funny kids

Do you have those days where your kids just say the darnedest things? Or they say things that you just really wish they didn't? I have a lot of those days! As my kids get older, they get a little more "wiser" is the word. Either way, I think that's what makes my life so exciting and interesting, I think. You just never know what your kids will say, and when they'll say it! 

Nilun: "mom can I wear your boots outside? I don't want to get my shoe dirty"
Mom: "sure you can"
Nilun: "ahhh mom, your boots are small. Just look at them (putting my boots up to his foot to show me). Just look mom, my foot bigger than yours!"
Mom: (laughing) "yeah, and? What is your point?"
Nilun: (laughing) "mom, look! You have small feet, that's what! No wonder why your parents call you Noy, because everything about you is small!"

 Okay....yeah...thanks Nilun! For those that don't know, Noy in Lao means small! Get it now? Ha ha ha go ahead a laugh!  Oh and yes, Naree was also laughing along with her brother AND she said "good one Nilun." 

Another example:
Nilun: (standing behind me at the cash register at the grocery store) "mom look!". 
Me: "yes what?"
Nilun: (slapping my under arm) "look mom, your arms are so flabby! Look at them jiggle!"
Me: (looking pretty mortified) "Nilun stop, yeah I know it's flabby!"

I was wearing a tank top that day! To this day he still does that sometimes. Which only reminds me to start exercising again, especially my arms! I even went out and bought a dumb bell to use while I watch TV. Yes it only lasted for like.... a week! 
I'm telling you, your kids will definitely be the ones to remind you of EVERYTHING!
Or the time Naree farted in the store and said out loud "oops mommy I farted! And it stinks!" 
So from then on, I told them, if they need to say that they farted, want to poop or pee, or anything to that extent, or want to say something about someone.... I told them to say it in Lao. So no one will understand what they are saying! I've got plenty of looks from strangers!  So our second language thing comes in handy some times!


So what have your kids said lately? Kids are very honest people! The honest people I know! Trust me, my kids will tell me exactly how I look like in the morning or any time of the day! 


Don't you just love them?!!!!!

Nam Khao

I've been meaning to post this recipe up but was afraid to for many reasons.. 
For 1. it is my very first time making this.
2. I researched every possible recipe there is of Nam Khao and almost all were different.
3. I was afraid my friends would starting thinking i'm showing off or something. (yes this is where my insecurities come in affect) Nam_khao
I love this dish! It is the most yummy dish I've done so far this year. After many hours of research and comparison I was able to do it. So I got my brain (the visual part) to start working and I went from there. Yes, that's right baby!!! I'm one of those people who will look at a recipe, read through it and then do it without reading the recipe. I guess adding a little twist of my own. It's just that sometimes the original recipe calls for things I don't have or things I don't like. So I like to do it my own way. Sometimes it turns out alright, and some times not, but hey at least I tried right? ; )
So here's another attempt at a recipe. I have to warn you, this is my own version...there's different versions out there. Some versions have you adding shredded coconut but I didn't add them and it came out fine. Some even have me dipping it into rice powder to hold the balls together so they will stick together when we fry it. But don't take that advice ok? I took it and my balls fell apart on me. That was not a good idea.

Ingredients:
Cooked Jasmine Rice (make sure it is not overly cooked, not too soft, not very hard)
Sugar
MSG (to your preference)
Red Curry Paste
Lime
Salt
Fish Sauce
Peanuts
Green Onions
Cilantro

After you cook your rice and it is ready. Put your rice into a big bowl. How much you put in depends on how much you are making so make sure you do plenty so you have a lot.
Now add some MSG (again add this only if you want too)
Add some Red Curry Paste. I added a pretty big amount of the paste because I love the flavor and I wanted to make sure I have that flavor in my rice. But it's up to you. Some people don't like the flavor as much.

 I also added just a little bit of sugar for some flavor. Maybe 2 or 3 pinches. 
Now that all ingredients are in, mix them together!
When it is mixed put aside for a few minutes. I did that so that it would harden a little bit so it will be easier for me to roll it into a ball. So the rice won't stick to my hands too much.
Ok now comes the fun part!
Roll the rice into little balls, maybe the size of a golf ball? I did mine that size. Some people prefer to make them like little pancake shapes. I tried that but it came out weird, burnt! So I'll stick with rolling them into balls. 

