One at a Time - A Busy Mom's Life

...My daughter said that after coming back from the Philippines last summer. She told us that she's tired of going 'somewhere' for vacation and she would want to spend the summer at home. Now, why would she say that considering most kids and adults would want to go anywhere for summer vacation. Well, considering the fact that we've spent the last two summers out of the country, then you will have an inkling on why she feels this way. Last year, we spent a month in Europe and visited 7 countries; then this year, we spent 5 weeks in the Philippines. I guess she got tired of travelling and just wants to go to summer camp and the town beach next year. So this year, instead of going to punta cana dominican republic, we will stay here in our house and just take day trips here and there.

I'm a sucker for a good love story. I don't know why but I always find myself teary-eyed towards the end of a romantic film. I remember watching 'The Proposal' on my way to the Philippines and I was trying to wipe some tears, hoping that no one sees me doing it! ha ha
Yesterday, I watched this Diane Lane and Richard Gere movie titled 'Nights in Rodanthe'. He stayed at one of the outer banks vacation rentals in which Diane Lane's girl friend is the owner. It's just a simple love story, man meets woman, they fell in love...then a shocking ending...he died! Drat! Why does he have to die at the end? It was so sad! The setting was so beautiful, it makes me want to go to the Carolinas for a vacation.

I love the holidays! Most specifically, Christmas! I get to see family and friends that I don't see much during the year. It would be nice to see them often but we don't live close to each other. Of course, with any kind of gathering with families and friends, there are an abundance of food...good food. I will definitely need some kind of appetite suppressants. All of my friends make good food and it's going to be hard not to try all of it. I'll have to get a little bit of everything and that's it. I promise...

One of the things my parents taught me before was to look for exit signs wherever I am. Doing so keeps you prepared in case of emergency. That's why I always listen to the flight attendants every time I fly even though I've heard it many times before. This is what I am trying to teach my kids. To look for the exit signs the moment they go in a building or a venue.

Mine isn't! That's because we haven't gotten a tree yet. You see, we get our tree from the Christmas tree farm. It costs more but seeing the kids have fun running around and choosing the perfect Christmas tree makes it all worth it. The memories we've made from the past years and the ones we'll make this year and the succeeding years will forever be ingrained in them. We almost always get very cold weather each time we go and get a tree. It doesn't matter which week of December we choose to go, it happens that way and it will be bone-chilling weather again this year. I think last year was the nicest though, there was light snow falling and thick snow on the ground so it was magical. Next would be the hard part, decorating the tree and the house and of course, buying presents. I already bought Amber's IPOD and dh's dress watch; I still need to get Tyler's DSi and presents for the rest of dh's family. It's hard to look for gifts for his brothers, I might give one of them some truck accessories or something like it.

This health care debate has been going on for months and it seems that it's not going to end soon enough. It's always on the news and each side has its' reasons on why they do or don't agree with it. What's my opinion? As long as my family will benefit from it, I'm all for it. As of now, we pay a large insurance premium for a family of four, that's already with the help of dh's company. If the congress and senate could just pass a low cost health insurance then it will be a big help to middle income families like us.

How do we get rid of these stubborn pounds? Don't suggest training for the marathon, I'll probably pass out after two miles! Plus, I have bad knees from my days doing Jazzercise, it was fun though. I wish there was something like it close to where I live now. It seems more popular in California where I lived for 12 years. It gets harder too when you reach middle age. I heard of people doing the colon cleanse but have not tried it. I don't know if I will either.





colon cleanse

My dad passed away last September and my mom is now alone living in her house. She's only 15minutes away from my sister. She's in her mid-70s and is still very able to live by herself. Even then, we do not want her to be alone especially at night. I don't know if cross country moving is the best for her since she has complained about how cold it is here in the east coast. For now, she stays with my sister during the night and is at her own house during the day. This is not for the long term though, sooner or later, we all have to sit down and decide what's best for her.

Dh and I have been planning to re-decorate the family room and the living room for what seemed like a year! Well, actually, it's been more than a year when he said that we will paint the walls a different color. Right now, it's an ivory-color thing on the wall. I was hoping that we'd have it done before Christmas. Since we were out of the country last summer, we weren't able to do it then. One of my worries about painting the family room is the moving of the enterrainment system and all the stuff in it! We have a large one plus it is a pain to unplug all those wires and stuff that connects the plasma tv to the home theater systems and cable box. *sigh* Thank goodness that both dh and I are engineers, we can read diagrams and such. I hope we'll be able to paint this room before the year ends at least, if not, there's always next year!

