A super

...belated

Merry Christmas
Happy New Year
and today
Happy Lunar Year

I am still here, still alive, and still have lots to say. Just haven't been able to find the time nor the words to say it.

Also, my blog is in the process of getting a "make-over"... and even a possible move. All is in the works, and should be done in the next few weeks.

Right now, I am oober busy..... two birthdays... two parties... in the next three weeks.

- - -

Hello Rain!

It is finally raining - and COLD! Started last Saturday, it's been on and off since.

I am loving it though, rain here means snow up in the mountains. And snow means time to hit the slopes! I honestly would rather be snowboarding than Christmas shopping!

It's been forever...

... since I last made a blog entry. Ok, two weeks seems forever! And for that, I'm going to do some quickies:

• I was off during the week of Thanksgiving. Wonder baby was sick Monday, Tuesday, started getting better Wednesday.... and inevitably, by the time I picked up wonder boy from school on Wednesday afternoon, it was his turn to be sick - which lasted pretty much til Friday. .. which left me 2 days to at least enjoy my 9 days off!


• The hubs and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on the 26th. We really wanted to go out of town and celebrate. Maybe Tahoe (where we got married) or San Francisco (our favorite spot), but I just wasn't ready to leave the baby overnight. So instead, we went to dinner and a movie, and it was still a nice treat for us both!

I made him a card (I scrapbook, but NEVER made cards, so this is my first
card, which makes it extra special : )

And he got me roses.

• And YES, I didn't get laid off, which meant I was able to get my sewing machine! I didn't get the Singer that I had planned on getting because this Brother model became available on sale at Costco.com (I think it's still on sale right now). Anyways, it's totally a beginner sewing machine, quite inexpensive, but a super nice reward to myself. I haven't used an actual sewing machine since um 5th or 6th grade in the Philippines, using one of those Black antique Singers. Needless to say, it took me almost an hour to thread my computerized machine.... but after that, all's been swell! As a matter of fact, just this afternoon I finished sewing wonder boy's sheperd costume for his Christmas program at school this Saturday.


• Aside from the sewing, I have been completely busy scrapbooking as well. My thoughts of creativity has been rapidly turning... or spinning, and I am cooking up something completely crafty and ambitious in my head, but I'm going to have to share that thought later.


• Everything else is pretty normal around here.... except a little more festive than usual. Wonder baby is enjoying our lit-up tree which we haven't yet decorated! And sometime this weekend, wonder boy and I are going to write a letter to Santa!

That's it so far. Just busy, normal, and festive!

Leaving off with this super yummy home made thin mint cookies that husband and i slaved over the other night! Mmmmm Mmmm Mmmm.

. . .

Love Thursday: gratitude

Today is the big "layoffs" here at work. The clouds gloomed over our 6 buildings as I drove up around 9 am. I walked in the building and into my area to find everyone staring at their monitors and clicking quietly, pretending to work, while they sit and wonder if they are next to be called in the doomed conference room, stocked with kleenex!

Shortly after I got settled in, my boss calls me in his office. I saw a smile on his face, a sincere one, so I knew that he was about to tell me something good. "You're safe", he said. ... as I plopped with relief into the chair in front of his desk.

More details were discussed... then I thanked him, and I told him that i really, trully, love my job!

I've been here over 8 years now. This is so far the second round of RIFs. First one was around the dot com crash in the early 2000s.

Leaving your house to drive to work and not knowing whether you are coming back home jobless is probably one of the worst feelings in the world... for anyone. Especially now, during this hard economic time.

So today, for love thursday, I am loving my job. Most of all, I am thankful.

Late night crafty

Quilting's been on my mind lately. In the next 4 weeks or so, I am determined to learn how to quilt and put together a baby quilt using the boys' newborn clothes (my favorite ones that I just couldn't give away!)

One problem though, I don't even own a sewing machine.

Another problem, I'm not sure that I even know how to use one. Last time I used one, was over twenty years ago!

I hear great things about hand quilting. But that's just not me! So next Thursday, when I find out that I'm NOT getting laid-off, I am going to dash to Costco after work and pick me up the Singer 1748, which I've been dying to get my hands on.

So in the meantime, I just had to take my mind off quilting so I came up with this quilt-ish patchwork of pretty christmas papers, framed it on my $3 Walmart frame, and voila - we're calling it a day!

It's my holiday inspiration! I can now stare at it while I work on my holiday scrapbooking projects.

(By the way, I'm not taking full credit for this, I got the framed-artwork idea from my life artist super hero Ali Edwards).

. . .

Another Irony

So if you live with me, every now and then you will hear me bitching about not having enough ME time or ALONE time.

And so today I decided to work from home because I have the nastiest cold ever.

Wonder baby left with the hubs and just shortly after, I dropped off wonder boy to school.

