Sad News......Part II

Last Friday afternoon, literally 5 minutes after I got done pressing the "publish post" button on my "So Thankful" piece in which I talked about how I just knew Ollie was going to be fine,  I got the call that I was not expecting.  It was from Olllie's vet.  The vet had received Ollie's biopsy report just then and he was calling to let me know what the lab had found.

It was not good news.

The vet told me that the tumor that had been removed almost 2 weeks prior was in fact cancer.

Yes. Cancer.

Grade 2, out of grades 1-4.

Ollie's grade fell in the middle in terms of severity.

I was in such shock when I heard the news.  All I could say to the vet was "uh huh" and "thank you" when I hung up.  My whole family at this point knew something was wrong and all I could tell them was that it was cancer.

My husband had to call the vet back to find out the details because I could not remember one word he said to me.

I know some people think dogs are just dogs. But Ollie means the absolute world to me.  I do not have children, so Ollie is like my child. I love him more than anything.

This news has just devastated me. 

I just can not warp my brain around it.

I am hoping and praying that everything will be ok and that we can treat this easily.

Ollie (aka Booboo)

So Thankful....

Happy Thanksgiving!

As I am writing this, I am patiently waiting for Turkey dinner #2! I am so full from all of the delicious food I had yesterday at my grandma's house, I don't know how I am going to be able to eat again! Don't worry, I am sure I will manage somehow!

It is so nice to be home for the holidays. It makes me a little homesick when I am not here.  I am so thankful to be here this year. 

I have so much to be thankful for....

My husband is the most amazing man and I am truly blessed to have him in my life. He is my real-life Prince Charming!

My family is so loving and supportive, and funny! They keep me laughing, even if I feel like crying!

Oliver is my beloved little dog. He is doing much better after his surgery, now I am just waiting for his biopsy results to come back. I have faith that everything will be fine!

I am thankful for the little things that can be taken for granted....I have a beautiful home, great food on my table, and clothes on my back. I know that this is more than what some people will ever have. For that I am eternally grateful.

I am so happy that I decided to "retire" from my stressful job and focus on family! Best decision I ever made!

I am thankful for this time with my family.....I have learned over the past year to never take these moments for granted!

What are you thankful for this year?

How Bad is This?

I love Heidi Klum!

I think she is beautiful and smart and funny! 

I usually LOVE her style and always look forward to seeing what she will wear to awards shows.

Last night at the AMA's, she really disappointed me. 

In fact, I have no words to describe how I feel about this "look".

Seriously Heidi? This is the best you could do?








What are your thoughts on Heidi's dress?

Momma's Homemade Lasagna!!

I am so excited that I finally got my mom to share with me her recipe for homemade Lasagna! It is the BEST! Truly!

I wanted to share it with you!

Here it is! I hope you love it as much as I do!!

Homemade Meat Sauce

You will need:

3-3 1/2 lbs of ground chuck
1 whole green pepper
2 vidalia onions
2-3 cloves of minced garlic
Italian Seasoning
4 petite cans or 6 oz of tomato sauce (Hunt's) should have Italian seasoning
2 6 oz cans of tomato paste (Hunt's)


In a large pan brown the following:
3-3 1/2 lbs of ground chuck
1 whole green pepper-diced
2 vidalia onions-diced
Season the meat with salt, seasoned pepper, 2-3 cloves of minced garlic NO GARLIC SALT and Italian seasoning (coat meat in it) and 2 tbsp of parley flakes
Brown everything together and drain fat.


Next, add large can of petite diced tomatoes, juice and all
Cook in meat mix for 10 mins
4 cans of tomato sauce (should have Italian seasonings) 6 1/4 oz (Hunts)
2 cans of tomato paste, 6 oz can (Hunts)
Add to meat mix
2 cans of hot water in the tomato paste to get excess paste out
Simmer on the stove for 30 mins

Add 1/2 cup of sugar, as it is cooking for 1/2 hour (this is the secret!) add a little more if needed to taste
Simmer of stove for 1/2 hour

For Lasagna you will need:

Homemade meat sauce
12 Lasagna Noodles
Ricotta Cheese 15 oz
Cottage cheese 12-14 oz
2 eggs
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese 3 cups

Use 12-14oz of cottage cheese and mix the 2 eggs in it. Should be a light yellow color
Boil noodles until tender, let them cool

9x13 baking dish, perfect for lasagna
Spray bottom of dish with cooking spray
Thin layer of sauce on bottom of dish
Next add 4 lasagna noodles
Layer of sauce
Add layer of cottage cheese mix
Add Ricotta cheese on top, mozzarella, and Parmesan to your liking
To build the lasagna, repeat steps, starting with noodles 2x you should have 3 layers.
The top of lasagna should have cottage cheese mix, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 60 minutes





Enjoy!!!!!!

Please don't be shy! Let me know what you think!

I am dreaming of.......

White sand beaches!

I would love to take a couple of days and go to the beach and sip fruity drinks in the sun!

Instead of hubs and I giving each other Christmas presents this year, I would like for us to go on a mini-vacation!

Just a couple of days of fun in the sun!

This is what I am dreaming of!








What do you think? Is a vacation a good idea? Or would you rather have an actual "present"?

My Dream Handbag...

Since Christmas is right around the corner, I started shopping online the other day for presents for hubby. As I was looking, I came across this DI-VINE handbag, for myself.  I know, I got sidetracked!!! Sorry, honey!