I've never really gone on a diet, per se. I haven't tried any diet that's out there. A month or so ago, I saw this piece on Good Morning America about this Cookie Diet. Some say that it works. Who doesn't want to eat cookies? I guess it's better than eating cabbage soup. I wish there is a diet pill that works, I'd probably be one of the first in line. I need an exercise partner!! Any volunteers? Coffee's on me!

My son, he's 5, has already made his Christmas wish list. Every year, we make a list of things we want for Christmas. It's been like this with dh's family; they ask for the list every year. It makes it easier for every one, no more guess work and unwanted gifts. So when I was in Manila for my dad's interment, I was using Skype to chat with dh and the kids, when T showed me this piece of paper. Then he said that he already made his Christmas wish list. I'm glad that there aren't a lot of things in there. I told them that this Christmas, they can only have 2 things from mommy and daddy. He's fine with that since he knows he's also getting gifts from his grandparents and uncles. My daughter, who's not a kid but not yet a teen, is still deciding on what she wants. When she learned that the new ipods has a built-in radio, she said that this might be her Christmas gift from us. I'm still thinking about that since her Zune (a Microsoft MP3 player) is still working great. We'll see what dh and decide. I am planning to start making my Christmas shopping lists very soon. I hope dh doesn't have work the day after Thanksgiving so I can shop for deals. Have you started your Christmas gift shopping?

I didn't drink coffee until 5 years ago. I don't know why, I just didn't enjoy it. I was more of an orange juice person until...my parents' visited and my dad, who is an avid coffee drinker has to have freshly brewed coffee every day. Well, before you know it, I was hooked. When my family and I visited Italy last year, I had my first espresso in one of those quaint Italian cafes. It was in Piazza San Marco or St. Mark's Square in Venice. It was pretty memorable, if you can imagine. The espresso was served with a small square of dark chocolate and boy, was I in heaven. It was the perfect combination. So now, I am looking at espresso machines online so I can put it in my Christmas wish list.

I'm one of those women that are not born thin. If I eat as much as a teaspoon of Haagen Daaz, I can assure you that I will gain 5 lbs! I used to exercise a lot when I was still single, then when the kids came, time disappeared. I don't want to use weight loss pills because it may be dangerous and it's not regulated by the FDA. So I just need to motivate myself to walk and exercise and start losing these extra pounds.

Sometimes, it's easier for moms to do things ourselves. But there are times where we need help in doing stuff around the house. This is especially true during the holidays. Thanksgiving is fast approaching and just thinking about it, makes me tired. I am hosting it for the 5th year in a row. I don't mind doing it because I love to cook and I love hosting parties for families and small groups of friends. For the past couple of years, I assign tasks to my kids to do things around the house. Of course, it's dependent upon their age. For my son, who's only 5 yrs old, he gets to pick up toys and put it away in it's proper storage. For my daughter, who's almost 11, then she gets one that requires a little bit of work. I make her clean the ceramic tiles with the Swiffer mop. She also vacuums the family room since our vacuum is very light. Dh meanwhile is in charge of the other chores that I don't have time to do. So all in all, I have everything covered. Now, I just need to worry about the turkey being done in time...

It's been a week since I returned from the Philippines and I am still feeling jet-lagged. I guess it's because I wasn't able to fully-recover after my trip. I immediately went into 'mommy mode' the minute I stepped into the house. Of course it has to be done, especially if you have kids under 10. I usually feel sleepy late in the afternoon, around 5:00pm which is the time I have to start preparing dinner. I might need some sleep aid if I still have not gone back to my regular schedule.

I only received one kind of advice when I asked my other friends about it and that is a resounding 'No!'. You see, a good friend in the Philippines, asked me and dh if we would want to invest in their new business. I don't know if it's one of the top franchises in the Philippines. I know it's some sort of office outsourcing. He was a friend from college and we kept in touch over the years. These past few years though, we haven't been as close after he got married. I feel that his wife is not exactly crazy about me. I guess she knew that he had a crush on me when we were in college. It didn't matter that we were just friends. So, because of that, our friendship is slowly dying. Sad, isn't it? But I have to accept it. Oh well.

It's time for me to start thinking of my future. Should I go back to my old career or get a new one? Right now I'm leaning towards a new career. Even though my old career is a very stable one, I don't think I want all the pressure that comes with it. I have to start looking at my choices and maybe even go back to school or get an online degree. With the cost of college education, I want to be able to help dh when it's time for our kids to get a degree.

