelry and Shopping Spree :::

Can we truly love someone who loves another?
::: Yes! A platonic love that we can always offer :::

You can join us here!

Weekend Snapshot #1

Winn at the church parking lot

After the birthday party, we rushed immediately to church to hear mass. We have 10 minutes to drive and we are glad that we made it. I just don't want Sunday to passed without hearing mass and visiting our Almighty.

Behind the piled mountain snow

What's Behind My Name?

While I was growing up, I envied my classmates who had long or two names. I asked myself, why do I have only one name and it is just a 5-letter name. My mother wanted to name me, AMAPOLA ANNE but my grandfather (father side) disagreed about the name my mother wanted to have for her first child. My grandfather said, I would be punished in writing a very long name. So my mother changed her mind and named me - HAZEL in which my grandfather agreed.

That's the story behind my name. I got an offline message from my friend who's living in Iowa, Janice - A Nomadic Vissions and told me about the test. She told me to try and she assured me that I will like it. So here I am giving it a try...

HAZEL

Gender: Feminine

Usage: English

Pronounced: HAY-zəl [key]

• From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century.

What about you guys? What is the story behind your wonderful name? You can check your own name too just like what I did by visiting Behind The Name.

Mix Veggie Stir-Fry

I am really serious about loosing weight. Yes, I crave for some foods that I want to eat but it doesn't mean that it will ruin my diet routine. I have set my goals. All I need is a motivation and a little push to reach my goals. For today's menu, we had a mix vegetable stir-fry.

Here's what you need:

• 2 small red potatoes
• green beans, cut into two
  
• baby carrots, sliced
• yellow squash, round thin sliced
  
• mushroom pieces
  
• bell pepper, cut into strips
  
• yellow onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
  

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• pinch of salt and pepper

Procedure:

• Heat olive oil in a pan, put the red potato and cook for 5 minutes until the potato is a little done. While cooking the red potato, put the green beans. Check once in a while. Don't overcook the potato and green beans.
• Add carrots and yellow squash, stir-fry together. Add a little water, then simmer. Add the mushroom, then stir-fry. Add the sauce.
  
• Lastly, add the bell pepper and onions. Stir-fry until all vegetables are cook.
  

The Purse Tag

So this is what they call - The Purse Tag! I wonder what's inside my purse and took the chance to post this. My sincere thanks to Dhemcy - My Life's Perception and Inspiration for passing this tag to me.Here are the rules:

1. Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying as of late. No, you can't go into your closet and pull out your favorite purse! We want to know what you carried today or the last time you left the house.

2. List how much it cost. And this is not to judge. This is for entertainment purposes only. So spill it. And if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, we’d love to hear it.

3. Tag some chicks. And link back to this post so people know why the heck you’re showing everyone your bag.

The Story:

• My purse was my very first GUESS collection. I got it from Macy's and it was on sale, so I grabbed the opportunity to buy it since I have the interest with the style and color. The original price was $78.00 and the sale price was $54.00, it was really a good deal! My purse will turn 2 years old on September 2009 and it is still in good shape.

• As you can see in the photo above, my purse contains all my personal paraphernalia. From my wallet to kikay kit, candies, gum and mints, all the things that a woman needs in her purse.

I guess this tag has been circulating around the blogosphere so if anyone pass by here, and you don't have this tag yet, feel free to grab and I will be delighted to know what's inside your purse. Happy blogging!

Share Anything Here

Spring and Summer time are the best season of the year. You can do many activities and you can enjoy just about everything you want. I am looking forward for my favorite seasons. As I was searching on the web, it says that recent research has shown that paintball is one of the statically safest sports to participate in. If you want to know more about this game, participate in the paintball forums and get all the information you need to know.

My friends here in Jamestown will surely love the idea of playing the paintball game. I will tell them about to visit tippmann forum to get some idea about the paintball markers and some accessories. They can share anything about their experiences about the paintball game.

Pork Chop Tocino

The last time I visited Dhemcy's Blog - My Life's Perception and Inspiration, I craved for her grilled pork chops. I was drooling and I told myself that pork chop will be our happy meal. We bought 8 pieces of pork chops last Monday and decided to make a Pork Chop Tocino.

Here's what you need: Marinade

• 8 pieces of pork chops
• 1 pack Mama Sita's Tocino Marinating Mix
• 1 cup Mama Sita's Barbecue Marinade
  
• 2 tablespoons of powdered garlic
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika

Here's how:

• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Put your pork chops in a canister and pour the marinade mix onto the pork chops. Cover and marinate the pork chops overnight.
  
• Grill your pork chops.
• You can serve your chops with hot steamed white rice or vegetable stir-fry.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Hazel - September 29

About Me

• Creativity and innovativeness are your most cherished attributes, using which you can change the world around you. Doing the regular stuff is not easy for you because most unnatural things come naturally to u. Nothing can bind you - for you have dreams and the vision to make them a reality.

Strength

• Your greatest strength is: Your vivid imagination
  

Weakness

• Your greatest weakness is: Fear of failure

Color

• Your lucky color is: Coral

My Number One!

Two days ago, Grace of Lily of the Valley tagged me about Top Five Women and so I started doing the tag but then it took me two days to finished it. I saved it in my drafts and went back each day to write something. When it comes to listing my Top 5 Women I admire most, I took a moment to choose which really influence my life.

On the other hand, Amiable Amy tagged me about the Top 5 Women and finally posted it in my other blog - A Place of Reflection today. I also want to include my MOTHER who made a very interesting role in my entire life. She is actually the number one - always on the top of my list! I miss her so much.

Manic Monday # 155

Here comes Monday again and it is the second day of March! I can't wait for spring time.

1. Of all your favorite foods, which one would you find the most difficult to give up for the rest of your life?
::: Pancit and Adobo :::

2. Which month of the year do you think best describes your personality?
::: December - The happiest month of the year! :::

3. If you could be a contestant on any game show, past or present, which show would you pick?
::: Amazing Race. I can go to some places in an instant! :::

You can join us here.

Let's Be Friends Award

It's already March! There's more to expect this month and I am very excited about it. I will blog about it everyday as much as I can and if I have time I will give you an idea or clue on what activities we are going to have the whole month of March. Anyway, I want to thank Cecile - Kitchen... The Heart Of Our Home for awarding me this wonderful Let's Be Friends Award. Thank you so much Cecs!

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I am passing this award to all my friends! Go ahead and grab it. Isn't nice to share friendship with everyone? Happy blogging!