Ann Thongprasom

                           

I just finished watching my fave actress's lakorn (thai soap) and it was awesome! I knew it wouldn't disappoint. Her comedies never disappoint. Plus the actor playing along side her is my fave actor and they go so well together. I've watch 3 lakorns with the two of them together and it is great. All three were great movies.

Ann is my all time favorite Thai actress. I've seen her since she was at least a teenager, now she is around 32? The first lakorn I saw was Jao Jorm which was probably way back in early 90! It was a great one. After that one i've followed her ever since. You know how it is when you find a special talented actress/actor? She's not only talented but she is a great person too. Building a school for poor kids and doing many charities, some actors/actresses don't do that, but she does and she makes sure she is hands on. If some of you watched her you would be a fan too. Her acting is incredible. Even if she was doing a silly, annoying lakorn/movie, it wouldn't be because of her, no matter what it is she makes it look great, not to mention that her beautiful face helps too!

Just like this last lakorn i just finished, Soot Saneha (recipe of love) her character in this movie is suppose to be this silly, none caring, selfish person. She cares only about her self, she is spoiled and everything you can imagine. She thinks she can get away with everything and she likes taking short cuts! With any other actress i think they would have killed it, meaning they would have made the movie annoying but with her in it playing that part, she makes it fun to watch! It was hilarious. She's like that, but inside she is a good person. The story is about this selfish, careless and spoiled actress who made her reputation so tarnished because of her ways she ends up not finding any jobs for 2 years!

But when a handsome rich guy gives her a job offer to be his host for a cooking show she takes it. Only because she is reaching her 30s and all her entertainment friends are married and so she feels it is time for her to do the same (she's all for drama and being in the news) so she feels hooking this guy will bring her back to the entertainment world and plus he's rich and hott! What she doesn't know is that he is not rich, his dad was and now that his mom has used every penny they've got, him and his mom are going to use her to get rich...they are trying to hook her so she will marry him and his mom can use more of her money. So she takes the job, but there's only one problem! She can't cook! Never cooked in her life!

So enters Din, the chef her lawyer (he is also Din's best friend) has hired to teach her how to cook. So she uses him to teach her how to cook the food that the show is to be showcasing.  She cooks it for the show but right after she'll hide it and bring out the actual one that Din has cooked because hers taste awful. So the story just follows her trying to keep this job and learning how to cook so she can get her boss to fall for her. She is so into this whole theory of finding the perfect man and marrying him and having the whole world see it that she doesn't realize that he isn't the one for her at all. In fact the one she really has been looking for is right there in front of her, but it'll take her many food fights, arguments and a wake up call to finally realize that. What she doesn't know is that her "dream guy" is actually married and has a kid, but he is not with her because his mom disapprove of her because she is poor. But he goes behind his mom's back and go see his girlfriend and kid every chance he gets. And to top that off, his girlfriend is Din's best friend too! Are you following along here? ;-) This lakorn has so many funny scenes that my husband and I were cracking up every few minutes. The main actress and her troubles! And Din always there to cover it up or help. The reason why she is like that is because she was raised by 3 aunts (her mother died and her father wanted to raise her but her aunts wouldn't let him-her mother and father were not married) First aunt was a mean person, she would analyze everything, from the house to the servants to little things like colors and things like that. So she also developed those traits. Her second aunt would rate things. She would rate each servant by their performance, she'd rate tv shows, she's basically rate everything and anything and so Alin (that's the main actress name) would rate everything too! And finally her third aunt, she was a drama major, meaning she is so dramatic. She takes everything as if it were a drama. She's what you would call a drama queen. And Alin is like that too, dramatic in every way. So you can imagine how it is to deal with that plus add in 3 personality into one person, how much chaos would that be? This lakorn had me up some nights till 3 am!!! But well worth it.

