Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas everyone!

My blog has been quiet for a long time now and before the year ends, I wanted to post even if it's a short entry.

Christmas this year was nice as we celebrated it with Jamie, our youngest. This was her first christmas and we gifted her with a big teddy bear. As usual, I had a shift but good thing I work from home so we had our 30-minute break at 11:45pm-12:15am. We got to have our noche buena like the others :)

After a few hours, we were on our way to Baguio. Again, it was our first time with the whole family so we were all excited. We just got home last night. Tired from the long drive but definitely happy because it was one trip to remember. Pictures to follow :)

Happy Birthday, Jesus! We thank You so much for everything. We love you!

New Moon Movie Date

Hi everyone! I'm just checking in to the blogverse and I have been so busy these past few weeks. I don't even have time to arrange my farm in farmville LOL

Anyway, I'm just excited for December because of a lot of significant events to happen. Jeremy and my hubby will celebrate their birthdays, a very dear friend will get married (yiiihii!), and for the first time, the whole family will go to Baguio for a quick vacation as the wedding will be held there. I already booked our hotel accommodation and will plan the itinerary too so that we can maximize our time there.

I'm excited for tomorrow too as our account at work will watch New Moon! I'm sure it will be lots of fun and as for me, as long as Edward gets enough screen time, I'm going to be okay :D

Happy weekend everyone!

Choosing the Right Infant Formula

When I was still pregnant with my first born, I was clueless about a lot of things concerning motherhood. I thought if I buy his things branded, it will be better albeit more expensive. But yeah, I just wanted to give him the best and that included his formula milk. Unfortunately I only breastfed my eldest for a month and after that, nothing came out anymore. There was no choice but to feed him infant formula. There are a lot of choices in the market and I opted to go for one of the expensive ones as I equated it with quality.

However, there came a time when due to financial constraints, we had to switch to another brand. We chose another milk coming from the same manufacturer but more affordable. I checked the label and guess what; they almost have the same content! So I checked it more and realized I was only paying for the brand name but in essence they have the same quality because of course, all store brand formula are approved and regulated by FDA.

With this, let’s be careful in choosing the right formula for our children. Not buying the expensive ones doesn’t mean we don’t want the best for them but it just means we want to be economical and at the same time give them the best. In this difficult times I believe we can be wise spenders and give the best care for our children too.

Just checking in

Wow it's already mid-October and yet this is the first post here. I didn't realize I was that busy but yes, I have been so preoccupied with a lot of things. 2 strong typhoons already passed by and brought so much damage to our country and a lot more happened. I'll post about it in the days to come and hopefully pay more attention to my blog. I'm sure it misses me :)

That's all for now. Take care y'all!

A Night of Great Music with Bamboo

I have always been a big music fan. When I got the text message last Friday informing me that I won VIP tickets to Bamboo's concert at the new Skydome in SM North Edsa, I was beside myself with excitement! I just realized that yeah, I also needed to unwind as I have been so busy with work and taking care of the kids :)

My youngest brother and I watched the concert last Sept. 12 and boy was it amazing! First, what we got were really VIP tickets as we were seated right at the front row! First time ever I got to watch a great concert right in front! I know my post is full of exclamation but yes, just thinking about my experience makes me want to relive that night again. Bamboo, as usual, gave a stellar performance and rocked the Skydome. I have watched them before in free mall shows and watching them again made me realize that yes, they're one of the best bands that we have out there. They sang one hit to another and also performed one of my favorites, Waiting in Vain. I think they sang about 15 songs in all coming from all of their albums. The crowd went wild when they sang their old hits from their former band, Rivermaya. It was so old school hearing them perform Ulan, Kisapmata, Awit ng Kabataan and Hinahanap-hanap kita. The audience was singing along to every song and it was one great night that I will never forget. Bamboo Manalac, Nathan Azarcon, Ira Cruz and Vic Mercado gave an incredible performance. Oh and by the way, the concert was opened by Up dharma Down, another band to watch out for. The vocals of Armi Mallare was chilling and that's in a good way. There's so much emotion in her singing and it made the night more magical.

The concert ended past 11pm and it was drizzling when we got out of the venue but there was no trace of tiredness or sleepiness on my part considering I only slept for an hour that day and I had to work on the night shift the previous night. I guess it erased the stress I was dealing with and left me refreshed again :)

I would like to thank Viva Entertainment for giving me VIP tickets! You can also win tickets for yourself and it's easy to join. Just log on to Viva Entertainment and register. Current promos are listed there and just visit the forums to join. Winners are notified via SMS and tickets can be claimed at the Viva office in Ortigas. That's so easy, isn't it? I'm such a sucker for freebies and I also won numerous times from Yummy magazine and Getzmo! as well and it's so great to win free stuff especially for something that you truly enjoy :) Thanks Viva! Hope to win more next time!

Mommy Moments: Hats Day

This week's theme is Hats Day!

I had to look for pics because it's only now I realized I don't take much pictures of my kids wearing hats. Maybe because my son takes it off as soon as he sees me about to take a pic of him LOL!

The picture below is one rare moment where my brother took a pic of Jeremy wearing his cap but then my son opted to wear the cap this way LOL! I don't even know where he saw this and imitated it hehehe!



This next one was taken when he was only 1yr. old and he was crying because I made him wear this Santa hat LOL! Well, I took it off right away after snapping a pic of him.



