The rest of the pictures taken that night can be found in http://dalingphotography.com
11.28.2009
Tim and I
I love this picture taken by Brooke during Thanksgiving at her apartment. The lighting is pretty special, and the plant was from us to Brooke and Ben during Valentine's day this year. It has grown so much since Brooke had planted it.
The rest of the pictures taken that night can be found in http://dalingphotography.com
The rest of the pictures taken that night can be found in http://dalingphotography.com
11.27.2009
A Day of Feasting and Laughter
Yesterday was Thanksgiving, Tim and I enjoyed a night of pure indulgence on food at Brooke and Ben's lovely home. The 22 lb. turkey that Brooke made was one of the best tasting ones I've ever had. She's even kind enough to pack us all these leftovers to take home (didn't they say Thanksgiving leftovers taste even better?) Oh boy, I drank 4 mugs of tea afterward, attempting to rinse down the calories I took in, don't know if that worked or not, but hey, it was worth the try. ^_~
We played board games, watched Up, and took a whole bunch of pictures. It was a great!
After we came back home though, we took some quiet time just to pray and give thanks to God for this year. Even though this year isn't the smoothest year for us, (my grandpa died, Tim's dad had a stroke, Tim's mom's job got relocated, Tim's grandpa had cancer, my grandma lost her ability to stand up and had almost died, our baby died...)but we could clearly see that God is with us all the way, sometimes through the valleys of the shadow of death, sometimes through the mountaintops. God is the love source in our lives. Without Him, love would not be whole because God is love, only He knows how to love in fullness, unconditionally.
Thank you Papa!
We played board games, watched Up, and took a whole bunch of pictures. It was a great!
After we came back home though, we took some quiet time just to pray and give thanks to God for this year. Even though this year isn't the smoothest year for us, (my grandpa died, Tim's dad had a stroke, Tim's mom's job got relocated, Tim's grandpa had cancer, my grandma lost her ability to stand up and had almost died, our baby died...)but we could clearly see that God is with us all the way, sometimes through the valleys of the shadow of death, sometimes through the mountaintops. God is the love source in our lives. Without Him, love would not be whole because God is love, only He knows how to love in fullness, unconditionally.
Thank you Papa!
11.25.2009
Uncle Benny
It is the loneliest to be sick on a hospital bed during the holidays when there is suppose to be celebration and feasting. Tim and I have experienced that when my father-in-law had a stroke last December in Vancouver. Tim and I were in Boston at the time, and along came new year's eve. My mother-in-law called just before the countdown thirsting to hear another family member's voice for comfort as she had been staying with her husband the past couple of nights in the hospital not knowing what more to do. The countdown on the phone was full of emotions, anything but happy though...
Luckily, my father-in-law recovered pretty well, even though it took almost the whole rest of 2009 to do so, but at least he is better now.
So if you would pray with us for Uncle Benny, I am sure God is listening.
11.23.2009
Grilled Chicken
4-5 Chicken breasts or chicken thighs cut up in smaller pieces. Marinade in one tablespoon of cooking wine, one tablespoon of soy sauce, one tablespoon of red chili paste, half teaspoon of ginger powder, one teaspoon of sugar, and a dash of sesame oil. Let it set for at least 15 minutes, and then go ahead and grill until the meat is tender and golden brown. Plate them on top of few pieces of lettuce leaves. Best to eat it with a bowl of steaming white rice. Um~!
The Shack
«The Shack»
I happened to stumble upon this book in the store. I didn't even read the synopsis before I decided to buy it.
It took me only a few days to finish it, but the impact lingers long after I put down the book.
Again, I am not here to critic the book or do any kind of analysis on it. I just want to say that I am deeply touched by this book, and I am more convinced than ever that God is with me, and He loves me, and He also loves you very very much. We might all have a dark, old shack somewhere in our hearts that's messy and dirty, but God can make something wonderful out of it. And if you still don't believe it, then read the book yourself. ^_~
I happened to stumble upon this book in the store. I didn't even read the synopsis before I decided to buy it.