I also love the actor in this lakorn, Ken Theeradej...he is so handsome and he is a great actor too. I only have 2 or 3 fave actor in Thailand. Number 1 is Ken, #2 is Tik Jeedsedaporn and #3 is well see i don't know guess i only have 2. The rest are ok i guess. My fave actress in Thailand is #1 Ann Thongprasom and that's it. I usually only watch if she is playing the main part. If not, i probably won't, not because i don't like the others, i just don't want to see the other actresses play, because most of em are newbies and lets just say they don't really do a good job at it. And plus most lakorns in Thailand are like 13 or more episodes and some are just so long.

Now if the lakorn has both Ann and Ken, oh yeah you know i will definitely be watching.

This is another lakorn of Ann and Ken i watched 2 years ago. This one was #1 in Thailand and it was soo hilarious! They are soo good together!This one is about her being a well sought after model and him as the photographer. One night they go out to celebrate and he goes into the wrong room and you know what happens. After a few weeks she finds out she's pregnant. She tries to hide it by going to American to live with her dad but news breaks out when the vilian actress of the lakorn sees her trying to cover her stomach one time at a photo shoot. She talks to him (which by the way they both hate each other) and her friend suggest that they tell the press that they indeed are having a baby and will marry soon. She doesn't like the idea but does it anyways. So story is base around them living together and making sure the press thinks that they are in love. Plus she has another guy that wants her so he has to try to get that guy to stay away. Her best friend is in love with the rich guy who wants her (forgot her name in this lakorn) Some time in the middle of the lakorn they both (main characters) starts falling in love with each other. But they face many obstacles first.

This is the lakorn that introduced me to Ken!

What a hottie huh?


I wish some of my American friends could watch it with me, they would be addicted. They do have these lakorns with American subtitles!!!! Anyone????? I wouldn't mind translating either! Hahahaha!!!!

 

This is a movie she did a few years back. This one is a tear jerker! A story of loss and true love. Any one interested in watching this with me, let me know. I will translate too! ; )

Wow didn't think this post would be long but i wanted to at least give acknowledge to a great actress! She is great in every thing that she plays! She puts in 200% in every movie and lakorn she plays and I can't wait to see her next project!

Now if only that wish of mine would come true! I only wish to at least be half as beautiful as she is!!!!

 

 

Phoutthavong

Since this blog is about myself and my family I thought I should include every one of my family. Even my extended. Every one of them mean so much to me, they all have a piece of my heart and I'd like to let them know that they mean every thing to me. Sometimes I can't always help with what they need but I want to let them know that I will always try my best! 
I'd like to start off with my fave cousin, Si! This is not in any particular order, I love them all the same but he and his family just had their family picture taken. 

Si is incredible! He's such a hard working guy, hard to believe that he use to pick he boogers! Hehehehe!!!! When we were kids he'd pulled so many pranks on me and my sisters! He was always up to no good. We had so much fun! One time while we were living in Idaho, Si and his parents lived next door to us and we, meaning my sisters and Si and his brothers, would play war in our backyard. Si's back yard has a Apricot tree so the boys would climb up and my sisters and I would be on our yard and we use the ripe Apricot as weapons and just throw it at each other, granted we had shields of course! So I had this wood shield, it's like a crate i guess and it has you know openings on em, so I looked through the opening and was ready to throw when all of a sudden I get this big splash of fruit on my eye! Yes they saw me looking through and yes they got me, right in the eye. Let me tell you that wasn't a good feeling, hurt like you know what?!

So many memories....one time Si, me and my friend, Pheng walked from Skateland all the way home to my house! It was fun, on the way home we picked some fruits from peoples' yard, hey it was hanging out of the fences and calling our names! What were we suppose to do? Ignore the call? : ) Then there was the one time my best friend, Noi and I were eating our sour apples with spicy sauce in my back yard and he came walking out towards us like no big deal and came right up to us with a booger on his nose!  We of course we disgusted but apparently to Si it was the most hilarious thing ever! He was laughing so hard...he did it on purpose if you all were wondering! Let's just say we didn't finish our apples! Of course there were the nights when him and his big brother would be in our room (us 4 girls shared a room) and we would tell ghost stories until my dad would kick em out! Memories of the many times we would walk to the park and play sports and just hang out! Awwww I miss those days!