Lastly, this is my daugther, Jamie, during her baptism. Doesn't she look like a baby chef? :)



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Christmas Greetings!

An early Merry Christmas greeting to everyboy!

I can't believe it's already September and just a few months more and Christmas will be here! I just love the season because aside from celebrating Jesus's birthday, it's also the birth month of Jeremy and my hubby :) Also, my parents's wedding anniversary and my good friend's wedding too *wink* Definitely a lot to look forward to this December :)

This early I would have to make plans and save up and I'm thinking of filing an early vacation leave from work so that I'm all set. Can you feel the excitement within me bursting? LOL

Anyway, will catch up again later and just one more hour and a half and I'm out off from work :)

Mommy Moments: Name Game

This week's theme is Name Game!

Finally, I get to join Mommy Moments again! I'm just writing this while on break hehehe.

On with the theme. We picked the name Jeremy for our eldest as it sounded cute. Yep, that's the reason. And then later on I checked online for its meaning and it said it meant, "God will uplift." It was a good name after all. Then we decided to add name Justin so his name is Justin Jeremy.



As for Jamie, we wanted to keep up with the JJ initials so we named her Jamella (according to my hubby, she's a character in DOTA or was it another game? hmmm...I forgot LOL)and then we added Janna. We just call her Jamie now or Jam as her grandparents fondly call her.





So that's the story behind our kids's names. I think they got cute and meaningful names. How I wish I can say the same for my name LOL!

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Time to Get a Web Host Provider

Looking for a web host provider? Check out web hosting, a great site that has a collection of different web host providers you can choose from. Not only that, it has comprehensive reviews which also includes the price packages for each provider. Cool, eh? I stumbled upon the site while searching for web host providers that I can use in the future. I didn't only get inside information on different web hosts but also I get to choose the one that fits my budget perfectly.

Even if I have been blogging for a number of years, I have never tried to get my own web host provider. I think it is because I don’t know where to start, like where to get it from, how to go about it. To make the long story short, I really have no clue on what to do. Too bad because according to other pro-bloggers, it can be a big factor in getting more gigs if your blog is hosted.

Anyway, it is not too late to get a web host provider now. But of course, I’ll have to read informative articles on the website to familiarize myself. I think I’ll start with web hosting instructions. For a newbie like me in web hosting, I would need all the information I could get in order to make this happen. Wish me luck!

Busy busy

Hello! I'm back! I have been so busy these past weeks that I realized I didn't have an entry for August yet, and it's been two weeks since I last joined Mommy Moments. I have new responsibilites and tasks at work so I am concentrating on those and I am just too excited to learn new things :)

I also don't get a chance to play Pet Society and Farm Town as much as I did before because when I get off from work, I sleep right away and wake up three hours later to eat. This boils down to time management again and I hope I get adjusted to my new work schedule very soon. If there's one thing I really, really like about it is I get weekends off again! Weee! It has been years since this last happened so definitely I'm loving it :) I'd get to go out with my family again during weekends and just bond with the kids. They are growing up so fast!

Jamie is now 5mos. old and she loves to play with her feet. She babbles a lot and can even say mamamama :)I know she's not calling me yet but I just love it when I hear her say it. She smiles a lot too and is not difficult to take care of unless she's hungry LOL!

Jeremy is definitely a big boy and he has gained weight because he's eating rice again unlike before when he used to favor spaghetti all the time. I guess it was really just a phase after all. But of course, spaghetti is still his all-time favorite. And he says "wow" when he sees Jollibee, whether the store or the mascot LOL!

Anyway, that's what I have been up to for the last few weeks. I hope everyone is having a great time too! We're almost in mid-August and September is next! Just a few months to go and it's Christmas once again :) Time does fly fast when you're having fun.

Happy weekend!

Sunday Morning

Happy Sunday!

I'm up early and have been trying to access my Pet Society but to no avail. Sigh. I miss my pet so much! LOL! It's been a day since I haven't checked on her and I wanted to try the new fishing feature and get my hands on new items from the mystery boxes. I have a lot of coins now and I was hoping to earn some more before the clock is reset. Oh well, I guess I just have to wait. I am just lazing around in my farm in Farm Town because I already finished planting seeds and they won't be ready for harvest until tonight. If you don't understand what I'm saying, that means you don't have a facebook account and hasn't been sucked in yet to the addicting world of games. Or if you do have an account, you haven't picked a game yet to enjoy and spend lots of hours on LOL!

Anyway, I still have a shift later at 11am so I plan to catch up on my chores while I still have time. I'm looking forward to not working on weekends and two more weeks ago and I get to enjoy that :)

Will take a quick shower now and will head over to the market. I'm craving for barbeque for lunch. Yum!

Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Okay, so I finally watched it last Saturday at the Shangrila Plaza Mall. Our bosses at work very kindly treated the team to dinner and to a movie afterwards. Good food, good company but can I also say good movie? Spoilers abound. You can skip this post if you haven't watched it yet and don't want to be spoiled.

