The holidays are made even more special when spent with your loved ones :)
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Quad-core Meizu MX expected in May 2012?
Meizu appears to be readying a newer version of Meizu MX which will have Quad Core processors. The Meizu MX Quad Core version might sport the Samsung Exynos 4412. The handset will launch May 2012.
via Ubergizmo
GameLoft offering .99 games for New Year's Weekend
Gameloft will offer up all it's game titles for only 99 cents each. This includes recent game Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation.
via Slashgear
Rooted Motorola Actv Andoid watch
The Motorola ACTV Android watch has been rooted. This means you can install an app launcher, Android Market, Google Maps, YouTube, the Skyfire web browser, and even Angry Birds.
DARWINmachine Frameshift iPad Stand
DARWINmachine known for their custom desktops has created a new product. The DARWINmachine Frameshift iPad Stand presents a sleek designed stand that is hand crafted out of CNC aircraft grade aluminum. The Frameshift iPad Stand is available now for $99 for a limited time.
Buy it now HERE
Dress up Party!
We have had a fantastic Christmas! FANTASTIC!
We met the kids in town for a nice lunch out yesterday after Mom, Dad, Brian and I returned a couple of things and we took Dad through Joplin to see the tornado aftermath. He hadn't seen it yet. It is still sobering and sad, but he wanted to see it and we obliged.
Chase and Meredith needed to return a few things and do some shopping, so we had Madelyn last night (darn the luck huh?) and she came prepared for a dress up party!
She really loved everything but the Sleeping Beauty wig. But, she sure wanted everyone else to wear it!
I think Nick wore it best.... He's a pretty man!
Poppaw wore the famous green wig, but would not let me take a photo. He knew it would end up online!!
We had a big dinner with the family and just enjoyed our time together.
Today, it is back to reality. Mom and Dad left this morning because they had to get back to work, The kids all had to go back to work and of course, I need to do the same.
Tonight I am visiting friends I haven't seen in a LONG time. I can't wait to see them and we are having a big chili feed. I am making my portabello chili and really looking forward to it!
We met the kids in town for a nice lunch out yesterday after Mom, Dad, Brian and I returned a couple of things and we took Dad through Joplin to see the tornado aftermath. He hadn't seen it yet. It is still sobering and sad, but he wanted to see it and we obliged.
Chase and Meredith needed to return a few things and do some shopping, so we had Madelyn last night (darn the luck huh?) and she came prepared for a dress up party!
She really loved everything but the Sleeping Beauty wig. But, she sure wanted everyone else to wear it!
Poppaw wore the famous green wig, but would not let me take a photo. He knew it would end up online!!
We had a big dinner with the family and just enjoyed our time together.
Today, it is back to reality. Mom and Dad left this morning because they had to get back to work, The kids all had to go back to work and of course, I need to do the same.
Tonight I am visiting friends I haven't seen in a LONG time. I can't wait to see them and we are having a big chili feed. I am making my portabello chili and really looking forward to it!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Beam N Read reading and general light - 1 wk holiday-discount of 25%
BEAM N READ 3-Led light, made by ASF Lightware Solutions.As regular readers will know, my personal favorite in reading lights (I've bought too many different types) has been the Beam N Read "LED 3 Hands Free Travel Reading Light; for Kindle, Power Outages & More" that I first wrote about in early October 2010.
I'm including much of what I wrote at the time, as the company who makes the Beam N Read, noting my now long-term enthusiasm, is offering a 25% discount to readers of this blog for
As before, I'm including a couple of photos below to show light coverage on my Kindle 3 with the Amazon cover for the Kindle 3, with built-in light vs. using what, by last year, became my favorite light for the various Kindles I have.
This portable light is worn around the neck and has an adjustable strap. The light is said to last about 120 hours, and I do use it nightly for weeks before needing to change batteries.
