A very Merry Christmas!!
First off, I wanted to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas!!!
I know that this is the first Christmas without my mom so it feels sad and nostalgic but I know she would want me to be happy for the sake of my kids, to make them feel the happiness of the season and I hope I've achieved that :) I admit that it's such bad timing that both Patrick and I are suffering from asthma right now. Must be from the cold and the stress hahaha Oh and despite it, we still cleaned the house which probably aggravated our health hahaha
But nevertheless, we cooked Baked Zitti with mozzarella cheese (way expensive I must add but very delicious!) Patrick made Chicken Macaroni salad which we both can't eat hahaha He also cooked some Fiesta Ham. Oh and I bought a chocolate roll and a platter of brownies from Goldilocks but unfortunately we can't eat yet too hahaha the kids love the food though :)
All in all, it was a happy Christmas, the kids got great toys and gifts which they're enjoying right now hahaha Thanks to my mom and my brother and all the people who have shown their support and love through the years :)
Merry Christmas to everyone!! Love ya!!
A Hectic Pre-Christmas Weekend
20 December 2008
It looks like we've been very busy for the past few weeks but it's really only during the weekend that we have time go out. It's also the only time to shop for Christmas dinner without having to face the hordes of people in the supermarket when it gets near Christmas eve.
Anyway, we went back to Mall of Asia (looks to me like it's our favorite mall hahaha) but really it's only because it's big and even with a lot of people around, there's still space to freely walk around.
We bought gifts for the kids again :) They're really spoiled this Christmas! :) and gifts for Den too. Funny enough there was a sale on wedding rings but we only looked around because they were still too expensive even though they're already on sale hahahaha It was just like a hint to us to really go through with it LOL
As a treat to ourselves (well more for Patrick and I), we ate at TGI Friday's. I can't believe how expensive they've become but the food we ordered was absolutely delicious! hahaha we were told that the servings were good for 3 people. We each finished our orders by ourselves - no sharing!! what does that say about our appetites hahahahah but really, it was really good.. more so than the food at Hooters hahahaha
I had the Jack Daniel's Chicken and Shrimp while Patrick had the Jack Daniel's Porkchops. Dana had the Fried Macaroni and Cheese and a Strawberry Milkshake. The food came with corn, mashed potatoes or rice pilaf and bottomless drinks. Dylan loved the corn! By the time we were finished, we needed to be rolled out with a wagon because we were so full! :)
After that we met Den near the Fireworks area. She was coming from a jaunt at the Star City with her friends.
It looks like we've been very busy for the past few weeks but it's really only during the weekend that we have time go out. It's also the only time to shop for Christmas dinner without having to face the hordes of people in the supermarket when it gets near Christmas eve.Anyway, we went back to Mall of Asia (looks to me like it's our favorite mall hahaha) but really it's only because it's big and even with a lot of people around, there's still space to freely walk around.
We bought gifts for the kids again :) They're really spoiled this Christmas! :) and gifts for Den too. Funny enough there was a sale on wedding rings but we only looked around because they were still too expensive even though they're already on sale hahahaha It was just like a hint to us to really go through with it LOL
As a treat to ourselves (well more for Patrick and I), we ate at TGI Friday's. I can't believe how expensive they've become but the food we ordered was absolutely delicious! hahaha we were told that the servings were good for 3 people. We each finished our orders by ourselves - no sharing!! what does that say about our appetites hahahahah but really, it was really good.. more so than the food at Hooters hahahaha
I had the Jack Daniel's Chicken and Shrimp while Patrick had the Jack Daniel's Porkchops. Dana had the Fried Macaroni and Cheese and a Strawberry Milkshake. The food came with corn, mashed potatoes or rice pilaf and bottomless drinks. Dylan loved the corn! By the time we were finished, we needed to be rolled out with a wagon because we were so full! :)
After that we met Den near the Fireworks area. She was coming from a jaunt at the Star City with her friends.
Another trip to SM Mall of Asia
We sure love going to Mall of Asia. What we like about it, is though it's a bit far compared to the malls beside us, it's so huge that even with a lot of people shopping, you're not going to feel claustrophobic. There are a number of our favorite restaurants, like Don Henrico's where we had lunch on Saturday (coincidentally, it was kind of a belated 14th anniversary outing). Oh, and if we haven't mentioned it, Patrick and I are planning on getting married next year hahahaha
Well, the first item on my list was getting to Picture City where they have a 10+3 promo. For every 10 pictures you develop, you get 3 additional pictures free. So I prepared the pictures we needed to print on a CD and when we got there, we asked for 260 pictures printed ! LOL that's a lot of backlog from our library LOL We also found out that they even give away free 8x10 pictures for every 50+15 pictures. So we got 4 free 8x10's from them hahahaha Not bad, eh?
Oh and before I forget, we stayed until 11pm because they extended their shopping hours till 12MN!! We ate at our favorite Italian restaurant (Don Henrico's) for lunch. We had Al Pesto Pasta (Patrick thought it should've been called "Al Garlic" because it was too garlicky for his taste) and Extreme Mushroom Pizza and Fish and Chips! We then roamed the mall for bargains. Patrick bought 2 Krispy Kreme coffee thermos jugs, one for himself at work and the other to give for his Christmas Kringle buddy. We bought the kids new shoes (again!), bought a pair of shoes for me and gifts to give the young nieces and nephews :) We passed the local hardware store (kinda like Home Depot) and I wanted to buy so many things for the house because they were all on sale ! LOL But I only ended up buying 3 different screws for the new speakers LOL
Den joined us in the afternoon (she had practice for her PE Dance Class) and it took her 1 and a half hours to get there because of traffic! I was kinda worried because she gets carsick. Good thing she didn't throw up LOL
We ate dinner at Hooters Manila (yes, we have one!). Patrick was certainly enjoying himself. It was way too expensive for a regular dinner though. I had the Grilled Chicken Salad, Patrick had the Onion Rings and Den had the Swiss Mushroom burger (in this photo). I think it was also a little bland, unless they didn't change their recipe to fit the Manila taste. Or maybe, it's really bland but guy customers don't really notice because they're too busy ogling the girls !! LOL
It's still okay for the family, they did give Dana something to occupy her time although you can't tell in this picture LOL. I'm not bothered by their skimpy outfit, coz it wasn't so skimpy anyway. Den even liked their shirts hahahaha But I'm sure there are conservative people out there who will most likely find something objectionable about it LOL
You can appreciate it's location though because it's right by the bay so you can walk along the quayside after a hefty dinner and feel the breeze :) I guess I just didn't like the fact that they didn't even ask if I was finished eating when they started clearing up our table. And they took so long to give you back your change. My kids and I went out after we were finished, leaving Patrick to pay the bill. We were waiting for him for more than 15 minutes before he came out. It turned me off. They worked so fast to clear your table and then took so long to give you back your change, what was that??!
On to the next stop! :) We had a bit of trouble going home as there were no taxis around and the line was horrendously long. In the end, I didn't want to wait because I wanted the kids to be able to rest so we paid P450 for a serviced taxi. They were asking for P550 but that was already too much because the regular fare was only around P150. In the end, maybe they took pity on us and gave us a discount. But at least we got home faster than those people waiting in line, probably far longer than us.
Patrick and I couldn't wait to set up the rear speakers. We didn't sleep when we bought the TV and the DVD player because it's hard to set it up when the kids are awake LOL This time, we woke up early to set up the speakers and we tried Jurassic Park with it and we had a blast!! woohoo!! hahahaha
Well, the first item on my list was getting to Picture City where they have a 10+3 promo. For every 10 pictures you develop, you get 3 additional pictures free. So I prepared the pictures we needed to print on a CD and when we got there, we asked for 260 pictures printed ! LOL that's a lot of backlog from our library LOL We also found out that they even give away free 8x10 pictures for every 50+15 pictures. So we got 4 free 8x10's from them hahahaha Not bad, eh?
Oh and before I forget, we stayed until 11pm because they extended their shopping hours till 12MN!! We ate at our favorite Italian restaurant (Don Henrico's) for lunch. We had Al Pesto Pasta (Patrick thought it should've been called "Al Garlic" because it was too garlicky for his taste) and Extreme Mushroom Pizza and Fish and Chips! We then roamed the mall for bargains. Patrick bought 2 Krispy Kreme coffee thermos jugs, one for himself at work and the other to give for his Christmas Kringle buddy. We bought the kids new shoes (again!), bought a pair of shoes for me and gifts to give the young nieces and nephews :) We passed the local hardware store (kinda like Home Depot) and I wanted to buy so many things for the house because they were all on sale ! LOL But I only ended up buying 3 different screws for the new speakers LOL
Den joined us in the afternoon (she had practice for her PE Dance Class) and it took her 1 and a half hours to get there because of traffic! I was kinda worried because she gets carsick. Good thing she didn't throw up LOL
We ate dinner at Hooters Manila (yes, we have one!). Patrick was certainly enjoying himself. It was way too expensive for a regular dinner though. I had the Grilled Chicken Salad, Patrick had the Onion Rings and Den had the Swiss Mushroom burger (in this photo). I think it was also a little bland, unless they didn't change their recipe to fit the Manila taste. Or maybe, it's really bland but guy customers don't really notice because they're too busy ogling the girls !! LOLIt's still okay for the family, they did give Dana something to occupy her time although you can't tell in this picture LOL. I'm not bothered by their skimpy outfit, coz it wasn't so skimpy anyway. Den even liked their shirts hahahaha But I'm sure there are conservative people out there who will most likely find something objectionable about it LOL
You can appreciate it's location though because it's right by the bay so you can walk along the quayside after a hefty dinner and feel the breeze :) I guess I just didn't like the fact that they didn't even ask if I was finished eating when they started clearing up our table. And they took so long to give you back your change. My kids and I went out after we were finished, leaving Patrick to pay the bill. We were waiting for him for more than 15 minutes before he came out. It turned me off. They worked so fast to clear your table and then took so long to give you back your change, what was that??! On to the next stop! :) We had a bit of trouble going home as there were no taxis around and the line was horrendously long. In the end, I didn't want to wait because I wanted the kids to be able to rest so we paid P450 for a serviced taxi. They were asking for P550 but that was already too much because the regular fare was only around P150. In the end, maybe they took pity on us and gave us a discount. But at least we got home faster than those people waiting in line, probably far longer than us.
Patrick and I couldn't wait to set up the rear speakers. We didn't sleep when we bought the TV and the DVD player because it's hard to set it up when the kids are awake LOL This time, we woke up early to set up the speakers and we tried Jurassic Park with it and we had a blast!! woohoo!! hahahaha
Bought some new appliances!