Do you carry your child's Social Security card with you at all times? You shouldnt. You shouldn't even carry your own SS card. You don't need it. It's safer to leave it at home. Why? If your pocket book or wallet gets stolen, then you're setting yourself up for identity theft. It is rampant these days. Always check your credit report every year. It is free. To be extra careful, you can sign up for one of those identity theft protection services. You can never be too careful.

I cannot believe it when I found myself signing the volunteer sheet in school last night. There was a parent meeting and beside the class sign-up sheet was the volunteer sheet. I was planning to volunteer for lunch or recess but then I thought I didn't want to do it every day. So there I was signing my name on the sheet. I like volunteering at my kids' school. I get to see them in that environment and it also gives me the chance to know their friends and classmates. Since I'm not working, it's a good use of my time. It's even better than doing order fulfillment for some company. How about any of you moms out there, do you volunteer in school?

Now that school has started, I have a lot of time on my hands. Aside from doing the usual daily chores, I can now start on my redecorating project. First, I need to call one of the charity organizations and donate the sofa set. I thought of giving it away on Freecycle.org but then I want the tax write-off so I'm going the other route. I already picked out the new sofa I liked from the furniture store's online site. Now I still have to decide on the new paint color and lighting like wrought iron candle sconces. I also have many paintings and photos from our Europe and Philippine vacations that has to be framed and/or put on the wall. I hope I'll be able to finish all this before Thanksgiving.

Well, it truly is a Labor day for this mom. I spent the whole day doing chores around the house. From doing the laundry, organizing the basement, cleaning the fridge and cooking lunch and dinner for my brood, I felt that I really celebrated Labor Day. ha ha Not only that, I managed to bake my famous jumbo Chocolate Chip cookies. Yummy!

So, what else did we do this Labor Day weekend? Saturday, we went over to my in-laws' house and the kids and dh went swimming. Why didn't I go swimming? Well, I'm trying to stay out of the sun since I already got too much of it when we were on vacation in the Philippines. If not, then I'll have to get some treatment for wrinkles pretty soon!Then Sunday, we went to the birthday party of my friend's daughter. In between these activities and chores, I still managed to visit Facebook and tend to my farms and restaurant. :o)

Kids and their never-ending questions. You gotta love them! Sometimes, my 5 year old will ask me a question that is so silly I don't even know how to answer it. So what do I do? I make something up that is also as silly as the question and he ends up laughing. Kids are naturally curious so they ask questions. Sometimes though parents get too busy to pay them any attention. I also try to avoid watching shows that aren't suitable for kids when they're in my bedroom. It's okay if its a question about what colon cleansers are but I don't want to answer if they ask what the KY jelly is for.

Well, the kids survived or better yet I SURVIVED the first week of school. haha It was a little hard for me to go back into the thick of things at first. It's not that I wake up very late during the vacation months, I only slept in until 6:30am at the most. I felt I needed more sleep when I woke at at 5:15am for the first three days but I'm glad that I finally woke up Thursday morning all refreshed and ready to go. Granted that I have to sacrifice watching my favorite TV shows like Top Chef and Project Runway on the LCD TV in the bedroom. The good news is that the repeat episodes are shown regularly, thank goodness.

...next summer? That's what A asked dh and I after coming back from a month-long vacation in the Philippines. She has a valid reason for asking that question. Last year, we went to Europe for a month. Then this year, we also left the country. She said she just wants to stay home and enjoy a leisurely summer. She missed going to summer camp this year since we had our vacation in the middle of the summer. Dh and I love to travel and I know that my kids love it too. They're both seasoned travellers which makes us so proud. But I can understand where A is coming from, she missed going to grammy's house and spend the day in the pool playing with her cousins. As of now, we don't have any plans for next year. Maybe we'll just go camping in Maine. I'll have to start looking for rv towing prices online.

Five parties last weekend, can you imagine that? I am bushed! Not to mention out by a hundred smackers. Both my kids had birthday parties left and right plus my friend also celebrated her birthday. The busiest was last Saturday when we went to 3 parties. Well, summer is over and the kids will be back to school on the 31st. Before we know it, it'll be Thanksgiving then Christmas. I'm sure the holiday invitations will start pouring in. As for now, I'm looking forward to school starting. I'm actually looking forward to doing some redecorating projects around the house.

