I Love Scrapbooking!

Travel scrapbook page

Baby's arrival scrapbook page

Halloween scrapbook page

Birthday scrapbook page

my travel scrapbook  

   It's really not hard to figure out why I love scrapbooking like millions of  other women. 

  What exactly makes me addicted to scrapbooking? Well, I have so many reasons to love it! Scrapbooking is a wonderful hobby for me! Besides being relaxing and fun, it also allows me to be creative and to spend quality time with my family and friends. Plus, it results in a storybook of lifelong memories. I have been in the craft for years now and still do not foresee myself losing interest in it anytime soon or ever for that matter. There are times when I find myself in the store shopping for something completely different, and yet being drawn ( like a kid in a candy store ) to the scrapbook section like a magnet; I tend to feel the intense feeling of needing more things for future projects that will never come to an end.

   Scrapbooking is a fantastic way to be creative. And with all there is to offer with the variety of supplies, there is no excuse for creating something new and different. And the best thing about it is there is no right or wrong way to scrapbook. It is what you make it, and because you made it, it is beautiful unique and special. I love scrapbooking also because it provides a way for us to escape the grind of life's daily challenges, responsibilities and concerns. Because it requires time, thought, and a creative mind; it allows us to think of other things for a while. In turn it can bring inner peace, contentment, strength and energy to the sole. 

    For me, scrapbooking is a healthy habit. You get to appreciate life more. In creating a keepsake album, you have learned to celebrate and appreciate the moments in your lives. Each page renews a memory of happiness or pride that much too often is taken for granted.

    I've made scrapbook albums for each of my children where I place all of our cherished family photos. It is really wonderful to capture as much of their changing looks because it happens so fast and at least I will have the memories to share with them as they grow up. I want to make sure that they will remember our fun family times together with scrapbooks and show them to their own children in the future. I've made several albums also for me and my hubby for us to share and show our future grandchildren our family history.

    Well, I will always take the time to create a  scrapbook because I believe that the memories created in a scrapbook live beyond me, to be cherished and enjoyed forever. I will always put a bit of love and soul into it. And that I know I will be happy that I did when I look back in years and live those times again.

    

The power of a mother

    In life, we come across numerous forms of relationships but the dearest and most heartfelt relation of all is between a mother and her child. The bond of mother and child is the purest and holiest. In her creative capacity, mother, after all, is next to God. She is a gem who forgives everything. A warm and affectionate touch from a mother gives us immense security: we feel safe and proud. 

   

    Motherhood has long been considered the embodiment of self-sacrifice, and for good reason. From the first manifestations of "morning" sickness to the sacrificial act of birthing, it consumes mothers through the physical body. Of course, it doesn't begin with pregnancy nor does it end after giving birth. Not at all. Every stage of a child's life requires a different set of motherly attitudes, analyses and discernment based on her judgement.

    A mother is the heart of every home. On her shoulders lie the responsibility of striking a balance between softness and strength. She takes it upon herself to smile through every heartache just so the emotional security of the home is not disrupted. She devotes to her immediate precious circle an abundance of love and yet at the end of a long day she is sure to have enough left to offer those who may still be in need of it. The resilience of a woman is amazing and it will take no less than motherhood to bring to light the truth. 

   

    Today is Mother's day. As we thank heaven for the blessing that is Mom/Mama/Nanay, let us likewise be thankful for the other people in our lives who have treated us like their own children. Unlike romantic love, which is often just anchored on feelings, motherhood is always both a feeling and a decision. A mother loves her child unconditionally and she communicates that love 24/7. What she does and says is just a faint echo of all that is naturally written in her heart. Even when a child turns into a impossible, bratty monster the mother's love will persevere because she knows that hidden inside the monster is her child. 

    My brother and I are blessed with a wonderful, wonderful mother who always supports us in 

everything we do and showing us her never ending love. Mommy is the love of my dad's life, and she is to Fenton and me a loving ally and a precious jewel. Thank you Mom, for so much - Happy Mother's Day!

    Now I would like to tell you about another mother of mine ( she is yours, too), who not only is a source of much comfort but my hotline to heaven, too. Let me begin by saying that I honestly cannot remember a time when I wasn't aware of the existence of the Blessed Mother and her son, Jesus. Just like Jesus, Mama Mary was, still is, and will always be a strong, real presence in my life. For little things as well as big things, I turn to Mama Mary. I always carry a rosary and my handbags have a rosary each. She was to me a great, powerful intercessor. She was my way to Jesus and the more I prayed, the better things always turned out to be. 

    Whenever I was faced with any trouble, worry, or danger, the rosary proved to be a major source of strength. Mama Mary is really a mother. When we seek her out, she always responds by sending a loving hug my way, be it through a general feeling of peace or through the many earthly angels in the guise of every day people that she sends our way.

    I cannot remember anything that I prayed for that Mama Mary did not help me with. 

    Well, to my loving Mom, Mama Mary, and to all the mothers out there - Happy Mother's Day! 

   

My vacation

   When most everyone had hied off to another place, taking advantage of the long Holy Week break, we opted to stay in town. The news says that Manila is like a dessert, a ghost town even, although I would never even have known because I hardly stepped out of the house. 

    My vacation is very productive. Other than little trips to church to pay tribute to the solemnity of the season, I pretty much stayed home. Those days, all that free time in one uninterrupted big chunk, were more precious than I would want to admit. 