And now, here I am, all alone, in this super quiet house. Aside from the fact that I feel like crap, I should still be in a celebratory mode because it is a very very RARE event that I get the house all to myself, all day long!

And yet, I feel so lonely!

I miss my boys.

The quiet is deafening.

What is the matter with me?!?!?!?

Maybe it's a really bad flu.

Or maybe, it's just is - life is full of irony!

So the next time I have to bitch about not having time for myself, I might just have to remember this moment, and sssssush.

. . .

A new day, A new beginning

I don't usually talk about politics on my blog. As a matter of fact, I don't even talk to anyone about my political views besides my husband. But since today is such a historical moment, I want to remember it when I look back.

I've never been so passionate about my vote before, and I've never been so concerned about what is about to happen - that is, until I became a parent.

With everything that is going on in the economy, things are pretty ugly right now. And the ugliness might even hit home soon, because my job might even be in jeopardy. But in the midst of this ugliness, I am feeling quite optimistic.

So today, I celebrate: A new day, A new beginning.

. . .

Halloween Weekend Events

Another busy weekend!

Halloween morning was spent at wonder boy's school for the Harvest Festival:

More pictures HERE

Halloween evening was spent trick or treating & eating with friends and family:

More pictures HERE

Then Saturday was spent attending a wedding anniversary celebration:

More pictures HERE

Then finally, Sunday was spent recovering from it all!

(Picture links are not working just yet, I will update with pictures soon!)

. . .

Bloody Vampire

Since it's Halloween and all!

BLOODY

Wonder Boy managed to obtain his FIRST major BOO-BOO this past weekend! By "major" I mean, bloody boo boo dripping all over the carpet, through the hallway, and into the bathroom. He was out in the garage watching (admiring) his daddy work on his mechanical monsters, when he decided to put something in my car (coins I think), and afterwards, shut the door on his finger - ouch!

I was putting the baby to nap when I heard frantic hubby and sobbing son in the bathroom. He cried and cried and cried....

Me: Honey, so tell mommy what happened?

Him: [crying] I don't
know....I.... I ..... I..... I can't think RIGHT NOW [crying louder]

more small talk to try to calm him down.... blah blah blah

Him: [still crying] mommy, it HURTS, I....I......I..... I don't know
what to do with
myself!

It's painful to watch him hurt, but the words coming out of his mouth were
almost too hilarious that I had to hide my chuckle!

VAMPIRE

So it turns out that the "normal" order for teeth growth starts with the two bottom, then the two top, then the next two bottom, and the next two top.

Wonder baby had been teething for as long as I can remember. He's always been a drooly baby who always wants to chew on stuff! But the first signs of teeth breaking in didn't come until just a few weeks ago. And boy are they coming!

But get this, right now, he's got 3 bottom out, 4th one almost out. Then totally skipped the 2 front teeth, and went on with the 3rd ond 4th. Lookie:



Just in time for Halloween!

So for now, I am calling him "FANGS"!

. . .

Love Thursday: I love this season

I love the hot weather, the tank tops, and the flip flops.

And although I hate driving in the rain, I love this season just as well. I love the cold crisp air, the holidays, snowboarding, christmas shopping, and dessert baking.

Honestly, I am feeling quite festive already.

A little bit overwhelmed, but festive.

The fall and winter seasons' a big event in our family. Just in the next three and half months we will be celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, Wedding Anniversary, Christmas, New Year's, wonder baby's 1st Birthday, and wonder boy's 4th Birthday!

So yeah, just a little bit overwhelmed.

But festive.

And I love this season!

. . .

On Grooming

Wonder Boy: Mama, why do you have spots on your face?

Me: Oh honey, those are pimples.

Wonder Boy: Why?

Me: I get them sometimes, um, maybe once a month I get a few

Wonder Boy: Oh.

(reaching over to touch my face now)

Wonder Boy: Oh mommy, you have hair on your face too! You get that
sometimes TOO?

You see, grooming is something never to be taken for granted, specially when you have a 3-yr old child in the house - they are THE most honest little people, and they will tell it like it is!

Baby Clothes

I must've spent half a day this past weekend cleaning out the boys' room. Piles and piles of laundry stacked up on the bed, piles that I've been ignoring for a good two weeks or so. There I was, sitting in the middle of my son's day bed, almost lost in the piles, when it suddenly occurred to me, why oh why, have I been trying to shove this chore aside.

Besides that I'm lazy and I'm tired all the time.

I've been just trying to push it aside, because, I hate-hate-hate putting away baby clothes. And I don't mean putting away the clothes into their specific drawers. I meant putting AWAY baby clothes in boxes, to be given away, or shipped away, never ever to be seen again.

