A Glimpse of My Charmed Life

Money money money.....

2011-02-18T09:50:00.000-05:00

Preview of my 2010

2011-01-01T23:54:00.004-05:00

Update for 2010!

2010-02-26T18:41:00.003-05:00

Fact or fiction (you make the call):

1.
Marriages are made in heaven. But so are thunder and lightning.

2.
After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin...they can't face each other, but, they still stay together.

3.
Married life is very frustrating.
In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens.
In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens.
In the third year, they both speak and the neighbors listen.

4.
When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing:
either the car is new or the wife is.

5.
Marriage is when a man and woman become as one. The trouble starts when they try to decide which one.

6.
Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about something she says. After marriage, he will fall asleep before she finishes.

7.
Every man wants a wife who is beautiful, understanding, economical, and a good cook. But the law allows only one wife.

8.
They say when a man holds a woman's hand before marriage, that is LOVE. After marriage, that is SELF DEFENSE.

9.
A wife becomes a "SEX OBJECT" when every time the husband asks for sex, she objects.

10.
Marriage is the only war where you get to sleep with the enemy.

11.
There are two four-letter words that are offensive to men in marriage - "don't" and "stop", unless,
they are used together.

12.
Marriage is an institution where the man loses his Bachelor's Degree and the woman gets her
Master's Degree.

13.
In marriage, a man can have words with his wife, but, a woman can have paragraphs with her husband.

14.
Marriage is love. Love is blind. Therefore, marriage is an institution for the blind.

15.
There are 3 stages of SEX in a married life: Tri-weekly, try weekly and try weakly.

16.
LOVE is a long sweet dream; MARRIAGE is the alarm clock.

17.
When a newly married man looks happy, we know why. But, when a 10-year married man looks
happy, we wonder why.

18.
Marriage is not a word. It is a sentence ... a LIFE SENTENCE.

* Got this from my friend =). LOL....

Who Are You? Among These 5?

2009-07-27T09:19:00.000-04:00

Who Are You?

When it comes to managing money, there are five kinds of people in this world. Who are you?

#1: Gloria Gastadora:

Gloria Gastadora lives on 100% of her income. Sometimes, when she borrows money, she lives on 120% of her income. She’s never absent during Midnight Sales. Her credit cards are faded due to overuse. Even if she wants to give to God or invest in her future, she cannot. Obviously, after all is spent, she has nothing to give to God except her loose change. In Church, Gloria Gastadora isn’t a tither, but a tipper.

#2: Kunat Kuripot:

Kunat is a frugal and fearful fellow. He lives on 80% of his income, because he saves 20% or more for his future. He lives in fear. He feels safe only when he knows he’s got lots of money in the bank. It really seems safe, except that he doesn’t know that putting his life savings in the bank isn’t such a wise idea at all. When he retires, Kunat will realize that his savings isn’t enough. And like Gloria Gastadora, Kunat Kuripot can only give his spare change to God—because he’s always afraid of his future.

#3: Bertong Bulag:

As a kid, Berto was a financial whiz. Upon graduating from college, he already opened a mutual fund. He also started investing in a blue chip company in the stock market, putting small amounts of money every month. He also started a business, and it has done very well. Berto has become wealthy. The problem is that he still cannot give to God, because he sees it as an expense, like it was a luxury he can’t afford. He doesn’t realize that giving to God is also an investment—the most secure and long-term investment of them all.

#4: Wally Waldas:

Wally has no problem giving to others. He is very generous to others, but he isn’t generous to himself. Because he doesn’t invest for the future. Wally just likes giving his money away to people who end up abusing him. His close friends tell him that his giving is no longer helping others, because they have become parasites. But he’s blinded by his need for their attention. Wally, in the long run, cannot even give to God, because his money will be long gone.

#5: Manny Mapagmahal:

Manny gives to God, gives to others, and gives to himself. After receiving his income, the first thing he does is set aside 10% to God. The second thing he does is to set aside 20% to put in investment vehicles—such as funds, stocks, businesses, and real estate. He also has set aside an Emergency Fund—3 to 6 months of his salary in the bank. The third thing he does is to limit his expenses to 70% of his income.

Today, Manny is prosperous. He now gives 20% to God, invests 30%, and lives on 50% of his income. In his old age, he’ll continue to be even more generous.

http://bosanchez.ph/what%E2%80%99s-the-best-investment-in-the-world/

I think no.1 and no. 4 ako hahahah....

Thought I'd Share This.

2009-06-01T10:24:00.018-04:00

got this from - http://heart-2-heart-online.com

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-24T15:31:00.009-04:00

05/23/09

For your viewing pleasure only.

Highlights of this video:

- My Family
- Kentucky and Indiana Bridge
- Outlet Mall
- Mickey D's
- Hubby and Son singing HALO
- Highway
- Apartment

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Purse Temptation

2009-05-15T22:52:00.026-04:00

Its been 3 yrs since I bought my first Gucci bag but when an SA (Sales Associate) from Gucci Outlet emailed me these photos, I can't help but drool, I can't contain my excitement... I was panicking yesterday when I received an email from her and in my excitement I almost deleted it haha... I am really a Gucci Lover and I won't deny that even before when I had the money, I chose to buy the Gucci bag instead of the LV bag. I find Gucci bags more elegant, simple yet classy. I mean don't get me wrong I like LV bags too but not as much as I like Gucci.

Here's the email I received yesterday from the SA. Some of the SAs from the store modeled the bags for me to look at.

Good Afternoon!

We received some new arrivals today! If you are interested or have any questions please feel free to give me a call or e-mail me back at the store. Keep in mind all sales are final, there are no returns or exchanges. I hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks!

Sales Associate - Sorry I cant give her name here.
GUCCI

1. $869 med babouska guccissima ivory dome: retails for $1,395 and dimensions are 13.25"x9"x4" (LxHxW)

2. $1,109 med pelham guccissima brown leather: retails for $1,850 and dimensions are 14"x11.5"x5" (LxHxW).

3. $369 gg plus joy tote w lavender trim: retails for $595 and dimensions are 13.5"x10.5"x6" (LxHxW). - My BEST PICK!!!!

4. $459 d gold messenger gg sand w sage trim: retails for $660 and dimensions are 13"x11"x2" (LxHxW).

5. $499 med babouska boston brown leather: retails for $1,250 and dimensions are 12.75"x9"x7" (LxHxW).

6. $779 babouska guccissima brown tote: retails for $1,295 and dimensions are 14"x14.5"x5" (LxHxW).

7. $829 Lg pelham gg sand w sage trim: retails for $1,190 and dimensions are 13"x11"x7" (LxHxW). - MY Second Choice!!!

My BEST PICK - JOY TOTE with Lavender Trim - in Neiman Marcus they sell this bag for $630 and in the outlet store the bag is only $369. Where's my GENIE IN THE BOTTLE?!?! LOL.

Purse Cravings

2009-05-14T21:33:00.021-04:00

I guess everyone has their addictions, people take time from their lives to indulge in their habitual pleasures, smoking, drinking partying. If there was an AA (alcoholics anonymous) meeting for shopaholics then that would be me, I thought that I would stop looking at bags after purchasing my first Gucci but I guess the itch is still there, most people try to fight their whole lives against their indulgences but mine is harmless. I mean what can you do if you cannot afford it, I grew up with normal ordinary clothes and never once looked to see if the accessories I had were the "in" fashion at the time, so I guess I am trying to make up for those years that I missed out.

Here are some of the things that I currently crave but of course, it is practically impossible to buy these things unless I won the lottery, so I guess I will just have to whet my appetite and satisfy my fix by looking at these nice pictures.

1. Medium GG Mermaid Tote $419
2. D Ring Sand GG Canvas Hobo $559 , D Ring Wallet $289
3. D Ring GG Canvas Green Trim Tote $529. D Ring Wallet $289
4. D Ring Brown GG Canvas Tote $529, GG Canvas Wallet $319

1. Lavender Guccissima Boston $769, Wallet $279
2. Purple Leather Bamboo Hobo $549, Purple Guccissima wallet $ 209
3. GG Sand Canvas Horsebit Nail Dome $1,019, Wallet $259
4. Powder Pink Guccissima Tote $749, Guccissima Wallet $ 239

These are all from Gucci Outlet.

Photo Credits from Purse Forum

HALO

2009-05-11T20:01:00.002-04:00

Remember those walls I built
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make up a sound

I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now

It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm takin'
I ain't never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light

I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
To pull me back to the ground again

Feels like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
The risk that I'm takin'
I'm never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Halo, halo

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Happy Mothers Day!

2009-05-09T11:06:00.005-04:00

My Mom is absolutely the best, nicest, caring, kindest,funniest, religious woman I know. She is an inspiration to me in many ways. She continues to be a friend, mentor and a role model for me and my siblings. Her relationship with the Lord continues to grow and she never wavers in that. She is a wonderful mother, independent, strong woman.

Heres wishing you the best Mothers Day ever!

And for all the wonderful MOMS out there Happy Mothers Day!

Peek-A-Boo

2009-05-05T11:27:00.006-04:00

Being a stay-home mom presents its own share of struggles, but it can also offer its own set of rewards for parents. So here are one of those rewarding moments that I want to share...

A Good Reminder For Parents

2009-05-04T16:28:00.006-04:00

Children See, Children Do

I'll always remember this - ”don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.” robert fulghum

I grabbed this video here:

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T LOOKING

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you hang my First painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately Wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you feed a Stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind To animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you make my Favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little Things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I heard you say a Prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always Talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you make a Meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I Learned that we all have to help take care of each Other.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of Your time and money to help people who had nothing,And I learned that those who have something should Give to those who don’t.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you take care Of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have To take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw how you Handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t Feel good, and I learned that I would have to be Responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw tears come From your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things Hurt, but it’s all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw that you Cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be. When you thought I wasn’t looking I learned most of life’s lessons that I need to know to be a good and Productive person when I grow up.

Parenting and Wife Style

2009-05-03T14:01:00.006-04:00

Got this again from Ems Blog.

Parenting Style

1. Do you exercise full or minimal control over your child's / children's behavior?
Yes. D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y. I don't want them to grow up a SPOILED BRATS.

2. Do you expect your child / children to obey 100% or let her / him / them do what pleases her / him / them?

Yes. I expect my child to follow me 99% of the time, I use the word follow instead of obey as obeying sometimes means that you have no alternative or free choice to do the things being asked of you. I leave the 1% because parents make mistakes too and I am hoping that my kids are smart and wise enough to know the right thing to do.

3. Do you welcome discussion or you simply set rules?

Yes. I welcome discussion because I want to hear their side too and I think this will help me and them to become a better person.

4. Do you reprimand?

Oh YES. It will be far easier to correct a wrong behavior when it first appears than after it has become a habit.

5. Do you use spanking for punishment?

If it was done in anger with no explanation no absolutely not. But if my child knows beforehand what the penalties are and if there is teaching, sometimes YES.

6. Do you use some kind of a reward System for motivation?

Yes. I do this when he got a perfect homework and exam in the school.

7. Do you enjoy being a Parent?

Oh Yes. Very rewarding and fulfilling. I love it =).

8. Are you a hands-on Parent or do you have a full-time Nanny?

I'm a hands-on parent. I can't exchange this with any other job.

9. At what age would you let your child make simple decisions for himself / herself?

As long as he can prove to me that he can make sound decision.