    I have been on vacation many times without exactly feeling that I was on one. But this one was different. The days actually felt long. Hot, yes, but thankfully long. There were many hours to do many things. I loved that, if only because they hardly feel that way anymore nowadays. 

    What did I do? I was on home-keeping and housewife mode, naturally, puttering here and there, keeping and putting things away. Again, I sorted and simplified, giving away some stuffs to the maids, a poor family in Baclaran church who became our friend and some friends.

    When I was not daydreaming or eating, I organized. I found satisfaction in finding and employing smart storage solutions for the many things that ceaselessly find their way into the house. And when I got too tired I lolled in bed, reading and seeking solace from the books that set me off smiling and dreaming some more, spinning my thoughts into lovely fabric of ideas that I in turn organized into lists, written in my little yellow notebook, for fear they would slip away with the summer wind. 

     I've rested, yet I have accomplished much actually, although as the case always is, there is still more to be done. Of course, I stuffed myself with chocolate and ice cream, something I loved doing every summer. My husband and I got to spend more time playing with the kids too.

     So that's how life was for me two weeks ago when half of Manila is away - simple and spontaneous, sort of just tossed together like a salad.

    

Easter's Eggsciting!

AJ is melting the chocolate chips.

me and AJ

We are making chocolate lollipops!

Easter egg hunting time!

We are making colorful eggs here!

My three older boys made this!

Jehrard, me and baby Andrei

  

    I remember my first Easter egg hunt. It was in my cousin Jaclyn's house that my brother and I and some of our other cousins joined our first Easter egg hunt. My Auntie Bella ( who has since passed away) planned the Easter activity.

    I remember we would excitedly venture out into the garden where we knew the eggs were hidden. We would comb the lawn, peek through crevices, part bushes and shake flowerbeds. We really can't wait for the prize. But, more than the prizes we would get for all the eggs we collected, we cherished and enjoyed the process of finding them in hunt. 

    Yesterday, my three older boys, Andre and I made chocolate lollipops and just this afternoon, we started coloring and dyeing the hard- boiled eggs. My three boys happily coloring away as many eggs as they possibly could in as many ways as their imaginations allowed them to. We didn't use decorative techniques such as sponging or gold-leafing that seem to be quite popular now. My husband had taken pictures of some eggs that we have decorated to remind us of the day like this. My baby is still too young to join in the activity. But we went to Rockwell this morning and joined the Easter egg hunt. That was my baby Andrei's first Easter egg hunting experience. I can see the wonder in his eyes with each decorated eggs he uncovers. The Easter egg hunting experience this morning was another time of discovery and wonder for my three older boys and first time for my baby, and perhaps a time for reminiscing for Andre and me who were very happy to watch from the side. I'm reminded that these simple but heartfelt gestures were as important to me then as they are now for my children and will be in the future. I may not have pictures of the time I went Easter egg hunting in my cousin's house but I keep the happy memories within me. 

     This morning, I made sure I am armed with a camera so I can record, for my children to see in the future, how traditions that we practice like Easter egg hunting makes us appreciate the beauty of life and the gift of family and friends.

Holy Week

   Where will you be during the Holy Week? More importantly, what will you be doing? All too often, this holiday has been viewed by many as a happy time-off to go to the beach, to hie off to your favorite shopping destination offshore, or just simply stay home. Now there is nothing wrong with that. However, we get so caught up with the relief of having some respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we miss out on the main reason this holiday came about. I don't mean to sound preachy here but it would do all of us (and the world we live in) some good if we were to take sure steps to once again touch base with what truly matters - having a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. And there is no better time than to start now.

    I'm not saying we should be prohibited from smiling and being happy, considering that we are observing a solemn season. But I can't point out often enough how sincere, baby steps on our part can make the Great Guy Up There truly happy. After all, this, too is a season of thankfulness and hope. Let us reflect on how good He has been to us the whole year and take this opportunity to resolve to give back to Him what we know in our hearts He rightfully deserves. Two activities that you can start doing (if you haven't yet) are spending time with Him and offering some sort of sacrifice.

    When was the last time you went to the Blessed Sacrament? Try the experience. When you are ecstatically happy , pop in to say "thank you". When you are at a crossroads, go there to ask guidance. Even when your pain is beyond words, simply be comforted in and be embraced by His presence. You don't have to say a thing. Trust me, He knows. And I guarantee that you will walk out feeling lighter and more positive about everything.

     Every time the Lenten season rolls by, it has become a habit for me to offer some sort of sacrifice. I can't remember where I picked up the habit. For the Holy Week, I abstain from eating meat. I would read to my children passages from the Bible and stay at home and just be with my family. Next year, I will give up eating meat for 40 days and sweets will be included in the fasting. Regardless though of what your sacrifice is and how you choose to go about it, what's important is how true your intentions are. You don't have to ask for anything. It can simply be your way of thanking Him. 

     Most of us vow to be better persons at the start of New Year but for those who have not stuck to that vow or have somehow sidetracked a bit, the Holy Week is a good time to stay in the running. No matter where this holiday finds you, may you uncover, in the pockets of your heart, time to thank Him and truly love Him. It doesn't have to be a contrived effort, neither does it have to happen at a specific time of the day. Your way of loving Him can be expresed in little acts of love spread out during the course of one day.