I mentioned in the previous posts that we've been looking at DVD players while shopping at the malls. What I forgot to mention was that we were also looking at television sets and PC's as ours have gotten pretty old. Our TV is almost 15 years old and has been repaired a number of times. The PC, we contemplated on upgrading but there are no available parts left :)
Well, we were all surprised by a little windfall that came our way. One of my aunts, Tita Cora, arrived in Manila last December 11 and with it came a balikbayan box from my grandma for Sharon and myself. She was also the messenger for a bit amount of money from my Grandma and my aunt and uncle in Washington. Needless to say, combined with these and some of Patrick's Christmas bonus, we were able to take advantage of the Christmas sale at Abenson's in Robinson's Ermita.
We got P1000 off the Samsung CT21Z58 that's something like this except that the speakers are hidden but gives absolutely clear sound nonetheless. I love its glossy finish. It even came with a free TV Rack. Patrick purchased the combined Philips DVD and Home Theater System (Philips DVP-3260)which was also on sale for less than P1000. Its got great reviews, can read almost any kind of disc, has karaoke function and a built-in USB drive.With all these purchases, we got an additional P500 discount hahahah Not bad for a day's shopping :)
Well, we were all surprised by a little windfall that came our way. One of my aunts, Tita Cora, arrived in Manila last December 11 and with it came a balikbayan box from my grandma for Sharon and myself. She was also the messenger for a bit amount of money from my Grandma and my aunt and uncle in Washington. Needless to say, combined with these and some of Patrick's Christmas bonus, we were able to take advantage of the Christmas sale at Abenson's in Robinson's Ermita.
We got P1000 off the Samsung CT21Z58 that's something like this except that the speakers are hidden but gives absolutely clear sound nonetheless. I love its glossy finish. It even came with a free TV Rack. Patrick purchased the combined Philips DVD and Home Theater System (Philips DVP-3260)which was also on sale for less than P1000. Its got great reviews, can read almost any kind of disc, has karaoke function and a built-in USB drive.With all these purchases, we got an additional P500 discount hahahah Not bad for a day's shopping :)
Personalize your holiday gifts
Now that Christmas is just around the corner, I’m getting pretty hectic about what to get the people on my Christmas gift list. It can get quite tedious having to think about each and everyone’s preferences but it’s really nice to get them something that’s meant specially for them, something they’ll use and still have them remember you when they’re using it.
Well, personalized holiday gifts seem to be a great idea and fits any age, gender and personality. I especially like the 16GB personalized thumb drives because, let’s face it, everyone uses them. They’re really handy, pretty useful and practical with a variety of colors to choose from, and with a customized laser engraving so there’s no chance of mistaking it for someone else’s thumb drive, it’s really a great holiday gift. For your friends and loved ones who are really environment-conscious, there are wooden USB Flash drives available too.
If you’re looking for a more business-like gift, one that can spread holiday cheer as well as serve as a great marketing tool, the Business Card USB Flash drives and Personalized Pens are your bet. They come with free lines of engraved text too!
So if you’re looking for great, personalized, customized gifts for the holidays, look no further because Pexagon Tech has all these in store for you at 20% off too!
Dinos Alive In Manila
December 6, 2008 - We went to see Dinos Alive World Tour 2008 at the SM Mall of Asia. Patrick just got his Christmas bonus and we decided to take the kids seeing as how they're big fans of Jurassic Park :) and it's better to go earlier than later when more people will crowd the place. Fortunately, the crowd was minimal and it was a relaxing experience :)The kids though got scared of the big dinosaurs, Dana in particular, which made me think that they should illuminate the dinosaurs more rather than creating such a dark and scary theme. Kids who are older may like that ambience though but for kids my children's age, it really scares them so it takes away the fun.
However, Dana brightened up when she went "digging" for fossils ! She also took part in the Alaska games zone and we watched a film showing at the Dino Theater from the QTV show, "Prehistoric Park". Coming out into the open air, the kids played at the giant inflatable slides after which we ate at KFC. Oh, we also got 5 sticks of Purefoods hotdogs! yummy!!
We got our very own souvenir photo from the Kodak stall (for P300+) and bought some toys from the merchandise store next door :) lots of cool toys on sale!! great bargains!!
We finished the day with dinner at Sbarro after going around appliance stores looking for good deals on DVD players!
We got home way, way late!! We were all exhausted but it was good fun!!
(edit) Click here to see the pictures we took.
Hannah's Baptism
November 29 - Hannah's Baptism at the EDSA Shrine and reception at the Max's Restaurant in Robinson's Galleria.We had a lovely time. Hannah's so cute! :) I think she looks more like Toni than Stevie hahaha Dimples, Jericho and Rhys were also there but they came a bit later.
The food was yummy ! There was fried chicken (of course!), pancit canton (chow mein), shrimp fried in batter, beef stroganoff, chopsuey, leche flan (man, writing about all these makes me hungry again! hahaha)
After, we went around Robinson's Galleria itself because it's been such a long time since we've been there.. We got Dylan new slippers for going out (they're more like sandals), bought Dana some jeans and then we had snacks at Krispy Kreme (the best donuts in the world!)
Visiting Loyola
After so many attempts at visiting Patrick's Mom at the Loyola Memorial, we finally made it. We always intended to visit it's just that money matters sometimes interfere or even the weather isn't cooperating. Well, we're glad that the situation's improved and we were finally able to visit her.In a way, it was also cathartic for me as it was like visiting my mom's grave as well. It was painful but it helped.
It was also nice that the grave was still in well-kept condition and that we met the caretaker to give him his due.
After that, we went to the nearby Marikina River banks Mall and were able to take advantage of the sale they were holding. Bought some shoes for the kids and pajama sets (which were long overdue) and Triumph bras for myself (hahahaha). Patrick was supposed to buy new jeans but he didn't find something that he liked. Oh well.. there's always the next sale! :)
How my kids have grown!
For the past couple of weeks, I haven't been doing any writing at all! Good, because it allowed me to catch up on a lot of household chores LOL Bad, because we're going to be quite broke again LOL
Honestly though, I was glad that I wasn't doing any writing because it allowed me to look at my kids real closely. And I noticed that they really have grown!!!
Dana's pants, shirts and shorts have gotten so small for her. Dylan can reach across the desk where the laptop is and get access to all his DVD's!! And just the other day, Den noticed that Dylan has grown really tall and now his head has gotten past the stairs railing.
Also, Dana and I were playing Suikoden III on the Playstation and with it, I noticed that she can read whole sentences already!!! The dialogue for the game is read not heard so that allowed me to watch and listen to her. She was reading the dialogue by herself!! Gosh, that surprised me !! I mean, I knew that she knew how to read but the skill with which she was reading was awesome!!!
Dylan is also pretty much potty-trained already. He's gotten used to going to the bathroom for both peeing and pooping :) The problem is, when he's wearing just briefs he still has an accident because I think it confuses him and he thinks it's a diaper! hahahha when he's wearing shorts, he doesn't have any problem LOL When he's taking a nap, he even wakes up and goes to the bathroom and then goes back to napping :)
Time is really flying by and I wish we can slow it down some :) I still want to spend more time with my kids :) Although I do am lucky that I've been there for them all these years.. It IS a privilege :)
Honestly though, I was glad that I wasn't doing any writing because it allowed me to look at my kids real closely. And I noticed that they really have grown!!!
Dana's pants, shirts and shorts have gotten so small for her. Dylan can reach across the desk where the laptop is and get access to all his DVD's!! And just the other day, Den noticed that Dylan has grown really tall and now his head has gotten past the stairs railing.
Also, Dana and I were playing Suikoden III on the Playstation and with it, I noticed that she can read whole sentences already!!! The dialogue for the game is read not heard so that allowed me to watch and listen to her. She was reading the dialogue by herself!! Gosh, that surprised me !! I mean, I knew that she knew how to read but the skill with which she was reading was awesome!!!
Dylan is also pretty much potty-trained already. He's gotten used to going to the bathroom for both peeing and pooping :) The problem is, when he's wearing just briefs he still has an accident because I think it confuses him and he thinks it's a diaper! hahahha when he's wearing shorts, he doesn't have any problem LOL When he's taking a nap, he even wakes up and goes to the bathroom and then goes back to napping :)
Time is really flying by and I wish we can slow it down some :) I still want to spend more time with my kids :) Although I do am lucky that I've been there for them all these years.. It IS a privilege :)
2nd Sem has started, more expenses coming our way!!
Oh my gosh.. the 2nd semester for Den's freshmen year has started last November 3 and we're plagued with so many expenses. Those who have kids in college and university will understand what I mean LOL
Can you imagine this? I think their generation has turned into a generation of waste. I apologize before hand because this post may have a few gripes in it so be warned! :)
What I mean by a generation of waste is this. For instance, every sem, every student is required to take PE classes, right. So that's fine. The problem is the uniform - for every class there's a special uniform. She took soccer last sem, she had to buy soccer pants, a cap, gloves, socks and a shirt for P700 a set if I'm not mistaken. After that, she's not going to use it anymore. For this sem, we just went to the mall to buy her a pair of dancing shoes because her PE is social dance. I thought it's just your regular pair which may cost around P300, at the most P500. This is on top of her PE Uniform which already cost P700 yet again. Well, guess what? The danged pair of shoes retails for P2,000 pesos!!! Is this right? Do I need to spend this much for a PE Class???? What the heck?!!!
I remember when I was in college, we only had a regular skirt, shorts, jazz shoes and a shirt for our PE Uniform.. All girl students have the same uniform regardless of their PE class. The shirts are color-coded based on year level, so the whole ensemble you can use for a year's worth. The only different PE Uniform is that of the swimming classes, which is understandable coz you can't exactly swim with a skirt on.
I just don't get it. It was just lucky for me that when we went to this mall, they were having a pre-christmas sale so we got the shoes for 50% discount. But still, it's a big chunk of cash out of our budget... It's just not right, man!!
At a time when people are trying to scrape off every little thing they can to live day to day.. this is a big blow.. I don't know what their university is thinking!!!
Well, enough of this ranting.. I was able to buy some sandals for both Dana and Dylan at a fraction of the cost yet again :) I'll post the pictures soon :) Oh and DVD's for kids were on sale - if you buy one, the next DVD that you buy will only cost P5 hahaha. I bought Dana one of Thomas the Engine and the other of Pingu :) That was a steal !!