If I had a dollar for each time that my kids asks me this question, I'd be able to buy another Michael Kors bag. My daughter has been asking me if she can get a dog since she was in preschool. Now my son is asking for a dog too. Dh and I have been telling them that when they are responsible enough, then that's the time they will get a pet. Having a pet is no joke, especially here in the US. Since we don't have any household help, we have to do everything by ourselves. Plus, the cost of veterinary care and pet supplies can be very expensive. It'll also be a problem everytime we go for vacation, especially for this family since we love to travel.
So, as of now, we don't have a dog or a cat. Maybe we'll a parakeet or a goldfish for now.

Among my two kids, it is my son that likes to go shopping with me. I don't know if it has something to do with his age or the fact that he likes to look at the toys and hopes he gets to bring it home with us. I always remind him before we go out that the toy needs to be inexpensive and he can only choose one. What happens when he sees another toy that he wants? That's where my bartering skills come into play. I either make him choose or I use a favorite toy against this new one. It almost always work and I think he is starting to learn that he cannot get every toy that he sets his sights on. He either have to work for it or wait until Christmas or his birthday and hope that it will be in one of the presents.

When it comes to shopping malls, the Philippines cannot be beat. If there is one thing I miss from that country, it is the malls. If you haven't been to a mall in the Philippines, then you are missing something. It always amazes me that there are new malls everytime I come back for a visit. What is even more amazing are the throngs of people inside, be it a weekday and more so during the weekend. The malls are huge that you can get almost anything you need, even the plasma mounts for your new flat-screen tv. I am surely going to miss shopping in Manila. It is always one of the things I look forward to everytime I go back for a visit.

While vacationing in the Philippines, one of my agenda was to see my college friends. I haven't seen them since graduating from the university, that's more than 20 years ago. I migrated here in the US a year after graduation and I lost touch with them. Late last year, I found one of them online and we set up a reunion. I planned to come with both of my kids but A didn't want to go. This is a sign that A is getting into the 'teen' stage, you know, the stage where they don't want to be seen with their parents. *sniff*. Anyway, it is not a problem with my son. T wants to go where ever it is I'm going. As long as mommy is there, he wants to be there too. It's great that he wants to be with me but as with any other 5 year olds, he gets bored easily so I hear a lot of "How come it's taking so long?" questions. It got to a point where I make him promise not to ask me that question or not to complain if he wants to come with me.
Anyway, I did get to see my college friends, one of which became a nun. Thanks to the internet, it'll be easier to keep in contact. We plan to have a reunion again in a couple of years so I need to start using night cream so I won't be all wrinkly. I'm sure by then, T will not tag along since he will be in the same stage A is in.

The fun is over and it is now back to reality. *sigh* Well, to tell you the truth, I missed a lot of things while on vacation. First of all, I missed my bed, except for the 5 days when we were at the Shangri-la Mactan. Let me tell you, the Ocean Club is definitely worth it. I also missed the clothes dryer. Yup, hard to believe but the one we have at our house in Manila doesn't dry real well. I also missed driving, not that I have the nerve to drive in Manila! I cannot imagine how I managed to drive around when I was still living in Manila. It's either I have nerves of steel or I just became a wimp and got spoiled with the wide and uncongested streets here in the U.S.

So, what do I have to show from my vacation? The tan, of course. 5 days under the Philippine sun took a toll on us. Thank goodness for sun block and anti wrinkle eye cream. It's all worth it since my kids loved the resort and didn't want to leave. Now that story is coming soon!

We are into our second week of vacation here in Manila and so far, we are enjoying every minute. T doesn't seem to mind the heat and humidity while A is more bothered by it. I'm thankful that the house is air-conditioned or else she'll probably ask to go back home on the first day. One day last week, our maid came from the wet market in a tricycle and I asked the driver if I can take a photo of T riding the bike. Luckily, he agreed so T posed and flashed a big smile. You should have seen his eyes lit up like projector headlights when he realized he's going to ride the bike. I also keep the kids occupied by bringing them to the mall close by and go to the arcade. Today, I'm bringing them to watch Ice Age in 3D. I think my son is enjoying this vacation more than the 10 year old but I'm sure they will both enjoy it immensely by the time we go to the beach in Dapitan and Cebu City.

It was a nice day today, no rain in sight. It is quite unusual considering what the rest of the month has been like. We went to the beach which is less than 10 minutes from our house. Dh went spear fishing with our friend Mike, who's visiting from South Carolina. The kids and I meanwhile just lounged on the beach. There were quite a few people there although we were the only one using a beach umbrella. They are all soaking up the UVA and UVB rays. ha ha The kids had fun running and playing in the sand while I sat on my beach chair under the shade.