    

Why I love doing the grocery

   My love for cooking and baking started when I was seven years old which led to my passion for grocery shopping.  Every Sunday, I would always go to the grocery with my parents and I was so excited to buy items for baking. I remember how excited I was to show my yaya the foods and ingredients that I've bought. I loved spending time with my yaya Josephine in the kitchen. My yaya taught me how to make polvoron, maja blanca mais, ice candy and etc... I would always watch her as she cooks and prepare our meals. 

   When I was teenager I knew I wanted to be a good wife and mother. Call it a simple dream, but hey, that's just me. Although the idea of a corporate job appealed to me at one point (more so because of my fondness for the fashionable power suit and the huge wooden desk overlooking the city on the top floor of a sleek building) it ebbed off as soon as the closing credits of the movie came on. Yup, it's appeal was purely cinematic. Not necessarily real, too rose-colored to be true, fleeting at best. Being a homemaker is an idea I held on to. Although I may not like the thought of a nine-to-five job, I have never qualms about taking on the challenge of being truly domesticated 24/7. I remember when I could not wait to do wifey things like run a household, cook, bake, do arts and crafts with my children, I even wanted to go to the wet market and meet the fish. 

   Now that I am a wife and mother, I have happily discovered that my domestic dreams are not too far-fetched from reality. I enjoyed doing the grocery even if I do it most of the time just by myself. It became such a chore for me that I do it almost everyday. I buy everything in huge quantities (the fresh fish, chicken and vegetables, our cook gets once a week at Dapitan or Kamuning Market). To make my grocery shopping easy,  I drew out a very organized list. I started by listing everything I needed to keep the household running, from groceries to toiletries to cleaning aids, office supplies and personal effects, and categorized them in alphabetical order according to kind (i.e. sauces, canned goods, dairy, medicines, condiments, etc.). It is less trouble for the help because I just print out the list and all they have to do is mark the items needed in addition to specifying the quantity. I avoid going to groceries on weekends unless I absolutely have to and I never go without my valuable custom-made list. It has served me quite well. The few hours you will spend personalizing your list will be worth the time you save going back and forth the grocery aisles like a headless chicken.

   I like going to Waltermart and Puregold because it is consistently well-stocked, it is always neat and clean and I'm already very familiar with the place. Because Puregold is quite popular, the long lines at the checkout counter can be taxing. It is also a good place to get choice cut of meats. I buy the fresh meats at Monterey (you can find this at the meat section) and have them cut the way I want them to. For deli fare, Santi's is an all time favorite.

   Another place I truly enjoy going to is S&R. They have a wide variety of goods, it is also clean, the space in between aisles is wide. You can buy the items in bulk. My kids loved the food samplings along the aisles, especially on weekends. They have a good selection of processed meats and dairy products too.

   Whenever I travel with my family abroad, our first stop is usually the grocery. We buy all sorts of foods and refreshments that we stock up in the fridge of our hotel room.

   I really enjoy going to the grocery because it is there where I can unwind, relax, and have a quiet time. Our house is open most of the times to friends and loved ones, and whenever they drop by the house and they haven't eaten or they feel like eating again, I can make use of whatever is in our pantry or refrigerator to serve them. Come to think of it, maybe that is why I also like going to grocery and buying in bulk, I want to be a girl scout in the kitchen, always prepared! And more than anything else, I love seeing the biggest smile plastered on my children's face every time I come home with bags of their favorite snacks and juices. 

The Joys of Summer at Home

my treasures

my kids holding their super water squirters

kids playing in my room

 

  I hear my children squealing with delight. I checked on them just 5 minutes ago and they were in our garage, with swimming goggles on, unapologetically squirting water at each other with bright-colored water pumps. We do not have a swimming pool so we use the inflatable ring pool instead. I guess it's the next best thing to beat the heat.  

   I am sorting out clothes - mine, Andre's, and kids' - putting away some for storage, setting aside a pile to give away. Each closet are crammed (we are six in the family which means I have to clean out six closets...whew!) especially mine and Andre's. I really feel the constant urge to unload. Moments later I go down again, looking for something to eat, only to realize that my boys found another playmate. My husband has joined them. He who loves to swim is now teaching the boys the basic water breathing techniques. I get a piece of banana, settle in a chair contentedly, and watch them while I eat. 

   I am soaking in the sun, the heat, my sweat, the sight before me. It is hot outside and I feel all warm and cozy inside. I feel very blessed. Before me are my real treasures. 

   After taking a shower, they laze around. And in the quiet of this very hot summer afternoon, they lounge. And loll around in bed. Play XBox 360. Watch disney movies. Fight and argue a little. Make up. Goof around pretending to be the monster from the movie Unborn. Then they look again for more food, settling on some fruit. They explore, they discover, they widen their little world and grow. 

   Where did my summers like this go? The long, languid days that stretched on forever, as lovely as my dreams - when can I have them again? I am a wife now, a mommy, with a household to run and many lives to organize. There is a structure to my hours, a plan to my days. I guess from time to time it is but natural to miss the loose knots of youth - those cushy, carefree loops that allowed me to skip from moment to moment with nary a care in the world. I still remember clearly the many joys that came with it. I remember the feeling so clearly that can almost touch it. But I've had that time of my life and I enjoyed it fully while it lasted. I wish all of that now plus more on my children and children their age. This is the golden time of sun and fun. Pretty soon they will all grow up and find out for themselves how life will not be always be so simple. It will still be beautiful, definitely, just not as uncomplicated. So I want to tell them, in all their innocence and youth, to soak it all up, every bit of it, so much so that there will be enough to get by when life's little bumpy rides arrive. Happy childhood memories have a way of molding adults into a resilient, positive bunch.

