My Birthday Dinner

Because the husband and I wanted to spend my birthday with the little girl, the husband belatedly decided to cook dinner. He called me at work and asked how to cook fish.

When I got home, the husband had bought my all time favorite - chilean sea bass. He seasoned the fish using my recipe and added fresh dill from the garden.



For dessert, we had gelato cakes - After Eight for me and Tiramisu for the husband


It was a simple celebration, just the way I wanted it.

On Organizing and Staying Organized

I’m always battling with clutter at home. It’s a never ending and vicious cycle. One day my home is spick and span, and the next day, it’s chaos!

While I was at National Bookstore yesterday, I nearly bought a book on organizing tips. But seriously, I’ve read so many articles on keeping my home clutter free. Do I really need another book which will eventually end up as clutter at home? Or as stuff to be sold at a garage sale?

So anyway, here’s what I came up with. Organizing and staying organized is a matter of disciple and these tips:

1. Clean as you go. So simple to do, but because I don’t have enough time, clutter just happens. In our foyer, bills, letters, flyers, receipts and whatnots tend to pile up. I need to spend a few minutes each week to sort through the letters that come in and discard what is junk. Bills, of course, are immediately segregated so that we are not behind our payments. My work area at home resembles my cubicle at work. There are piles and piles of paper that need to be filed or thrown out. I have different scraps of paper scattered all around where various reminders are scribbled on.

2. Everything should be in its proper place. I think this goes together with #1. I have baskets for my stationery supplies, covered bins for gift wrapping supplies, trays for cosmetics, folders for utility bills, etc. This is all well and good, my problem really stems from not having enough time to do #1 and to return everything to their proper place or to file all my documents in their respective folders.

3. Stop buying non essential items. I am so guilty of this. When browsing through shops and I see something nice, I don’t hesitate to buy it. Then after some months, it just gathers dust and will most likely end up in the next garage sale. If I don’t buy too much, then I won’t have much to clean. I would have more space at home too.

4. Tossing out what is not needed or no longer used into three piles

• For charity
• For sale
• For the trash bin

Now for my game plan. I NEED to go through each room of our house and slowly do nos. 1-4. When will I get to do this? When I have time. LOL!

An Invitation

I'd like to invite you to check out my on-line store -> http://tinaslittlecorner.multiply.com


What you will see - branded and imported baby and toddler clothes, toiletries and some BPA free feeding bottles.

Coming Soon!

A Long Break

I had a long holiday and this is simply pure bliss for me. 4 days were spent out of the country, Sunday was a busy day for me as it was the garage sale organized by some n@wie friends, Monday was spent with the hubby's side of the family and today is still another holiday for us who work in QC. So today was spent bonding with the little girl. The hubby, with my mom and I brought the little girl to Trinoma for a hair cut then treated her to several rides at Time Zone.

She enjoyed riding the carousel so much! She also went on the ferris wheel, choo choo train and a car ride. The best part was that Time Zone wasn't packed with people. I hate crowds. After lunch, the hubby, Tina and I watched Nemo and we fell asleep and woke up just when the movie was about to end. Oh, I haven't had a day like this since I gave birth.

Tomorrow is back to work, but at least I'm well rested and spent quality time with the family.

Separation Anxiety

Tomorrow, the hubby and I leave for another trip. It's just going to be a short trip but the thought that I'm leaving my little girl makes me cry. I admit, I've always been such a sentimental fool and I cry at the slightest thing. So it's no wonder that I cry when I am separated from my little girl.

My officemate said I'm so OA for crying. But I can't help it. That's my nature. And I know I got it from my mom since she's like that too.

Oh well, I'll deal with it tomorrow. Tissues will be in my pockets. lol.

I Don't Make Sense

I’m at a crossroads right now.

I’m going out of my comfort zone.

I’ve always been full of ideas. But it always remains an idea.

I’m quick to advise others but now that I’m in need of some advise myself, I am at a loss.

I’ve pretty much done my research and I’ve taken the first step towards something new. But the more I think about it, the more I question myself or I feel like backing out. So many “what ifs” running through my mind. And if this plan fails, I DO NOT want to be told, “I told you so.” Then again, I know this is what I want to do and I’ll forever regret it if I don’t give it a chance. Then I’ll be thinking of “what might have beens.”

The hubby said, “Don’t ever doubt yourself. Believe in your decisions and stick to it.”