Tomorrow, the kids and I are leaving for our 5 weeks vacation in the Philippines. A is feeling a little sad because dh is not joining us until after 3 weeks. She's also the one who is really attached to our home. She felt homesick when we were in Europe for a month last year. She made us promise that next year, we will be staying home. T meanwhile doesn't really think about it much. I know he's going to miss his dad, we all will. That's why I taught dh how to use Skype so we can chat and see each other. I'm sure the kids will love that.

By the time I write my next post, I will be doing it from the Philippines. I just hope the DSL is reliable just like what I am accustomed to here in my home. I think I'm going to use the mobile DSL. I hope the rates are reasonable just like those of the cellular phones.

Wish me luck!

T will turn 5 tomorrow. How time flies. It seems just like yesterday when dh and I went to the hospital since my BP was high. I was induced and out came T. He was a month early so he was in the NICU for a week. Just like other preemies, T caught up pretty fast. You wouldn't even know he was one.

We had his party last Saturday. We got lucky because the weather was perfect that day, great weather for having a moonwalk for the kids. It had been raining constantly the whole week but Saturday was all sun. I had the party a couple of days early because the kids and I are leaving for our month-long vacation in the Philippines. Dh will join us after two weeks. T's friends from school were at the party, along with our family, close friends and neighbors. It was a fun-filled day for sure. He was pooped at the end of the day as you can see from the last photo where he was resting on the entrance to the moonwalk.

To my little boy, Happy 5th Birthday!

At the end of the month, my baby will be 5 years old. Where has time gone? It's hard to believe that he is going to be 5 let alone entering kindergarten this coming school year! I'm planning on having a party for him next weekend. Since we're leaving at the end of the month, I settled on a date that is a couple of days before his actual birthday.

He wanted to have a moonwalk for his party so I rented one for that day. Now all I have to do is wish real hard that it will be a dry day. I am getting anxious since this month has been too wet. It has been raining a lot and I am worried that his party will get rained out. I'm just glad that the moonwalk rental owner is so nice that he said I wouldn't get charged if I decide to cancel it. What a nice person! I'm thankful to my BFF Mira, since she gave me his website.

T's classmates are coming along with our family and close friends. If that day gets rained out then we'd all be inside the house celebrating. If it turns out to be a dry day, then I have some games planned outdoors. I also plan to put some chairs and tables on the back lawn so the parents can sit and relax while watching their kids play. We also have patio furniture on the deck and that sits 6 people. Please let me have a nice day next Saturday, so the kids can have loads of fun!

Last Tuesday was my son's Step-Up Day. They don't call it a graduation for obvious reasons and I agree. They are just starting their education and still have lots to learn. Anyway, whatever it is you want to call it, it was a nice way to end the school year. They give out certificates and the kids performed songs in front of the families. I told dh that I wanted to get there early so we can have a choice of seats. Well, he thought that it will be just a small number of people but he was wrong. Everyone including aunts and uncles were there to see the kids graduate. We got a seat in the 5th row and what's worse is we were on the opposite end of where T was. So what did I do? I got my camera, went around and got a spot on the opposite end right in front of T. I stayed there on my knees the whole time but it was worth it. I wished I had a faster compact flash card since there was a lag between each shot. It was just a second or two so it wasn't bad. T just finished pre-school and I feel so proud. What more when he graduates from the university with a degree? That's in 17 or 18 years, still a lifetime away. For now, I will enjoy him as my sweet little boy.

My son T will have his Step-Up Day tomorrow. He will be in Kindergarten this coming school year. It's not called a graduation for obvious reasons. So what did T accomplish his first year of school? He is now writing and reading on his own. He read his first Dr. Seuss book. Hop on Pop. It's funny because he saw A's name on it and he asked for a pen and wrote his name on the book. He said that it's his now. A has the complete collection of Dr. Seuss books and I'm sure that T will ask me to take it out of A's book case and put it in his own.

T's also excited to have his 5th birthday party this month and he is also looking forward to our summer vacation. We will be leaving for the Philippines at the end of the month where we'll stay for 4 weeks. My parents are already in Manila and my sisters are arriving in the middle of next month. I don't know what present to get for my mom and dad. They're celebrating their 45th anniversary, the main reason why we're all going there. Maybe I'll get my mom a pair of certified diamonds earrings since she likes jewelry or get them tickets to fly to Rome and join us when we go back to the Eternal City. Yay!

