Quick Easy Pasta Snack: Pasta with Sausage

Yesterday I asked my 2-year old son what he wants for snack. Here’s how our conversation went:

Nanay: Lucas what do you want to eat?

He paused for a second, he seems to be really thinking about it…

Lucas: Sotage! (That means sausage)

Though I heard him right I had to ask again…

Nanay: What?

Lucas: Pasta!

Huh? My mom and I laughed so hard. She suggested I make a simple pasta dish with chicken sausage. So there. That’s why I came up with this recipe:

Ingredients:

Olive oil
Garlic
1 can of chicken sausage
Salt
Pasta noodles (I used the one with malunggay)

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta as instructed in the package.
2. Sautee the sausage and garlic in olive oil.
3. Add a little bit of salt.
4. Toss in the cooked pasta noodles.

You may add parmesan cheese if you have, I just don’t have it yesterday.

The question is, did my son eat the pasta? Of course not! He just ate the sausage. Haha! But I’m glad I cooked enough for my mom too and she liked it ☺.

A Not So Good Summer Ending

Summer is almost over and it’s heart breaking to see your child not being able to enjoy what’s left of it. Lucas caught a bug and it’s stopping him to go outdoors and have some fun. It started last Saturday when we noticed him sneezing. He felt a lot better the night of that. We went to the mall the next day, Sunday and there wasn’t any sign of getting sick. Monday he was alright until Tuesday came he got the colds back again and started coughing. I brought him to his pedia, unfortunately she was out of town. I just had him checked by the reliever who’s also a pedia. She gave Lucas meds that aren’t new to us. I noticed that despite what he’s taking, he’s not getting any better. His cough worsen and his voice became hoarse. He had a slight fever and had a hard time breathing because of clogged airway. What’s good about him, he never showed any weakness except when he’s sleepy. He still very active and dances around. However, he wasn’t able to attend the last week of his Summer Fun class.

Yesterday I had to take him to the ER at Marikina Valley Medical Center for a blood test because there were rashes on his chest and tummy and fluctuating fever. I used his health card, Medicard, that I got him through ISYC. I told myself before that I hope I’ll never get to use this card, especially Lucas’, but then yesterday, I had to. So far the nurses and the resident doctor were very accommodating. When it’s time for the medical technician to prick Lucas’ finger, she didn’t have a hard time. Lucas was so brave and didn’t cry at all 😉 (just like Nanay 😉). We we’re told that we can wait for the results for about an hour but we just decided to take him home so he could have his siesta. When he woke up, we picked ip the results (and thank God it is not dengue) and brought him to his pedia. It was viral infection (a bad one) and allergies. So he was given an antihistamine and he was required to nebulize (our quickest hope for him to recover).

Nebulizing was easy for Lucas the last time he needed it. But now, he started to resist it. He cries and it’s heart breaking. I kept on telling him that it’ll make him better. I just feel so bad every time I need to hold him tight so he can’t remove the mask and watch him in tears. I jus really hate it when he gets sick.

I’m praying that he won’t get any worse so he can go back to his normal activities and at least enjoy the remaining days of summer.

Human Heart Nature Antipolo: An Addition to My Favorite Places

I just found out that a Human Heart Nature branch just opened in Antipolo, inside the grounds of Wensha Spa and Cafe Lupe Antipolo. I just visited the branch yesterday at around 530 pm (they’re open until 7pm) and I immediately fell in love with it. The people were very accommodating even the guard outside. The branch is not as big as Commonwealth’s of course but the ambiance is similar. The cashier is located right at the entrance and one needs to go down to the main part where to shop. It has a brewing station and kids’ corner (with toys and books) as well. It’s a place where I could enjoy my retail therapy of organic products that I’ve been using for almost 4 years. Whenever I purcase HHN products, I usually do it online. But now that there’s a nice branch near Marikina, I can say that I’d rather pay this branch a visit than ordering online. It’s also an excuse for me to go out and enjoy the Antipolo View from time to time. For my next visit, I’ll also bring along Lucas for him to enjoy the kids’ corner while I shop 🙂

Change is Good: Nanayhood

It’s Nanay’s Day today around the world and I’m so overwhelmed with all the greetings I’ve received through text messages, Facebook and Instagram.  Thank you very much and I’d like to greet all the beautiful mothers out there the same thing. 🙂

Nanayhood really changed my life.  Instantly.  It is not the easiest change but it was all worth it.  Whenever I look back, the day I gave birth to Lucas, it was one of the most difficult yet the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me.  I have here a list of my “I never thoughts..”

• I never thought I’d be able to carry a tiny, fragile baby.
• I never thought I’d breastfeed (and I felt the most wonderful feeling that I really am a real mom).
• I never thought I’d change soiled diapers.
• I never thought that I’d given up two more months of working (plus my maternity leave, total of about 5 months).
• I never thought I’d ask my superiors to handle just one class during the school year so I can go home to my little one.
• I never thought I’d shop a lot less for myself (that’s true).
• I never thought I’ve done all these and more.

I did not list these things down because I regret them, but I just wanted to remind myself that I’ve embraced a lot of changes in my life, it’s possible, I lived with it and I loved it.

Now that Lucas is 2 years old and 4 months, I can’t believe that he’s grown so much.  Much taller, bigger and much wiser.  Being a mother to him and to his future siblings is the change in my life I’ll never want to give up.  It may be the most difficult one (I’m sure all mothers would agree with me) but it is something that I’ll never want to stop doing. 🙂

Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers in the world!  Especially to my Mommy Lydia who brought me into this world and made me who I am today.  She just means the world to me 🙂  To my Mom-in-Law, Mommy Sally, thank you.  It if weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have such a wonderful husband to share my life with. 🙂  Let’s celebrate our Nanayhood! 🙂

Photography, Yoga and Friendship

I don’t think I’ll ever stop practicing taking photos, I don’t think I’ll ever stop practicing yoga (at least once a week) and I don’t think I’ll ever stop being friends with my gorgeous friend Zip who willingly posed for me last Sunday :).

Zip was the one who introduced me to yoga, that’s why until know I make sure that I practice at least once a week in the studio and try my best to practice at home.  I’d like to share some of the photos I’ve taken 🙂

Venue:  UP Diliman, Make-Up and Styling:  Zip 🙂

 

DIY Cake Smash

A “balikbayan” friend of mine, Tacks, asked me about the studios here in the Metro where she could have her baby’s birthday photoshoot. I gave her ideas like Portraits by Heidi Aquende (of course 😊) and Picture Company. But I also gave her an option that I could take photos of her Baby Liam. An opportunity for me to practice and at the same time a birthday present for this cute little boy. I suggested that we do our own Cake Smash shoot. I’ve always wanted to do this for Lucas before he turned 1, but I don’t know why we didn’t have that opportunity 😒. So I just asked my friend to have a cute cake with no. 1 on it made at Shoppersville Katipunan (they make nice simple cakes at very friendly prices without compromising the taste). Then out of old Toys ‘r Us catalogues I cut out several triangles and long strips to create buntings and a number 1 wall mount (i lost the photo 😞).

We had the shoot at the house of Tacks’ aunt. It was challenging for me because I only have my camera (with 18mm-55mm lens only) and flash (SB 600). It was also indoors so I really have to adjust a lot with the lighting. I usually shoot well with natural lighting (outdoors). So far I got some cute shots of this adorable little man.