Living Mye Life

The weather today is so unpredictable. One morning, the sun was up and then it will rain in the afternoon.  This week, we experience some heavy rains again and the traffic is overbearing.   Waiting in a car or a jeep twice your usual travel time will really test your patience.  Sometimes, I will reach home with my head aching and very tired.  But as the saying goes, when you’re in Manila expect the unexpected. 

I have to bring an extra slippers, a jacket, a reliable automatic umbrella (good thing our company birthday give away is like that) my iPod to kill the boredom and a mint candy to keep me awake.  Actually, I really like rainy season than during summer.  The only problem is the traffic jam that will always come next after heavy rains. 

Oh well, as of this time, the rain keeps pouring like cats and dogs.  I only hope there will be no flooded areas on my way home later this afternoon.  There are some rising cases of the leptospirosis disease and it’s creeping me out. My niece, Aubrey had their field trip today.  I hope everything is fine.  And I hope despite of the rain, they will enjoy their trip.  

I’ve been sick for a week now.  I thought that after my birthday and I haven’t got sick, I’m so lucky this year.  But before the month of August ends, I felt the familiar chills on my bones and that starts with a week-long sickness, I’m down with flu for 3 days, cough for almost a week now and needless to say, my ear throbs because of colds and thank God it doesn’t persist that long.  I brave to go to Emergency Room in the hospital last Sunday because I thought the pain won’t go away after taking so many medicines.  But going to an ER will make you sick more because in there you will see all types of people seeking immediate consultations.  Hubby said it made him sick.  After the ER doctor requested for a nebulizer for me and a chest x-ray (which appears to alright, thank God) we hurriedly went home to rest.  My head is aching and going to the hospital that day didn’t help.

I still have cough till now.  I tried my previous medicines and the new meds that the ER doctor gave me but I think the bacteria are here to stay in my lungs.  It made me lethargic.  Sometimes, I dare to confine myself to the hospital to rest and get rid of my cough but I have second thoughts.

I hope I will be better before the week ends.  I need to get well.  Opps, I forgot to say that we are in a BER months now.  Countdown to Nate’s 3^rd birthday and Christmas time.  :D

It’s the last day of July and tomorrow is the start of my birth month.  I still can’t shake up this ‘sadness’ over me and I guess it’s because I’m having the signs of having my monthly period plus the fact that I'm getting older in few days’ time.  I already filed my birthday leave and a vacation leave the following day so I’m having quite a few busy days ahead.  I told hubby that I will be the one to treat him on my birthday and little he know that I still have this voucher from a posh restaurant in Mall of Asia.  I’ve been saving a lot and this time, it’s my treat.   I still have to add some few bucks though, I checked on the menu and I thought I just need water after his order.  Ha-ha!

We dined at Racks with a few friends from work.  I have the privilege to choose where to eat and I can only think of Racks because I’ve been eyeing to eat their famous coleslaw and melt to the bone beef and pork ribs for quite sometimes now.  Belly full and satisfied, I can’t even drink water anymore. 

I can only think of many wonderful hopes and prayers.  I always thank God for all the blessings.  

I was quite busy these days.  And I don’t know why.  I think I’m having my down days without any particular reasons.  But I think it’s just normal to have this kind of ‘depression’ period, I think way beyond my normal self.  And I’m feeling sad sometimes.  

Well, I need to do something more worthy.  My son is getting hyper as he grows.  He’s on his toddler years and I have to be more careful in dealing with his tantrums.  He’s a sweet boy.  He sometimes wakes us up telling us he loves us.  Oh, I pray he will never get tired of giving us his kisses.  It’s the sweetest good morning greetings of all time waking up beside your loving husband and son.  I feel so blessed. 

I lost P1000 (S25) on my way home last night.  I think when I take out my ID from the pocket of my uniform (blouse), the money came out with it and the lady in front of me ( I was riding at the back side of an FX taxi) was not kind enough to return it me.  I realized it was missing when I immediately felt that there’s something wrong and when I check my pocket it was gone.  I have checked my pocket while waiting for the taxi and I saw that it was there. I usually put my money in the pocket of my blouse and I never lost any single centavo just now.  Well, charged it to experience.  It is my first time to have lost that big amount of money.  Hubby said it was all right at least I am safe.  But I still can’t shake the feeling that someone can take something she never owns. 