Well, I'd say it's a good movie. I really liked the first and middle parts even if as usual they deviated from the story in the book. But after watching the past 5 films, I'd say I'm already used to not seeing the scenes that I like and then exchanged by other scenes so not in the book. That's why when I saw the Hermione-Ron-Lavender love triangle, I was so giddy because that has always been my favorite seeing as I am a Ron-Hermione shipper. I'm afraid to say that was just the redeeming factor of the movie, at least for me. How come they didn't show the burial for Dumbledore? I think that was very important and by doing that, it's like they didn't give him respect that he very much deserved. Also, I think Harry looked lame just standing there while Snape cursed Dumbledore. I know they were trying to portray Harry as someone very obedient but I just think it's so not him. He just stood there watching things as they unfold. Maybe if they followed the book where Harry was covered by the invisibility cloak and he was immobilised, I would have bought the story.

Another scene I missed was the battle between the death eaters and the Order of the Phoenix with Dumbledore's Army. Sigh. How I wish they included that as it is an integral part of the story. Oh well, I guess I can't have them all. The last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be divided in two parts for the movie slated for release on 2010 and 2011. I hope this time they will really, really give justice to the book as it is the finale to a great saga that is Harry Potter. I read that the final battle will be 30 minutes long.

Even if I'm a bit disappointed with how the movie ended, my love for Harry Potter and the gang will not waiver. I know I can just read JKR's books over and over again and be transported to the wizarding world; just me and my imagination.

Mommy Moments: Playing Time

Today's theme is Playing time! Jeremy definitely loves to play and nowadays, he's totally digging driving inside our house on his toy car.

And not only that, he sure know how to keep it safe seeing as he always wears his helmet whenever he drives. LOL!

As for my 4-month old daughter, Jamie, playing time is laughing time :)



p.s. This post is best viewed in IE.

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Work and Facebook

Good day everyone! I am extremely busy so I haven't been able to update my blog nor visit others's. There's a big change in my schedule and I now work 15 hours a day. Well, yes I just work from home but I have to do some serious time management because I also have to take care of the kids. And yes, still no babysitter for over a month now. Sigh.

Of course, more work hours mean a bigger salary so no complains there. Whatever time I have left, I squeeze in some household chores, bond with the kids and hubby and if I'm lucky, I get to sleep in too :) This opportunity doesn't come everyday so I say bring it on! LOL!

By the way, have you played Pet Society in Facebook? It's my latest addiction along with Farm Town. I just started playing a few weeks ago and I'm on my way up! I managed to get more friends so that my pet, Maddie, can visit more pet friends and that means more coins and that means more money to buy furniture, clothes, etc. Ha! If only that were real :D I rarely update my friendster account because I spend more time in Facebook and from there I get to chat with friends and play lots of games. It keeps me sane :)

With everything that's been going on, I still try to create balance with my work and family. I'm grateful that even if we don't have a helper, my family has stepped up to help me :) Thank you!

Catch you all soon for more!

xoxo

Mommy Moments: Encounter with Pets or Animals

This week's theme is Encounter with Pets or Animals. Since we don't have a pet at home, I'm sharing these pics from our visit to the Manila Ocean Park last December 2008. It was our first time and we were given tickets by my Boss at work and we were thankful. It doesn't come cheap and we live in Novaliches so we took the opportunity to come and visit it.

The place is nice and there's definitely a lot to see. My son enjoyed looking at the fish although he was more excited when he saw the mini-playground LOL!

Here he is looking at the fish and just look at his stance. It's as if he's curious for real :)



Of course, we had to take this picture before he ran off to the playground.



I think it's good to expose kids to animals and we plan to visit Manila Zoo one of these days and if time and budget permits, Zoobic Safari is our next stop.

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Manage Your Properties

My husband and I are thinking of which business to put up in the future so that this early we can already start saving up for it. We don’t want to keep working until we get old so we are contemplating on different business ideas.

It seems franchising a business is the fad nowadays so we’re getting information about it. Or maybe we can start an internet café since internet is now a major part of our lives. Lastly we’re also thinking of building an apartment, maybe a 3-door one would be great. If you’re thinking of the same, you can go check out Real Property Management. it’s a great company that offers real property management and has property managers, maintenance personnel, etc. Now you would be assured that your property is in good hands.

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

I woke up this morning with a sad news that greeted me. Michael Jackson is dead. I quickly checked the internet and looked for articles and it did confirm that the King of Pop is gone. I'm saddened with the news and for me he was really a great performer and I loved his moonwalk, I think everybody did.

I'll definitely remember his songs and his dance moves and his legacy will live on.

I checked youtube and found this video where he premiered his moonwalk dance. It was a historic performance and I was glassy-eyed when I finished watching it.


credits to user Manzil016

May you rest in peace, Michael. I hope you finally find the peace and contentment that might have eluded you while you were still here.

Great deals at Accor Hotels

I have always wanted to travel. I would imagine going to different countries to savor their culture, visit landmarks and of course, eat my way around the world!

I have never been out of the country so my husband said we could go to Hongkong first for a weekend adventure. I think it’s no more than an hour for travel time so it won’t take long if we go there. I was checking hotels online when I came across Accor Hotels City Super Sale and wow, this really got me all excited. They offer as much as 60% discount for cities that include Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, etc. But hurry because this offer is for a limited time only. I suggest you visint their website to get more details. And not only that, Accor Advantage Plus members get to enjoy 10% discounts on all City Sale Rates! Sweet, isn’t it? I remember that this discount also applies to dining in the hotel’s restaurant like Sofitel Hotel here in the Philippines. If you travel a lot, it would really be great if you could join the club and get your Accor Advantage card.