10.Do you and your Husband have the same Parenting Style?

We don't but we talk about it.

Wife Style

7. How long have you been married?

8yrs and counting.

8. How do you feel about being a Wife?

It's not easy being a wife. But I feel secured.

9. What has been your typical sleeping attire since you got married?

Long shirts or duster dresses. Conservative kuno =)

10. How do you show how appreciative you are of your Husband?

Actions Speak Louder Than Words. I prepare his food everyday ( breakfast, lunch and dinner) and a lot more.

11. What do you do when your Husband annoys you?

We fight LOL. But I love it when he annoys me. Lambing kuno =).

12. You are buying or planning to buy your first house as Husband and Wife ....

Location first, then the style and price of the house. I'd like to have a separate sink and potty chair in our masters bathroom.

13. How does your house look like at the end of the day when Hubby gets home?

Sometimes messy sometimes clean. He doesnt care at all if its a mess or not. He just like to have a good meal when he gets home.

14. How do you feel about running a household?

Very challenging. It is a much more difficult job than one would even imagine.

15. What is the sweetest gift you have given your Husband so far?

Love and Care.

How Well You Really Know Your Husband

2009-05-03T13:28:00.003-04:00

After reading this meme from Ems blog I feel obliged to answer the same questions about my husband =).

Here's a chance to see how well you really know your husband. Cut, paste and fill in the answers.

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the tv?
History Channel, Sports Channel, Sci-fi Movies, Travel Channel

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Ranch or Bleu Cheese

3. What's one food he doesn't like?
Okra

4. You go out to eat and have a drink; what does he order?
Rootbeer or Dr. Pepper

5. Where did he go to high School?
Don Bosco

6. What size shoe does he wear?
Size 9 and half

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
Books, 3D magazines, movie memorabilia, scale models

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Turkey with swiss sandwich

9. What would he eat every day if he could?
Cake

10. What is his favorite cereal?
Raisin Bran

11. What would he never wear?
White Polo Shirt

12. What is his favorite sports team?
Boston Red Sox

13. Who did he vote for?
N/A

14. Who is his best friend?
ME =)

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
Nagging lol

16. What is his heritage?
Filipinio and Spanish.

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
Chocolate Cake

18. Did he play sports in high school?
Soccer and Basketball

19. What could he spend hours doing?
Reading and listening to music

20. What is one unique talent he has?
Singing

The Kindergarteners CLass Picture

2009-05-02T14:50:00.005-04:00

05.02.09

Its almost the end of the school year for my son as a kindergarten. I scanned his class picture from the yearbook because kids grow up so fast and the next time you see them it might be their college graduation picture.

So here's Aidans class picture for the year 2008-2009. By the way he's turning 6yrs old soon. How time flies...

Laugh Time Video

2009-05-02T10:13:00.001-04:00

A funny blooper video clips of my two kids..

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Byron @ 10mos old

2009-04-29T15:31:00.005-04:00

Here are a couple of movie clips of my son at 10mos old.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Wealth and Gratitude

2009-04-24T14:28:00.003-04:00

I just need to share this inspirational soulfood by Bo Sanchez

Use Gratitude to Receive More Blessings

Wealth isn’t money.
Wealth isn’t the cars you drive or the houses you own.
Wealth isn’t your jewelry, the stocks, bonds, or cash in your bank.
I now believe that wealth is an emotion.
Wealth is an inner feeling.
More precisely, wealth is an outlook, an attitude, a belief.
And the most obvious measurement of wealth is gratitude.
Ungratefulness is focusing on what she didn’t have; Gratitude is focusing on what you have.

Remember this powerful truth: Your Wealth equals your Gratitude. And your Gratitude equals your Wealth.

But what kind of gratitude do you have?
Let’s find out…

There are three degrees of gratitude:

· Superficial Gratitude
· Simple Gratitude
· Sacred Gratitude

1. Superficial Gratitude

This is when you’re thankful for Big-Ticket items only.
You win the Lotto.
You get a new car.
You finally pass the board exam after 9 tries.
Your daughter finally gets married at 45.
Your visa is approved after 16 years of waiting.
Your adulterous, jobless, alcoholic husband finally changes.
Or your adulterous, jobless, alcoholic husband finally dies.
Whichever comes first.
I mean, how can’t you not say thanks?
Everyone starts with Superficial Gratitude. But I call it superficial because this feeling of gratitude will disappear rather quickly.
Superficial Gratitude is great. But if you want to be really happy, you need to graduate to a deeper form of gratitude…

2. Simple Gratitude

In Simple Gratitude, you’re thankful even for the small things in life. For the roof over your head, for the leftover food on your table, for the semi-neurotic family around you. Stuff you take for granted.

Remember this famous line?

I once was sad for I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.
–Unknown

But do you know that there’s something even more powerful than Simple Gratitude?

3. Sacred Gratitude

In Sacred Gratitude, you’re thankful for life itself.
You’re thankful that you’re alive.
You’re thankful that you exist.
You’re thankful that you breathe!
You’re thankful for the adventure of daily life, with all its ups and downs, highs and lows, and twists and turns.
This kind of gratitude doesn’t depend on situations anymore.

And there’s a big difference between knowing you need to be grateful, and actually having every cell of your body singing, “Thank You!”
This is Sacred Gratitude.
It’s one of the sweetest things in the world.
Nothing can touch you. You’re at peace.

When you have Simple Gratitude—and especially Sacred Gratitude—you receive so many blessings.
Why?
Because when you become grateful, you also become an…

…Inverse Paranoid!

You know what a Paranoid is: A fearful person. He thinks that the world is out there to get him. To steal from him. To hurt him. To put him down.

An Inverse Paranoid is a happy person who believes the universe is conspiring to bless him. To serve him. To love him!

An Inverse Paranoid expects the best out of life.
An Inverse Paranoid expects great things will happen.
An Inverse Paranoid expects that he’ll walk into fields of blessing each day.
An Inverse Paranoid believes that the world is plotting to fulfill his dreams!
An Inverse Paranoid looks at bad things as merely disguised blessings.
An Inverse Paranoid wakes up each morning and say, “I expect to be blessed today! Yeepee!”

Are You A Blessing-Expert Or A Problem-Expert?

Why do grateful people become Inverse Paranoids?

First reason: Gratitude is one of the most powerful forms of love. And you know that love casts out all fear. Paranoia is fear. So gratitude casts out fear from your life.

Second reason: Because grateful people focus on blessings in their life, they become Blessing-Experts. What does that mean? They know how a blessing looks like, sounds like, smells like, tastes like, and feels like. Because of this, when they open their eyes and look around their life, they’ll smell a blessing a mile away! They’ll zero on it and grab it.

Ungrateful people are Problem-Experts.

When they look around their lives, they can’t see the blessings right in front of their eyes because they don’t know how they look like.

The Unread Magazines

2009-04-16T19:13:00.006-04:00

April 16, 2009

Early this year I had some subscriptions given by my mileage program from US Airways. I would have lost the mileage program if I had not agreed to their subscriptions to a couple of magazines, as they were given to me free by the mileage program. A girl like me would not subscribe to mens magazine, electronics or home and garden magazines. So you can expect all the subscriptions were all about fashion and cosmetics. The sad part is I haven't read any of them because when I opened them I look at some of the stuff that I would like to buy but cannot do because in this kind of economy it doesn't seem right to be extravagant ( maglalaway lang ako ha ha ha).

So here are the magazines that I have since January of 2009. I don't know when I will have the chance or time to read them.

Congrats to the Graduate

2009-04-16T12:11:00.004-04:00

April 16, 2009

I'm so proud of my sister Carol. She just earned her Bachelors Degree in Nursing today!

One Childs Imagination

2009-04-15T21:39:00.025-04:00

.
Flowers for me....

He drew a yellow heart for me.

He drew this boat house for her friend Jenny.

And this purple heart and boats for his dad

My source of happiness

2009-04-15T21:22:00.019-04:00

This is what I received from my son last easter sunday. Don't mind the spelling he's only 5.

The Climb

2009-04-08T14:49:00.009-04:00

Just wanted to share this nice lyrics and song =). Senti muna ang lola nyo ;)

I can almost see it
That dream I'm dreaming but
There's a voice inside my head sayin,
You'll never reach it,
Every step I'm taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I
Got to keep trying
Got to keep my head held high

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing,
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it
But these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I,
I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on, cause

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb (yeah)

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb (yeah yeah ea ea)

Keep on moving
Keep climbing
Keep the faith baby
It's all about
It's all about
The climb
Keep the faith
Keep your faith

New Makeup 04.04.09

2009-04-04T22:04:00.009-04:00

My friend got me into trying out a different cosmetics line, I usually subscribe to MAC and Neutrogena but because of her insistence I decided to go take it out for a spin. I had a lot of mineral makeups before but they usually do not pass on my quality review for myself as they also contributed to a couple of breakouts, but Everyday Minerals was pure joy.

It is still touch and go but I am beginning to like the brand, after trying it out for two days it is good enough to mention in my blog, even my husband agrees that it is different in a good way.

I will keep you folks updated on what happens next, here are a couple of pictures for you to see.

Update 03.16.09

2009-03-16T08:32:00.013-04:00

I have had a lot of events in the month of February but most of them were due to the kids being sick, the most notable was that my eldest son having an appendectomy and then the following month there was a lot of grief at the passing of a family friend, my uncle and my husbands grandmother, it is for these reasons that I was unable to update my blog and share my everyday stuff.

I am hoping that I will be able to get back into the grove with my writing.

Here are some of get well cards that my son received after his surgery and some valentine treats from his classmates.

Baby Sitting Job 03.03.09

2009-03-03T11:44:00.024-05:00

I remembered when I was growing and being a little tot, I had a baby sitter or as they are called in the Philippines 'Yaya'. Both of my parents worked so me an my older sister were left in the care of someone else, as in the states you pay the baby sitter for taking care of your kids while you are either at work or having a night out with your husband.

The yaya is also important for a lot of single moms as they are indispensable for helping you take care of your kids. The yaya does not usually have to be a total stranger as they can be mostly your neighbors or relatives, it is standard practice to have grand parents take care of the grand kids as this gives them a bond while the apo is growing up.

The sad reality is that in the states, baby sitting is readily available but usually quality is also synonymous with price, so you can expect to pay a good part of your salary for baby sitting.

I am a stay at home mom and I want to share some of my tricks and tips in the absence of a baby sitter.

Jumperoo - baby usually jumps up and down and helps develop leg muscles

Exersaucer - allows for lateral movement and a substitute for a high chair

Bouncer - he drinks milk while on the bouncer

Car Seat - when he is sleeping or taking a nap

Activity House - fun activities for babies, with lights and buttons

Glider - best way to rock a baby while holding on to him, no place to put a duyan here so this has to do.

Baby Einstein DVDs - Kids love these as their attention focused on the colors and music of the DVDs.

Playpen - a nice safe area where he can play and when he is older he can stand up and take naps on.

How bout you how do you take care of your babies?

Thankful!

2009-01-27T21:13:00.011-05:00

01.25.09 & 01.27.09

I am very thankful for the last 31 years of my life, God has opened many doors and thru the trials and hardships he has always been at my side. I not only celebrate my Birthday but also our 8 year Wedding Anniversary, time is short and you don't really notice these times in your life, it seems that it was just yesterday when we got married and now we have two wonderful kids I hold dear to my heart.