Now he is a grown man! With a family! Wow the time has really flown by! His family is the cutest! Sovan is a nice girl who takes care of him and makes him happy. She puts him in check if he's out of line...I hope! ; )

Her daughter Trinity is cute! A sweet little girl who is growing up and most definitely will be a heart breaker! Either daddy likes it or not!

Maya is the mini version of Si! Just look at her! She is the smallest cutest little thing. I call her his spoiled little girl! She is daddys' little girl. She'll cry for him all the time, usually when I see him, he'll have her in his arm. It's hard to get her off of him. She won't let us hold her, only "papa"! But when she does finally opens up a bit, she is the cutest. Her laugh is adorable and apparently she loves our dog more then us! One day she'll warm up to us, if only we can get her daddy to go away! Hehehehe!!!

What can I say about Si? He is incredible in many ways. He works hard for his family, he's grown so much in the past few years! Hard to believe that the booger picking skinny kid has become a family man. I guess all goobers will eventually be a man huh? And a wonder man he is! 

I'm thankful to have him as part of our family! Even though we don't see each other often and we don't talk as much any more but I know that we will always have each others' back if the time comes. He knows he can always ask us for help and he should know that we will try our best to help in any way possible! And I know that he feels the same way! That's what families are for right? 

 

 

 

 

 

Food

I was looking through pictures on my camera and couldn't resist posting these up. This week I've been feeling a bit...hmmm what would you call it? A bit more domesticated? I have been cooking up a storm. 

Monday I tried to make steam fish. Usually my husband would make the steam fish. I was craving for it. We usually don't get to eat fish. Our kids are allergic to fish so we try not to have it around or eat it too often. So while the kids were in school Monday 1/11/09, I just decided to make the fish myself. I just did it! I made up my own recipe as I go and added whatever I felt like eating. Have to admit it was pretty yummy! Lien even agreed! He told me "now i don't have to make it anymore, you can do it now." Ummm yeah, great! Look what I did! I love for HIM to cook for ME!!

Still steaming! It's not cooked yet. I had parsley, basil and sliced ginger to top it. Mushroom on the side with Chinese mushroom and cellophane noodles on the sides. I rubbed the fish with mashed up peppers, garlic and ginger with a little salt. The fish was stuffed with some left over rub, basil and parsley. And last I added some fish steam sauce bought from the store. I had to make a lot of rub as to make sure it had lots of flavor.

 

My finished product!!! What cha think? Did I do ok? I garneshed it with sliced pieces of green onions and carrots and lemon grass.

Tuesday I decided I wanted dessert! I was looking through my unused Thai cook book and came upon a picture of this agar dessert mix and right that instant I fell in love with it's color and oooh so yummy look! So when the kids came home, we cleaned, got homework done and started on our dessert. Jasmine and Naree helped me while Nilun and Ming looked on. Thanks guys! It was pretty simple, I'm sure we'll be making plenty of those in the near future. We also had the missionaries over that day so they helped us by being "tasters". Nothing like sharing your meal, or in this case, your dessert with the missionaries! LOL!!!

Naree and I putting the agar into our mold. First layer is going in!

 

Jasmine putting on the second layer, which would actually be the bottom layer once it's done. Can you tell she was enjoying it? The mold is from Pat Catans. It is actually soap mold, but hey it did the trick!

 

Look at these two! They were having fun!

 

This is actually the first layer. Coconut agar! The mold is from Target @ 2 sets for $2.50! What a deal huh?

Tada!!!! Isn't it so cute?

Our taster, sister Park! She liked it, she had a few! It was really yummy and so easy to make.

And then this morning, well last night I forgot to make Liens' lunch so after he went to bed, I went out to make him his lunch. Yes! At 1 am! The things we do for our hubbies! I couldn't figure out what to make. So I went with yum seafood, since I had squid and shrimp out. Yum seafood is basically seafood salad. I was kinda of hesitant to make it because it required a lot of preparations and mind you it was 1 am! I had to get a towel and cover Yukis' cage so the light wouldn't bother him. Poor boy!  

My finished product! 