I LOVE handbags, and jewelry! I could look at them all day long. 

I saw this Dior handbag in LA, and it is beyond gorgeous!!

I have not been able to stop thinking about it! It is so soft and luxurious!

Now, the price tag is not so pretty!

This is a dream handbag, does not mean it will become a reality!!

So dream away with me!

It is even more beautiful in person!!!

Why didn't I retire sooner?

A friend of mine asked me the other day, if I was so stressed out from my job and it was affecting my health, why did I not "retire" sooner?

Wow. That question really caught me off guard.

I don't know, is what I replied.

But really deep down I knew why I did not walk away from my job sooner.

I felt like a failure.

I felt as if I had something to prove.

Trying to keep up in the rat race was too much for my perfectionist personality.

I HAD be on top and climb that corporate ladder as fast as I possibly could.

All of the stress and anxiety that came with my job, really affected me. My mind, body and soul.

The best thing I ever did was getting up the courage to say, enough is enough. I need to take care of me and my family. This was not an easy thing to do. I wrestled with the decision for months before I called my boss and said goodbye.

Best decision I ever made.

I am so much happier now. And healthier.

I have no regrets at all leaving my career behind. I will find something new to do when it feels right, and if it makes me happy.

I have learned that the most important things in life can not be bought with money. Such a cliche I know. But it is so true.

Love, happiness, health,  family, are the most important things in this world to me.

I have all of that now.......and I couldn't be happier!

Who wants lettuce wraps?

I love to eat and I love good food!

I was at my in-laws house last weekend and my mother in law made lettuce wraps for dinner! They were so good! Perfect for appetizers!

I wanted to share the recipe with you because it is too good not to! I haven't had a chance to make these yet, but I helped my mom in law make them and it is super easy! I would never pass on a recipe that isn't easy to do! So here it is! I hope you love it!

Ground boneless chicken breast or turkey (8oz)

Sliced water chestnuts (2oz)

Chopped green onions or scallions (1oz)

Oyster sauce (1tbsp)

Hoisin  sauce (1tbsp)

Toasted pine nuts (2oz)

Iceberg lettuce 1/2 head sliced in two

1. Heat wok or sauce pan and stir fry chicken until golden brown

2. Add water chestnut, green onion, oyster sauce and hoisin sauce. Stir fry  another 3 minutes.

3. Remover mixture from pan, top with pine nuts.

4. Separate lettuce into individual leaves.

5. Place filling inside each leaf along with a dab of hoisin sauce. Or you can add sweet chili sauce, to it. That is what I use and it is awesome!

6. Fold like a burrito!

Enjoy!!!

Don't be shy! Let me know what you think!

Sad news......

Last week was a crazy busy week for me and I did not get a chance to post anything new. Sorry!

I took Ollie to the vet last week for his mid-year check up, not thinking much about it other than the fact my vet likes to charge an arm and a leg! While I was talking to the vet I mentioned that I noticed a bump on Ollie's skin underneath his left front foot. The vet looked at it and then took a sample of cells from the bump and said he needed to look at them under the microscope and would be right back. No big deal! Right?

The vet came back 5 minutes later and dropped a bomb on me. Ollie (aka BooBoo) has a tumor.

He then said the "C" word.

Everything started spinning around me and I had to sit down.

I could not believe what I was hearing.

I don't have a baby or children, yet.  So, Ollie is like my baby. This news devastated me.

I cried all day and have off and on for the past several days.

The vet said Ollie would need surgery right away. He is scheduled for November 15.

I am going to remain positive. I know that everything will turn out ok.

I just have to keep saying that to myself over and over again!

Please send positive thoughts my way! Ollie means so much to me....

Ollie and I at the wine festival!

Ollie looking for his presents from Santa!!

My sweet angel!

Crazy Random Things Part II !!!!

Crazy Random things about me! Part II


I love a good cocktail!!! My husband makes the best martini's!

I have a degree in child development/counseling. It has been surprisingly useful in communicating with the "spoiled babies" I encountered in the corporate world.

I could live on french fries, cheeseburgers, and nachos. I am soooooo healthy!

I don't snorkel because having a mask over my face freaks me out!

I am addicted to Coke Zero. Seriously.

I love my doggie more than anything. His name is Oliver, but I call him Booboo.

I do not consider myself a grown up. Peter Pan syndrome?

I love jewelry! So much so that I am thinking of getting my GIA certification!

I love to read. Anything and everything!

I have an awesome supportive family. Yes that includes my in-laws!!!

I clench and grind my teeth and have to wear a night guard. So sexy!

I love to travel and learn about new cultures! And eat new food!

I was born blonde.

My hair has been almost every major from color black to blonde! I like to keep it interesting!

I am not a big "shopper". I do not like spending hours looking at "stuff".

I love being outside. Just not when it is too hot or too cold.

I went to Russia on a mission trip in college. Life changing experience.

My husband is Filipino and I am the first American to take his last name.

I have hearing loss in my left ear. It is due to me being sick as a child.
 
I don't wear contacts because I don't like how they feel on my eye. Makes me want to claw my eyeball out.

My grandma and grandpa mean everything to me. They taught me so much.

Summer is my least favorite season. I don't like heat.

I have known my husband since I was 18 years old.

We didn't start dating until I was 23. It took him a while to ask me out.


I want to be a mommy more than anything....