   They are now playing in my room. I look at them and listen in on their little musings; their conversation making for an interesting backdrop while I am doing my chores. They are now laughing at the name Ilay (the name of an old man from the movie Unborn). For some reason it amuses them and me as well. They say it out loud and promptly collapse in heaps of laughter. The whole day, all the way before they go to dream land, Ilay is a happy word. I wonder what it will be tomorrow. 

   I listen to them and thank them in a big way in my thoughts. Dear God, I am grateful for gentle days like these. I too often forget what it is like when life is this simple, when every day is but a summer's day. Thank you for your hands on my shoulders, for this shot of inspiring joy, coming so unexpectedly, like a warm smile from a stranger, or the fragrance of flowers carried ever so softly by the breeze.

   For now,  this is my summer - my days are packed. I'm craving for mais con yielo, loving my family in heaps, and feeling so blessed. My summers may not be as simple anymore, but there will always be days like this to remind me how carefree it once was, and how one day when I am much, much, much older, it can still be. The cycle of life will make way for that.

Loving Hong Kong

Manila International Airport

Harbour City Plaza

This is how we sleep during our stay in Hong Kong

Ocean Park Hong Kong

a photo with Swift

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort

Having snacks outside the Bakery

Black Sesame and Walnut Soup

   

    I was in Hong Kong recently with my husband and my three boys. My sister-in-law, Princess Ching, joined the trip with us too. It was her first time to go to Hong Kong. The PAL flight to Hong Kong was relatively full. Hong Kong is about one and a half hours away from the Philippines.

   

   Hong Kong hasn't changed much. It has always been one of my favorite places. I have been going there since I was eight years old. I remember my dad telling me that he will bring me to Hong Kong if I will get first honor from first to fourth quarter during the time when I was on my third grade. And fortunately, I did! I was so happy that time because it is going to be my first time to travel outside our country. And since then I've been going there at least three times a year because we have a family business there. It became a second home to me.

   Well, we normally stay in Park Lane Hong Kong which is situated right in the heart of vibrant Causeway Bay. This time around we found ourselves in Kowloon at the Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. The hotel is built on the Ocean Terminal, a pier which is frequently visited by Cruise Ships. The whole complex is part of a huge shopping center with lots of branded store names and restaurants which we find very convenient for us especially that my husband and I brought our three boys with us. We don't have to go outside the hotel to shop or look for food outlets.

    We opted to have lunch first at City Super food court which is located inside Harbour City Plaza. I love to eat there because it showcase an international fusion of freshly prepared, restaurant-quality meals - at fast food prices! You can take a break from shopping, relax and enjoy a refreshing drink with something delicious to eat. My kids ordered pastas at Te. Te is not a fast food, not a standard restaurant. Their pastas and herbal teas are so good. I ordered my food at Takomaru, the expert of making Japanese octopus ball in town. My meal will not be complete without my favorite dessert which is the  hot black sesame soup and walnut soup. You can order it at Honeymoon Dessert. They provide ranges of choice to serve the dessert-lovers in the city. It is so good that for us a visit to Hong Kong will never be complete unless we have at least a couple of meals there. An even nicer thing about it is that we always see familiar faces because the servers and waitresses from five years ago are still the same ones up to now.

      

    We got there on a Saturday and left on a Tuesday.  We went to Ocean Park on the second day and Disneyland on the third day. Ocean Park is still the same but Hong Kong Disneyland has changed a lot. They added new attractions, entertainment and spectaculars for the whole family to enjoy. Tomorrowland was expanded to incorporate three dynamic new attractions - the exciting Autopia experience, the fun Stitch Encounter (my sister-in-law got to participate in the encounter with Stitch and it was so funny), and the UFO Zone adventure. We rode the indoor roller coaster in Space Mountain and I swear that it's going to be my first and last time to ride on it. It made me dizzy and I was scared that my three boys won't be able to handle the warp speed of the roller coaster. We also went to Tarzan's Treehouse which was beautifully decorated with trees and all those things that appeared in the cartoon. We took the jungle river cruise along a river and there was like fire and gushes of smoke along the way. It was really fun.

    I have no doubt that Hong Kong is close to my heart because it consistently only takes a couple of hours after arriving there for me to already wish I would have an upcoming trip back. Can you imagine already planning to go back when you haven't even left yet?

    I will always love Hong Kong so alive. I love its skyline, food, shopping and the bargains. I love the way the people dress up and am ceaselessly amazed at how working women can run through traffic stops in their spiky heels. I love taking the ferry because there is an Old-World charm to it that you cannot shake off and even miles and miles of walking is pleasant when capped off with a refreshing bottle of sugar can juice available at practically every sidewalk. Well, I'm thinking of going back there again but this time it is going to be with my baby boy!

    

   

How to keep the music playing?

   All too often, we see women who, in the hustle and bustle of striving to be good homemakers, forget themselves and their personal needs. Specifically, they forget to pamper themselves and in the process end up looking unkempt, plain, and sometimes even disheveled. I'm not saying this is a bad thing but when something can be done, why settle for looking ordinary. Looking good does not have to be expensive, what with the multitude of products available on the market to fit every need, every budget. Before being a mother, remember that you are a wife first. Your husband was and should still be attracted to you.

  

   Try remembering the first date with your spouse (then boyfriend) when, hours before he was scheduled to arrive, you preened precariously before the mirror making sure that you looked just right. Go back to the time when just thinking of him made you smile, when you couldn't wait to see him and when simply being together was enough.