I would like to thank all my well wishers, people who called me up, emailed or just said happy B-day. We had a simple celebration in our place with just the family but it was very meaningful and who better to spend your birthday than with your husband and kids.

I look forward to many more birthdays to come and wedding anniversaries in the future, you only get to celebrate that one special day in your life and for that one brief moment you are at peace and everything is perfect.

Oh I forgot we still have Valentines day! ;)

My wishlist!

2009-01-09T15:59:00.009-05:00

I did not make a wish list last Christmas holiday, So now I'm going to make one for these important events of my life and usually this falls in January. I guess that's why they call it a wish list because there is a chance you might get it or then again you might not ha ha ha... It is nice to dream about what you can't have that's why I made this ;)

Byron and his teether!

2009-01-08T12:05:00.006-05:00

My son has been eating baby food since he was about 5mos old I think. But if you will watch this video clip of him I think the baby food is not enough ha ha ha...He has 2 teeth now and maybe his gum are so itchy that's why he can't get enough of his teether. He eats different flavors of baby food like sweet potatoes, banana and rice cereal and all of them are organic based food. I'll try my very best to give him organic food or fresh food as he grows up. Lets see.

A short video of my children!

2009-01-07T22:09:00.003-05:00

I just want to share this video of my babies! Yes they are still my babies hehehe...I don't want them to grow up so fast! I just love them to bits that's why I'm enjoying every moment of it!

So here you go:

My third mommylution for this year!

2009-01-07T21:30:00.001-05:00

Get the kid and hubby to help!

I plan to begin training my son and hubby to take over some of the household chores, such as washing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom, cooking breakfast or dinner, dusting, folding clothes and laundry so that I'm not the only one in the apartment doing these things while two other people lounge around eating junk foods and playing video games haha....

My second mommylution for this year!

2009-01-07T21:26:00.001-05:00

Take time for me, among other things.

Time for me, lose more than 10 pounds, organizing, how about organizing did I say that already hahaha, how about time for me, or the 10pounds!

One of my Mommylution for this year!

2009-01-06T08:54:00.005-05:00

Never Say Never

I resolve never to say "not my child or " my child will never".....

The one thing that I have learned for the past 5 years of being a mom is that there are no absolutes in this parenting game, and you may find yourself eating your words one day.

You may have the best of intentions but life has a funny habit of getting in the way some times.

So being a mom - I can say the hardest job on the planet! No other job can beat that!!!

My New Years Resolution for 2009

2009-01-02T09:36:00.007-05:00

I resolve to…

- stop saying negative things about other people especially to those who hate me and to those who don't like me.
- focus on the positive in my relationship with my partner.
- stop blaming others when I am just as much at fault.
- stop making assumptions or judgements.
- pick my battles and avoid sweating the small stuff.
- stop giving advice to those who don't ask me.

I will...

- start saving for my kids future.
- donate more for charities - this is gonna be our third year that me n my hubby will be donating in charities. Maybe we will sponsor one child in St. Jude cancer research hospital or world vision.
- focus more on my personal problems like health, financial etc.
- help other people if they want me to.
- exercise more and eat less.
- Invest in 401K and IRA.
- save more and travel with my family and give them the best and memorable vacation ever.
- enjoy each moment together with my significant other, live in the present and nurture myself as I nurture my partner.

Happy New Year to all!

2008-12-31T11:25:00.002-05:00

I'm wishing everyone a Happy and Blessed 2009!

Cheers!!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2008-12-16T16:07:00.004-05:00

Please Watch this video!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Public vs. Private in the US

2008-11-12T09:22:00.010-05:00

The topic of schools is always a hot one at family gatherings. So everyone we encountered had their own set of beliefs about public and private schools. I heard the following:

" I know you are a Catholic. Don't you want your child taught in a Christian atmosphere?"
" You know they have a lot of those ( name your racial group) in public schools."
" If you ever want your child to go to college you better look into a private school. You know private schools do better on all those college tests."

I bet you have heard similar comments especially from relatives and friends.

So here are some of the factors why we chose to put our son to public school:

- I first looked at price - I wanted to estimate just how much it would cost for my son to complete elementary school.

- Not all schools offer full day kindergarten - my son's school does which could alter the tuition costs for that grade.

- Student/Teacher ratio in public school are 18. In private or parochial school are 20 (some of them are less).

- The cost of public school FREE. In private or parochial school range from $4,752 - $8,500 a year. And they increase about 5% every year (accdg to my source).

- Speech therapy, hearing and vision services, classes for students with limited english proficiency are all provided at no charge in the public school while in the private, speech therapy costs about $2000 per year.

- Private and public schools do not give the same tests so there is no way to compare them in the characteristics that counts the most.

- Some of the schools ( private) restricted visitation which made us feel suspect as to why they would not allow us to look.

- Public schools offer free bus service. In private you have to pay $650 per family and some parochial school does not offer bus service.

- Public school has a very diverse population with students of various economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The private schools were much less diverse. - I want my son to have early exposure in other ethnics and other religious backgrounds.

- Traditional schools and many regular program schools do not offer advance program classes for gifted and talented students. Many of the private schools do not offer them either.

- In fact, many students from private and parochial schools come to public school during the day to access their special education services because they are not available at the private school or are cost prohibitive.

- It is true that my son is not being taught religion at school. He is being taught values ( honesty, respect, perseverance, etc.) and how to be a good person. My husband and I cover the rest at home. I actually prefer to be the one who tells him about God and our faith.

- Paying huge tuition rates does not guarantee that my child will be immune to the dangers of the world.

- School is for academics and church is for faith. My son is with "the right kinds of people" and in the best academic setting possible.

- I am not convinced that paying tuition here in the US is the better choice especially if you have more than one child. And don't forget, there is college to pay for and it doesn't come cheap.

***This blog is not to criticize any private or public school or the people that choose them. School choice is a private issue best left in the family. We all make decisions for the best interests of our children and what works for one may not work for another. To use a trite old saying: " different strokes for different folks".

I do criticize those people who look down their noses at parents who choose public schools. Their elitism reveals their ignorance about the facts of public schools. Sensible people know that not all public schools are equal. There are good and bad schools in both the public and private sectors. The Catholic priests scandals of late show that no school community is immune. Knowing the facts is essential. Keeping our children the top priority is our responsibility as a parent. By the way the quality of public schools that are paid for here in the US comes from the property taxes. So if you live here in the US and you are paying taxes , your taxes goes to the school etc. So there you go. There's a big difference of what kind of public school here in the US and in the Philippines. I just want to make that clear. Same with the private school.

Public or Private? Which is right for your child read more here.

Weekend Trip to Chicago

2008-11-06T20:36:00.011-05:00

We recently took some time off our mundane schedule by going to Chicago, probably the largest
city in the Midwest equally famous for its scenic views and world class restaurants. My husband
had previously gone to Chicago with some friends but their trip was to visit the two baseball
parks, Wrigley Field (home to the Cubs) and Cellular Field (home to the Chicago White Sox). The
trip itself was a good five hours of driving thru Indiana.

The weather before the trip was pretty cold in Kentucky and most of us had colds at one time or
another. Byron was also having some dry throat (hoarse) at the time so before on our trip, we set up an appointment with his pedia, she said that Byron was OK for the trip and did not exhibit any signs of being sick, so with that in mind we decided to proceed with our vacation.

I have a couple of friends in Chicago, who have visited us here in Kentucky, needless to say they
have been petitioning us to visit their place and also they had a couple of baby stuff that they
did not need and they were giving it to Byron.

The drive was uneventful but tiring, it was also Halloween and it gave a chance for Aidan to get
some sweets, unfortunately we arrived in Chicago too late as most of the malls had used up their
supplies of treats for the kids. We ended up buying Aidan some candies. We then proceeded to Lot's house were we ate home cooked meals of Adobo and Chinese food, exhausted we made up our bedding's and were soon fast asleep.

The next day we went around the city visiting some of the locations that you see in the pictures,
again since this was just a weekender we did not go into any museums, this trip was more about
taking the sights in and going exhibits would have used up most of our time not to mention we would need to shell out some cash.

So for the next two days we toured different places in Chicago and on Sunday we ate at an authentic Japanese Market/Restaurant Mitsuwa. It seemed more like a cultural center to me but the food was very good. We drove back that Sunday and my husband returned to work on Monday.

Byron got some coughing owing to the fact that all of us had some colds, so we ended up bringing him to the Kids Hospital in the area. They asked him to stay for two nights as they wanted to monitor him in the end the docs said that he probably contracted something from us 3. He is feeling better now but he still drinks his meds.

Well that's all I have for now until next time.

Byron latest pic

2008-10-14T14:10:00.002-04:00

He is almost 4mos now.

One month Old

2008-07-18T22:53:00.005-04:00

Byron Chaz - one month old. Sorry will blog about this later. I'm so busy can't blog right now.

My second bundle of joy

2008-06-25T12:13:00.007-04:00

Meet my second bundle of joy - Byron Chaz 8.7 lbs 06.18.08

Aidan's Bday part II

2008-06-13T22:09:00.018-04:00

Here's a fun little glimpse at each of Aidan's past 5 birthdays:

Aidan's BIRTH-DAY
1st Birthday - @ the Chinese Restaurant in NJ.

2ND Birthday - Celebrated at the apartment with friends.

Aidan's 3rd Birthday - Celebrated his b-day at the apt with his friend Jamison and Cheesecake Factory.

.

Aidan's 4Th Birthday - @ ChuckeCheese

Aidan's 5Th Birthday

Happy 5th Birthday AC!

2008-06-12T22:21:00.015-04:00

My son celebrated his 5Th birthday today, we had a couple of people over but most of them were kids and close friends. We had to wait for my husband as he was coming home early from work to get the balloons and birthday cake.

Aidan had picked out his birthday cake the other day with the theme being "Pirates of the Caribbean", he always liked the movies and he has a toy pirate ship so he can indulge in his play time, this pirate ship was our gift to him sadly he said he needed another ship to play with against the other ship.

Soon as my husband got home we proceeded to the pool so that the kids could have some fun, so they swam for two hours with my husband shepherding the kids in the pool, by late afternoon the kids were hungry so we went back to the apartment.

I started heating and preparing the food and cooking spring rolls for the kids, pizza was also served and once everything was ready my husband said grace and we proceeded to eat. Aidan blew his candle with much enthusiasm, he could not wait to blow the candle and wanted to eat cake. The kids then spent their time playing with bubbles and toys we finished around 10 PM.

I have a couple of pics showing how fast kids grow up as from the time that he was born to when he is now 5 years, yes they do pass by soon he will be more older and hopefully more wiser but he will always be my first baby boy.

Before he turns 5

2008-06-11T12:54:00.008-04:00

I am a proud mother to my son, he is turning five and I can say that he is worth all the time and effort that I give him. I did not use to feel that way, I felt a little bit anxious and sometimes depressed at being a stay at home mom. I saw myself as having a career and working the 9 to 5 daily routine, imagined that coming in to work with gourmet coffee and dealing with people all day long.

Life sometimes throws a curve at you but that does not mean you are by all means an out, it could be that there is a purpose and effect to what you are encountering.

I am proud because the attention that I gave my son and sacrifice that was in my career was worth it, well worth it.

I am happy because even though my son has not attended pre-school he can read and he has the initiative to get a book and start reading and if he does not know how to pronounce the word he sees, then he will ask and say it again until he can fully understand it.