Can you imagine this? I think their generation has turned into a generation of waste. I apologize before hand because this post may have a few gripes in it so be warned! :)
What I mean by a generation of waste is this. For instance, every sem, every student is required to take PE classes, right. So that's fine. The problem is the uniform - for every class there's a special uniform. She took soccer last sem, she had to buy soccer pants, a cap, gloves, socks and a shirt for P700 a set if I'm not mistaken. After that, she's not going to use it anymore. For this sem, we just went to the mall to buy her a pair of dancing shoes because her PE is social dance. I thought it's just your regular pair which may cost around P300, at the most P500. This is on top of her PE Uniform which already cost P700 yet again. Well, guess what? The danged pair of shoes retails for P2,000 pesos!!! Is this right? Do I need to spend this much for a PE Class???? What the heck?!!!
I remember when I was in college, we only had a regular skirt, shorts, jazz shoes and a shirt for our PE Uniform.. All girl students have the same uniform regardless of their PE class. The shirts are color-coded based on year level, so the whole ensemble you can use for a year's worth. The only different PE Uniform is that of the swimming classes, which is understandable coz you can't exactly swim with a skirt on.
I just don't get it. It was just lucky for me that when we went to this mall, they were having a pre-christmas sale so we got the shoes for 50% discount. But still, it's a big chunk of cash out of our budget... It's just not right, man!!
At a time when people are trying to scrape off every little thing they can to live day to day.. this is a big blow.. I don't know what their university is thinking!!!
Well, enough of this ranting.. I was able to buy some sandals for both Dana and Dylan at a fraction of the cost yet again :) I'll post the pictures soon :) Oh and DVD's for kids were on sale - if you buy one, the next DVD that you buy will only cost P5 hahaha. I bought Dana one of Thomas the Engine and the other of Pingu :) That was a steal !!
Happy Anniversary!
Patrick and I just reached our 14th year together!! Wow, I guess this is more than what most married couples reach hahahaha I mentioned this to my brother and he laughingly said, "Marriage is evil" hahahha I guess it's to be expected coming from siblings of a broken marriage..
Anyway, so I was thinking what was it that made us last this long? I would have to say it's our sense of humor. Both Patrick and I are crazy hahaha, just ask anybody we know.. It's no surprise that our kids are the same way :) We both love the same things - we both love to read, we both love to write, we both love to play video games, we both love to watch movies and films, we both love to eat. That's not to say that we don't argue or fight about some things, of course we do, who doesn't?
But from our differences we also learn something new. Like, if not for Patrick, I wouldn't have known what the heck an F1 is (honestly, I still don't know haha) and I guess he's tolerated my fascination for the X-Files and David Duchovny (for that matter) and I know that he favors Madchen Amick and Charlize Theron among others :) We each have our own indulgences LOL I keep telling him that he's lucky with me because I don't get jealous when pretty girls (and pretty boys) come into his line of vision.
Now that we have kids, we find our fulfillment from them. Watching them grow and learn and be happy. Our kids are bright, it's unbelievable they came from us hahahaha they're pretty cute too if I do say so myself :) We may not have enough money (sometimes no money at all!) but we believe that raising our kids to be good, intelligent and independent is more than what we can hope for. It's a testament to
our parents who raised us the same way. I just hope that they'll be proud of us someday.
Anyway, so I was thinking what was it that made us last this long? I would have to say it's our sense of humor. Both Patrick and I are crazy hahaha, just ask anybody we know.. It's no surprise that our kids are the same way :) We both love the same things - we both love to read, we both love to write, we both love to play video games, we both love to watch movies and films, we both love to eat. That's not to say that we don't argue or fight about some things, of course we do, who doesn't?
But from our differences we also learn something new. Like, if not for Patrick, I wouldn't have known what the heck an F1 is (honestly, I still don't know haha) and I guess he's tolerated my fascination for the X-Files and David Duchovny (for that matter) and I know that he favors Madchen Amick and Charlize Theron among others :) We each have our own indulgences LOL I keep telling him that he's lucky with me because I don't get jealous when pretty girls (and pretty boys
Now that we have kids, we find our fulfillment from them. Watching them grow and learn and be happy. Our kids are bright, it's unbelievable they came from us hahahaha they're pretty cute too if I do say so myself :) We may not have enough money (sometimes no money at all!) but we believe that raising our kids to be good, intelligent and independent is more than what we can hope for. It's a testament to
our parents who raised us the same way. I just hope that they'll be proud of us someday.
A satisfying day at the Mall
Yesterday, we trooped to Robinson's Manila to buy Den new pairs of shoes for the 2nd semester in school. "New shoes? Again?!" you ask haha yes, she needs new shoes because her feet are like a bulldozer for some reason and shoes don't last long in them LOL
Fortunately, when we went to Philam we found out that Robinson's Manila was having a sale so we decided to go back for some great bargains. And we did find great stuff, not to mention, getting confused about the whole layout because apparently, the new Adriatico Wing was expanded even more and it was surprising to see so many more shops! :)
Here are the bargains we got:
We went to the children's department because the kids needed new shoes. Dana got a pair of rubber shoes for P250 (down from P700) and Dylan's pair cost only P150!! In a world where shoes cost a minimum of P300 per pair, these were a steal hahahaha
We got Den's two pairs of shoes, for P200 each, a great buy since their regular price was P600 each !! So we bought two pairs and saved P800!! Not bad for a day's work hahahaha
Other items that we bought, though not on sale include light bulbs, an extension cord and a new phone cable. We ate at Karate Kid.. man, I really had a craving for their gyoza and Beef Teriyaki :) We brought home some california maki too :) We also bought a chocolate roll from Goldilocks. Yummy! We were so full from eating at the Karate Kid that we didn't eat dinner at all, except for the cake hahahha
Fortunately, when we went to Philam we found out that Robinson's Manila was having a sale so we decided to go back for some great bargains. And we did find great stuff, not to mention, getting confused about the whole layout because apparently, the new Adriatico Wing was expanded even more and it was surprising to see so many more shops! :)
Here are the bargains we got:
We went to the children's department because the kids needed new shoes. Dana got a pair of rubber shoes for P250 (down from P700) and Dylan's pair cost only P150!! In a world where shoes cost a minimum of P300 per pair, these were a steal hahahaha 
We got Den's two pairs of shoes, for P200 each, a great buy since their regular price was P600 each !! So we bought two pairs and saved P800!! Not bad for a day's work hahahaha Other items that we bought, though not on sale include light bulbs, an extension cord and a new phone cable. We ate at Karate Kid.. man, I really had a craving for their gyoza and Beef Teriyaki :) We brought home some california maki too :) We also bought a chocolate roll from Goldilocks. Yummy! We were so full from eating at the Karate Kid that we didn't eat dinner at all, except for the cake hahahha
Remembering the Dead
For most of us, Halloween is celebrated every October 31st. It was only in the recent years that the Philippines has adopted the tradition of Trick or Treat except that kids don't go around houses and neighborhoods, they go to the malls and some other event destination. Oh, they do go around in neighborhoods for those who live in the rich and upscale ones ;)
Anyway, after Halloween, there's All Saints' Day and then All Souls' Day - days on which you remember the dead. People go to cemeteries in droves, some have a reunion there, others spend the day cleaning the graves, tombstones and mausoleums. Most times, it's a very happy event, unless the dead that you speak of has only recently joined the ranks, in which case, it's a very solemn occasion.
During this time, we call it "Undas" in the Philippines, it used to be an ordinary day for me because I don't really know anybody who died, at least not someone close to me or the family. The only person I know who we visit at the cemetery is Patrick's Mom who died last August 2000.
But now that my mother is dead and the wounds in my heart are still fresh, I bear the weight of the season in my heart. I can't visit her grave because it's in the States. I can't lay flowers on her, I can't stay with her, I don't even know what her grave looks like. It's like I feel that I should be doing something but I don't know what.. It's like I'm in limbo for the dead, if there's such a thing.
It's just terribly hard and I comfort myself in the hope that wherever she is right now, she's happy and she's free...
Anyway, after Halloween, there's All Saints' Day and then All Souls' Day - days on which you remember the dead. People go to cemeteries in droves, some have a reunion there, others spend the day cleaning the graves, tombstones and mausoleums. Most times, it's a very happy event, unless the dead that you speak of has only recently joined the ranks, in which case, it's a very solemn occasion.
During this time, we call it "Undas" in the Philippines, it used to be an ordinary day for me because I don't really know anybody who died, at least not someone close to me or the family. The only person I know who we visit at the cemetery is Patrick's Mom who died last August 2000.
But now that my mother is dead and the wounds in my heart are still fresh, I bear the weight of the season in my heart. I can't visit her grave because it's in the States. I can't lay flowers on her, I can't stay with her, I don't even know what her grave looks like. It's like I feel that I should be doing something but I don't know what.. It's like I'm in limbo for the dead, if there's such a thing.
It's just terribly hard and I comfort myself in the hope that wherever she is right now, she's happy and she's free...
It's Christmas time!
I just added another widget to the blog. I thought since we didn't even have a Christmas tree at home, might as well have the illusion of having one within my blog :) It even allows you to decorate the tree yourself and change the background color ;)
It's pretty simple but festive. My only decoration for Christmas ! :)
It's pretty simple but festive. My only decoration for Christmas ! :)
Scary night!
Last night, everything was just normal. We had dinner, the kids were playing and everyone was doing their own thing.
At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I felt like the lights were flickering. I didn't mind it at first. And then while Den was in the kitchen washing the dishes, she also noticed that they were flickering. So now, I was taking note of the interval between the flickerings (is there such a word?) just to check if it's not just a fluctuation in power.
Well, it happened again and this time, there was a "buzzing" sound from the circuit breaker. I was getting nervous now because, for sure, that wasn't a good sign. I asked Den to go downstairs and ask my uncle to check on our breakers because even if I looked and looked I wouldn't even know what I'm looking at LOL much less know what I'm supposed to do. Unfortunately, he was out.
So, I was really panicking now. The intervals were getting closer now (wow, like contractions in pregnancy!) until everything went pitch black, but the power was trying to come back on. I asked Patrick to just turn the breaker off. We didn't want to risk a fire.
It was then that we thought about the light switch in our bedroom which gets wet every time it rains. It was turned on last night so maybe there was already some short circuit going on which caused the circuit breaker to get hot. We turned it off and then turned the power back on. Thank God no more flickering. But, as a precaution, we unplugged the ref, the computers, the entertainment systems, the microwave.