  

   I have heard of stories that the most common complaint of wives is that their men don't bother to take them out on dates anymore. To this the men almost always have the same answer: "Our wives don't bother to fix themselves up anymore, secure as they already are that we married them." Marriage should not be a license for us to just sit back, relax and to let nature take its course. One has to constantly work at keeping herself good - in all aspects.

   

  Of course, there will be times that he will catch you at your unglamorous looks. To think otherwise would be unrealistic. Nonetheless, this should not be the norm. Continue to make an effort to keep yourself  desirable and attractive. In short, don't be a losyang. Stay fit ( by this I don't mean you have to look like a model) and healthy. Take care of your skin. But more than that, please smell good. You owe it to your husband, but more than that you owe it to yourself. 

   

  Remember to make coming home a pleasant experience for your husband, so much so that he will not dread seeing you at a day's end. Okay, maybe dread is too harsh a word but one should have the right attitude in handling time towards spent together after a long day. It should be relaxing, not stressful. I know it's such a cliche to say that woman shouldn't nag but really, we should not. Talk to your husband but don't whine or complain all the time. 

 

  Romance shouldn't end where marriage begins. The jaded would probably scoff at my optimism. "Wait till you are 25 years married!" they might say. When we see an old couple holding hands our mindset should not be one of surprise. We should not marvel at how and why they stayed that way, rather we should acknowledge that it is but natural for them to be the way they still are-affectionate toward each other, not marred by time or age.

  

  Your husband should be the highlight of your day. In some way, however good my day already is I feel better when my husband is home and we have the whole night ahead of us to wrap up the events of the day. We don't sleep angry at each other and never has a day passed when we don't say "I love you" and mean it. We are in our tenth year of marriage and some may say it's premature for me to talk about how to keep the music playing. Idealistic, I maybe. But I have high hopes and I'm going to take it step by step, one day at a time. More importantly, I am going to face the tune and enjoy the dance.

   Marriage is not a bed of roses-I've seen enough break-ups to last three lifetimes but by and large I believe that if there was reason to get together, there must be enough reason, too, for a couple to stay together. All in God's plan all in God's time. True love should bring out the best in you. And while physical beauty should in no way subsist as the be-all and end-all of a happy marriage you owe it to yourself and your spouse to make the best out of whatever attributes God has blessed you with. For beneath the individual layered with stress, responsibilities, mommy-duties, busy schedules and tight workloads lies the woman that your man fell in love with.

  

   Surface and shine! 

Reasons To Love Summer

    Summer is here again, and it's a sizzler. While a lot of people I know dislike summer because of the unbearable heat, it happens to be one of my favorite season. Here, I give you reasons why:

1) Having a picnic and flying a kite. You would think nobody does that anymore in a busy city like Manila. Think again. The Fort can be a good place for it. 

2) More quality time with your child. The enthusiasm of a child is contagious - I feel blessed with their wild-eyed innocence and total appreciation of things, be it in something as trivial as cracking the shell of a hard-boiled egg to trying to catch small fish with their little hands.

3) Staying in and watching your favorite show or DVDs.

4) Makeup-free days when your skin can really breathe.

5) Buttered corn on the cob.

6) You can enjoy halo-halo anywhere. It does not have to be anything fancy - you can make your own(after all, every Pinoy household has its own version). Milky Way and Razon's are legendary for their halo-halo. If you'll find yourself anywhere near Razon's or Milky Way,  do yourself a favor by indulging in at least one serving.

7) Milkshakes. Any kind, any blend. As long as it tickles your fancy.

8) The long days are a perfect excuse to stay in and catch up on your reading. For me, one of life's simple joys is curling up with a good book.

9) The hot weather is the perfect reason to wear white. It is also a great excuse to wear your man's big white cotton shirt.

10) It's a great time to have outdoor barbecues with family and friends.

11) The summer heat is the perfect excuse to dig into a big bowl of your favorite ice cream.

12) You tend to appreciate more of life's little pleasures, the very same things you tend to overlook the rest of the year. Like what? The cool breeze that seems to come just when you think you can't take the heat any longer. The shade that trees provide. The function of a big giveaway-from-the-bank umbrella. The wonderful invention that is the refrigerator. The blessedness of cold, clean drinking water and the ice cubes in any drink your heart fancies.

13) The beach. Although Boracay will always be a sentimental favorite, our country is rich with so many other beautiful beaches and resorts. It is amazing how much more there is to enjoy and discover within Philippine shores.

14) Tank tops and flip flops.

15) Board games.

16) Longer, more languid bathing rituals.

17) Ice candy. Any flavor.

18) A good foot and body massage.

19) The refreshing feel of baby cologne splashed generously on the body when the weather gets too, too hot.

20) Slices of butter and sugar toast. There are many ways of making this treat but at home we prepare it only one way: By spreading the butter generously on the bread,  toasting it, and as a last step sprinkling white sugar on it. Bite into it and the different textures that fill your mouth - the half-crispy, half-gooey, butter-soaked bread and the raw, grainy white sugar - is as much a pleasure as the homey, delicious taste you will remember from way back when you were a little child sitting in your mother's kitchen.