Since I’ve never been abroad, this will take a great deal of planning if I go on vacation. I’m thinking of going to Singapore and maybe even visit Abi whom I have never seen in years. Or just go to Hongkong and satisfy my taste buds. Well, either way would be fun now if only I could finally secure a passport I can get started on my plans.

DSL troubles

For the past two days, my dsl connection has been really unstable and it has affected my work a lot. I've been told that if I don't report for work on time tonight due to internet connection yet again, I have to go to our Training Center in Pasig to work there. Sigh. That puts me in a tight spot because I have two young kids and there's a typhoon which makes it a challenge to commute to and from work. I just hope and pray my internet connection doesn't fail me tonight.

Online Games for fun

I have always played games online to while away time especially during my shift when there aren’t many calls. There are a lot of websites that offer free games and good thing I discovered multiplayer games,8c1.net.http://www.8c1.net. It offers a free online multiplayer billiard game. Well, I’m not very lucky when playing an actual billiard game so I think I have a good chance of winning online.

One thing I am very particular of in online games is how fast it loads and the ease in using its interface. Good thing it is the case with the billiard game online so I now have something new to do when boredom strikes me or when I’m relaxing after a hard day’s work.

Happy Father's Day!

Greetings to all the Fathers especially to my father, father-in-law, and Dadi! We love you!

On Getting a Web host Provider

For bloggers like me, I’m sure getting a web host provider has entered your mind. There are many advantages to getting one and definitely a lot of companies that offer web hosting. The question is how to choose the right one, and also, which web host provider works best to meet your needs.

I checked web hosting awards I was floored by the information available. It doesn’t only lists the web host providers available but it even has ratings, reviews and also gives awards to deserving web host providers. Of course, before we venture into something and pay for it with our hard-earned money, we have to be assured that we are getting our money’s worth.

I am going to read on their blog too and I think this is a great article to start with Finding the Perfect Balance of Disk Space and Bandwidth. Honestly, I don’t know much yet about the pros and cons of getting a web host provider as well as what things to take in to consideration when choosing for one so I am going to learn the basics first.

For how many years now and still counting, I have used free blog hosting providers and I intend to maintain my blog for a very long time so I think I should invest in a quality web host provider. One that would be hassle-free for a working mom like me.

Mad - Ne-Yo

I know this song has been released for quite some time but I'm just catching up now. I like this song so much :)

Lyrics | Ne-Yo lyrics - Mad lyrics

Summer or Rain

I loved the Twilight movie and among the books, it is also my favorite. Edward Cullen is just too dazzling as I am sure a lot of girls out there would agree and he complements Bella’s character. In the book, Bella moved to Forks, Washington and coming from Phoenix, Arizona it was a drastic change in the weather as it usually 75 to 80 degrees there compared with Forks where it rains most of the time. I’m just thinking if I were Bella, would I choose to stay in a place where it’s always summertime or some place where it’s cold and wet? I think I’d stick it with the sun and for those looking for information in Arizona, you can check out Arizona relocation. And while you’re at it, you can also visit New Home Developments to look at new homes.

Mommy Moments: Outdoor Fun

We don't go out most of the time but when we do, Jeremy is always beside himself with excitement. Just last May, we went to La Mesa Ecopark and he played in the playground. He busied himself with the slides and running around the place. His Tito Bong, my brother, played with him and they had so much fun.



Just look at his face when I told him that we were about to leave LOL! He kept running back to the slides because he didn't to go yet.



And here's Jamie, sleeping as usual :)



And finally, she woke up to say hi to everyone!



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Wish list

Whenever my hubby and I go window-shopping, we always pass by the furniture shops. Well, we’re moving in to our own house late next year so I look for pieces that will work for us. But they are really expensive. If given the chance, I’d love to have a king-sized bed in our room with two lamp shades, cabinets and a nice window treatment. We could also do with a wooden dining table and chairs. Sigh. Just looking at the pieces here in rustic furniture make me drool LOL! These are such timeless, classic pieces that I’m sure will stand the test of time.

Thankful

First off, I'd like to thank my family for helping me take care of my kids these past weeks. You rock!

Also, thanks to the bosses at work for giving me extra hours. We need to add to our savings for Jamie's Christening this July.

Thanks to my hubby for always being there for me. And to my kids, of course. You all make me complete.

And definitely, I'd like to thank Jesus for the strength to overcome life challenges. No matter how difficult life can get, I am not afraid for You are here :)

Looking Good in Scrubs

I admire what Nurses do. It’s no joke caring for the sick, getting along with different types of patients , enduring long working hours, and you know, just being there and sympathetic to the patient.

It was one of my childhood dreams to be a Nurse but I’m way too scared of needles and blood so I had to forego of that dream. I just noticed that there are more nursing students now and one can get really useful information from Scrubs. Nurses and Nursing students alike will surely get useful tips with the varied topics that are discussed at the website.

I particularly liked the article on Wake Up Looking Younger. This just doesn’t apply to nurses but everybody in general. After a hectic day at work, we need to take care of ourselves too and usually we just need to go back to basics to look and feel better. 5 tips are listed and are pretty easy to follow. Just knowing how to sleep in the right position can do so much in improving one’s health.

There is so much to read about in Scrubs and now that it’s the summer season, it even has a neat section for Style. Being a nurse doesn’t mean one can’t be stylish anymore. Check out the Style section for the summer checklist and a fashion designer also shows off scrubs great for summer.