An electrician arrived in the morning but the flickering never returned. What the electrician did was try to fix the sockets in Den's room which for some reason, lost all their power (this wasn't related to the flickering). He was also supposed to fix the light socket in our room. That's scheduled for tomorrow.
Wish me luck that we'll have this figured out soon! :)
At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I felt like the lights were flickering. I didn't mind it at first. And then while Den was in the kitchen washing the dishes, she also noticed that they were flickering. So now, I was taking note of the interval between the flickerings (is there such a word?) just to check if it's not just a fluctuation in power.
Well, it happened again and this time, there was a "buzzing" sound from the circuit breaker. I was getting nervous now because, for sure, that wasn't a good sign. I asked Den to go downstairs and ask my uncle to check on our breakers because even if I looked and looked I wouldn't even know what I'm looking at LOL much less know what I'm supposed to do. Unfortunately, he was out.
So, I was really panicking now. The intervals were getting closer now (wow, like contractions in pregnancy!) until everything went pitch black, but the power was trying to come back on. I asked Patrick to just turn the breaker off. We didn't want to risk a fire.
It was then that we thought about the light switch in our bedroom which gets wet every time it rains. It was turned on last night so maybe there was already some short circuit going on which caused the circuit breaker to get hot. We turned it off and then turned the power back on. Thank God no more flickering. But, as a precaution, we unplugged the ref, the computers, the entertainment systems, the microwave.
An electrician arrived in the morning but the flickering never returned. What the electrician did was try to fix the sockets in Den's room which for some reason, lost all their power (this wasn't related to the flickering). He was also supposed to fix the light socket in our room. That's scheduled for tomorrow.
Wish me luck that we'll have this figured out soon! :)
Happy Birthday to Me!!
Okay .. the day has come and I'm now 36 years old!! hahaha It's so weird but it doesn't feel any different LOL
There also wasn't any celebration as I was sick. I remember that ever since I was a kid, during my birthday I always come down with something (usually asthma) and I spend the day at the hospital. At least this time, it's just simple fever and lethargy :)
I cooked tonkatsu and Italian roasted potatoes instead of the usual pasta .:) It was still delicious though :)
All in all, it was a pretty uneventful day :)
There also wasn't any celebration as I was sick. I remember that ever since I was a kid, during my birthday I always come down with something (usually asthma) and I spend the day at the hospital. At least this time, it's just simple fever and lethargy :)
I cooked tonkatsu and Italian roasted potatoes instead of the usual pasta .:) It was still delicious though :)
All in all, it was a pretty uneventful day :)
Tita Gigi's birthday celebration
Last Friday, October 10, we went to Dana's Ninong Carlo's house to attend a party for his mom's birthday. The Aguilos' have been a 2nd family to Patrick since he and Caloy became friends and it's also such a coincidence that they're related to me since we all hail from the same small island group in the North. The kids were a hit (I'm one proud mama!) It was such a bittersweet feeling that these people, though not related by blood, have so much affection for our kids, more so than some of our very own relatives. It's like I'm seeing their enjoyment as a way of how it would be if my mom were alive and she was able to be with them in the same way.
We went home at around 1am LOL it was a good time to catch up and even Dana's Ninong Johann took the opportunity to give the kids his last year's Christmas gifts LOL see how much time has passed before we saw each other again hahaha
The pictures are of (top) Ninang Bito and Dylan and (bottom) the kids playing with the piano (like Chiaki and Nodame) hahaha
Congratulations, Stevie and Toni!
Well, we have a new niece, Hannah Sofia Garcia Tadeo, born on October 01, 2008 :)
I'm afraid I can't post pictures yet as I promised Toni she'll do the honors hahaha
All I can say is that she's cute!
So, congratulations guys! ;)
I'm afraid I can't post pictures yet as I promised Toni she'll do the honors hahaha
All I can say is that she's cute!
So, congratulations guys! ;)
Lance's 2nd Birthday
September 27, 2008
Today, we went to Stevie and Toni's house in Marikina to celebrate Lance's 2nd birthday :) At first, we weren't sure if it will push through because it ws getting very close to Toni's due date. But, she had her check-up earlier in the week and the doctor told her that Hannah may be coming the week after. But, for once we were on time for a celebration coz we just took the LRT train to get there hahahaha
Unfortunately, Dimples, Jericho and Rhys weren't there.
The cousins just played around while we were waiting for Ate Rose to finish cooking :) Toni did cook the hotdogs! LOL The food was so yummy!! Ate Rose, Toni thank you! hahaha and to think we even had take-out LOL
Thanks goes out to Sharon, Toni's sister for the cake !! Ang sarap!! Delicious!!!
Today, we went to Stevie and Toni's house in Marikina to celebrate Lance's 2nd birthday :) At first, we weren't sure if it will push through because it ws getting very close to Toni's due date. But, she had her check-up earlier in the week and the doctor told her that Hannah may be coming the week after. But, for once we were on time for a celebration coz we just took the LRT train to get there hahahaha
Unfortunately, Dimples, Jericho and Rhys weren't there.
The cousins just played around while we were waiting for Ate Rose to finish cooking :) Toni did cook the hotdogs! LOL The food was so yummy!! Ate Rose, Toni thank you! hahaha and to think we even had take-out LOL
Thanks goes out to Sharon, Toni's sister for the cake !! Ang sarap!! Delicious!!!
Dinosaurs in Manila!!
September 25, 2008
Yep, you read that right, in Robinson's Manila, there were 9 life-sized, fully-automated robotic dinosaurs from Denmark. We couldn't miss it considering we are all fans of Jurassic Park and it was cheap at just P25 per person.
We were coming from Philam that day and Robinson's was just at the back of it. So we decided to go for it! :) and it was fun hahaha
The moment we went in, Dylan let out a loud roar at the T-rex that was at the center of the exhibit. People around us were laughing :) Dana on the other hand was scared and didn't want to get near it LOL
Lots of moments for picture taking as you can see :)
A trip to Manila Zoo
Saturday, September 20, 2008
It was Patrick's payday so we decided to take the kids to the zoo. For the longest time, they've been wanting to go but we always had little or no money to take them so it was such a relief that we were finally able to take them out of the house and bring them to where they wanted to go :)
The kids were so excited! Patrick and I were too because we knew that the zoo had undergone some renovation so we wanted to see just what's improved.
We were lucky enough to see the elephant during feeding time, so he's more active than usual hehehe We timed our trip to be a little late in the afternoon so the animals were awake when we got there. The highlight of our trip was the tiger who was up and about. I wish he had let out a huge roar to top off the experience but really it was such a magnificent animal.. and scary to think that he's so big and can bite your whole head in one gulp LOL
The experience was a bit marred when we encountered a family along the way and the father was pointing to the tiger and telling his kids it was a lion!!! oh my gosh!! how can you not even distinguish a tiger from a lion!!! there was even a sign on the fence telling you what animal that was! I was so irritated (can't you tell?!) hahahaha
Anyway, we were also happy to see the hippo moving about.. usually we just see the top of his body in the water :)
The ostrich was alive and kicking as well :) I wonder what happened to his other friends? The last time we were there, there were three of them.. hmm..
So finally, we get to the playground - there were swings, slides, jungle gym and even a fountain park where water shoots out from the ground in sequence. It would have been nice to shoot it but there were kids running around naked in the water LOL Only in the Philippines, I think LOL
Dana went immediately to the slides. She didn't like the swing because she says she may fall. So up and down she went on the slides.
Dylan was different. Since this was his first time to actually be on the slide by himself, he was a bit wary, although he was looking closely at his Ate Dana. When Patrick put him on top of the slide and let him slide, the expression on his face was priceless! It was like, "what was that?!" and then he smiled LOL Then Patrick put him on top again, let him slide, this time he made a sound LOL He said, woooooow!! all the way down hahahahaha after that he was literally unstoppable :) Poor Patrick hahahaha
After the zoo, we went to the nearby shopping mall to buy some groceries. We were able to buy Dana a Jumpstart CD which we immediately played when we got home.
It was a good day! :)
It was Patrick's payday so we decided to take the kids to the zoo. For the longest time, they've been wanting to go but we always had little or no money to take them so it was such a relief that we were finally able to take them out of the house and bring them to where they wanted to go :)
The kids were so excited! Patrick and I were too because we knew that the zoo had undergone some renovation so we wanted to see just what's improved.
We were lucky enough to see the elephant during feeding time, so he's more active than usual hehehe We timed our trip to be a little late in the afternoon so the animals were awake when we got there. The highlight of our trip was the tiger who was up and about. I wish he had let out a huge roar to top off the experience but really it was such a magnificent animal.. and scary to think that he's so big and can bite your whole head in one gulp LOL
The experience was a bit marred when we encountered a family along the way and the father was pointing to the tiger and telling his kids it was a lion!!! oh my gosh!! how can you not even distinguish a tiger from a lion!!! there was even a sign on the fence telling you what animal that was! I was so irritated (can't you tell?!) hahahaha
Anyway, we were also happy to see the hippo moving about.. usually we just see the top of his body in the water :)
The ostrich was alive and kicking as well :) I wonder what happened to his other friends? The last time we were there, there were three of them.. hmm..
So finally, we get to the playground - there were swings, slides, jungle gym and even a fountain park where water shoots out from the ground in sequence. It would have been nice to shoot it but there were kids running around naked in the water LOL Only in the Philippines, I think LOL
Dana went immediately to the slides. She didn't like the swing because she says she may fall. So up and down she went on the slides.
Dylan was different. Since this was his first time to actually be on the slide by himself, he was a bit wary, although he was looking closely at his Ate Dana. When Patrick put him on top of the slide and let him slide, the expression on his face was priceless! It was like, "what was that?!" and then he smiled LOL Then Patrick put him on top again, let him slide, this time he made a sound LOL He said, woooooow!! all the way down hahahahaha after that he was literally unstoppable :) Poor Patrick hahahaha
After the zoo, we went to the nearby shopping mall to buy some groceries. We were able to buy Dana a Jumpstart CD which we immediately played when we got home.
It was a good day! :)
Welcome Sofia Jasmine!
Just a couple of minutes ago, my sister, her husband and their baby just left. I was so surprised that they dropped by. Sharon probably knew I couldn't go to their place because it was so far so she made the trip herself.
At last, I saw my new niece, Sofia Jasmine, born last September 4, 2008. She's so cute!!
My sister gained a few pounds since I saw her last which is only natural as all women go through the same "torture" hahahaha
I hope I get to see more of the baby.. I will really have to take a trip next time..
Enjoy the pictures!!