I am thankful that I gave up my time so that my son can have a brighter future where he can rely on his parents for help and guidance.

Swim Fan

2008-06-08T14:53:00.021-04:00

This week's blog is all about my son as he is turning 5, next week could be about my second bundle of joy.

I was looking at my son today at the pool swimming and marveled at how far he has progressed in his swimming ability from a year ago.

A year ago he was just waving his arms in the water and my husband would always have to near him as he would call out.

Now he can swim and play on his own in the water with confidence even doing back float. I guess enrolling him at the local "Y" swimming program helped out.

Here are some of his pictures last year learning how to float with his daddy.

Here are some of his latest pictures today at the clubhouse pool.

He swam by himself.

AC's 1st toys

2008-05-26T11:48:00.017-04:00

As I was tagged by Em about this, I went looking for pictures of my son which I had saved via his multiply. Time flies so fast because it has been 5years since I took these pictures and now looking back at my son's pictures I feel amazed at how I've raised him within that 5years. I've learned a lot of things about parenting, being his playmate, his friend and his mom. It was really a joy to bring a child to this world and now he is going to turn 5 this June and going to school for Kindergarten and he will be able to interact with other kids his age, this will be another challenging stage for me and for my husband.

So here are some pictures of his first toys.

With his musical nightlight

With his Teddy Brown Bear

The toys in his ExerSaucer

The Toys in his Bouncer

34 Weeks Pregnant

2008-05-21T16:26:00.011-04:00

Here are some of my pictures when I was 34 weeks pregnant, right now I'm officially on my 37weeks. I'm going to give birth very soon...Stay tuned!

Thanks for those who wished me well and for those who are praying for my delivery! I'll post some pictures after my delivery. =)

The Gift Giver

2008-05-18T12:08:00.009-04:00

I feel humbled by the experience of friendship and the way the things work out in life. I consider myself a religious person as I pray a lot and always call out to God at all times. I am thankful to have friends who have helped me in ways that I cant even imagine in particular, Pearl.

I chose Pearl as a Godmother to my second son, I knew her back home in the Philippines and grew more when we came and lived in New Jersey. She is a very generous person and puts other people before herself, I have never found a more selfless individual as a friend.

The way I describe her makes other people think of Mother Teresa but point of fact, she also has a very bubbly personality so you can cross Mother Teresa with a famous rock star, and you would have Pearl.

I was surprised when she asked me if I was prepared for the second child, and I told her that I was somewhat in a way ready and during the conversation I got to mention that I still needed a couple of things for the baby and that is when she offered and looked at my baby registry to buy the baby car seat, the whole travel system sans stroller.

I did not oblige her to buy this but she insisted and there we have it, it is a big help for me as unlike back home babies need to be in a car seat when they leave the hospital, also it helps me out in ways that I appreciate very much.

I know that every time I use it I will be reminded by one persons generosity and selfless act of sacrifice. I hope in time that I will be able to return the favor. In closing I just want to say

Pearl you rock!

PS. I did receive gifts on my baby shower but this one is very much appreciated.

I can't believe this!

2008-05-13T08:44:00.002-04:00

I was tagged by Mind Bubbles

ENTJ - The "Chief"

ENTJs are strategic, organized and possess natural leadership qualities. They are master coordinators that can effectively give direction to groups. They are able to understand complicated organizational situations and quick to develop intelligent solutions. ENTJs are outspoken and will not hesitate to speak of their plans for improvement. They are decisive and value knowledge, efficiency and competence.

"ENTJs are natural born leaders. They live in a world of possibilities where they see all sorts challenges to be surmounted, and they want to be the ones responsible for surmounting them. They have a drive for leadership, which is well-served by their quickness to grasp complexities, their ability to absorb a large amount of impersonal information, and their quick and decisive judgments." - Portrait of an ENTJ (The Personality Page)

"...have a strong natural urge to give structure and direction wherever they are -- to harness people in the field and to direct them to achieve distant goals."
- The Portrait of the FieldMarshal Rational (Keirsey)

"leader, ambitious, hard working, dominant, prepared, hates to be bored, confident, opinionated, analytical..."
- Jung Type Descriptions (ENTJ) (similarminds.com)

""Unequivocating" expresses the resoluteness of the ENTJ's dominant function (Extraverted Thinking). Clarity of convictions endows these Thinkers with a knack for debate, or wanting knack, a penchant for argument. The light and heat generated by Thinking at the helm can be impressive; perhaps even overwhelming."
- ENTJ Profile (TypeLogic)"

At work, ENTJs contribute a wealth of energy directed toward the goals and those of the organization. Their sense of identity is closely tied to how they carry out their responsibilities. They are curious about new ideas and theories, evaluating them in terms of their goals. They are very efficient, competitive, strategic, and task focused."
- ENTJ - The Leader (Lifexplore)

Famous ENTJs :

Real ENTJ People

Al Gore - former American Vice President
Benny Goodman - Jazz musician
Bill Gates - Microsoft Founder
Candace Bergen - actress (Murphy Brown)
Dave Letterman - TV show host, comedian
Edward Teller - theoretical physicist
Franklin D. Roosevelt - American President
Harrison Ford - actor (Indiana Jones)

Jim Carrey - actor, comedian
Margaret Thatcher - British Prime Minister
Newt Gingrich - Speaker of the House
Patrick Stewart - actor (Star Trek's "Cpt. Picard")
Richard Nixon - American President
Sigourney Weaver - actress
Steve Martin - actor, comedian
Whoopi Goldberg - actress, comedian

Fictional ENTJs (Characters)

Beatrix Kiddo (The Bride) - Kill Bill Vol. I
Jordi LaForge - Star Trek: The Next Generation
Princess Leia Organa - Star Wars
Winston 'The Wolf' Wolfe - Pulp Fiction

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T22:39:00.004-04:00

I spent the night tired from the baby shower the previous day and also had experienced some leg cramps, what a way to start Mothers day. We woke up around 9 am and started getting ready for church, the mass was not full as the weather in the area was very windy and rainy.

St. Patrick had some doughnuts for everyone in celebration of Mothers day but I could not have any so I gave my son my share of pastries. My husband and I decided to eat out so we went looking for TGI Fridays but got lost and ended up in Applebees, which was not all bad as my food selection was good.

We proceeded to a couple of stores such as Target and ToysRus to use a couple of gift cards I received from my husbands co workers, in the end my son got a new video game for the Xbox 360, " Transformers Game", so I could see the glee in my son and husbands eyes.

Well that is it for Mothers day I am hoping that you all had a good mothers day and celebrated with loved ones you hold most dear.

Baby Shower

2008-05-11T22:22:00.009-04:00

My husbands bosses wife called me up the other day to tell me that the baby shower will be for this weekend, they are kind enough to host this gathering in their house. Karissa had first called me to ask if we should go forward with the shower as some people who were invited could not make it, but I told her that we should still go through with the shower.

The shower was a simple affair as I had just barely made some friends in the place that we live and some acquaintances that we met thru mutual friends. We had some games such as Brain Games for babies and talked about kids and babies in general.

See my Tabblo>

All in all we were 6 girls and my husband and his boss plus co workers were downstairs enjoying the bar that his boss had in the basement. The bar is stockpiled with all manner of drinks from your regular rum and scotch to bourbon. Sean made my husband some Mint Juleps, essentially bourbon with Mint leaves, crushed ice and syrup.

We left at around 6 pm but did not go home yet as we had to help out a friend of ours who had to pick up a package from a friend of his dads that had come from India. We left our place at 7 pm and arrived at the place around 9 pm after a good 1 and a half hours driving, after chatting and excusing ourselves we went back and got home at 11 pm and so ended a very hectic day for me but also very happy from the gifts that I received.

Here are some pictures of my baby shower give aways:

See my Tabblo

Days before the baby shower.

2008-05-11T22:09:00.005-04:00

I have been busy this week as I have been spending some of my time at my neighbors flat and we also have been going out, she has two lovely children of her own and one of them is my sons playmate. We have been window shopping for the baby and stuff that I would need when the baby comes.

Me and my husband also spent some time going out with my son after he comes back from work, on one of these occasions we bought my son a new pair of shoes as the old ones must have been tight on his feet and the previous night my son had complained about leg cramps. Needless to say we went ahead and took him to a doctor and found out that nothing was wrong with him probably just growing pains.

We also had to look for a headset for my husbands Xbox 360, I had accidentally stepped on his and it broke in half so we went ahead and found a replacement but his complaint is that the sound quality is mediocre at best.

I have also been busy and not being able to check my emails because I have been busy getting some documents in order that we need to submit.

You all so must remember that my OB check ups are coming more frequently as the due date is fast approaching, I will try to keep my post updated but this will not be regularly.

Soon promise!

2008-05-06T19:14:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the late update I've been slightly busy doing some stuff. I will update my blog soon!

Stay tuned!

My family's weekend day out

2008-05-03T22:12:00.027-04:00

I know its been over a week since I updated my blog as I had some news in my last visit to the doctor that made me lose some of my interest in blogging, I was not able to blog because the doctor informed me that my baby was in a breech position meaning that his feet is on the pelvis area in these cases it results in a CS section, hopefully he will turn around again. I'm just scared to have a CS section because I don't have help with me right now. Anyway here's my update since May 1, 2008. Well as most of you know I blog only because I have exciting news to tell. If you don't get any update from me it means I'm not in the mood to blog hahah. I only blog with my heart content. So there you go.

Thursday ( May 1) - My husband went home early so we decided to bring my son to the puzzle fun dome, its an indoor playground. It's been a long time since he played outside the apartment. He's a very active boy you see. He can't sit still doing nothing. He likes activities, anything that will keep him occupied so he wont get bored. Even if we travel for a short period of time, he wants to play with his leapster or gameboy or any toys that will keep him busy. I guess he does not like being idle. He's much smarter than I think =).

Friday ( May 2) - My husband and my son went to watch Iron Man the movie, then for 2hours I went to Target store to buy some things needed in the apartment. This was the first time I spent some alone time to go shopping. Its nice to have my own time to browse and not have to hurry choosing stuff that you need, anyway we all got what we wanted. There was one surprising thing that happened, my son told my husband " I love spending time with you daddy" after they watched the movie. My husband was in awe and shocked the first time he hears this. This proves to me that my son is a very thoughtful and sweet boy...I know this because when he wants something from me he would say "please mommy can I have this or get this and then he would hug and kiss me and say I love you", and me I will not get tired of getting some things for him because when they talk to you about this you will feel amazed or loved but he's not always like that with my husband.

Here are some pictures of my son holding some games that I bought in Target. It was also a big sale for some of their educational games in the store so I didn't think twice to buy these. I'm not fond of buying my son some action figure toys so you see all the educational games that he had in our home I'm the one who's buying it, and all the action figure games that he had it was my hubbys =)

See my Tabblo>

Saturday ( May 3) - We cleaned up in the apartment to fix some things, organize all the things especially all the books of my husband and my son and all the toys that's was cluttering the apartment, after that we brought Aidan to Cookie Cutters for kids, it was his first time there , he saw this place on a tv commercial so he asked me and my hubby if we can bring him there. So after few days of discussion I made an appointment to this place and my son was very happy. The place has a playground, video games and some movies while they cut my son's hair. So he loves it and keeps on talking about it.