 Ok so once they are rolled into balls, I waited for like another 2 or 3 minutes for the balls to dry up just a little so they would stick together. 
After that you can fry the rice balls until they are golden brown!
Wait a few minutes after you've fried all the rice balls and let them drain a little before you start breaking them!
Ummm yeah because they are HOTTTT!!! Will never make that mistake again! I should have used some common sense huh?

 Ok so once you have all that done, add the Som Moo or Nam! 
For those of you who don't know what it is...go here

Make sure you shred/cut them into small pieces 
Slice up some Cilantro and Green Onions to add to mixture

When you have all the veggies and rice together, add some fish sauce.
Once again you don't have to add it if you don't want to but it adds good flavor to the dish. You can add just a little bit if you'd like. 
Squeeze some Lime juice to it to your taste. 
Add some ground up pea nuts for added flavor!
Now mix all those together! 

And you'll have this! Doesn't that look delicious? Yeah I know, I gave myself a pack on the back! Did great on my first try too! AND without looking at a recipe while doing it! 
Lien and Ming will say "thumbs up"...they loved it! 
Now all you need is some lettuce, use your left over cilantro and green onions (not chopped) to eat it with. Scoop some of the nam khao into lettuce, add cilentro, green onions and dried chili (if you want- i didn't) and wrap it up and viola!!!....

I know I will be making this dish a lot!!!! It's got so much flavor, especially with the red curry paste and lime! You eat it like a lettuce wrap! Ooooooh sooo good! Ok so my mouth is watering right now! 
Sorry about my recipe, it's probably not the best recipe...ever! You can go here for another recipe that i read up on and I kinda used this one to help me out a little.  This is probably an easier one and the most helpful one. 
So another one down....many more to come! So if you are getting bored, let me know and I won't bore you with my silly recipes! The pictures look good though.

Just another one for you to drool over! Don't worry....i'm drooling too!

Highlights

I've been pretty slow at posting things. I really need to get into the habit of getting to it quicker! I love taking pictures so I have like overload of pictures in my camera!..which isn't good, because it's overflowing with old, old pictures. I have some from like 08'! No good I know. I'm working on it. 

Anyways I just wanted to post up some pictures I took over this weekend. We had a very nice snow day on Saturday! After we finished cleaning up the water from our basement, we sat around and tried to find a company that would come out to our home to replace our tank. We found one, after one tried to screw us over. The nerve! The guy said he could be at our place by midnight (he had other places to go first). So while I was making dinner, Lien decided to take advantage of the situation and decided to take the kids out to the backyard and make a castle out of all the snow.

Watching them make this castle was pretty fun. It's so amazing that I'm so blessed to have such awesome kids and a wonderful husband who isn't afraid to be a kid himself. So lucky to have a husband who is fun! That's why we love him so much...always thinking of things to do.

that's Yuki enjoying time in the snow too!

Looking out the window and watching my husband and the kids work together to get this castle built is an amazing feeling...how could I have been so lucky!? They even stopped once in a while to consult with each other about what to do next! I love days like these! I managed to get my lazy moody butt out side to join them. I helped a little. To be honest I wasn't into it as much because I was bummed that the day we had planned out was not going according to plan. But a few hours later I got better and found myself actually enjoying it! 
Naree is so creative...she made seats (benches) inside the castle to sit on!

I can't take all the credit...heck I can't take any credit at all. It was all Lien, Nilun and Naree! They made it and it was awesome! 
 
It is still up too!


On Friday the 12th, we went over to grandmas' to celebrate Jasmines' birthday! It was nice to spend time with the family. Everyone is so busy most of the time we hardly get to see each other but I try to take the kids over every Sunday! 

The kids made a pillow for their Aunt Da...her birthday was on the 10th of February and we didn't celebrate it...So they took the pillow over to grandmas' to give to their aunt. 

 

Jasmine wants her turn too! She made a soothing eye pillow for Da..we didn't take any pictures of it. 

 

Nilun and Naree designed the pillow and I had the honor of sewing it together. I guess I didn't do too bad! They loved stuffing it! And they took part in the process too! Nilun hit the level and Naree tried to sew while I supervised! She did ok, a little crocked but nothing we can't fix. She'll be a pro in no time! And of course Jasmine did her own too. I supervised and showed her how to sew and she did the pillow on her own! I'm so proud of my kids and Jasmine! 

