Womanhood and Everything in Between

Like last year, we held Angela's birthday party at school. Few months back, I already told her teacher that we will be shouldering their Christmas party's foods and loot bags. But due to my busy schedule I forgot to follow up on her about the party and was surprised when they collected money na for the foods and everything else. Nahiya tuloy ako kay teacher. Good thing I already ordered cupcakes and cake from Cat of Tazzy Cakes. Forgive me kasi I don't have a decent photo of the cupcakes and cake. I was help-less started that day. That's the rainbow cupcakes while still in the box. Here's the birthday girl with her Barbie-themed cake. Sobrang mabilisan lang lahat kaya hindi ko na naayos yung cake. I wasn't able to taste the cupcake but mom said it was delish. Felow mommies and Angela's teacher asked me where I bought the cake. It was lovely daw. I told them hindi lang mukhang masarap yung cake but talagang masarap sya. Of course, I tol...

I know I broke my promise of blogging often now that I can easily do it with the mobile app. You see, I am very busy with the house chores because guess what, my two maids left us again. The younger one went home to the province and she's never coming back. Her reason: she'll be attending her cousin's wedding in January and needs time to prepare. The other one said she's staying but I don't know if it's true. She went home for Christmas and promised to come back yesterday. Until now, no text messages and no calls. I don't think she'll be returning any soon. And besides, I had a very bad experience with her last week so I'm not sure if she's worth keeping. I guess I have to let her go, too. :( Ok. I'll stop there. I don't want to be sad.  So how did you spend Christmas? Did you have fun? Well, I spent the Christmas with the whole family. My mom came 3 days before Angela's 5th birthday. And my in-laws arrived on the 24th. It was a happy...

...is very very challenging! I seriously have no idea how mommies having 3 kids and more manage to keep their sanity intact. I now have a higher regard to all stay-at-home-moms. I have read a few blogs and articles comparing or if not, questioning how being a jobless mother complains of exhaustion after a day. Thinking it is easy peasy to stay at home and manage a household AND look after the kids. Oh yeah, sounds really fun. But you have no idea how tough it is! Oh, I have equal respect for working mothers. Although most of us have someone to look after the kids those time that we are at work, it doesn't make us less of a mother. The responsibilities and issues are all the same. Nothing less. I have mixed emotions now that I have two kids. I am (most of the time) elated by their innocence. Their warm embraces immediately erase my worries. Their wet kisses here and there warm my aching body. Their laughter sets my mood. And the list goes on and on.... But along th...

From my family to yours, a Blessed Christmas everyone! :)

I am totally useless today. Normally, Sundays are spent cleaning the bedroom and the closet. But today, I spent the whole day lying in bed. I actually started feeling a little off while we were on the mall yesterday, but since I didn't want to dampen everybody else's mood, I tried to manage the headache. I also noticed small red rashes on most part of my body since Friday. Luckily, it didn't worsen.  Today is different though. I woke up feeling normal despite the throbbing head. Until we came back from the church, my left eye suddenly became blurred. I can't explain how it happened. The next thing I know, I can't read a single word because everything seems to be floating and moving. Initially, I felt scared and paranoid. But after googling it, I somehow felt relieved. This could be just the migraine or the astigmatism I've long been suffering. Well, that's what I wanted to believe. I don't want to be so negative about this headache and blurry vision, jus...

We just got home from the mall and the kids are now asleep beside me. Two things, I can blog and I can sleep early tonight. Yehey! Since the trip to the mall was really unplanned, super duper napagod ako. If I have known na magmamall kami, sinama ko sana yung yaya ng mga bagets. I know you, mommies, will agree with me. Ibang level ng kapaguran ang pagmamall with kiddos in tow. Di ba? I was whining to hubby after 4 hours of carrying and running after my two kids. As in nakasimangot na ako sa pagod. Buti na lang hindi ako pinatulan ng lolo mo. Hihi. While we were there, we also got the chance to see Hello Kitty. She has a meet and greet scheduled today, lucky us! The kids were so happy to see Hello Kitty! Pati ako tuwang tuwa! Hehe.  Maliban kay Hello Kitty, did you know that there's a Christmas Sale in SM MOA? I guess most of the malls are. Pero nagulat lang ako kanina kasi yung sale ng SM MOA eh nasa SMX Convention Center. Bongga di ba? No, we didn't go there. I know, sayang. D...

