Father's Day

This Father's Day, I was lucky enough to be able to get the day off. Thanks boss! So I made the 45 minute drive up to my hometown to see my dad. I owe him so much! Both him and my mom have helped me out more than I think anyone would have. I could never repay them. They helped me get my life back on track and now I'm looking at going back to school, getting married, and having a family of my own. How do you repay someone for that? No matter how many times I say thank you, it never feels enough.

I have my dad's sense of humor and sarcasm. So you all have him to blame. Ha ha! He gave me my nose. Otherwise I'd have a much flatter "Filipino" nose. :-) He gave me the freedom of choice from a young age which taught me the consequences of my actions and decisions. It also helped me to be more open minded about others. His only rule when it came to guys was to never date a Marine. Ha ha! Strangely enough, it was good advice. At least for me it was. He listened to me in high school during those important teenage years when I had to deal with real-life problems that I never thought I'd have to deal with. He offered my friends help without being intrusive. Although we, as a family, are not overly affectionate, he made sure I knew I was loved.

Yeah we butt heads. We butt heads all the time. My mom says it's because we're so much alike. Ha ha! I think there's some truth to that. But as much as we butt heads, we still love each other. I wouldn't have any other dad. We butt heads because we are our own persons and have our own views. But when we get along, we really get along! Ha ha! When I was little, my mom always called me his shadow because I followed him everywhere. "Where's your shadow? Don't forget your shadow." :-) Sorry Mom, but I hated the grocery store. :-)

SO...how do you thank the man that is half responsible for your coming into the world and has helped you out more times than you can count, even when you probably didn't deserve it?

I decided to make his favorite cookies for Father's Day. My aunt Kevy had given me the recipe at my bridal shower. Now, me and cooking do not get along. I have a long history of botched food. And that's being polite. LoL! Ask anyone that knows me and they'll laugh if you tell them I'm going to cook! I have friends that insist that Jon supervise me when I make Rice Krispies Treats!

BUT...I HAD been doing alright making breakfasts and looking at the recipe, it looked easy enough. I didn't even have to bake them! Perfect! Right?



It's called Holiday Divinity. It's supposed to be light and fluffy, and look like the tippy top of a merangue pie. So here I go!

I started with chopping up the marachino cherries into tiny bits. I love marachino cherries! Did you know that when you chop up 1/3 cup's worth of these yummy cherries your fingers get stained pink? I didn't. I know now!

I also didn't know that corn syrup practically just runs off a huge pile of sugar! So neato!

I have to admit, I actually like seperating the egg white from the egg yolk. This was only my second time doing it. My first time, the yolk didn't break. This time around, the second yolk broke as I dumped it into the other bowl. I was actually disappointed. Ha ha! Just my competitive side coming out I guess.

Stirring away...It was so gooey and syrupy! Cool! Gave me great ideas for pranks too! Must save for later...

Beating egg whites...Little did I know this was to sabotage me later.

Skip forward to mixing it all together...

So I've never seen what these cookies are supposed to look like. Apparently this wasn't it. It's supposed to hold it's shape? Well it's gooey so it's kinda holding it's shape. My dad walks in and asks, "What's that? That's not what your aunt makes."

Sigh. One day I hope I get this cooking thing right. But hey, it's the thought that counts. Right? Right?

Happy Father's Day pop! Now you have yet another Roni-catastrophe to add to your large collection of stories. Love you!

Roni revamps her blog!

Yeah, I found that I can't just blog about the wedding because then I never blog anymore. Ha ha! I checked out my cousin's blog and saw she introduced her familia. Maybe I should do the same? It might be nice to know at least a little bit about who we are too.

So hi, I'm Veronica and I'm a bride to be. "Hello Veronica." Just like a group meeting! Ha ha! My fiance is Jon. We're both 30. Well actually, Jon just turned 31. Hee hee. He's six months older than me. I hit 31 in October. Jon proposed to me at a Battle of the Bay game (baseball: Giants vs. A's) in San Francisco on Friday, June 13, 2008. It was even caught by a random fan and posted on Youtube! We have our own video on there too. Thanks to my girl, Melissa for being the surprise videographer! It was perfect even though the Giants lost. Friday the 13th was always a good day for me and this just proved it! Ha ha!

We met just after Thanksgiving in 2007 and after much back and forth (we were both very busy people! LoL!), we became officially a couple that December. Yes, for those who did the math, we got engaged just over six months after meeting for the first time! I admit, it's crazy but it feels so right. I always heard how you'll just know but didn't think it actually happened that way. But when I met him, I just knew I had to get to know him. Shortly after, it was literally like a bolt of lightening. I knew he was for me. I know it sounds cheesy but it's true!

Jon is basically a computer guy and I'm currently in retail with a vast background in randomness. Ha ha. I started in retail, moved to Los Angeles to try my hand in movie production, moved back and went to my default job...retail. I had plans to move back to Los Angeles but then I met Jon. The rest, as they say, is history. I still love Los Angeles and would love to move back one day but right now, here is where I'm meant to be. I now have interest in becoming an ultrasound technician and am looking into that. Going back to school is a very scary concept for me but for the last few years, I've had this strong urge to go back to school. I've always followed my heart so I think I need to persue this.

I feel like turning 30 is a whole new chapter for me. My priorities have changed and are coming full circle. I'm becoming more family orientated. I'm planning ahead not only for myself but for our future family. All decisions are now our decisions and is a much slower process because of it! Ha ha! But it's wonderful to look at Jon and know that we have this beautiful future ahead of us. It's also interesting to see how our families will meld together. My parents love Jon and I hope Jon's parents like me!

I think what trips me out the most is whenever Jon and I go up to my parents' house, it reminds me so much of going over to Grandma and Grandpa O's (my dad's parents) house with my mom and my dad and how they would interact. It reminds me of when I'd watch my dad and my grandpa hang out and just chat about whatever was on their mind at the time or what was on tv. For me, it's always bittersweet. I love to hide in the kitchen and listen to Jon and my dad talk. It's comforting because of the memories it brings up but at the same time, it makes me miss my grandparents very much. I miss them every day and wish that they could be there to see us wed. I know they will be there in spirit and in our hearts but I still miss them.

It's also crazy to think that one day my parents will be grandparents. That one day Jon and I will be bringing our lil munchkins back and forth between Lolo and Lola O's house and Grandma and Grandpa S's house. We are the next generation soon to step aside to the next. It's mind boggling sometimes to think about it. I still remember when I was in elementary school dreaming about turning 16 and then having a house by time I was 25. Life didn't work out that way of course. But it's funny to remember feeling like 30 years old was so far away. That getting married was so far away. Now it's coming up and sometimes it feels so surreal!

My life has been and is one fun amd crazy roller coaster ride. I can't wait to see where we go from here!