Planner from Dunkin Donuts.

Look at this planner:

Lego inspired planner from Dunkin Donuts.

At last, may planner na rin ako. :) My SB planner ay napunta kay husband. 

Ang cute, 'no? Parang laruan lang. Hehe.
Tenchu Mark for this planner. :)

Si Mark po ay isang kaibigan at kasamahan sa trabaho. Today is his last day here on... here in Pinas lang naman. :) To Morroco ang lolo mo. Kaya nagpaulan sya ng Donuts dito sa office. Hehe.

My Mom's Laing.

I saw this picture in my folder, I guess I have to share it.

Again, please excuse the blurry picture.

My mom's specialty

My mom doesn't cook before. I grew up with a helper who cooks so well. Kaya hindi na nag effort si Mama before na mag-aral magluto. So, when I became independent and lived away from her, she opted to live alone na lang without any kasambahay. That's the only time she started learning how to cook. Ang alam ko, master sya ng prito at sinabawan. Pero yung mga may sarsa, hindi nya pa masyadong niluluto. Maliban of course sa mga ginataan. Yes, I am a Bicolana. Kaya 'yang Laing ang specialty nya. Looks yummy? Masarap talaga 'yan. Promise. :)

I'll share her recipe here someday.

My Priceless Possessions.

I remember I haven't shared yet my priceless possessions. Pardon the blurry pictures, wala pa akong magandang camera. Kawawa naman ako. Though my husband and I own 5 point-and-shoot cameras, (Swear! Gamit naman kasi namin sa business kaya ganun karami) I seldom use them. Tamad kasi akong magdala ng kung anu ano. So please bear with my pictures or with my full-text posts. Promise, someday I'll get myself a DSLR. (wish wish wish).

Tantadadan....

Me and Li'l Me. This was taken in Tagaytay during the
Holy Week  last year. I was still pregnant with our second baby.

Meet my handsome husband with our second Princess. This was
taken last December 30, 2012.

There you go. They are my priceless gems and I will surely treasure them for the rest of my life. :) Aren't they lovely?

I will share more pictures of my family once I get to own a nice camera.

Kalowka. Commuter's Dilemma.

AMALEYT! (To the tune of AMALAYER)

You see, I live in Cavite. Ulit. I live in Bacoor, Cavite. Mas malapit na syang imaginin. Lol.

And my work is in Ortigas. And I am a dakilang commuter. To make the situation worse, yung mga van na bumibyahe samin, lahat COLORUM. Ooopppsss! To all the drivers or operators, pasensya na po, walang personalan. Kaya lang, kawawa naman talaga kaming mga commuter kasi kami ang higit na naaapektuhan sa hindi nyo pagkuha ng prangkisa. The result, late kami lagi kasi lagi kayong umiiwas dun sa mga lugar na may mga nanghuhuli. Minsan tuloy naiisip ko, we also play a major role here. Kasi tinatangkilik naman namin sila kahit alam naming illegal sila. Pero wala naman kasi kaming choice. Or meron? Hay naku, ewan ko ba. Kumuha na lang kasi sana sila ng prangkisa.

Good vibes, asan ka?

Straight From my Heart.

Sa sobrang dami kong naiisip na i-blog and i-share, wala akong masimulan. Hehe. I don't know where to start. Waaahhhhh!!! 

Mahirap rin pala talaga to put into writing yung mga thoughts mo. Kahit sobrang madaldal kang tao, pag isusulat mo na, mahirap pala. Hindi kasi ako nagsasave sa draft folder. I want it straight from my mind to yours para mas may feelings. (Ayan tuloy, wala akong masimulan.)

Wish me luck guys! Sana I'll be able to put into writings na everything I have in mind.

Promise. I'll write soon with more sense na.

To My Angela, From your Praning Mom.

Natural ata talaga sa mga nanay ang maging OA sa kapraningan. I am an avid reader of Mommy Fleur and so I can always relate sa mga kapraningan moments nya. I have my own long list of how I get OA protecting my kids. Hehe.

Last year, hindi maubos ubos yung balita sa TV tungkol sa mga batang nakikidnap. To make it worse, sa loob pa mismo ng mga hospitals kung saan dapat eh secure tayo, dun pa may mga nangyayaring nakawan ng bata. Or even sa mall na dapat happy place yun for kids. Pati na rin sa tapat mismo ng bahay mo, hindi mo na mararamdaman na safe ang mga anak mo. So I want to write this letter to my Angela.

