01 Feb 2010 Remember M, Remember E…
 |  Category: In Between Chores  | One Comment

…put them together, remember ME.  Well do you?  Remember me?  I don’t blame you if you don’t though.  But looking at the blog title ought to help.  :P

So I’ve gone from bad to worse as far as updating this site is concerned.  I’ve got no excuses whatsoever.  The funny thing is, I am brimming with “bloggables”.  The problem now is where to start!  I’ll figure something out, sooner than soon.  Promise.

oOo

Can you believe January is over?!  How are your New Year’s resolutions coming along?  I’m still doing pretty good with my “sensible New Year’s resolutions”.  That is, I”ve surrendered to the fact that life isn’t fair, I’m happy where I am, I’m minding my own business, I’m doing my best to live each day to the fullest (and as if it were my last, although I could still do much better!) and I am filling my life with love.  Keeping these isn’t always a walk in the park but…

oOo

We have a busy February ahead of us, mostly because of my Kindergart’ner.  A busy Abby equals a very busy me.  But I’m not complaining.  I hear when the kids move to first grade, it’s all business already.  So Abby and I are milking all the fun out of  kindergarten as much as we can.  I don’t even recall my own kindergarten years to be at least half the fun as Abby’s.  Well, I shouldn’t be surprised because  I went to a school that is run by nuns…which isn’t a bad thing, so don’t get me wrong! :P

I hope to resurface soon with a more sensible entry. Hee hee.  For now, I wish y’all a Happy Love Month! ;)

Cheers and Mabuhay!

12 Jan 2010 Dunk, Drip and Enjoy!
 |  Category: All About Abby  | 3 Comments

So the Americans have their “Twist it.  Lick it.  Dunk it.” with their Oreos and milk.  Well, well, well, I dare say it’s a mere adaptation (ehem!) of our very own pandesal at kape, where we sawsaw (dip/dunk) the pandesal (Filipino bread roll) in kape (coffee).

On Tuesday morning, Abby got a quick lesson in Filipino bread dunking culture.  She couldn’t find a bread filling she liked.  Plus, hubby and I were (secretly) busy getting ready for a surprise party.  So we taught Abby a surefire way she could enjoy her bread roll and warm cocoa…and that’s via good old fashioned sawsaw!  Because my cake layers were all over the dining table, Abby had to eat breakfast in the living.  Pasensya na anak, limited square footage.  Hee hee.

Step #1: Isawsaw ang tinapay sa tsokolate. (Dunk the bread roll in the cocoa.)

Step #2: Patuluin ng bahagya ang tsokolate mula sa tinapay. (Let the excess cocoa drip a little…so you don’t leave a trail all over the center table.  Hee hee.)

Step 3: Isubo ang tinapay!  Sarap! (Enjoy the yummy goodness of cocoa soaked bread! Hee hee!)

I do have a picture for Step 3.  But it’s not very flattering.  So I’m saving my 5-year old from embarrassment.  :D

I think it’s about time she is reacquainted with balut.  That ought to be our next lesson.  ;)

Cheers y’all!

05 Jan 2010 Eight
 |  Category: Blessings, Celebrations  | 5 Comments

* It is the number following seven and preceding nine.

* It is the numerical symbol for the month of August.

* For most phones, the 8 key is associated with the letters T, U, and V, but on the BlackBerry it is the key for B , N, and X.

* A figure eight is a type of knot frequently used by climbers.

* It is considered a lucky number in Chinese culture because it sounds like the word meaning to generate wealth

* V8 is a type of engine…and also a brand of beverage.

* John and Kate Plus 8 was the title of a reality tv show. ;)

* It is the number of apparitions that appeared to Macbeth.

* There are eight fluid ounces in a cup, eight pints in a gallon and eight tablespoonfuls in a gill.

* “Eight Days a Week” is a #1 single by the Beatles.

* Eight years ago today, before our closest family and friends, Hubby and I exchanged “I dos”.


Happy 8th Wedding Anniversary, Munchkin! May God bless us with many many more years of marital bliss.

Love you…more than 8 days a week. ;)

Cheers to us! *mmmuah*

05 Jan 2010 Happy *bleep*th Birthday, Mommy!
 |  Category: Blessings, Celebrations  | One Comment

To my best friend, #1 fan, confidant, teacher, idol, travel companion, and one and only mommy (the best in the world!)…Happy Happy Birthday!

For all that you are…for everything you do…for everything you give…we thank you.  And for you we are thankful.  May God continue to shower you with blessings and miracles big and small, for the great blessing that you are to us and to others. Dondi, Abby and I wish you good health, happiness and peace of mind.  May all your fondest wishes come true and your most fervent prayers answered.  We love you, Mommy, and it gives us great joy to be with you on your birthday…truly an answered prayer.

