Shine Like Stars

Enjoying my iPad!

2012-01-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

I really do! It's almost the first thing I reach for each morning. I say "almost" because I've disciplined myself to reach for my prayer bag first and spend time in prayer as soon as I get up. If I even touch and turn on the iPad before prayers, I am bound to lose time for daily prayers.

It is also the last thing I turn off at the end of the day.

I love the apps! Late last year, a friend commented on a post I made about getting the iPad. She mentioned the appshopper that lists apps that have gone down in price. Oh my! I love it! I like getting free stuff or stuff that are seriously marked down so this was perfect.

My photography apps by far outnumber any of the other categories of apps I have. I also enjoy the convenience of reading all my mail in one place. Facebook is up there too as one of my most frequently used apps. My next fave would be the Overdrive app that allows me to borrow books from the library. I've read more books now that I have ever had the last 5 years or so. Seriously! And this is from one who used to shut herself in her room and read and read and read! Another frequently used app is Flipboard. I enjoy its ease of use. It's really how I get caught up in the latest news around the world and around my social circles. It's just plain convenient. The games I've downloaded were mostly for the kids. They do enjoy playing them. They can only play them on the weekends though. House rule: No TV or playing on the Wii/Xbox/computer on school nights. And that includes the iPad of course!

I've also downloaded the calorie counter hoping to aid me in my weight loss. Alas, it has only been opened thrice at most. I've realized that downloading the app does you no good unless you use it. It's pretty much like how weight loss pills or exercise videos don't work unless you actually use them. LOL! Oh well...it's gonna get used soon...I hope!

Having the iPad is not really a necessity for me. My life will still go on should I lose it or something. But it has made living my life more convenient. And I am all for making life easier any way possible.

It's All Paperless Now

2012-01-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

About a year or so ago, I was surprised when I went to the ATM to deposit a check and found no envelopes to put my check in. I was so confused that I had to go inside the bank and deposit it with a bank teller. When I mentioned my confusion, she said that they're going paperless now. The machine is able to read the check, even cash so making a deposit is easier and more accurate. I was not unfamiliar with technology but that still surprised me!

I pay almost all of our bills now with ach check via billpay. I still use checks for paying people but even those days may be long gone. It's getting easier and easier to make bank to bank transfers to pay family and friends. One can even do it on one's phone now.

Do you think that there will be a time when paper will be totally useless?

Tea for Three

2012-01-15T13:11:00.000-08:00

I love watching the girls grow in their relationships with each other. I keep saying that they are blessed to have each other. In a way, I am living vicariously through them as I did not have any sisters growing up.

For now, they may be only putting together pretend tea parties. Soon enough, they will be getting together for coffee or tea and talk about life and love and faith and things that matter. I want them to have the kind of relationship where they carve out time to spend with each other regularly. Whether they need to talk about serious stuff like career paths or mundane fluff like free online dating sites, I want them to come to each other. And maybe they can include me sometimes.

It is a beautiful thing to watch. This thing that is called sisterhood.

Moving on to Boy Scouts

2012-01-15T13:02:00.000-08:00

DS went to his first Boy Scouts meeting last Wednesday. He is still technically in Webelos II, the last level of Cub Scouts. They will graduate when they are awarded the Arrow of Light during the pack's Blue & Gold banquet in March. To earn the Arrow of Light, they need to attend this month and next month's Boy Scout meetings.

The boy scouts do not meet at the school anymore. They meet at this industrial warehouse that one of the scouting parents own. It is in an industrial area of the city where there are various types of car repair shops, home building and industrial shops selling tools like band saw blades, huge tractors, etc.

DS is keen on moving on to boy scouts. He is not sure how many of the boys in his den will continue on. He says it does not seem that there will be many of them. He is interested in going all the way. He is even talking about working his way to becoming an eagle scout. He says it is a good resume builder for college. He's already thinking of college?! Whoa!

I'm glad that he is involved in scouting. He has made good friends and learned a lot. I know that as he continues on, his character will be developed and he will become a good citizen and be able to use the talents God has given him.

Day of Prayer

2012-01-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

When I was growing up, my family had an annual end of the year family retreat. We usually went out of town and spend overnight on vacation while we pray and discern God's will for our family. As we grew up and started to have our own lives, we dropped the out-of-town trips. It became a simple day of prayer at home.

This was one of the things I wanted to bring into my own family. I found it harder to do with small kids. There was no way we could spend a whole day in prayer! Plus, DH's schedule during the holiday break did not allow us to go out of town. A morning or afternoon of prayer was a better fit. So that's what we've been doing the past 8 years or so.

The kids are now very familiar with how this time goes. We start off by listing the things we are thankful for in the past year. We share with each other this list. The kids know how to do this well. I enjoy hearing what they are thankful for. We then list our petitions/intentions for the coming year and then share them again with the family. Next, we draw up a list of things we will be praying for as a family.

This year, here are some of our family's petitions:
1. family trip/vacation in the Philippines for my bro's wedding
2. a house with more room for us - right now, we're open to looking at homes for rent too
3. good health for everyone

We usually end this special time with some reflection and try to listen for God's message.As the kids grow older, I hope that we can hie off somewhere and combine the day of prayer with vacation. A vacation with the family and the Lord will truly be the best way to end a year.

Let's Eat In

2012-01-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

We went on a hunt for a new dining room set last Saturday.

The old table and chairs we were using from Ikea. While they are known for budget-friendly but trendy pieces, they are not exactly very durable. Our table top was starting to warp and our chairs had been bruised and battered and not exactly attractive to sit on. We were very happy when we bought them but we were now ready to buy a more grown-up set.

We went to Linders first as they were having a closeout sale. We found a beautiful set of table with 6 chairs. We were hoping that we could add 2 more chairs but it was their last set. There was another one that caught our eye but with the same result. The tables that came with 8 chairs were much too long for our dining room. Plus it was much more ornate in design than we wanted. DH and I both prefer clean lines.

We moved to Living Spaces next. This was where we bought our family room sectional and our bed. Personally, I really like this place as it has a huge assortment of pieces and styles. Upon entering, we immediately saw this dining table that had leaves on both ends of the table that you could pull our so you could lengthen it when needed. That was one of the things we were looking for: a leaf or leaves that can be added to the table when needed. However, this particular table was not a good match to our style.

It did not take long before we found this. We both loved the dark wood. The middle part is a leaf that can be removed. With the leaf, it is a tad long for our dining room. Without it, it is the perfect size. The chairs that was on display with it were wood chairs with leather seats. It is the one you see at the head of the table right there. The seats were too wide to fit 3 to a side. We needed narrower seats. A little further down the room, we found these leather seats that were perfect. The wood color matched closely to the table. It was perfect!

I wondered if we needed to buy a big rug to protect our laminate flooring but DH decided not to buy yet. We will just put felt pads on the chair legs for now. When we move to a bigger house, then we'll probably get a new rug too.

The set was delivered last Sunday evening. The kids were so excited yesterday to sit on the new chairs and eat on the new table. It was so cute to see them eating so carefully so as not to get the chairs dirty. LOL! I love that it looks more grown-up than our previous one. I like that I feel like I am starting to understand my own sense of style.

An Answered Prayer

2012-01-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

We've been praying for a specific job for DH: an orthopedic position with a specific company. This was given to us last year. His commute was toxic though. He would get home dead tired. Once his body hits the couch, you will not be able to pry him out of it until the next morning! It has even become a family joke. Once we see him heading towards the couch, we all laugh and cry out, "Uh-oh! He's headed to the couch!"

Personally, I felt that there must be a better place for him to work. Surely the Lord wants us to have a better quality of life with DH. So we prayed again. This time we prayed that he is able to transfer to a workplace nearer to our home.

After only 6 months, our prayers were answered! Thank God! He starts orientation next week at the new facility. It is still with the same company but a different service area. There is a newly-opened facility that is maybe a little over 10 miles from where we live! Woohoo! It's a brand-new hospital with state-of-the-art equipment I would assume. I'm not sure if they do laser spinal surgery here but I wouldn't be surprised if they do.

At a time when a lot of people are having a difficult time finding a job, I am grateful that DH is able to work in the field he likes at a place that takes care of their employees. That he will be working so close to home thus reducing his fatigue and our gasoline usage is a huge plus and a blessing that we will be forever grateful for.

Seeing the Gifts

2012-01-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

For the past 2 days, during my time of prayer, I've been strongly drawn to this phrase, "Come and see."

It is an invitation from the Lord to come into His presence.
I am thankful that He has given me the privilege to be able to come into His presence. He is THE King after all. and who am I? But He invites ME! Yes, lowly me to come before Him, everyday, every moment. What a blessing it is!

It is a promise to see.
When I come into His presence, I am able to see not with human eyes but with my heart. He is present in each moment. His grace fills every day. His gifts and mercies abound if we but open our eyes. Today, He promised that I would see.

What a beautiful gift to be able to see this. Ann Voskamp has launched a dare: to count 1000 gifts this 2012, to create this habit of thanks.

I had started to count 2 years ago in fact. However, I was not consistent in putting pen to paper and list all these wonderful gifts that I kept seeing in my life. At last count, I was only on #143.

I know the gifts are far beyond the thousands. And I know that I have a grateful heart. But it can always use some strengthening. So I am thankful for the list that Ann has put together for this month. They are prompts that I can use to purposefully look for the gifts. Sometimes, life can be so monotonous and mundane that I forget to see beyond the obvious.

Thank you Ann for sharing with us this tool. Thank you for encouraging me. (Sidenote: A year ago, I posted a pic on Flickr and added it to the 1000gifts pool and she commented on how the photo made her smile and happy. I was floored that she noticed my photo and that it touched her. It absolutely made me feel giddy like a school girl. Haha.)

I invite you to jump right in and list your gifts. She's even got an app to make it easier to list and share your gifts. I'm enjoying it! (And no, this is not a paid or sponsored post. I know how powerful this habit can affect lives that I want to share it with you!)

Come and see.
That's what God told me. In my heart.
That's what I plan on doing for the rest of the year...and my life. Come into His presence everyday and see the opened gifts before me.

Martha...Martha...

2012-01-03T05:02:00.000-08:00

We went to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation last week. It was Fr. Jerry who heard our confession and he was very thorough in giving me advice. I really felt that the Lord was speaking to me through him. I am grateful.

One of the things that Fr. Jerry pointed out was that it seemed to him that I was being Martha, the sister who would not stop doing things instead of Mary who was content on being with Jesus. I've been thinking about that a lot. I have been extremely busy this year but that is to be expected right? I have been caring for a baby and home schooling my 4 other children. Is there any other option except busy? However, I have been feeling an ache in my heart, a longing for something deeper. I have been praying regularly but something does not feel right. Could it be my attitude towards this time? Has prayer become one of the things I need to check off my to-do list instead of a time to just be with my God?

I've found myself distracted sometimes. I know that there've been times when I'm praying but my eyes seem to constantly check the wenger watches to make sure that I don't go beyond my scheduled time because I have a full and busy day. I've confessed those times and hope I do better.

Fr. Jerry commented that I should find time to slow down, that even 1 hour to sit and do something I love will do wonders for me. He said that it may not seem productive but the fruits are seen in other areas of my life. When I slow down, I will find that I will be more relaxed and find joy. It was as if a light bulb lit in my head! I've neglected my creative pursuits this year. I've put them aside thinking that they were not important and could be put on hold while I live this busy life. I realize now that I was wrong. My creative side is part of who I am. To deny its expression was to stunt my growth in that area. It's as if I was blocked and could not move forward as a whole being.

In my photography and scrapbooking, I was finding the beauty in my life. It led me to be more connected to my Creator. There was a natural flow. Nothing was forced. I need that back in my life.

I have decided to embark on my Project 365/Project Life once more. I'm excited! I don't know how much scrapbooking I will do aside from my Project Life but I'm taking it a step at a time. I'm committing myself to a picture a day. When inspiration strikes, I may scrapbook it. If it doesn't, it's fine too.

I hope that giving time to my creative interests will give me a more balanced life. It will be my way of being like Mary, basking in the Lord's presence while I continue to be Martha, busy attending to life's responsibilities.

Speaking with an Accent?

2012-01-03T04:50:00.000-08:00

I say MACdonalds. You say MICdonalds.

This has been the discussion between DS and me. He says I say it differently. I say who cares? LOL!

I have found that living here has made me more acceptable of different languages and different accents. Back when I was in school in the Philippines, proper English grammar and pronunciation was drillled into us. I am grateful for that but it also made me sort of a snob. I secretly (or not-so-secretly) giggled when someone pronounce something wrong. I cringed when I heard an error in grammar. I've become more accepting now. I have become exposed to different types of people living here in the US both natural-born and immigrants. Accents abound. California valley girls have accents different from raleigh nc attorneys and it's ok.

I still want to teach my children proper English grammar. As for pronunciation...we will have to consult the dictionary!

Second semester is on!

2012-01-03T04:34:00.000-08:00

We're halfway through the school year! Woohoo!

This school year seem to have zipped through quickly. It's midyear and I like to assess where we find ourselves at this time of the year. I want to see where we might need to make changes. Is my home school running smoothly and precisely like Wenger Watches' clockwork? Or are we constantly interrupted, flitting through one thing to the other?

My biggest challenge this school year is this baby in tow. At the end of last school year, she was such a newborn that I could nurse her while I helped the other children with their work. Or I would carry her in our
Ergo and she would sleep through anything. It's a whole different story nowadays. She is much more active and mobile. She likes to be part of the action so I cannot leave her in her swing as I help the girls with their grammar lessons. Or I can't simply nurse her to sleep as I teach the kids their math lessons. She wants to be engaged. She wants my attention. That's the challenge.

