I shall continue to think, feel and be happy.  It’s quite easy, you know.  You can start by counting your blessings…everything you are thankful for.  Didn’t I say it was easy?!

God is good!  So bring on the happiness! Cheers!

oOo

Oh, I might have something to share after all…

I realized last night that my daughter hasn’t seen a beauty pageant ever.  It was already late in the pageant (top 15 finalists) when we tuned in to Miss U. The little miss center of my universe was thrilled when Ms. Philippines made it to the Top 10 and then eventually, the Top 5.  But every party has a party pooper, don’t you agree?  In this case, the Q&A.  Should I be mad at the handsome handsome Billy Baldwin?  Heck, no! He’s too wonderful…thankfully.  Whoops! *giggles*

oOo

My first grader wondered why there were interpreters.  “But they don’t speak English,” she said, referring to the candidates who sounded so sexy in their native tongues, as if interpreter use should be a point against them.  She asked, too,  why Ms. Philippines didn’t have an interpreter.  I proudly told her that in the Philippines, people speak English very well. Then again, Abby knows my this-is-too-painful-to-watch face as she has seen it so many times also during tv watching. So she asked me, “How’d she (Ms. Philippines) do?”  And all I could say was…I think I ignored that question.

Promise.  Abby will sleep early tonight. :P

oOo

With everything that’s happening back home, including last night’s pageant, I know redemption isn’t too far behind.  We’re just too battered already.  Manny Pacquiao should probably get in (on? :P)the ring…like right now.

oOo

Gotta go.  I’ve said too much.  See, that’s why I need to go private. I don’t really like chewing on my foot.  Believe you me, it doesn’t taste very appealing.  I’ve reached my quota of foot in mouth episodes. ;)

It’s Choose Day (Tuesday)!  Choose to be happy and avoid anything or anyone who’ll make you feel otherwise. ;)

Cheers, y’all!

My little girl’s back in school.  I thought we were going to have a tough morning, but no, I was up before 6am and the first grader was up by 6:30am.  How’s that for first day of school excitement?!

oOo

So this morning, I was back doing one of the things I do best, if I may say so myself, “assembling” a decent lunch for Abby and throwing in a couple of healthy snacks in her lunch box.  But that’s an entry for another site. *wink*  Hee hee.  I told my daughter my lunch time appearances this school year will be limited.  In fact, I wasn’t really planning on going to school today for lunch, but the little boss requested that I come over. So I did.  How can I refuse?  I  guess she’s used to having her girl Friday around. Anyway, I saw it as an opportunity to start getting to know the 15 or so other kids in her class. ;)

oOo

After slacking on exercise for two months, it was good to get back to running.  Well, my run might actually only be a jog to some, but hey…   It was a leisurely 2.5-mile run.  I wasn’t panting or gasping for air and I didn’t ever feel I was going to pass out…and that, I think, is a very good thing.  Hee hee. :)  After my run, I squeezed in some gym time.  And you know what I’m going to say next…it’s good to be back in the gym!  ;)

If by any chance you thought that I have all the time to do the things I do – make school lunches, volunteer in school, run and exercise (among other things) – because I’m a stay-at-home mom, I forgive you.  Hee hee. :P

oOo

And here’s the buh-bye part…

In a couple of days, that is, as soon as I figure out how to do it, this space will cease to exist in the public eye.  After finally growing out of online naivety brought about by 5 years of blogging, it finally hit me, who cares what I think or say or do anyway?  Take the first part of this entry for instance?  Who cares if it’s the first day of school?  That I’m making school lunches again? That I’m running again?  Exactly.

This blog has suffered neglect for the longest time.  I guess Facebook is partly to blame.  I got lazy because I could easily update my status on FB, which brings me back to the question, who among my 355 “friends” on FB cares what I put on my wall?  What I cooked?  What I baked?  Where we went?  Exactly.