It comes with 4 standard alkaline AA batteries and a clip-on red filter to minimize "night blindness" and soften the light if needed, they say (I've never needed that). Because it's very lightweight and flexible with a patented flip-up design, reflector, and the adjustable strap, I usually have it on when I'm home. Going downstairs at night or to a less well-lit room, or when I just can't see something well enough, I can just turn this on briefly, which is done by flipping up the hood/reflector.
For reading a book or an e-book reader, you can also reverse it if you prefer (as I do) to hold the book higher than on your lap, and then flip the reflector down instead, so that the light angles up. But if someone is sitting across from you, that may not be very comfortable for that person, as the Led lamps would be directed at their eyes too.
I do love that it's always available when I need extra light. No, I'm not associated with the company that makes them. I was just tired of clipping on a light and adjusting it, as much as I love the ease of the Mighty Bright Xtraflex 2 which has the little foam pad where the clip-on meets the top of the Kindle's bezel. The Beam N Read is pretty good at keeping the light from reaching the other person for night reading in bed. There are times that I would like a somewhat brighter light, and when I do (not when reading a Kindle), I've used:
The 6-led version (not part of the holiday promo but I'll include the info for those curious about it)
Their 6-led version is VERY bright and probably overkill for reading a Kindle 6" reader, though I've sometimes used it for situations where the light is just dim. I tried one for other uses, and for my Kindle DX in Landscape mode. The batteries for this last, they say, about 48 hours, only 40% of the lasting power of the 3-Led model. This one doesn't come with batteries included though it has a magnifier for short-session, detailed craft work, but I found the texture quite hard to see through and it's not not a feature I'd use.I DO use both Beam N Read units for piano music though, depending on how well the room is lit.
I had bought a head lamp for a trip I took in October 2011, since we needed to go into some unlit places (Egyptian tombs!), but I don't at all like wearing something around my head just to read so I wondered if there was anything like this. Amazon doesn't make this easy to find, but I found it extremely useful for any e-reader.
Here are photos of the effect of two reading lights on my Kindles.
Lit by the Amazon cover with built-in light, the upper right hand corner of my Kindle 3 (UK: K3) ("Kindle Keyboard") is brighter than the lower-left area, of course, and the light isn't as bright as I like but it's useful if you're out and need a light for reading. That special cover light needs no batteries, as it runs off the Kindle's own battery, and it shuts off automatically if the Kindle goes into sleep mode after about 10 minutes.
The second picture is of the same Kindle lit by the Beam N Read 3-Led light -- the lighting on my Kindle 3, in this case (no flash was used, as you can tell from a click of the image that leads to the EXIF camera data included with the larger image at PBase) is very even and brighter overall than from the one built into the Amazon cover, but one would seldom wear the Beam N Read when out, probably, though I've definitely done it :-). Again, I hope this helps some who are looking for good lights to use with the Kindle. I did the various photos, as choice of a light has been one of the most asked questions on the Kindle forums.
Here are reviews and user feedback cited on the company's website collected from several types of communities, including gadget and e-reader blog site staff. At the Amazon product page, the light, though not promoted by Amazon as a Kindle light, has 23 customer reviews with an average rating of 4.6 stars.
I do use this light daily, as I don't have to worry anymore about which light fits which Kindle model and because I use it for other purposes as well, as mentioned. Although I'm not affiliated with the company that makes and distributes Beam N Read, my enthusiasm's been noted by ASF Lightware Solutions (website: www.readinglight.com ) and I'm delighted they've offered Kindleworld readers the special 1 week holiday pricing of $14.95 for the Dec. 26-Jan. 1 period, as they just released in mid December a new model with a more elastic neck strap that's easier to adjust and can be worn higher.
Remember that I like to reverse the way it's worn when I'm reading in sitting position as I prefer to hold the Kindle higher than some.
Amazon customers can use the coupon code "KNDLWRLD" when ordering the 3-LED light model during the next week to get the 25% discount off the MSRP of $19.95. While I receive many offers of products for review, I don't do actual reviews, writing only about products I've bought and really enjoy. In this case, I've bought some for friends, and friends have bought them as well. It's just an unusual, generally useful product.