So there.

Fresh Centerpiece

Isn't it wonderful to have fresh fruits at home? I just feel bad about the lanzones because they were soooo expensive! But I haven't eaten any this year so I just went ahead and bought a bunch.

The Little Bookworm

For some months now, it has been a nightly routine of the little girl and I to read books. I read to her while she looks at the pages and drinks her milk. Lately, she's the one who tells me what book and page to read. Oftentimes, I get tired reading the same thing over and over again. But it's a nice problem to have. I really hope the little girl develops the love of reading just like her mama and dada.

Every night, this is the whole pile of books that we go through.


But this remains her favorite and I am secretly happy because I love tea and I even have a collection of tea pots. One of my favorite toys as a child was my tea set.

Revisiting the Classics

After doing a tag on books in my other blog, I felt a bit disheartened that although I love to read, I haven't read anything worthwhile in a long time. I've been reading mostly suspense and action books and my monthly dose of magazines. But nothing much that would enhance my mind, save for "Coffee with Aristotle" which I had already finished.

So I went off to National Bookstore yesterday and got my own copies of these -




I started Pride and Prejudice and couldn't put it down. I like to think that it's the original chick lit. tee hee.. Imagine, Jane Austen and I are 200 years apart, yet her books remain well read and well loved. I can't wait to go home and read some more. Enough of the DVDs for now.

Blowing Bubbles

Last Sunday, Tina and I shared a happy moment.

We were given a small plastic bottle of soapy water when she had her hair cut last Saturday. So I decided to play with it with the little girl. We stepped out of the front door and settled our butts on the step. We sat side by side and blew bubbles in the air.

It's one of those moments that I will always remember and treasure.

Scrounging Time

I decided to join the garage sale being organized my fellow n@wies. It's going to be at QC Circle so it's quite convenient for me. I paid for the booth and chose my location so the hard part begins now.

I'm starting to sort through Tina's and my stuff and figuring out what can go to the garage sale. I'm such a veteran of garage sales already having gone through 3 sales organized by our street, but it's such a chore to rummage through my stuff. I've made one pass at my closet and gathered a stack of shirts already. I checked Tina's closet and have also accumulated enough things to fit one big plastic bag. I need to go through the kitchen next to see if there are some odds and ends that I can do away with. Then it's off to my huge pile of magazines. That would be more tedious as I have some recipes I want to copy and I have to go through each and every magazine just for that. Time consuming!

It's harder to get the hubby to part with some of his stuff as he's such a pack rat. grrr... But i'm hoping to convince him to clear at least a small area of his closet.

I still have a couple more weeks to go. Hopefully, in the process, I also get to unclutter our home.

Under Budget...Again!

I did my groceries after work yesterday at Hi-Top as usual. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t really shop there because the aisles are narrow and at any given hour, delivery boys are pushing their trolleys and unloading boxes of goods. It’s a hassle trying to maneuver your way through the aisles without having the added nuisance of bumping into delivery guys and their wares. But Hi-top is the cheapest grocery in our area so I put up with the service. I’d rather shop at Landmark but since it’s so big and it has a whole lot more choices, I end up buying more than what I set out which means I spend more. :(

That was quite a long introduction. Hee hee… Anyhoo, when I do the groceries, I always have a list with me. It’s a habit I got from my mom. But most of the time, I also pick out some items that aren’t on the list. For the past two grocery trips I’ve been making, I have been below budget! Woohoo! I determinedly stuck to my list plus I was armed with a pen and calculator. I’ve also substituted some of the usual brands I’ve purchased in the past with cheaper but equally good alternatives.

Amidst these hard times (and who knows when it will end), I’ve to cut on costs and every little bit counts. A peso saving here and there eventually adds up. Never take a single peso for granted.

I'm a Country Gal

I so agree with this, city life can be so stressful and I'd rather live somewhere more laid back.

You Should Live in the Country

You are laid back, calm, and good at entertaining yourself. You don't need an expensive big city to keep you busy. You'll take the peaceful life over the stressful life any day of the week.

Where Should You Live?

Words from a Wise Guy

The other day, I was getting too worked up over another colleague. He just irritated me so because he was too demanding and acted like a know-it-all.

My guy pal at work told me, "you're too blessed to be stressed." Toink! He's right. For all of his wise cracks at me, this time he actually made sense. hee hee...