Having said that, I will steer myself away from FB and just channel the time I spend there on my blogs, albeit, privately (for this one)…for the people who really care…my mom? My husband?  Hee hee. :P

I love it here, always have, always will.  Plus, I love putting my thoughts down on paper, well, more like typing it and seeing it on screen, wrong grammar and misspellings notwithstanding.  And just the thought of the range of topics I can write about privately gets me all psyched up!  It’s going to be very liberating! I know it already! I am just about ready to burst in excitement!

I shall tell you when it happens…not that anybody cares.  Hee hee.

oOo

Have a great week ahead and think happy thoughts, y’all!  It’s going to be a great one for us! *sighs contentedly*

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So how does it feel to be six and a day older?  Not much different from being 5, is it? It’s funny how being the youngest in your class and as each of your classmates turned 6, your 6th birthday just couldn’t come fast enough.  But that’s you, impatient a lot of times. :D

There is just so much ahead of you, Sweetie.  How do I even begin to explain in a way that you’ll understand, that you shouldn’t be in too much of a hurry to be a grownup?  That you should enjoy and savor each and every day?  That you’re so blessed to be a child whose every need (and a lot of times, want), thanks to God’s grace, is practically being served in a golden platter?

Your dad and I are very proud of everything you’ve accomplished since your last birthday.  In a few days, you’ll be entering first grade, and we know you will continue to amaze us in and out of school, in more ways than we can imagine, like you always have.

You are a very good and headstrong little girl, Abby.  You say what’s on your mind and you, thank goodness, will not allow yourself to be bullied!  Your Mimi says it’s because you’re too smart and I might have to agree with her.  I remember that one time at the playground  not too long ago, when a girl who couldn’t be older than you said you can’t play because you’re wearing flipflops.  What did you tell her?  That she can’t tell you what to do, that’s what!  Haha!  I wish I were more courageous like you when I was little. I would have just probably kept mum and walked away. :D

We love you very much Abby.  And loving you means we have to be tough on you sometimes, hopefully, not too tough that you’ll have to set aside an hour each week of your adulthood, lying down on some couch to tell some professional with pen and paper in an armchair why you blame your childhood for…for whatever. *knocks on wood* :D  You have to understand that Mom and Dad didn’t go to parenting school, but believe us when we say that we are truly doing our best.  We rely heavily on our childhood experiences and the “parenting module” used by Mimi, Wiwa and Wowo.  Mom and Dad turned out way more than ok, so we just might be on the right track.

I shall continue praying that God keep you in His loving care and protection like He has always done for all of us and that He may continue to bless you in countless ways.  In the same breath, I pray that God grant us, your parents, the grace to always be good to you and be every bit deserving of the wonderful gift that you are.  May we be able to set for you, examples worth emulating, so that you may thrive well in the sometimes cruel world outside our happy home. :)

Happy 6th Birthday, my sweet sweet baby. We love you more than you’ll ever know. *mmmuah*

All my love,

Mommy Weng

For three reasons, I’m posting these “Then and Now, Before and After” photos.  One, to serve as a virtual, not to mention, visual, pat on our backs because our hard work  (read: sensible eating and food choices and regular exercise) is paying off.  Two, to serve as a reminder for hubby and me, that if we stop taking good care of ourselves, we’ll once again look the way we did before February 2010.  Three, to serve as inspiration to  maybe one or two (hopefully more!) people who are having a tough time getting back in shape.  Because sure enough, if we can do it, you can, too! ;)

Top photo taken on my birthday last year at Ichiban Sushi Buffet.  Bottom photo taken at home on my birthday this year.

Abby and Me, Then (top) and Now (bottom)

Me, Then (top) and Now (bottom)

More of me  then (left) and now (right). There was definitely more of me last year! :P

I remember during the first hour of the New Year, friends of ours were looking at photos from Halloween 2008 and one jokingly exclaimed, “Look how much we’ve grown!”   Well, you probably already know what that actually meant. Hee hee. :)

What a difference a year makes!  It’s nice to have a neck and collar bones and clothes that don’t burst at the seams.  :D  We are and will constantly be a work in progress.  There are good days and there are not so good ones.  But we’re smarter now, and making better choices just come naturally for us now.  That’s one of the best gifts we can give ourselves and our daughter. ;)

Cheers, y’all! :)

The perfect husband.  Check.  Mini me.  Check. Lovely bouquet of a dozen white roses.  Check. Homemade birthday card by Mini Me.  Check. Homemade birthday cake.  Check. Phone calls, emails, text and Facebook messages.  Check, check, check and check.