Couple time

Photo of my kids sleeping soundly

outside Beijing Foot Spa

my dear husband

  
    It was already past ten in the evening and after putting my kids to sleep and changed and climbed to bed, sleep still did not find me. I sat on the bed watching my four kids sleeping soundly while each of them curled like a shrimp under their own comforters. I always kiss and nuzzle them even as they sleep, whispering that I love them. They always smell of shampoo and rain. Often they will move and acknowledge with a sleepy smile. Tonight, I won't be sleeping beside my baby which is my permanent place but instead I'll be sleeping together again with my husband on a mattress that originally belongs to my son Andrew which is laid down on the floor. I missed the nightly sweet embrace that my husband and I used to have by the time we settled in our bed. We haven't been sleeping together in one bed for almost half a year. My kids sleep in our room and shares the bed with us.

    It's a ritual for Andre and I, lying in bed or just sitting on it, to talk quietly about the highlights of the day, sharing tomorrow's plan and schedule with each other, all the while talking in hushed whispers so baby Andrei will not be disturbed. We surf the Net together or individually on our laptop for a short time and finally settle into watching DVD movie. When that happens, we know sleep is near. But often, sleep still didn't find us. So it really is not long before we find ourselves going to our favorite spa to pamper our tired bodies.

     We love going to Beijing Foot Spa which is located at IL Terrazzo Mall, Tomas Morato. They've got a large team of well-trained masseuses who renders a vigorous foot and body massage. Their foot massage is so good and it is by far the best foot massage we ever had from our Spa hopping leisure time.

     More than the pleasure of the relaxing massage though is the joy of each other's presence and company that I savor. We both look forward to doing this together. While in the car on our way home, we talk and dream together. That is our favorite thing to do and we really go wild in that department. Why limit God when he can give all? What joy! Dreaming limitlessly allows us to take on wings and by heaven's name, do we enjoy the flight. My husband shares his own childhood memories with me and I know all these little stories behind his scar on the hand, on the leg that he got from biking with an old friend. We love exchanging stories from our childhood memories. 

      Finally and forever, this much I warmly hold on to: when the time came that we are both old and grey, when deep lines have settled in our faces and we have both lost our youth, I know we will continue to have and enjoy our quiet conversations as well as frequent quiet "date" nights. We will continue to hold hands and talk and live and love and that will be enough. As early as now it makes my heart do little pirouettes to know that far, far away into the future, way beyond our golden years when our children and grandchildren are all grown up and have lives on their own, and when we naturally don't have our crazy and busy schedules, it will again be down  to just the two of us. The prospect did not scare me because I know the hand I hold belongs to a man I truly enjoy talking to and being with, and that the ties that bind us and all the moments that will lead up to that were, in one way or another, reinforced by the many little quiet "dates" we had. For this particular phase in young, married life, this little pockets of time are what nurture and enrich us most.

        

What Women Want

  Nice clothes. Pampering products. Sexy shoes. Pretty little things. Nice bags. And of course, love. Lots of love.

  Fashion is a lot of fun, but it also compromises a lot of things, like form, function, and comfort.

  Shoes...name me a woman who does not love shoes. Charles and Keith, Aldo, VNC and Steve Madden are four of my favorite haunts. I like Aldo because even if the heels are sky-high, they are so comfortable and they do not punish the back. Nor do they ruin the feet. Charles and Keith have pretty, pretty choices at very affordable prices. VNC and Steve Madden have pretty shoes that comes in different styles. There is a lot to like in these shops.

   I have had a long-standing love affair with La Senza. What was there not to love? Lace, silk, satin, cotton- there was just so much to adore! I fell in love with the pajamas, in materials so soft you would want to lounge in them the whole day. The bathrobes are luxuriously plush and smooth, in white, beige, hot pink and blush. There are tops and loungewear that thankfully do not sacrifice style for comfort. The bras and panties are sexy and flattering and absolutely delightful, spiked with satin and lace, and studded with crystals, with surprising details like the animal prints on the underside of an otherwise very innocent color. Industry talk has it that Victoria's Secret and La Senza have one and the same manufacturer. That is not difficult to believe, and any Victoria Secret's fan will find that out for herself the moment she walks in the door.

   I love Evita Peroni! I think it's the prettiest thing to happen to hair accessories! I first came across this girly shop at Rockwell Power Plant Mall and was totally smitten. The whole ritual of keeping your hair off your face becomes such a pretty little thing to do because these accessories are just so lovely. Yes, they do not exactly come cheap but each item really works the way it was meant to, without comprising how adorable it looks. They have the nicest headbands. Accessories from Aldo and Cru are nice too. 

    Zara clothing has two basic product divisions: men's and women's apparel. It is known for its innovative designs around the world. Over at Zara women's apparel, it's all about being a lady and loving it. The pretty clothes are feminine but not saccharine. Debenhams, Warehouse, Promod and Topshop collections are great too. They offer effortlessly elegance with particular attention to co-ordination and comfort.

Must-haves

  Don't you find it exasperating when, on the day that you have set aside for rest and relaxation, you end up braving the rain and traffic just to go to the nearest hardware/grocery/mall to buy a set of batteries or some plug adaptors? Sometimes you have to buy some envelopes for some documents, or buy needle and thread to mend a shirt or tighten a button that has come undone. Now think of having to squeeze these errands, this time on top of all the other things you need to accomplish on a regular workday.

  Through the years I have discovered that a woman, as a mommy, as a wife or both would be better off when she has all the necessary things within reach at a moment's notice. Being prepared like a girl scout is an exercise that saves time, money, and trouble.