Seriously, it was good to be told that. It again puts things into perspective.

Oh Happy Day!

I joined Toni's contest when her blog turned five years. I was delighted to know that I won the top prize, then I momentarily forgot about it, till I saw a package at home waiting for me to be opened.

I've since read Batjay's book and found it hilarious and amusing. I can't wait to use the notebook and the magnetic journals. I'm just waiting for the right time to use them.

Freshly Baked Goodies

Several weeks back, I baked chocolate crinkles from scratch. The smell of baking cookies in the oven wafted into the living room and spread all over the house. This made our house all the more warmer and homier.

PPBC#3 I've Turned Into My Mother!

I think I grew up ok and I have my parents to thank for that. So having said that, I feel that I will raise my little girl in the same way that I was brought up.

I think that attachment parenting became popular only now, at the least the term "attachment parenting." But my mom practiced that with me as I was growing up. I remember hearing a comment from my paternal grandmother one time that I was too clingy to my mom. Well, of course! She's my mother. And I don't see any harm done. And that's what I'm practicing with my little girl now.

My mom studied child pyschology in college. I don't know what hocus pocus they taught in Maryknoll but even if my mom wasn't strict with me, I learned to obey her. And although she is the cool type of mom, the respect has always been there. We are friends, but the fact that she's my mother isn't lost on me.

My dad is another matter. I suppose their parenting styles balanced each other out. My dad was the disciplinarian. But I know now where my dad was coming from. My dad was such a problematic child when he was growing up. He did all sorts of pranks and the priests in his school just gave up on him. hahaha! But he turned out well. He's a lawyer now and a successful one at that. Since he was so pilyo growing up, he knew every trick and prank you could think of. Because of that, I dared not go against his will. What possible excuse could I give him that he hadn't thought of too when he was younger?

I really can't think of anything that I would change. Being a mother now, I realize that all those constant reminders and lectures were just their way of showing their love. After all, they wanted only the best for me. Even those times when I started going on gimmiks, dates and even until I was engaged, I had a curfew. Most of the time, it was too embarrassing to tell friends that I had to be home by 12, 1:00 am at the latest. Well, you'll understand too, since I'm an only child and a girl at that. But am I going to change that when the time comes that my daughter starts going out? Not at all! I might even be stricter especially since times are so different now.

The values taught to me as a child, as well as my upbringing will be passed on to my little girl. I'm just grateful that the hubby and I have the same values and we were pretty much brought up the same way.

40 Tips for a Better Life

Got this in the email today and it's too nice to keep in my inbox. I hope to do more of these everyday...

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to _______.
5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.
7. Make time to practice Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, and Prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water... Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12 . Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. GOD (or inner truth, for those who aren't religious) heals almost everything.
29. However Good or Bad a situation is, it will CHANGE.
30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35. Do the right thing!
36. Call your family often. (Or email them to Death!!!)
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about. May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door!

Arte y Pico

Thanks, Vina for this award. This is my first award here. :D

Lazy Sunday Mornings

On the rare Sundays that we eat at home, I try to whip up something.

Pancakes and bacon...


or yogurt parfait


I just love lazy Sundays when we're not rushing out of the house. When we can just take our time eating our breakfast and enjoying a cup or two of coffee.

Random Thoughts

I have an interview today after work. But I need to leave an hour early from the office because the interview is all the way in Makati. I'm happy because they were the ones who called me. I didn't apply. I'll just go see, anyway, I won't lose anything.

But I feel so blah today. I have colds and cough so my head feels heavy. I'm sleepy too and yet, I haven't taken medicines. That's because I woke up in the middle of the night with a sneezing fit.

Last night, the hubby handed to me my new pair of jeans which I had sewn. I was impressed! The jeans were a perfect fit, I like the cut and the best part is that it only cost P600, including the material. I just wore my favorite jeans and the tailor just measured it.

A Productive Lunch Break

During my lunchbreak today, I dropped by Trinoma to buy tickets to Indiana Jones for tonight. Me and the hubby are going on a date. *smile* Then I dropped by Landmark to get some kitchen things that I realized I still needed like a flour sifter. I had to use a tiny strainer when I baked cookies last weekend. I picked up other things as well because I'm in an organizing mood this week. I am hell bent on uncluttering my tiny kitchen.

