Munchkin Mommy…

I’ve been busy, something I’m truly thankful for. Between my last entry and today, we’ve had a hearty harvest of blessings. I hope to get into a lot of them really really soon – like my daughter’s birthday for instance. It’s funny how every night I make a draft for a blog entry in my head. It’s a shame that they’re all just in there and in my heart. So don’t anybody startle me, lest all the drafts get shuffled!

If there’s one thing that I’m especially thankful for today, it’s that RE (Religious Ed.) went well. For the 4th consecutive year, I volunteered to be a catechist in our parish. But this year is a tad different because after teaching kindergarteners for 3 years, I am now teaching 2nd graders. Yes, I’ve taken on the challenge of helping 7 and 8-year old kids get ready for their First Communion. I admit, I’m quite nervous! But with God’s grace, everything’s going A-ok. Whew!  After class today, I felt really happy – for lack of a more profound and poetic word to describe how I felt. Whatever doubts I had about teaching sacrament preparation classes, they just sort of vanished. I had so much fun I was practically skipping all the way back to the car! *blushes*

Teaching RE is a commitment I made with God for an answered prayer. I also have a 13-year old commitment I made with Him, which I have been unable to fulfill in the manner I used to back home. But this year, I will get back to it with a bang. ;)

Thank you, dear God, for giving me these small windows of opportunity, that allow me to show you in a more special way, just how truly grateful I am for your miracles. Amen.

Being the night owl that I am, I thought updating my thankful journal on a nightly basis would be easy peasy. I’ve obviously thought wrong because it’s been over a week since my last entry. *blush* So from hereon, I’m changing my post titles to an even more generic one – Thankful Log + date+entry number- ala Startrek Captain’s Log. *wink*

These are the events and things that have kept me in a state of gratitude these past couple of days:

(1) Piles of trays, bowls and baking/decorating utensils to wash. Weeheehee.

I baked and decorated 3 birthday cakes and 40 cupcakes between July 23rd and 30th. It’s always an honor to be asked to make a cake for a special occasion. I’m thankful for friends who understand and appreciate the beauty that is custom cakes. :D

(2) At a party we attended on July 30th, at least 4 people whom I have just met went out of their way to tell me, “Ang sarap ng cake mo!” (Your cake is delicious!). Compliments like that make all the hard work that go into each cake well worth it. *happy sigh*

(3) Tylenol Pain Relieving Cream – Let me just say that this is not a paid advertisement. Hee hee. :) 2-tier cake + 40 cupcakes = body ache. I’m glad I discovered a product that helped relieve the aches.

(4) The Smurfs 3D Movie – We watched the movie with friends. While some parts of the movie almost made me doze off, I loved hearing the laughter of the kids inside the theater. Word of caution: You’ll be singing “La la la la la la, sing a happy song” in your head way after the movie credits have rolled.

(5) My Little Munchkin is a Fish. – It’s a long story why my daughter ended up in the Fish class for swim lessons instead of the class/level before it, which is Minnow. After a rough first day, my daughter is having the most fun in swim class. She likes the swim teacher and there are only 4 of them in class. Alleluia!

(6) Office Max – For $0.24  - yes, 24 cents! – I was able to buy (2) 10-packs of Dixon #2 pencils, (2) 12″ rulers and (2) 24-crayons. No coupons needed! I will have to go back for more as the deal is only good until today, Saturday. :D

(7) Tubing on the Comal River – For the first time ever, we were able to go tubing on the Comal River in New Braunfels, TX. It was so much fun! The water was nice and cool and since we went on a Friday, there weren’t too many people. We will definitely do this again. I’m already looking for good deals on tubes. ;)

I have a busy week ahead of me. And I am just about ready to burst in excitement! Weee!

Cheers, y’all!  Mabuhay!

Another 2-in-1 post. That’s a heck of a whole lot better than 3-in-1. ;)

*Monday*

Monday was marvelous because…

- I got to just chill for most of the day. Since we had guests last Sunday, the house has been tidied up. I also didn’t have to cook because we have left overs! Yeah!

- I made my usual rounds of my favorite stores and got everything I set out to buy except for 2 things.

- I liked Pier 1 on Facebook and got a $10 coupon. Guess where I was in the early evening of Monday. ;)

- my Munchkin Girl asked the darnedest thing while having dessert…

Munchkin Girl: Does Mimi (her maternal grandmother) have a sweet tooth?

Munchkin Mommy: Yes!

Munchkin Girl: Which one?

*Tuesday*

Tuesday was terrific because…

- I still didn’t have to cook! (Read: Leftovers and 2-piece $0.99 chicken at Church’s)

- of the melt in your mouth goodness that was the pastillas de leche we received in the mail a few days ago.