Tadeo Get Together
Last Saturday, September 06, the Tadeo family had a small get together in Stevie and Toni's house in Marikina. Patrick, the kids and I went and so with Dimples, Jeric and Rhys. It was a good time for the kids/cousins to bond and for the grown-ups to catch up on things. For one, Stevie and Toni are expecting their 2nd child, Hannah Sofia within the month so that's pretty exciting for everyone.
The reason why we're all there was because their Dad and stepmother, Tita Flor, have sent a balikbayan box so we were getting our share from it. Dana got a ViewMaster, a Disney Princess Flashlight, lots of clothes, pencils, stickers, a book. Dylan got a ball gun and a toy car. They both got their share of chocolates and lollipops too. Of course, Dana is limited to one lollipop a day and she should drink water afterward. That's the rule hehehe But it seems that her Ate Den likes the lollipops as well ! LOL
There were a lot of diapers but they were too small to fit any of the kids. Dana doesn't wear diapers anymore so that leaves only the three boys. Lance, Stevie and Toni's eldest, wears XXL diapers, while Rhys (Dimples' son) and Dylan, wear XL. The diapers ended up going to Stevie and Toni for Hannah :) I did ask for one pack of diapers for my sister Sharon who also happened to give birth last September 4. In the end, Rhys and Dylan shared with the pull-ups that were also in the box. Dylan doesn't wear diapers anymore, except during the night. It really saves us on the cost of diapers LOL
There were also a lot of T-shirts, Den and I got some of them :) And of course, Patrick's favorite, lots of Spam canned goods :)
Patrick was also happy with the three pairs of shoes he got. It was also the right timing because his other rubber shoes were falling apart LOL
Anyway, I'll update the pics as soon as I consolidate them :) For the meantime, enjoy the pics that Dimples took with her camera phone :)
To Dad and Tita Flor, Maraming, Maraming Salamat Po!
The reason why we're all there was because their Dad and stepmother, Tita Flor, have sent a balikbayan box so we were getting our share from it. Dana got a ViewMaster, a Disney Princess Flashlight, lots of clothes, pencils, stickers, a book. Dylan got a ball gun and a toy car. They both got their share of chocolates and lollipops too. Of course, Dana is limited to one lollipop a day and she should drink water afterward. That's the rule hehehe But it seems that her Ate Den likes the lollipops as well ! LOL
There were a lot of diapers but they were too small to fit any of the kids. Dana doesn't wear diapers anymore so that leaves only the three boys. Lance, Stevie and Toni's eldest, wears XXL diapers, while Rhys (Dimples' son) and Dylan, wear XL. The diapers ended up going to Stevie and Toni for Hannah :) I did ask for one pack of diapers for my sister Sharon who also happened to give birth last September 4. In the end, Rhys and Dylan shared with the pull-ups that were also in the box. Dylan doesn't wear diapers anymore, except during the night. It really saves us on the cost of diapers LOL
There were also a lot of T-shirts, Den and I got some of them :) And of course, Patrick's favorite, lots of Spam canned goods :)
Patrick was also happy with the three pairs of shoes he got. It was also the right timing because his other rubber shoes were falling apart LOL
Anyway, I'll update the pics as soon as I consolidate them :) For the meantime, enjoy the pics that Dimples took with her camera phone :)
To Dad and Tita Flor, Maraming, Maraming Salamat Po!
Dylan got a Hair Cut!
This post is late in coming because things have been pretty busy at home, what with cleaning, writing, more cleaning and more writing and basically taking care of the kids.
Last August 24, Dylan got his hair cut at the local barber shop. We usually go to the Kids' Hair Salon in SM Manila because that's where the kids usually have their haircuts but they cost P250. It's still pretty affordable considering that your kids just sit quietly while they're getting their hair done. They have TV sets which air Barney, Dora and Blue's Clues shows so the kids are pretty much occupied. But since, we're really financially strapped we couldn't afford to and Dylan needed a hair cut so bad because his eyes are already getting irritated from his hair.
So we decided on taking him to the local barber shop (there's a number of them around where we live) which charge anywhere from P20 to P50 for kids' hair cuts. Mind you, some are air conditioned, some are not and they're pretty regular, home-based businesses so you can't really expect the luxurious treatment you get from going to the mall salons. Anyway, to us, as long as Dylan gets a good cut then its fine. Beggars can't be choosers, right?
Anyway, things went pretty okay. Dylan wasn't fussy at all although he would get tired of putting his head down but that's it. I did end up with some hair on me because I needed to calm him down a number of times (he got weirded out by the sound of the shaver!)
Over-all we spent P40 (yeah, cheapskates! LOL). After that we bought Kutchinta and Puto at our favorite store right across it. :)
Favorite Great American Seafood Cook Off
In our family, everyone loves seafood. If we can eat seafood every day we’ll be content and satisfied, especially if we get it fresh and natural straight from the local wet market, which is a blessing, because it’s quite near our place. Food doesn’t quite taste as good when you buy frozen from the supermarket, in my honest opinion.So, because we love seafood so much, I always make it a point to experiment with new recipes and the Internet is a great place to search. I came across this irresistible recipe from the 2008 Great American Seafood Cook Off. It’s called Louisiana Shrimp and Andouille Cassoule from Chef Brian Landry of Louisiana and as you can see from the picture, it’s positively scrumptious!
It looks very simple to make, the ingredients are readily available in the local market or at your neighborhood groceries and you don’t need any specialized equipment to cook the food in. I might substitute the beer with our local brand though just to give it that native touch. This recipe is perfect for us because it’s got shrimps and sausages that we all love. It also seems interesting because you don’t normally cook this kind of food in the Philippines, so cooking it and eating it will be an adventure for us.
To my friends who share my love for seafood, I know you want to download the recipe, so just visit their site and look for the cook off at www.GreatAmericanSeafoodCookOff.com. If you live in the United States, you may also vote for your own favorite recipe and possibly win a trip to New Orleans prize package that comes with two Southwest Airline roundtrip tickets, hotel accommodations, dining experiences and more!
Happy Cooking and Eating!
It's a Girl!!
Congratulations to my sister Sharon who just gave birth to a baby girl yesterday, September 4th in the wee hours of the morning.. The baby came early after a series of premature contractions last August. She was due on the 18th but can't wait to stay that long in the tummy, eh? :)
Hope I can take pictures soon!
Hope I can take pictures soon!
Thoughts of the Dead
If you believe that a person's spirit comes back to check on you and watch over you, then I believe my mom comes back in the form of a dragonfly. Always, on special occasions and on not so special ones, I usually find one in the house and always in the same place. Like the past couple of days, there has always been a dragonfly in the house.. when the kids see it, they always say, "Hi, Lola Benggoy!" Lola Benggoy is what they call their grandma :)
I figured, it's nearing her favorite grandchild's birthday so she's dropping in and I miss her even more..
Anyway, yesterday we went out to Quiapo to get my debit card for Paypal. While walking the streets of Quiapo, I couldn't help but remember when my mom and I used to come here to go to church, buy really cheap clothes (yeah!) and eat at Ma Mon Luk. She really loved the noodles here and so do I and so do Den and the kids. It was funny, coz one of Den's friends, Richard also came with us and he hadn't heard of Ma Mon Luk (oh what a sacrilege!) so I felt it was my duty to educate him on the finer things about noodles hehehe and true enough, he loved it and will take his family and friends there as well hehehehe
So when we came home, I was thinking pretty nice things about Mom and Ma Mon Luk and while Den was opening the door, a strange thing happened. For no particular reason, I expected Shadow, my mom's dog to bark as he usually does when he hears us coming home. But Shadow has been dead for over a year! I felt a chill run up my spine. And even stranger, Den stopped opening the door and looked at me and said, "I was expecting to hear Shadow barking!".. imagine that, the same thought!! it was strange and creepy, yet kind of like part of the mood...
my mom said that when Shadow died, she could smell her all the way up in California.. At first, she didn't know what the smell in her office was until she saw my email about Shadow's death.. and then she realized it for what it was - Shadow was saying goodbye to her...
I miss my mom.. wish I had a new dog..
I figured, it's nearing her favorite grandchild's birthday so she's dropping in and I miss her even more..
Anyway, yesterday we went out to Quiapo to get my debit card for Paypal. While walking the streets of Quiapo, I couldn't help but remember when my mom and I used to come here to go to church, buy really cheap clothes (yeah!) and eat at Ma Mon Luk. She really loved the noodles here and so do I and so do Den and the kids. It was funny, coz one of Den's friends, Richard also came with us and he hadn't heard of Ma Mon Luk (oh what a sacrilege!) so I felt it was my duty to educate him on the finer things about noodles hehehe and true enough, he loved it and will take his family and friends there as well hehehehe
So when we came home, I was thinking pretty nice things about Mom and Ma Mon Luk and while Den was opening the door, a strange thing happened. For no particular reason, I expected Shadow, my mom's dog to bark as he usually does when he hears us coming home. But Shadow has been dead for over a year! I felt a chill run up my spine. And even stranger, Den stopped opening the door and looked at me and said, "I was expecting to hear Shadow barking!".. imagine that, the same thought!! it was strange and creepy, yet kind of like part of the mood...
my mom said that when Shadow died, she could smell her all the way up in California.. At first, she didn't know what the smell in her office was until she saw my email about Shadow's death.. and then she realized it for what it was - Shadow was saying goodbye to her...
I miss my mom.. wish I had a new dog..
Dana's Artwork #2
I'm sure that when we were kids we used to occupy our time coloring pages and pages of these coloring books. It was fun and it was educational as well. This is a sample of Dana's recent coloring activity.I was really surprised because she has a different technique than when I did when I was young. I remember I just used one color to fill in the outlines and I stuck with the color of the picture.. like I'd color a flower red, leaves green and so on.. So, it was refreshing to see her do this on her own and it's really quite lovely, if I do say so myself LOL
Dana's Artwork
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| From Blogger Pictures |
I just wanted to share one of my daughter's masterpieces :) She did this artwork on her own, especially the drawings and the writing.. She had help to cut the hearts but everything else, even the pasting, it's all her.. :)
Oh and here's a sample of her other writing works too :)
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| From Blogger Pictures |
My baby's growing up so fast!! :)
3-Day Weekend
It was a 3-day weekend for us. In the Philippines, we have something called "holiday economics" in which holidays that land on the weekdays are automatically moved to either Monday or Friday to encourage domestic spending over the weekend. People who want to travel locally without having to file a day off from work which is great.
