OH GIAN

OUR LITTLE DIRT MAGNET

LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING

DAD WITH HIS ELDEST APU

LITTLE SHADOW

GIAN ADORES HIS BIG COUSIN
{ whatever kale'a does, gian does }

MEMORABLE OCCASIONS

HAPPY SIX YEAR ANNIVERSARY, MONINGKA FAMILY!

HELLO, DADDY!

MY LITTLE BOY, HAMMING IT UP AGAIN

ST. LOUIS ARCH

{ photo courtesy of brandon moningka }

OUR LITTLE HAM

CAN YOU SAY MINI ALLAN?!

{ taken by atelei from her cell phone }

OUT OF TOWN

My family is on a month-long RV road trip across the United States and since quite a few of our destinations don't have WiFi available, I won't be blogging much on this site { unless our site has WiFi and I'm not completely wiped out after driving and taking care of Gian }. I will, however, be blogging on the site I created specifically for this trip. Until 15 August CLICK HERE to read about my family's life in this wonderful world God created.

CONGRATULATIONS, JASON!

You want to know who's crazy? Jason! He graduated with his MA this past June. That doesn't sound crazy until you know how long it took him to finish: one year. That's 48 units. About 15 classes. That's crazy. Congrats, Jas. We are so proud of you!

SERENITY NOW

I was looking through my iPhoto when I came across a picture Allan took during one of our many road trips up and down the California coast. It is strikingly beautiful just like the man behind the lens.

SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA
{ no photoshopping done because allan simply did a good job. kudos to you, babe! }

COUNTDOWN

38 hours and counting before our grand Oliverio RV Trip. Bookmark our BLOG so you can join in on the fun { and yes, husband, I'm talking to you! }.

CREATION

Prior to this week I've been plagued with worry about our road trip across America because a) my hubby can't make it until the last full week of the trip; b) Gian, Allan and I haven't been separated for this amount of time since our little guys was born; and c) I keep remembering the disastrous Oliverio camping trip of '08. Trust me, not pretty.

Stuck in a 35' motor home with three children and eight adults will not be easy; however, it's the journey, the ride with my parents that spur me to continue hoping this trip will be fantastic. It's a miracle my dad is still alive and that we - as the Oliverio family - are able to take this trip together as a complete unit. I love my parents, my sisters. I love their families. I love it when we are together. There is nothing more important, besides God, than family. And God blessed me when He deemed me worthy to be the second daughter to Edgar and Zenaida.

Growing up I spent all my summers trapped in our little house with my two sisters. Dad, having seen the real world, protected his daughters with an iron fist. We couldn't have sleepovers at girlfriends' houses... we couldn't even walk upstairs when we visited friends' houses! When I was a tween and teenager I didn't understand why he prohibited us from so many things. When I grew into adulthood, I understood and loved my father even more for his way of showing that he loves me.

Dad's brush with death brought our already close knit family thisclose. And with his cancer still hiding somewhere inside his brain we are taking advantage of this time God's given us to spend one more summer together, trekking across this beautiful land. Will there be fighting? -most definitely. Will there be a lack of privacy? -you betcha. Will there be laughter and joyful tears and bonding moments? -for sure. It's going to be a great trip, a trip I will reminisce with Gian and his future siblings, my siblings, my parents and my husband for the rest of my life.

In two days we'll be leaving for the open road and I can already feel the excitement building as I pen this post. It will be legend... wait for it... dary!

DOUBLE EDGE SWORD

I spent a wonderful Sabbath afternoon with Atelei, Jason and mom at the Seventh Day Sabbath Church listening to Pastor Hughs speak. Talk about a double edged sword message! We truly are living in these last days and we all need to awaken from our stupor; spend every morning reading our Bibles, praying to God and listening for his voice; and spread the THREE ANGEL'S MESSAGE to our families, our church and the world via our communities.