Today, we celebrate father’s day with the family.  Hubby asked me to cook his favourite dish (Kare-kare) and after lunch, we attended my former officemate’s party for her daughter (and also Christening of her youngest baby girl) at the Phil Navy Clubhouse.  I should have declined the invitation because I think we need a special time with hubby but he agreed to go since the place is minutes away from our house and I wanted to see how Nate will react in a big crowd like that.  Plus I wanted to see my old friend, it’s been seven years since we parted ways and we can only see some updates on each other thru Facebook. 

At the venue, I can see the curiosity in Nathan’s eyes.  He kept on looking at the hanging balloons and he observed the kids running around the party.  So when he asked me for balloons, I said you can get one from the stage and he walked carefully, crossed the stage, get the balloons and get back to us.

And when the programme is over, that’s when we saw Nathan dance with the celebrant right in front of the stage and play with other kids.  We scrambled taking some pictures and I asked hubby to capture the moments in his cell phone video.  We couldn’t contain the happiness right that moment looking at him having the time of his life.  Now we know he can have another party for him on his birthday knowing he can entertain his guest in his most energetic ways. 

We went to church after the party, I thank God for having such a wonderful family.  I thank Him for giving me my ever understanding husband.  I am so happy.

I need to brag this out.  Nathan finally went to have his hair cut without crying his lungs out, wailing and struggle his might out of the barbers reach.  And I swear I was teary eyed when I saw that he let me stand and he sit alone at the high chair.  He even allows the barbers cloth around his body and he has a worried look on his face but the car that the barber’s son allowed him to carry is one of the big factors.  And also, the promise of ice cream and mall strolls helps a lot since I kept on telling him that before we go to the barber shop. But with all the previous hair cut that we’ve been through, no matter how I tell him that it’s okay, he freaks out with the sounds of the razor or the clicking of the scissors. 

 

But I guess, he’s a big boy now and he realized that the scissors or razor won’t hurt him.  I even asked our house keeper to go with us so she can help me hold Nathan just in case he’ll start throwing his best cry and struggle combination.  I just wish I have my cell phone with me to capture this special moment of my life.  We never stop praising him for a job well done.  And of course, we never forget to give him the ice cream we promised.  Best ever :)

Nathan loves the mall.  Maybe he acquired it to his Daddy who loves to stroll around to relax.  I think Nate knows that when he saw us both in bed when he wakes up, its weekend and it means SM (his favorite mall of all time).  And he’ll keep on telling that to us till we will be all dressed up and ride the car. 

And his favorite place in the mall? Tom’s World.  And who wouldn’t like to be in that place.  I guess kids and young at heart loves to play.  Later this afternoon, when he’s having a time of his life playing around, a lady approaches me and asked me if how old is Nathan.  I told her he’s 2 years and a half.  She said she’s from an advertising company and my son is handsome and he’s looking for a 3 year old boy for a TV commercial and would like Nathan to audition.   I feel proud right at that moment but politely said he will turn 3 this October.  She asked if he has an older brother.  

I happily told his Daddy about that encounter and he said there will be more of that when he gets old.  Ha-ha! For the meantime, Nathan doesn’t know anything about it and he keeps asking for tokens so he can play basketball.  Well, we’ll cross the bridge when we get there.  Thank you Lord for all the blessings and for this wonderful family.

Happy weekend, friends!

Last night I think about my father.  I’m not getting used to it, that he’s in our Lord right now.  I can’t shake the feeling of loneliness.  I am missing him especially during family occasions.  I will tell them that it’s his favourite, Papa wants that food, and he used to ask me to cook that. 

I just wish I have more time.  He knew that I am buying more time, I was once told him that.  But he’s gone now and I know he misses us too.  And I terribly missing all the laughter we had the jokes and the never ending stories.  His birthday will be on July.  I know he will be happy seeing us cooking his favourite foods that day.  We miss you, Papa. 

 Taken during Papa's birthday last 2009.  