Dear Anak,

Wag mong kakalimutan yung bilin ni Mommy sayo sa tuwing nasa labas ka. Di ba naikwento na sayo ni Mommy yung tungkol dun sa mga bad guys? Wag mong kakalimutan na kagatin sila sa kamay at sumigaw ka ng malakas pag may bad guy na kumuha sayo. Tatakbo ka palayo sa kanila habang sumisigaw anak. Lagi mong tatandaan na kami lang nina Daddy, Mommy La, Papa Art, Tita Shaly at yaya mo ang madalas mong kasama sa labas, kaya wag kang sasama kahit kanino na magpapakilala na kilala ni Mommy at ni Daddy, ok? At sana wag kang magagalit o magtatampo kung minsan hindi kita pinapayagan pumunta ng park kasi natatakot lang si Mommy na baka andun yung mga bad guys. Ayaw ko kasing may masamang mangyari sayo kasi alam mo naman na love na love ka namin di ba? At anak, lagi mo rin babantayan si Baby Girl para hindi rin sya makuha nung mga bad guys. Love na love na love ko kayong dalawa, as in super super love.

Love,

(Ang praning mong) Mommy

I now have my first ever follower! :)

After posting a while ago that I am sad today, hindi na pala. Agad agad yun. Hehe.

20 days into blogging and I now have a constant reader.
Thanks KimchiiMommy for the trust. Hopefully hindi ka ma-bore sa mga stories ko.

To answer your post yesterday "Who else to follow?", I'll list down my personal favorites:

1. My Mom-Friday: She's the reason why I started blogging again. She inspires me a lot. I accidentally found her site while searching for the recipe of Blueberry Cheesecake. I found her recipe simple to follow, plus, no-bake pa sya. So easy talaga.

2. Mommy Fleur: I always start my day with reading her blog. And once you start, you just can't stop. You'll love how she would re-tell her everyday accomplishments, stories, shopping grabs, funny moments and even her sad thoughts. Nakakatuwa yung transparency nya that you'll feel attach to her kahit you don't know her in person.

3. Market Manila: This is a food blog. I have to warn you though, please don't read this blog in an empty stomach. Hehe. Maglalaway ka sa mga pictures ng mga featured foods/recipes nya. Magugutom ka lalo.

4. A Reality Bite: You'll get inspired with her stories as a multi-tasking mom. Makaka-relate ka talaga.

5. Life as a CEO: You'll love her simplicity and her easy-going attitude. And you'll adore her wonderful kid.

So, that's it for now. I still have a long list to share.
Happy reading!

Sad. :(

This headache is killing me!

And it's affecting my mood na. Unlike. :(

Nakakainis pa kasi pakiramdam ko walang nagmamahal sakin. Sinabi ko naman sa bahay na masakit ulo ko pero wala man lang nagpainom ng gamot sakin. :(

Bakit ganun? O masyado lang din akong sensitive kasi nga masakit ulo ko. Pati tuloy asawa ko nasungitan ko. Lahat actually sa bahay nasungitan ko. I overheard them (cousins and yayas talking with each other) last night, nag assume na lang din sila na siguro daw pagod ako sa trabaho. Kasi ako yung taong pag pumasok ako sa gate, alam na nilang ako yun kasi maingay na ako. Pero wala silang narinig sakin kagabi. Kasi ako rin yung tipo ng tao na tahimik pag masama loob ko or kung may nararamdaman ako.

Sorry Bhe if I'm masungit last night until this morning. I'm really really not feeling well tapos pakiramdam ko talaga walang nag aalaga sakin. Self-pity ba ito? Hindi naman siguro. Baka KSP lang ako ngayon. :(

Sana ma get-over ko na 'tong feeling na 'to. Good vibes, please! 

Story-Telling Time.

Let's start with this:

I am a 29-yr old Engineer. I married a guy the same age as me with the same title pero iba yung field. I had my first baby at 25. Our first car at 27. Our first house at 29. Ngayon ko lang na-realize that I should be really proud of our achievements as a couple. Di ba? :)
I was able to see the Petronas Towers in KL at 27, went up the Marina Bay Sands at 28. Stayed (almost lived) in Palawan for 3 months. I super enjoyed the perks of my profession. Hehe.

I stopped working during my pregnancy for my two kids. Because (1) I was not comfortable waking up early and sitting for hours; and (2) as per my OB's advise (I had maselan pagbubuntis kasi). My second pregnancy wasn't easy like my first. But the pains and aches were all worth it. Right, mommies? :)

3 months after giving birth to my second daughter, I went back to work. And I would agree to a lot of moms that its heart-breaking to leave your most precious possessions to someone else's care. Pero kung gusto nating mabigyan ng bonggang bonggang future ang mga babies natin, kailangan talagang magtiis. :(

Anyways, after 3 months with my previous employer, I got a better job offer and took the chance without having second thoughts. Sana lang I made the right decision. Hehe.