Anyway, I also took a break from my writing because I wanted to spend time with the kids. When I'm writing naturally I'm more focused on it and can sometimes neglect to give them the attention that they need. So to make up for it, we stayed at home, had fun watching movies and we experimented with some recipes we had :) Dana helped with the cooking :) Oh and I also had my hair cut which was really overdue! Now, my head feels lighter LOL
We watched The Dark Crystal, which has been a favorite of mine (and of Patrick) from our "younger" days LOL We wanted the kids to appreciate it as much as we did. Funny enough, even Den (the teen) liked the movie :)
Oh and we also watched "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" too hahaha I liked it! Now, if only I had Book 6, our collection will be complete hahaha
We also watched "The Golden Compass" and the kids loved it, especially Dylan because of the bear!
The movie, "Willow" was also a trip down memory lane :) This one starred Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley and produced by George Lucas :)
Anyway, I also took a break from my writing because I wanted to spend time with the kids. When I'm writing naturally I'm more focused on it and can sometimes neglect to give them the attention that they need. So to make up for it, we stayed at home, had fun watching movies and we experimented with some recipes we had :) Dana helped with the cooking :) Oh and I also had my hair cut which was really overdue! Now, my head feels lighter LOL
We watched The Dark Crystal, which has been a favorite of mine (and of Patrick) from our "younger" days LOL We wanted the kids to appreciate it as much as we did. Funny enough, even Den (the teen) liked the movie :)Oh and we also watched "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" too hahaha I liked it! Now, if only I had Book 6, our collection will be complete hahaha
We also watched "The Golden Compass" and the kids loved it, especially Dylan because of the bear!
The movie, "Willow" was also a trip down memory lane :) This one starred Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley and produced by George Lucas :)
Learning while Writing
For the couple of years or so, I've been writing web content as a ghost writer and I've found it a good experience. I get to write (which I love), get paid (wish they paid higher), and learn at the same time! Because of this part-time work, I've been able to research on things that normally I wouldn't even dream of looking up.
For instance, for the past weeks, I've been writing travel articles. In the process, I've learned about many cities, their history and what makes them tick.. it makes me wish that I was so rich I can go to all of them at my leisure hehe
Like yesterday, I was doing an article about Jerusalem. During the research about its geography (I'm a stickler for details) I've stumbled upon the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I have heard of it on the news but I never really thought about it. So I searched some more (never mind that it's really background for the article on Jerusalem but I got intrigued). I'm sure that everyone has their own opinion about what's going on but I think it's a matter of letting go and moving on so that there'll be peace.. I know, easier said than done.. and you have years and years of history to bury and that's not easy..
Anyway, I'm glad I'm doing this writing thing. I learn something new everyday :)
For instance, for the past weeks, I've been writing travel articles. In the process, I've learned about many cities, their history and what makes them tick.. it makes me wish that I was so rich I can go to all of them at my leisure hehe
Like yesterday, I was doing an article about Jerusalem. During the research about its geography (I'm a stickler for details) I've stumbled upon the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I have heard of it on the news but I never really thought about it. So I searched some more (never mind that it's really background for the article on Jerusalem but I got intrigued). I'm sure that everyone has their own opinion about what's going on but I think it's a matter of letting go and moving on so that there'll be peace.. I know, easier said than done.. and you have years and years of history to bury and that's not easy..
Anyway, I'm glad I'm doing this writing thing. I learn something new everyday :)
Zenni Optical: The Answer to your prayers!
Recently, I’ve been having these major headaches because I’ve taken up writing again. What that means is that I’m in front of the computer most of the time and it’s taking a strain on my eyes. My eyeglasses needed replacing which led me to look for a great source of affordable yet stylish eyeglasses and voila! Incredible Stylish New Frames From Zenni!!
I found that for as low as $8, I can get the frame that I want from so many frames to choose from. Check out that picture and the best part is that it even comes with FREE Anti Scratch coating, UV Protection and Lens Edge polishing and beveling! And get this - Zenni Optical was on FOX news!
If you’re like me and you’re always on the lookout for a good deal, why don’t you try Zenni Optical $8 Rx Eyeglasses? You’ve solved your eye problems, you look good and still managed to save some money. I think that’s a great bargain!!
I found that for as low as $8, I can get the frame that I want from so many frames to choose from. Check out that picture and the best part is that it even comes with FREE Anti Scratch coating, UV Protection and Lens Edge polishing and beveling! And get this - Zenni Optical was on FOX news!If you’re like me and you’re always on the lookout for a good deal, why don’t you try Zenni Optical $8 Rx Eyeglasses? You’ve solved your eye problems, you look good and still managed to save some money. I think that’s a great bargain!!
The tooth is gone!! bwahahahaha
Okay, I have just returned from the dentist's clinic and am so happy to report that the bad tooth.. the very bad tooth.. that has been plaguing me for exactly a week now is gone and laid to rest.. dum-dum-dum-dum..
Of course, I was apprehensive and nervous but I was showing a brave face because Dana was with me and I didn't want to traumatize her by being all shaky and anxious. She was in the room when it all happened :)
The doctor came in and checked again if he can indeed remove the tooth now. And, yes, he said, let's proceed. Then, he shot me with something (most likely anesthesia and Adrenalin was the third one, as I later found out). It felt like my face was swollen but Dana said nothing is different on my face.. the numbness was creeping in.. Dana didn't even get scared from the needle, she even said, "Wow, that's a different injection, Mama"
After 5-10 minutes, the doctor came back and started doing something again to my mouth.. I didn't feel a thing! It was only when Dana said, "Mama, what did he take from your mouth?!" that I had an inkling it was over. And it was over, and all my fears were for naught!
He showed me the tooth (for a second I wanted to take a picture so you guys can see it but I didn't want to gross you out hehehe) and it was creepy! hahaha The root was longer than normal, the doctor said, so again, my tooth was a mutant! I'm such a mutant! hahaha
After that, he prescribed some pain killers for after the anesthetic wears off and I have to call him again on Monday just to check in. After 10 days, I have another free check up scheduled :)
whew! I'm glad it wasn't so scary that time. :) Thanks Doc!
Of course, I was apprehensive and nervous but I was showing a brave face because Dana was with me and I didn't want to traumatize her by being all shaky and anxious. She was in the room when it all happened :)
The doctor came in and checked again if he can indeed remove the tooth now. And, yes, he said, let's proceed. Then, he shot me with something (most likely anesthesia and Adrenalin was the third one, as I later found out). It felt like my face was swollen but Dana said nothing is different on my face.. the numbness was creeping in.. Dana didn't even get scared from the needle, she even said, "Wow, that's a different injection, Mama"
After 5-10 minutes, the doctor came back and started doing something again to my mouth.. I didn't feel a thing! It was only when Dana said, "Mama, what did he take from your mouth?!" that I had an inkling it was over. And it was over, and all my fears were for naught!
He showed me the tooth (for a second I wanted to take a picture so you guys can see it but I didn't want to gross you out hehehe) and it was creepy! hahaha The root was longer than normal, the doctor said, so again, my tooth was a mutant! I'm such a mutant! hahaha
After that, he prescribed some pain killers for after the anesthetic wears off and I have to call him again on Monday just to check in. After 10 days, I have another free check up scheduled :)
whew! I'm glad it wasn't so scary that time. :) Thanks Doc!
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Trailer is out!
Yesterday, I got this link from Patrick since he knows I'm a fan of the Harry Potter series.
The teaser trailer to the newest Harry Potter movie - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is now available to view via this link
It looks pretty interesting and makes me want to read the book all over again.. yeah from book 1 no less hahaha
Enjoy!
The teaser trailer to the newest Harry Potter movie - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is now available to view via this link
It looks pretty interesting and makes me want to read the book all over again.. yeah from book 1 no less hahaha
Enjoy!
Tooth update (I really hate this you know!)
Okay for my loyal fans (ehmm... readers) haha I hereby give you an update on what's going on with my tooth and inflamed cheek ...
for those who want the short version - here it is: it needs to be extracted!! oh what a joy! NOOOOTTTT!!!
for those who want the nitty gritty details, read on:
After much searching for a trustworthy dentist, I finally reached my cousin (Father Ray thank you so much mwah!!) who referred me to his friend (Dra. Fe), who also happens to have a clinic near our place. I was only going to ask for her clinic hours when we already discussed my problems over the phone (which is great because it's free!) At least I now have some professional opinion of what I have and what I should really be doing about it.
She suggested I change the antibiotic that I was drinking because it isn't strong enough to fight the infection. I also need to keep rinsing my mouth with antibacterial mouthwash or water with salt (which is more natural). If pain persists, there's always the reliable painkiller. After taking the Augmentin, and as soon as the swelling goes down, I'm due for a tooth extraction.. oh no! I hate that part..
You know why? When I was in high school, the same thing happened to me, my tooth cracked from biting an apple (this was a molar). When I went to the dentist, I was told that the only option was to have it extracted.. okay.. so I had no choice, sitting at the chair, it was like being on the electric chair and you're just waiting to die.. melodramatic but true. after those anesthetic injections they started to remove the tooth. Well, surprise, surprise, they can't remove it.. it was too anchored!!! The dentist had to have his assistant (a huge man) hold onto my head, because he felt the jaw giving way (we have a history of locked jaw in our family)
So if you can imagine that - two men, one holding a set of pliers pulling on my tooth, the other holding on to my head for dear life hahahha it was just too funny.. and then after much pulling and sweating (yes, sweating!) the tooth was out.. it had 3 roots!!! that's why it was so hard to remove!! my tooth was a mutant!!! run for your life!!! hahahha
That's why I'm nervous about this tooth extraction. It's the same area as the one I described only in the opposite side of the mouth.. when the one before was on the left, this new one is on the right..
I need a gallon of ice cream for this one!!
for those who want the short version - here it is: it needs to be extracted!! oh what a joy! NOOOOTTTT!!!
for those who want the nitty gritty details, read on:
After much searching for a trustworthy dentist, I finally reached my cousin (Father Ray thank you so much mwah!!) who referred me to his friend (Dra. Fe), who also happens to have a clinic near our place. I was only going to ask for her clinic hours when we already discussed my problems over the phone (which is great because it's free!) At least I now have some professional opinion of what I have and what I should really be doing about it.
She suggested I change the antibiotic that I was drinking because it isn't strong enough to fight the infection. I also need to keep rinsing my mouth with antibacterial mouthwash or water with salt (which is more natural). If pain persists, there's always the reliable painkiller. After taking the Augmentin, and as soon as the swelling goes down, I'm due for a tooth extraction.. oh no! I hate that part..