I’m guilty.  I’m engaging myself again by eating a lot and I know I’m not supposed to do that.  But I love to cook and that’s the best thing I can do when at home.  And then we sometimes having this lunch out in the office and I can’t help but to chow down my food.  I am all trying to eat healthy fruits and veggies whenever I can but that wouldn’t help if I keep eating like this.

I talked to hubby to bring down the air bike we bought last year and he was just laughing that the dust will just eat it because I have no time to use it.  But I swear, I wanted to but I don’t know why I can’t. Lazy? Tired?  But I promise, next month, I will make a difference.  Ha-ha!

By the meantime, just look at the sumptuous feast below to know what I’ve been talking to.

We’re having major changes in our family system this month.  I will be handling down all the expenses and planning starting this week instead of hubby taking care of the expenses and I on the planning.  As I’m taking down all possible expenses for this month (since we really need to adjust on once a month payday of hubby) I know this is a tough job to do.  And my head starting to ache thinking I need to save for Nathan’s future. 

But I know I can pull this off.  I just need to make sure that everything will be covered and I need lot courage to make it through.  I am praying to have more savings before the year ends and so help me God.

My older sister and I tried to communicate with him in any way we can, we prepared him foods and I told him to just go in the internet shop so he won’t get bored and I will be the one to pay the fees.  And he started to loosen up.  And I can’t help myself but to feel sad with the whole thing, with the things turned out, with the situation, with the wrong minds and wrong people.  I miss the old kid that used to laugh with us and being so sweet and asking us for something. We missed seeing him grow. And it pains me looking at his sad and lonely eyes.  Above all that,  I just wish him all the love, happiness and luck in the world.  It might be the last time we will be able to see him ever again but he knows that we love him very much.  In the right time and in the right reason, we can be together again, happily.  May the Good Lord guide him always.  

I had a casual talk with my husband last night regarding on when to replace our furniture. Some of them are getting old and it started to worn out that I feel that it’s not safe for our kid anymore.  Nathan keeps on jumping up and down at our sofa that you can now feel the spring on your skin when you sit down.  I wonder how long will it hold to Nathan’s newly found habit.  I still need another chair in our room because our child loves to sit down on the floor while watching TV and we need to teach him to sit on the chair instead. 

 

Judging on hubby’s classy style, he said he had an idea on what to buy for our room.  There’s one particular Barcelona chair that he really likes and he’s eyeing to buy it once he has my approval.  And looking at it, well, I think he’s right about it.  It will look good in our room.  And now we have to include it in our wish list for this year.  I need to keep track on our list so we will still be within our budget. But then again we have to prioritize some of Nathan’s basic needs first.

I think April is not for me, well, for some reasons.  One, I lost my blackberry cell phone in the taxi on the way for my Mom’s monthly check up.  The taxi driver don’t care enough to answer my phone even though you can sing right through with a Nelly song. One thing for sure, I have my incoming call volume into the maximum mode.  So after an hour of my sisters and my hubby’s calling my number, he has the courage to take out my SIM card and so the end of my 6 month phone.

Second,   I lost my camera’s memory card.  And adding insult to the injury, I think my DSLR camera has a problem too.  It just made a slow and disappointing process on keeping its quality during my hubby’s birthday celebration yesterday and Nathan had a blast dancing a One Direction song in the living room.  Our relatives keep on clapping to encourage him to do more on his one man show.  And I recorded it all on my DSLR but then after I put it on my table to get the card reader, I forget about it for some reasons and then at night, it was all gone.    

It all happened just barely 2 weeks of April and I hope it will be the last.  Well, I still have some good news to tell you and that is my hubby’s birthday treat and our mini store is doing all fine.  I hope for more good news before the month ends.  I just keep on praying for that.  Aja, aja!

I have to save for hubby’s birthday on Friday.  But we will celebrate it on Saturday since we both have work on that day.  I’ve been busy opening up our sari-sari store in my siblings place in Pasay that most of my budget went there.  I need to find means to help them in any way I can to help them in their daily expenses.