I had the warmest welcome to mid-30s.  My personal party started when the clock struck 12mn in the Philippines. Since moving to the US in 2007, I’ve been celebrating my birthday for 1 1/2 days! :)  For the record, yesterday, I turned 35. And I don’t feel any different from when I was 34.  If anything I feel soooo much better, not to mention so much lighter and prettier, too! Or did I get feeling the same as early 30s all wrong and mid-30s is actually already making me delusional? Not! Hee hee. :)

I am still basking in the warm glow of all the love I was showered with yesterday.  It feels great to be loved and remembered.  Everyone deserves to feel the way I did yesterday. *happy sigh of content*

Thank you, dear God, for blessing me with another birthday, for all that I am and for all that I have.  I enter my mid-30s with open arms eager to embrace and a new and empty life basket eager to  be filled with all the wonderful blessings you so untiringly and generously give.  I always say that in spite of my shortcomings, I must be doing something right to deserve your bountiful blessings.  I am truly truly grateful for your goodness.

In a special way, I pray for everyone who remembered me yesterday, for everyone who made me feel loved – my family, relatives and dear friends -  shower them with your blessings and keep them in your loving care and protection always.  Please make everything good and right for all of us.  All these I ask, through the intercession of Mary, our Mother.  Amen.

I am going to rock my mid-30s until my life begins in 5 years time, when I shall rock even more! Exciting times are ahead!

Cheers, y’all and Mabuhay! :)

Today, by thinking of  and remembering him in a most special and personal way, I celebrate him, the doting Dad that he was and the great granddad he would have been.

Happy 64th Birthday, Daddy!  You are still sorely missed.  You are still so fondly remembered.  You are still very much loved. I thank God for the 13 years you were with me…for the wonderfully precious gift that they were. I love you, Daddy!  Cheers to you in the heavens! *mmmuah*

Now that she’s past babyhood (Not to me!! I’m still very much in denial!), Abby still continues to amaze us whenever she reaches milestones, specially ones that may otherwise be considered “optional”, say, swimming, ice skating or riding a bike.

Last week, on June 14th to be exact, Abby learned to ride a bike without training wheels.  Hubby and I were very excited for her, hubby most specially, who has been helping Abby practice a couple of times a week after school.  I never went to those practices with them, except for that fine Monday. Perhaps, my mommy heart knew that it was the day.  So I came prepared. I made sure I brought my camera with me. And I have to say, I was not disappointed! :)

While Abby learned to bike,  she still needed a little push so she could start pedaling.  This week, on June 21st, hubby and Abby set out yet again for the empty parking lot so Abby can work on pedaling off all by herself.  I made hubby promise to take a video of their success, because I knew again that they will be successful in their efforts.  Hubby brought home a very nice present for me, a Biking 101 – type of video featuring Abby.  Hee hee.

I am sooo proud of my little girl!  How could I not be when I was all of 9 or 10 years old when I learned to ride a bike, while Abby is only 5!  Abby also swims “Abbystyle” but that won’t be for long because she’ll be starting formal swim lessons soon.  I learned to swim when I was 9. :)  As for ice skating, Abby learned to ice skate when she was 4.  I learned to ice skate, too, albeit tentatively…at the age of 34! :P

Cheers to your biking success, Abby!  Mommy and daddy are so proud of you…we always are. *mmmmuah*

Happy Father’s Day, Munchkin!  Thank you for being the wonderfully great blessing that you are to Abby (and me!).  You are one of the best proofs of God’s goodness.  We love you!