It took me only a few days to finish it, but the impact lingers long after I put down the book.
Again, I am not here to critic the book or do any kind of analysis on it. I just want to say that I am deeply touched by this book, and I am more convinced than ever that God is with me, and He loves me, and He also loves you very very much. We might all have a dark, old shack somewhere in our hearts that's messy and dirty, but God can make something wonderful out of it. And if you still don't believe it, then read the book yourself. ^_~
11.20.2009
Samgyupsal
I made grilled pork belly in lettuce wrap tonight. It's a Korean dish that Tim loves. It's also my way of getting him to eat vegetables. Lots and lots of vegetables. *Chuckle*
So first you've got the grilled pork belly. I bought the ready-sliced ones from the market. In a nonstick pan, at high heat, grill the pork bellies until they are golden brown but not dried-up. If they start to look like bacon, then they're probably overdone.
Now the sides can be many kinds. I have some fresh leek cut to 1.5 inches, some fresh lettuce leaves, radish slices in white wine vinegar and sugar, and for the dip I put half Korean chili paste to half miso paste, little bit of roasted white sesame seeds plus some sesame oil, ginger powder, rice syrup, and finally chopped scallions.
Finally, the way you eat it: take a piece of lettuce, put on a piece of radish and some leeks, take a pork belly dipped with sauce, wrap them all up and enjoy!
So first you've got the grilled pork belly. I bought the ready-sliced ones from the market. In a nonstick pan, at high heat, grill the pork bellies until they are golden brown but not dried-up. If they start to look like bacon, then they're probably overdone.
Now the sides can be many kinds. I have some fresh leek cut to 1.5 inches, some fresh lettuce leaves, radish slices in white wine vinegar and sugar, and for the dip I put half Korean chili paste to half miso paste, little bit of roasted white sesame seeds plus some sesame oil, ginger powder, rice syrup, and finally chopped scallions.
Finally, the way you eat it: take a piece of lettuce, put on a piece of radish and some leeks, take a pork belly dipped with sauce, wrap them all up and enjoy!
From Dali's Kitchen
So I've been cooking healthy these days with very little oil, less salt, but still delicious with appropriate amount of spices that enhance the natural flavors of each dish.
The first dish I made was for lunch. It's a very light noodle soup dish with fresh handmade noodles from Korean market, two shrimps, two kinds of mushrooms, seaweed, radish cubes and scallions. For the soup base, I boiled the seaweed, the radish cubes and some anchovies.
For the chicken wings, I simply put half soy sauce to half water, some sugar, chili flakes, a little bit of cooking wine, and some fresh ginger slices along with the wings. Boil for about 30 minutes, then plate them and ready to eat.
For this dish, it's even simpler. First cut up one English cucumber, marinade the slices in a little bit of soy sauce, a little bit of red wine vinegar, some Korean chili flakes, some roasted white sesame seeds, a dab of rice syrup or honey, and finally a touch of freshly grounded ginger or ready-made ginger powder. All you need to do is mix all the ingredients together and eat.
The first dish I made was for lunch. It's a very light noodle soup dish with fresh handmade noodles from Korean market, two shrimps, two kinds of mushrooms, seaweed, radish cubes and scallions. For the soup base, I boiled the seaweed, the radish cubes and some anchovies.
For the chicken wings, I simply put half soy sauce to half water, some sugar, chili flakes, a little bit of cooking wine, and some fresh ginger slices along with the wings. Boil for about 30 minutes, then plate them and ready to eat.
For this dish, it's even simpler. First cut up one English cucumber, marinade the slices in a little bit of soy sauce, a little bit of red wine vinegar, some Korean chili flakes, some roasted white sesame seeds, a dab of rice syrup or honey, and finally a touch of freshly grounded ginger or ready-made ginger powder. All you need to do is mix all the ingredients together and eat.
11.19.2009
Little Cutie
I found this picture in my file last night, and my first reaction was, "awwwww!" How I miss that little angel. Maybe not so angelic when her mom has to take care of her from day to day, haha, but she's absolutely adorable. Her smile melts my heart.