Amazon Forum Announcements: Kindle Fire Tips: Getting Started, Setting up Wi-Fi, Excellent Connect-Problem-Solving Guide
I just saw the first announcement shown below at the regular "Kindle Forum" and that refers us to the Q&A forum for questions about Kindle Fire and WiFi, taking us to the "Setting Up WiFi" announcement.
For those who don't have time to make it to the forums, Amazon Kindle Customer Service gave some general Kindle Fire Start-up tips on Christmas Eve at almost 8pm PST, and I'll quote those here adding active links (the forums don't use links for these announcements). (Any bold-face emphases are mine)
Initial post: Dec. 24, 2011 7:47:31 PM PST
Last edited by the author 20 hours ago
' Amazon Kindle Customer Service says:
(AMAZON OFFICIAL)
Do you have a question about how to get started with your Kindle Fire? We have compiled some of the most common questions to help get you started!
If you have questions about the Kindle Fire and Wi-Fi, make sure to check out our "Kindle Fire Tips: Setting Up Wi-Fi" post here.
Q. How do I register my Kindle Fire?
A. To register online, visit Manage Your Kindle at www.amazon.com/manageyourkindle.
You can also register your Kindle Fire directly from the device by following the steps found here: www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200729250#registering
Q. Having trouble registering from your Kindle Fire?
A. Here are some troubleshooting steps that may help:
a. Go to the "Your Account" page (found by clicking [that link at the top] of this page) and then Click "Change Account Settings" under Settings-account Settings. Make sure that your name is entered in the Name field.
b. Make sure you are connected to a Wi-Fi network. You should see the Wi-Fi icon in the top right of your Kindle Fire. You can also test your connection by browsing to a web page using the Silk web browser found under "Web". Your Kindle Fire needs to be connected to a Wi-Fi network to complete the registration process.
c. If you cannot connect to a Wi-Fi network check out the troubleshooting steps found in our Kindle Fire Tips: Setting Up Wi-Fi post here
Still having problems registering? Please contact our Customer Support team by clicking Help at the top of the page and using the Contact Us button.
Q. How can I purchase apps for my Kindle Fire?
A. You will need to have a 1-Click payment method set up with your Amazon account. You can learn more about how to setup a 1-Click payment method here:
www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200729570#start
Q. What can I do if my Kindle Fire will not turn on? [Do read this.]
A. Charge your Kindle Fire for 30 minutes. If it is still unresponsive, unplug it from the power source and hold the power button for 20 seconds. After the Kindle Fire turns off, press the power button again to turn it back on.
Q. What is Amazon Prime?
A. Amazon Prime is an annual membership program that offers customers unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items and instant streaming of movies and TV shows for $79 a year with Prime instant videos. Eligible customers who purchase a Kindle Fire will be given a free month of Amazon Prime.
When you purchase a Kindle Fire as a gift, the gift recipient will receive a free month of Amazon Prime benefits once they activate the Kindle Fire, provided they are eligible for the offer. You can learn more about Amazon Prime and Kindle Fire at www.amazon.com/help/kindle/prime.
Q. How do I update the software on my Kindle Fire?
A. Kindle Fire will automatically update when a new software update is available and when the Kindle Fire is connected via Wi-Fi.
Visit the Kindle Software Updates page at www.amazon.com/kindlesoftwareupdates to see if a free software update is available.
Q. Why doesn't my computer recognize my Kindle Fire? [Do read this.]
A. To use your Kindle Fire in USB mode, ensure that it is NOT in sleep mode when it is plugged in.
Not sure which Kindle is for you? Learn more about each new device and compare features on our website at www.amazon.com/kindlefamily
If these FAQs don't answer your question, please start a new discussion. '
Below, for the record, is the full Amazon Forum Announcement on "Setting up Wi-Fi." This one will have only minimal prepared links and will use only what was given in the forum (where they don't have active links). Will boldface questions.