I don't have the answers. It's going to be trial and error, see what will work and what does not. The beauty of this is that we have the luxury of adapting our learning environment to our family's growing needs.

Organize!

2012-01-03T04:21:00.000-08:00

Another goal for 2012 is to be more organized.

I admit that I am not the best housekeeper in the world. That is not my strength. It is an area with which I struggle. I've made significant steps toward improving myself in this area but I need to do more. I also need to teach my children to be more organized. I keep finding their toys here and there...lego pieces in one corner...lincoln log furniture pieces in another...littlest pet shops in still another corner. I've given them containers for these but seems like the tubs contain something other than what they were intended for. Sigh. Something must be done.

As for me, I am trying to be more organized and keep clutter away. I've also downloaded my motivated moms app. Yes, the one that I used to print out has gone hi-tech. It is available as an app and I love it! I love that you can move things around, add new tasks and even assign them to different people. This is definitely going to be a big help for me.

At the end of this year, I hope that I can look at my clean and organized home and smile, knowing I've accomplished my goal.

Move!

2012-01-02T14:39:00.000-08:00

One of the goals that DH wants me to achieve this year is to move more. :) It's a goal for the whole family actually but it is a goal that is really dependent on me.

If we want the children to be more physically active, I have to intentionally include it in our everyday routine. It will not happen on its own. My children lead physically active lives. They are almost always on the move. In fact, I have to remind them often to settle down. However, DH wants them to become more physically fit. And that will require the kids to engage in activities or sports that will push them and not simply reliant on play.

This winter, I have signed up DS at our city's basketball program. He has been in this program since he was in Grade 1 except for last winter. DH was still completing his fellowship program and there was no way I was hauling my pregnant self and all 4 kids to the gym for their practices and games.

I am also signing up the girls at our local YMCA's soccer program. This will be our first time to try it. Hopefully, it will be a good addition to our schedule. It's going to be a bit of a challenge as they are at different age groups so they will have their games at different days. Sigh. We'll try it this season and see how it goes. If it becomes too much, I will have to find them a sport that they can do all together or at least have classes all on one day. I'd like to look into our local richmond tennis center and see if they have tennis programs for the kids.

As for me, I have just finished day 2 of my moms into fitness dvd program. This was the program I used to get ready for my matron of honor stint last September. It was effective except that once the wedding was done, I stopped too. I probably just gained 2-3 lbs since stopping so it isn't that bad. I want to lose more. I'm using my brother's wedding in July as incentive. I want to look good when I come back to Manila. :) DH also keeps telling me that the big 4-0 is nearing for me. I need to be on top of things in regard to my health to be sure I don't develop diabetes and other diseases.

2012 will be a year of active living. How about yours?

New Car Seat Law

2011-12-31T05:29:00.000-08:00

Heads up parents! There's a new law that takes effect on January 1, 2012 that extends the use of booster seats to children under 8 unless at least 4 feet and 9 inches tall. The limit previously imposed was on children up to the age of 6 or weighing less than 60 lbs.

DD2 is on the petite side and DH has jokingly said that she will forever need a booster seat. I may have to bring out my welding helmet and tools and just weld that booster seat into the car. LOL! She is turning 7 already in February but people sometimes mistake her for DD3's twin when we are out. And DD3 is 4 years old! They do not look alike but they are almost the same size. They sometimes share clothes for goodness' sake!

This new law does not change what we already currently do but I know of other families who will have to get their kids back on booster seats. It will definitely make it safer for kids since seat belts are designed for adults and do not adequately protect children if used without booster seats. DH and I have always been on the safe side and continued to use booster seats way past the previous 6 yr old limit. DD1 who is now 8 still uses one.

If you've got a child who is under 8 years old, make sure to put that booster seat to use. I bet that cops will be extra vigilant the first few months in 2012.

Redoing Project Life

2011-12-29T22:00:00.000-08:00

That's my plan for 2012. I've been away for too long. Memories have been created but not recorded.

I am planning on doing Project Life again this year. I did it in 2010 and it was a worthwhile project. The kids still enjoy looking at the album. I knew that I would be too preoccupied and busy this year to commit to it. I was hoping to do it once in a while. But you know how it goes if you're not fully committed. Nothing gets done. So this year, I am committing myself to doing it.

I hope to enlist the help of the rest of the family more this time. I want this to be their project too. I may be the main person taking pictures and recording but I'd like their input too. I've been reading on how other people are doing it and I am so inspired. I'm planning to do Project 365 again but not all those photos will make it to my album. I want to include more ephemera this time, not just pictures and words.

I got the Amber edition - album and core kit. I definitely think that this 3-ring binder with steel rings is of a much better quality than the one we used in 2010. It looks sturdier. One problem with our 2010 binder is that the pages keep slipping out of the rings for some reason. It drives me crazy! I am hoping that I won't have that problem with this new album.

I'm also hoping to get back into digital scrapbooking this year but I will reserve that for another post. :)

Looking Ahead to Summer

2011-12-29T21:47:00.001-08:00

My brother is getting married in the summer. This means that we will be going home to the Philippines. It really isn't a question of whether or not we will go to the wedding. It is more of "how will we get there?"

There isn't going to be a problem with the kids and me. It will be their summer vacation. Even if school was ongoing, we home school so we would have a flexible schedule. It is DH's work schedule that might be a problem. He just started his new job last June. Their current set-up seems to be more compartmentalized. They have Internist Jobs and hospitalists. DH just works at the clinic. He likes his work and his co-workers but the drive is a killer. The challenge isn't the miles he needs to drive but the traffic he encounters each and every day. He leaves the house and gets home at the same times that he used to leave and come home when he was working 12-hour shifts at the hospital. This time though, he spends a lot more on his commute.

He is set to transfer to a nearer facility during the second week of January. While this is an answered prayer, it might put in limbo our vacation plans to the Philippines. He is not sure yet if his request for vacation will be granted. His schedule at this new facility will be a little different. It will not be an 8-5 shift like he has right now.

We are praying hard that we will be able to vacation as a family. If his leave isn't granted, we will have to find a way to travel. There is no way that I will travel alone with all 5 kids! Uh no...I am crazy but not THAT crazy! LOL! Maybe some of the kids could travel with my parents? I dunno. I still really want to travel with DH and the kids.

I am starting to get excited though. This will be our first trip back to the Philippines since 2005! It will be my 2 youngest girls' first time to visit the country I still call home. I'm hoping to stay for at least 3 weeks. The kids are excited too. Here's hoping that all our plans will push through!

The Litigators

2011-12-29T19:27:00.000-08:00

I'm currently reading "The Litigators" by John Grisham. It's his latest novel (I think). It's also the first one I've read in a long while. I enjoyed reading his previous bestsellers like The Firm and The Pelican Brief so I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, I am not enjoying it as much as I had hoped. I am finding it boring and slow. I'm still trudging along only because I'm still hoping that it will pick up at some point soon.

The story basically revolves around a mass tort case against a big pharmacy. It shows you the ugly side of business and law - pharmaceuticals that market and promise drugs that are not always safe and lawyers that pounce upon victims and push them to sue and hope for a big payday. I think this is one of the reasons why Medical Liability Insurance premiums are so high. DH who works in the medical field pays for additional insurance for himself just to be on the safe side.

Anyway, I am just glad that I did not have to buy this book. I was able to borrow it from the library. There was a long waiting list. It was something like 50 people long when I signed up so I thought that it must be good if there are a lot of people who want to read it. Oh well... lesson learned. Do not judge the book by the number of people of want to read it. LOL!

12 Months=12 Pictures (The End of 2011)

2011-12-29T11:32:00.000-08:00

I did it! Mission accomplished! We had a family picture a month for 12 months. Feels awesome to have completed the project.

When I proposed the project to DH at the end of last year, he was skeptical.
"Hmmm...I dunno...it might be hard to get that done...let's see," was what he said.
Well, we did it! It was nice that he was on board with it. There were a few occasions when he reminded me to ask someone to take our picture to be sure that we had our monthly picture taken.

Here's the last 4 family pictures of the year.

{September} This was taken at the wedding where I stood as matron of honor and DD1 was flower girl. It was a beautiful day! I was so happy to see these 2 people get married. I was happy I looked good in my gown. And I was happy I got through my toast. :)

{October} My birthday month. In my head, I wanted our monthly family picture be a picture taken on my birthday as we celebrated. We did get a picture taken at the restaurant but you know how restaurant photos are...they were not very good. So I was really glad we had this taken during our community's anniversary gathering. We had just arrived and someone was taking photos. DH quickly suggested that I ask him to take a photo using our camera. Thank goodness for DH!

{November} Another trip to Disneyland. Really taking advantage of those annual passes you know! Seems like DH is making it a goal to visit this place at least once a month. The holiday decorations were recently put up so we were there to enjoy them. Our annual passes has block out dates in December so we wanted to visit the park early in the holiday season. We did end up going twice more in December to meet up with some friends who had come down from Northern California. The joys of the annual pass.

{December} Our annual Christmas eve family photo. I hosted our Noche Buena as usual. I was not sure if my in-laws would be coming over. SIL just had her baby and they were still adjusting. BIL and his wife had just started new jobs and he was doing the night shift. And you know how that is. The new guy has the last priority in time-offs. But they were here. And we celebrated as a family. MIL was in Philadelphia though so we did miss her. I served my usual fare: Roast beef, Baked shrimp scampi, green bean casserole, pancit malabon. SIL brought Honeybaked Ham. For dessert, I made leche flan and chocolate pecan pie as requested by my dear son.

It's been awesome to look at the photos and see how my family has grown together. We started the year with just 4 kids. Now we have 5. The kids are growing up oh so quickly. It's amazing to compare DS' height. You will see the big difference between the June and July photos. He is standing next to me in both pictures. He is almost as tall as I am! Not that I am very tall to begin with...but still! My baby boy will soon be taller than I am. I am not sure I'm quite ready for that. :( Can I turn back the gears of our citizen watches or at least make time stop? I am having a glimpse of teenage angst and I do not want to have to deal with that just yet.

So there goes our year. I think I'll continue this project in 2012. Ready, Camera...Smile!

Bath and Body Works

2011-12-28T16:25:00.000-08:00

I love bath and body works! I usually stock up on their foaming hand washes and pocket hand gels. We can never have too many of those! I usually buy a whole bunch that will last me until their next big sale.

Of their current holiday scents, we love love sugar plum! We (the kids and I) also love their cranberry hand gel. It's called "Eat Ham". Cute. It's actually on sale right now for $0.75 so it's a real steal. I just might stock up on it and use these bath & body works coupons to even get a better deal. With those prices, I can afford to have each child pick his/her own scent and keep their own hand gel with them. I always have a bottle hanging on our diaper bag. I have another bottle in the car. Then I have my stack in my night stand drawer, lined up, ready to be called into action. LOL! With all these kids, I have to be ready to something to clean up grubby little hands.

Piano Recital

2011-12-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

The 3 older kids participated in their first ever piano recital last December 11. And they did extremely well! They did not make any mistakes at all. I was an extremely proud mama!

They each had 2 piano pieces to play although DS had an extra one because he played a duet with DD1. I was teary-eyed with pride as I watched my precious ones perform.

DD2 played Mary had a little lamb and Jolly Old St. Nick. DD1 played My Bonnie and Frosty the Snowman as a duet with her brother. DS played Joy, Joy, Joy and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.

At the end of their recital, they were all called to the stage and given a trophy. I had considered getting them flowers too and presenting them after their performance but did not have time to swing by the flower shop. I also thought to order online, maybe have an EZBloomers.com flower delivery to surprise them. I'm keeping these ideas in my back pocket for next time.

Mini-me's

2011-11-28T20:41:00.001-08:00

It's been the consensus that DD1 is my mini-me. It is turning out that DD4 is an exact replica of DD1 which means she will most likely be my mini-me too!

I was looking at DD1's baby pics recently. There is no mistaking it, DD4 looks exactly like DD1 when she was this age. My dad could not tell them apart from the pics. LOL.

Although they look very similar, their personalities seem different. DD1 was always quiet. DD4 does not seem that way. She has her voice and is not afraid to use it. She is also such a wiggle-worm! She can wriggle her way out of her bumbo. My other daughter, DD3 who is notoriously a handful, loved to simply sit on her bumbo when she was this age. I'm a little anxious that if this baby girl is this wriggly already, she will be even more of a handful when she grows up! Even more than DD3! Oh my!This baby girl has also a little more sensitive skin than her siblings. I think she may have taken after her father's side of the family when it comes to their sensitive skin. I've had to use baby wash with organic shea butter and use the Aveeno baby lotion to stave off dry skin. When I don't use those, she immediately gets rough patches of dry skin. Sigh. I hope it does not become eczema or something similar.

I still cannot believe that our dear baby girl is 9 months old already! Seriously?! How could that have happened? She is definitely a small baby anymore but she is just as cuddly and lovable as ever.

Ready, Set... Shop!!!

2011-11-23T17:40:00.001-08:00

It's thanksgiving weekend once again. For many Americans, this also means the biggest shopping time of the year! I personally won't be doing much shopping at brick-and-mortar stores this year. DH is working on Friday so there will be no one to babysit the kids. Any shopping I will be doing will be behind this computer screen. I don't think I will be shopping much anyway. We do not need any major item right now. SIL may be looking for inexpensive gateway computers for MIL. The siblings were going to pinch in to get MIL a laptop for her birthday in October. There were no sales so they decided to put it off. If there are good deals this weekend, they will probably get one.Good luck to all you brave shoppers out there! May you find good deals. Shop till you drop!