  Below is a rundown of essentials that, time and again,  I really have found indispensable. I am sharing them with you in the hope that you'll find them as useful as I have.

  Scissors- Have at least five pairs handy; one for the kitchen, the other one in your bathroom(you may think it's a weird place for scissors but for me it is not because then I can easily take off packaging of new toiletry products without breaking my nails), one in your desk drawer, one in the dining room,  another one in your sewing kit. That is how I distributed my set but feel free to strategically locate them based on your needs and habits. Make sure you always return them where they belong.

  Zip Lock Bags- Not only are they useful in the kitchen, they are just as useful to hold odds and ends. Especially when you travel it can help organize your toiletries and they unify a slew of small personal effects that otherwise get misplaced.

  Flashlight and rechargeable light- No need for an explanation.

  Batteries- I cannot say how important it is to have batteries on stock. I have a box where I store batteries in varied sizes, from triple A, to double A, to D. It saves a lot of frustration when my kids receives toys that requires batteries that they cannot wait to play with. It also comes in handy when our electronic gadgets and flashlight die on us.

  Mighty Bond- Don't underestimate what this little tube can do. It fixes your daughter's broken clips, your son's toys to religious statues, to bigger household items. Now what Mighty Bond cannot do, a glue gun and glue stick duo definitely can.

  Light Bulbs- Look around the house and check the kind of bulbs that you use. Make a list and stock on them. You never quite know when they will conk out on you.

  ID pictures and Photocopies of important documents- You can never have too many copies of ID pictures and birth certificates of all the family members, for they are always required when you apply for a passport, when your kids go to school, when you apply for insurance, etc. Have extra copies likewise of your marriage contract, car registration, and passport. The latter is almost always required for valid identification process.

  First-Aid kit and medicine kit- Have a well stocked kit always available and make sure to replenish supplies as needed. The former should at least include anti-bacterial ointment, sterile gauze, betadine wound cleanser, a box of band aid, disposable urine or fecal container( this is very useful for me especially when a member of my family has diarrhea or UTI). The latter should be replete with paracetamol, aspirin, medication for diarrhea, colds, coughs, allergies, stomachaches and rehydration salts.

   Digital thermometer- We use this when someone in our family has a fever. It is very handy especially when checking the temperature of your sick baby.

   Screwdriver, duct tape, hammer- You need not have a full of carpenter's kit but you should at least have a set of screwdrivers and hammers in two sizes. The former can help you open electronic gadgets and toys when you need to change batteries. Duct tape is very versatile. You can use it to pack boxes, temporarily seal off leaks, etc.

    Ready-to-go toiletry bag- When packing haven't you notice you spend half the time running back and forth trying to put together a very efficient toiletry kit? If you have this ready at a moment's notice, packing will be a breeze.

    Other things necessary to have around the house are plug adaptors and extension cords, filing supplies such as bond papers, envelopes, fasteners, rubber bands, markers, paper clips and many others.

    So there you have it! Enjoy the process of gathering what you need to be totally efficient as much as you would enjoy using them.

How I became a pack rat

  I am just their junior. My mom and dad are the original pack rats. It was from them that I learned not to throw away anything.

  If I have boxes like odds and ends that might seem like junk to someone, blame it on them. If I take time to pick up one little hairpin, one little button, or a piece of rubber band that I could have otherwise just easily kicked away with the dust, it is an offshoot of a habit I cannot shake off. 

  Growing up, I remember how my dad's big desk looks like. There were piles of office papers which he turned into note pads and scratch papers. Every time I want to draw, he'll give me at least two pieces of his scratch papers instead of giving me a new bond paper. He doesn't like throwing things away because he believed that someday, someone will have a use for it. As with my mom, I remember once I was in dire need of just one safety pin and I can't find a piece from my sewing kit. So I went to my mom's room and, true to form, she has packets of sewing kits that she had saved from all those hotel rooms she stayed during her travels. She even has disposable shower caps!

  I've been a pack rat ever since I got married. I love to keep a scrap of foam and bubble wrap, dozens of tiny bottles that ones contained the essence of chicken, old toothbrushes, plastic containers, a lonely Christmas ornament, tacky plastic ribbons, a string of beads that had come undone, pretty greeting cards that were as ancient as our cook back then, old magazines, socks with missing pairs and old towels, and many more. My husband kept on asking me why I still keep all those junks. I would always answer him: we'll need and use it someday.

  Well, you're probably curious. How else were the pieces of junk I mentioned above put into good use? Foam, for jewelry like earrings. Bubble wrap, to protect delicate items that need to be shipped. Old toothbrushes for cleaning the tiles in the bathroom. Socks that are missing a pair and old face towels, I give it to the house girls to use as basahan.

   I used to like everything to match. Not anymore. Instead of buying uniform multi-purpose containers for a myriad things I need to keep handy, I look no further than home. I make use of what I have lying around the house. Sometimes it's square plastic container which used to contain cookies and pastries from bakeshops( now holds erasers, pencils, and other school supplies for my kids), pretty tins of Chinese tea, mooncake, and chocolates( they are home to craft tools, pens and markers). They do not go with everything else on my supplies' cabinet but they serve their purpose and they have a lot of character.

   There is a difference between keeping things just because you're attached to them and keeping them because you believe that you or someone you know will have a use for them, perhaps not immediately but surely in the near future. I'm a staunch advocate of the latter. This is my second nature already.