Instead of my usual overly dramatic birthday greeting, Dondi and I wish to present you with an unrehearsed dance number.  It’s not as polished as our wedding foxtrot, but it’s something we hope you will love nonetheless.  So sit back, relax and enjoy the show. ;)

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Tight hugs, warm kisses and cheers to you, Mommy! Happy Happy Birthday! *mmmmuah*

04 Jan 2010 Sensible New Year’s Resolutions
 |  Category: Blessings, In Between Chores  | 3 Comments

So, how are you doing as far as keeping your new year’s resolutions is concerned?  I’m doing great with mine, I have to say. *pats own shoulder*  Mind you, they are not at all very easy to keep.  Well, we’re only 4 days into the new year but I have every desire to keep all of my new year’s resolutions.  More than desiring to keep ‘em, I will do my darnest best to make sure I keep them!

I have 5 new year’s resolutions and losing weight isn’t one of them. :P   These resolutions, I didn’t formulate myself.  They were but mere gentle “suggestions” from Fr. Rusty, the main celebrant of the New Year’s Eve mass we attended.  I am so glad we got to attend Fr. Rusty’s mass.  We wouldn’t have been able to do so had we not been late for an earlier mass at another church.  Blessing in disguise, I tell you!

I am taking up Fr. Rusty’s new year’s resolutions challenge.  At the risk of sounding preachy, self-righteous even,  here they are:

1.  Submit myself to the fact that life isn’t fair.

I shun all sorts of negativity and sources of negative vibes.  But isn’t this first resolution akin to expecting something will go wrong?  Well, yes and no. :D   Fr. Rusty explains it this way, if we accept that life isn’t fair, we are most likely not to blame anyone if something does go wrong.  Hmmm.  Makes a lot of sense to me.

Go back to those times in the past when something went wrong and, no, it doesn’t have to be a biggie.  Say, when the car wouldn’t start, when you were late for something, when the chicken came out overcooked.  Did somebody get blamed…somebody but yourself?  ;)

If the wordings of #1 is too negative, just replace it with, err, “Sh#t Shucks happens.” Kidding.

2.  Be happy where I am now.

This is an easy one to keep.  I’ve long accepted that happiness is a choice and it’s one we have to consciously choose for ourselves…ALL THE TIME.  Many are guilty of delaying their happiness.  Have you ever sounded like any of the following:  “I”ll be happy when I land a job.”  “I’ll be happy when I lose weight.”  “I’ll be happy when I’ve paid off all my debts.”  “I’ll be happy when I retire.”  As we delay happiness, life continues to go on and it passes us by.

True, this is easier said than done.  How can one be happy when there are problems waiting to be solved? When there are hungry mouths waiting to be fed?  I choose to look at it this way, when one is happy, which is a very positive feeling, the more we attract things, people, events to be happy about.  The more we sulk, the more we dwell on ill feelings, the more we attract things that make us feel heavy.  Where’s peace of mind in these?  Right, nowhere.

3.  Mind my own business.

This is probably the hardest to keep.  Why?  Ang sarap kayang pag-usapan ang iba! :P   Hee hee.  This has become a sort of private joke between my Mom, Hubby and me.  Everytime we find our conversations drifting to other people and why they do what they do and act the way they act we remind each other in a sing-song manner to, “Uuuuy, mind your own bisnes.”  Hee hee.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were her.”  “What was he thinking?”  “Where is my neighbor going so early in the morning?”  We’ve elevated gossiping and minding other people’s business into an art form.  As soon as we stop talking about other people behind their backs, gossiping and meddling in other people’s affairs, we’ll find ourselves with plenty of precious time and energy, time and energy we can devote to being and doing something more useful.  What do you think?  Mas masarap pa ring pag-usapan ang iba? I totally getcha.  I told you this was the hardest to keep!  Hee hee.

4.  Live each day as if it were my last.

Of all the resolutions, this was the one that made the most impact on me.  Because really, there’s just so much we take for granted, often, the people we love.  We postpone saying things that matter, going to places we’d love to see even if they’re just around the corner because we think they will still be there tomorrow.

For this 4th resolution, there are a few important lines that I will definitely be keeping handy, not that I don’t already do:  “I love you.”  “Thank you.” and “I”m sorry.”  And when they fit the situation: “I forgive you.” and/or “I accept your apology.”  The last three lines are harder to say, I know, specially when we think and feel we’ve been hurt so deeply.  Good thing we have a role model to emulate when it comes to forgiveness, He who has been hurt the most in the history of mankind yet still forgave. ;)   Where will we be if God chose to delay His forgiveness?  I rest my case.

Say it now!  Do things now!  Live now!

5.  Fill my life with love.

How does one fill one’s life with love?  By being a source of love, of course!  We don’t have to look for love elsewhere to fill our lives with it, which I think is just wonderful.  Terrible as it is to give love and not be loved in return, just go ahead and be generous with that love.  It’s not going to be your loss anyway. ;)

If we fill our lives with love, it will be easy to submit ourselves to the fact that life isn’t fair.  We’ll easily be happy where we are now.  And if we are filled with love, there’s no room for minding other people’s business.  And love is one of the most important ingredients to living each day as if it were last.

Congratulations if you got this far!  I’m in “the zone” as you can see.

Live. Laugh. Love. Forgive. Forget. NOW!…my new mantra. ;)

Cheers y’all!