The one with frustration

Speaking of getting fit again, I remember meeting a client the other day for her son's baptism.  When I saw her, she's really pretty and fit.  I asked her immediately if she really intended to be back on her pre-pregnancy shape and she said she dances and i think does yoga too.  She even told me she has therabands at home.  I admire how disciplined she is and even if she ordered fudge sundae that day (which i envied so much), she's not scared it will add weight to her bod.

Oh how i wish i can be that disciplined... hehe.

The one with ketogenickers

Now let me talk about again my recently-found diet, ketogenic diet, which i started last August.  It's been a while since i blogged about my diet because i've been in a plateau for months now.  My momentum kinda lowered during the holidays and i even gained a little weight recently after Simone's birthday.  I got excited losing the 10 lbs that i forgot that there's still another 10 lbs more. waah.

Good thing, my friends Ayn, Con, Jeng and Rhea (mommy friends whom i regularly meet with) agreed to be in the diet regimen too.  I love our support group.  All of them are losing pounds and pounds every week, i got motivated to get back to my feet and restart my diet again :)

I also plan to use my Gold's gym voucher while i'm not yet pregnant.  I'm sure it will also help me get pregnant easily.  But I really want to lose weight first, be back to my pre-pregnancy weight just so i won't bloat that much when the baby tummy comes. hahaha.  Simon, on the other hand, wants to start something new.  He started getting more toned since he regularly does push ups and he bought a resistance band.  I wanted to do my share of sit-ups too at home and run my bike again.  My husband wanted to bike, as in the mountain bikes and whenever he sees yakima bike racks at cracksandracks.com, he would always think of buying a bike. hahaha. but it never materialized.

I hope this time around i'd shed the last 10 lbs in two months. come on, baby, go go go!!

The one with insurance

Every start of the year, there are at least three companies billing us with our renewal of our insurance policies.  There's the car insurance, our accident insurances and Simon's Philam insurance.  But it's a good thing, we're able to settle with the bills immediately as soon as it arrives.  It's such a waste if we can't update the account and won't be able to maximize it since we started paying for it already.  God really plans everything.  Every December, He gives us a lot of projects so we'd have something to pay for the insurance.  I think the only thing that we don't have yet is a motorhome insurance.  We'd probably plan for it when it's near to our moving in to new house. yey, excited! :)

Most of the time, it's easier if you don't really plan and leave everything to God...because you'd realize that His plans are still better and yours...hmmm, not so much. :)

The one with to get or not

I've been blogging about my trip itch in my previous post and I chanced upon this deal in cashcashpinoy about canyon cove's overnight stay.  I'am so tempted to get the deal for us and for our parents.  But if we're buying them too, a 3D-2night stay will cost us about 20k. waah! But it's still a good deal for an out of town trip since we don't have flight costs anymore, we'd save on that and food is reasonable enough as well.  We're basically after the beach.  If we're going for an overnight stay, I'm sure we won't be satisfied. haha. I'm like one of those profire yoyos thinking up or down, go or no?? waah...and I only have three more days to decide on this.  I actually bought 2 vouchers for us already but i'm still thinking if i'd want to add more for the parents.  hmmm...i'll pray about it. i really want them to have a good vacation.

The one with new old

I almost forgot to blog about Simon's new baby...he has a new old car. hehe.  He got himself a cool Toyota Corolla box type.  I think we got a good deal as the car was reconditioned with original parts just last year.  I got pretty hyped when i saw the car too and got excited for him.

Congrats beh on your new old car. I know you've been wanting to have your own matchbox and now that you have, i know you deserve it. :)  Now all you need is a commercial gps that you can install in your car so you won't get lost because we won't be riding the car always. hehe.

The one with space-saving stool

Simon and I were watching Lifestyle network and we chanced upon the show where they feature nice homes.  I really like the show, although most of the homes featured cost about a quater of a million dollars and they are proud to narrate the 1k savings they got from this or hundreds of dollar savings from another area.  haha, so ironic.