 

Close up! This one wasn't so hard to make either, the preparations was just a little long. Once again, I made up my own recipe. I've seen this many times at our Lao parties and I always wanted to know how to make it. So I just figured, I've seen it many times, I should be able to tell what's in it, so I based my cooking it on just that alone. By appearance! Crazy. Anyways in this dish there is chopped up green onions and cilantro (that is for garnishing). I added sliced onions and jalapeno. In the dish is squid, shrimp, beef tripe and Chinese white mushroom. First I cooked the shrimp, squid, tripe and mushroom. Add all the ingredients together and then I add fish sauce, salt, lime juice, little sugar and tom yum goong sauce and BAM! And you have a delicious yum seafood! 

I realized this is probably the worst recipe explanation ever! I'm horrible at recipes. I will try to be better at that one! 

So while we are on the subject of food. I came upon these delicious desserts and just couldn't keep them to myself. I am definitely checking out this bakery the next chance I get. I've pass this place so many times and never thought to go in and check it out. Now I will have to.

Don't they make your mouth water???

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's an address if anyone is ever interested in trying this place out.

3710 Payne Avenue, Payne Commons

Cleveland, OH, 44114
(216) 881-7600


Ok so go ahead and wipe your drools!

 

A Womans' Worth

I was looking through some old things on Facebook and came upon this and I thought I should share it with everyone! Sometimes we do so much and we end up forgetting about ourselves. I love this little poem, I try to read it every once in a while when I'm stressed or just needing a break from things. When I feel lonely or feeling like it's "the end of the road" I want to always come back and read this...always makes me feel better for some reason.



God doesn't give you the people you want, He gives you the people you
NEED. To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you
into the person you were meant to be.


One Flaw In Women
Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends.
Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Cup Cakes at 29!

Yesterday the kids and I made cup cakes...for the FIRST time, with their little cousins! It was a blast watching the kids make it and get all excited about it. They even cleaned my oven just so they could  make it. My oven wasn't cleaned yet, still had some left over grease and I was going to clean it today and have it ready for the kids for after school today to make cup cakes. But they were too anxious to wait. That was fine by me! 
So here's the story. This is my FIRST TIME EVER making cup cakes! Yes it is really! Growing up, our parents didn't have the time to spend with us like that. In fact I don't recall ever doing fun things like that with them. They were always so busy trying to make a living or something else. And besides my parents were brought up in a different way. We hardly ever did anything with our parents. There were a few times our parents took us out to the park or somewhere with a group of their friends family too but it was rarely. They didn't sit around to teach us how to cook or spend time with us making new crafty things and such. In fact the only thing I remember doing with my father as a kid was every Christmas he would take us sisters out to buy a real X-mas tree for Christmas. And we would come home with the tree and he would make a wooden stand for the tree and put it up for us and then we would decorate it. That was probably all we ever got to "spend time" with our dad. He stopped doing that right around I turned 12 or 13. I don't know why exactly, maybe it was us or maybe he just thought we have gotten older now and didn't need to do those things anymore. Who knows. But I cherish those moments even though they were short lived. My parents may not be the most attentive parents but they worked hard to make sure we had food to eat and cloths to wear so I'm thankful for that. Thankful for parents who are so hard working for their kids. Thankful that my parents did everything they could to help provide for us. My mom worked 2 jobs up until I started 7 or 8 grade. Dad did 2 jobs for the first 2 years after we moved to Idaho from California and then after that he found a nice job that gave him a better pay (at that time it was, now probably not) and stability! So anything to do with school, you know it, our parents weren't there. Not because they didn't want to but they couldn't. Conference with teachers? No not that either. I'm not resentful either, I know the sacrafices they had to make. That's why I want to spend as much time as I can with my kids and do things with them as much as I can. I missed not having those moments with mom and dad. I think that's why now, although I love my parents dearly, we are not as close as I'd love it to be. But I still give mom a hug and tell her I love her as much as i can. I want my kids to grow up and know that we will always be there for them, and if at times we can't then I'd also want them to know and understand why we can't. My childhood wasn't perfect but it was as good as it gets I guess. I'm here aren't I? I'm doing just fine right? So it wasn't that bad...it just didn't have much wonderful memories to share, just a lot of memories of struggles and trails..but we won't go into that. It's not meant to be a sob or sympathy post.
So my post says "Cup cakes at 29"! It's titled that because it has taken me 29 yrs to make a single cup cake. Now for some people that might sound ridiculous but to me it's a victory!...so to speak! It shouldn't have taken that long, not like there were obstacles on my way but I was so use to living that kind of life like my childhood that I got use to it and didn't think of anything at all. I'm so glad I started thinking about things. I finally realized that I needed to change, I needed to change the course of history for my kids or they'll end up doing the same thing I did, because I was doing the same thing my parents were doing. So no more! It's not what I want my kids to grow up like. Well it's not all that bad, I do do things with them and take them on outings and such, I've moved past my parents a little but I hoping to be better...well not great great, but more open minded and thoughtful of my kids. I want to be close to my kids. 
So anyways I'm glad we made cup cakes last night, it was fun and even more fun eating it. It was yummy! Next we will tackle cake..at least we'll attempt to! Lets hope it doesn't take me another week or so to do that!