Initial post: Dec. 24, 2011 7:39:14 PM PST
Last edited by the author 7:41:28 PM PST
' Amazon Kindle Customer Service says:
(AMAZON OFFICIAL)
Do you have a question about how to connect your Kindle Fire to a Wi-Fi network? We have compiled some of the most common questions to help get you started!
Q: How do I connect my Kindle Fire to a Wi-Fi Network?
A: Follow the steps found here: www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200729310
Q: Having trouble connecting to your Wi-Fi network?
A: Here are some troubleshooting steps that can help:
1. Is your Wi-Fi turned on? Tap the cog in the upper right corner, select Wi-Fi and make sure Wireless Networking is set to ON.
2. Verify that your Kindle Fire software is up to date by going to www.amazon.com/kindlesoftwareupdates. You can check the version of your Kindle Fire software by tapping on the cog in the upper right hand corner, select More.., and then select Device. Your software version is listed under System Version. If your Kindle Fire is not up to date, follow the instructions found on the Kindle Software Updates page.
3. Are you getting one of these error messages?
a. "The password you entered is incorrect or invalid" - The password is the one associated with the Wi-Fi network, not your Amazon account password. If you don't know your Wi-Fi password, contact the person who set up your Wi-Fi network, your Internet service provider, or the manufacturer of your Wi-Fi router for help. Your Wi-Fi password may also be written on the bottom of your Wi-Fi router.
b. "Wi-Fi network connection failed" - The network you chose could not be found or did not respond. Contact your network's administrator for more assistance.
c. "Wi-Fi is not available right now" - Wi-Fi might be turned off on your Kindle Fire. Tap the cog in the upper right corner, select Wi-Fi and make sure Wireless Networking is set to ON.
d. "Local Network connection failed" - Try rebooting your router or contacting your network's administrator. Let them know that this error may be related to a failed DHCP request.
e."Internet connection failed" - Your Kindle Fire is connected, but unable to contact our servers. Try again in a few minutes or contact Amazon Customer Support for more assistance.
4. Do you see your desired network in the list of available networks?
Some networks may not be broadcasting (even though they are active). If you do not see the network, make sure the network is active by using another device that uses Wi-Fi. If it is and you have the network name, you can enter it manually by tapping the cog in the upper right corner, select More.., and then select Wireless Network. Scroll down the list to "Add a Network" and enter the network name manually. If you do not know the name of your network, or still cannot find it, you may need to contact your ISP or the network's administrator.
5. Can you connect to the web on another computer?
If you cannot connect at all, something might be wrong with your network - you may want to try rebooting your router or contacting the network's administrator. If you can connect with another computer, take the Kindle Fire to another local Hot Spot (libraries often have free Wi-Fi Hot Spots). If you can connect there, you may still need to refer to your network's administrator. However, if you cannot your Kindle Fire connect [sic] to any network, please contact us for more assistance.
6. Can you connect using the Silk Web browser?
If you can bring up a web page, you are online and should be able to use all the other functions of the Kindle Fire.
7. Do you need to have a static IP address?
Some networks may require this, while others may not. Check with your network's administrator for more assistance.
8. If none of these steps help, or you continue to have problems,
please select Help at the top of the page and use the Contact Us button to contact our Customer Support team.
In addition, you can watch a video at www.amazon.com/help/kindle/fire/wifi/video or consult our troubleshooting tips at www.amazon.com/help/kindle/fire/wifi for additional guidance on common issues.
For more information troubleshooting Wi-Fi issues see this post: http://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle/?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdThread=Tx2RY4L7G1R2KE [*] '
[*] That last one, by a S. Yelvington is an EXCELLENT document on troubleshooting WiFi connection problems. If you're having connection problems, you should definitely follow this link to Yelvington's guide and print it out to make it easier to go through each step as appropriate.