Anyway, i got a few ideas which we can use for our humble home in the future.  I love the rustic bar stools they featured that you can actually install on the table, you can fold it and you can sit on it.  Simon did'nt like it, fearing that it won't hold that much weight but i think if properly installed and with heavy duty materials, i think it's a good deal.  I also like the lavatory material steel they use for kitchen tables. so sleek and yet price-wise, reasonable enough. :)

Can't wait to get my hands on designing that house :) thank you Lord :)

The one with almost no pics

Jillian's mom called me last night asking for venue pictures that i might have.  I tried turning on my dslr and I got scared the dslr is not working anymore.  I think it's because of the drained battery that the shutter is not clicking.  But good thing, when i checked the SD card, i was able to get the pics i took.  I used a magnetic card reader that Simon has as one of his "handy" gadgets.  I was able to send her some pics. :) I'll post soon too :)

The one with emergency leave

Simon had to take a leave today.  Simone has been having  fever since yesterday afternoon and we're monitoring her.  When i had her checked yesterday with Dr. Lucena,  she told me that she might be down with a flu in the next couple of days and true enough, she has flu now :(

The only thing that stresses me a lot is Simone being sick.  I really don't want her getting sick and it pains me to think that she is not in her best condition.  I hope she gets well soon.  It's hard enough for her that she's taking medication for her primary complex, we can't give her any more meds as her liver might be overworked. But we're praying for her fast recovery :)  all in God's time.

If i can only be 24/7 lookout for her, if i can only be her "Off lotion" all the time, I'd do it.  Right now, i just wish i can turn the time of my citizen watch and advance it so she's be better off soon :)

Get well soon anak! The Winx club doll you've been wanting for the longest time is just waiting... :)

The one with party weekend hangover

It has been one heck of a busy February for me.  And to end the month more fun, I was Jillian Ward's party planner on her 7th bday last Feb 26. :) so much fun!  Thank you Lord for a successful party.  Thank you for the gift you gave me and for being able to maximize it the way you want it to. :)

I was so nervious and anxious on the day of her party. I was anticipating all the booboos that might happen that day.  But before the party began, God told me to just stop worrying about anything because everything will be alright...and it really did :)

Simon was there the whole time. You see, I and my husband have different fields and work and as much as possible we don't stress each other on our respective business/work.  We find it beneficial as we have a lot to talk about because we do different things, and we are each other's pressure and stress absorber.  That day, he was present during the party and I appreciated it so much.  He supported me the way a good husband would. :)

The following day, we were talking about the party and we are just amazed how God works and moves in our lives.  Who would have thought that the Php 2,500.00 seminar fee i paid as an investment is now a business who has catered to a child star's 7th birthday party?! God is really good, amazing!!!

More stories about the party, hehe. I'm just soo happy! Oh they did'nt give discount movies tickets but they (Jillian's family) sure did give Simone gifts! im soo touched! thank you! :)

The one with 7th bday preparation

From the year we celebrated Simone's 1st birthday, my husband told me that we cannot have a party ever year.  I agreed with him even though I so wanted to celebrate with a party every year.  That's why, after her 5th birthday, I've told myself that we should start saving for the party.  I'm plotting a goal of saving a specific amount every month for her birthday just so we won't be shocked with all the expenses we need to spend for the party. hahaha. If i can only buy gold bars online from Golden eagle, that would have been great and i could sell those gold bars and make money. hahaha. 

So far, I'm eyeing 55 events place as one of the venue choices, Mandarin hotel and Decagon. oh my! i wish we could afford everything!!! But definitely, a Starbucks booth is a must!!! haha.

im soo excited to start preparing for her party :)

The one with school party

We had a family outing for simone's party and a small school party on the day of her birthday.  She coined those celebrations as Disc 1 and Disc 2.  (it's obvious how addicted my kid is to videos, haha) And the school party was fun!  I'll post pictures soon but let me just share our little preps for her school party.

~Personally, i like school parties.  It's a small party but you can be sure that you have enough number of kids present.  Unlike house parties, you don't have to wash dishes.  House parties are okay if you have a lot of help or you have bosch dishwashers at home where you can easily wash and dry your dishes. haha.

