[Focus on Life Week 22] Foodie

It's Week 22 over at Ms. Sally Russick's Focus on Life:  "FOODIE."

I love this week's prompt as it is very close to my heart, or should I say, my tummy.  Yes, I'm one of those who take photos of their meal before gobbling it all up.

Do you like Samoas Girl scout cookies?  Oh, I love it!  

Did you know that Breyers have it as one of their flavors?  Yum yum!

Breyers Ice Cream Samoas

This is our new favorite flavor - we love the chocolate covered coconut.  Ahhh!  The heat is on in Texas and what better way to cool down after a sweaty hot yoga workout than by cooling off my mouth, hahah!

It's the last day of May and we'll be halfway through 2013 by midnight.  Wonderful!  Pretty soon, us crafters have to come up with our handmade cards and holiday sales and gifts.  Goodluck to us all!

Tomorrow will be a busy day for me and dear husband as we will be joining the "Loving Houston" project where we will be doing home improvement and beautification for people in need.  

Loving Houston

Speaking of people in need, my love and prayers go out to the families of the firefighters who died and were hurt on duty and other victims during a nasty fire in Houston this afternoon.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend, friends!

You are loved!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Product Review] ZOKU Single Quick Pop Maker

Welcome back, friends!  How was your weekend?  Mine was great!  I was able to kick off my new fitness routine that I'll be sharing with you soon (once I get results), haha.  

I was also able to go on a mini-shopping spree for work-out clothes and look what I found!  This is a Zoku Single Quick pop maker.  They came in different colors but this green one sold me.  Have you experienced going back and forth the display shelves trying to talk yourself out of something that you don't really need but definitely want?  Oh yeah...

I bought it because my husband and I love to eat ice cream as seen in my past posts and we are trying to cut back.  It's a challenge for us to give up dairy even when I've read that it can cause mucus build-up and overgrowth of parasites and bacteria in my gut.  Heck... I still love it.  As of this writing, we have 2 scoops of 2 flavors in our freezer and that's it...  we decided to stop buying - until our next birthdays (2014).   

Zoku Single Quick Pop Maker

The Zoku single pop maker came with a single receptacle with 3 pop sticks, 1 super tool and 3  drip cups.  After washing all the parts, we placed the receptable in the freezer for 24 hours (until it felt solid, with no slushing sound).   

We used Bolthouse Mocha Capuccino on our first attempt.  We poured the liquid until the fill line and allowed it to sit for 7-9 minutes.  When it was set, we used the super tool to take it out which was physically challenging.  Once out, we inserted the drip cup and finally enjoyed our first mocha cap pop.

The liquid froze well and it was satisfying to think that we just used a small amount (probably 1/4 to 1/3 cup.  We will make different flavors and see how it goes.  

The original Zoku pop maker has 3 receptacles and they have a duo pop maker too.  The only disadvantage for this single pop maker is that it can only make 3 pops, one at a time, and then you'd have to freeze it again.  This unit costs US$25.

We are hopeful that this product will help us make healthier choices.  I will post more of our Zoku adventures soon.  

Today is back to work day.  I thank God for Mondays, otherwise, there will never be Fridays.

Have a blessed week, my friend!

See you soon!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Focus on Life Week 20] Looking Up

It's Week 20 with Ms. Sally Russick's Focus on Life.  This week's prompt is "Looking Up."  

It's funny how we begin to take a serious look at things that we normally don't even bother to look at.  Can you guess what this alien looking creature with fuzzy wings is?

Hehehe.. it's my craft room lighting and fan fixture that I never thought would look so weird until I looked up.  This creature comes alive at night and on dark, rainy days to keep me company and cool me off while I work on my projects.

Thanks for stopping by.  It's time to head over HERE to see what others have been looking up to.

Have a great week!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Focus on Life] Week 19: Hope

Welcome to Week 19 of Focus on Life by Ms. Sally Russick! 

HOPE.

It is always a comfort to see light in the midst of darkness.  That, to me is Hope.

HOPE

This is a very timely prompt in my case.  I missed last weeks' Focus on Life: Abstract because 

hubby and I were busy helping out our friends.  It was a very physical and emotional week as 2 of our good friends were 

brought to the hospital - one due to bleeding and the other due to complications of dialysis.  

Oh, it brought our group of friends to our knees praying and hoping that everything will be alright.

My hope is in God.  

Lamentations 3:25 says

"The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him."

Today, both our friends are post surgery and on their way to recovery.  

When you feel like you are in the dark, be assured that there is a light that can guide your way.

Be blessed!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Celebration] Cinco de Mayo and Mi Esposo Cumpleaños

Welcome back!

Today is Cinco de Mayo which is celebrated in the United States by Mexican-American communities and in Mexico to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American civil war.   These days, it is also a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride.

For my husband and I, we are celebrating his birthday plus other things.  

We were pretty busy last week when we helped our friend who was admitted at the hospital while her husband was in the Philippines.  We just thank God for His strength, wisdom, protection and for answered prayers.  She was back home yesterday and her husband (our Pastor) was able to change his flight and arrived this morning.

So, in light of Cinco de Mayo and my husband's birthday, we had a Mexican inspired party.




Tamales, Fajitas, Tres leches, Canonigo and Bolillo

 

We made chicken tortilla soup topped with onions, cilantro, sour cream and avocado,  It was delicious, so they say.  The  yummy and reasonably priced $6.50/12 pcs. pork and chicken tamales and bolillo bread were from Aranda's bakery.  

One of our friends brought Chicken fajitas from La Michoacana Meat Market. 

it came with a "green salsa" which was delicately spiced.

For dessert, I made Canonigo decorated with mango balls.  Perfect!

His birthday cake was Tres Leches topped with slices of mango.  In lieu of a handmade birthday card, I made a mini bunting 

and stamped embossed his name...  simple, not too sweet, yummy and you-know-me, colorful.

How was your weekend?

Now that we're back home and sleeping on our own beds, I'm not too eager to clean and keep up with house duties.   

Now that would be another story.

Have a blessed week!

♥  Michelle ♥