World of Color

2011-11-21T08:04:00.001-08:00

We found ourselves at the Disneyland parks once again. DH was off for a whole week and was itching to take the kids there.

After their religion class on Wednesday morning, we took a field trip to Disney's California Adventure. The park closes at 8pm but we stayed for the 8:15 show of World of Color. We learned from our last experience not to watch it right by the water front. They said we would get a misting. Nooo...we were drenched! Drenched and cold on a chilly night - not a good combination! We were at such a prime spot that I did not want to leave it to go to the bathroom. Haha. I wish I had adult diaper on but I was able to hold it, thsnk you very much!

After the show, as we made our way out of the park, I was thankful that it was not as crowded as before. The last tine we saw the show last spring, the crowds were huge. DD2 tripped and bloodied her nose. Poor thing. There was just so many people.

I'm glad this was a more pleasant experience all around.

Read All About It!

2011-11-21T07:44:00.001-08:00

I love reading! I always have. I remember being tucked away in my room, reading Nancy Drew novels at a young age.

I'm not exactly sure when I stopped reading books for pleasure. I think it was between the time I gave birth to my second and third babies. I just did not have the time anymore. I would fall asleep even before getting through one page. I would have reading spurts now and again like the time I read the Dan Brown novels or the Twilight trilogy. Earlier this year, as I was on bed rest, I read the Hunger Games trilogy and The Girl with...series too. Awesome reads, by the way.

I have rediscovered my passion for reading courtesy of the ipad. It has made reading so much more convenient. One thing about books is that they can be bulky. They're sometimes a little hard to manage while lying on the bed, particularly when nursing. LOL! The ipad makes it so much easier. I love it!

What's gotten me really excited too is that I can borrow books from the library using the Overdrive app. Awesome! I've gotten book recommendations from a friend and some of the books are available as ebooks from the library. I'm going through them one at a time. She has a number of foodie books - memoirs of chefs/culinary people that detail their lives in the kitchen, quest for restaurant funding, etc. I'm currently reading Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton. It's a fun read so far. I am currently at the chapter where she is employed by catering businesses. I'm not sure I want to eat at a catered event again in the near future. LOL!

Some of the books awaiting me are:
Novels by Sarah Addison Allen
Ken Follett novels
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Books by Anthony Bourdain

I'm getting excited just looking at these titles! Guess where you're going to find me this Thanksgiving break!

It's Getting Cold Out There!

2011-11-21T07:24:00.001-08:00

Brrr! It's starting to get cold out here. Fall is definitely upon us. Days are much shorter. It is getting dark so much sooner. Leaves are falling, although they really aren't turning colors too much here. Flipflops are being turned in for boots. Shorts are giving way to pants. Swimming season is over and pool safety nets are covering the pools now.

I like this weather though. I like the cozy comfort of cold days. I like to snuggle up in bed. I like the warm sweaters we get to wear. I love me my boots so this is definitely my season.

I like how it gets chilly here but not too cold for snow. It's just the perfect cold weather for a tropical born girl like me.

Squeak! Went the Car

2011-11-21T07:09:00.001-08:00

On our way to church one early morning, we noticed a weird creaking sound coming from our vehicle. It sounded each time we made a turn or moved the steering wheel. It was definitely not the tires or the auto rims. A little later on, DH noticed that the steering wheel was becoming harder to move. He checked the steering wheel fluid reservoir and it was near empty. He refilled it and off we went.

Later that week, it started creaking again. We were on our way to the all saints celebration of the kids. They were all dressed up and loaded in the car when I heard it as we pulled out of the driveway. I knew it was not a good sign. I knew that I could not drive it in that condition. We were going to get into the freeway. Goodness knows how fast cars get in the freeway. What would happen if I am unable to to move the steering wheel?! However, I did not have the heart to tell the kids that we could not go. They were looking forward to this all week long!

So, I became an instant mechanic! LOL! I opened the hood and poked around. I found the near empty reservoir and refilled it with the fluid. I took the bottle of fluid with us just in case I would need to refill once more. Well, we got home safely.

DH was upset with me though. It was dangerous, what I did. I knew that.

DH brought the vehicle to the shop because something was obviously leaking. It was replaced and cost us about $400! Ugh! It's steep but I guess it isn't so bad as it is the first major repair that we've had to make since getting this vehicle close to 7 years ago! Not bad right?

I'm crossing my fingers that we won't have any more major repairs needed for any of our vehicles soon.

Wedding pics are here!

2011-11-21T07:00:00.001-08:00

I know I've gone on and on about the wedding I was matron of honor for last September. The pictures are here and they are gorgeous! It helped that the subjects were gorgeous, right? Of course! Haha.

I really liked how they turned out. I'm not a fan of photos that are too dramatic or overposed. I like them simply styled and natural looking. These came just just that - simply beautiful! They were taken by Lane Dittoe.

Now, I'm waiting to see the video taken of the event. I think they may be destination wedding videgraphers too and their approach is more journalistic rather than posey-posey.

Sigh...I'm missing my friend, just looking at the pics. But I'm really happy for her too! She and her hubby came down a few weeks ago to celebrate her birthday. They both looked so happy and content. Exactly what you want to see in newlyweds. :)

Colonial Farm Life

2011-11-18T14:05:00.001-08:00

The kids and I went on a field trip to Riley's Farm once again. This time it was to experience Colonial Farm Life. It was a shorter field trip than our Revolutionary War one. Some of the activities were similar like the games, weaving & blacksmith stations. The kids still enjoyed though. I probably would have enjoyed it better if it were not so cold and wet!

It was so cold that the air from your mouth formed like puffs of smoke from dutch masters cigars.The way up to the farm was so foggy. It was almost zero visibility! Scary to be driving on a narrow mountainous road in those conditions. I am so thankful that God had His angels guarding our way.

Activities that the children participated in included candle dipping, apple grinding, butter churning & an introduction to manners and etiquette. The boys were taught to bow and the girls to curtsy.At the end of the fieldtrip, we were rewarded with a caramel apple. The kids were delighted of course. By this time, the fog had lifted but it was still cloudy and drizzling. We made it back home safe and sound.

We're all looking forward to the next field trip to this place. Gold Rush adventure perhaps?

Identity Theft

2011-11-18T13:26:00.001-08:00

We battled identity fraud a couple of years ago and it was a nightmare!

We had no idea of course that DH's info had been stolen until collection agencies started calling our home demanding that we pay several hundreds of unpaid cellphone bills! It was crazy! It went on for a few months before they got off our backs.

The process to clear everything to make sure that nothing else was opened fraudulently took a while. We were actually fortunate that it was only that one cellphone account that these thieves opened in my husband's name.

Since then, we have been monitoring our credit info using Lifelock. Hopefully, this will really protect us and prevent any more instance of ID and credit fraud.

Apple Picking

2011-11-18T13:00:00.000-08:00

Not the apple tree kind of picking! LOL!DH gifted me with an iPad on my birthday last October. It was a huge surprise for sure. Totally unexpected. I'm a practical gal and this iPad is a real splurge for me.

Initially, DH bought the 32 GB model but a few days later exchanged it for the 64 GB model. I'm really enjoying this gift more than I thought I would. I've found that I am now on it more than my laptop.

My most favorite and current obsession is the app that lets me borrow and read ebooks from the library! I *heart* it so much!

I also like the conference call services available. My bro introduced me to viber so we've been able to make clear overseas calls. He has bought an iPad too so we may be able to do Facetime on Christmas. Looking forward to that! I guess we could do skype too but seems so much more fun! LOL!

What other apps are worth downloading. I really do not mind paying for them as long as I know they are worth it!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-16T08:29:00.001-08:00

Does this halloween picture seem familiar to you? It should! It's almost exactly the same as last year's. We did not get new costumes this year. Last year's costumes still fit so we went with those. I really do not like to spend a lot on these things that you only get to wear once, much like Jovani prom dresses that you wear one night and gets shoved to the back of your closet.

Kuya decided not to go trick-or-treating this year. He said that he was too old to go already! Ha! He's really much too serious for his age. The lure of harvesting candy was not that much of a draw for him since I ask the kids to pool their candies together at the end of the night. It is much too much candy for just one child to eat.

When the kids get home after trick-or-treating, they get to choose around 10 pieces of candy or chocolate from their own buckets that they can keep. The rest are poured into a common candy jar to share with the rest of the family. Since Kuya did not go trick-or-treating, he did not get to choose 10 pieces for himself. He was fine with that. There was a lot of candy to go around!

The costumes have been stored back in the closets. The buckets are back in their storage places. the pumpkins have shriveled up and thrown away. But the candy remains. Loads of candy. Candy that will last us till the new year most probably!

But I Am Not Happy!

2011-10-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

Conversation between me and DD3 last night after repeatedly reminding her to set the table.

"Why do I have to do this every single day? I'm always doing it!"
"Well, that's your job. We all have a job to do."

This exchange went on for a while until I finally said,
"Do you know that you make God happy when you obey and do your work without complaining? And you make Mama Mary happy, and the angels, St. Michael, St. Angela, St. Anne, etc( I almost did a litany of the saints we had read about)."

"BUT I. AM. NOT. HAPPY!" she exclaimed furiously.

LOL!
How so very true!

And I can imagine this very exchange happening between God and myself. When I fight against that which I know I must do, I find that I am not happy at all. I do not see the happiness and joy I bring to others by my actions because I am focused on myself. When I do the work before me without complaining, I am able to witness the happiness of others and my heart is transformed.

She eventually finished setting the table with a little help from me. And all was well once more.

Halloween is Coming

2011-10-05T08:01:00.000-07:00

I need to check if the kids' halloween costumes still fit them. I really do not want to buy them new ones this year. We paid too much for them last year as we waited till the last minute to buy costumes. By then, there was hardly any modest ones particularly for DD1. I guess most girls her age have outgrown princesses and fairies? This padme amidala costume was the most acceptable one we could find. Even then, when she wore it, I thought it was too form-fitting. I shudder to think what costumes will be available for her now. I wouldn't be surprised if I find a naughty nurse costume and such in her size category. She is growing up way too fast! I think I may really need to learn to sew so we are not confined to the choice of costumes.

Dog Allergy?

2011-10-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

The kids and I were at SIL's last Saturday. We were visiting as she had just given birth to her first born. Three of the kids were nursing a little cold so I asked them not to go up to the room. I did not want to expose SIL nor my baby nephew to any virus. The kids stayed at the family room and watched TV with the family's 2 dogs as I happily chatted with SIL and lovingly cuddled my nephew.

Around noon, MIL asked why DS' left eye was swollen. I was surprised to hear this because it was definitely not swollen when we left the house earlier in the morning. When I saw DS, his left eye was almost swollen shut! It scared me a bit. I bought antihistamine from the drugstore and gave him a teaspoonful.

Soon after, a friend of ours who happens to be a PA arrived to visit SIL and the baby. I hijacked her and asked her to check on DS. She determined that it was definitely an allergic reaction that was aggravated when DS rubbed his eye. The boys' beds were turned to exam tables as she laid DS and flushed his eye with saline solution. The swelling subsided a bit.

I do not know for sure what triggered the allergic reaction. The only thing I can point to are the dogs. For now I am claiming that he's allergic to dogs. It's the reason I can give to the kids when they badger me, asking for a puppy.

Sorry kids, we can't have a dog. Kuya is allergic. :)

Teach Me To Number My Days

2011-10-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

Teach me to number my days

And count every moment before it slips away

Take in all the colors before they fade to gray

I don't want to miss even just a second more of this

It happens in a blink

It happens in a flash

It happens in the time it takes to look back

I try to hold on tight,

but there's no stopping time

What is it I've done with my life

It happens in a blink

(Song by Revive)

Time is moving too fast for my taste and I cannot slow it down. All I can do is savor each moment. Relish the present and be thankful to the God who allows me to have this time with my family and friends. So I continue to list the gifts.

125. Family trips to Yosemite, San Francisco, Carmel, Turlock
126. Reconnecting with high school friends
127. new cousins
128. Visiting family
129. Family game mornings with Daddy
130. Sisterly chats
131. Children who are eager to help mommy
132. Melt-this-mother's-heart moments when she sees her children laughing together
133. regaining my bearings as we start a new school year
134. quotable quotes from the kids
135. opportunities to share and testify to the goodness of the Lord
136. baby milestones
137. beautiful weddings
138. trimming down thru good ole hardwork
139. a beautiful gown
140. a friendship grown into sisterhood
141. baby milestones
142. baby baptism
143. pending births

12 Months = 12 Pictures {3rd Q}

2011-10-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

Playing catch up with posting our monthly photos...

{June} Our dear baby girl was baptized. Deacon Greg has now baptized all 4 of our girls. It was a beautiful Pentecost Sunday. How apt was that? I do not believe in coincidences. I know that God had planned this. This was truly a blessing. God has mighty plans for this little girl.

We were blessed to have family and friends come to celebrate the day with us. Our friends from Turlock and Sacramento drove or flew down to be with us this day. We felt so special that they would come down especially for us.

Other developments: DH finally started work this month. We ended our school year too. There were some bumps towards the end of the month but nothing that could not be resolved!

{July} First off, did you notice the growth in height of DS between the June & July photos? Incredible right?

We spent the July 4th weekend at Universal Studios and then the beach the next day. Our year has really been filled family outings and getaways.

Towards the end of the month, we made a trip to Carmel to attend the wedding of a friend and godmother of DD1. It was a beautiful chilly morning. She was gorgeous in her gown. Lovely church to be married in too. After the wedding, we traveled to Turlock to spend time with our friends. It was a beautiful weekend with friends. Loved it.

