Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Happy New year everyone! We managed to take this snapshot in the last minutes of 2009 as we were getting ready to welcome 2010.

We actually spent the last day of 2009 rather nicely as a family. The morning was devoted to chores. It wasn't much of a morning because we all slept in! DH and DS went for haircuts. The girls played while I prepared the food we were going to have that evening. After a late lunch together, we all settled in for a time of prayer. Except for DD3, we all listed in our own notebooks that things we were thankful for. DD2 drew hers instead because she could not spell yet. DD1 wrote her list herself. I was really proud of her. After sharing our lists with each other, we then made another list - petitions this time. DD2 & DD3 were unable to sit still long enough for this. There was one common petition in all our lists - a new house! LOL! I guess that kids have been hearing us pray for that often enough that this was what stuck in their heads to pray for. LOL! Yes, we would love a new house with more rooms and maybe an in-law house at the back for my parents. Personally, I don't think we can have a new house this year, maybe not even in the next 5 years, but God could surprise us, right? Besides, asking for something is free so why not ask away?

Today, we started our day with DH at work. The kids and I watched the Rose parade on TV. And now, I've got laundry splish-sploshing in the washing machine. Yep, we're starting the year squarely in the face by doing our chores and being responsible. Not too much lounging around for us. That is a good start, right?

Happy New Year everyone! Hope this year will bring all of us blessings of love, laughter and life.

LP: Simula Pa Lang (Only the Beginning)

LP: Simula Pa Lang (Only the Beginning)

Simula pa lang ng taong 2009 nang kunan ko ito. Biruin mo, Mayo na ngayon at halos nangangalahati na ang taon? Ang bilis ng panahon, ano?

(It was at the beginning of 2009 that I shot this photo. Look where we are now... it's May now ang almost half of the year has gone by. )

At the turn of the new year...

At the turn of the new year...

I find myself sitting here
alone on the laptop
my kids' breathing I hear faintly
some fireworks going off from afar
not exactly the celebration I envisioned
oh well...
is this a foreboding of the year ahead?
i feel like singing...
silent night, holy night
all is calm...

Happy new year everyone! Drink me some bubbly.

Ch...ch...ch...changes...

Ch...ch...ch...changes...

With the new year just around the corner, I'm feeling the need to make some changes. Don't you feel the same way? It's invigorating actually.

One change I've done earlier today was that I got a haircut. My hair had gotten really long and there was nothing I could do to it except keep it tied. The whole family trekked to Dahl's (where DH and DS get their hair cut too) and DD1 and I got our haircuts. I didn't go for any fancy hairstyle. I just wanted it cut so it was a simple one length hairstyle for me. DD1 got bangs and chin length hair too. At first she said she did not want to get her hair cut but after I had mine, she willingly sat. I tell you, she's my mini-me.

Another change I'm looking to make is rearranging our bedroom. DH has been asking me to fix up our room because honestly, right now, it's in a sad state. I haven't really fixed it up because we kept having kids and we always kept the crib in our room. By the time it was time for the baby to move to her own room, we find out we're pregnant so no reason to put away the crib. So, yes, the baby's crib has been there since 2003. LOL!

We have a huge room and what I'd really love to do is create a small sitting area, probably by the window. In my mind, I'd have an overstuffed chair there, a lamp, a sidetable. And that would be my space - to read and play on my laptop. Since the built-in TV shelves are in that area, it would also be the TV watching area in our room. I'd really like to make a clearly defined space for the bed vs the sitting area so I'm tempted to move our bed to the other side of the room. I don't know if that's feasible though. One thing DH might object to is that he won't be able to watch TV from bed. But if he's willing to spend some moolah, a plasma lift by the foot of the bed would be such an awesome feature. It would be the most ideal thing coz I really do not like having the TV displayed. It takes away from the aesthetics of the room.

Another change I'm definitely wanting to do is to get back to the gym! I've been telling myself that for the past few months but I've never stepped foot back. Ugh! I NEED to get a regular exercise regimen. I hate how I look now. I hate that I feel so limited in what I can wear because my clothes are tight. I hate that I don't feel good about myself. This is definitely something I need to address.

And the most important change I need to make is making time for regular prayer and Scripture reading. I miss it. I've been praying, yeah...but it's been more the routine type. I read the Gospel for the day, read the reflection, spend a minute or two thinking about it and that's it. I've been telling myself it's because the kids always need me, etc. But deep down, I know they're all excuses I make for myself. Deep down, I know I can make time IF I wanted to. And I feel ashamed...and more than that, I just miss God. I miss being able to talk to Him. I miss the connection I have when I am truly plugged in. I miss the certainty I have when I know that I am exactly where He wants me to be.

So, yeah, I sense changes for myself. What about you? What do you have in store for your new year?

NOT a good way to start the year

NOT a good way to start the year

I lost all the good pictures I took of the kids on New Year's Eve! Waaahhhh...
So, I was moving the photos from the memory stick of the camera to my PC when the PC freezes up on me. I waited...and waited... and waited... hoping something was just processing, etc and it would go back up again. No, it needed rebooting. So reboot I did.
When I opened up the picture folder, no copies of the photos were there.
When I looked thru the memory stick, no photos there either!
SOB...SOB...SOB...

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Just poppin' in to say Happy New Year. Rang in the new year at SIL's place. We didn't get home till almost 3 - and only DD2 was knocked out by the time we got home! All 3 kids were all energy the whole night. Will share pics soon. Baby #4 was a little giddy too, I think. S/he was causing some contractions. I actually woke up several times because of the pain! Guess s/he got tired from the festivities too!

Anyhoo, here's hoping for a blessed year for all of us in 2007!!!

I'm going back to bed now.