Scrubs

Difficult Times

It's been two weeks since Jeremy's nanny left and she's not coming back. There were applicants but really, they were all demanding. The first one wanted to leave every night so that she can be with her kids. Okay. That's out of the question. She is supposed to take care of Jeremy's needs at night (he still drinks milk when he wakes up in the middle of the night) because I take care of Jamie who's turning 3mos. old this month. So I turned her down. The other applicant wanted to work as an all-around helper and for my mother to take care of Jeremy. LOL! Well, my concern really is for someone to look after Jeremy. We can do the chores. I can do the laundry during my day off from work. Again, I declined.

There were a few more applicants but all did not come up to par. Being a Recruitment Officer at work, I've learned to read deeper to the applicant's answers. Too bad I sensed the hesitance on the applicants's part and for me, that's a sign that they are not too keen on the job.

Anyway, it has not been easy these past two weeks. My youngest brother looks after Jeremy while I work while my mom takes care of Jamie until my husband arrives from the office. I only get to sleep well during weekends and the other days, coffee and multivitamins help me get through :)

I don't know if we'll find the right nanny for Jeremy but definitely, I won't be settling for just anybody because we know how great an influence they could be to our kids. For the meantime, our set-up at home still works. It just gets better when everybody steps in to help one way or another :)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

This video made my day:


credits to user lego4almonds

Yep, that's the latest and they say the final trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince which is scheduled for release on July 15, 2009. It's just more than a month from now and I can hardly wait! I'm so excited to watch this movie and I'll definitely go to the cinema on the first showing day LOL! I loved the book and judging from the trailer, it looks like it will give justice to all the important scenes in the book. I'm glassy-eyed now just remembering how the story ended :(

Enough HP for now. Back to work :)

Mommy Moments: Haircut

Jeremy had his first haircut when he turned 1 year old. It has always been a challenge to have his hair cut because he cries very hard, doesn't sit still because his eyes and hands follow the barber's razor LOL!

As you can see in the picture (August 2008), he's still all smiles because he thought he'll just be playing with the toy car



He's still smiling here when the cape was put on and he was given a lollipop. But that's about it because he started wailing when the guy started to cut his hair. I didn't take a picture anymore as I was restraining him from getting up fom his chair and well, I just wanted to pacify him.

Here's what he looked like after his haircut. We were thinking of just a trim for him so that he gets a new hairstyle but the barber found it difficult to style his hair so there.



Afterwards, we treated him to his favorite spaghetti, this time at McDonald's, to make him feel better :)

Lately, it's easier to have his hair cut but whenever he hears other children crying, he follows suit LOL! Maybe next time, there won't be tears anymore.

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Mommy Moments: Grandparents Bonding

Wow! I missed Mommy Moments last week and I only realized now it's a Friday so I wouldn't want to miss another entry :) This Friday, we give the spotlight to grandparents bonding with their grandchildren.

At the start of our marriage, my husband and I lived in Bulacan and we stayed there until Jeremy was more than 3 months old. After that, we moved back to Manila and had the chance to visit my parents often. Even then, Jeremy didn't warm up right away with his grandparents. It's pretty obvious with the picture below, right? LOL!



After a few more visits, Jeremy finally bonded with his lolo (grandfather) and now they're the best of friends :) And here they are today:



By the way, I looked for any picture of Jamie with my parents but there's none. I guess I overlooked it. Hmm will have to take lots of it one of these days.

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What's up?

The past week has been a busy one and I even missed posting for Mommy Moments :( I'll make up this week and will submit early, I hope LOL!

Anyway, I'm still busy both at work and at home. Our team is finished with the mock calls last week and we're just waiting for the date of our go-live. I hope everything turns out fine so that we get good feedback from the client. It would be great if the account stays for a very long time :)

I'm also busy at home because Jamie has apparently changed her schedule (babies change their schedules every month)so she's awake most of time in the afternoon but the good thing is she's very sleepy by 8pm and can now sleep for 3 hours continuously. Yay! I can sleep too, of course that's why I'm happy. I hope this carries on for the months to come. Getting a good night's sleep is still the best thing even if I sleep during the day.

After my shift in the morning, I then spend time with Jeremy who's growing more and more talkative as the days pass. He still speaks German, sometimes Chinese LOL! Kidding aside, I can now understand more of the words that he says and he's even starting to eat rice again! I'll elaborate on that on my next post. I told his dad to put up the kiddie pool tomorrow so that he can take a splash while the rains are not back again. I even plan to inflate his beach ball and floaters to complete the experience :)

Talk to you again soon!

Jamie turns 2 months old!

Happy Tuesday!

Even if I was on training which started last night at 11pm until 4am this morning, I got up at 8am to cook spaghetti for breakfast because it's Jamie's 2nd month :) And of course, it's Jeremy's ultimate favorite food so I had to cook early.

Here's Jamie looking pretty in her summer dress. I'm sure all the mothers would agree that their kids are the prettiest and handsomest in the whole wide world :)



I'm going to be very busy with work in the days to come as we are going to go live for a new account by Thursday. Hopefully things will turn out fine and I'm going to devote time in studying the training manual. I'm going to visit everyone again as soon as I get free time.

Thanks so much for dropping by and I hope you enjoy the rest of the day!