I got a two layered tray for the dirty kitchen so that precious counter top space can be maximized. I got a small basket to stash all those chips and cookies that can't fit into my bin on top of the freezer. I also bought those quilted covers for the blender, microwave and oven toaster. Too bad because I couldn't get matching covers even if I harassed the saleslady to find me a matching set in a pattern that has some yellow to match my kitchen.

In one hour I was able to buy tickets, go around the department store and eat my lunch. Happy, happy!

5 years with Toni

A couple of years back, I happend to stumble upon Toni's blog, Wifely Steps, and I've been reading it since then. I like Toni's casual and friendly style of writing plus her topics cover so much of my own interests as well, except for Twilight. For the life of me, I don't know what that is. Just goes to show I'm so out of the loop.

Anyway, my favorite would be her "spic and span" topics. But I was searching for this category and couldn't find it anymore. Was I just hallucinating? The entries are clear in my mind, though. That's because I read them over and over, like a good book. hee hee... I particularly liked this entry on timing or allotting xx minutes when you do chores or just simply organize your stuff. I've been doing this eversince and like Toni, I get competitive with myself too. But it's such a great trick! Small tasks done in short periods gets a lot of ground covered too.

Then there was that post sometime last year on organizing supplies in baskets. I've been doing this already long before I read the post but I checked my own plastic basket to see if I had any missing items. You never know when you're going to need a green highlighter aside from the orange one I already have!

Then there are her recipes. I've copied some of them, but I seem to have only done one. It's the eggplant dipped in soy sauce and fried. Very simple to do, not heavy on the pocket and the best part is that it was yummy! To think that I'm not too fond of eggplants. : )

PPBC#2 Thinking Ahead

Note: I use the word education loosely here, even classifying Kindermusik as education.

I’ve always valued the importance of education, so much so, that I even took up some MA units of Education after I got my MBA. I seriously considered teaching part-time since I feel that the quality of education has declined. Teaching is a noble profession and I wanted to give back to society. But then I got engaged, got married, got pregnant and became a Mom. My noble plans have been shelved indefinitely and so I focus my attention now to my little girl.

So anyway, the hubby and I have pretty much decided on which way to go. Of course, we have had numerous discussions and debates on this already. To think that our daughter is only 15 months old. It’s never too early to start thinking of our kids’ schooling and preparing ourselves for it. Our daughter’s education is the best investment we can make given what resources we have.

This early, we’ve planned out our daughter’s education already. Although much of this has been my own doing. Right now, she’s enrolled in Kindermusik. Although I realize that the activities in Kindermusik are what I do with Tina in the comfort of our bed at home, Kindermusik is good for us because it gives us bonding moments (without interruptions), reinforces how I play with her and gives me ideas on how to stimulate her. While it is still too early to know (we’ve only had 1 class so far), I am hoping that by being exposed to other kids her age, Tina’s social skills will somewhat expand. The class allows me to interact with fellow mommies as well, which is always a good thing.

Sometime this year, we plan to enroll her in playschool. This will be strictly play and nothing like a traditional school and not on a regular basis. I don’t want Tina to get burned out even before she sets foot in a real school. Why am I going to do this? The whole day, Tina is at home with helpers, although she gets to play with my mom too, but not as often as I would want. I want Tina to be around kids her age and realize that the world doesn’t revolve around her. Naturally, since she’s the only “baby’ at home (including my parents’ home) everyone dotes on her. I just want her to play with kids her age, socialize and interact with them. Probably next year, we’ll enroll her in Toddler school, still the focus will be on play. Our aim is still for socialization. The development of new skills is just secondary. By enrolling Tina in schools within our community, she will make friends with kids who live near us. This early, I’ve scouted for play/toddler schools in our area. I’ve narrowed down my search and decided on schools already. It’s all a matter of timing now. Of course, teaching her how to speak, manners and some simple counting can all be done by the hubby and me. It’s what we’ve been doing at home, anyway.
As for ‘big’ schools, while each type of school (coed, traditiona/progressive, public/private) has its own pros and cons, we’ve decided on the safer and tried and tested route. If Tina can pass, we would like for her to go to an exclusive (doesn't necessarily translate to expensive) and traditional school. I’m not too sold yet on progressive methods. Call me old fashioned or I just adhere to the adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Anyhow, many teaching methods have been updated already even for traditional schools. They provide a holistic and balanced education and that’s what’s important to me and the hubby. School should not just be about the reading, writing and arithmetic. And education is not all about grades.