That's the Ultimate set of Internet connection tips, as far as I'm concerned :-)
Kindle Touch 3G Kindle Touch WiFi Kindle Basic (UK: KBasic) Kindle Fire
Kindle Keybd 3G (UK: Kindle Keybd 3G) K3 Special Offers K3-3G Special Offers DX
Check often: Temporarily-free recently published ones
Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. Top 100 free bestsellers. Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.
*Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE. Or click on the web browser's BACK button
Kindle and Kindle-Fire Helpers, Guides, app, podcast, and an off-topic short story - Updated w/ more books
SOME KINDLE AND KINDLE FIRE HELPERSThe 7 Dragons group has created probably the most popular tools and utilities for the Kindle Keyboard series (Kindle 2, Kindle 3, Kindle DX, and now Kindle 4 Basic-no Touch-no physical Keyboard):
Notepad, Calendar, Calculator, and Converter
At least some of these are being converted for Kindle Touch, and I'll be watching for those.
In the meantime, they have released a Kindle Fire app:
Alarm Clock, Calendar, ToDo List - Productivity Helper. A sort of "Productivity Swiss knife"...
As with other apps for now, it's available only to U.S. customers.
NOTE: This is for Kindle Fire only and NOT for other 7" tablets, despite Amazon's "Compatability" wording in the Buy box. This set was tested and optimized ONLY for the quite wide-screen Kindle Fire, and A. Singh of 7 Dragons wrote the first comment to request that people not buy this if you have another 7" tablet.
It was just released and there are already a few very positive reviews with one reviewer wishing only for Google sync for calendars
The Product Description includes details such as the inclusion of Backup and Restore functionality and built-in, detailed Help. The alarm clock works even when you're in another app and includes a Musical Alarm that allows the setting of a song as your alarm. The ToDo List handles priorities, and you can choose one of the provided backgrounds or use one of your own images.
There's also a stopwatch and a live Antique Clock with a second hand.
Cost: $1.00
A Kindle book for those wondering how to work this Kindle Fire thing
Love Your Kindle Fire: The ILMK Guide to Amazon's Entertablet, by Bufo Calvin is the author of 5 other Kindle books and is very popular in the Amazon Kindle forums for his clarity and good humor in answers to questions there, which he does on his own time. He also has a best-selling Kindle-Edition blog, "I Love My Kindle."
Calvin goes through each menu option, step by step, explaining what each does. A lot of the book is in conversational Question and Answer format, in which he interviews himself with the types of questions he has seen most, from the Kindle forums and at his blog, but most important, with some very thorough answers.
The writing style may be best suited to those new to the Android scene.
The author has updated the book since it was first published and it now includes what he's found after a month with the Kindle Fire, his Android App recommendations, and some details about the recent v6.2.1 software update.
The Kindle Chronicles Podcast
The Kindle Chronicles is the very popular Friday Podcast by Len Edgerly for listeners who'd like to know "All About the Kindle." It includes both audio and text sections on News, Tech Tips, a Weekly Interview, and Comments received from the Kindle community during the previous week. Quick, sharp, and enthusiastically curious about much more than things Kindle, Len is also a relaxed, engaging interviewer. Catch his very interesting blog
I did a report on his poetry book on Kindle and Bufo Calvin's earlier books in the July 2, 2009 blog article.
He has a large Twitter following at http://twitter.com/LenEdgerly. Len's Kindle Chronicles, begun July 2008, is practically a log or history of the Kindle and its impact on readers and the publication world in the short time since its release.
Stephen Windwalker's Complete Kindle Books series
The Complete 2012 User's Guide to the Amazing Amazon Kindle: Covers All Current Kindles including the Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, and Kindle, by Stephen Windwalker who has been explaining what can be done on Kindles since the beginning of Kindle time, and as you can tell from the title, he provides information on all the current Kindles. A prolific writer, he has a large following on Facebook and for his Kindle Nation blog. $1.49Mobi Manuals Guide (Mobile Reference)
Kindle Fire Survival Guide: Step-by-step User Guide for Kindle Fire: Getting Started, Downloading FREE eBooks, Buying Apps, Watching Movies, and Surfing the Web, by Toly K.This is quite a detailed book, at a decent price (I bought all three books), though it has a couple of errors noted, and some customer review statements and ratings are quite odd.