At the end of the month, I hosted the bridal shower for a very dear friend. We had a wine and cheese event. It was gorgeous and elegant. It was very much how I envisioned it to be. My only regret was that I did not have my camera with me! Ugh! Such a major slip up on my part. Other than that, it was a successful event.

{August} The 3 oldest kids went to our community's children's camp with DH. It was DD2's first time and boy! was she excited! She even won her cabin's best camper award and got to bring home their team flag. Such a special experience for her.

DH also finished some home improvements around the house. He initially just wanted to change the faucets in our double bowl undermount sinks but then ended up changing the faucets in all the bathrooms!

We also started school on the 3rd week of August. DS is now 5th grade, DD1 at 2nd, DD3 at 1st and DD4 at preschool. So far, things are going well. It is a challenge with the baby in tow all the time but we are getting our work done. Hooray!

The last quarter of the month is here now. The year just flew on by! And I am so glad that my little project has been successful so far!

He's Growing Up!

2011-09-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

My little brother is growing up! He is all ready to settle down.

He had informed us that he was going to propose to his girlfriend soon. He was meeting with a trader to choose the diamond and have it made into a ring. I suppose he wanted it to be extra special and not just choose from any of the available diamond rings in a jewelry store. I asked him to take a pic of the ring so I could see. I must say it is huge and beautiful! My bro did well!

He proposed a few weeks back and the girl said yes. Now, preparations are underway.

When I mentioned this news to the kids, DS said, "Finally!"

LOL!

First-Time Aunt!

2011-09-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

I may be a mom 5 times over but this is my first time to be a full-fledged auntie!!! So excited for SIL who gave birth to her first-born son late last night. DH asked me to give her a call this morning but I told him that I think it will be best to let her rest first. I've been there and you hardly get any sleep at all in between feedings and the medical personnel coming in and out.

I'm hoping to visit her and the baby soon. The kids are excited to meet their little cousin too. I hope that it's ok to bring the kiddies along to visit. I may bring her some red velvet cupcakes as those are one of her faves. I think she'll appreciate those more than personalized baby blankets or other tchotchkes.

God is truly a wonderful God!!

Calligraphy Stamps

2011-09-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

I'm currently obsessed with Personalized Stamps! I've been browsing on Etsy and just loving all these stamps. The one pictured here is from the seller foryoo on Etsy.

I am super tempted to purchase one except that I have no use for it! LOL! All I ever mail are bill payments. Maybe if I have this I will mail more birthday cards and such? Nah! I don't think so. I know that even when I buy this, it will sit in a corner and collect dust. I may bring it to use on Christmas cards but that is all I will probably use it for.

Sigh, but it is so pretty isn't it? I wish I wasn't so practical! LOL!

Improved Facebook?

2011-09-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

Facebook users!
I'm sure you've all noticed the new Facebook format. Yay or Nay?
I had a lot of friends complaining about it yesterday. It will take some getting used to for sure. I read that more changes are on their way. Apparently, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled them earlier today although a Facebook creative director was said to have slipped in one of his tweets yesterday one of the new features that will be released soon.

As for me, these new changes are actually limiting my use of FB. I have no time right now to tinker or try to navigate the changes so the filtered news feed is all that I can handle right now.

Wedding Bells Are Ringing

2011-09-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

My brother is getting married! I am truly excited for him and his fiancee. He told me and my parents about his plans before he popped the question. And my mom shed some tears. According to her, it's happy tears though. ;)

We're definitely going home to the Philippines. We're praying that God will provide the necessary funds for our airfare. Can you imagine how much we will spend on airfare?! There will be 6 ticketed passengers in all with Baby lap-sitting. There is also the issue of DH taking a leave from work. We want to make the most of our trip and stay hopefully 3-4 weeks. I'm not sure DH will be able to take that long a leave from work. We are praying though. We're also looking into plan b should DH not be granted vacation time.

My brother just sent me a message that his fiancee is excitedly looking for cute flower girl dresses for my girls. Looks like they have all the important vendors booked. Preparations seem to be well under way. I'm sure the bride-to be knows all the the best wedding planning apps there are although I wonder if she's a more hands-on bride or will employ a wedding planner.

Sigh, love weddings!

Quotable Quotes

2011-09-21T22:54:00.000-07:00

With 5 children in the family, it is never boring in the house. At some point throughout the day, someone is bound to say something funny enough to print on funny t shirts.

From DD3
(singing) "Why are there so many...songs about reindeers...and what's on the other side?"

"Can I have a guinea pig polvoron?" (aka pinipig polvoron - a Filipino dessert/snack)

My dad saw her growling like a mad dog at the wall...
{him} What are you doing?
{her} I'm just trying to scare the ants!

New Printer

2011-09-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

Loving our new printer!!! Our old HP all-in-one printer is still working. It is at DH's work station where it has always been connected. When we started home schooling, we started to use it more often much to DH's dismay. It is not our use of it per see that annoyed him. It was that we would often mess up his stack of work papers. It could not be helped really. Small work station. Stacks of loose paper. Mom & kids photocopying and printing. Those stacks of paper were bound to be knocked over at one time or the other.

DH's solution? Buy our "school" our very own printer! Thank goodness our "school administrator" is very generous. LOL! And this teacher/principal is very happy with the purchase. He looked at different models - Lexmark X250n, Epson TM-T88V, Brother MFC990. He eventually bought an HP Officejet 6400A Plus. It is a wireless all-in-one printer. You can also print from your smart phone. What I particularly like about it is its ability for double-sided printing! It definitely saves paper when printing a document.

This printer is now conveniently located in our school room. And we are making absolute full use of it!!!

Curriculum Choices 2011-2012

2011-09-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

We continue to home school through a charter school. I do not know how other charter schools operate but we have been very fortunate that ours allow us full control over the materials/curriculum choices we make. Obviously, they will not pay for materials with religious content or from religious publishers but that's ok with us. The funding we get is still quite helpful with school expenses like black ink cartridges. We are allowed to get a maximum of 6 ink cartridges per family per semester. This year, we have been able to get color cartridges too which is awesome as printer ink can get terribly expensive!

We are on week 5 already and I am pleased with the choices I made. They seem to be working for us quite well.

Math:
5th: Saxon 6/5
2nd: Math-U-See Alpha & Spectrum Math1
st: Math-U-See Alpha

Language Arts
5th: Grammar Voyage, Essay Voyage, A World of Poetry, Caesar's English II (all from Royal Fireworks Press), Latina Christiana 1, Spelling Workout Level E
2nd: First Language Lessons level 2, Writing with Ease Level 2 (both form Peace Hill Press), Spelling Workout Level B, MCP Phonics Level B
1st: First Language Lessons Level 1, Writing with Ease Level 1, Spelling Workout Level A, MCP Phonics Level A

Science
5th: NOEO Chemistry 2
1st/2nd: NOEO Chemistry 1

History1st/2nd/5th: Connecting with History Volumes 1 & 2 (We started volume 1: Ancient History last school year but did not finish it. We started this year where we left off in June and will continue on to volume 2: Middle Ages)

Religion1st/2nd/5th: They go every Wednesday morning to religion class taught by a Norbertine priest. This is our first year in this class but we have heard nothing but good things from other families who have taken classes from this priest. I'm also supplementing with St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism.

Arts:Meet the Masters, Rosetta Stone:Filipino, Music Appreciation via our homeschool co-op

Preschool - We are following Along the Alphabet Path by Elizabeth Foss and throwing in storybooks from Catholic Mosaic.

Baby Watch

2011-09-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

Two dear ladies in my life are both waiting for their babies to come out any day now. I am so excited for them both. I know exactly how they are feeling right now - on one hand, you just want the pregnancy to be over and hold that baby in your arms; on the other hand, you're nervous about giving birth and wonder if you can do it.

Yes, I've given birth 5 times but I've felt those feelings during each of those five times! LOL! During this last time, I kept asking DH, "I've done this before haven't I? And I was able to do it, wasn't I?" DH was my rock. He was just my super steady hand. Even though he had not worked Obstetrician & Gynecologist Jobs, he still knows his way around. Besides, I think he is just cool, calm and collected anyway. He does not panic. He really is a good companion to have when those labor pains start. :)Anyway, I'm keeping these 2 friends in our prayers every day. I anxiously await news of their deliveries. I'm crossing my fingers that they happen soon!

Photojojo time capsule

2011-09-17T07:26:00.000-07:00

This is a free service Photojojo offers where they deliver about twice a month photos you took a year ago. They pull it from your Flickr account. I think it's a fun thing. It's a nice dose of nostalgia in my inbox filled with "right now" emails.

I received this month's time capsule this week and this photo was in there. This was SIL and MIL during SIL's bridal shower. Wow! That seemed a lifetime ago. She is now expecting her first child. And I mean literally expecting her first child any time now!

This time last year too, DH was in the middle of his orthopedic fellowship and I was towards the end of my first trimester of pregnancy. It was a truly busy time for us. Then again, when is it NOT a busy time for our family?! LOL! But I do remember that it was around this time last year that I knew for sure that I did not have to check city payday loans as a back-up funding for our family. Surprisingly, we were not tapping into our savings as quickly as I thought we would be. DH's fellowship program gave only a stipend that was about half of what we needed for our monthly expenses. With God's providence and a tight watch on our expenditures, we survived!

I'll Be There For You

2011-09-17T06:29:00.000-07:00

I'll be there for you
When the rain starts to fall
I'll be there for you
Like I've been there before
I'll be there for you
Coz you're there for me too...

If you know those lyrics, then you are probably a Friends fan like me. I caught some re runs on TV the other night as we were at our favorite frozen yogurt place. It was just as good as I remembered it! I was trying hard not to laugh out loud too much because we were in a public place. My kids were amused by me. The younger ones particularly could not understand what was so funny. And I could not explain it to them because how do you explain comedy?!And I loved Chandler. He was so funny, wasn't he? I was surprised to see Matthew Perry so thin and gaunt in the episode. I had forgotten how much his face changed just before he went into oxycodone percocet addiction detox. I recently saw in celebrity news that he had gone into rehab again. I hope he's fine. I was watching his new sitcom last season, Mr. Sunshine but I think they've cancelled it. Boo!I'll be there for youWhen the rain starts to fallI'll be there for youLike I've been there beforeI'll be there for youCoz you're there for me too...

Spending Wisely

2011-09-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

"Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want to impress people they don't like." (Will Rogers)

I think that here in the US, it is very easy to fall into the trap of living on credit. The power of plastic is undeniable. Personally, I did not have a credit card until I started working. Even then, I made sure to pay the full balance each time. This is something that DH and I continue to do until now. We're not "ideal" customers for banks and credit card companies because they do not earn interest from our use of credit card. In fact, they even end up paying us for using their credit card. We use a cash back program that gives us cash return at the end of the year for a percentage of the purchases we have made.

My husband and I feel strongly that we have to teach our kids financial responsibility. We don't usually give our kids an allowance. We don't pay them for chores around the house. Chores is something we all need to do. Being part of the household means taking part in the fun times and the not so fun times. If mom and dad don't get paid to clean the house, then the kids shouldn't expect to get paid either. Anyway, re: allowance, there really hasn't been any need to give any of our children an allowance. However, we felt that it was time now to start teaching our eldest son to be responsible with money. He now has a weekly allowance. It's a small amount, almost just a token amount but I told him that he needs to set aside some amount as tithe, another for savings and the rest he is free to spend as he wishes. I've also given him simple ledger paper where he can keep track of the money he has received and the money he has spent. It's only been 4 weeks but I think he's getting the hang of it.

I'm really hoping that by doing this, good habits will form early on. When he starts to work, I want him to instinctively set aside money for the church and for savings. I don't want him or any of our children to grow up and fall into debt that they can't get out of. I want to teach them to make wise choices in their spending habits. I've heard of young people who have had to get car title loans Nebraska offers with APRs that are like 300%. It sounds so ridiculous but when you need the money, you grab at whatever is dangled in front of you. I hope that my children will never find themselves in such circumstances.

This is a life skill that I am glad I am finding time to teach my son.

I Wish You Had 11 Kids...

2011-09-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

DD2 came to me the other day and said, "I wish you had 11 kids like the Kramers." I laughed out loud as soon as I heard it.
"Why would you want that?" I asked.
"So we can have lots of playmates and it's fun!"
"If you become a mommy, would you want to have 11 kids?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because it's hard," she answered with a shy grin.

I think that in a way she has touched on the reality of our lives. Having a bigger family is a lot of fun and a lot of hard work. I'd like to think that the work it takes to raise a bigger family is not necessarily "bad" hard work. It is a challenge but it brings joy to our lives. It is difficult but is filled with grace from our heavenly Father.

It can get overwhelming at times when I think of the practical issues.
How are we ever going to put all the kids through college?
We will need a bigger house soon as the kids are growing up quickly.
Will I be able to home school all of them?
Can I last through all their grade school years at least?
Should we be buying term life insurance beyond the 20 years that we are currently insured?
Can you imagine our car insurance premiums once they hit the driving age?

So many things can clutter my mind if I let it. It can get overwhelming. Then the Lord reminds me that these are His children. He loves them more than I can ever love them. He has a plan for each one. I will need to trust that He will provide for us just as He has provided for me and my family when I was growing up.

Baby Milestone: Sitting Independently

2011-09-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

She's sitting without support!!! Sigh... I've said it time and again that while I am of course proud of her and happy that she is developing and growing well, my heart is also screaming "not yet!"

Time is moving too fast and I can feel her baby year slipping away. I want to keep her my baby for as long as possible.

When I posted this on Facebook, a friend commented that soon she will be walking! Nooooooo...