In my relationship with God I'm either hot or cold. Rarely lukewarm. Through the prayers of my mom and sister { and probably others of whom I am unaware } I know the Lord is lighting the fire within me to develop a closer walk with Him because we know the truth that by beholding we become changed. I desire to behold Christ on a daily basis that he changes me into his likeness and hopefully Gian, by beholding his mama, will also change into Christ's likeness.

With the Sabbath hours gone and a new week commencing, it is my hope that we all will consecrate our lives daily to the God who never changes, who is always here and who desire more than anything to help us overcome sin and Satan. May we all become like Jesus.

REST

Another Sabbath has come upon Southern California and I must say that I am happy. My relationship with God is like any other relationship I have: it ebbs and flows, has its ups and downs. I, however, desire for my relationship with God to be so intimate that I will walk, talk and act like Him. That's my desire. And since it is aligned with God's will I know - with his divine help - He will help me succeed. Lord, help me please.

Peter Gregory spoke for Restoration years ago and God used him to get through to me. I thought I'd share with you one of his sermons for you to listen, muse upon and learn more about our loving Savior, our constant never changing God and our abiding guardian, the Holy Spirit.

Happy Sabbath!

"HOW TO FINISH THE RACE"
{ peter gregory }

By the way, here are some excellent sites that you should listen to during Sabbath afternoon or whenever you want to spend time with God. AUDIOVERSE is a great site for sermons, for answers to any life-centered questions and for guidance with your walk here on earth. THIS SITE is all EGW; her words are truly inspired by God. If you haven't already, read DESIRE OF AGES, STEPS TO CHRIST and THE GREAT CONTROVERSY. I highly recommend reading the four gospels concurrently with The Desire of Ages and Daniel and Revelation with The Great Controversy. Need an online Bible? CLICK HERE.

ROAD TRIP

So it's settled: we're heading on the road. To document our exciting journey through the United States, I've created another blog. You can view it HERE. We're leaving Wednesday, 15 July 2009 and will be gone for 30 days. During that time we are anticipating lots of photo ops, meanderings through national parks and reveling in historic cities. It's gonna be legend... wait for it... dary!

GO SWIMMING MAMA

Gian's favorite question right now is, "go swimming mama?" He'll take my hand and proceed to lead me to the front door stating, "Go now, mama. Shoes, shoes on. Let's go. Come on." I've become five shades darker in just two weeks and summer won't be over for another ten weeks.

During one swimming expedition Grandma Zeny happened to have her camera around and took several shots of what Maile likes doing when she's in the pool. She's such a G.I.R.L. Love it!

PRETTY PRINCESS

WHAT A CUTIE

SCARY

For the past three days Gian's been fighting a mysterious illness he contracted from hugging and kissing and playing with his cousins. :P It's inevitable that Gian would get sick because Maile, Kale'a and Gian = Three Amigos AKA PIC { Partners in Crime }. That's just how they roll.

I've been giving him Tylenol every four hours to fight the fever but it wasn't really working; the fever would spike back up to 102 degrees after the medicine wore off. Sponge bathing him with ice cold water helped to cool him down but after Gian's tenth attempt to run away from me, screaming and crying for his daddy to rescue him, I could barely control my frustration. It's not Gian's fault he's sick, I'd remind myself.

Yesterday morning I checked his temperature. It read 103 degrees. I immediately gave another dose of Tylenol and handed him his homemade fruit smoothie to wash it down. Not even five minutes later I walked back into the living room to see how he was doing. Gian was sitting on the floor, convulsing. He looked at me, his sickly eyes glazed over, and cried, "Mama, help." Scooping him up, I cradled him in my arms, sang to him - and with a free hand - dialed Kaiser. The receptionist found a cancelled appointment so within fifteen minutes { thank goodness I took a shower the night before } Gian was strapped into his car seat with me behind the wheel.