Below is taken from the book of  Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover . So write. Fail. Get your thoughts down. Let it rest. Let it marinate. Then edit. But don't edit as you type, that just slows the brain down. Find a daily practice, for me it's blogging every day. And it's fun. The more you write, the easier it gets.  The more it is a flow , the less a worry. It's not for school, it's not for a grade, it's just to get your thoughts out there. You know they want to come out. So keep at it. Make it a practice. And write poorly, write awfully, write with abandon and it may end up being really really good. Now I don't have to be afraid to write everything down. Just like what it said, it may end up being really really good. =) Keep writing folks!

We've seen enough of Anderson Cooper for the last few weeks when he was sent to Tacloban City to cover the distraught caused by Typhoon Yolanda. We've known him to be the guy who wears a grey t-shirt and who appears to be really really serious. And apparently, he's the one who threw our very own Korina Sanchez off the track. And so, I was happy to see this video (when a cousin of mine posted this on her FB wall) and discover the other side of Anderson Cooper. Go watch. Isn't he adorable? =)

...continuation Despite the hearty dinner the night before, we woke up ready to face the buffet breakfast that awaits us at Acaci. We are a family of early riser, so catching up the breakfast spread isn't a problem to us. The Little Girl waiting for her brekky I mentioned in the first  installment of this staycation that my family lives a simple life. While we have eaten in hotels, formal gatherings and classy restaurants, we still find it a little awkward and we're actually too shy to put foods on our plate. Ang corny namin no? Lol! munching on her bread look at the Little Girl's face..funny! Happy Tummy = Happy Baby But somehow we were able to fill our plates with various foods that morning. As expected, R's plate was full of Filipino cuisine. He's a big eater so he filled his plate with heavy dishes. While the kids wolfed down their usual brekky of fried rice, eggs, tocino, sausages, corned beef and orange juice, I went continental. Hehe! ...

Right after my love-hate letter to my husband, I received a text from him: Daddy: I love you mommy... sorry Ayun naman pala! I replied right away that he's forgiven and I love him too. =) Image Source See guys? Don't allow your pride to take over your relationship with your wife. It will only make things worse. I'm one happy wife! Yehey!

Dear Husband, When things aren't well between us and if you are fully aware that it's mainly your fault (I'm being one-sided here, it's my blog anyway, so go ahead, write your own blog, bwahahaha), though your kisses are well appreciated, saying "SORRY" is another thing. Image Source Despite the kisses we shared this morning, I'm still giving you a silent war. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging your mistake, it won't make you less of a man. Until then husband. I never loved you less. Your Wife

I know I made myself a promise to take blogging (a little) seriously. Because honestly, since I started this humble blog of mine, anxiety attacks became less. Woohoo! Writing indeed helps. I still haven't shared the last installment on our Acacia Hotel staycation but I promise to finish it soon. I am the laziest person on earth when it comes to transferring photos from cam to pc. Shame on me! Lol! Moving on, it's good to hear that the distribution of relief goods has sped up for our kababayans in Visayas. Seriously, I had several sleepless nights hoping and praying that they soon find light and comfort. I just couldn't ignore my emotions that the hubby banned news at home. Hehe. Anyways, I'm done with the negative thoughts. As the Philippines stood firm amidst the chaos caused by the typhoon, here's a positive thought to get us by: Image Source Happy Monday folks! Let's keep the faith! =)

Dear God, Our country has not been spared from all kinds of turmoil; war, fire, flood and earthquake. We've lost quite a number of our countrymen and a lot have been badly hurt. Homes, schools, buildings and churches were also not spared from all these. For that, we humbly ask you Almighty Father to look after those affected by these calamities and we pray for their healing and fast recovery. Father, may they find comfort in your words and see light through the compassion of others. May they learn to let go of the pain and embrace the promise of a brighter tomorrow. Bless them Lord God with more wisdom and strength so they may obtain the answers to their questions. Shower them with love so they can see reasons beyond the agony. And let them find light in the darkness of night. Heavenly God, may you give your guidance to those in Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Nueva Ecija, Zambales and Zamboanga, that they may be able to stand firm as they go on with their lives. May they hold-strong ...

I did the right decision on booking our very first family staycation at Acacia Hotel. I chose to use the coupon I bought from Deal Grocer (one of the group buying sites that are so IN right now) 2 days before my birthday. There couldn't be a better timing than this. My small family is not used to grandiose living. ( Kaya talagang pinag ipunan ko 'tong bakasyon na 'to. And it's all worth it!) That's why we were really amazed with everything that this hotel has to offer. From the concierge, to their majestic receiving area, down to the smallest details in our room. Everything is PERFECT! The kids feeling at home They just can't sit down Meeting new friends The Little Girl exploring The Lobby The two kids loved the bed. I could simply tell from their smiles. How I wish I could take this home!   We walked and walked around the room. I simply couldn't believe my eyes that we're actually staying here for a night. I may ...