Yes, I am in denial. LOL! I'm not sure if I felt this intensely when my older kids were babies. I think that I felt like they came one after the other that I was looking for a break. With this one, I have experienced for myself how quickly children grow up that I want to savor each moment with her as a baby. I may never have another one of these precious littles. Who knows?

Look at the pic. Doesn't it look like she's taunting me? Sticking out her tongues as if saying, "Watch out Mommy. You can't stop this baby!" Before long, she'll be putting on her english riding boots and driving away. LOL.

I will savor each smile, each cry, each giggle, each nursing moment, each cuddle. I will savor every moment.

Exercising My Way to My Gown

2011-09-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

8 months ago, my friend and her boyfriend dropped by the house and shared with me the exciting news - he had just proposed earlier that evening! Oh what a beautiful evening it was! It was even made more special when she asked me to be her matron of honor. What an honor indeed! I was fully pregnant then at 7 months. I had roughly 6 months to lose the baby weight to look pretty decent in a gown.

And
I
did
it!!

Woohoo!

Last Friday, my dear friend married her one love. It was a beautiful night and I had so much joy and love in my heart for this couple. It was truly an honor to have been part of their big day.

I was happy for her and I was happy for me too! I think I looked pretty good in my gown. I sure would have wanted to have lost some more but this was good enough considering that I really could not restrict my diet too much as I was breastfeeding. No crash diets. No fat burners. Just good ole fashioned hard work. Exercise!

I still want to lose some more weight and exercise is really the key. Right now, the challenge is to be able to get up earlier than usual so I can exercise. I used to exercise mid-morning as Baby napped. Now, that school has begun, I'll have to find another time to exercise. And it looks like early morning is the only time.

Here's hoping I don't fall back and gain the weight I so painfully lost these past several months! Wish me luck!

What Sin Is

2011-09-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

I saw this excerpt online and found it interesting to think about. Does everything really come down to black and white? I really liked what it said about when sin starts.

from the novel Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

" There is a very interesting debate raging at the moment about the nature of sin, for example,” said Oats.

“And what do they think? Against it, are they?” said Granny Weatherwax.

“It’s not as simple as that. It’s not a black and white issue. There are so many shades of gray.”

“Nope.”

“Pardon?”

“There’s no grays, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.

“It’s a lot more complicated than that –”

“No. It ain’t. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they’re getting worried that they won’t like the truth. People as things, that’s where it starts.”

“Oh, I’m sure there are worse crimes –”

“But they starts with thinking about people as things …”

Eyeing the Navy

2011-09-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, when asked what he wanted to be when he grows up, Kuya always answered with a career that involved cars. This was not surprising because he has always and continues to be fascinated by cars. He enjoys looking at cars. He knows the different features. I would not know the difference between a Honda and an Acura aside from their logos. He does. He knows wheels and mags. I've thought of incorporating some car mechanic studies for him into our home school program. I think that he will really jump into that head-on. That can be a part of his physics studies too. He imagine that will learn about machines, fulcrum, differences in rotation of off road wheels from smaller driving wheels, etc. The past week, there has been a slight shift in his interests. He is now eyeing the Navy! I don't exactly know what prompted the shift. One day, he just came to me and said that he's looking into the navy. He even asked to research about the navy on the internet. He has talked to his dad about it. Of course, Dad was very encouraging! The girls are worried though that he might die in the service. :( As for me, I am here to support my son with whatever career path he may choose, as long as it is honorable. My prayer is that he follows God's will for his life.

Christmas Design

2011-08-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

Only one more day before the -ber months arrive. And you know what that signals? My most favorite time of the year of course - Christmas!!!
And with the coming of the -ber months, it's also time to start thinking about Christmas photo cards. For the past several years, I've created our own cards to send out. Here's what we've sent out since 2005.

For some reason, I can't find our 2006 Christmas card. It's been so much fun to look through them and see how our family has grown. This year, we have another addition. Yay! I still have to figure out what design to go with this year. One idea is to use our monthly family pictures for a collage to show what our family has been up to from the start of the year. The only hitch there is that I need to have these cards made by November so that we can mail them out by Thanksgiving week. We send out cards overseas and if I don't mail it by the last week of November, the chances of the cards arriving at their foreign destinations before Christmas are very slim. There was one time when it was Valentine's Day by the time my friend received our card. Crazy, right?

How about you? Have you got Christmas on your mind?

Going Hi-Tech

2011-08-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

I've heard it countless times before, "Kids these days know more about the latest technology than their parents." For a while, it did not apply to us. Looks like those days are over! LOL!

My dad who lives with us recently got a playbook tablet and guess who he asked to help him look for apps and such? Yep! The grandson! My son has been helping his lolo with installing apps. When lolo runs into a snag, it's Kuya who helps him figure it out. We do not have a tablet of our own but somehow Kuya is able to figure out this new technology.

Way to go big bro!

Is Home Schooling Hard?

2011-08-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

My family officially entered our 3rd year of homeschooling. I am by no means a veteran. I know I have a lot to learn yet. I still consider myself a semi-newbie. This much I know - I am here because I know this is God’s will for my family. How long will I homeschool? I do not know. For as long as it works for us. For as long as the Lord wills it for us.

I continue to have apprehensions. Mostly worries about possible gaps in the education I provide. I still feel insecure that they might not be receiving the best academic education which they might be getting at a regular school. Yet, they’ve been tested and they’re testing way above the CA standards. Still, I am a mom and I continue to worry. However, I also realize that my children are learning more than academics in our home school. They are learning to love and serve. They are growing in their relationships with one another and with us, their parents. Home schooling has really strengthened our family dynamics. I believe that we are stronger and closer as a family because we home school.

One of the first questions I encounter from friends is: Isn't it hard to teach different grades at the same time? I suppose it would be a challenge if I taught each child separately. However, we combine studies when we can. Obviously, Math and Phonics/Grammar have to be taught separately because they are at different levels. However, with subjects like History & Science, we learn together. The older ones also enjoy helping the younger ones with their lessons.

It is not the academics that I find most difficult. What challenges me most is that I find that I have to give of myself more than I have ever given of myself. I have to be more disciplined. I am constantly challenged to be a better person, a better parent. I am learning to be more generous of myself, to be more understanding, more forgiving, more merciful, more loving. In other words, I am challenged to be a better disciple of Jesus. I think this is also one reason I know this is where God wants me to be: because I am drawing closer to Him than ever before. Home schooling is leading me to God, helping me on the path to holiness. I am growing in my faith, gaining a deeper love and appreciation for our Catholic faith because of this journey we are taking.

So, is home schooling hard? Yes it is but with the grace of God, we are thriving. All the sacrifices are definitely worth it!

God Bless You Eastcoasters!

2011-08-25T20:03:00.000-07:00

There is news that hurricane Irene worsens and takes a tighter aim on the East Coast. Brace yourselves, my family and friends over there. I hope that you've got your fiberglass storm shelters ready or have storm shutters on your windows.

Here are some more tips to help you prepare and hopefully minimize the damage to your homes:

Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.
Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed.
Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts.
Determine how and where to secure your boat.
Consider building a safe room.

Our family will be keeping you all in our prayers!

Just Think

2011-08-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Just think,
you're here not by chance,
but by God's choosing.
His hand formed you
and made you the person you are.
He compares you to no one else.
You are one of a kind.
You lack nothing
that His grace can't give you.
He has allowed you to be here
at this time in history
to fulfill His special purpose
for this generation.
by Roy Lessin

3 Things I Currently Enjoy (Food)

2011-08-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

Here are 3 things I am currently obsessed with food-wise...

1. Nature Valley Granola Thins - Dark Chocolate

Okay, this is what I've been eating when I want something to satisfy my sweet craving. It hits the sweet spot perfectly for me.

2. Oregon Chai Latte

Pour me a cup of the concentrate and milk on ice. Yummm...

3. Julian's Belgian Waffles

This is an obsession that is yet to be satisfied. I had this when we visited our friends at Turlock. They served it for breakfast. O.M.G! I fell in love with it. They bought it at their local Costco. Unfortunately, it isn't available at our local Costco yet. I've filled out that suggestion form a few times already, asking them to carry it. Nothing yet. I will continue to hound them. Stay tuned!

Yosemite

2011-07-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

This was a trip we took way back in May. The kids were still in school but our co-op classes had already ended. DH had not started work yet. It was a spur-of-the-moment trip.

We left on a Thursday morning, early morning at 1 am! I think we reached the Fresno area at around 6 am. We stopped to refuel: gasoline for the car and Denny's breakfast for the humans.

After about 2 more hours of drive time, we entered the park and went straight to the Mariposa Grove of Sequioa trees. I was excited to do some early morning hiking with the family. It was not going to be any hardcore hiking. We had little kids and a baby but I really wanted to trek into the grove and see the giant trees. Some hikers were equipped with their Gregory Baltoro 65 backpacks. I had my Ergo baby carrier with Baby inside. Unfortunately, the trails were covered in ice. Sigh. We mostly stayed in the paved areas and just had pictures taken. I consoled myself by telling myself that this will give us reason to go back.

From there, we proceeded to Wawona and visited the Pioneer History Center. Then, we headed to the tunnel that leads you to this gorgeous and famous view. We had a picnic lunch here. By this time, we were all getting tired, particularly DH. We still went to see Bridalveil Falls but only I dared to walk up as close to the foot of the falls as I could without getting soaked. We will definitely have to come back here next time armed with ponchos so we can get real close.

So that was our day in Yosemite. Next time, we will definitely have to make this a multi-day trip instead of cramming everything into one day.

It Would Have Been Enough For Us

2011-07-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

Dayenu.
It would have been enough for us.

This is a song sung by the Jews during their Sedar meal. As I understand it, it is sung like a folk song for children but the meaning and truth behind it is beautiful. It is a song of gratitude. It retells the story of God's love for His people by taking them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

During Lent this year (I know this post is way overdue), I could not help but feel this overwhelming gratitude to God. And so my list of gifts continue...

114. Had God given us our 4 children and not blessed us with one more, it would have been enough for us.
115. Had He put the desire to home school in my heart and not put the same desire in my children’s hearts, it would have been enough for me.
116. Had He provided for our needs and not given me the chance to rest because of bed rest, it would have been enough for me.
117. Had he given me the chance to rest but not sent my parents to help, it would have been enough for me.
118. Had he sent my parents to help but not sent sisters to bring us meals or take my kids out, it would have been enough for me.
119. Had he stopped my preterm labor and not allowed my pregnancy to reach full-term, it would have been enough for me.
120. Had he allowed my pregnancy to reach full-term but not given me a quick labor, it would have been enough for me.
121. Had he given me a quick labor and not given me a healthy, beautiful baby girl, it would have been enough for me.
122. Had he sustained DH through his fellowship program and not given him 2 months time off to recharge after it, it would have been enough for us.
123. Had He given DH an unexpected "paternity" leave and not provided for our financial needs, it would have been enough for us.
124. Had he given DH any other job and not a job as a PA at Kaiser (something we had been praying for), it would have been enough for us.

Anything would have been enough for me but the Lord chose (and chooses) to give more. If He gave me only what I desired, it would have been enough for me. Yet, he has blessed me over and beyond my desires and prayers. He has given me a life more than I imagined for myself, His generosity far more than what I dared to ask.

Another Roadtrip!

2011-07-25T21:42:00.000-07:00

We went for another road trip up north this weekend. It was a much shorter trip - just the weekend. There was no accidents or major mishaps. Thank goodness. We had a roadside assistance plan with AAA at any rate so we were covered. I was praying hard for DH because he was driving on just several hours of sleep. I thank the Lord that He protected us and kept us safe throughout the weekend.

We went up to Carmel to attend a dear friend's wedding. As our usual routine, we left the house very early in the morning. I think we left at around 2 am this time. The whole crew except Daddy was asleep. We only had 1 stop to feed Baby. We arrived at Carmel at around 8 am. We went to Denny's for breakfast before heading to my SIL's hotel room to change into our wedding attire. From there, we went to the church.

It was a beautiful (and chilly) day. The couple had requested that all the guests wear white and khakis. It was beautiful to look at the sea of white in church. the bride was gorgeous. I loved her dress! It was simple yet super elegant and classy. Loved it!

We could not stay for the reception, unfortunately.

We made our way to Turlock to stay with friends, the same friends we stayed with during our last roadtrip to Yosemite. I love that the kids are building relationships with each other. It's certainly nice to rekindle old friendships too.

The kids swam and swam and swam. They just had a blast with each other. This trip may have been short but it was certainly filled with laughter and food and stories. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing them again.

The Dress!

2011-07-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

The dress is here!!!

Well, technically, the dress is with T and not yet with me. This is the dress I will be wearing as matron of honor. You like?

Agh! It's frightening to think that in a little over a month I will be squeezing myself into that dress. I've been exercising and trying to slim down but I can't cut back too much on my calories because when I do, my milk supply goes down. My love for Baby far outweighs my vanity. And that has kept me away from drastic measures, be it safe slimming pills or crash diets.

I've been trying to eat more healthily and exercising regularly. The pounds and inches are slowly melting off. It is a slow process though, much slower than I would like. I console myself that with this process, I'm creating a healthier lifestyle and so I will hopefully keep off the weight for years to come.

T tried on the dress and has told me that it is beautiful. It made her look slimmer. I'm hoping it will look good on me too! We're going to have sleeves put in because I am worried that the dress will not hold up later in the day when my breasts fill up with milk. I don't want to have a wardrobe malfunction!