Praise God for creating Tabby and bringing her into this world, into my family!
Praise God for creating Tabby and bringing her into this world, into my family!
11.18.2009
Prayer
Sometimes there are things in life that are out of our control. Like illness, death, car accident, layoffs, theft and other things that can turn our lives upside-down in an instant. In times like these, all we could do is pray. Pray for an easier coping process, pray for a faster recovery, pray for a heart open for comfort, pray for direction, the next step...
Maybe that's why we kept having hardship in our lives, so that we won't forget we need God constantly. It can be very unpleasant at times, but we must keep in mind that God is bigger than all our problems.
Today, I am praying for two dear friends that are going through hardships. May God watch over them and help them through their difficulties.
Maybe that's why we kept having hardship in our lives, so that we won't forget we need God constantly. It can be very unpleasant at times, but we must keep in mind that God is bigger than all our problems.
Today, I am praying for two dear friends that are going through hardships. May God watch over them and help them through their difficulties.
11.14.2009
The One To Grow Old With
Tim and I are married for over 2 and a half years now. To our parents, we might still be newlyweds. No kids, no mortgage, no burdens. Truly, we've been fortunately enough to live very worry free. When Tim and I first met, we were just 21 and 19 year-olds. Now he's 28 and I am 26. How time flies. These 7 years has been a wonderful journey. We have tasted the 酸甜苦辣 (sour, sweet, bitter, spicy) of life altogether.
In Biola, when we first started dating, we would see each other everyday: after classes, during lunch breaks, church, fellowship, club events... After Tim graduated, I stayed at Biola for 2 more years before I graduated too. During that period, Tim would come see me at least once every 3 weeks. He was working in Berkeley at the time, which is a 7-hour drive to get down to Biola. Whenever he did come down, he would leave Berkeley after dark and just drive through the night, when he'd get to Biola, it'd be around 4,5 A.M., and he would just take naps in the car and wait for me to wake up and come down to meet him. And whenever he'd leave, I'd cry and look like a pile of mess. (What a great way to leave an impression for your boyfriend to remember you by?)
One time, he came down during my birthday weekend, took me to Disneyland and asked me to marry him in front of Tomorrow Land. From that day on, we still spent another year long distant since he had moved to Vancouver, Canada and was working there instead. He came to see me less after that, because he couldn't just drive down to LA whenever he wanted, he had to fly, and not just domestic flights but international flights.
Many people gasped at our two years of long distant relationship during our course of 5 years total in dating. They said some people would have broken up by then, first of all for the 5 long years of dating, and second of all for the 2 years of not being able to see each other much. But I am glad we endured through tough times and have kept our love fresh to this day.
Three months ago, we lost our first baby to miscarriage. That to us, was the toughest thing to overcome by far. The day before the dreadful news, it was Tim's 28th birthday. I was making a birthday dinner for him including a homemade cake. He was so happy and satisfied. That very next day, I told him I was nervous to go do ultrasound. He said no need to be, everything would be fine. He took half a day off from work to drive me to the hospital. When we talked into that ultrasound room, he was still smiling, and so was I. We told the nurse that this is our first, and the nurse smiled at us too. After that, everything was a flashed before me. Tim looked at me as I laid numb on that ultrasound table. The nurse rushed out to get the doctor, the doctor called my OB/GYN doctor. We quickly got out of the hospital and drove to my OB doctor's office. My doctor confirmed the bad news with a thorough check up. We discussed options to have me go through surgery to clean out the remains or to have it naturally come out. I told my doctor I didn't want to wait because I was afraid that if Tim's at work when I miscarry then I'd be bleeding heavily and I wouldn't know what to do, I wanted to go through with the surgery. So my doctor scheduled two days after to operate on me. Tim called his manager and took the rest of that day off too.
Tim cried. The first time was 7 years ago when he yelled at me and made me cry. This was the second time, the third, fourth...
Since the recovery, I felt I have gotten older, so has he. And we will continue to age, until our hairs turn gray and our faces full of wrinkles, but we'll still love each other to death.