Hubby and I are in total complete agreement with the fact that we are done having babies. And so far, we've been able to put away stuff - the bassinet, the crib, and sometime this week, the infant carseat - without me shedding a single tear.

But the clothes, the baby clothes, it's a whole different territory.

I quickly went through the newborn, 0-3, 3-6, 6 months, 9 months, and now that he's almost outgrowing his 12 month-size clothing, it is hitting me hard. My baby, my not so little tiny baby, has quickly grown out of infancy. And now that he's growing teeth, crawling, and standing, and trying so hard to take a step, I just want to scoop him up in my arms, and let him fall asleep on my chest, like when he first came home with us, not so long ago.

You see, with wonder boy, I was excited about every new milestone up ahead, excited about the newer, bigger, cuter clothes, with dinosaurs and cars and trucks for big boys. But this time around, with wonder baby, I just want him to stay little for as long as he could. His baby breath, his chubby arms and hands, his thunder thighs, his baby side burns, his baby powdery scent that sometimes gives me chills down my spine.

I want it.

And I'm holding on to it.

Although I know that his babiness is not going to be here forever. One day, sooner than later, he's going to walk, talk, and have a mind of his own.

He's not just going to walk, but he will probably run away from me and I will have to chase him sometimes. He's not just going to talk, but one day, he's also going to talk back to me, and it will pierce my heart. He's not only going to have a mind of his own, but he's going to make some decisions that will be against mine, and I will have to let him learn his own lessons, even if it eats me up alive.

One day.

Someday.

But not today.

Because today, I will hang on to the little baby clothes, even if it means, cluttering his drawers, and closet, and the laundry hampers. Even if it means, it's going to take me an extra 2 minutes just to figure out what to put on him or which ones actually fit him now. Even if it means that some days, I'm going to get irritated because why oh why can't I shut his drawer closed, and in the midst of being upset with myself, I will probably forget and wonder why didn't I put the small clothes away in the first place!

Yes, even if it means all of that.

His baby clothes.....they're mine, and i want it, and I'm holding on to it.

. . .

Scrappy Friday

I have to fess up - I have been partially ignoring my blog lately because I have been busy croppin and shoppin for my renewed love for scrapbooking! It's good and bad I guess. Good because I love the art therapy, and even more, the finished product. Bad, because I haven't done much chores around the house lately because the only free time I get - usually when the boys are asleep - I spend cropping. Plus, I've been to Michael's twice this week and to JoAnn's twice as well. With that said, time and money = happy sane me!

So just to catch up with what's been going on in my life lately, I'm going to (shame on me) do bullets:

• Wonder boy is writing his letters really well, his whole name almost legible and most importantly did not cry or fuss during morning drop-off's to preschool ALL WEEK LONG. I think we've solved the problem, and Houston, we are coming home!

• Wonder Baby is being more active than ever. Fearless, independent, brave child of mine, who this week alone, must've fallen on his butt, face, and body a million times, and that hasn't stopped him. He's even tried climbing our stairs (successfully reached second step up), so I had to put the gate back up.

• I have skipped kickboxing ALL WEEK LONG and feel really guilty, and even worse - BLOATED!


• I have a load of recorded shows on my dvr because I have spent my evenings ditching my husband to go upstairs and play with my scraps. So I'm hoping to catch up on tv watching this weekend.


• My list of projects, ideas, and to do list are just getting longer and longer and I'm afraid that I'm in over my head, but what the heck, at least I have a list!

Maybe it's old age, or maybe it's just me, but it seems like the days are shorter and the weeks are flying by with a blink of an eye.

Oh well, at least it's Friday!

. . .

Love Thursday: my bff

Rochelle, who turned 34 yesterday. Who became my friend when she was 14, twenty years ago! Lost her somewhere in between, and found her again in 2002. According to Meredith from Grey's Anatomy, we all need "a person". Lucky for me, she IS "my person". The one who I can talk to about anything and everything. The one who I HAVE to talk to about anything and everything. I only wish that she wasn't all the way in Maryland, because life would probably be so much different if she were down the street.

But anyhow, near or far, she's always just a phone call away, and near my heart.

Happy love thursday to all, and Happy Birthday to you my bff!

. . .

THE Concert - NKOTB

More pictures HERE

New Kids on the Block reunion concert.

I cannot even believe that here I am, 20 years later, and found myself screaming my heart out for the fabulous 5! Oh, how I loved seeing Joey McIntyre!!!!

Even more, how I loved feeling like a 13-yr old all over again. How free, how easy, how simple life was back then - no bills, no kids, nobody to worry about except for me and the NKOTB posters in my room.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to rewind and do it all over again. I just loved the flashbacks it gave me. I love my kids more than anything in this world, and although I hate hate hate doing the bills, I am thankful that I have a job that pays the bills, the same job which helped me get up in the penthouse suite to begin with!