    Now when my kids need this or that, chances are I will have them in one of the many labeled boxes I keep on my cabinet. I don't have to go to a nearby bookstore or send out my husband to just buy what they needed for school. This is but one of the many things that they did not go out of their way to teach me but I have picked up the practice. To this day my parents unconsciously coaches me, in both little and big ways, the value of prudence and forethought. Thanks to my beloved mom and dad! 

A Non-Makeup Junkie

   Powder, blush, lipstick, and eyeshadow, I do not have much of. But lip glosses, I have more than my lip really need (and this only because it is the only thing I can apply correctly, by myself).

    I'm not much of a makeup junkie. But I want to learn more about makeups and how to apply it. I do enjoy going to makeup counters if only to ogle the beautiful colors, amazed as I am at how well the products are creatively packaged, presented, and marketed. We do have more options nowadays, but there's still so much to confuse us.

  I've always admired the fine skin of Japanese and Korean women and the way their faces seem to glow. But there's one thing that I am not fond of, it's an overly madeup face that from afar looks flawless but up close appears like the entire face was submerged in the tubful of loose powder.

  Makeup is supposed to enhance your looks - not change it. The worst compliment you can get is when people say they don't recognize you when you walk into a room fully madeup. Besides, no amount of make up can hide bad skin.

Feeling restless

   There is a restlessness about me.  I always think that I want to do this and that, but I can't because I need to do this and that first. Work. Chores. Priorities. Luxuries. Time. I was sleep deprived actually for a month now. I've been busy raising my four kids and haven't got the chance to accomplish even a single thing from my to-do list. My baby wants to be carried by me all the time even during the wee hours in the morning. He is such a mama's boy and always wanted me beside him. I have to feed him every two hours at night which keeps me awake the entire night. My three older boys have so many activities in school that includes the parents. I'm always present in all their activities which made my boys very happy. 

  Anyway, I need order in the house. Maybe that is why I am restless. The time I am home I constantly feel the need to putter around; I am always tidying up here and there. There is just so much to do. I am busy training my three new household staff right now. One of them is a nanny to assist me with my baby's needs. I had just finished making my housekeeping manual and I'm very much happy about it. Sometimes I feel like a headless chicken. I should be doing everything leisurely, really, because I seriously enjoy and love keeping house. Like the superwoman housewives of old. Like Martha Stewart in her many homes and Ina Garten in her kitchen( Oh, I love them so much!). I like the look and gracefulness of order. I am my own one-woman team so I guess it will just have to take a little longer to happen.

   I feel disjointed. I need to do this, but that seems more important right now. I'm running on hope, a plan, a self-esteemed deadline. I am constantly juggling many things simultaneously  and I find that I have to drop some and jump on to something else at a moment's notice. It is not always a peaceful feeling. I know I must do it bit by bit, piece by piece, if I must. I should not waste my time thinking and being indecisive. I just need to seize any chance, even if it as simple as putting little things back in its proper place.

   I know that my kids and my husband feel it is not important to keep the house in tip-top shape. I know it will not measure how much they love and appreciate me. But this is how I show my love for them. 

   So there. I just want to get the house in order so I can have real free time to myself and my family. I need to get the house in order so I won't be feeling restless anymore.

Maids

  To maintain a household is a daily commitment that is why we need to hire maids to help us get through the chores of the day. Sometimes, God blesses us with efficient househelp that we wish would stay with us forever. Yet it isn't always like that. It is not uncommon that our househelp have their own off-days-when they have mood swings.

  Due to our many bad experiences with maids, my husband and I sometimes try to hold back being nice because we really think letting down our guard is tantamount to opening a well to familiarity that will only lead to abuso. We've been a victim of that not once but many times already. My husband and I have had our own share of troublesome indays as we have had trustworthy, for keeps indays too.

  I remember the yaya of my three kids who had just left a week ago. She had been with us for five years and we treated her as part of the family. The day came when she found out that she had a lump on her breast. We brought her to our family doctor for check up and the doctor said that she has to go for a mammogram because she had multiple lumps on her breasts. So we decided to let her have a mammography at St. Lukes Hospital. Luckily, the result was good. The lumps on her breasts were found non-malignant. I was so worried of her that I gave her a rosary and I even prayed for her everytime I went to the church. We let her drink lemongrass juice at least seven times a day because we found out from a friend that lemongrass can help cure cancer. A week before Christmas, my husband and I noticed a change in her attitude. She always answers back when we reprimand her about something she did wrong. Then she decided to leave after Christmas. What is worst was that she didn't tell us about her plan of leaving. And before she left, she burned my baby's tongue while feeding him with hot food. I was really disappointed at her that I actually allowed her to leave right away.

  We also had a yaya who tends to hurt my second child when he was still a toddler. She is a very quiet type of person that you can never imagine her doing that. But she did and there were lots of witnesses. 

  Last year January 2008, my wedding ring was stolen by our maid. I thought that she was a trustworthy one but I was wrong. She left the house without permission the moment she heard that I was looking for my wedding ring. We really can't tell if and when they might give in to a moment of weakness.

  Some of our maids before who borrowed money from us when they go back to their province for a vacation didn't come back anymore. They always say that they are coming back in a week but sadly it did not happen. 

  The lessons I've learned from all the experiences we've had is that don't try to be too close to your helpers. Be a friend to them but be strict and firm also on certain things. It is right to treat them like family but always put a limit to it. You're still the employer and they have to respect you. Another lesson is don't trust too much.  Just because you trust them doesn't always mean they will prove worthy of that trust.