And if we could have our way, we would like Tina to go to one of the more well- known girl schools. Sad to say, in this society of ours, colleges would prefer the known secondary schools. More so big companies, they specify what colleges or universities they want when they hire new grads, which is unfair, but it is the society we live in. If I just had the resources, I would willingly teach Tina myself. But I might shortchange her if I myself am not fully equipped. I can only guide her but I may not be able to handle all her questions.

When all has been said and done, I still see it as my duty as a parent to teach Tina manners, proper values and the right study habits. No matter how busy and tired I am, the little girl will always come first. It is not the school’s sole responsibility to equip our kids with all the right knowledge and skills, I firmly believe that it lies with the parents.

One Sunday Afternoon

What happens when Mommy has her camera -


Oh,no! Here we go again...


Let's indulge Mommy a bit... One small smile...


Enough!


Kung fu kick!


I'm ignoring you...

Daily Pleasures

Some of the little things that lift my spirits -

Waking up to a smiling Tina
Rolling around in bed with Tina, sharing hugs and kisses
Reading the newspaper while having breakfast
A good cup of strong coffee…preferably brewed at home
Tina clinging to me right before I leave for work
A nice upbeat CD to listen to while at work (volume loud enough for me to hear alone. I don’t want to disturb other people.)
The hubby coming home in time for a family dinner
Reading books to Tina before she goes to sleep at night
Kidding around with the hubby and sharing a good laugh
Getting to bed early enough to be able to read at least a chapter of a good book

Spring is in the air

Sharing some photos I took which show the first signs of spring. Don't you just love flowers?

'Tis The Time to be Prudent

Times are hard. Rice and gasoline prices are skyrocketing. Most grocery items have increased in prices as well.

I have to remind myself to be prudent and frugal. Admittedly, I like to shop. But since I gave birth, my shopping priorities have changed. Only now, it's more for the little girl. Still, the fact remains that I like to shop.

It's the masses who are greatly affected by the economic crunch. They are the ones who feel it first. I live with helpers and drivers. One of my parents' drivers has to look for a new place to live in because his current home will be demolished soon. I feel bad about that, after all, he is such a good guy.

I feel guilty when I'm at the grocery and the driver waits for my bags. He can see how much I spend for groceries. I feel guilty that when I'm driven to the mall, I come out laden with bags. What I spend at the mall can pay for his kids' education. I don't like shopping with the yaya in tow (that is, when Tina is with us at the mall). Even if I don't buy anything, she can see how much I pay for a top just by looking at the tags of clothes from the stores we go into.

I'm not saying I'm going to deprive myself, but it is wise to curb my spending habits now and save for a rainy day. Neither am I saying that I spend an arm and a leg for a top, shoes or a bag. It's just not morally prudent to spend right and left when many people are worried where they will get money for their next meal. I can't save the world, but I can be sensitive to peoples' needs.

Not getting that hot new top is not gonna kill me. No one will judge me if I haven't got that new designer bag on my arm.

Ring-a-ding-ding

More bells again. I bought this too while on vacation.

At my grandparents' dining room in Cebu, they had this and the helper would ring it every meal time. My mom got one years ago for her dining room too. And so I continue with the tradition.

PPBC #1 The Day I Became A Parent

When I was younger, I used to say that I didn’t want to get pregnant, only because I was frightened of the birthing process. I’m sure glad God didn’t listen to me.

I gave birth to Tina on January 8, 2007, a week shy of my due date. If I hadn't given birth then,

I would have been induced on Jan. 15 or 16. The funny part was that several weeks before that, the hubby would talk to the baby to please come out on January 8. So they’d both be born on the 8th. She sure listened to her daddy.

We were so surprised when she weighed 7 lbs and 7 oz at birth because on my last ultrasound on Dec. 23, her weight was only a little over 5 lbs. Well, when I learned that, I figured that I could binge. But I didn't count on her gaining 2 lbs in 2 weeks! Not only that, given her weight and my skinny frame, it was a surprise that I gave birth normally. I was preparing myself to give birth via CS because of my pelvic bone. But I had a good OB (my cousin) who kept on urging me to push and push. But my golly! When you’re on Epidural you think (because you can’t feel) you’re pushing (to the point that you feel you’re gonna poop) and still it’s not enough. The resident doctor saw it as her duty to push my tummy to the point that I wanted to push her off the table. Now I know how a tube of toothpaste feels like!