This week's theme was suggested by yours truly. :D It's fun to see your child making friends and having a great time. One can only hope that they will be with the right crowd when they're older. I believe that with the proper guidance, they will make the right choices and not fall in with friends that are bad influences. Whether they have a handful of friends or a surplus of friends , I hope that they learn to choose wisely.

My son is shown here with his classmates, one of which is his close friend whose name also starts with the letter T. They are so close that in fact, when his friend T learned that he is going to have a baby brother he wanted to name it the same name as my son. His mom told me just the other day that they will indeed name him after my son. How sweet is that?

This next photo is my daughter with one of her close friends in school. She always comes over every couple of weeks on a Friday to play.

This is my daughter's other friend, also from the same school. There are 4 of them in their group, I don't have a photo of their other friend S.

See more Mommy Moments HERE.

T had his pre-K4 class field trip to the zoo today. It was supposed to be last Friday but it was postponed because of the rainy weather. I'm glad they postponed it until today because the weather was almost perfect. It was sunny but a little chilly with the weather in the low 60's. There were 6 parent-chaperones, including myself and we each had 3 kids. I had T and his classmates G and C. The kids had fun going around the zoo which was familiar to all of them since they all have been here before with their parents. I guess the main event for them was seeing the elephants since it's all they've been talking about when we came in the zoo. They also enjoyed the wooden cow with the udder. They each got their chance to try to 'milk' the cow. T is shown here milking it. I had to show them how to do it since one has to pull and squeeze it at the same time.

After the zoo visit, we all had a picnic at the park nearby and then the kids played for an hour in the newly built playground. This second part of the day was the most tiring for me. Imagine trying to look after three 4 year old running around the huge playset and then add 30 extra kids in the mix. Boy, was I tired. The sun shone so brightly that I probably got a couple of wrinkles from it. I might have to start using some eye creme to combat that.

This is one of the best part of being a SAHM mom, I'm able to chaperone my kids' field trips. I wasn't able to do this with daughter A since T was still at home and needs to be cared for. Now that they're both in school, I have time to join them in their school activities.

When my kids were little, I was the one who cut their hair.  I didn't do a bad job either, I think. ha ha  Son T had his first professional cut in this photo.  As usual, he was good and stayed still.  The hairdresser was surprised considering other boys his age would be moving around. He has some curls in his hair so at first, I always let his hair grow a little longer.  Nowadays though, he sports a shorter cut, very short.  This second photo with his grandfather shows his hair now.  He looks more handsome I think.  But of course, I am very biased. 

Onto other things.  I've been pretty busy with the kids' activities these past few weeks.  Finals are next week and there are a lot of projects for A.  I'm also occupied with research on subjects like starting a vegetable garden and about Mesothelioma cancer.

See more Mommy Moments HERE.

I've been saying all along that my kids are growing like weeds. You know what I mean, just like weeds that grow without fertizers, my kids outgrow their clothes so fast. I find myself shopping for good deals for quality children clothing. It can take up a lot of my time since I try to find nice yet inexpensive kids clothing. That is one of the reason why I prefer to shop online. I started doing this a couple of years ago. I shopped for cheap infant clothes when my daughter was born. There weren't a lot of online stores then. Nowadays, there are hundreds of stores to choose from. It can get tiring surfing the internet for good deals on children's clothing.

That is why websites like ShopWiki.com is very useful for online shoppers like me. For busy parents, this website is a goldmine. Instead of searching Google and go to individual girl or cheap boy clothing websites, all you need to do is go to ShopWiki.com and type in what you are searching for. You will see all the photo, description and current prices of the items you are interested in. This will save time from your online shopping experience. You don't have to worry about the search being limited to paying advertisers, which is the case on other shopping sites. At ShopWiki.com, you will get ALL the search results available whether they get income from it or not.

I love the price slider feature which narrows down your search, pretty cool. The one thing that I really like about this website are the helpful information on whatever it is you are looking for. It has infant and toddler clothing buying guides which is really useful for first time parents. It has a lot of helpful tips on choosing the right size and fit for your child. You can also use ShopWiki.com for searching other items like popular childrens books like the Junie B. series and more. Start shopping now and see what I am talking about.