I wanted to have a small gatherings on Saturday with close friends and family having lunch with us and in the afternoon, I will serve them with the home made tacos my eldest sister taught us when we were having some family time in La Marea home.  I wish we can go and celebrate his birthday in a private resort but we needed lots of time and budget to do that.  I guess we will have to include that in our wish lists this year.  But for now, my Saturday plans and menu will definitely be great.

I had said before that March should bring me good luck and blessings.  But my father died last month, so I will never wish again for this month, I’m still at lost with what happened to my Papa.  I still want him to be with us, I wanted to do more.  But it’s all gone and I pray that he’s happy with God now.

After a long Lenten holiday, April 1 started with me waking up so early and tending to our kitchen while Nathan wake up on the wrong side of the bed, crying and calling me but when I will get him to get up, he’ll turn his back at me and wailed again.  Speaking of tantrums and hot weather, Nathan used that excuse to throw his temper.  He was clingy to me when we were in Ilocos Sur and that continues after we get home to Manila.  But that’s the life of a toddlers, we will get used to it in no time.

 First day of the week at work and we have to brave the hot weather just to have our lunch outside our office.  I lost another opps and this is the second time I forgot to check on my daily emails.  My mother will have her follow up check-up today and my eldest sister will also get the result of her mammogram in which she was dreaded to know the explanation from her OB Gyne.  It’s been troubling her over the weekend and tomorrow will be her judgement day.  I hope everything will be okay for both of them.  I don’t want to hear any sad news anymore.  

I wanted to go home with hubby and my in-laws after Papa’s burial ceremony but they told me I have to stay for another day for the Gulgul tradition.  And then it came to me that we have done it before when my grandmother died when we were just kids.  So I have to let Nathan go with hubby to Manila that night so I can work with all the things to do before going to the beach.  They usually did that in the river but since the river has dried up, the next choice is the beach.

So the tradition is like one will have to pour something on our head, a mixture of burned to ashes dried tree sap, blood of chicken and I don’t know the rest of the ingredients.  We were instructed to fall in line, from the eldest to the youngest and never to look back (because they said we will see Papa if we look back) and we shouldn’t enter to the place we exited after we dip ourselves to the salty water.  That means we have to go far away from the shore just to get back to our rented cottage but we follow the tradition and that was it. 

I’m kind of having a weird feeling that all were happy and were all there because of Papa.  I still have this moment when I looked around and he’s not with us anymore.  We brought the left over foods and fruits and we had some fun in the videoke with my cousins.  I tried to shake away the feeling of emptiness.  That’s why that night after we got home, I packed my bags and told my sisters that we should go home even though were so tired and I wanted to hit down the bed to rest.  I need to sort out my feelings first.  I’m missing my father so much I need to go away. 

They have plans to going back to the province at the 40^th day of Papa’s death but I can’t go back there.  Not just yet.  My brother promised to go home from Qatar on Papa’s first year death anniversary next year.  Maybe then I can accept that he’s now gone.  

I had a time to reflect on the beauty of the surroundings in my father’s place in the province of Ilocos Sur.  After his burial ceremony, I walked around just to be alone with my camera.  I can’t help but felt empty knowing we were there because Papa died.  We used to be there before just to unwind and take a short vacation and enjoy the beautiful beaches. 

I have the privilege to take some beautiful shots of the nature and felt a moment of peace in my heart.   I will always go back to this place because here lays my dearest father.  He wished when we had a heart to heart talk few years back that he wants this place to be his final resting place and it came true.  I miss you, Papa.  I'll always will.

My hubby was notified by his department head that he will have to visit their India office by next month.  We were so ecstatic by the good news because it was his first time in India and he heard so much about it from his team.  And as much as he wanted to prepare for this one in a lifetime travel opportunity, we think that we still have a lot to do because his surprise is he wanted us to travel with him.  Our baby Nathan shared our joy that night and he started to jump up and down from the bed. 

To begin with, we start looking for the place go in India.  His friend advised him to visit here so we can do what we want to do after my husband’s business trip and it will make all our travelling made easy.  Hubby wanted to extend our stay so we can have all the time to enjoy the beautiful places around.   We shouldn’t forget some of India travel tips being the first timer in that country.  I can’t contain being overjoyed with all our plans and our first time too with our baby Nathan.  I still have to prepare some documents and of course I have to save money.  I can’t wait for the day to come! 