Dr. Hicks - praise the Lord for caring doctors - took such good care of Gian, giving him a thorough check up. With a throat culture in the works and his assessment of the situation we left the office happy, Gian playing with his new sticker and me thinking how pleased I was for having peace of mind that my son, despite being sick, will be all right. And the convulsions? -a normal occurrence when children under the age of five spike high fevers. Phew.

This morning Gian awoke and is almost back to his old self. He's smiling, playing and even eating more. By the day's end I'll most likely be able to take him off the Tylenol. But what's more exciting is that Gian's quarantine is done: we're heading to see his cousins today. Woot woot.

CHECK HER OUT NOW

My talented cousin, Katrina, just posted photos of our beautiful children on her blog and let me just preffice the post by saying wow, Wow, WOW! You can see her work by CLICKING HERE. Below is a taste of just how talented she is:

EASY AS 1-2-3

When I bake 98% of the time I make everything from scratch. But sometimes I find myself with limited time to create something that would satisfy my crazy sweet tooth. In her episode, "Giada'a Bake Sale," Giada De Laurentiis made mascarpone mini cupcakes with strawberry glaze and my mouth drooled when I watched those litle cupcakes come into fruition. I've made these many, many times and I must say that this cupcake recipe is versatile, tasty and oh-so-easy to make. Try it.

MARSCARPONE CUPCAKES WITH STRAWBERRY GLAZE

COOK TIME: 25 MINUTES | YIELD: 18 CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese { about 1 cup } softened
  
• 2 egg whites
  
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  
• 1 box white cake mix { i prefer betty crocker's white cake mix }
  
• 1 cup water
  
• 1/3 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and drained
  
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the cupcake tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl combine the mascarpone cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy. Add the cake mix and water and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill the mini cups to just below the rim and bake until puffed and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tin then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack.

Meanwhile, puree the strawberries in a blender or small food processor. Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Pour in the strawberry puree and whisk until smooth. Top the cooled cupcakes with the strawberry glaze. Let the cupcakes sit for a few minutes for the glaze to firm up, then serve.

HEY, DADDY...

... I lub you. ♥ Gian

{ and i love you too }

THANKS, YOUTUBE

Gian is sick so we've been YouTubing various things to keep him happy. Gian had so much fun at the Aquarium of the Pacific so when we found the following video Gian went nuts.

Next, Gian asked for Thomas so we searched for uploaded episodes and what popped out was videos by children. These cuties created their own storylines for Thomas and Gian was hooked. Here's one he watched over and over.

I'm sure Gian wishes he could have a train set like this.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

it is a wise father that knows his own child. william shakespeare

I'M LIKE A BIRD IN THE SKY

It's no secret that my little boy obsesses over three things: airplanes, trains and his lime green and white hippo printed pillow. I am always on the lookout for those 747s in the sky or at least in a window display. So it was a treat when I stumbled upon THIS SITE. Naturally the Japanese would design high-performance paper and wood gliders. In their words,

"These planes are scientifically designed to fly just like real airplanes, and are launched with a catapult (included). When properly tuned and under good conditions, they are can catch thermals and gain amazing altitudes and unbelievably long flights (up to 300 yards)!"

The box includes everything you need to assemble the airplane including instructions in English and with four colors from which to choose, any aviator enthusiast would love to add Ninomiya Yasuaki's Colorwings Performance Paper Gliders.

I think I'll hold off on these until I'm sure Gian won't destroy them.

EATING IS A JOURNEY

One of my favorite design blogs { GRASSROOTSMODERN } posted a china set that would make my husband very happy. An urban planner, he had to study topography at the university, and apparently the designer had to, too { or at least finds inspiration with the rolling hills, wide vistas and majestic mountain ranges }. In the designer's words,

"Made up of cups, plates, bowls, placemats and a tablecloth, the collection explores the visual and social landscape of dining by using outlines and descriptions to describe, question and push our eating experience, making it really feel like a journey."

Pretty sweet.