 
 

Naree was so inspired and so excited about her new skill that she wanted to make a pillow for herself. So I told her ok and she picked out her own fabric and I of course supervised! She did very well if you're asking! ; ) The pocket was her idea! And yeah it has been very useful....she puts her money in it! No kidding, she does! And she says "it's for the tooth fairy, so he/she don't have to put it under my pillow!". Kids!...they say the cutest things!

 

Happy Birthday Jasmine! Feb 12th

I am a little late posting this blog. On February 12th, my niece Jasmine turned 12! Yes 12! Wow, it feels like just yesterday I was wiping her wrinkly butt and putting diapers on her! What can I say about Jasmine? There are so many words to describe Jasmine. I couldn't even know where to begin. She is a wonderful, kind and loving girl. She has grown to be a lovely and cute girl. 

Although at times I feel she is growing way too fast but I know that is how "pre-teens" (what Jasmine would always tell me) are. Kids grow up so fast, sometimes I just want to stop time and have them be little grade school students forever!---or skip to when you walk down that isle! I know, I know that's wishful thinking! 

 We love you Mone! Even though we tease you to no end...that's because we love you silly! ; ) You make our lives a little more interesting with your wackiness and drama like tendencies! Although I wouldn't admit it in front of you, I kinda like you being just the way you are. I say "kinda" because sometimes you are just too strange even for us! Sometimes I tell you to take a chill pill, cuz you know, you do really need it! Ha ha ha...ok ok i won't tease anymore. Admit it...you love it when i do!

 We wouldn't want you to change the way you are, yes, that means even you wearing the neon pink, purple skinny jeans with your blue t-shirt! Lets not get into that! We love you either way. I love that you are not afraid of fashion. I love that you are a great listener even if sometimes you don't want to listen, but I know you are. I know I can depend on you when I ask you to do something for me....ok I know, I make you do it. But hey that's what aunties are for. You didn't know that? 

 I know you are a good person, in and out. You are beautiful, don't ever forget that. Remember to always be who you are, and not what others want you to be. No one will love you more than your family! Remember sometimes it might seem like the world is crumbling down on you (and trust me, it will happen some time in your life-that's reality) but you should know that your family is and will always be there/here for you. Don't be afraid to ask for help or ask for advice. No one gives you better advice than your family. Friends will come and go. It'll take you years to finally know who is your "best" friend. But remember that when you find them, remember to always respect them, but demand respect from them too. 

 I know sometimes I talk too much......ok I NAG YOU too much, but that's only because I love you and want the best for you. I'm sure your mom will agree. Always remember to hug your mom more often and tell her you love her.....oh and in case you are wondering...don't hug me! I don't want your crazy Lady Gaga loving, pink skinny jeans wearing cooties all over me! ; )

 Oh of course I can't forget. Your uncle and your cousins love you dearly. Even though they also tease you to no end, they all secretly love you. It's our way of showing you some love...what you don't want it? Well that's too bad, you got no choice! 
Well what I want to say is Happy Birthday! We all love you. We are grateful to have you in our family (yes even if you are wacko...what? Well you are! Believe us we see it in you) Oh and one more thing.......I still think your mom need to put you in a mental institute cuz YOU PEE BAH!!!!! 

We love you!  

Look at the little alien!!!!

 

How Much Do I Love You?

1. I love that you are always taking care of us, no matter how tired you are.

2. I love that you wake up in the middle of the night to take care of our sick kids even when you are tired and have to work the next day.

3. I love that you are my best friend.

4. I love that you are just like a kid at heart

5. I love that you teach the kids family values and make the effort to spend time with them

6. I love that you work so hard for us and never really complain about it.

7. I love how you tell me you love me and that I'm beautiful even on the days I don't feel like it.

8. I love that you are always honest with me, even when I don't need the honesty.

9. I love that after 12 1/2 years you still tell me you love me everyday and will always love me.

10. I love it that you tolerate me and my many mood swings

11. I love you for being YOU.

12. I love it that you still want to cuddle with me every night and every morning.

13. I love how you always know when I need time with my friends and always encourage me to go out with them once in a while

14. I love it that even though I want you to go hang with your friends, you always tell me "I don't need to hang out with my friends, hanging out with you and the kids is enough for me".

15. I love how you are always telling us jokes, even the ones you make up are still funny. We love that you make everyday and everything so fun.