In Biola, when we first started dating, we would see each other everyday: after classes, during lunch breaks, church, fellowship, club events... After Tim graduated, I stayed at Biola for 2 more years before I graduated too. During that period, Tim would come see me at least once every 3 weeks. He was working in Berkeley at the time, which is a 7-hour drive to get down to Biola. Whenever he did come down, he would leave Berkeley after dark and just drive through the night, when he'd get to Biola, it'd be around 4,5 A.M., and he would just take naps in the car and wait for me to wake up and come down to meet him. And whenever he'd leave, I'd cry and look like a pile of mess. (What a great way to leave an impression for your boyfriend to remember you by?)
One time, he came down during my birthday weekend, took me to Disneyland and asked me to marry him in front of Tomorrow Land. From that day on, we still spent another year long distant since he had moved to Vancouver, Canada and was working there instead. He came to see me less after that, because he couldn't just drive down to LA whenever he wanted, he had to fly, and not just domestic flights but international flights.
Many people gasped at our two years of long distant relationship during our course of 5 years total in dating. They said some people would have broken up by then, first of all for the 5 long years of dating, and second of all for the 2 years of not being able to see each other much. But I am glad we endured through tough times and have kept our love fresh to this day.
Three months ago, we lost our first baby to miscarriage. That to us, was the toughest thing to overcome by far. The day before the dreadful news, it was Tim's 28th birthday. I was making a birthday dinner for him including a homemade cake. He was so happy and satisfied. That very next day, I told him I was nervous to go do ultrasound. He said no need to be, everything would be fine. He took half a day off from work to drive me to the hospital. When we talked into that ultrasound room, he was still smiling, and so was I. We told the nurse that this is our first, and the nurse smiled at us too. After that, everything was a flashed before me. Tim looked at me as I laid numb on that ultrasound table. The nurse rushed out to get the doctor, the doctor called my OB/GYN doctor. We quickly got out of the hospital and drove to my OB doctor's office. My doctor confirmed the bad news with a thorough check up. We discussed options to have me go through surgery to clean out the remains or to have it naturally come out. I told my doctor I didn't want to wait because I was afraid that if Tim's at work when I miscarry then I'd be bleeding heavily and I wouldn't know what to do, I wanted to go through with the surgery. So my doctor scheduled two days after to operate on me. Tim called his manager and took the rest of that day off too.
Tim cried. The first time was 7 years ago when he yelled at me and made me cry. This was the second time, the third, fourth...
Since the recovery, I felt I have gotten older, so has he. And we will continue to age, until our hairs turn gray and our faces full of wrinkles, but we'll still love each other to death.
11.11.2009
Standing Up For Myself
This past weekend, one of my students' parent emailed at 11 asking if they could come at 11:30 for a lesson instead of the usual 12:00 lesson. I did not check my email that morning. And since they ALWAYS come late. I was still waiting for them at 12:15. At that point, I got a phone call asking if I got an email this morning. After our conversation, they said they're heading over right now, and if they could just do a 1/2 hour lesson instead of the 45 min normal lesson. So I kept on waiting. And at 12:30, I got another phone call from the parent saying, they can't come anymore, the schedule didn't work out...
That just set me off. I am a teacher, not a relative whom you can come visit whenever you want. I am running a business, even though it's a self employed, small business, but it is regardless a legitimate business. First of all, you're already always late for lessons, that just shows that you don't really respect my time at all, and now you want to reschedule things at your own convenience at the last minute without giving me a 24 hour notice? That's a basic ethical procedure that everyone should automatically live by for the consideration of others even if it is to your own friends and relatives.
Actually, those people are harming themselves, because think about it. If they're always late for everything, what are they teaching their kids? That being late is okay? Procrastination is okay? Time is not relevant? So when they grow up one day and have to go to school and go to work on their own, people are going to see them as slackers. And if they don't learn to respect other people's valuable time, then other people are not going to respect their time either.