~ It's also a plus that i have a good network of party suppliers where getting entertainment and give aways is literally a call away. :)

~ You also get freebies.  This year, im so happy that my sister in law gave a barbie cake to simone on our family outing and my good friend Emily of sugarbox gave her cake and cupcakes too for her birthday. I love it!! Now im soo carbo-loaded! hahaha

~  It's nice that i was able to get a balloon twister also to entertain the kids while they were eating

All in all, i give my husband and I a pat on the back for pulling it off.  My husband for being able to convince me to celebrate it the simple way and I for agreeing to do so but set aside some a part of what i was able to save to open an account for her "7th bday preps". hahaha, it has officially begun.  yes, we need to save up for it! it's non-negotiable!!!

Happy bday again simone!

The one with moving up

I'm excited for Simone's 1st moving up day on March 17. yey! my baby's moving up na.  I also love that they even have a theme for all the graduates. This year it will be 50's and I researched some outfits that might fit simone :) I'm also thinking of coming on a thmed outfit but i might overdo it. haha. Are Lowa hiking boots a 50's outfit too? :) I don't wanna overdo it and they might label me a momster!!!

Will update once i have decided on what simone could wear on moving up day :)

The one with instant shopping

We have a place where my friend and sisses go to whenever we want to shop for wholesale priced clothes and dresses.  You can also find shoes of all kinds, from flat shoes, cowboy ones, riding breeches shoes (as if i can wear those here) and the stilleto types.  But i opted to look for more dresses and tops that i can wear for meetings and events. 

I bought three dresses, and two shorts.  My sister in law bout a dress too and we found a dress that matches my other sister in law's bod so much.  We were surprised to see that the fit is so nice on her.

I will definitely go back to that place. :)

The one with good employer

I remember posting about our new househelp.  My sisters in law asked me about her and I immediately gave them a thumbs up that she is a-ok.  She's not the perfect househelp but we made sure she's gonna have fun too while staying with us.  We also asked her a couple of questions like undergoing thru an employment screening so we can also know what to expect from her.  She's not a good cook, that's for sure. haha. But her happy attitude is one of the reasons why we instantly liked her.

I hope my extra set of hands will last longer than expected :)

The one with MB

MB for Michael Buble.  I caught one of his concerts right now on TV and i almost forgot how refreshing and nostalgic his voice is.  It makes me turn the time like the Vestax turntables playing his song.  His voice is like amplified and processed but not.  He's really good and a passionate singer.  I can't remember why he's single now.

Simon is a musician himself and quite a good singer too.  I guess i can easily be turned on with guys who know how to really sing.

I hope Michael Buble makes another album. :)

The one with trip itch

I've been itching for a getaway this year! waah! i want to unwind and have a feel of fresh air before i get pregnant again (yes, feel na feel!) I know it will be a while before we can travel again as a family if i have another baby again (and we claim that this year will be the year!)

Cebupacific air offered another tempting promotion. P26 fare, with taxes it will reach about P800.00 for a round trip fare.  I was supposed to book cebu last night.  But when i asked the husband, he was okay with it but preferred a land trip in the meantime so both sides of the parents can join us.  I think he's right.  I told you, he's the more sensible one :)

So i have to buy the best sunless tanning spray there is so i can have a feel of the getaway that's been itching me for weeks. :)

Welcome summer of 2012!

The one with kenko

I have a new discovery...Kenko stores.  It's like a small-scale japan home centers but they focus more on home furnishings, personal accessories and lights.  I love how we were able to buy two new lamps (yellow and white) that we can use in the room. :)

Another good buy is the hair dryer i bought at 150 pesos.  I was kinda hesitant to buy it since it might short circuit but i still bought it.  So far, so good. haha.

I really, really love good deals, which reminds me i have to check the leather briefcase in one of the online deals i frequently visit. 

The one with house visit

We dropped by La Potenza two weeks ago and checked out the developments of the small community there.  The place is turning out to be a nice place to live in albeit the nearby villa caruncho residents who would stay in front of the gate everyday and would crowd the entrance of the village...eyesore!