16. I love seeing how happy the kids are the minute you walk through the door.

17. I love how you just know how to make me feel better when I'm having a bad day

18. I love that even when you're tired from work, you still give my legs massages and take care of the kids too.

19. I love that you try your best to make us happy


20. I love that you make me a better person

21. I love that when you come home from work and I'm not feeling well, you will take care of me AND cook for the kids and yourself. 

There are so many things I love about you, but there'd be no room to list it all. I love you for just being you and being a strong husband and daddy. We love you dearly. I know this post is suppose to be about you, but I looked and looked and couldn't find any picture of you alone, you just love to take a picture with me! I promise I'll take more pictures of just you more. I know some days we have our difference but I know by the end of the day we talk it out and work it out. You've made me a better person, you've made me realize that all I need and wanted is right here in front of me. You are a special someone in my life and always will be. Thank you for being a wonderful husband and father. Thank you for loving us unconditionally! You don't have to buy me presents for Valentines' Day, you buy me things all the time. You aren't just special to me on Valentines' Day, you are special to me EVERYDAY! Even when I don't show it. We love you!

Hot water anyone?

I was getting ready for our church Valentines' day dinner tonight and while I was putting my make up on I heard this really loud engine like noise coming from somewhere. So I went downstairs to check and when I was half way down the stairs there was water everywhere! Apparently my hot water tank blew up. There was a hole on the tank. So I got my son to call my husband (he was outside making a snow castle with the kids). He came down and turned the water off and we all proceeded to clean up the water. This definitely bring back memories of when our house, actually, our whole town flooded in 05'. Except in 05' our whole basement flooded.
  Fortunately this time it was just the little hall way from the stairs to our furnace closet and a little by the bathroom downstairs. Good thing it did not go into our living room down stairs, the carpet is still looking new. The water is cleaned now, still damp but that's all we can do. We've called the plumber guy and they are coming out to see our tank and bringing us a new tank. Thank goodness for 24 hr emergency service! 
Just when I think things are going well. My eye was twitching for at least 2 days...now I guess I know the reason why. So much for my Valentines' Day huh? I guess our dinner date will be canceled and we'll be staying in and wait for the guy to come and fix us up! 
Well here's to Valentines' Day, hopefully we'll have a better one next year. 

 

Here's a picture of the tank. Too bad i didn't take a picture when we were cleaning and while there was still water everywhere. This is after we've cleaned up.

 

Lien had to use this stick to cover the hole so the water won't leak. 

So how did you spend your Valentines' Day? 

Banh Cuon

A few days ago I had a craving for Banh Cuon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1nh_cu%E1%BB%91n) so I decided that it would be my next recipe to try. I've had it plenty of times at Lao parties so I figured it didn't look too hard to do. Boy was I wrong!!!!
Let me just warn you, that's if you ever try to make it yourself. Give plenty of time to make this dish and make sure your children will be preoccupied with for a few at least an hour or half an hour. Trust me with this. Unless you will attempt this when they are not home. Good thing my kids are a little older and they have things to do rather than watch me cook it. I usually let them help with new recipes but this is an exception. 
In the end it was very good though. Turned out pretty good...my sister will agree too since she stayed to have some. Next time I try to make it...well it'll probably be a VERY LONG time. Not because it's not good, it is good. But because the process just takes too long. But I'm sure I'll make it again. I like eating it and the ones they sell at the store is not that good and by the time I get to the store and buy it, it's probably been at least a day old and it doesn't taste that great after that.

This is what you'll need to make the layer. Should be able to find it at any local Asian store.

Dried Fungus mushroom! I love this mushroom, texture is good. Be sure you soak these in water for a few hours until they get soft. Put them aside until you are ready to cook the pork. I like to stir fry it with my meat too! You can actually use this with everything.

This is what you will need to make the rice layer. All it is is a cloth (i used an old pillow cover--don't worry I washed it really good--since I didn't have any cheese cloth around) I just tied it around a pot, any pot will do.

First thing first. You will need to get the ingredients together. I first started with putting the pork together. 

You have to cook the pork (as much as you want since you will be putting it on the inside of the layer). Add the dried Fungus.

I used one stack of ground pork I bought from the store.

I added salt (again people I don't know how to do recipes so bare with me, I'll try) lets say about 2 shakes of the salt bottle?! ; )

I added about 2 shakes of garlic salt

2 teaspoon of sugar

 

             and about 3 shakes of oyster sauce! (shakes meaning you shake it out of the bottle! 
Just add the salt, sugar and oyster sauce according to your taste!