October 2, 2013 ...letting go of the clutch pedal, it is. =) For the last 2 days of my driving lesson, the clutch pedal has been my worst enemy. I had a hard time mixing it up with the gas pedal. It is always either I release it too quickly causing the engine to die on me or holding it down too much that the car wouldn't move an inch. Plus, I was very scared to hit the gas pedal thinking that I might hit someone if I do. I know, I know, I am too naive. Don't get me wrong mga mare kasi I know I mentioned in my previous posts that I did great. I said that because I was able to survive 2 hours on the road without hitting someone or someone else's car. And to think that I survived EDSA and C5 is really a big deal for me. On my last day with Smart Driving School, Clifford was the assigned instructor for me. He was the exact opposite of the two previous instructors that I had, Aris and Lito. He was witty. I knew that the moment I took the driver's seat. Kaya I can rea...

Life has never been this better. Thank you Almighty God for all the blessings! =)

October 1, 2013 Image Source As I've mentioned in my previous post , the instructor find my footwork awful. So to prevent more catastrophic event on the engine, I did my homework. Although I didn't practice on our car, I practiced on the floor with my imaginary pedals. If you could only see me, I'm sure you'll have a good laugh. Lol! Lito was my instructor that day. He was as serious as Aris. Ok, not as serious. He can manage a little smile from time to time. I guess I just made them nervous with my driving. Lol! =) A little snippet from our conversation: Lito: Ma'am, ilang taon ka na ba? Me: 30 na po, Sir. Lito: (Looking bizarre) Talaga? Mas matanda pala ako sayo. 33 na kasi ako. Matured kasi mukha mo, Ma'am. Toinks! At mukhang seryoso sya sa sinabi nya, hindi nya kasi binawi. Loko yun ha?! =) We went to the same area like the first day. And I was more comfortable with my driving moves than before. With lesser unexpected stall from the engine...

September 30, 2013 I came giddy and a little nervous to St. Francis Square last Monday for my first day of driving lesson. I didn't know what to expect kasi . My mind was filled with questions like: "What would my instructor look like?", "Will I whack someone else's ass while he/she cross the street or hit a car along the way?", "Can I do it? Really really do it without my husband with me?" The ever beautiful Shane, the receptionist, introduced me to my instructor that day, Aris. I was happy to see that the car assigned to me that day is the same car that we owned. Confidence improved my mood and nervousness left my system right away. Until it was my turn to drive, it came back even stronger. Haha! Ang yabang ko pa naman to tell the instructor that I know the basics of driving when I can't even make the car move an inch. Nakaka-pressure naman kasi ang lolo mo! Although he didn't shout at me, I can feel his disappointment everytime the e...

..just a little bit more, I'll be hitting the big 3-0! Oh, yeah! One more year, wala na ako sa kalendaryo (pero nasa lotto pa rin naman, lol) . I thought of 30 before as the age where wrinkles start (this could be true to others though), grey hair multiplies fast (Oh, that's me. Well, mine is hereditary.) and skin starts to age (as in kulubot levelz). OA lang pala ako. Because I didn't feel old at all. Yes, I have matured. Time made me wiser. 29 years of life's different episodes made me tougher. Trials gave me learnings. Memories, happy or not, made my life colorful and meaningful. But I am definitely not old. I am happy with what my 29 years have turned out. It wasn't perfect. Way beyond perfect, I must say. I was traversing the wrong road when I was younger. I fell hard. I made silly mistakes. I was almost at the brink of losing everything. But with prayers and proper guidance, I gained my sanity back, thanks to my ever supportive mother and relatives. No...

The hubby never takes risk with his palate. Play safe yan lagi when choosing what to eat. Just like most of the men out there, he prefers homemade foods. Very typical lang talaga. Until he discovers his love for sushi and maki. Paminsan minsan kasi, he has no choice but to try other cuisine lalo na when I crave for them. "SUMOSAM is the leading chain of Japanese restaurants in the country, founded and managed by 3 friends and top restaurateurs Raymund Magdaluyo, Ricky Laudico and Marvin Agustin." -  from their FB page We've been a regular in SumoSam because we love their sushi and crunchy makis. Kaya when we spotted Red Kimono in The District Mall in Aguinaldo Highway, we just have to give it a try. According to their page: "What sets us apart from our competitors is our modern and unconventional approach to Japanese cooking while remaining loyal to traditional elements of the cuisine. Ingredients are tweaked in order to create innovative dishes that taste a...