After that we went to get groceries at Meijer. I love supermarkets becaue I can pick whatever fruit and vegetables I want. Actually the original plan was for me to buy some maternity pants. I don't know if it is still practical to buy some maternity pants for me at this stage of my pregnancy. Because I know I can't use this after I give birth. Oh well I still need to buy one because my tummy keeps getting bigger and bigger and I'm beginning to feel uncomfortable sitting down. Today is also Kentucky Derby day so people are glued to their televisions watching the horse races, my hubby and our indian friend went drinking till midnight while I cooked some pizza and taquitos for them. It's been a long day after all.

Sunday ( May 4) - As usual we were late getting up, we normally wake up at 9am then off to the church at 11am but my husband was having some stomach issues because he was drinking the night before and his tummy bothered him so we decided to go to the mass at 5pm. We spent some time at Bed Bath and Beyond to kill the time and bought some fragrances for the apartment as I had a 20% off coupon that I did not want to waste, we were so impressed with the house equipment and stuff in the store that we forgot to go to church.

He's still a computer addict!

2008-04-22T10:29:00.013-04:00

AC @ 15mos old

My son plays a lot of activities, he started playing on the pc when he was 15mos old and now look at him he's still addicted. Maybe he gets this from his parents who mostly spend their time in the computers everyday! Others say that exposing children at an early age to computer was not a good idea but I believe that my son is a smart one because he can think, navigate and be creative using desktop or notebook. He can't color that much using paper but when you give him a computer he can draw and put some arts on his piece. He can't write that much in the paper but when you tell him to type the website that he wants to play you'll be surprise he can memorize it and type by his own. So different kids have their own different skills and specialty. You just have to know as a parent what your kids wants and interests. Here are some pictures and videos of my son when he started to use the computer. I'm really a proud mother.

These videos were taken when he was 2yrs old.

A simple dining set

2008-04-22T10:08:00.014-04:00

Look at this dining table that we just bought a week ago from Super Walmart. It's only $99 and it looks great don't you think? Anyway the reason why we bought this cheap dining set because I don't want to spend too much money on a dining set. We didn't use a dining table for almost 2yrs when we moved to KY. So you see we lived our life humbly because my husband is a contractor for a company and buying this set was really a tough decision for us because we needed to think 10x, as it is hard to sell and move furniture if you always move to another place. We could not find any used furnitures too because we have to wait for a yard sale or buy with ads in Craiglist and that is a real hassle for us. So here's the simple dining set that I'm talking about.

Ughhhh! I can't wait!

2008-04-21T10:26:00.006-04:00

My first whole pregnancy was wonderful, because I'm excited and its my first time to get pregnant at that time don't get me wrong I love having this second baby but now I'm 30 weeks pregnant and I can't wait to give birth! I want to see my baby! I'm so tired and uncomfortable! My back hurts everytime I walk, move and do something. I can't sleep at night! I don't sleep hardly at all lately. I get tired easily, I don't have much energy. My husband thought that I'm over reacting but I'm not. I'm so huge! I look like I am having twins, I am so certain he is coming early! The pressure on my pelvis is crazy. I have to pee all the time. I can't sit, stand or lay with out being uncomfortable. I know the last weeks of pregnancy are usually the hardest...your sore, anxious, nervous, scared, excited, happy, sad and everything in between. The baby's room isn't ready yet because he does not have one haha. I have tons of things to buy and to do. I feel like there is no one to help me. My almost 5yr old son is not helping me either with my chores and I have to do everything on my own.

I'm hoping the next few weeks go by fast because I don't know how much more my back can take!

He does not like meat and veggies!

2008-04-16T18:23:00.004-04:00

I guess most parents go through certain periods of their children's growing up stages, we are going thru the "Picky food phase". My son had no problems with foods when he was two years old, in fact he would eat anything off the plate but this changed when he turned three, since then it has been hard to get him to eat anything else. I am not saying that he won't eat but the usual foods that kids eat like, burgers and pasta are things he doesn't eat. I am hoping that this is just a phase and when he goes to school and sees other kids eating these foods then he will be able to adjust. Here is a picture of his reaction when he does not like the food, he did not eat it and he fell asleep after a couple of minutes.

Laundry at the apartment

2008-04-16T18:21:00.007-04:00

Here is the new Laundry area of the apartment complex that we moved to, we had piled up a lot of clothes for two weeks because of the move and we did not have time to do them, so after going to church last Sunday we went and did our clothes. Here are some pictures of the laundry area.

Check-up Today

2008-04-16T18:18:00.007-04:00

I experienced some contractions whenever I walked and some back pain, being the cautious person I mentioned this to my OB-GYNE during this visit. She then proceeded to give me a "Fetal Non-Stress Test (NST)" for 30 minutes to test how many times the baby moves and checking on the heartbeat rate and rhythm. The visit also included a cervical test to check if I am dilated, all in all the results were positive and OK and the baby's doing well.

I will have another visit next week for an ultrasound, basically checking the size of the baby and the weight. I will do another post after this visit.

Why do I love him?

2008-04-15T12:14:00.004-04:00

THE QUESTION: What do you love the most about your husband/ partner?

- I love him because he's a guy that has a lot of sense of humor.
- I love him because he's the breadwinner in our family.
- I love him because he understands all my complaints and whining.
- I love him because even if I'm totally mad he can still get me to smile.
- I love him because even though I hate the fact that he spends too much time playing with his x-box I can still forgive him no matter what, just to give him what he likes .
- I love him because he's trying his best to be the best dad to his son.
- I love him because he's a smart ass and sometimes he's naughty =)...
- I love him because he gave me the life that I wanted.
- I love him because he gave me my son Aidan and the other one soon.
- I love him even if he doesn't eat all the food that I give him especially vegetables.
- I love him even if he doesn't cut his toenails as often as he should.
- I love him even if he snores a lot at night.
- I love him even if he insist of drinking diet soda instead of water.
- I love him most when he talks about our future.
- I love him most when he helps me with my chores.
- I love him most when he talks a lot about anything!
- I love him most when he's wearing office clothes!
- I love him most when he's wearing a perfume!

>>>>>>>>I was tagged by EM.

Welcome Home part 2

2008-04-11T21:06:00.011-04:00

Just wanna share some photos of our new apartment complex. The other day me and my son were strolling around and took these pictures. It's not complete though, I was supposed to take pictures of the tennis court and volleyball court but somebody was playing and I did not want to take pictures with out their permission hehe....Please click below to see more...

See my Tabblo>

Welcome Home

2008-04-09T19:55:00.009-04:00

Sorry for the late post but we were busy because we had to pack our stuff and move to a different place, our lease had run out on the old apartment and I very much wanted to move to a new place, this was also to be closer to my son's school and get a bigger place for when my in-laws live with us.

I guess I could compare the old with the new in a few words namely it feels more quieter in the new place but at the same time it is alive with more children. I can see kids playing around in fact our neighbors are all family with small kids and even a couple upstairs who will be having their baby.

The old place was near to everything but I don't mind having to drive some distance as it gives me greater appreciation of the place that I live in, fortunately we did not have a lot of moving we did it all in one pass while I was not able to help my husband because of my pregnancy, I did some of the cleaning in the old apartment when we moved.

I did enjoy one memorable moment on our first day in the apartment, it was when my son and husband both spent their time in their respective bathtubs, of course I can't post their pictures but I could see that they enjoyed their moment.

I also have a bigger kitchen area and living room all the more apparent because of the lack of furniture, we currently try to save to buy them all, but for now we can't afford to get all of it at the same time.

Here are some photos from our new place...We don't have furnitures yet just wanna share some photos that I took few days ago.

AC's Hobby

2008-04-09T19:34:00.006-04:00

I think that when kids are young you should give them every opportunity to try out every activity that is out there, it can be sports, music or even something like reading. This serves as point of pride in themselves as they grow older and a sense of accomplishment, my son has a lot of interests but in old apartment he could not go out very often as the area did not have many chances for recreation, except swimming in the pool and the tennis courts.

His hobby has come to include golf or mini golf, he started playing this while on the mall playing on one of the sports demos on Nintendo Wii, he approached an older kid and asked him if he could try it out and he could and did.

The new place has a mini golf and a beach volleyball ground plus the pool and tennis courts, as he was restless today we tried out the golf and he enjoyed it so much, I won't say he is a natural but he likes it a lot. I am pretty sure Tiger Woods must have started on similar grounds.

Ewwwy and Gross!!!

2008-04-03T22:45:00.007-04:00

Be careful of exotic locations specially when you're on vacation!

If you're squeamish don't watch the video!

Amazing! Live Maggot in Woman's Head - video powered by Metacafe

Update!

2008-04-03T12:58:00.013-04:00

It's been a while since my last update so I thought I'd give an update on what's been going on.

Mar. 26 ( Wed)- We went out and watched Horton Hears a Who, a 3d film based on the characters on Dr. Seuss.

Mar.27 ( Thurs) - We brought our son to Mickey D's playground, got some groceries and had dinner while we celebrate our 13th anniversary of togetherness.

Mar.28 ( Fri)- Had my Glucose level tested. I'm in my 28weeks of pregnancy and officially in the 3rd trimester.

Mar. 29 ( Sat) - Had a two hour driving lesson, completed the weekly laundry ritual and paid a friend visit afterwards watched some movies at friends place.

Mar. 30 ( Sun) - Woke up at 9am, bloghop for few mins, drove to church at 11am then went to the mall for lunch and to the furniture outlet store to adjust furniture orders that we had, had some frapuccino at starbucks, went to honda for maintenance they required an oil change and tire rotation, got home tired but still had to continue packing.

Mar.31 (Mon) - still fixing some things for the preparation of moving then wait for hubby to come home, went to the other apartment for the final paperwork.

April 1 (Tue) - Will need to go back to OB as they need another Glucose test, call the ISP so that we have broadband internet when we move, changed the mailing addresses of all the bills, and shred some documents.

April 2 (Wed)- Clean, pack, checked some emails, went to goodwill store to find some cheap stuff for the apt, I also checked the baby store Once Upon a Child - a place to buy some used baby's item and furnitures ( I know I'm being practical here hehe).

April 3 (Thurs) - packing, cleaning, checking emails, chatting with my hubby @ msn messenger, then rest for awhile, blogging this update and pack again, so tiring! I have so much back pain, I hope I won't deliver this baby till my due date in June ( stress stress go away!)

April 4 (Fri) - Finalize everything, will go to my glucose testing again in the morning, will rent a moving truck, clean and pack again...( Never ending packing LOL).

April 5 (Sat) - Moving day. So no internet for me.

April 6 ( Sun) - We will treat Aidan to Sesame Street Live concert. I've been waiting for this concert since last year, finally they're here in our town.

Will see you all next week! Happy Blogging everyone!!!!

About Me Tag

2008-03-24T19:38:00.013-04:00

Here’s how it works:

1. Go to http://www.photobucket.com/

2. Type in your answer to the question in the “search” box.

~~3. Use only the first page.~~

4. Insert the picture into your Blog.

1. What is your relationship status?

2. What is your current mood?

3. Who is your favorite band/artist?

4. What is your favorite movie?

5. What kind of pet do you have? - None. I have virtual pet.

6. Where do you live?

7. Where do you work? - surf the net, chat, teach my son in the computer etc.

8. What do you look like?

9. What do you drive?

10. What did you do last night?

11. What is your favorite tv show?

12. Describe yourself:

13. What are you doing today?

14. What is your name?

15. What is your favorite candy?

Thanks Em for the Tag! I'm tagging Leaflet hehehe =)

Aidan's Game and Learning Development

2008-03-22T19:05:00.010-04:00

My son plays a lot of games and looking back I noticed that he had progressed to the games that he would play or his interests. He started becoming interested at around 15 mos old when he saw my husband doing some work on the PC along with that we spent most of our time together on the computer.