Also, you don't want to make the teacher mad. What's the benefit of sending your kids to a teacher that's already too upset for waiting for you for 20-30 minutes just to give you an half an hour- 45 min lesson? That's more than an hour of time total if added the waiting time altogether. You're not paying me for 1 hour worth of time, why should I wait for you in vain? In addition, your kid is going to think that, "oh maybe I don't have to go to lesson today, then I might not have to practice for it." So the kid never improves, and you're wasting your money, and you're wasting my time.
On that note, I must add that for the students whom I travel to for lessons, I am always right on time, which makes things so much easier. On Monday, as I walk into on of my students' house, her mom approached me and said, "She [my student] has been asking me all week, 'Mom is it Monday yet?' She really likes your lessons. Thank you so much!" Now that's something to inspire me to teach better.
For finally, about the late student parents, I emailed them and told them to either change the lesson to another time when they can come on time or something else have to be done, and they have to figure it out. Also to give me 24 hour notice if there are changes to be expected.
What can you do? I just want to teach, I don't want to deal with these housekeeping issues, but since I am running a business myself, I have to do everything.
That just set me off. I am a teacher, not a relative whom you can come visit whenever you want. I am running a business, even though it's a self employed, small business, but it is regardless a legitimate business. First of all, you're already always late for lessons, that just shows that you don't really respect my time at all, and now you want to reschedule things at your own convenience at the last minute without giving me a 24 hour notice? That's a basic ethical procedure that everyone should automatically live by for the consideration of others even if it is to your own friends and relatives.
Actually, those people are harming themselves, because think about it. If they're always late for everything, what are they teaching their kids? That being late is okay? Procrastination is okay? Time is not relevant? So when they grow up one day and have to go to school and go to work on their own, people are going to see them as slackers. And if they don't learn to respect other people's valuable time, then other people are not going to respect their time either.
Also, you don't want to make the teacher mad. What's the benefit of sending your kids to a teacher that's already too upset for waiting for you for 20-30 minutes just to give you an half an hour- 45 min lesson? That's more than an hour of time total if added the waiting time altogether. You're not paying me for 1 hour worth of time, why should I wait for you in vain? In addition, your kid is going to think that, "oh maybe I don't have to go to lesson today, then I might not have to practice for it." So the kid never improves, and you're wasting your money, and you're wasting my time.
On that note, I must add that for the students whom I travel to for lessons, I am always right on time, which makes things so much easier. On Monday, as I walk into on of my students' house, her mom approached me and said, "She [my student] has been asking me all week, 'Mom is it Monday yet?' She really likes your lessons. Thank you so much!" Now that's something to inspire me to teach better.
For finally, about the late student parents, I emailed them and told them to either change the lesson to another time when they can come on time or something else have to be done, and they have to figure it out. Also to give me 24 hour notice if there are changes to be expected.
What can you do? I just want to teach, I don't want to deal with these housekeeping issues, but since I am running a business myself, I have to do everything.
11.06.2009
More Food
Tim and I have had hotpot for two nights in a row. The weather is getting cold outside, and it's the perfect season for hot and spicy food.
Dipping sauce
Soontubu
Dipping sauce
Soontubu
11.05.2009
New Designs for the Holidays
This is my first real Christmas tree. It's table size, but perfect for our little living space. I bought the star just today. I am ready for Christmas!!!
On another note...
I made spicy seafood stew for lunch, very healthy: sea bass, shrimp, clams, 3 kinds of mushrooms, scallion, tofu, radish, egg and watercress. ^^
On another note...
I made spicy seafood stew for lunch, very healthy: sea bass, shrimp, clams, 3 kinds of mushrooms, scallion, tofu, radish, egg and watercress. ^^
11.02.2009
Tim and I
Tim and I over the past few weeks. We went on a cruise together to Maine and Nova Scotia, we took a New York trip this past weekend to see friends.
We love traveling together because it takes us away from the internet, the daily chores, duties, work...so that we can focus on nothing but each other.
We love traveling together because it takes us away from the internet, the daily chores, duties, work...so that we can focus on nothing but each other.
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