February is a sick month for my man and the little boy.  Hubby is struggling to walk straight with his knee injury (though he started to do some lab tests now and an orthopaedic doctor on the way), something happened during his long walk from their office in Makati.  He suddenly slips on his right foot and the pain rips through his brain and he just can’t stand straight.  So after a normal massage from a “hilot”we decided it’s time to use his health card and let the doctor check on his injuries.  And so he was given a nerve and pain medicines and was scheduled for an x-ray and some blood tests the following day.  I am hoping for a normal result and hope everything will be fine.  He’s been in pain for some quite some time now and he deserve to enjoy his new job now.

After recovering from fever and diarrhoea, Nathan’s last stool test confirms amoeba on his little tummy.  We were quite shocked by it since I am so cautious on his food and water.  But his paediatrician said the causes of the bacteria were from different sources though water is the main reason.  So after the series of proper medications and Nathan’s being such a good boy, he was subjected to yet another stool test last weekend. Amoeba is gone but coccobacillus is present so his medications were changed and he was given probiotics and zinc plus another anti-bacterial prescriptions.  His doctor said he will have his appetite again after the medications and there’s no need for another stool test. 

I just wish they will be all fine.  It’s been a tough month for us and I am hoping for some good and feel better news this coming March.  So help us GOD.

My niece will celebrate her 14^th birthday few days from now.  And she requested to have a small celebration in our family home because some of her friends and classmates will be coming over.  We were quite surprised hearing that from my niece since these past few years, she will only request any gadgets she wants with just a simple lunch or dinner dined out in her favourite fast food restaurant.  But as my husband noticed, she’s getting older now and maturing fast and maybe she wanted to make her birthday a memorable one this year. 

So my sisters and I are now busy planning for the event and we asked our brother to come over.  But actually, my niece wanted to ask my brother for his cell phone that she claimed that it’s the one she fancied at the mall.   Well, I already talked to my brother about that but the only problem is that he lost its charger.  I said nothing to worry about since there are many cell phone chargers available in the market and we will be the one to buy it for her. 

I would like to see her face light up when she open the box.  That’s her big reward for making good in her studies.

I promised that I will never celebrate the V day on February 14.  It is either before or after the date itself because of what happened to us (hubby and I) last year.  We spent at least more than an hour waiting for our ordered food and my tummy started to grumble and I have to ask my husband to check on other possible restaurant because we were both feeling uneasy.  So we drive around until we settled on a pizza restaurant nearby.

 

But today, hubby requested for a dinner date and who am I to refuse such invitation?  Of course we enjoyed the night with our kiddo, Nathan.  Having the night with my boys is always special.  We stroll around the mall and decided to do some quick grocery shopping and surprisingly, there’s less people inside the supermarket and Nathan had no problem walking and running around.  We bought some heart shaped donuts for my mother in-law and Nathan sweetly gave it to her. 

 

No flowers, no cards and no gifts.  Just a sweet text message and a loving kiss to settle my February 14.  No problem with that, I have them both forever. 

I was sorting my husband old things from the old boxes he had since his grade school days.  I was smiling entirely with all the notes, love letters and some souvenirs he had and was kept safely to that box.  I never had any courage to throw some of them away, it was part of his childhood memories and instead I put them on the new box I bought last week.  Some of them are his toys that Nathan is fondly playing right now and he can’t believe he was looking at them right now while his son is playing on them. 

Nathan mostly enjoyed playing his Daddy’s teenage mutant ninja toys.  I was a fan also when we were kids and I remember watching my brother playing with his friends.  They all have the same toys and I can recall asking our Mom if she can buy me that toy. With all the new high technology games and toys, we missed having that in our house and it brings back all the memories.  Upon browsing the web, there’s more information here that my hubby will surely discuss to Nathan when he’ll ask about his new toys.  I bet his Daddy can answer all his queries all the time. 