I'm both excited and anxious to try on the dress. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Cleaning up my Inbox

2011-07-16T04:39:00.000-07:00

Do you remember way back when there were not very efficient spam filters? I was still using hotmail then and I would get all sorts of spam! Soo annoying. Then I moved to gmail. It was heavenly how they filtered out the spam from legit mail. I did not have to be bombarded by annoying sales reps for all these rock bottom sensual products or replica watches. Ugh!
I was killing time yesterday and decided to look at the spam folder. LOL! Yeah, I was procrastinating! I found it funny how many spam emails were there! Seriously, do these even work on people? I suppose they still do huh? Otherwise, why would companies be sending out these emails? If you're an Energy speaker dealer for example, does sending out mass emails even generate any sales at all? I know that most of these spam are probably sent out by robots but why continue to flood the web with useless emails?
I know it's a question that has no answers.
Well, that's what I get for treading into my spam folder.

Deals, Steals and Coupons

2011-07-13T14:07:00.000-07:00

I am seriously addicted to all these group discount sites that offer deep discounts on a vast array of services, restaurants and shopping deals. I am subscribed to Groupon and Living Social. I noticed this week that Amazon has a similar one too called Amazon Local.

One of the deals I scored recently was an unlimited all you can play pass at Scandia which includes miniature golf. Only Kuya has gone miniature golfing before. I think it's a fun family activity but it can get a little expensive when you take into account that we are a family of 6 players. So the deal at Scandia is a really good one for our family.

We're not a golfing family but BIL is. I saw at Living Social one time a really nifty deal for 18 holes at the course near their house. I considered getting the deal and gifting it for his birthday but saw that the expiration was before his birthday so no can-do. Maybe monogrammed golf balls instead? I wonder if they will be available on Groupon. Hmmm...

Another discount site that I absolutely love is Babysteals and Kidsteals. They put up a deal a day with limited quantities. Sometimes the steals go quickly, like within the hour they put them up. I've discovered some quality products through these sites. And if I were not careful, I could easily rack up those charges on our American Express.

Do you have any other favorite discount sites I need to check out?

Free Bowling All Summer Long

2011-07-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

A friend at Facebook posted this link for free bowling all summer long in various locations in the US and Canada.
Fortunately, I found one nearby. I've signed up my kids but we have yet to try it out. The bowling alley near me only has the program till August 7. I looked at other places and some have the program available until the first week of September. It isn't often that we are able to find free family entertainment outside the house.
I'm looking forward to going to this especially when kids need a break and something to do on very hot summer days.
Last year, we had the Regal free family movies to go to every Wednesday or Thursday mornings. This year, they've started to charge $1 per person. It's still cheap but it isn't free! I know it's only $5 per trip which isn't too bad at all but the movies they show are out on DVD already and we most likely own them too. We used to go because it's just more fun to watch them on the big screen even if they had seen the movie a gazillion times before.
I;m glad that there are programs like these for families like mine. It is particularly a blessing for bigger families like mine. :)

The Family that Cleans Together...

2011-07-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

stays together?

I hope so! LOL!

As the kids get older, I am able to delegate more chores to them. They each have their everyday responsibilities. Kuya takes care of sweeping the floor after meals. Ate is in charge of wiping the tables after meals. DD2 puts away the clean dishes from the dishwasher. DD3 sets the table. Plus, they are all responsible for making their beds and putting away their toys at the end of the day. They do their chores without much whining anymore because they know this to be part of their daily routine now. I think it's also because they're older and have matured a little bit more.

I can also rely on the two older ones to help with cleaning and other household chores. In this picture, they are cleaning the tub and shower in their bathroom. It was initially just Kuya's job but Ate asked to help when she saw what her Kuya was doing. I found it amusing that she thought it would be fun to do. LOL! She soon realized that it was not an easy task, particularly on a warm summer afternoon. A lot of scrubbing was needed because this was not cleaned for a while. They've been doing it in sections. It's almost done now but they might need to use our medical step stools to reach the higher portions. On the other hand, I'll probably do it myself because they might slip or something.

During this summer, we'll be doing a lot of catch-up cleaning. Instead of spring cleaning, we'll have summer cleaning. I don't get to do a lot of thorough deep cleaning during the year when we're doing school. While we're on break this summer is the time to do it! I don't particularly care for it but it is what needs to be done.

I'm glad I've got these kids to help me. They actually not just help with the actual chores but having them around makes it a little bit more fun. The family that cleans together have more fun together!

Laughter All The Time

2011-07-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

I wish there was laughter all the time in our home. It occurs frequently enough though. There are squabbles, screams and cries in between but for the most part, I think we're a pretty happy family.

This is currently my favorite pic of the kids. A candid shot one evening. We were getting ready for our prayers before bedtime. Things around the house had been picked up - toys, clothes, books and other stuff. The kids were scrubbed. Teeth were brushed. Everything was winding down. I handed Baby to her Kuya as I made a quick trip to the bathroom. Upon my return, I saw the 4 older siblings around Baby. They were playing and laughing. Oh what sweet sound to my ears. I happened to take the shot as they burst out laughing about something. It was absolutely perfect timing. Makes me smile every time I see this pic. It warms this mom's heart to see her kids enjoying each other's company.

This is family. This is building relationships. This is what it's all about!

Patriotism & God

2011-07-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

"The decline of patriotism in America is due to a decline of religion. As men cease to love God, they also cease to love their neighbor. No one proves this better than Mathew, the author of the first Gospel. He was at one time as unpatriotic a citizen as ever lived: his land was over-run by a foreign power, his fellow-citizens lost many of their civil and political rights- and yet he welcomed the foreign power to his bosom for the basest of all motives, financial booty. He became a publican, that is a collector for the Romans, thus not only selling out his country men, but even filching from them to enrich himself as a subject of the invaders. One day, while collecting his taxes and counting his profits, Our Divine Savior passed by. "Come, follow Me," He said to Mathew, and Mathew with no other promise than a peace which shown in the Divine Countenance became an apostle, an evangelist, and a martyr. He became more than that-the greatest patriot in the Gospels. His Gospel might be called the Gospel of Patriotism. Tireless he becomes in unfolding the glories of his people, the traditions of his land, and the prophecies of its spiritual triumphs. Time and time again he goes back to the past, turns over the pages of Isaias, Jeremias, Micheas, David, and the Kings; ninety-nine times to be exact, he quotes from the glorious pages of his people, and crowns it all with the thrilling message: You are a great people! From Israel comes the Savior; from our clouds comes the Messias; from our earth the Redeemer. Hail! Christ is your king.

He became a patriot because he found his God. May we all go and do likewise."
~ Fulton J. Sheen, Servant of God (February 5, 1939)

Prayer for Your Husband's Fatherhood

2011-06-22T19:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a prayer from the book, "The Power of a Praying Wife," for your husband as the father of your children. This is a prayer I feel voices the desires of my heart.

Lord, I pray that my husband will inspire his children to honor him as their father so that their lives will be long and blessed. May the spiritual inheritance he passes on to them be one rich in the fullness of Your Holy Spirit. Enable him to model clearly a walk of submission to Your laws.

May he delight in his children and long to grow them up in Your way. Help him not to be noncommunicative, passive, critical, weak, uninterested, neglectful, undependable, or uninvolved.

Make him, instead, the kind of father who is interested, affectionate, involved, strong, consistent, dependable, verbally communicative, understanding, and patient. Being a good father is something he wants very much. I pray You would give him that desire of his heart.

DH really gives time and priority to his children. Whether he takes them to Disneyland or just hands out the wii remotes so they can play Super Mario together, he makes sure he is able to spend time with them. I feel so blessed to have a husband who is very much involved with his children.

Father's Day at Disneyland

2011-06-22T19:10:00.000-07:00

Seems like we've become disney fanatics. When I asked DH what he wanted to do for Father's day, he immediately said he was going to Disneyland. "As stressful as it may seem sometimes, I actually like going there," he remarked.
So that's where we spent most of the day.

We arrived early in the day as the park opened. We immediately stood in line for the new Star Tours ride. We were at the park on its re-opening day and the line was cah-razeeee! About 2+ hours wait in line! We knew that if we wanted to ride it, we would have to be there right away. It took us almost an hour wait which was not bad at all! I rode with DS and DD3 then used the switch pass so that DH could ride with DD1 and DD2 without having to get back on line again.

We also got to explore for the first time Pirate's Lair Island. We had never explored that place. It was a fun place for the kids to run in and expend their energies. There were fun little coves/caves with pirate treasure and loot to discover. DD3 enjoyed uncovering buried treasure of gold coins, jewelry and gurkha cigars and some pirate skeletons by pumping out water from the sunken ship.

We left Disneyland at the end of the first parade. We then met up with Lolo & Lola for dinner at El Torito. Why there? It was the only place that had not wait time. LOL! We were hoping to go to a steakhouse but wait times were at least an hour. We were too hungry and tired to wait. It may not have been our first choice but it was a tasty end to a packed Father's Day.

How did you celebrate?

12 Months = 12 pictures {May}

2011-06-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty busy May as a family.
1. DH was still waiting on the processing of his papers and requirements at his new job. For some reason, this was taking such a long time. He busied himself at home by fixing stuff. A major project he undertook was our sprinkler system. What started out as a small project to change the sprinkler heads turned into a major one when he needed to replace some of the pipes. Major digging and time under the sun was invested. He had been working on it for several days in fact when a car stopped in front of our yard and asked him if he did this for a living! LOL! I guess they were looking for someone to fix their system too. At least he looked like he knew what he was doing right? It's a good thing it wasn't as hot and dry as it would've been during the summer. I bet I would've needed to lather him up with argan oil for skin had he done this at the height of summer.
2. I was pretty busy catching up on admin stuff for our little homeschool. Well, not just admin stuff but overall homeschool stuff including the kids' lessons. I guess we really did not need to catch up on anything because we were already ahead, except in Science and History. I also was plugging along on my workout regimen. It was stalled however when we went on our pre-Memorial weekend vacation. Sigh. I seriously need to get back to it.
3. DS made his CA missions diorama for his co-op class. He did well. He also took his STAR test, the standardized test for California. We spent a few days preparing for it. He said it was a breeze! LOL! He's testing higher than his peers so I'm not really worried. The reviewers did point out a hole in our language arts program. It wasn't too big that it could not be learned in the few days we were studying for it.
DD1 lost her upper front tooth this month too. The tooth fairy gave him $5 for it. That tooth fairy must have a lot of cash on him. LOL! Along with DS, they are now going to a new piano teacher at a new timeslot. It's still the same school but I requested for a new day and time - Thursdays at 2, instead of Tuesdays at 3. The kids and I prefer their new teacher over the old one. She gives them extra materials to work on other than the pieces on their lesson books. We also received the flower girl dress she will be wearing for her ninang's wedding in September. The dress fits her perfectly. I hope that she won't grow too much from now till the wedding.
DD2 is doing very well with her reading. It is amazing to see her progress. She is also doing well in Math. I have her on a new math program - Math-U-See. She's on the alpha level. She'll continue on this next school year. She and DD1 were part of a short skit that their class presented during our lat co-op meeting. So cute! I think they were the only ones in class to have memorized all their lines.
DD3 continues to be precocious as ever. She welcomed back her dearest lolo from his month-long vacation in the Philippines.
DD4 turned 2 months old. How fast time flies!! I know I will keep saying that every month because that is how I feel all the time. I love love this little baby and I feel so fortunate to be blessed with such a bundle of joy. She received bags full of clothes from the A family, a homeschooling family in our co-op. She lent us clothes her daughter had outgrown. :)
4. We celebrated Mother's Day with dinner at Shakey's after church. Simple. I had a bit of drama as I was just not feeling validated and appreciated earlier in the day. We also celebrated the last day of co-op with the usual taco bar. I wish it were fancier but I'll take it. LOL! We also had our big road trip to Yosemite and San Francisco that I have not yet fully blogged about. I need to blog about so many things yet I find myself terribly without the time to do it. Oh well...
We spent Memorial Day at Disneyland. Again. Yes, we're really maximizing our annual passes! LOL! Personally, I'm not a huge fan but DH and the kids enjoy our Disney outings a lot. As for me, just give me a turkey leg and I'm good. Hehe.

This was May 2011.

The Streets of San Francisco

2011-06-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

During our pre-memorial weekend mini-vacay, we spent a day on the streets of San Francisco. From Turlock, we went straight to San Francisco. DH had a whole day planned out but we really did not get to do much because we had a late start. DD1 was also not feeling too well. She had a stomach ache when she woke up that morning. She could not eat at all. When we were headed to the Presidio, we had to pull over because she was going to throw up. My poor baby. She felt a little better after that but she still wasn't it tiptop shape.

We decided not to walk and explore the Presidio. We just headed into the streets of San Francisco and ride the cable cars. I've been to San Francisco several times but this was my first time to ride the cable cars. We had fun going up and down the hilly streets. I had a blast looking at all the homes we passed. I'm sure these were all million dollar homes. They all looked fabulous. I love that they seemed to have different characters. Most of the time, I often see pre-manufactured homes in the suburbs. This was such a feast to the eye to see all the colors and styles.

The kids and I sat on the benches and DH stood on the side. It reminded me of back home, where men would ride "sabit" on jeepneys.

After our roundtrip ride, we had dinner then walked around Pier 39. By this time, DD1 was wiped out and she rode the stroller while I had the baby worn on my Ergo. The kids enjoyed the sea lions of course. DD3 was thrilled when she made sounds that the sea lions seemed to respond. She joyfully announced that she could talk "sea lion!" LOL!

We did not get to do all that we wanted to do in San Francisco that day. But it was all good. We still got to spend time as a family. DD1 may have not been feeling well but she was a trooper. I love that we were able to go places as a family. I'm sure that we will lovingly look back at this time and recall the memories we made together.