Growing up in the Philippines, we always have maids to do things for us. That doesn't mean that I grew up not knowing how to keep a clean house. My parents made sure that we know how to do jobs around the house, well, maybe with the exception of washing the clothes. So when I migrated here in the U.S. 20 years ago, I did not have problems adjusting to the way of life (no helper to do things for you.) When I moved in with an aunt to be closer to school which is in San Francisco, I helped around the house and even did all the cooking for her so dinner is ready when they come home from work. Come to think of it, I helped her out in everything. Thank goodness she doesn't have any copper kitchen sinks or else it'll be a pain to clean it.

Now that I have my own kids, I want them to grow up knowing how to do their own laundry and clean up after themselves. Of course there are many times when they would complain but I just brush it off. Kids complain about anything and believe me, I've gotten used to it. The first chore they have is helping me sort out the laundry; I started my son with this one. It is easy and doesn't require much effort. For my daughter, I've taught her how to fold her clothes the right way. They also put away the dishes and silverware from the dishwasher. My daughter has also started vacuuming her own room. It helps that we have a Dyson which is very light. I don't hear much complaint from her compared to the old vacuum we have. Next up on my list is teaching her how to cook although she seems more interested in baking. Just like any other parent, I want to raise my kids to be responsible adults. Teaching them how to do chores around the house is definitely an important part in reaching that goal.

A couple of weeks back, dh and I were among the parent chaperones for A's field trip to Boston. It wasn't a perfect day for a field trip but we all enjoyed it. The 3rd and 4th graders of St. Marys school went on the Freedom Trail. So what is the Freedom Trail? From Wikipedia: The Freedom Trail is a red (mostly brick) path through downtown Boston, Massachusetts that leads to 16 significant historic sites.

The kids already went through half of the Freedom trail last year so this year, we went through the other half. The tour was led by a tour guide who wore period costume as you can see from the photo. He said that his name is Jeremiah Poof, I don't know if it;s just a stage name but the kids found it funny. He's a very good tour guide since he kept the attention of the kids (and the parents) with his historical knowledge coupled with funny anecdotes. It was a cold Spring day, it was misting the first hour of the tour but thankfully it stopped. We went through two graveyards and I learned that Mother Goose is a real person! Who would've thunk? Anyway, it was a fun day even though dh and I took the wrong exit going to Boston Common (darn GPS LOL).

After the tour, A went home with us and we picked up T from school. We got home just as the UPS truck was pulling up the driveway. The LCD HDTV we ordered using our airline mileage came. I was so looking forward to this since it is for the master bedroom. A got the old TV we had which was a 32-inch, it replaced the smaller 20-inch she had. Now, I am a happy camper since I like to watch some shows before going to bed.

For this week's Mommy Moments, I am sooo late. Better late than never, right? I couldn't find any photos of my daughter being silly. She probably has some photos when she was smaller but it would be such a chore to get it from storage. My son, on the other hand, has a lot of silly moments since he's the clown of the family. These are some photos I have in my notebook.

The first photo is of him with his Optimus Prime mask on. It has a voice changer so he sounds like a Transformer whenever he talks. He says funny things and hearing it in this voice is hilarious! The second photo is where he was pretending to be in parade. He was walking around the house beating his drum. It was noisy alright but it was great seeing him having a grand time. This last one is a recent photo. He put on this funny glasses and asked me to take his picture.

See more Mommy Moments here.

I was having problems with my blog layout yesterday since Photobucket was doing some sort of maintenance of their servers. Can you believe they didn't even give any warning? I was caught off-guard when I opened this site. Anyway, with all the confusion yesterday, I forget to back-up my blogger links. So to all my blogger friends who have exchanged links with me, please leave me a comment so I can add your link. I remember most of you so when I drop an EC in your blog, I'll add you. Thanks a bunch!

I am having problems with my Photobucket account. My blog layout for this one and my other blog is not showing up. It's not a bandwidth exceeded problem though. All the images in my layout are hosted by them so as long as it is still down, this will be my temporary layout. I emailed them yesterday and I got a reply that they are doing some kind of maintenance. I wonder if it's just a handful of users or maybe just the 'free accounts'. I am thinking of upgrading to a paid account but before I do so, I want to be sure that this problem will not occur again. It's not cheap either, they charge $40 a year. I'll look into Google's Picasa. Any suggestions on where to host blog images?