Happy Mom's Day!

This is our day!



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Mommy Moments: Happy Mommy Moments

This week's theme of Mommy Moments is Happy Mommy Moments. Like what Chris said, everyday is a happy mommy moment and choosing one or even some is difficult especially since I can't find those pictures LOL!

Anyway, I just thought of posting this video of Jeremy dancing while you can hear me on the background coaxing him to face the camera. I took this video last April 13.

This video is indeed a happy mommy moment for me as I see my son enjoying himself. I hope you like watching it too :)




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Manny Pacquiao did it again!

I know I've been gone for a while and I even missed posting my entry for Mommy Moments for the first time ever since I joined. I am so busy at work and the recruitment team is also getting ready for a potential account to start this week so to say my hands are full would be an understatement :)

No matter how busy I am though, I won't pass up the opportunity to congratulate our very own Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao for beating Ricky Hatton with a second left to the 2nd round! TKO, baby! It was the left hook that did it for Manny. I even pitied Hatton when he fell cold on the canvas. It must have hurt like hell! He was very open indeed for the punch and Manny went for the killer. The bout ended just like that LOL!

Again, congrats Manny! All the alaxan and vitwater did it for you LOL! Because ya know! Try one now!

Of Wizards and Jumpers

My hubby and I were watching Jumper on Star Movies last night and I told him that David (Hayden Christensen) has something in common with wizards. That is, they can all teleport or more popularly known as Apparition (and Disapparition) in the world of Harry Potter. Hah! And you thought this was one serious post LOL!

That is one interesting power and honestly, if given the chance, it would be too cool to go from one place to another just like that. This got me thinking if there are such people as Jumpers, would I want to be one of them? It's a fascinating and scary thought at the same time because there's a group that's too keen in eliminating them. So they are not free to be who they are as they are being tracked and it's like there's no freedom to be who they are.

On the other hand, no questions asked, I would love to be a witch and be friends with Harry, Ron and Hermione. I can apparate to any place and as long as I have passed Apparition, the Ministry of Magic will give me a license so that I can do it legally. With that, I can apparate and disapparate in peace. Add to this the fact that Voldemort and his Death Eaters have long been defeated by Harry Potter, along with some of the DA members and the Order of the Phoenix, so that leaves the Wizarding World such a great place to live in.

Sigh. If only such world exists, I would be the first to transfer there. And if only teleportation is possible, I would stand in line just to get it at all costs. No need for passports and visas :P

My Journey

I'm listening right now to Journey by Lea Salonga. I just love this song.

Half the world is sleeping,
half the world's awake
half can hear their hearts beat
half just hear them break

I am but a traveler, in most every way
Ask me what you want...to know

What a journey it has been
And the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
and they're bound to guide my way

When they're shining on my life
I can see a better day
I won't let the darkness in,
what a journey it has been.

I have been to sorrow
I have been to bliss
Where I'll be tomorrow,
I can only guess

Through the darkest desert
Through the deepest snow,
Forward always forward, I go..

What a journey it has been
and the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
and they're bound to guide my way

When they're shining on my life
I can see a better day
I won't let the darkness in,
what a journey it has been...

Forward, always forward...
Onward, always up...
Catching every drop of hope
In my empty cup

What a journey it has been
And the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
and they're bound to guide my way

When they're shining on my life
I can see a better dayI won't let the darkness in,
what a journey it has been...
What a journey it has been...

I can so relate to this song. My life is a journey and an exciting one at that. Can't wait for the next adventure and it's sweeter because of the people I am with :)

Mommy Moments: Daddy Moment

This week we give way to the Daddies in the house :)

Jeremy and his Daddy are very close. My hubby vividly recalls how our son used to sleep in his chest when he was a few months old and that he would put Jeremy in a makeshift sling while he's on shift (and I am trying to get some sleep). Too bad I can't find these pictures.

Now that Jeremy is older, they have fun doing activities together like playing in the arcade. In the picture below, his Daddy helps him in the game by pushing on the pedal while he drives. It's so touching to see my boys just having fun and bonding.



Whenever we have occasions to attend to, we see to it that all of us go. Like the recent kid's party where Jeremy was invited. His daddy was there to guide him and even watched him while he was playing games.



I'm looking forward to the time when we can bring Jamie along to such activities. I'm sure it will be so fun. We savor these moments when we can all have fun and we make sure to squeeze some R&R no matter how busy we are.

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Rain, rain go away...or not

It's been raining pretty hard usually in the afternoon these past few days. While it certainly is a welcome change from the blistering summer heat we are experiencing, it can be a pain sometimes.

Case in point: I can't do my grocery if it's raining as it gets so hard to commute especially going home because the streets are muddy and it's difficult to look for transport. My umbrella can only do so much and still leave me sopping wet and then the wind blows really hard leaving me with an upturned umbrella. I know. It was one sucky day when everything I mentioned happened in one day LOL!

Basically, I like the rains when I don't have plans of going out and when I don't have work to do so I can just lie down and snuggle with my loved ones. I also want to spend time watching tv, catching up on my favorite series like House and those cooking shows in the Asian Food Channel. I miss Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations as we don't have it in our current cable provider.

What about you? Like the rains or not?