THE PLACEMAT

THE CHINA
{ look closely at the lines and words on the china }

THE COMPLETE SET
{ did you notice that the lines and words dictate the amount of food a child, mother and father should have? pretty ingenious }

UH OH

Poor little Gian is the latest victim of the Moningka virus. His fever { as of 2200 } is 101 degrees. I've been sponging him with a face towel dipped into ice water, which he was nonplussed about at first until he realized that mama wasn't stopping the cold bath treatment wherein he proceeded to wail. My poor little baby.

It's gonna be a loooooooong night. Please pray that God will heal Gian in no time so he can go back to playing monster trucks and race cars and trains with Kale'a and Maile. Good night.

JUST ANOTHER DAY

Just another typical day between Gian and Maile.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAILE

Maile turned two last May and instead of planning a big birthday party we all went to Disneyland { will post about that later }. However, we couldn't let her real birthday go by without doing something so along with Grandma Darlene, Maile's parents prepared an intimate afternoon soiree. Maile was thrilled.

BALLOONS ALWAYS MAKES A PARTY MORE FUN

MAILE ADORES PRESENTS

LITTLE CHRISTINE...

... AND BIG BROTHER KALE'A

HAPPY BOY, HAPPY MORNING

Because the hubby is still on his all boy's road trip Gian and I spent the night at Grandma Zeny's house. Christine has been fighting a nasty illness since Friday and because Maile loves sleeping thisclose to her mama she contracted the mysterious illness yesterday. And for you parents, isn't it weird how their fever always seem to spike during the night? Suffice it to say, it was a rough night { more for mama Christine but Grandma Zeny and I were helping out too }. So it's a little miracle that this morning Gian wanders into my bedroom with a huge smile on his face.

"Hi mama."
"Good morning, Gian."
"Kiss, mama." Gian puckers his lips. I scoop him up into my arms, squeeze and kiss him.
"I love you, Gian."
"Lub you, mama." Moments like this make me feel so incredibly blessed to be a mama. Below are a few of the photos Atelei and I took of my happy baby boy this morning.

gian saw maile squinting her eyes shut during photo ops and thinks it's an awesome way to pose

what a darling chin

MAMA, GO POO POO

Yes, I am in the process of potty training little Gian. I had him potty trained at 18 months but because I wasn't consistent with my scheduling we both fell off the wagon. Now I'm back tracking and with many hits and misses I am hoping Gian will get that Aha! moment and make the connection. I know it'll be soon but sometimes I feel like I'll be changing diapers forever. Maybe I should buy the POTTYBENCH for him. Shoots, its cool design and smart storage makes me wanna sit on it. All I need is my Vanity Fair and I'm set to go. Gian can read his airplane books.

THE POTTYBENCH, FOLDED NEATLY

THE SIDE BINS HOLD TOILET PAPER AND BABY WIPES

BASSINET OF THE FUTURE

On the MOCO LOCO blog they posted an interesting baby bassinet that, honestly, I'm lovin'. Clean lines, movable hood and a womb-like shell make this a beautiful first home for any baby whose parents make $$$.

THE CULLA SINUE CRIB | DANIELA AVALTRONI

ONCE WED : ANOTHER FAB BUDGET-FRIENDLY WEDDING.

So what?! I've been happily married for three years yet still love perusing though countless wedding blogs, admiring the design aesthetics and smiling faces of the bride, groom and guests. Weddings are such a happy time, whether it be an intimate celebration { like Christine and mine } or a large festive production { like my cousin Ydem's wedding }. ONCE WED is a simply inspiring wedding blog detailing whimsical yet budget happy weddings. I adore this site. Thanks, Christine, for bookmarking it. I owe you BIG TIME.

A featured wedding had the cutest theme ever without going way over budget. From carnation flowers to DIY everything, Amber made her wedding stand out! If Allan and I hadn't married in Kauai I would have used this theme for my wedding because, well, school is awesome.