When I started re-doing my BLOG, I am now part of this new company. And this is the reason why I have time to read and follow and get inspired and write and save and post blogs. For the simplest reason that, WALA PA KAMING GINAGAWA NGAYON DITO SA OFFICE. Which led me to wonder why would this company mass hired when we don't have anything to do yet? Imagine, they are paying more or less 20 people for coming here in office and consume all the bandwidth in internet browsing. Personal assumption ko lang yung number of people. Pwedeng mas madami pa kaming ganito lang ang ginagawa. :)

I forgot my BB at home!!!

I left my phone at home and I feel incomplete. Do you feel the same way whenever you forgot something at home? 

Community Acquired Pneumonia.

(Warning: A long read)

I was planning to go somewhere last weekend kasi feeling ko marami na akong utang sa mga bagets. Angela’s been pestering me for a week already about going to the mall, so I promised her that we’ll be spending the whole Saturday playing and shopping. But came the unexpected. Since the time we came home from La Union, my youngest has been suffering na from colds. I really don’t want to give meds to them as much as possible. So I opted “water therapy” na lang muna. Until Saturday afternoon, when my daughter’s temperature was shooting high (39C-40C), that I started panicking. Dinala ko talaga sya sa ER the following day. ‘Twas a Sunday kaya walang clinic yung Pedia nya. Imagine my dismay when the doctor told me that they have to admit my daughter kasi the diagnosis is Pneumonia. I was trying so hard to talk in a calm voice and act as professional as I can be. Inquiries like; “Doc, IT IS curable, right?”, “We will be released as early as tomorrow, diba?”, “There’s nothing to worry po, ano Doc?” were screaming out of me. And yes, I should stop acting praning kasi everything will be OK. That’s how positive my husband is. To make my weekend ordeal short, instead of mall shopping, we end up in hospital bed. A total of 3 sleepless nights but I still feel good today knowing that my baby is almost back in shape. Mommies, let’s be vigilant to our kids’ health. A cough and a cold might sound simple and usual to us but this might be a symptom already of Pneumonia. Another learning pala during our hospital stay, dapat pala conscious tayong mga mommies sa Respiratory Rate ng ating mga anak especially kung infant-toddler sila. Pag 60 cpm or more yung number of hinga nila (inhale-exhale count), wag natin bibigyan ng milk or food kasi pwede silang ma-choke. Being the praning mom, I always count my kids breathing now before feeding them. Mas maganda nang maagap kesa mamroblema na naman ako sa huli.

I would also like to thank all the nurses of Medical Center of Imus who assisted us in any way they can. Lalo na sa mga ER nurses who soothed my baby non-stop nung nilalagyan sya ng dextrose (twice!). And to her Pedia: Dra. Muriel Mucas, Thank you! :)

Cold Weather.

I've been sneezing non-stop since yesterday because of this cold weather..my two kids are still recovering from colds. Pero ok na ngang ako na lang ang magkasakit kesa dun sa dalawang bagets.

Anyway, I am still thankful for the cold weather kasi hindi mahirap lumabas ng office for lunch. Hindi masyadong maramdaman si Haring Araw. At mas nakakatipid sa electric bill kasi hindi na kailangan mag aircon sa gabi. Hehe. The only disadvantage I think is the high probability of catching a flu, a simple cough or colds. So, let's be proactive to avoid being sick nowadays. Eat fresh fruits. Drink a lot of water. And try to have 8 hours of sleep. And smile more.

With a cold wind outside plus a colder wind from our office a/c unit, it's freezing cold here at my desk..uhh ohhh, I don't want to catch a flu on weekends. Not good. :(

Coffee and Tea.

I love sipping a cup of steaming hot coffee. I like the bittersweet taste of it. Hindi naman ako maarte so ok na sakin ang 3-in-1 coffee ng Nescafe. Pero pag nagkakaron naman ako ng chance to go to Starbucks, I would always grab a cup of Caramel Macchiato. I love it hot or iced. A friend of mine asked me to try it upside-down with extra shots of caramel, I haven't tried it though. But surely I will. But after my work-cation in Malaysia and Singapore, I can't have enough of milk tea. That's when I discover Serenitea. The first milk tea I tried here in Pinas. Marami na rin kasing Milk Tea stores dito satin. So far, ok naman silang lahat.

And as I write, I am having a cup of Twinings English Breakfast Tea. Feeling Anastasia Steele lang. Hehe.

Charlie's!

Ever heard of Chalie's Grind and Grill? I was able to grab a bite at their Kapitolyo branch and it was a full-filling moment. They serve Wagyu and Black Angus Burgers in different combinations. You can get the basic burgers for 210php. I had Bacon Black Angus Burger for 235php. Plus, fresh fries ala carte for 95php (quite expensive noh?) and iced tea. Too bad I wasn't able to take photos of the burgers and fries. It was really delicious and it is worth the price.