Rainy Tuesday

I was checking my blog the other day and got the surprise of my life when I saw that I have a follower! Oh yes! I didn't know what it was at first LOL! It's like I was living under a rock :) But yes, it just dawned on me what it was when I read it. So, that's the thingamajig that I see in other bloggers site. Interesting. What made me appreciate it more was that it was totally unexpected :) Thanks, Elaine!

By the way, the three of us (hubby, Jeremy and I) went to SM Fairview yesterday to buy food and also to bond with Jeremy. I wanted to spend time with my son so that he'll know and feel that we love him even if he already has a baby sister. We had lunch at KFC and he ate his favorite spaghetti and then we headed over to the newly-opened Timezone at the Annex. Jeremy played some games and then it was time for us to go home. Too bad it was raining so hard. Maybe it was because of the weather or he's just plain sleepy, but Jeremy didn't want to walk! I can barely carry him. Imagine a petite mom like me carrying a 17-kg big baby LOL! Oh well, it was just a short distance to where Daddy was waiting for us so I obliged. I guess he just missed it because I didn't do much carrying when I was pregnant.

We went home and Jamie was fast asleep. I intend to do this more often. Spend time with Jeremy and definitely when Jamie is a bit older, we can bring her along too. That would be too fun :)

In search of a web host provider

Ever since I started blogging back in 2003, I have been using blogspot and xanga, which offer free blogs that are easy to use and set up. At that time, my purpose for creating a blog was to have an online journal since I spend most of my time in the office and I have grown tired of writing using my own hand. I also wanted to reach as many people as possible so I thought it would be a great medium since my site is just a click away.

In these times where blogging has become an emerging trend, many people have looked into getting their own domains. I am considering this too and luckily, I chanced upon web site hosting. It’s a great site with a wealth of information about web hosting. It features web hosting reviews which I find very useful as bloggers share their experience with different web hosting providers. We should shop around for the best provider before choosing one and compare the features that are part of the package.

The site also features the best web hosts so that one can get an idea of what to expect for a fair deal. I also suggest browsing through their blog and the topic is so timely for me as I am interested in SEO and want to explore this more to get more hits for my blog. Good luck to me!

Mommy Moments: Sentimental Moments

Truly everyday I spent and will be spending my kids is memorable but if I have to choose some sentimental moments, one of those was when Jeremy was finally transferred to a room from the incubator.

He was born premature (I gave birth at almost 33wks) and weighed 3.96lbs. He was very small but even then, he was the loudest to cry and was also active. The nurses were all fond of him because it seemed he kept a happy disposition even while inside the incubator and with all those tubes in his body. I was relieved because he didn't suffer from any serious condition but just the same he had to be incubated for a few days.

We finally transferred him to his room on the fourth day. This picture was taken shortly after midnight and my hubby caught the smile on Jeremy's face. I know it was involuntary but still it seemed he knew the situation and was smiling about it. :) It was Dec. 24 when we finally brought him home just in time for Christmas.



The second picture just made me realize how much my baby has grown into a fine, little boy. I just loved the way he looked here, as if telling me, "Look, Mom! I'm driving by myself." I can't help but wax nostalgic and just be very thankful that I was able to witness every milestone, no matter how simple, in my little boy's life :) I vow to do the same for my sweet little girl.



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Rowna who?

I had the itch to create a new blog last night, so I did. It's name is Rowna and I would appreciate it if you can visit me there as well. You can also link me up and I'll definitely do the same :)

By the way, there are just a few posts as it is a work in progress. I just wanted to share another side of me. I'd like to think of it as my comical side.

I hope to catch you all there too. And of course, do come by here like before as I won't be leaving this space of course :)

Enjoy the rest of the day!

Jamie's Baby Shower...Sorta

So my colleagues at work planned to throw me a baby shower last March but because Jamie wanted to make her grand entrance sooner than expected, it didn't push through. I gave birth on a Thursday and they wanted to have the shower on Saturday. So there.

But still, my friends sent me their welcome gifts to Jamie. Hazel had it delivered via Xend while my hubby went to the office to get Mother Len's gift. She's our Boss, by the way. I was so touched by the gesture and it really helped because we didn't buy a lot of stuff. Jamie got a receiving blanket, Minnie Mouse tie-side shirts, booties, shorts, a baby bag which was too cute, 2 pretty dresses, short-sleeved shirts and even feeding bottles.

This May we'll have our annual Mixer at the office and I'm thinking of bringing Jamie along so that they can see her personally. It'll be fun because we all work from home and we only get to see each other during special occasions :)

Jamie's Day

Happy Easter!

Aside from Easter, today is also the day our baby Jamie turns 1 month old :)

My mom cooked spaghetti and we took pictures of Jamie wearing her first dress and with a headband too. She looked adorable and looking at her, she has indeed grown a lot. She was barely 5lbs. when she was born and now she has definitely gained weight. Just look at those chubby cheeks :)



So there, just wanted to share those pics with my friends. Have a great week ahead!

Finding the Perfect Bed

When I was still pregnant, hubby and I were planning to buy a new bed simply because our family will get bigger and we wanted to co-sleep with the kids. It was indeed a challenge for us to find the perfect one that will fit our budget and also one that will fit the whole family.

I checked western furniture and found some really nice beds and with great designs to choose from. I particularly liked Sunrise Top King Sized Bed. The design is unique and it’s big enough for all of us. If money was not an issue, I’d really get myself one of those. The bed looks so inviting and promises a good night's sleep.