You know why? When I was in high school, the same thing happened to me, my tooth cracked from biting an apple (this was a molar). When I went to the dentist, I was told that the only option was to have it extracted.. okay.. so I had no choice, sitting at the chair, it was like being on the electric chair and you're just waiting to die.. melodramatic but true. after those anesthetic injections they started to remove the tooth. Well, surprise, surprise, they can't remove it.. it was too anchored!!! The dentist had to have his assistant (a huge man) hold onto my head, because he felt the jaw giving way (we have a history of locked jaw in our family)
So if you can imagine that - two men, one holding a set of pliers pulling on my tooth, the other holding on to my head for dear life hahahha it was just too funny.. and then after much pulling and sweating (yes, sweating!) the tooth was out.. it had 3 roots!!! that's why it was so hard to remove!! my tooth was a mutant!!! run for your life!!! hahahha
That's why I'm nervous about this tooth extraction. It's the same area as the one I described only in the opposite side of the mouth.. when the one before was on the left, this new one is on the right..
I need a gallon of ice cream for this one!!
An awful weekend
Again, I've had such a mean weekend. Last Saturday night, my tooth started aching all over again, after I thought that the pain has subsided. This time, it's back with a vengeance!!!
The pain was so intense I wasn't able to sleep, even after drinking 4 caplets of Tylenol.. and that's when I knew that it was worse than ever before!!
The next morning, I took Ponstan coz I remember my mom and aunts telling me that's what they used if they have toothaches.. so I drank it, and for a while the pain subsided, but at the same time, it blew up my cheeks!! or maybe it was because of the irritation or infection..
Whatever, my right cheek is still "deformed" and my kids call me a "monster" hahaha
Now, its Tuesday morning and the swelling hasn't subsided, looks like I have to go to the dentist for a check-up (duh?!) I should've gone last Sunday!! but like most Filipinos, we try to tolerate the pain as much as we can until we can't stand it and that's the only time we go to the dentist or doctor..
I did check www.webmd.com and their symptom checker to see what I may have.. it's pretty helpful.. thanks to my brother for pointing me this way..
I hope what this is is nothing serious... I'm scared of dentists..
The pain was so intense I wasn't able to sleep, even after drinking 4 caplets of Tylenol.. and that's when I knew that it was worse than ever before!!
The next morning, I took Ponstan coz I remember my mom and aunts telling me that's what they used if they have toothaches.. so I drank it, and for a while the pain subsided, but at the same time, it blew up my cheeks!! or maybe it was because of the irritation or infection..
Whatever, my right cheek is still "deformed" and my kids call me a "monster" hahaha
Now, its Tuesday morning and the swelling hasn't subsided, looks like I have to go to the dentist for a check-up (duh?!) I should've gone last Sunday!! but like most Filipinos, we try to tolerate the pain as much as we can until we can't stand it and that's the only time we go to the dentist or doctor..
I did check www.webmd.com and their symptom checker to see what I may have.. it's pretty helpful.. thanks to my brother for pointing me this way..
I hope what this is is nothing serious... I'm scared of dentists..
BPI Express is not so express at all!
I apologize to my readers because this post is very much a Rant rather than a rave. Remember I wrote a post before about not being able to get money from my ATM card because of some unexplainable malfunction? Okay, so this post is the continuation to that "saga"..
Last June 24, I called up their customer service to report the problem. I explained the situation to them, that the machine was giving me a "wrong PIN" message even though I only use 1 PIN and it's highly unlikely that I'm going to forget it. I was told that the only way to fix it was to get a new card. At first, I thought it was a simple matter of inputting a new PIN, silly me. Anyway, I filed an application over the phone with the customer service agent. He told me it would take roughly 7 days to get a new card and 3 days to transfer the balance from the old card to the new one. So, I was resigned to the fact that it would take at the least 10 days, if you add in the weekends, to get a new card and then finally get my money.
Fast forward to after 10 days... I was even more than 10 days because I completely forget to follow up on it... So I made a call to the branch where I'm supposed to get the card from. Surprise, surprise, they still don't have it! Apparently, there was an error when the agent filed the application and it was only discovered now that I'm checking it. I have to wait for another 3 days to get the card. Frustrating!! This was between July 7-11
Between July 14-18, I called them again. Hooray ! The card was there, but can I get it tomorrow because the PIN Machine was broken? I didn't go. I was getting very, very frustrated!!
July 21, I went there to get it. Patrick took a leave from the office so that I can get it. Surprise!! I got the card!! But I couldn't encode a PIN because there was no officer on duty. Can you please go to another branch so you can PIN there? I didn't want to waste the day, so I did. Before I left, I was told to call their customer hotline as soon as I got home so that I can have the money from the old card transferred to the new one.
So, I got the PIN encoded and I can't wait to get home to get the money transferred.
I tried to call the hotline as soon as I arrived. I couldn't get through. That was 5pm. I figured they were probably receiving a lot of calls. I called at 9pm. Couldn't get through again.. grrr...
I called in the morning and got through, only to be told that they couldn't transfer the money!!!! I should have had it "re-Pinned". They only require you to get a new card for a different type of account!!! what the...????!!!!! If I wanted to transfer the money, I can have it re-pinned and then after 1 day, I can use the ATM to transfer to the new one, or I can use the old one. If I didn't want to do that, I can have the card blocked and then the funds will be transferred automatically to the new one, but it will take 3 days... oh great.. exactly a month to the day when I will receive my money!! great!!
I hope that this doesn't happen to someone else.. and I hope that they train their agents better. and I hope that you didn't get bored reading this! hahaha
Last June 24, I called up their customer service to report the problem. I explained the situation to them, that the machine was giving me a "wrong PIN" message even though I only use 1 PIN and it's highly unlikely that I'm going to forget it. I was told that the only way to fix it was to get a new card. At first, I thought it was a simple matter of inputting a new PIN, silly me. Anyway, I filed an application over the phone with the customer service agent. He told me it would take roughly 7 days to get a new card and 3 days to transfer the balance from the old card to the new one. So, I was resigned to the fact that it would take at the least 10 days, if you add in the weekends, to get a new card and then finally get my money.
Fast forward to after 10 days... I was even more than 10 days because I completely forget to follow up on it... So I made a call to the branch where I'm supposed to get the card from. Surprise, surprise, they still don't have it! Apparently, there was an error when the agent filed the application and it was only discovered now that I'm checking it. I have to wait for another 3 days to get the card. Frustrating!! This was between July 7-11
Between July 14-18, I called them again. Hooray ! The card was there, but can I get it tomorrow because the PIN Machine was broken? I didn't go. I was getting very, very frustrated!!
July 21, I went there to get it. Patrick took a leave from the office so that I can get it. Surprise!! I got the card!! But I couldn't encode a PIN because there was no officer on duty. Can you please go to another branch so you can PIN there? I didn't want to waste the day, so I did. Before I left, I was told to call their customer hotline as soon as I got home so that I can have the money from the old card transferred to the new one.
So, I got the PIN encoded and I can't wait to get home to get the money transferred.
I tried to call the hotline as soon as I arrived. I couldn't get through. That was 5pm. I figured they were probably receiving a lot of calls. I called at 9pm. Couldn't get through again.. grrr...
I called in the morning and got through, only to be told that they couldn't transfer the money!!!! I should have had it "re-Pinned". They only require you to get a new card for a different type of account!!! what the...????!!!!! If I wanted to transfer the money, I can have it re-pinned and then after 1 day, I can use the ATM to transfer to the new one, or I can use the old one. If I didn't want to do that, I can have the card blocked and then the funds will be transferred automatically to the new one, but it will take 3 days... oh great.. exactly a month to the day when I will receive my money!! great!!
I hope that this doesn't happen to someone else.. and I hope that they train their agents better. and I hope that you didn't get bored reading this! hahaha
New additions to the blog
Okay I've added something new to my blog for my dear family, friends and fellow bloggers. I've always wanted to hear what you thought about my blog, about my posts and anything that you want to say, really! But I found out that leaving comments after a post is not enough. First, I don't know if you receive or read my reply and believe me I am compelled to reply and reciprocate the time that you spent on my blog. Also, it's kinda hard to look back on all the posts to look for one comment that you remembered, that you forgot to reply to.
Well, to fix that I added a recent comments widget so that I can see the (you guessed it) the most recent comments from the posts. It's a great widget because it also shows you who left you the comment and which post he was referring to.
Also, for those who don't feel comfortable using the comment function of the blog, I've added the Cbox chatbox so let me know how it works out for you guys :)
I do love to hear from you so keep the messages coming in!
Thanks
Well, to fix that I added a recent comments widget so that I can see the (you guessed it) the most recent comments from the posts. It's a great widget because it also shows you who left you the comment and which post he was referring to.
Also, for those who don't feel comfortable using the comment function of the blog, I've added the Cbox chatbox so let me know how it works out for you guys :)
I do love to hear from you so keep the messages coming in!
Thanks
Pizza! Pizza!!
Yesterday was Patrick's payday so as a sort of treat, he had pizza delivered to the house. It's our all-time favorite, Shakey's Belly Buster Pizza!!!! It's loaded with a lot of toppings like olives, green bell peppers, pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, sausage, ham, etc. All on a crunchy, thin crust.But as you know, I have been suffering from toothache the whole day but that didn't stop me from eating the pizza hahahaha We have a joke in the Philippines where when nothing is left of the food on the table, the people eating it are probably experiencing tooth aches LOL
Well, in our case, we did polish off the whole pizza plus the Mojos (deep fried potato slices) a Shakey's specialty!! Even with my toothache!!!
That's how much I love pizza!
The pain of an aching tooth!
The pain of an aching tooth resonates throughout your whole body.. You don't want to move, you don't want to talk.. hardest part of all - you can't eat a thing!!
What's even more difficult is, as a mom, you can't afford to stay still and just sleep away your pain. You still have to move because you need to take care of the kids, you need to cook, to clean, to give them their baths.. It's really mind over matter!
It's on days like today that I wish for a babysitter or a housekeeper hahahaha
What's even more difficult is, as a mom, you can't afford to stay still and just sleep away your pain. You still have to move because you need to take care of the kids, you need to cook, to clean, to give them their baths.. It's really mind over matter!
It's on days like today that I wish for a babysitter or a housekeeper hahahaha
Easy earning for stay-at-home moms like me
All the moms out there are probably always on the lookout for supplemental income even when they're already working and most especially if they're not. Like me, even though I know that I could earn more for the family if I was working full-time, I chose to stay at home and take care of my kids. I know that young as they are, they need the kind of foundation that only a mother can give. So, there are a lot of times when we're dead broke and tempers are flaring because money is really a problem.