Pre-Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-29T13:50:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we were able to go visit the final resting place of DH's uncle in Vacaville. He served and retired from the Navy. Our visit there was the last leg of our Northern California trip. It was timely too since it was a week from Memorial Day.

We visited his widow and stayed there a while. There was some miscommunication as she thought we were going to stay overnight so she cooked a lot of food. We were there at noon and stayed until dinner before we headed for home. We had sinigang for lunch. It was a little different from the sinigang we are used to because she used fresh calamansi and lemons from her garden to sour the broth. It was quite a filling lunch! Though we weren't quite hungry for dinner yet, we were yet served with mechado. You bet we left her house with our stomachs quite full. If that were not enough to make me run for lipozene reviews, she had also made a huge batch of arroz caldo. She was going to serve it for breakfast. Since we were not staying for breakfast, she made us bring it home. OMG! It was a huge batch. I teased her that we were a big family with 5 kids but the food she cooked could've fed a battalion. I did appreciate all her cooking. I felt the love there. Thank you Tita J!! Till we visit you again.

Simple Woman's Daybook - 28 May

2011-05-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

Today ...

Outside my window ... it's cloudy with a bit of sun peeking through.

I am thinking ... of my husband who is asleep in the other room.

I am thankful for ... my baby girl who is 12 weeks today.

From the kitchen ... Mama made guinataan yesterday. I need to stay away from it for my diet's sake!

From the learning rooms ... DD1 is starting on multiplication. Whoa!

I am wearing ... white shirt and white loved-to-bits shorts. Those well-loved tattered stuff are the comfiest pieces of clothing, aren't they?

I am creating ... memories with my children.

I am going ... to finish the attendance records and final learning plans of the kids.

I am reading ... the newspaper articles on Mike Brown, the new Lakers coach.

I am hoping ... to cultivate a nurturing environment in my home.

I am hearing ... the washing machine on my left and the whir of lawnmowers outside on my right.

Around the house ... the kids are reading: DS, the sports section of the newspaper, DD1 & DD3, books, DD2, last year's yearbook.

One of my favorite things ... is Citrus Crush hand soap/hand gel from Bath & Body Works.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... are to go to the lab to get my blood sugar tested, meet with Caffe Allegro for DD4's baptism reception.

Here is a picture I am sharing ... taken exactly a year ago. A nice little reminder for me. I have the power to make my every day happy despite circumstances and people beyond my control. How appropriate for today.

Don't Grow Old

2011-05-27T18:10:00.000-07:00

The girls found a couple of strands of white hair on my head. I shook my head and replied, "Oh my, I'm getting old." Then we all laughed. End of story...or so I thought.

A few days later, out of the blue, DD3 came up to me and said, "I don't want you to grow old, Mom."
"Oh, everyone grows older, sweetie. You're growing older and bigger each day too, right?" I replied nonchalantly.
"But I don't want you to grow old!" She insisted as she hugged me tightly.
There was some urgency in her voice that I had to sit down and face her.
"What's wrong?" I asked, wondering where all these were coming from.
"Because you have white hair. And you'll grow old but I don't want you to die!!" she wailed, as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
I hugged her tightly, stroked her hair and assured her as much as I could that there was nothing to worry about.

I don't know what triggered her anxious thoughts. Was it my white hair? I don't think it's necessary to cover up my white hair yet nor to use hydroxatone for the lines and wrinkles in my face. But with her reaction, maybe I should! LOL!

A Simple Woman's Daybook ... April 29, 2011

2011-04-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

A day in my life...

Outside my window ... it's dark. Everything is quiet. Night has settled in.

I am thinking ... whether I should still pop in the exercise DVD tonight. DH was out tonight so there wasn't anyone to hand Baby to while I exercise.

I am thankful for ... God's unfailing love and providence. "It would have been enough for us..."

From the learning rooms ... science experiments on the heart and lungs

From the kitchen ... cucumber tea sandwiches for our Little Flowers Mother-Daughter Tea Party earlier. I still have more of the spread, cucumbers and bread. I'll be making more tomorrow.

I am wearing ...well-loved (read: worn and faded) shirt and shorts

I am creating ... learning plans for the kids for the next 4 weeks. We are almost at the end of our school year and I am ready for a break!

I am going ... to exercise after I post this. Yes, I will!

I am hoping ... that the weekend will move slowly. I want to savor it.

I am hearing ... the ceiling fan blowing air around the room; the neighbor's dog barking.

Around the house ... all is calm and quiet and clean. I vacuumed and mopped today. Woohoo for me!

One of my favorite things ... to drink right now is Chai Tea Latte. I've been buying the Oregon Chai from Trader Joe's and mixing it with milk then pouring it onto ice. Ahhh...refreshing!

A few plans for the weekend ... work on the learning/lesson plans and attendance sheets for the kids, laundry, church and community assembly, NBA playoffs on TV.

Here is a picture I am sharing...
a year ago today, I snapped this photo. Written by DD1. A similar longing in my heart.

From the Simple Woman's Daybook.

Prayer for Your Husband

2011-04-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

This prayer was posted at Faith and Family Live! blog. Indeed, one of the best ways we can support our husbands is to pray for them often.

The author wrote that she has this printed and taped up above her kitchen sink to remind her to pray for her husband during the day - a physical reminder of the importance of praying for your husband. I might do just that. I'll print this up and tape it up in our school room or refrigerator.

Lord, bless and preserve my cherished husband, whom You have given me: Let his life be long and blessed, comfortable and holy; let me ever be a blessing and a comfort to him, a sharer in all his sorrows, a consolation in all the accidents and trials of life; make me forever lovable in his eyes and forever dear to him; unite his heart to mine in fondest love and holiness, and mine to him in all sweetness, charity, and submission. Keep me from all ungentleness; make me humble and obedient, that we may delight in each other according to Your blessed word. May both of us rejoice in You, having our portion in the love and service of God forever.
Amen.

twelve months = twelve pictures

2011-04-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by Tara Whitney's six people twelve times project last year. I wanted to do something similar for my family.

My goal is simple: have a family photo every month for 2011. I'm almost always behind the camera, snapping away shots of our lives so I am hardly in any of the hundreds of pictures we have. I was browsing through our Project Life album for 2010 and there was hardly any picture of me there. It was almost like I wasn't part of the family's life, except that I was there of course. I was the hand taking all the photos.
Remembering to take at least a family photo a month will help me be part of the pictures. So that's my goal. And so far, so good.

Here we are in January... DD3's 4th birthday. It's funny to me to see that many of our family pictures are taken at this exact spot - dining table with the kitchen in the background. I'll have to be more creative than that!

February. I'm kicking myself for not having our family picture taken during my baby shower. I guess the contractions were distracting me. But I suppose this pic tells a more accurate story of how our life was in February. I was confined to bed rest after having preterm labor at the end of January. This bed was where I was spending most of my time. And our room became hub central of the family. In this picture, we were watching the NBA All-Star game. Yes, I interrupted DH's watching of the game to take a pic. He wasn't too happy, was he? LOL!

March came and so did our baby! Welcome to the family Baby Girl. She was 2 days old in this picture, the day we got home from the hospital. Oh how the older kids were excited to see her. They even made up a song especially for her. It's heartwarming to see how much love there is for this little one.

April was Easter month. Here we are all dressed up in our Easter outfits. The older girls wore the gowns they wore for SIL's wedding. I bought Baby a similar pink dress but you cannot really see it here. DH lamented that we have an ugly background. That fence needs to be refinished or replaced completely. I told him that it's the best we could do. I was not going to take another pic in our "favorite" spot - the dining table with the kitchen as a background. Sound familiar?

So that was our family for the first trimester of 2011.

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-23T15:45:00.000-07:00

One twist to the normal Easter Egg Hunt that I like to do at home is the Easter Egg Treasure hunt.

Instead of randomly hiding eggs and have the kids look for them, I make it into a treasure hunt. It requires more work on my part but I think it's more fun for the kids. Instead of hiding dozens of eggs (which just adds to our already clutter-filled house), I only need to hide several that hold the clues. These eggs do not hold any treats. Their treats are stuffed all together in a basket which is their treasure which they find at the end of the hunt.

I found some short rhymes off the internet or make up my own to use as clues.
For example:
It rhymes with coaster
It makes breakfast food
Find your next clue behind the ____________.

Last year, I mostly hid the eggs inside the house. This year, I think I will hide some eggs in the outside the house too. I plan on doing the hiding tonight when the kids are all in bed so that even when led outdoor lighting are turned on, they will have no clue what I'm doing late outside. LOL!

I still have to make up the clues. I'll try to post them here and post pictures too when I have time.

Why is this Friday Good?

2011-04-23T14:58:00.001-07:00

DS asked me why it's called "Good Friday" when it's the day we commemorate Jesus' death? Shouldn't it be called Sad Friday or something similar?

Normally, we would mourn someone's death because we have lost this person in this life. However, Jesus' death, while sad, is to be celebrated because it is through His death and resurrection that He conquered death and sin. It is indeed good because through this event, we have been saved.

We celebrated this day by going to our parish's veneration of the cross. The kids got through this 1 1/2 hour service very well. I think it helped that the day before, we watched a DVD on the life of Jesus. During the reading of the passion of Christ, they could relate what was being read to what we had watched.

The church was sparsely decorated with few plants and red banners. There was a huge blood red piece of cloth hanging from the ceiling where the white screen on which a dlp projector usually projects its images hangs. It was definitely a center of attention. Drew DD3's attention right away. And as quick as she is, she wondered if it was the blood of Jesus. She wondered though why there was so much blood. She asked again why we need to kiss the feet of Jesus. I told her that it was our way of saying thank you to Jesus for His sacrifice and to show our love for Him. This seemed to satisfy her and she proceeded to kiss the feet of Jesus with a big smack!

After the veneration service, we proceeded to the hall to watch the passion play. It was going to be our first time to see it in our parish so we were hopeful that it would be a good experience. It did not turn out as well as we had hoped. Most of the dialogue was in Spanish. There were a few English narrations and lines thrown here and there. I wish they had just made it a completely Spanish production and inform us accordingly. Oh well, now we know to look to watch the passion play somewhere else next year.

We also started the Divine Mercy novena today. Devotion to the Divine Mercy is something I am personally moved to start. We've been doing the 3 o'clock prayer on and off but I'd like to start doing the chaplet more regularly with the children.

So that was our Good Friday this year. Everyone is looking forward to Easter Sunday and some rejoicing and celebrating!

Baby Love

2011-04-21T21:10:00.001-07:00

Sigh...Baby seems to have developed infant acne. Not that I'm really concerned though. I know that it does not affect Baby at all. I'm more concerned about the appearance, that's all. There was a time, during my first baby that I would have searched for acne home remedies to use to relieve it. I know better now. There isn't anything I can do except wait it out. This time isn't as bad as my last baby's. Or at least not yet. She has some on either side of her forehead. At least her face is still clear. She's still as beautiful and cute as ever of course!

I am so in love with her. There are times when I feel like my heart will just about burst with love. Sigh. Whoever said that it will be hard to love so many kids clearly has not had more than a couple of kids. My love for these children is not divided among them. It's not like I only have 100% and each will just have a fraction of that love. With each child born to our family, the capacity to love in my heart grows a hundredfold. Each child receives 100% of the love I am able to give.

I guess this is similar to how God loves us. We don't have to vie for His love. We can be confident that He loves us 100% all the time for all eternity.

Extended Vacation

2011-04-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

DH has been on an unexpected extended vacation. He has been hired as an Ortho PA but is unable to start until all paper work and credentialing are done. What we assumed would be a simple 1-2 weeks of processing has taken much longer.
The upside: he's spending a lot more time at home with me and the kids. The children love having him home of course. He's also started to work on some stuff that he had to put aside because of his previously hectic schedule. Stuff around the house that needs some tinkering are also being attended to by my ever-handy DH. He has asked me to be on the lookout for sales for power tools and maybe other stuff like band saw blades
that he might need for his projects.
The downside: it's an unpaid vacation. Sadly, no work, no pay. God is good, though we are not in want of anything.

Right now, we are simply enjoying our time together. I praise God for the gift that DH is!

Down with a Cold

2011-04-19T23:41:00.001-07:00

The weather has been so erratic lately. Over the weekend, it was sooo hot that it felt like summer was already here. Then, came Monday and suddenly it's cloudy and chilly once more. No wonder people are getting sick! Our family is no exception.

It started with DD3 who came down with the cold and fever last week. I knew she was not feeling well because she was lethargic - very much unlike her!
"I don't think my body can wake up." she remarked.

Of course, you know what happens when someone in the family goes down with something viral, right? Yes, it's bound to go around. I was hoping not to catch it for the sake of Baby. Looks like I'm outta luck. I don't get much sleep as it is but the stuffed up nose is making it even harder to sleep. I may have to find a way how to get rid of dark circles under my eyes.

I'm still praying that Baby does not get affected. I'm trying not to cuddle with her so much although that is almost impossible given that I nurse her.

I pray that she be spared. I would rather be sick myself than have her come down with something.

Inquiring Mind

2011-04-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

"Why do you have to talk to the Fr. George, Mom? Did you do something bad? What? What did you do bad, Mommy? Tell me. Tell me what you did bad."

DD3 being her usual inquisitive and makulit self during our parish penance service.

NBA Playoffs are On!

2011-04-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

Exciting times are here! NBA playoffs have begun! We're a basketball family so this time of the year is highly anticipated. We're looking forward to a 3-peat of our champions, LA Lakers. We believe!