- my Munchkin Girl again said the darnedest thing while pleading her case for a new doll. I told her, “Maybe.” (That’s maybe to a Target doll, mind you!) And in the funniest sing-song manner, she said, “Maybe ka johhhhhn (diyan).”

- I discovered voice recordings of my daughter on hubby’s IPhone, which had me laughing uncontrollably.

I’ve got some pretty busy days ahead. This might not be the last of my 2-in-1 posts. :D

Cheers, y’all! Mabuhay!

I haven’t been able to update the last couple of days. It’s been a busy Friday, Saturday and Sunday for me and my family, hence this 2-in-1 post. *wink*

Fantastic Friday #2

1. Free Morning – Much as I love being able to relax by the pool during my daughter’s swim class, I’m glad we have 3 pool-free days a week. It’s a win-win situation: happy for pool time and happy still for pool-free time.

2. Hobby Lobby Coupons - Thanks to the craft store’s 40% off coupon, I was able to buy an urgent must buy item last week at a very reasonable price. I never buy anything from a craft store without at least a 40% off coupon! Ha!

3. Bake Night – I baked the night away last Friday. I baked a chocolate cake and some pound cake. They were both a success. Whew!

Wickedly Awesome Weekend  #2

*Saturday*

1) Piggy Piggy Oink – I spent most of Saturday decorating a friend’s birthday cake – a pig-themed birthday cake.

My friend collects stuffed pigs and the cake is the edible version of one of the stuffed pigs (with suckling pigs!) in her collection. I was surprisingly very calm and relaxed while I was decorating this cake. Even hubby noticed my (unusual?) calmness. I’m thankful that my friend trusted me with her birthday cake. It’s safe to say that the cake was “well-liked” at the party…and on Facebook – 39 thumbs went up for this photo! I love my FB friends! Hee hee.

2) Pig-Out Night – Oh.My.Gosh. There was so much food at the party we attended. One can’t expect anything less at a Filipino party. That’s just how we do it. ;) My first plate would have had my mom shaking her head at me: grilled pork, pork binagoongan, dinuguan and some out-of-place lumpiang shanghai. Hahaha! After I recovered from the shock of my first plate, I didn’t eat much else…except dessert and pancit.

3) Happy HourS – I had a blast hanging out with friends old  and new. Hubby’s crimson cheeks were an indication that he too had a blast at the party. :P

*Sunday*

1) Play Date – My daughter had a play date. It brings me so much joy to see her having fun with her gal pals.

2) Mallorca – Friends brought a big round tray of Mallorca from Costco. It tasted so much like the Filipino ensaymada, only a lot denser. Yum!

3) Home Cooked Meal – I cooked dinner for Abby’s friends and their parents. In two hours (maybe less!), I was able to cook 3 dishes plus homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert. ;)

4) Marie Callender’s Custard Pie –  We had this for dessert. We had it with the homemade vanilla ice cream. Perfect combination! *burp*

Cheers to friends, birthdays, good food and good company! God is good!

I collected some pretty nice treasures today! I didn’t even have to hunt! Let me cut to the chase…

1) Milka – It’s one of my favorite chocolate brands. It brings me fond memories of trips I took with my Mom to Germany during my pre-domestic goddess days. A couple of little bites and I’m transported to various German cities. And I didn’t even have to board a Lufthansa flight! Don’t you just love taking gastronomic trips? No passports and visas required!

2) Surprise Package – Good things come in small packages. Today, it came in a USPS box. The good things? Food from the Philippines (Lapid’s Freshly-Popped Chicharon, pastillas de leche and macapuno balls)!

July is officially my personal Christmas! Haha! I love going to the mailbox. I always expect to receive something nice. And almost everyday, I do! ;)

3) “Thank You.” - Hubby and our little girl never fail to thank me for cooking a meal. They’re so sweet.

4) Pool Time – I love taking my daughter to swim class. I should really go swim, too, but I like to just relax on a lounge chair with a book and to chat and share some good laughs with my mommy friends. Being near the pool just plain relaxes me.

5) Friendly Cashiers - Check-outs are so much nicer and more pleasant when the person at the register is friendly and helpful and shares in my joy for snagging some very good deals. I’m blessed to almost always bump into them. Cashier profiling works! Kidding! :P

6) School Supplies – Just a handful more items and I’m officially done shopping for school supplies. I got some reasonably-priced items at Walmart.  The rest  I will buy from Target. ;)

7) EBay – That needs no explanation. ;)

How was your treasure hunt for Thursday? Mabuhay!