Starting 15 mos old he was surfing Sesame Street website , which had plenty of kids games and movies that he can interact with, also this site offers a lot of singing and alphabet tutorials.

He used PowerTouch learning system and Interactive DVDs system when he was two yrs old, basically these systems develop hand eye coordination by responding to stimulus in the form of spoken words, colors and music.
Along with the PowerTouch, he also played some not so educational games courtesy of my husband who had an X-box, so he was also playing Cars, Finding Nemo, Shark Tales, Spongebob and PacMan3 unfortunately we don't have these games anymore as I sold them without thinking they could still be used in a X-box 360.

By the time he was three we gave him Leapster Games and Nintendo Game Boy, you see this is the age where they complain a lot during long trips so these games were useful because it occupied his attention when we traveled.

He has now graduated to some X-box 360 games that are for his age, his favorite is Thrillville off the rails, Marvel Ultimate Alliance and Avatar from Nickelodeon. The only problem with these games is that they are mostly role playing so it is still hard for him to follow the storyline.

I know some parents think, well let me quantify that they believe that video games are bad, at least with my son he will ask me if the words that he heard in his game are good or bad, at that early age he has some understanding that some games are bad and some are good.

These are the learning system that he used at the age of 4yrs old. He usually plays this before bedtime, specially the V-tech Alphabet Town because of the music and spelling features.
Lastly all through these years he has never lost interest in solving puzzles, these could involve the connect the dots puzzle, word puzzles and shape puzzles. He also loves completing puzzle maps specially the US map, see the picture below. I hope he keeps these interests as the inquisitive and curious mind is good for kids.
The toys that he has hopefully will be used by his younger sibling and at that time he can teach his younger brother as well.

Hubby turned 34 today!

2008-03-20T12:38:00.009-04:00

Today and in the future, one thing will still ring true - life's greatest gift will always be to love someone like you.

Happy Birthday Honey, with all my heart.

Myths About Marriage

2008-03-19T11:19:00.015-04:00

I would like to give my two cents about, John W. Jacobs, M.D. article on the "7 Lies About Marriage". I subscribe to this site, Ivillage.com and happened upon this article by chance and after reading it I find that there is a grain of truth in what he explains in his article, so let me get on with my opinions:

All you need is love!
For all the oldies out there I guess the Beatles had it right, when it comes to stuff and relationships, "All you need is love" actually is wrong. I always hear he/she knows that I love him/her so that should be enough right, this of course is a grave mistake as marriage is about skill and diligence it does not end with "I do" but is a work in progress, you have to treat it like your most favorite thing to do in the whole world like a guitar player it is not enough that you love to play or sing you have to practice to be good at it, same goes for marriage.

You talk we talk everybody talks!

The only other animal that closely resembles human interaction in my opinion would be a parrot, people rarely in a conversation listen and when I say listen this does not mean just shutting your pie hole but actually let the conversation sink in whole. Often when someone is talking we are already forming an answer or opinion in our minds and therefore we end up getting to misunderstandings. We are taught to say and shoot straight from the hip which would be ok were we still living in the wild west, but in marriage brutal honesty is just that, brutal. A lot more tact and care, respect in the conversation goes a long way.

A lot of marriages fail because of communication but learning to talk and listen is just the first steps toward a good marriage.

I am guilty of this sometimes, he he can't really admit I am all wrong but I am learning =).

People don't change!

People try to mold each other in many ways, when we are at work we are taught conformity, we have individualism but that is the image of the company that we work for, so it is with marriage. There are times when couples try to change some of their failings but when they falter, it reinforces their belief that "People don't change" so instead of giving their marriage a chance couples just opt away and go for a divorce.

When you marry, you create your family legacy!

Come spring people start cleaning their attics, and start throwing away stuff that they don't need and generally they opt to go brand new as spring symbolizes renewal and life. My question is why do couples carry so much emotional baggage, this can be in the form of past experiences with their family and in some ways this clouds the present marriage as we tend to generalize our partners in marriage.

This all the more evident in couples whose parents are divorced, they generally do not trust their husbands as they believe that they will end up like father/mother who has infidelity issues.
Egalitarian marriage is easier than traditional marriage!

In present society it is very hard to find stay at home moms/dads as our culture has put it in our head that when it comes to responsibility in the marriage the traditional man provides and wife does the dishes is not acceptable anymore.

Marriage should be a shared responsibility with 50/50 split in all tasks, in this manner each of the parties involves develops a healthy appreciation of each others worth in the marriage. This is a typical person doing his share of the 50/50 of course as he would say it feels like 70/30 ha ha.

Children solidify a marriage!

A lot of people say that kids in a marriage are what bind the couples together but why is it that even with kids people still divorce, probably because with all the time devoted to the kids they neglected themselves in the process.

It is important that even if you have kids your spouse should come first as this will make for an intact family, remember the stories of people who have lost all feelings for each other staying together only for the sake of their kids is wrong, they should have not neglected themselves or their partners, a loving couple will always have time for their children. Find time for your partner.
Great sex easier than ever.

We are surrounded by sexual innuendo in everything we do and we see, TV shows portray people having terrific sex but when it comes to your own it just does not match up, want to know why? The reason being is that what used to be sacred and only you and your partners has been shown a lot in the media that ofter you don't feel you can live up to the hype.

In your mind you are replaying the scene that you saw and living in that fantasy expect the same in your marriage so when it turns up not as great then you look for this fantasy somewhere else and so begins the downfall.

Couples should learn to discover themselves and clear their minds of what the media shows us what great sex should be.

Lambchops play along

2008-03-18T12:07:00.005-04:00

I was amazed one day when I was watching my son staring intently at Qubo (a kids channel in cable), then as if by unknown agreement he started singing, " This is a song that never ends". I have noticed that he has become adept at memorizing TV show themes especially the kids shows that he watches.

I guess he has a mind for music, I hope that he does not lose his enthusiasm when he grows up because kids usually when they grow up lose the part of themselves that enjoyed and loved life even if it is just singing or humming along a tune.

As adults we lose the simple pleasures of life and it takes children to remind us that these are the things that matter most.

Here is the video of the song that never ends:

Artificial Intelligence

2008-03-16T18:36:00.009-04:00

I guess the title will have readers thinking this discussion is about Science Fiction, but this could not be more farther than the truth, I wanted to talk about the slight differences between being smart vs wise.

I had mentioned in my previous blog about my husband, I consider him smart and I consider myself wise, in case you are wondering let me explain a little further. In Filipino parlance "wise" literally means cunning, able to take advantage of a situation when it best presents itself.

Wise on the other hand means that decisions generally made when a problem is encountered amount to the right decision taken, an individual who has a lot of experience dealing with certain situations in his/her life will generally not make the right decision when confronted with the same dilemma or issue.

Smart equates to being highly intelligent, more to the point smart is honed by skills and logical reasoning based on facts that are clearly laid out, as an example a PC runs purely on logic that computations and permutations are large either 0 or 1. If I have a file and I delete it the PC just runs the logic in the most efficient manner and completes the process, but it cannot decide that maybe the file should not be removed.

Based on these I would consider my hubby to be generally well knowledgeable in a lot of things as he can seamlessly carry on a conversation about most things under the sun. He does exhibit the traits of being wise when he is at work because as he puts it " problems come with only the partial glimpses of their true nature, but deciding the course of action to take is harder to do"

I consider myself wise as I have a sense of maturity in making decisions since I was a young adult, granted that some of them may have been wrong, I decide on a course of action merely because it was logically the right thing to do.

A person would like to be both wise and smart, being a wise person means you have come up on a lot of experiences in life and being smart means that you are able to figure out most things.

One hopefully strives for both in their daily lives.

So how bout you do you fall on the smart ones or the wise ones?

8 Random Facts About Me

2008-03-10T09:46:00.007-04:00

"Bigeyedgal" tagged me to participate in the 8 Random Facts About Me . I think I've done this before so if you've been reading my other journals, I'm probably repeating myself =). I'm tagging Leaflet and Raft3r

1. When I was a kid I skipped Kindergarten and went straight to grade 1, I passed the aptitude test in school and because of that my older sister became my classmate until high school.

2. At the age of 11yrs old I joined a Catholic Ministry, I was in a music ministry group attending bible studies, seminars and religious outreach program, I was a member until my college years. You probably know this as Loved Flock headed by Bimbong Crisologo.

3. I was a member of our community church choir when I was 9 yrs old till I went to college. I'm an Alto and I played the Tambourines. I was also a choir member in High school competing with other schools till I graduated.

4. I had my 1st boyfriend when I was 13yrs old.

5. I avidly joined float festivals such as the "Santacrusan".

6. I met my hubby when I was 17yrs old and got married at the age of 23.

7. My friends in Grade School call me Cathay, CJ, Catherine.

8. I love to go out, I think I have restless feet and I feel the urge to take a walk or a stroll as I can't feel cooped up in one place too long.

Missing My Family in Jersey!

2008-03-09T17:53:00.009-04:00

These are photos of my family in Jersey, I miss them as when we still lived there we would go out from time to time to sample or dine out in restaurant of our choice. We also could chat about anything or nothing. It is good to know that you have family around that you can help each other out, hopefully we get to visit them one of these days.

My Brother (AJ), Sis in law (Guerlain), younger sister (Marie) and My Beloved Beautiful Mother!

Snowfall Before Spring Season '08

2008-03-08T18:28:00.019-05:00

As I woke up this (sat) morning I looked outside and saw Louisville braces for another big snowfall, it all started yesterday Friday afternoon. I'm a little bit happy and sad because I got to see some snowfall one more time before spring comes in about 2weeks from now but I'm sad because I'm stuck again here in our apartment with nothing to do except household chores. Weekend for what it's supposed to be our family day, we go out usually, practice my driving, go to Mickey D's playhouse, Barnes and Noble Bookstore etc. But we're stuck here because of this crazy weather, also DST Daylight Saving Time starts tomorrow, the time's gonna change again forward meaning less sleep and more daylight. I'm getting depressed here overtime! I just want to sleep all day but I'm scared that I might get pre-eclampsia. Back to my routine life! Can't wait to move to our new place to see new surroundings and I'm so looking forward to spring and summer season. I so hate winter! I hate the feeling of a chilly, winter breeze, watering my eyes and turning my nose in an instant faucet! And one more thing our electric bill gotten so high that sometimes I want to turn off the heater and just get inside the comforter all day all night! I hope this could be the last snowfall for this winter season! I've had enough of winter! I'm really fed up with all the snow and winter storms!

Here's the picture that I took this morning during the snowfall today about 8-12 inches high and I took also some pictures in the afternoon after the snowfall.

While taking the pictures outside I saw a bird snooping around outside our patio maybe he's trying to get inside our apartment because of the bad weather.

The Bird who snoops around outside our sliding door!
I took this picture inside our window

The afternoon shot at the pool
At the Tennis Court

About My Hubby Tag

2008-03-07T09:27:00.006-05:00

Tagged by Em. Right now I'm tagging Leaflet.

How long did you date? - 5 years and 10mos.