I stopped by Mt. Arayats halo –halo in Mall of Asia yesterday with my family to claim the voucher I purchased online via livingsocial site.  When I handed them the paper voucher, the two ladies inside the kiosk asked me if I had a reservation, I said I called their reservation number last Thursday and was advised that they are accepting walk-in.  I said to the lady who answered my phone that so I can claim it on weekdays? She said, yes and didn’t even bother to have my name.  Trusting them, I said okay, thank you.  But here they are, telling me that that’s impossible because they are no longer accepting reservations because they are fully booked and they are only accepting walk-ins during weekdays.  I was so shocked hearing their explanations because first, the expiry period of voucher is today and second, the walk-in during weekdays is not even stipulated in the voucher terms.So how can they say that they are fully booked when they know how many vouchers was placed in their branch?

But I don’t want to ruin my day and we are happy having a quality bonding time with my hubby and baby so I just told them to write their name on my voucher and stating the reason of their refusal to accept my voucher.  And I leave them in peace though I was really upset that time.  But my hubby said we can go to Razon’s and eat halo-halo that tastes much better and delicious too.  I won’t forget to raise a complaint to online site where I bought the voucher and promised myself I will never ever buy anymore voucher from this Mt. Arayat again.  

Love is in the air.  Well because I’ve heard the sweetest news this first month of the year that my favourite cousin is getting married.  We are urging her to settle down because she’s not getting younger anymore and they both have a stable career and we know they are deeply in love with each other.  Whenever we bring out the walk in the aisle topic, she would just laugh about it and said stop bothering them.  So this is really great news for the whole family and everybody is ecstatic to know the plans and preparations.

Everyone in the family is volunteering to be part of this big event and my cousin started to panic how to accommodate all.  But I told her that whatever the two of them agreed on the entourage, I think they will understand.  She will be the one to design her wedding dress and he wanted to have those beautiful junior bridesmaids dresses she saw online. 

My aunt’s recommend looking for the best dress and checking on the weddingtonway review so they will know if the color and the dress will fit to their brides maids and if they will like it.  Well, she’s right on that and this preparations will surely made our weeks and months busy.  

Nate ’accidentally joined a 7 year old birthday party just beside my sister’s eatery.  We went there to visit my family and we saw that they setting up the tables and chair.  When they played the kids all-time favourite dance song, Gangnam Style he started to dance in front of the kids and they eventually joined him in the party.

We are all laughing out loud for he dominates the dance floor even though he’s the youngest of them all.  The energy and his charming ways fave the way and everyone are asking about him, his age, where he lives.  He’s our little star.  He even joined the “trip to Jerusalem “game and he keeps on dancing while turning rounds and rounds till he was out.  My cousin was amazed to see him eating spaghetti on his own.  No mess, no spoil foods and when he’s done he asked me to get the plate for him.  They say he learned so much more with just a little time teaching him what to do.

Nathan’s is our joy.  He makes all the stars in the night shining when he laughs.  He starting to utter longer than 2 words together and his energy never wears off.  I admit I have to keep fit to be able to keep up with his energy.  He is starting to say things that I think need a little bit of explanations.  His tantrums are bearable.  We can change his mind to stay away for those things that are off limits to him. Keeping up with Nathan is our major goal.  We hope he stay happy forever ♥

2013!!

We had a blast with my family celebrating New Year on our roof top; it’s such a long time since we last celebrate one occasion because we usually do it in our house.  But we just transferred to a new house and our things are a complete mess in every bedroom, living room and kitchen area, we can’t do anything about it.  So we all decided to do it at the rooftop together with my sister’s bed spacers. 

Hubby led the New Year prayer and we all wish all the best this year.  We had so many foods in the table because the boarders shared their food and everyone was so busy cooking and moving around the house.

I didn’t know it would be so much fun considering it was such a late change of plans and I just did a quick buy on the wet market with fruits, beef and pork.  My hubby did set up a videoke machine to the delight of everybody and Nathan had a blast eating grilled hotdogs while singing and dancing.  He doesn’t want to sleep at 1am in the morning but his body was giving away, so I pulled him away to the singing crowd and let him sleep.  He really enjoyed every moment with his family.  And we all wake up changing our wall calendars and cleaning the mess in the roof top.

Anyways, I wish you all a Happy New Year!