Baseball season has started too. I'm not really a baseball fan but I do follow it once in a while. What I'm curious about is the number of players that have been found to be using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. I'm really curious and may have to learn more about hgh supplements to find out why baseball players in particular are inclined to use them. Why don't I hear of basketball players or hockey or football players embroiled in such controversies?

Is there something unique to baseball that is enhanced by these drugs? If they make one bigger and stronger, shouldn't football players be tempted to use them too?

Just curious, that's all.

30-Day Shred Day 2

2011-04-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've made it to day 2. Can I get a woot-woot?
This is supposed to get easier, right? Why do I feel like it was much harder today? I was only on circuit 1 and my muscles were shaking already. Well, my muscles were shaking even before starting the workout. Seemed like they knew what was coming and were already shaking in fear.
It will get easier right?
It should get easier!
Somebody please assure me it's going to get easier.

You know what pulled me through today? I had exercise companions! My 3 girls were doing the exercises with me. They were groaning along with me, as if they were really feeling it. LOL!

The best part came in the end when DD2 declared, "I think you're getting less fat Mom. Before your tummy was this fat (with her hand hovering just over my tummy) and now you're just this much fat (with her hand atop my tummy.)"

Thank you dearie!

30-Day Shred Day 1

2011-04-18T22:58:00.000-07:00

Day 1 is done! It got done much later than I planned but I got through it nevertheless.

How did my first meeting with Jillian go? So-so.

The set up is that each round has 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of ab work. There are 3 rounds for each level.

Of course, I did level 1 today. Jillian had 2 other women working out with her. I was too focused on getting through the workout that their names escape me now. I should get them name tags to help me remember! LOL!

Strength:
The push-ups were killing me! Even with the modified push-ups, I could barely get through them! I also had difficulty with the arm raises in the 3rd round. My arms were shaking towards the end and I could hardly raise those weights. I knew I had weak arm muscles and my difficulty in getting through these exercises just proved that!
Cardio:
To my surprise, I got through the 2 minutes of cardio fairly well. I was expecting to be huffing and puffing early on but that didn't happen. I felt my heartbeat racing. I was breathing heavier but it wasn't so bad that I had to stop for air. I take that as a good sign that I'm not as out of shape as I think I am. :) There were just 2 things I need to mention:
- I hate the jump rope part. My calves hurt when I do it. Am I doing something wrong?
- I need to remember to have an empty bladder especially when doing the jumping jacks. To other mothers out there, I've borne 5 kids and you know what that means!
Abs:
Difficult of course but I got through them. I noticed that my right side seem stronger than my left side.

All in all, it was a good workout. I think I'm off to a good start.

30-Day Shred Starts Today

2011-04-18T22:46:00.000-07:00

On the road to the wedding in September, the bride and I are working our way to a fitter and more toned body. T and I are starting Jillian Michaels' 30-day Shred Workout DVD today. I've also invited H, another friend to join us. We're doing it on our own time. T will be doing it in the morning before she gets ready for work. I have not set time for the workout. It will probably get done in the middle of the day or at night when I can hand off baby to someone else.

Here's my plan:
- Do the workouts 6 days a week...with Sundays off. That gives me 5 weeks to go through 1 cycle. After a whole 30 days, I will take a week off from the DVD but still walk or run on the treadmill. Then a whole new cycle begins.

I'm estimating that we'll get through about 3 cycles before the wedding. However, that's assuming that we stick to the workout! LOL! That's where having T and H as workout buddies will help. We'll have someone to whom we're accountable. Plus, this blog. I'll try to blog about my progress as often as I can. Other than making me accountable, I think it will be a wonderful account/journal of the progress I will be making.

30-Day Shred DVD? Check!
Rubber shoes? Check!
non skid mat? Check!
Hand weights? Check!
Positive attitude? Check!

I think we're all set!

Getting Re-Acquainted with Jillian

2011-04-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

Do you know Jillian? Jillian Michaels? That hardcore trainer from The Biggest Loser? I am determined to make her my new best friend! Seriously.
She will motivate me. She will push me to my limits. She will train my body to become the best it can be. She will steer me clear of quick weight loss fixes like adapexin-p.
I have vowed to meet with her everyday for the next 30 days. I will listen to her. I will follow her lead. I will believe her when she says that I can do it.
I can do this! I have to.

Spring is in the Air

2011-04-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air - and so are allergens! I'm considering getting air purifiers to get those allergens and viruses out of the air we breathe at home. The older kids are starting to get the sniffles. Having a newborn, I am especially careful that they don't transmit whatever they're carrying to the baby. The baby has not gotten her shots yet so I'm hoping that the antibodies she is getting from my milk will be enough for now to ward off unwanted diseases.

Happy Birthday Tatay!

2011-04-15T17:22:00.000-07:00

Today is dad's 72nd birthday. Happy birthday Tatay!
We pray that God will continue to bless you with good health, a sharp mind and a big heart. We are so very fortunate that he is still around to share his wisdom with us. I know that my children are doubly blessed because they have their lolo in their lives. He is their #1 fan, always ready to listen and watch any and all of their antics.

He is in Manila right now so the kids truly miss him. I have not bought him a present yet. He really is not that hard to shop for but I do want to give him something other than the ever dependable polo shirt. I know that the kids will want to give him personal creations gifts, straight from their hearts. I have not decided what to give him yet. I'm leaning towards giving him a book but I'm not really sure what titles are on his wish list.

Whatever present we decide to give him will surely be appreciated. He is a simple man with a heart for God and a dedicated love for his family.

We love you Lolo!

Teacher Appreciation Week

2011-04-13T00:50:00.000-07:00

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up here in the US. It's on the first week of May. And Teacher Appreciation Day is on May 3.

I used to give a little something to my kids' teachers when they were still in traditional school. I was a teacher myself so I know that teachers do appreciate the little gifts kids and their parents give.

Now, that I am both teacher and parent to my kids, should I gift myself something nice too? LOL! spa gift baskets to soothe away the tired muscles? A department store gift card for some retail therapy? House cleaning services?

Or maybe I can give myself a day off. If only the kids read my blog...

Spring Break

2011-04-13T00:24:00.001-07:00

We had our spring break last week and guess where we spent it?

At Disneyland!!

I honestly was not looking forward to the trip.

DH had already planned to go the last week of March, after his graduation from the fellowship program. It was a trip for the kids. During the 13 months that DH was in fellowship, we had not taken the kids anywhere. This trip to Disneyland was DH's treat for his kids. We were going to stay for 3 days and booked at a nearby hotel. Staying at a hotel was part of the fun.

Unfortunately, DH had to fly to Manila for the funeral of his uncle. He promised the kids that we would go when he arrived. And that was exactly what happened. We went the day after he flew in from the Philippines.

I was hesitant to even push through. I knew DH was tired and probably recovering from jet lag. I knew I was tired with a newborn. But to Disneyland we went.

We stayed at the Tropicana Inn which was right across Disneyland. We just walked and crossed the street and we were there! That was cool. What a troop we were. A family of 7 does not travel lightly. We had our double stroller with baby's car seat because she's still too small for just the stroller. In the bottom basket of the stroller were all our jackets, a mat, the Ergo baby carrier and bottles of water. I had the diaper bag and the camera bag. DH had a laptop backpack that held all our snacks and food. There was no way frugal me would spend for all our meals at Disneyland!

I'd love to share photos but I'm really just too lazy to edit and post right now. Maybe some other time. Hopefully.

I won't lie and say that I had the best time. At the end of the 3 days, I was just ready to go home. But it was nice to see the kids enjoy. It was nice to get away from the house. It was nice to be spending time as a family again. It felt good to be all together, enjoying one another's company.

At the Dental Office

2011-04-13T00:06:00.000-07:00

DH took the kids for their dental check-ups recently. I'm embarrassed to say that we don't get an A+ for the kids' dental hygiene. Only DD1 was cleared of any further dental work. The 3 other kids needed some sort of filling. Sigh...

While waiting for her turn, DD3 blurts out of the blue,
"You know, we have a small house!"
To which the dental assistant simply smiled and replied, "I'm sure it's just the right size for you."

Many times, I wonder where DD3 gets her ideas from. She absolutely has no filter yet and simply says what's on her mind. She is very spontaneous and chatty. She would talk to anyone and everyone who would care to listen.

**For the record, I don't think we have a small house. It might feel small because there is a LOT of us living here. And we do wish for a bigger house - with more rooms and a bigger backyard. We are praying for that. While a bigger house would give us more space, it will also give me more surfaces to clean! LOL! So I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Haha. Right now, I dream of a house with a little bit more modern furniture, that has a clean uncluttered interior but still feels warm and cozy. While I wait for that dream home, I might as well start on making this home clean and uncluttered. Good luck to me. I think I have spring cleaning in mind and I'm itching to just go through stuff and throw/give away stuff that are just adding clutter to our already full house.

Homemade Photo Shoot

2011-04-11T23:44:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I took advantage of the overcast skies and produced my own homemade newborn photo shoot. I had been reading on some tips on using natural light for portraits. From these readings, I found out that overcast skies produce diffused light which make for very flattering images. I would soon find out if it were true.

I set up my "home studio" in our room where there was enough available light and space by the bedroom window. I laid a white blanket on the floor and draped it against the wall cabinets. I used the boppy to prop baby and covered it with another blanket.

I undressed baby and put on her crocheted headband. Let me tell you, it was so tempting to buy all these cute and adorable knitted/crocheted hats on etsy! I almost wanted to go to Michael's and buy some yarn so I could knit some caps as props. If only I knew how to knit! LOL! I knew it is a passing fancy though, much like the time I so wanted to buy all these jewelry making supplies so I could make my own beaded jewelry. That phase pretty much passed too.

Back to our shoot, I was a one-woman team. And it was difficult! Now I know why newborn photographers want their newborn sessions done within the first 2 weeks of life. Babies pretty much just sleep during that time. They can sleep through anything and any position. As for baby, I needed to have my hand on her for most of the time and remove my hand just prior to taking the shot because her hands would flail and she would wake up.

Despite the challenge of doing this myself, I got some pretty cute shots. One of my top fave is this one which was totally spontaneous. She was actually about to cry then when I snapped this photo. Ahh... what a difference a second makes. LOL!

I hope to be able to do some more photo shoots at home with baby as she grows.

1 month old

2011-04-11T03:25:00.000-07:00

Time flies too fast! My little darling is a month old already! How could that be?

She's back to her birth weight and more and has grown over an inch.

I hope I don't jinx it but she seems to be an easy baby. As long as she's fed, dry and burped, she's fine. At night, she can go as long as 4 hours between feedings which give me enough time for sleep.

During the day, she prefers to be carried more often. Thank goodness for my Ergo baby carrier, I am able to carry her and still have my hands free to do other chores.

Life in our house is starting to get back to normal. I've been able to do quick shopping trips here and there like going to the grocery for food or to Target to pick up some school and office supplies. I'm also trying to get the other kids back into our old homeschool schedule and routine. They're back to their weekly piano lessons after a 2-month hiatus. I'm planning to take the kids back to co-op this week. We've been away for far too long! I know it will take some adjustments but it can be done.

As I slowly return to the land of the living with my newborn, I can't help but be thankful for all the God has given me. Life is good. God is good.

Little Flowers

2011-04-09T02:28:00.000-07:00

I led our Little Flowers group activity on St. Catherine Laboure and the virtue of humility.

One thing I love about these monthly meetings is that I learn a lot about the saints too! I honestly did not know about St. Catherine Laboure. I knew about the miraculous medal. I had learned about it back when I was in elementary school. I'm sure I even wore it for a time. However, I did not know its story. So, I am thankful I am learning so much alongside my children.

Anyway, for their craft activity, I printed out a coloring page of both sides of the miraculous medal that I found online. I wish I could share the link but I cannot find it anymore. :(
After the girls colored their pages, they laced yellow yarn through the rays coming from our Lady's hands. Then, they stuck both sides together to make their own medals.

My 2 girls loved this project. They have their medal hanging on the little grotto they have created in their room. So precious!

Deaths in the Family

2011-04-09T02:01:00.000-07:00

We had 2 deaths in the family 2 weeks ago.
First, my dad's younger brother died. We received news of his death on a Monday. My dad decided to fly to the Philippines and arrived there in time for the prayer services. Since there really is no hurry to come back here, he will be staying in the Philippines until the end of April.

On Friday of the same week, DH's uncle died. This came as a complete shock. We had just come from DH's graduation when we received a text message re: the death. It seemed so unbelievable that we had to verify the news. Sadly, it was true. DH and his siblings decided to fly to the Philippines to pay their last respects to their dearest tito and attend the funeral. They left on Sunday night and returned the following Sunday evening. Yes, it was a very short trip. Much as I'm sure they wanted to lengthen their stay there, they has little choice as they had jobs they needed to come back to.

Life is indeed too short. We must seize every opportunity and thank God for each new day.

Gifts for Momma

2011-03-31T18:06:00.000-07:00

It's almost Mother's Day! Can you believe that?
Okay, it's a little over a month away but for someone like me who loves sales and all, it's time to go shopping. In all honesty, I am always on the lookout for gifts for mothers throughout the year. Many of my friends are moms themselves so when I see a good sale on something I know a fellow mom will love, I grab it and then keep it to give to her on her birthday or even Christmas. Yep, that's me, a savvy shopper if I may say so myself! :)

This year though, I have not even thought of a gift for my mom and MIL for the coming mother's day. I don't even know if I will have time to craft something handmade for them. If all else fails, maybe a framed pic of their newest granddaughter will be welcome. Hehe.

As for myself, all I want is a clean house, a relaxing massage and some sleep. Is that too much to ask ya think?