{ All photos courtesy of ONCE WED and the couple's photographer, Lucida }

the invitations

{ isn't the mini manila folder holding the invitation pad adorable? not to mention the attendance reply card? }

save the date box
{ i absolutely fell in love with the inscription on the pencils, especially "pencil it in" }

ceremony details

the tablescape
{ the white table cloths and china allows for the red flowers and books to really pop. a very affordable way to make a WOW statement }

test tube seating chart
{ i nearly swooned when i saw it because it perfectly matches their school theme }

the wedding cake + candy bar
{ notice how the cake and candy bar matches the wedding's color scheme? }

Goodness, viewing their wedding makes me wanna get married all over again!

PERFECTION.

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN

ina garten's delicious and easy to make roast chicken is a big hit with my husband and little boy. I've made this recipe over a dozen times always with the same results: perfection. I add Yukon gold potatoes so there is more vegetables to serve. Try this recipe; it'll become your favorite chicken recipe in no time.

COOK TIME: 1 hr 30 min | YIELD: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch fresh rosemary, plus 20 sprigs
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
• 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 to 5 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into wedges
  
• 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
• Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of rosemary, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of rosemary, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours { I would check around the 1 hour 20 minute mark }, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter { or leave as is } and serve it with the vegetables.

Woe is Me.

Dear Husband,

I miss you. Very, very much. Gian really misses you; today - during bath time - he stood, leaned over the tub, and in his loudest voice yelled, "Daddy, where are you? Daddy, where are you?" It was adorable.

We can't wait to have you back at home where you belong but in the meantime, keep safe, take photos and buy us some Monterey souvenirs. Preferably wrapped with a big yellow bow. You know how much Gian enjoys tearing into presents.

Olive Juice,
Wife

YAY.

Happy Sabbath everyone.

QUOTABLE QUOTE.

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. henry david thoreau from walden

VEGGIE MEATBALLS.

Lookin' for a fast yet delicious vegetarian entree? Well, look no further.

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs

• 1 can (16 oz) veggie meat
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 eggs
  
• 1 cup soda crackers, finely crushed
• 1/2 cup walnuts, diced

Sauce

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients and mix { I prefer mixing with my hands } until . Using a small ice cream scooper, scoop the mixture and place in a 9x12 baking pan. Continue scooping until the pan is full. In a smaller bowl, add the sugar, ketchup and water. Mix until the viscosity is thick. Pour evenly over the meatballs. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until it's bubbling and golden brown. Remove from oven and let it stand for ten minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes and a green salad.

LIKE IT?

Ellie from Rainy Day Templates designed my oh-so-fabulous weblog. Ellie is not only a fantastic designer but she offers premade and customizable templates for an affordable { yes, you heard me correctly! } price. Seriously, check her out here.

Her patience, professionalism and genuine likability made the entire process seamless. I'm so happy I found her. Trust me, she won't let you down.

NOTE TO GARCIA FAMILY.

Don't forget about this evening. Read on for more details:

• WHO: Garcia | Mahinay | Niere | Oliverio | Salomon families
• WHAT: Grandma Agnes's farewell dinner and Sabbath vespers
• WHEN: Today, Friday, 03 July 2009 @ 6:00pm
  
• WHERE: Uncle Edgar and Auntie Zeny's home
• WHY: We want the entire Garcia clan to gather and take photos, eat and worship together before we send off Grandma back to her beloved farm in Davao, PI

Remember the following:

1. Wear neutral colors. That means no bold colors. We're going to take family photos and it's more aesthetically pleasing when we match. Yes, I'm serious.
2. Each grandchild and great-grandchild will be performing a special number for Grandma during vespers { Yes, Andrew, I'm talking to you }.
   
3. Each family has their assigned foods to bring.

   Mahinays: fruits and veggies
   Nieres: soda, juice, ice and cups
   Oliverios: entrees
   Salomons: dessert

See you tonight. And bring your Bibles.

WHAT A...

... cutie!

{ photo courtesy of katrina }