I will surely get back for more. Sabi nila mas masarap daw yung Wagyu beef. So, I have to come back for that..and for the pictures, too. 

My First-Born.

At age 4, I can say that A is pretty smart. Oh, I am a proud mom. Hehe. But seriously, she is. We were having this little chit-chat the other week:

A: Ma, bakit kelangan mong mag work?

Me: Kasi Baby, pag hindi nag work si Mommy, hindi ako makakabili ng mga pasalubong mo.

A: Ahh..

A: (A to her little sister) Kaya Baby, wag ka malulungkot pag umaalis si Mommy kasi uuwi rin naman sya pag gabi na saka may pasalubong pa.

Me: :)

It’s funny to hear li’l kids speak like adults. They are nothing but adoring. J The other day, this was our conversation like:

A: Ma, love mo ‘ko?

Me: Yes, anak. I love you.

A: Super love?

Me: Oo naman, super love.

A: As in super super love?

Me: Yes, baby.

A: Thank you, Ma! I love you, too.

See...that was sweet..and smart.

She was like 2 years old at this picture. Oh, I forgot the exact date.

                        

                                         

The First of So-Many Firsts.

first blog. actually, not really my first. many times i was inspired by bloggers. many times din that i've tried making senseful blogs or stories. pero i just seem to drift off and just lose the inspiration. and now, im starting again.

simpleng tao lang ako. na may mga simpleng pangarap sa buhay. isang simpleng mamamayan ng ating bansa na nangangarap mabigyan ng magandang kinabukasan ang kanyang anak. having said so, i am now an OFW. kinailangan kong umalis kasi walang trabaho para sakin ngayon sating bansa. ironic isnt it? bakit sa ibang bansa may trabaho para sakin? bakit sa sarili kong bansa, wala?

may isa akong kaibigan dati na pumunta ng dubai para din makipagsapalaran. inhinyero din sya. after 3 months, sabi nya samin, hindi na nya kaya yung lungkot. kami namang mga kaibigan nya, patuloy pa rin sa pagbigay ng moral support and advices. telling her not to come home yet. telling her to be strong. and telling her that homesickness is normal and it will go off sooner than she thinks. kala ko ganun lang kadali yun. mahirap pala talaga pag nasa malayo ka. mahirap pag malayo ka sa mga taong mahal mo.

sabi ko sa sarili ko when i first set foot on this foreign land, kaya ko to. sanay naman akong mag isa. magaling naman ako sa pakikisama. ilang buwan lang naman to. panis to sakin. pero habang lumilipas ang araw....dun ko nararamdaman na pucha, mahirap pala.

ilang araw na lang din makakauwi ako sa pinas para makapag bakasyon. sabi ko sa boss ko, kahit 2 weeks lang. hindi daw pwede. alam ko daw kung anong sitwasyon meron ang kumpanya ngayon. 1 week lang daw. cge, ok na yun kesa walang bakasyon. pero pag umuwi ako satin, alam kong pag iisipan ko na ang pagbalik dito.

gusto kong hiramin yung linya ng kaibigan ko. sabi nya, "i was born a fighter. not a quitter." ako din naman eh. i know i am a fighter. i never quit on anything. bahala na.

kaya ko to.

Above is my nth attempt to start a blog. And I just found myself earlier, inspired and all, deleting my previous ones and starting all over again. Sabi nga nila, try and try lang. Who knows, maybe now I am more motivated than ever. 

Last week at work (I hope my boss won't be able to come across this), I was reading (and started following) different blogs by different moms. So that speaks for my new blog title. I couldn't think of anything else more suitable for me than this. 

I am a proud mom of two wonderful girls. A, who turned 4 last December is already on her Pre-School. And R is only 7 months old. My husband is a very private person so I opt to exclude him in all my blogs (maybe there would be exceptions someday). 

I found myself laughing after reading the blog above. By the way, I wrote it while I was in Malaysia last 2011. So, that was only 2 years ago. Pero parang it seems old to me na. I decided to work abroad and grabbed that opportunity even if it pays less than what I should get, because of kawalan ng opportunity dito satin. I lasted 4 months in Malaysia and 2 months in Singapore. I felt pressured and a little desperate that time because all of my friends are employed and I was jobless. And I have A to feed. To make the story short, after 6 months of being away from everybody, I am back in Pinas. And that was when my second angel was conceived. :)

I am currently employed and married and happy. Now, I have more inspirations to continue writing (frustrated writer kasi ako) and to continue this online journal of mine.

Before I end this post, I would like to thank all my new inspirations (MOM Bloggers). Thank you for inspiring me all over again.