How old is he? - He's turning 34.

Who eats more? - Hubby but he's sexier than me =)

Who said I love you first? - Hubby but right now mas madalas ako.

Who is taller? - Hubby by 2inches.

Who sings better? - He claims that he's better than me pero di ako pumapayag hahaha....

Who is smarter? - I won't deny it. He's smarter than me but I'm wiser than him =).

Whose temper is worse? - Me. Di ako nagpapasindak.

Who does the laundry? - My hubby but we fold our clothes together.

Who does the dishes? - I do this mon-thurs then my hubby fri-sun. O di ba talagang may schedule yan.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? - Hubby kasi malapit sa window eh ayaw ko sa window.

Who pays the bill? - Hubby.

Who mows the lawn? - None

Who cooks dinner? Me.

Who drives when you are together? Hubby.

Who is more stubborn? - Both of us.

Who kissed who first? - Me. Sobrang lambing ako eh.

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? - Hubby. Kasi di ako nagpapatalo eh.

Whose parents do you see the most?- Right now none.

Who proposed? - I think both of us coz we want to get married na that time.

Who is more sensitive? Right now me but before si hubby.

Who has more friends? - I think both of us have a lot of friends.

Who has more siblings? - Me.

Who wears the pants in the family? - Hubby. He's the bread winner, the provider of the resources.

The Prize is Right!

2008-03-04T08:06:00.003-05:00

I am sure everybody has heard of Bob Barker and his game show " The Prize is Right", I mean this was pretty big back then and in some ways it is still big now. I had mentioned a while back that we were going out to look at some furnishings for the apartment, typically furniture, beds and etc. So last sunday we decided to cruise around for them and we found this warehouse type furniture dealer American Freight.

The place had everything with different brands and choices from complete living room sets, bedroom and dining table sets and the biggest thing of all was the price, they were not exactly expensive they were just right.

They also had a good lay away program that does not require any credit check and credit card application so for people starting out that have not built up their credit it is also good. Suffice it to say the warehouse does not have the amenities of air conditioning and suited attendants answering your questions, the place had very capable staff and the reason they can sell stuff lower is because they do not have to pay a premium on the rental.

In the end we ended up buying two queen set of mattresses and beds, a sofa set, a dining table set and some coffee tables to round it all out, I remember that we did not have any gifts for ourselves during Christmas, B-day and Anniversary as we were looking to move so in retrospect I believe we got our money's worth.

Madonna

2008-03-03T08:33:00.002-05:00

I heard the superstar Madonna will be having a concert in the Philippines according to my sister in law, on her blog site. I was always curious as to have stars come in to their concert venues so I found this video and it shows Madonna arriving at a concert.

P.S. I like some of her songs but I am not really crazy for her. Just sit back and relax as you watch this video.

6 Quirky Things About Me

2008-03-03T07:57:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the late post been busy lately. My husband told me that I'm not that weird or quirky...So here's the short list of my quirkiness..

1. I don't usually wear shorts when there are other people around unless I'm very comfortable with them and I've known them for a long time.

2. I don't eat squid or at the least the part with tentacles because I imagine that they might come alive in my stomach ala Sigourney Weaver "Alien" ;)

3. I'm a very observant person even if I don't know you that much I can say many things about you that you might find surprising. I based this through your physical appearance and the way you talk.

4. I have pretty good intuition sometimes because I can sense things that are going to happen either bad or good and later on it will really happen.

5. My husband told me that I talk a lot about many things, in short makulit hahaha...I will not stop asking and tell you my story about anything.

6. I like to debate a lot and reason out, I will not stop until I prove to you that I have a point and even show you the facts that I am right. I am a frustrated lawyer wannabe.

I was tagged by Bigeyedgal and Coriander Dreams.

A Blessed Addition To The Family

2008-03-02T10:20:00.006-05:00

The visit to my OB turned out pretty well, she said that I was going along well with my pregnancy and that the baby was healthy, during the visit the baby was actively moving about and making some ruckus probably because of my excitement on finding the gender of the baby.

Drum roll please! We are pleased to announce that our second child will be a boy, the Sonographer in attendance during my visit took one look and said right away that it was a boy, I of course was mildly surprised and I asked her again to confirm and she did with pictures as evidence and she also pointed out the developing male genitalia of the baby.

After being shown the picture I did not know how to react because I was assuming that it was a girl, and looking at some different Chinese Calendars and believing the old wives tales of my physical appearance they determined that the baby would be a girl.

My husband was surprised as well but he is also happy because he has two boys and he can always start his football team with them, also my son was ecstatic as whenever I ask him for the baby's name he always tell us that he likes to name the baby Sam.

So in ending we now know what to expect and we are trying to get our affairs in other like picking out a name, preparing a baby shower that my husband will give me. I will of course keep you all updated on any developments.

*This is not my ultrasound picture, I got this from Ivillage.com 22weeks development.* The sonographer did not take a good picture so this is just a visualization of the a baby at 22 weeks.

Driving Mr. Daisy

2008-03-01T21:19:00.008-05:00

I know most if not all of you have seen "Driving Mrs. Daisy" where Morgan Freeman is in the employ of wealthy southern lady, Jessica Tandy. In the movie it spans the relationship that they had for a couple of years and how it had stood up to change.

I put the title for this piece as "Driving Mr. Daisy" because I recently had the opportunity to drive my husband and my son when we were going for my monthly checkup, it somehow resembled the movie as Jessica Tandy had certain beliefs that she could not let go even though the times have changed, same with my husband. I know that he trusts me with my driving but he is a backseat driver and would constantly make correction to my driving.

All in all it was a wonderful day as I had attended a driving class before going to the doctors office, the instructor was very helpful with a couple of faults being that I was a "lazy driver" because I don't crane my neck when backing the car. I also tended to over compensate on the brakes as it would not be a graceful stop but I believe that with time I will be able to overcome this thing.

So the road to independence is very near and I am very proud needless to say this does not sit in well with my husband as I can now pick him up when he goes on his late night forays with co workers, the better to keep an eye on him:)

I will keep everyone informed on the success of my road test.

NutJobs

2008-03-01T21:07:00.005-05:00

A few days ago I had an experience that scared the living daylights out of me, on that day we were minding our business when we heard some loud rapping against our door. The knocking was going on repeatedly and with no let up and when the person on the other side stopped he went to another door opposite our place and started knocking again suffice it to say that I believe he covered all the doors in complex.

I have heard of resourceful people who do surveys door to door but looking at the door peephole, I immediately convinced myself that this person was neither, in way it was like he was listening for signs of life or if anyone would open their doors.

Needless to say this drove me into a frenzy, which I called my husband who in turn called building management and they sent somebody to look but could not find the person as they had probably left, lesson of course don't ever open the door for anybody even if it is the police and they brandish a badge, if it is the police tell them that you will confirm with 911 if they sent a person over to your place, also do the same if you are not expecting a package.

I still remember the incident but that is one of the reasons why we are moving from this place, make no mistake the place is good but because it is so transient there is the prospect of these things happening.

Fabulous daw o!

2008-02-28T15:56:00.005-05:00

Fabulous blog award given by my friend Em and my sis in law Val. Thanks! =)

Rate My Life Quiz

2008-02-27T11:18:00.004-05:00

I took the quiz and here's my life rate. I've been tagged by Em and Val.

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	7.8
Mind:	7.5
Body:	6.8
Spirit:	9.6
Friends/Family:	8
Love:	9.1
Finance:	6.3
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Life: Your life rating is a score of the sum total of your life, and accounts for how satisfied, successful, balanced, capable, valuable, and happy you are. The quiz attempts to put a number on the summation of all of these things, based on your answers. Your life score is reasonably high. This means that you are on a good path. Continue doing what is working and set about to improve in areas which continue to lag. Do this starting today and you will begin to reap the benefits immediately.

Mind: Your mind rating is a score of your mind's clarity, ability, and health. Higher scores indicate an advancement in knowledge, clear and capable thinking, high mental health, and pure thought free of interference. Your mind score is within a healthy zone. This means you have achieved a level of mental balance and harmony consistent with living a healthy, happy life. Continue doing what works, and keep your focus. In our fast-paced world, mental clutter is all too common. Be vigilant in maintaining healthy mental function.

Body: Your body rating measures your body's health, fitness, and general wellness. A healthy body contributes to a happy life, however many of us are lacking in this area. You have a rather good body score, which is an indication that you take care of yourself. There is room for improvement, however. Please keep doing what works. Eat right, exercise, reduce your stress, treat any illness. Doing these things will help ensure your body will be in good working order for a long time to come.

Spirit: Your spirit rating seeks to capture in a number that elusive quality which is found in your faith, your attitude, and your philosophy on life. A higher score indicates a greater sense of inner peace and balance. Your spirit score is dramatic. Continue on your path, do not stray. Continue to reap the rewards which your spirituality brings forth.

Friends/Family: Your friends and family rating measures your relationships with those around you, and is based on how large, healthy, and dependable your social network is. Your friends and family score is quite healthy. You have a social network you can depend upon. Count your blessings, but never forget that these bonds need to be maintained. Keep your friends and family close.

Love: Your love rating is a measure of your current romantic situation. Sharing your heart with another person is one of life's most glorious, terrifying, rewarding experiences. Your love score is very high, which means you are in a very happy situation right now. Do all you can to keep it strong.

Finance: Your finance rating is a score that rates your current financial health and stability. Your finances are somewhat in the middle, neither bad or exceptional. Keep doing what works for you, and improve what doesn't. Focus on long-term financial stability as your goal.

A Measure of Elegance

2008-02-23T21:05:00.014-05:00

People, most notably women have certain obsessions in life, very rarely do we see men or women become totally fixated on material things, to some degree collecting your object of desire is both addictive and exhilarating.

My husband is the perennial guy who loves electronics, right now that has to do with High Definition Video Camcorders and is salivating over the Canon XH A1, his argument is that it can be used to film the birth of our second baby but as I unfortunately told him, I do not want to be filmed screaming during my pregnancy in 1080p resolution LOL ;)

On my habits I tend to gravitate towards designer handbags, I was looking at this website a couple of nights ago and I remembered having purchased a similar bag, at the time of buying the bag I was thinking on whether to buy it or not, being a practical person I usually don't indulge on many things such as jewelry but my one failure is having a good bag.

The Gucci bag that I purchased last summer '06 has never ceased to amaze me because of its craftsmanship and the general look and quality. I love the color and of course the bag is very hard to be mistook for something else, now I know that some of you would say that some knock offs tend to look the same but in arguing I would say that you don't let your medical insurance agent handle the surgery, the surgeon does that job.

I bought that bag when I still had a full time job so in essence, it was money that I saved over from a time period of six months, so the decision to buy was not a spur of the moment but was a calculated thought of decision.

Right now I'm contemplating to buy a new bag from a different designer. I just don't know when but I will keep all of you posted =)

Aidan's Puzzle Map Video

2008-02-23T17:20:00.006-05:00

Here's the videos of my son how he made the puzzle map of the United States of America...

I am unable to upload the videos in photobucket. So go to the link and you can watch his video's here and here .

Reminder:

You can only view the video's using windows internet explorer and (To play this file, you need to update your Real Networks or QuickTime media player).

8 Random Things About Aidan

2008-02-23T16:53:00.005-05:00

I've been tagged by my friend EM so I decided to blog about the things that I have noticed about my son with regards to his attitude.