When I was admitted to the hospital at 4:30 am on Jan. 8, I was only 2cm dilated. But my OB gave me medicines to hasten the delivery. Yeah, right! I still gave birth at 4:56 am. True to my kikay self, I still showered before leaving the house, powedered my face a bit and I found the time to trim my fingernails. And a couple of days before that, I had a foot spa. No way was I going to put my feet up in the delivery room with my toes unkempt. lol. ; ) In the labor room, I still maintained my poise because I wasn't screaming (unlike the other lady next to me) everytime I'd feel the contractions. I would just twist my pillow or hold on to the mattress and say a lot of Hail Marys. But thank God for epidural!

I'm a bleeder so I lost a lot of blood and I had to increase my intake of iron supplements. I was nearly given blood transfusion. And since Tina was so big, they really opened me up. Because of that, I was in maternity pads for over a month! What a hassle. When we brought Tina home, we didn’t have a yaya yet so it was just the hubby and I with help from my parents. Since I did a lot of moving around and bending over the crib, my wounds re-opened. I was scared that I had to be sutured up. Lucky for me, that it healed through medication. But I had a relatively easy pregnancy. I had morning sickness till my 4th or 5th month and it was pretty hard to sleep the minute my tummy got bigger and heavier. But aside from that, it was easy.

Oh well, despite the pain of the labor and delivery, not to mention 9 months of carrying her, anxiety and paranoia, I am extremely happy to be blessed with Tina.

Then

Now

Jingle Bells

On our recent trip to Austria, I made sure I got one of these bells, partly as a souvenir but mostly as an alarm system. Say what?! Wahahaha!

Seriously, I hung these bells in our front door and kitchen door and it rings when the doors are opened. Yun lang, if there really was a burglar (knock, knock on wood) it’d be a leeetle too late for me to react. So I gotta put a bat near my bedside. Hee hee

Seriously again, I like how it hangs on my doors. And I let out a smile everytime I hear it ring.

Gone Swimming

Here are some photos of the little girl's first "swimming" experience in our backyard.

Getting ready. Gotta keep the sun off my eyes!


With a sarong to boot!


I'm getting closer


Let's test the water first, shall we?


Ahhhhh!

Bad Mommy!

I could be arrested for these pics but Tina looked so funny trying to drink her daddy's beer.

she was all set to sip when she saw the cam... she had to smile, of course

glug glug glug

Every so often, my dad and A drink beer before dinner. When Tina sees the bottles of beer, she points excitedly and wants to drink too. So to indulge her, my dad or A lets her hold the bottle or can and tips it a bit. She doesn't get to drink but she gets a hint of the taste from the rim. I'm such a bad mom. I've scolded A so many times but he's just as amused as my dad. Right after she "drinks" her beer, she makes this incredibly naughty smile. You'll just end up laughing at her instead of scolding her.

I'm Happy Because...

This morning, while searching through my clothes for jeans to wear (we can wear jeans to work on fridays), I found an old pair of jeans which I can't remember buying. I tried it on and it fit perfectly! Oh wow!

Aside from being a perfect fit, that's like scoring a new pair of jeans!

Meet the Tornado

Lately, I have taken to calling Tina, Tornado Tina. The minute she's up, she tries to climb down the bed and walks all over the room, touching this and that. I'm pretty sure our neighbors are used to her laughter and screams. She's so energetic and everyone who has to follow her ends up dead tired. That's why I'm able to maintain my figure. hardyharhar! But seriously, I'm glad she's like that and such a happy kid.

More of My Cooking

The other weekend, I decided to cook for the family.

Saturday dinner, I made a chicken veggie stir fry and couscous. Very healthy and this delighted the hubby a lot. It was my first time to cook couscous and I placed too much broth so it wasn't as fluffy as it should be.





Sunday night was meatloaf night. I got the recipe from Tyler Florence and the recipe had tomato relish which packed a lot of flavor to the meatloaf. Easy to make yet filling and very tasty.



The pics aren't too good, but the food was.