Mommy Moments: Kids in Costume

This week's theme in Mommy Moments is Kids in Costume. We attended a Halloween Costume Party in the office last year and it was Jeremy's first time to don a costume. We bought a penguin costume for him because it was the smallest we could find. I guess the other costumes sold out fast and those that were left behind were either big or out of our budget LOL!

Anyway, Jeremy wore this costume for approximately 10 minutes and then he threw up all over it. Oh yes, it was such a mess. His nanny was in a hurry (and I didn't know why) to feed him and just kept on putting lasagna in his mouth and then it happened. The photographer didn't even get the chance to take a decent pic of him. Good thing we had a dress rehearsal at home and I forced him to wear it. You can see in his face that he didn't like it. Maybe it was itchy or he was just having one of those days.



I just kept his costume and maybe he can wear it again this year when we go on a trick or treat. Who knows he might actually like wearing it this time around :)

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I'm a Mother, I'm a Wife

I would like to thank Gene for tagging me and I appreciate it a lot :) These are good questions and I seriously thought about these before answering LOL!

Rules PLEASE:

1. Link with the person who tagged you.

2. Copy above images.

3. Post this on any or all of your Blog/s.

4. Answer the two-part questionnaire following these Rules. (Feel free to elaborate your answers. For questions 8 - 14, post only the one (1) which you believe best describes your choice).

5. Share this with at least seven (7) friends on your Blog Roll.

6. Come back to Living A' La Mode (DO NOT CHANGE THIS LINK PLEASE.) and leave the URL of your Post in order for you/your Blog to be added to the Master List.

7. Have fun!

Parenting Style

1. Do you exercise full or minimal control over your child's / children's behavior? --> Full control

2. Do you expect your child / children to obey 100% or let her / him / them do what pleases her / him / them? --> I'd be very happy if my kids, particularly my son, will obey me and his dad all the time but I know he's exploring and wants to be more independent so we give him space :)

3. Do you welcome discussion or you simply set rules? --> Now that my kids are still young, we set the rules.

4. Do you reprimand? Yes.

5. Do you use spanking for punishment? --> Sometimes if the situation really calls for it

6. Do you use some kind of a reward System for motivation? --> Yes

7. Do you enjoy being a Parent? --> I definitely do!

8. Are you a hands-on Parent or do you have a full-time Nanny? --> My son has a nanny but I'm a hands-on Mom to him and his little sister.

9. At what age would you let your child make simple decisions for himself / herself? --> As early as now, my son can make simple decisions like what to wear, what to eat (yes, he's at this stage. I can't make him eat something he doesn't like), etc.

10.Do you and your Husband have the same Parenting Style? --> Nope.

Wife Style

7. How long have you been married? --> Almost 3 years.

8. How do you feel about being a Wife?
--> *It's fun!
* It's just a duty.
* OK.
* I hate it.

9. What has been your typical sleeping attire since you got married?
* A cotton night gown.
--> *Sweats or Shorts.
* Something sheer & soft
* Nothing.


10. How do you show how appreciative you are of your Husband?
--> * By being always affectionate.
* I do not show him anything.
* By giving him presents even if there is no occasion.
* By cooking his favorite dishes all the time.
* I do not show him anything.


11. What do you do when your Husband annoys you?
--> * Keep quiet for a little while.
* Just ignore whatever it is.
* Talk with him about it immediately.
* Scream at him.


12. You are buying or planning to buy your first house as Husband and Wife ....
* It is / going to be a large estate.
--> * It is / going to be in a suburb close to a big city.
* It is / going to be in a metropolis.
* It is / going to be a fixer-upper but with tremendous potential that you can fill with first-rate furniture and appliances.


13. How does your house look like at the end of the day when Hubby gets home?
* Immaculate and spotless.
--> * You are still finishing up your cleaning.
* Unmade bed, unwashed dishes and children's toys all over.
* Husband's clutter are left for him to take care of.


14. How do you feel about running a household?
--> * Always motivated.
* Dislike it, for the most part.
* Oftentimes pretending to like it.
* Whatever!


15. What is the sweetest gift you have given your Husband so far? --> Hmmm...I think the fact that we have two wonderful kids, they are the sweetest gifts I could ever give him :)

I am tagging all of my friends who are moms and wives. We all do a wonderful job in our own little ways. I'd love to hear from you :)

I Love Your Blog Award

Thanks Chris for giving me this award. This inspires me to update my blog often and to participate every week in Mommy Moments :)

So here's the rules:
1. The winner can put the logo on his/her awesome blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated!

And now the fun part. I would like to give this award to Abi, Lorela, Chamie, Beth, Honney

Mommy Moments: Special Day

This week's theme is Special Day :)

I gave birth to Jeremy when I was just almost 33wks preggy so it was a preterm labor. He was so tiny and weighed in at just 3.96lbs. Those who saw him when he was still a baby can't believe how big he's grown :) It was indeed a special day for hubby and I as we have been blessed with a beautiful baby boy.



The next picture was during his Christening. He looked like he was really listening to the priest's homily :)



And then this one was when he turned 1yr. old. We celebrated it with a party at Jollibee. He loved Jollibee the mascot so much! He was with his former yaya in this picture.



For Jamie, we'll surely be collecting a lot of pictures in the days to come and we'll chronicle her special days too :)



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