Then you stir them all together. 

When it is cooked and you are ready to put that aside, add chopped green onions. I didn't measure it, it just depends on how much you like green onions. I love green onions so I added a lot.

Put it aside to warm.
Now you do the mix of the powder. The bag actually tells you how to mix!
Ok so here comes the hard part. 
Turn on your stove top. And wait till steam comes out and spread the powder.

The powder should get lighter once it is almost done. I covered it with a lid to help it cook faster. It will be very light and soft once it is ready.

I used a spatula to slowly swoop it out of the cloth. You might need to use your other hand to help out. 

The side that was on the cloth should now be on the top of the plate. Ummm you pretty much just flip it.

Now add another layer to the pot and make sure you spread it to the size you want it to be. 

cover it. And now you are ready to make it.

So on the cooked rice layer, add your meat mix!

When it is on all you have to do now is roll it. If you don't want the meat to fall off you can tuck in the sides but normally you don't have to. It'll work either way.

So when you are done with that one, put it on a dish that is greased, so it doesn't stick. And then go to your next one. And just repeat the steps. 

When everything is done, it should look like this.

Some of mine came out small. It took me a few tries to finally figure out how to get it to a certain size and stuff. I had to throw away a few because it didn't turn out. I even figure out that they were breaking because I did not let it cover for a time. I thought they were going to be overcooked so I took the lid out before and it got all hard and didn't stick together so I had to throw them away. But it wasn't too bad. One mix bag will get you a lot so don't worry and just try it. I have to say it was a long process but well worth trying. At least you can say "I tried to make this". Even if you will never make it again. For me I'll probably try it again, because I don't really want to buy them but you never know. One recipe down....more to go!!!!

My finished product! What cha think? Looks yummy huh? The first few ones came out nice and big. The next few were kinda small and deformed looking. All in all it was a good experience! I had fun...most of the time.. Half of the time I was getting irritated because it was breaking on me. 

This is what it looks like a few seconds before I ate it! It is so yummy with spicy sauce added! The end result is always the best! Lien, Ming and the kids gave me a thumbs up! I'll take that!

Ok now you can wipe that drool from your face and go out and get those ingredients so you can try to make it. If I can do it, anyone can do it!

HAPPY EATING!!!!

highlights

Happenings in our home from the past week.

 

Last week Carma and Cookie were over and this is what the fun consisted of (some of the fun) When I came in to the living room to check on them, this is what they were doing. Don't know how the shirt came out.

 

Carmas' turn!

 

Narees' turn! Thanks to Nilun or Jasmine for the pictures!

 
 

About two weeks ago, Naree lost her tooth! She was playing with her brother and I'm not sure what happened because I was in the bathroom. When I came out she was sitting on the sofa so I didn't think much of it. After a while she said "ouch it hurts" so I asked "what hurts" and she said "my tooth is coming out" So I told her to try to pull it out (yeah i know, i know, but it's what i did when i was a kid) and she tried and tried and tried! Finally it came out. Then about 2 days later her other front tooth was loose too! She she tried pulling that out. So yes my daughter is toothless in the front but she doesn't seem to mind. I know i should have taken her to the dentist but like me, she hates going to the doctor too. 

 
 

Saturday (30th) we had the Elders and Sister missionaries over for dinner! I made Lard Nah and Lien made stir fry chicken and stir fry veggies with ginger. We like to have them all over at once so we can get to know them all and it's so much more fun that way. This is my first time meeting Elder Richie, Lien has met him at church before but i haven't so it was nice to finally meet him.

  

After dinner the Elders and Sisters wanted to go see where "the band" was! Nilun is (or attempting) organizing his own band. So far there is 4 of them. So Nilun too them downstairs to see it. That's Elder Wilkinson playing with the guitar. 

 
 

Jamming!

 
 

We also played a game after dinner. Just a getting to know you game. We had the missionaries answer a few random questions on a piece of paper and we had to guess who it was based on their answers. The kids made the questions up. It was interesting! This also might be the last time we have dinner with one or two of the missionaries since transfer is coming up! 

 
 

Silly face pose! I know I'm pretty short huh? They tower over me, even my kids will...eventually!

It's called FUN SIZED people!!! LOL!!!

 
 

Crab!!! This was a midnight snack for us on Saturday! We stayed up watching movies and got hungry! Steamed crab with spicy sauce! Yum!!