Tada!!! My master piece..I don't like frosting that much so I didn't put too much on.

 

This is Cookies cup cake! By the time she finished, she had chocolate all over her mouth! She attempted to help with the cleaning but my oven is only as big as any oven is so she didn't get to do much. Plus they were saying she was on their way so we had her just wipe the window of the oven! But it was a nice help!

 

Jasmine and her creation! She also did a great job cleaning my oven! Thanks Jasmine! I will remember to bribe you more often with food to clean for me!

 

Naree and her cup cake. She also helped with the cleaning so thank you!

 

Nilun and cup cake. He has already started on his, he couldn't wait!!! He helped organize the cleaning...meaning he "supervised" the cleaning!

Carma! She just loved it, I think she had two! She also helped, what a nice little helper she was!

God Created Children

A friend of mine sent this to me and thought it was soo cute. It's a joke thing so don't get offended. Just a good laugh.


GOD CREATED CHILDREN
(AND IN THE PROCESS GRANDCHILDREN)




To those of us who have children in our lives,
whether they are our own,
grandchildren,
nieces,
nephews,
or students...
here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control,
you can take comfort from the thought that
even God's omnipotence did not extend
to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth,
God created Adam and Eve.

And the first thing he said was
' DON'T !'

'Don 't what ? '
Adam replied.

'Don't eat the forbidden fruit.'
God said.

'Forbidden fruit ?
We have forbidden fruit ?
Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit ! '



' No Way ! '
'Yes way ! '

'Do NOT eat the fruit ! '
said God.




'Why ? '

'Because I am your Father and I said so ! '
God replied,
wondering why He hadn't stopped
creation after making the elephants

A few minutes later,
God saw His children having an apple break
and He was ticked !
'Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit ? '
God asked.





'Uh huh,'
Adam replied.

'Then why did you ? '
said the Father.

'I don't know,'
said Eve.
'She started it! '
Adam said.

'Did not ! '
'Did too ! '
'DID NOT ! '

Having had it with the two of them,
God's punishment was that Adam and Eve
should have children of their own.
Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven't taken it,
don't be hard on yourself.

If God had trouble raising children,
what makes you think it would be
a piece of cake for you ?

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT !

1. You spend the first two years of their life
teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend
the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.

2. Grandchildren are God's reward
for not killing your own children.

3. Mothers of teens now know why
some animals eat their young.

4. Children seldom misquote you.
In fact,
they usually repeat word for word
what you shouldn't have said

5. The main purpose of holding children's parties
is to remind yourself that there are children
more awful than your own

6. We childproofed our homes,
but they are still getting in.



ADVICE FOR THE DAY:

Be nice to your kids.
They will choose your
nursing home one day

AND FINALLY:

IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION
AND YOU GET A HEADACHE,
DO WHAT IT SAYS
ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:




'TAKE TWO ASPIRIN'
AND 'KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN'!!!!!