A "For Dummies" book
Kindle Fire for Dummies, by Nancy C. Muir.Expensive at $9.68 but it has 12 customer reviews and an average 4.4 stars.
This one I haven't bought, but I felt it should be included.
And for something completely different, and free for maybe one more day (I'm not sure how long it's free.)
Our Dog Lucca: A funny, short, picture scrapbook, by Moe Zilla, probably better known as Jon Cog, the writer behind Beyond Black Friday (which was formerly known as the "Me and my Kindle" blog). The book, recently released and his first, is a look at the life of his dog, written in rhyme for children, with photographs, and has shot up to #2 in the Kindle Store's genre Kindle subcategory of "Children's eBooks-) Animals-) Dogs and Nonfiction -) Children's Nonfiction -) Animals."It's a Kindle blog to put on your Visit list. His tribute to a young Kindle blogger who died suddenly was not the usual Kindle blog read.
Kindle Touch 3G Kindle Touch WiFi Kindle Basic (UK: KBasic) Kindle Fire
Kindle Keybd 3G (UK: Kindle Keybd 3G) K3 Special Offers K3-3G Special Offers DX
Check often: Temporarily-free recently published ones
Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. Top 100 free bestsellers. Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.
*Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE. Or click on the web browser's BACK button
touch
After almost a month since I ordered it, it's finally here - my new Kindle Touch! I met up with Icko earlier so I could get my hands already on my new toy. I spent the entire afternoon organizing and transferring my ebooks. I'm loving how small it is! I still need to get used to the touch screen though. I still find myself clicking the sides to turn the page even if there are no buttons...
And of course, I just had to dress it up in pink :) I originally wanted to get the cover with the built in light but it didn't come in pink and it was for back order only - takes 6-8 weeks for it to be delivered...to late already for Icko to bring it home.
I'm now ready to read all about Roarke again :)
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas!
I love Christmastime! It seems to me that people are just a tad bit nicer, most people are a tad bit happier and it always includes family for us!
Yesterday, Brian's family came over, we had a big feast. I kept it pretty easy this year, sandwiches, veggie tray and corn chowder. Of course, there were sweets - Brian's sister Lisa brought some wonderful cookies and cranberry bread and I made a pumpkin pie. It was also my baby brother's birthday! When I was growing up, we always celebrated Christmas on Christmas day since Christmas Eve was Daryl's birthday. That was HIS special day!
The kids got to open presents and Madelyn loved her new dolls. She named one of them Susie Lou at Brian's suggestion.... the other two are unnamed as of right now. Nick had something in his eye and had to go to urgent care, Stephanie and Cassie's kids were sick and they didn't get to come. We were sad to miss them for sure. Everyone had to leave to go to other celebrations, so Brian and I just hung out.
Today, Mom and Dad are coming, the kids will all be back and we will open presents, have another wonderful feast and just enjoy being together! That is my favorite part!
Merry Christmas to you and your family. I pray that you are blessed beyond your wildest dreams!!
Thank you to each and every one of you that reads what I have to say. I really do appreciate you!
Merry Christmas!
Yesterday, Brian's family came over, we had a big feast. I kept it pretty easy this year, sandwiches, veggie tray and corn chowder. Of course, there were sweets - Brian's sister Lisa brought some wonderful cookies and cranberry bread and I made a pumpkin pie. It was also my baby brother's birthday! When I was growing up, we always celebrated Christmas on Christmas day since Christmas Eve was Daryl's birthday. That was HIS special day!