Well, thank God for blogging and the Internet. I just found something that I love to do (I love to write!) and be paid while doing it (that’s always a bonus!), and get this, it's the best part - I can do all that and still be home for my kids.
I recommend visiting and joining SocialSpark so you too can be part of the community of mommies that are now earning successfully. There are a lot of topics that you can relate to so it's not going to be difficult finding something to write about. And it doesn’t even take too much from your time, at the least, it’ll take you 10 minutes, just long enough to wait for the washing to get done or for the dishes to get finished cleaning! You'll also get to meet other bloggers from all walks of life which is also a great way to learn and let's face it, allows us to also drive traffic through our own site.
So to all my fellow mommies, get started blogging and earning! Believe me, it’s worth it.
Well, thank God for blogging and the Internet. I just found something that I love to do (I love to write!) and be paid while doing it (that’s always a bonus!), and get this, it's the best part - I can do all that and still be home for my kids.
I recommend visiting and joining SocialSpark so you too can be part of the community of mommies that are now earning successfully. There are a lot of topics that you can relate to so it's not going to be difficult finding something to write about. And it doesn’t even take too much from your time, at the least, it’ll take you 10 minutes, just long enough to wait for the washing to get done or for the dishes to get finished cleaning! You'll also get to meet other bloggers from all walks of life which is also a great way to learn and let's face it, allows us to also drive traffic through our own site.
So to all my fellow mommies, get started blogging and earning! Believe me, it’s worth it.
A Nasty Weekend
This weekend was a blur to me.. Man, I've been cleaning the house like crazy!! It's doubly hard because everything is manual! I cleaned the house, did the laundry, changed the curtains, fixed my plants, etc. etc. etc.. and that was just Saturday LOL by the evening, I knew I was in big trouble because every little part of me ached, even my aches have aches and that's when I realized I really am getting old LOL
And then on Sunday, I tried to figure out how to expand my blog (in terms of margins) coz to me it felt squished, like sardines in a can.. so I surfed the Net and got good tips, it's like taking a crash course in HTML hahahaha and CSS too :) so I tried to edit it and voila.. I did it!! and that makes me feel so proud ! LOL even though it may sound like a no-brainer to most of you guys out there hahahaha so as you can see, the blog has more room, it doesn't strain your eyes LOL
The clincher to the day was in the evening. Dylan fell down the stairs while playing with Dana. Patrick tried to catch him but he was too late. He cried and cried, he busted his lips and he got a bump on the head.. it's kind of nerve-wracking because this is his first major "accident" and even his sister was traumatized.. we immediately put ice on his head, although that also made him cry even harder and staunched his bleeding mouth.. this happened around 10:30pm last night and we knew we can't let him sleep yet, so we all tried to keep him occupied and entertained. we were still observing him for some untoward signs in case we need to rush him to the emergency, but so far, nothing.. at around 1am, he's still full of energy...
today, we'll still keep him under observation.. and hope for the best..
And then on Sunday, I tried to figure out how to expand my blog (in terms of margins) coz to me it felt squished, like sardines in a can.. so I surfed the Net and got good tips, it's like taking a crash course in HTML hahahaha and CSS too :) so I tried to edit it and voila.. I did it!! and that makes me feel so proud ! LOL even though it may sound like a no-brainer to most of you guys out there hahahaha so as you can see, the blog has more room, it doesn't strain your eyes LOL
The clincher to the day was in the evening. Dylan fell down the stairs while playing with Dana. Patrick tried to catch him but he was too late. He cried and cried, he busted his lips and he got a bump on the head.. it's kind of nerve-wracking because this is his first major "accident" and even his sister was traumatized.. we immediately put ice on his head, although that also made him cry even harder and staunched his bleeding mouth.. this happened around 10:30pm last night and we knew we can't let him sleep yet, so we all tried to keep him occupied and entertained. we were still observing him for some untoward signs in case we need to rush him to the emergency, but so far, nothing.. at around 1am, he's still full of energy...
today, we'll still keep him under observation.. and hope for the best..
I found something good in SocialSpark
Getting my DSL certainly opened a lot of opportunities for me. I used to just check my email and chat with my friends online but other than that, I wasn’t too keen on surfing because I was using a dial-up connection. Now, that I have DSL, I have found a lot of websites that are not only interesting but can help you monetize your blog as well. One of those websites is SocialSpark.
What is Socialspark? SocialSpark is an online community of bloggers that write about what they love and get paid for doing it. Isn’t that a great opportunity? At the same time, you also make new friends who help drive traffic through your site.
How does it work? It’s pretty simple, really. The website is very distinct and organized. All that you need to know is just a click away, from adding friends, taking opportunities (the topics that you need to write about) and even contacting their support team, “Customer Love”. The first thing that you need to do is submit your blog for evaluation and when you get approved (they respond pretty quickly!) you’re now eligible to browse through the available opportunities and take what you feel is right for you. You follow the requirements for the post, like number of words, links that need to be within the post and then you submit it for verification. It’s really a no-brainer, the requirements are pretty clear and you can even filter the opportunities that you’re qualified for so you don’t waste time writing about it and then later on finding out that you’re not eligible for it. So, that in itself makes a huge difference.
Here's what they offer:
-100% Audit-able In-Post Disclosure
-100% Transparency
-100% Real Opinions
-100% Search Engine Friendly
After your post is approved, you’ll see that your payment is reflected in your blogger account.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? I’m enjoying my time so far! Thank you SocialSpark!!
I got an article published!!
You guys know I've been writing articles for the Net for the past few years (has it been that long???) but most of it I don't get credit for as they're used for website content. Call it ghost-writing if you will..
Well last April, I was asked to write for a cancer magazine called "The Big C". Well, the article is out and published, both as a teaser on their website at www.thebigcmagazine.com, here's the link, with the complete version in the actual magazine which you'll have to buy at your favorite newsstands! :)
I guess this makes me a legit writer now, huh? hahahhaa
I was just glad I was able to do this because I learned a lot about cancer. The article is entitled, "Finding the right words to say to the cancer patient" and I felt honored to have been able to interview some cancer survivors for this piece.
Lan, I'll send you a copy! hahaha
Well last April, I was asked to write for a cancer magazine called "The Big C". Well, the article is out and published, both as a teaser on their website at www.thebigcmagazine.com, here's the link, with the complete version in the actual magazine which you'll have to buy at your favorite newsstands! :)
I guess this makes me a legit writer now, huh? hahahhaa
I was just glad I was able to do this because I learned a lot about cancer. The article is entitled, "Finding the right words to say to the cancer patient" and I felt honored to have been able to interview some cancer survivors for this piece.
Lan, I'll send you a copy! hahaha
Out of the house at last!
Yesterday, Saturday, we were finally able to get out of the house for a trip to the mall.. It's been while since we went out for fun because we've been out of funds hahahaha and going to the mall is not part of the budget LOL
Well, the kids and I were so excited even though we're just going window shopping but at least it gets us out of the house hehehehe
So we went to SM Mall of Asia!! We had lunch at a Japanese restaurant.. we hadn't eatern there before so that was an adventure.. but they cooked the food real well!! Yummy! Oishi!!! and the California Maki was so fresh!! we loved it!!
We also bought a mouse for the PC and hope that this one lasts.. the last one we bought, it didn't even last a week! and to think it was a bit expensive and branded
We also went to the Promenade along the Manila Bay...there was a small playground for kids and a water fountain and that's where the fireworks show happens every Friday and Saturday.. It was a blast!
We also did some grocery shopping and went home at around 8:30PM haha boy, were we all tired out.. my feet were aching from all that walking.. hahahah I'm getting old!!!
My blog finally got approved for Payperpost!
Okay finally I'm now a member of the Payperpost club ! woohoo I'm so excited!! I heard about this website from my sister-in-law when she told me that she was able to pay for their son's birthday party from her earnings through the Payperpost opportunities. At first I was skeptical, naturally, because there were so many scams on getting paid on the Internet.
And then while searching for a new template, I chanced about the review of Payperpost at the www.eblogtemplates.com website. And they said that Payperpost is one of the best and trustworthy ways to make money on the Internet. Now, that made me think!
I didn't really know that my blog could generate some income for me considering that I started it as a way of continuing my conversations with my Mom who recently died in a pedestrian accident in the United States.
So I really considered all my options and finally signed up! After all, I do love to write and if that is what it takes to get paid then why not right? As of now, I’m still a newbie but I’m already excited about all the possibilities that my joining Payperpost family will give me.
Enjoy and Good Luck!!
And then while searching for a new template, I chanced about the review of Payperpost at the www.eblogtemplates.com website. And they said that Payperpost is one of the best and trustworthy ways to make money on the Internet. Now, that made me think!
I didn't really know that my blog could generate some income for me considering that I started it as a way of continuing my conversations with my Mom who recently died in a pedestrian accident in the United States.
So I really considered all my options and finally signed up! After all, I do love to write and if that is what it takes to get paid then why not right? As of now, I’m still a newbie but I’m already excited about all the possibilities that my joining Payperpost family will give me.
Enjoy and Good Luck!!
All things Japanese!
ok.. ok.. I admit I'm a fan of Japanese anime, especially Naruto!! I just love that guy.. he's so cute hahahaha oh and I love Jiraiya too.. what's good is that I also am beginning to learn how to speak in Japanese!! even my 4-year old girl is saying "Itadakimasu" before we eat hahaha
well, I also was able to watch a Japanese manga (their version of comics) turned live action. It's called Nodame Cantabile and I enjoyed it a lot!! It's kind of a sweet romantic comedy love story about a girl student-pianist and a boy student-conductor .. and how they find themselves and each other through their journey in life.
It makes you appreciate classical musical too :)
It's one of my newest favorites after Hana Yori Dango 1 and Hana Yori Dango 2 :)
A Face Change
Well, I've done it again.. I've changed my blog layout and background.. Honestly, I didn't want to change the previous one but it was getting so hard to add widgets and other page elements by hand... After much searching, I've found this present layout at www.eblogtemplates.com to be more suited to my tastes. As you can see, it's perfect for those with Google Adsense (which I admit I've subscribed to so feel free to click those ads! hehe)
I've enjoyed working on it so much, tweaking it and adding a lot more stuff.. Who said an old dog can't learn new tricks hahahaha
I've enjoyed working on it so much, tweaking it and adding a lot more stuff.. Who said an old dog can't learn new tricks hahahaha
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