A Yummy Treat

It’s a rare Saturday or Sunday that I get to sit down, leisurely eat a snack and just sit back. Last Saturday, the little girl simply refused to take her nap. She was up and about like a little tornado which just left me tired out. But I got a bit of a respite when she behaved herself when we had our afternoon snack.

That morning, as the hubby and I did some grocery shopping at the Landmark, we passed by Mrs. Fields and I bought for the hubby his favorite peanut butter dream bar and some nibblers for myself.

That afternoon, I laid out the goodies on a plate with a small cup of espresso just in time for the hubby who had woken up from his nap. Even the little girl shared in this snack and her mouth was covered in chocolate. It was a mess but she was grinning from ear to ear!

Bullseye!

Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. — H. Jackson Brown

I can’t seem to find where I copied this from. It was just saved in my draft folder.

Anyway, isn’t this so true? And doesn’t it just hit you?

It’s nice to be reminded of this now and then, especially when I’m feeling so stressed when there’s so many things to do and so little time.

Nighttime Is My Time

I read somewhere some tips for busy moms. One tip particularly caught my eye. Once the baby has been put to bed, forget about household chores. The baby will appreciate a well rested mom over a clean home.

I’m guilty of this. Every night when I put Tina to sleep, I rush around the house trying to sort the laundry, pick up odds and ends lying around the living room, checking on the kitchen, etc. Now, the minute Tina is asleep, I minimize my nighttime cleaning. I only do things that can’t wait till the weekend.

What’s the result? I have more time for a slightly longer and more leisurely shower, time to read a chapter or two of a good book and the luxury to sleep a little earlier.

Kindermusik, Here We Come

I got a text this afternoon from Teacher Ian at Kindermusik that the new session of Village will start this Saturday already. I replied straight away to reserve a slot for us but the little girl won’t be able to attend the first session. The little girl will be in Baguio at that time.

I’m so happy because the class and my schedule are in sync which means that I will be able to accompany Tina in all of the classes. And what’s even better is that this class is offered at the school so near our place. It’s so convenient. But it just might interfere with her afternoon nap because she usually gets sleepy around 2pm when the class will be in progress. I’m not so worried though. Once Tina sees all the kids, she won’t think about sleeping.

Could I Really Be?

My officemates and I were looking over this delivery sheet from one of the restaurants in our area for our lunch. When I finally decided on what to order, they asked me for the size. I said regular, of course. And one guy quipped, “matakaw yan.” Yes, I confess, I can eat plenty. Sometimes, I eat more than the guys I hang out with at lunch. Even the hubby kids me that I’m a bottomless pit. Yet, I remain as thin as a pole.

But I digress. One girl said that I’m gaining weight Really!?! Could it be true? I hope so.

She just made my day! Whoopdeedoo!

Cyma!

I had dinner with a friend at Cyma, Shangri-la last week. At long last, I finally got to eat here!

For starters, we had htipiti which is creamed feta cheese with roasted peppers. After trying this, I have a renewed liking for feta cheese. I never liked the stuff till now, with this dish. It was spicy with a hint of tanginess which offset the creaminess of the cheese. This alone would’ve been enough to satisfy me.

We also shared a salad (chopped greens) which although was good, there were other salads on the menu that was even more appetizing.

Then we had a seafood entrée which had broth that instantly became comfort food. The guy who took our orders was surprised because he said that his dish could feed four but we ordered away. The guy left our table with a grin on his face. This dish reminded me so much of my dad’s bouillabaisse so I wished we ordered something else.

But it was all so good and hearty! I loved the menu and the little side notes that they added. The interiors are cozy and so authentic. It’s just that the tables are so close together that you can hear the conversations from the other tables. Cyma for me is more laidback compared to Mati which is a bit more formal but which I should probably be patronizing more. Lol. (inside joke)

Sorry, no pics. I still have to get the guts to take pics of food.

But it was a great food experience shared with a good friend!

Something New

I've been reading a lot lately about happiness and how to achieve it. It's not as elusive as we think it is, but our harried lifestyles make us forget that happiness happens to us every single day. It's just a matter of recognizing it and seizing the moment. Carpe diem!

So here, I intend to jot down events and things that made me smile... No matter how mundane. It can be big or small, just as long as it brought a smile to my face.

If no one reads this blog, it wouldn't matter. This is not about page ranks or popularity. It's all personal here. But maybe I'll share some of my happiness with others. We'll see how it goes...