When we were driving around the village, we saw a family with their things inside.  My husband got excited and asked me to talk to the mom.  I was hesitant at first coz i might be intruding their privacy but still asked anyway and it turned out, she was accommodating to answer all our questions and even gave us a tour of their unit. :) it's different when you see appliances inside and furnitures.  At least we can better visualize things around the house :)  she even gave us tips on what led lighting to buy and showed us the lights they bought to change the ones the developer put up :)

Sooo excited! thank you Lord and we pray for a smooth moving in hopefully before this year ends :)

The one with celebrating 13

Yehey, we've reached 13 years as a couple already! I consider it a milestone that we have been together for 13 years already and those thirteen years have been really the best years of my life.  Simon has always been my bestfriend, comforter, prayer partner and my most sensible other half.  I, on the other hand, is his number one fan, his fashion stylist, his confidence booster and financial assistant. (assistant because he brings home most of the bread and i just bake it and turn it to a buffet, hahaha)

I can say that we've been through mostly good times and a taste of not-so-good times.  We are forever grateful that God has always been the center of our marriage and that He is God's gift to me.  He is more precious than all diamond earrings for women combined.  :)

Happy 13th anniversary beh! I love you, and will always love you :)

The one with positive

How i wish i can write here, positive pregnancy right? that news would have been way better to read about.  But everything has a purpose.

Simone is positive with primary complex.  I blogged about the tb test done on her and it turned out positive.  She was given meds already which we started last February 2. 

Good thing she easily takes her meds.  We've also started our veggie program where i cook fresh noodles, make chicken broth (as in from real chicken) and add ground malunggay and carrots. She instantly liked it :)  So we don't have instant noodles anymore. yey!

We've also restricted ourselved to go to crowded places on the first two weeks of medication.  I heard from my husband that the first two weeks is the 90% healing phase so we're more careful on bringing her to places esp areas with cigars sampler, smokers or anywhere polluted and she might catch another virus or whatever. 

Love you Simone!

The one with soon to be five

I still can't believe that just a few days from now and my Simone will be five years old already. waah! She's not really getting any younger now and it makes me excited to see her grow but at the same time sad that a year just passes by and the next thing you know, you're shopping for her prom dress with her already. waah!

I'm glad and thankful God led me to where we are now.  I'm glad that He made me realized how important it is to be with your kid while she's growing up and leaving the corporate world was no regret at all. I miss being with my friends there but being with my daughter while she's growing just gives me more reasons to appreciate the time i spend with her. :)

And I feel more blessed that God really gave us the best of both worlds, me having to still work on my business and having a more flexible time to spend with Simone.

Her 4th year passed like a breeze.  But it's my favorite year so far.  Favorite because this is the time when she's not that "old" but not that baby anymore.  You can enjoy your time together like malling, shopping and just being with her.  You know she can understand you more so she knows how to follow instructions, obey simple household chores and reprimand her knowing that she understands what you have to say.  I also love the fact that she enjoys and thrives in school. Seeing her excited to go to school everyday makes me feel like i'm raising a smart kid.  To be honest, it's hard not to expect because she always gives us reasons to expect that she would excel, hehe. :)

Simone, I love you! Happy birthday anak. You will always be mommy's baby (even if you dont want to be called one anymore)

The one with today is the day

We will know if simone has been exposed to primary complex.  The first time i heard it from my pedia as one of the three possibilities of simone's condition, I felt really sad...and a failure again as a mom.  But you know, these are really some of the things that are inevitable.  You just can't seem to track any known bacteria or virus there is and avoid your child to be in any place near it or any person for this matter.  So when we had the tuberculosine test last monday (did i spell it right?), it was horrible seeing my child cry until she loses her breath because of the pain it brought.  I know the test was more like a skin allergy test and i hated that test.  I vividly remember hating it more than my epidural injection when i was gave birth to Simone, so i can understand if the pain was too much for her.  After the test, we headed to the mall, treated her to an unlimited playtime and Tom's world fun and we ate 'til we got our tummies full.  We also went to her cousin's just so she'd be happier. hehe. yeah, we spoiled her that day, just so she can forget the painful feeling she had with the test.

Anyway, whatever the results are, we're pretty calm and still, knowing that God is in control.  And I promise to be more hands-on as I can and watch her health 24/7 (if it's even possible!)  I remember reading an FB post made by my friend of how she used Skype to track her kid on the other room, more like a web conferencing solution to her problem of being at two places at the same time. So i guess I can be like that too, more like a restaurant who's open 24 hours a day...or Goodah for 25 hours a day. haha.

A healthy baby makes a happy mommy. :) love you anak. :)