The kids got to open presents and Madelyn loved her new dolls. She named one of them Susie Lou at Brian's suggestion.... the other two are unnamed as of right now. Nick had something in his eye and had to go to urgent care, Stephanie and Cassie's kids were sick and they didn't get to come. We were sad to miss them for sure. Everyone had to leave to go to other celebrations, so Brian and I just hung out.
Today, Mom and Dad are coming, the kids will all be back and we will open presents, have another wonderful feast and just enjoy being together! That is my favorite part!
Merry Christmas to you and your family. I pray that you are blessed beyond your wildest dreams!!
Thank you to each and every one of you that reads what I have to say. I really do appreciate you!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
Christmas day is all about family and traditions. Since we were kids, we opened our gifts on the morning of the 25th then have breakfast with the whole family. By noon, we would head out for lunch with my dad's side of the family then dinner is with my mom's side. It is a whole day family affair and it never changed.The little one was the most excited about the whole Christmas celebration. He's now old enough to understand what's going on. Ever since we put up the tree and started putting gifts underneath, he would check and count everyday how many gifts he has already. He now knows how to read his name so you can't fool him! I was awakened with the little one excitedly shouting by my door, "Wake up Nang-nang! It's time to open the gifts!" You can't say no to that!
It was just pure joy each time he opened a gift...
He has enough toys to last him until his birthday (which is just a week away)!
I got some pretty good gifts myself. We would usually give each other a wish list at the start of the month so we'd know what to get. I left out the big item stuff from my list though since I'd only end up opening 1 gift if I asked them to get me something from my original wish list! Hahaha.
My mom got me the new DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom perfume (yes, it's pink!):
a pair of sandals from Aerosoles (in pink again!):
and more books to add to my collection - the Hunger Games Trilogy boxset, The Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck and The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks:
My brother got me a dress for work:
While my sister got me some beauty stuff:
After opening all our gifts, we had our traditional ham, queso de bola, croissant and hot chocolate for Christmas breakfast...
That was just our morning and we're in for more fun and family love as we head out to our reunions for the rest of the day. Christmas is indeed my favorite holiday of the year! :)
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Noche Buena
For the 1st time in so many years, I didn't find myself at the mall for some last minute shopping on the 24th! I was not used to being 'relaxed' the day before Christmas. My entire family was out almost the entire day, running errands and still finding that perfect gift. Since I was the one stuck at home, I took up the kitchen duty and started early preparing for Noche Buena. It was quite tiring but everything paid off as we prepared for the midnight feast.
As always, I was in charge of setting up the table and out came all the Christmas settings. From the centerpiece...
glasses...
table napkins...
to the serving platters...
and the plates...
everything was just very festive!
Now for the menu. We kinda overdid it again given that there were only 5 of us. But then again, it IS Christmas and lots of food is happiness!
For appetizers, we got our favorites from Bizu - Mushroom Duxelle and Smoked Salmon with Pistachio Mousse:
My mom also made some Russian salad:
For the main course, we each had an assignment...
Prawns Thermidore for me:
Lengua Estofado for my mom:
and Mushroom and Parma Ham Risotto for my sis and brother in law:
We didn't have the energy to make dessert anymore so we got our favorites from Bizu again...
There's the mini Amour cakes - orange chocolate mousse in between layers of creme brûlée and brownie:
mini Samba cakes - milk and dark chocolate mousse between layers of chocolate cake and coated with chocolate sauce:
mini Opera cakes - classic gateau of sponge cake with coffee butter cream and chocolate ganache :
and the Clichy cake - layers of almond joconde, raspberry and rose gelee, pistachio creme legere and mirror glaze:
And of course, our meal wouldn't be complete without some wine (sparkling for my sis since she doesn't drink!)...
Suffice to say, it was a very good feast and such a fitting celebration for the real reason of this season - Happy Birthday, Jesus! We have so much to be thankful for and we are indeed blessed for the all the things that happened to us this year.
A blessed Merry Christmas to everyone! :)
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