Three truths for this now thirty-three-year-old:
1. Mommy value is greater than market value.
2. Do what you love and blessings follow.
3. Never compromise your integrity.
There’s nothing like turning a year older to do some self-reflecting. I’ve always known those three things are important, but they’ve never been more true till this year. Simply knowing about things is different from living them.
Happy birthday to me! Thank you to all those who’ve already greeted. Thank you to all those who read my blog. Thank you for following my little cove in the blogosphere. Thank you for being part of this little community.
I wish I could give out birthday ice cream to all of you right now, but virtual ice cream sharing hasn’t been invented yet (I think!). So let’s just pretend we’ve got an ice cream cone each with your flavor of choice. This birthday girl’s having good ol’ chocolate with nuts and marshmallows. What’s your ice cream going to be?
As much as I want a leisurely morning meal, my schedule doesn’t permit it. BUT I always try to eat breakfast. My breakfast of choice: Multi-grain bagels with cream cheese and jam.
Paired with a cappucino or a chai latte and I’m set for the day!
So much for eating like I’m pregnant (that is, eating healthy). When my sister said there was a bunch of deep fried cookies for our afternoon snack, I just had to try this out!
Deep Fried Oreos are your Oreos dipped in a pancake batter mix and then, well, deep-fried. I was surprised that they didn’t taste cloyingly sweet, nor were they greasy. It’s a pretty easy recipe. If you don’t have Oreos, any cookie will do. I think this recipe is best for chocolate cookies though.
In a bowl, mix together 1 egg, 1 cup of milk, 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. When smooth, stir in a cup of pancake mix. Dip cookies one at a time into the batter (watch out for lumps!). Make sure that the coating is thick, then place in hot frying oil. Cook till golden brown. Drain on plate lined with paper towels.
It’s so gooooood. This is best eaten hot. The chocolate just seems to melt in your mouth. It’s like eating a hot sandwich with chocolate spread. Yum!
After a good meal at Cyma, one of my favorite restaurants, I always get this for dessert:
Pistachio ice cream is one of my favorite ice cream flavors. I’m not sure what brand Cyma carries, or if this is created by their own chefs. Anyway, it’s super yum. I also like that they’re generous with the pistachio nuts!
Cyma is a Greek restaurant, and my other favorite dish of theirs is Meatless Moussaka! That’s a layered eggplant dish topped with a divine and creamy bechamel sauce. Traditionally, it’s served with ground meat. I prefer the vegetarian version though. My friend and I pounced on the dish so quickly I forgot to take a picture.
I know I can get pistachio ice cream from other stores, but strangely enough I like the one served in this Greek restaurant. Maybe it’s the pistachios! I’m not sure if these are Greek pistachios they serve or American. I should ask the next time I’m there!
If you do, we share that in common! Pen and paper are still my best friends whenever I need to write something down. I’ve tried personal digital assistants, even inputting my to-do list or blog ideas on my cellphone, but I find that I’m more comfortable the old school way. So my bag is always a little bit more cramped with at least one notebook.
What do you write in your notebook? Mine’s a potpourri of stuff. When inspiration strikes, a poem finds it way there. When an inspirational or funny line is shared by a friend, I write it down right away in this notebook. When I brainstorm, ideas are written down here. When I’m cherishing alone time at a coffee shop, I take out either my book or this notebook. I’ll probably get more done if I carried a laptop instead, but I prefer this unplugged way of writing ideas down.
I used to collect notebooks. Notebooks with pretty covers, colored springs, lined or unlined, locks or no locks, scented paper or no scent at all. I’m still fascinated by the many notebook designs I see in Fully Booked or Powerbooks. So many cute ones! I’m partial to Moleskine though, like the one pictured here, which is from their 1 of 4 Woodstock designs. Super love the simple and groovy cover.
What does your notebook look like? Show us! Let us know what you write in it too. That is if it’s not a secret.
“This door is always open / No one has the guts to shut us out / But if we have to go now / I guess there’s always hope that / Some place will be serving after hours…”
My day begins at 9 pm. Well, I get up at 6 am on most days to go to work and take care of the baby. On weekends, I get up much later but it’s a baby-centric day. It’s not really “my” day. So technically, my time begins at 9 pm. It’s the time I do the things I love.
“What do I want to do everyday for the rest of my life?”
This talk by by Gary Vaynerchuk, a bestselling author and businessman, is so inspiring. It’s about patience and passion, and doing the things you love. Gary’s energy is also so infectious! Watch this 15-minute talk and be inspired:
Somewhere in his talk he mentions doing what you love when your day is done. “Work 9 to 5, spend a couple of hours with your family, 7 to 2 in the morning is plenty of time to do damage.” When he said that, I practically jumped out of my seat and said “YES!” My day job keeps me occupied for most of the day. When I come home from work, it’s time to take care of my little family. By the time my husband and my son are settled, it’s 9 pm. Finally, it’s me time. This is the time I do what I love to do. I write.
When you do what you love, opportunities find their way to you. Aside from my personal blogs, I have started writing for others too. I contribute to the Health & Wellness and Sosyal! channels of The Philippine Online Chronicles. Today, I started blogging for Yahoo! Philippines. My column is called “Home Grown” and my first entry (“Beauty is in the Eye of the Baby”) came out today. Yahoo!
While there are deadlines to beat, I enjoy every moment of my writing in the evenings. It’s my time, my me-time, my own little cove in the day. The clickety-clack of the keyboard is music to my ears; the snoring of my boys the soundtrack of the night.
As Gary said “No excuses!,” and a world of opportunity will open up to you. Keep doing the things you love. I’ll keep on writing, I look forward to the new journeys with this after hours passion of mine.
“We’re all right where we’re supposed to be…”
– from After Hours by We are Scientists
When do you find time to do the things you love? Tell us about it. Let’s learn from each other.
Hi! I'm Toni, and I've been blogging here at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newlyweds adjust to married life. It has then evolved into a home and living, food, and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- recipes, movies, books, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
This birthday girl’s having good ol’ chocolate with nuts and marshmallows. What’s your ice cream going to be? 
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