- At the age of 4yrs old he can read about three to four words and use the computer effectively..He can type in the computer all the sites that he wants to play. He can spell four to five letter words by typing it in the keyboard using a notepad.

- He hates boredom as when he gets tired of one thing he finds something else to arouse his interest.

- He likes to talk and laugh a lot before he sleeps, probably his way of unwinding the day.

- He loves to review his video recordings made in the camera phone before he sleeps, maybe he's fond of himself.

- He reminds you to put the seatbelt on and drive carefully in the car and read all the signs in the stores.

- He is sometimes possessive of his things when he's in a tantrum mode.

- He picks up at a tune really well and we would often find him humming a song.

- He loves to shop as in the grocery he picks his own stuff not based on the color or whether it is attractive but because he has tasted it before and see it on the PC or TV.

I'll post some of his videos when I learn how to upload the video in photobucket.

Proud Parents!

2008-02-23T16:27:00.008-05:00

Me and my husband have never been prouder when my son scored high in his ESL test 25/30, as a background this test is administered to children who speak two languages at home, this is done to gauge the child readiness for school instruction.

He did very well in comprehension and in expressing himself, this I believe is important to a growing child as it breeds and nurtures the creative part of his brain.

It is also proves that even if we had stayed in the apartment for a long time and just did some basic home schooling he still turns out okay and hopefully this coming school year will be a good year for him in school.

It is a good thing that even though we are bilingual still we speak to my son in English. Its not that we don't want him to learn our native language but he will have time to learn that when he grows up.

My Philosophy in Life

2008-02-23T16:16:00.004-05:00

Everything that we see around us revolves on certain principle or is governed by a certain philosophy, how we deal with one another is dictated by our experiences and beliefs.

I also have a belief system that I follow and it has helped me in ways that I cannot imagine, First is my firm philosophy on good family values, one should never sacrifice this as when you take out all your possessions and career etc, all of it boils down to the family , the reason we work hard and toil is to provide for our family.

Second is my belief in patience, I believe that all the things you wish for in life can be achieved with patience and resilience, no matter how hard you struggle there is always an end. But in achieving your goals you must not sacrifice other people in your path to success.

Valentines Affair

2008-02-23T15:35:00.005-05:00

I know that it is a late post about Valentines day but it is still February =) So I decided to post this story of mine for my readers...

Valentines is big to the most couples as it is one day of the year that people who are dating get to receive the affections and chocolates or flowers as a signs of love.

We spent the night at home just ordered out and bought our food home, how romantic but what can I say, we are tying our belts a little to buy some furnitures for when we move to our new apartment. We just watched our favorite TV shows Lost and Eli Stone while eating our dinner.

I guess when you are married, Valentines gets to be more of a family affair but one thing I got out of it is a promise by my husband to buy me a new bag. I will keep you informed of the thing when I have it =).

Update!

2008-02-21T10:08:00.005-05:00

Almost 6mos... Will update you more on the weekend...=)

What a unique award

2008-02-13T08:42:00.006-05:00

Thanks sis for this award...I don't usually blog about awards or memes because I don't have that much blogging friends to pass it on...but this award has a unique message and I really need this... kaya cge na nga hahaha....

The contract says:

After serious and cautious consideration…your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year 2008! It was a very hard decision to make. So try not to screw it up!!!

My Wish for You in 2008

May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires! May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words …May 2008 be the best year of your life!

Here We Snow Again

2008-02-12T09:28:00.000-05:00

This morning once again Kentucky received a nice couple of inches of snow/sleet/ice. Last night around 6pm we started receiving an icy mix but sometime after 8pm the ice turned to snow. Already received a couple of inches and it is still coming down, the current precipitation is freezing rain. If you thought that putting away those snow boots was a good idea, think again, apparently it's not yet time to take out your bikinis hahah...Hayyy snow starts to annoy us once again! My poor hubby went to work this morning without bringing his car and phoned me while waiting at the bus stop, complaining about his pants and socks that are soakin' wet. I told him to be patient because its more dangerous to drive with an icy and slippery road than to commute taking the bus. At least the bus drivers are more experienced to drive with this kind of weather.

Taken this morning from our patio..

The Clubhouse and the Pool

Snake - yeah I'm that

2008-02-11T09:11:00.000-05:00

Ancient Chinese wisdom says a Snake in the house is a good omen because it means your family will not starve. This could be taken metaphorically to mean that a Snake could never have a problem with his family starving because he is such a great mediator, making him good at business. Or it could mean that a Snake would be willing to sacrifice his possessions, something the Snake has a lot of, in order to pay for his family’s food. Any way it is interpreted is representative of the Snake’s character and is a measure of the value he puts on his material wealth. The Snake is keen and cunning, quite intelligent and wise.

THE SIGN OF THE SNAKE

The Snake is the intuitive, introspective, refined and collected of the Animal Signs. They are attractive people who take cries with ease and do not become flustered easily. They are graceful people, exciting and dark at the same time.

Contemplative and private, the Snake is not outwardly emotional. He can appear cunning and reticent and works very modestly in the business environment. The Snake will plot and scheme to make certain things turn out exactly as they want them to. They are not great communicators and can become quite possessive when they set their minds on achieving the interest of a partner

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES
Snakes have very few friends because thy are not outwardly emotional or open creatures. The friends they do make generally last a lifetime, even though peers may find it hard to relate to the Snake because he is withdrawn and secretive. Still, Snakes like social functions, in moderation, where they can gossip about the latest scandal or the newest news. If you stab a Snake in the back it is likely you will never be forgiven. In addition, you should prepare yourself for retaliation for the Snake always gets the last word.

THE SNAKE LOVER
Snakes are beautiful people who exhibit quite a sexual appeal. They are sleek and seductive and if they want you, will out a spell on you that won’t let you stop thinking about them. However, Snakes are quite prejudiced when choosing a partner and don’t just choose based on physical qualities. The Snake needs a partner who can appreciate his quirky sense of humor and his wacky way of handling situations, so generally, although quite beautiful and tempting to approach, the Snake does all the pursuing.

MARRIAGE
Because the Snake is so choosy, he can become jealous and obsessive about his partner. They can be a bit stand-offish with their mates, choosing to push away emotions rather than confront their feelings and insecurities. Once betrayed, you can bank on not ever being trusted by the Snake again as much as you can bet he will get even.

GEMINI SNAKE
These Snakes can talk their way out of anything, so a confrontation with them is a lost cause. They are well-educated and a bit amenable, making them quite intriguing.

Never Judge a Book by the Bindings

2008-02-10T16:53:00.000-05:00

A couple of days ago I was lamenting the fact that my husband might have gotten cold, as cold as fresh sushi if there ever was such a thing haha, not the sushi because it is cold but the husband. It seems that this is one of those moments where I feel that I need the expertise of a Washington spin doctor as I cannot believe what I am about to say, " I made a mistake", that's right I made wrong assumption about my hubby's affections for me.

I was beating myself with my own stick when I wrote about how I think he likes playing his X-box than spending time with me, but it was totally not true as I have just spent a special pre-valentine weekend with him, and he is still the same person I fell in love with, I guess the pressures of work were getting to him as he mentioned to me and his release was to keep it in and blow away people in his Call of Duty 4 game.

I believe the lessons learned will be that I should be more patient and understanding and communicate because if I had kept my feelings to myself he would not have known that I was on the verge of exploding like a reactor. I also should mention that he read my blog and it may have awakened him to the problem before it got out of hand. Truly if one just communicates their needs instead of doing the age old tradition of guessing games then we would all be better off.

So people talk, communicate and continue with the love =)

Love Quote of the Day

2008-02-10T14:18:00.000-05:00

"Love is good in feeling, even if you are always being hurt. It is better to be hurt by love than not loving at all".

I agree!

How I wish!!!

2008-02-09T15:21:00.000-05:00

Take a look at these gorgeous Jimmy Choo Maddy Handbags. I fell in love with these purses and I tell you it's the color and style of the handbag that reeled me in first. The rich shade of these bags are great! It's not only perfect for spring but for all season. I love it! I wish I could have one of these handbags! (*drooling right now*).

When Your Man Gets Too Comfortable In a Marriage.

2008-02-06T09:15:00.000-05:00

"Many people( yes both men and women) let themselves get comfortable in a relationship and stop trying so hard.

After months and years of surprises, flowers, chocolates and romantic candlelit dinners, its so hard to see all that end abruptly. Not only that, but you want the romance to blossom and grow, not just to continue as it was".

As I've mentioned about my blog in our 7th year Anniversary that those 7 years were all good and were blessed that we are still together but we have our own struggles and issues about some other things.

I'm noticing that my husband isn't doing certain things that he used to do before and I've mentioned to him so many times and talked about it but he hasn't come around. All he says is "sorry" and " I hear you", "I can't change overnight" etc...

I don't know if its just me being paranoid or because I'm 5mos pregnant and need some cuddles and caring, but he loves his X-Box more, now I'm not being jealous here! But he was really ignoring me. I told him that he has more affection with his X-box than ME.

I spoil him (cook, prepare his office clothes every morning, prepare his lunch & breakfast everyday, massage his back and feet) which I enjoy doing because I love him to death that I want to see him happy but then again I don't want to get the short end of the stick either. I hugged him when he comes home from work (mega lambing ako) to the point that I will see his reaction that he doesn't want me to hold him or hug him and he gets annoyed sometimes.... (*sobbing right now*) and he'll say ang bigat ko wag ako sumandal sa kanya ( wag kayo tatawa =). I just can't help it but vent this out, maybe one of the reason why I'm like this was because of my hormones or something but I don't know what to do....

I wonder if I should take a step back, but then I don't want to push him away and make him think that I don't want him. Don't get me wrong he is a good guy, I've known him for 13yrs and I adore him for being a breadwinner to our family but I want to nip this in the rear before it gets out of control.

The Apt Pupil

2008-02-04T20:18:00.000-05:00

This coming Friday will be the start of a journey for my son, the path of enlightenment in the hallowed halls of school. His days of spending time looking at the TV and playing on the PC will be an afterthought, he will come to know the words " Time to sleep", " Wake up or you will miss the class".

On that day he will take his first exam, well not really but rather an aptitude test to determine his ability to communicate effectively in English, as he has two parents who are bilingual he needs to take this exam so that they can gauge his ability to understand instructions and converse with his peers and teachers.

I remember when I had to take those first days in school, here you are used to staying at home just relaxing, playing and general mischief and all of a sudden you are in school and doing homework. I know that my son is very enthusiastic about school and me and my husband have promised him that we will help in any way in molding him the right way in his schooling.

I hope that he passes the exam so that he does not have to go to a class with their emphasis solely on teaching children to speak English as a Second Language (ESL).

A new place called home

2008-02-03T22:28:00.000-05:00

I believed I have talked about previously of our desire to move to a different area, only because of the need to find a safer place and a better school for my son. We have decided to visit a place which offers both things that we are looking for, this area is little bit off which means that my husband will be traveling farther to get to work but it should not be a problem as there is transportation readily available.

The place is also serviced by some of the better schools in the district and the area is near where most of the affluent people in the region reside, not that it matters but it means there are less people and more quiet.

The place also offered the best deals that we could find in fact it is not that big jump with regard to rent payments plus the amenities are excellent. The staff are friendly and very accommodating that they even allowed my son to take their picture, hopefully everything goes thru with the approval process and we will update you with more in the coming week.