You may know someone who might be interested:

Audition Date: May 16 Saturday

Looking for:
- Singers
- Dancers
- Actors
- Stunt Performers
- Stilt Walkers
- Celebrity Look Alikes
- Vocal Impersonators
- Puppeteers
- Technical Staff
- Stage Managers
- Audio Video Managers

Please call New Voice Company (production company of Monique Wilson) 899-0630

My daughter had her semi-annual dental check-up yesterday and as expected, her dentist gave us a referral to an orthodontist. He already talked to us about it last year; my daughter has a slight overbite. If you look at her teeth, you will not notice unless you're really looking for it. He said that if we want her to have a perfect smile, then she needs to have braces. When I talked to my daughter about it last year, she wasn't too keen on the idea. I can't blame her, who wants to smile and have a mouthful of metal? It's good though that her older cousin got braces a couple of years ago and she now has a beautiful smile; so I always remind her about it. It also helped that two of her classmates just got their braces a couple of months ago. At least she's not going to be the only one wearing braces. We're planning to see the orthodontist sometime this month and ask that she gets her braces sometime before school starts. I have a feeling that other kids in her class will be wearing braces sooner or later. Now for the cost, I think our dental insurace will pay for a portion, well, I hope it is covered. Fingers crossed!

If you are into Ethnic decors and handicrafts, then you need to check out this website called Silver Sky Imports. All the products are authentic Tibetan and Nepali handicrafts.
This website specializes in products from the Himalayas. Think of the Dalai Lama, the movie " The Lost Horizon" and of course, Mt. Everest. If you are looking for Tibetan singing bowls and crystal singing bowls, they sell authentic products from that part of the world. One thing sets them apart from other websites is they have music files and photos of each individual Tibetan or crystal singing bowls so you know what exactly you are getting. This is important when purchasing a Tibetan or crystal singing bowls. If you are particular about the sound of the singing bowl, then you should opt for one made of crystal. The crystal bowls from this website is made from pure quartz assuring you of a high quality product with a clear sound. The crystal bowl sizes range from 8 inches to the largest bowl at 20 inches.
You can also purchase accessories for the singing bowls like cushions and the striker tool. Among the other Himalayan products they have are Tibetan Mala prayer beads, prayer flags, Nepali Gongs and even Felted wool handbags and purses. You can check all these and more from silverskyimports.com

I remember when my daughter had her first physical here in our state. Her doctor ordered a lead test among other usual lab tests. We just moved here from California and this is the first time I've heard of a lead test. I learned that many houses, usually old ones, have lead paint. Many years ago, the paint used has lead and this was found to cause health problems (lead poisoning). Children are most susceptible to this because of the habit of putting fingers in their mouths. One other health concern is when remodeling old houses is the hazard from asbestos. When the fibrous material is inhaled, this can cause health problems one of which is very dangerous called mesothelioma. If you live in an older house, it is important to check for these dangers.

For this week's theme, happy mommy moments, I had a hard time looking for photos.  I need to be in photos more often.  I'm the photographer in the family so I don't have a lot of photos. (Note to self: ask dh to take photos of me and the kids.)  So here are some of my happy mommy moments, do you know which photo is my favorite?  It's the one on the bottom right.  I'm very happy when my kids help out and do their chores.  Yup, they're unloading the dishwasher when I took this photo, now wouldn't that make any mom happy?  See more of Mommy Moments here.

It's Mother's Day this Sunday, do you have any special plans?  We are going to a Mother's Day brunch at this chi-chi restaurant and then get some ice cream from Baskin Robins, my kids' fave.  Dh and the kids asked what I want but I told them that other than a Kohler faucet  to replace my old one, I don't really want anything.

Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there!

I am not a smoker and neither is my husband. I think that being non-smokers gives our kids an advantage. Aside from living in a healthy smoke-free household, our kids are less likely to pick up the habit. My daughter is 10 years old and she knows about the bad health effects of smoking. I remember talking to her about it a couple of years ago. I even made an example out of my ex sister-in-law since she's a smoker. I still talk to her about the consequences of smoking every now and then.
Now that she's at this stage, I think that it's also the right time to talk to her about the dangers of drug abuse. More often, drug abuse starts from peer pressure. If we educate our kids early about drug abuse, we are giving them a head-start and they are well-prepared when faced with that choice. Usually, parents don't talk to their kids about it until it's too late so starting early is a good idea in my opinion. Who would want to see their child in a drug rehab? Nobody of course. I found some helpful information from the National Institute of Drug Abuse website. There is a page for parents and teachers with facts about the effects and consequences of drug abuse and addiction.
As parents, it is our responsibility to prepare our kids to all the danger they might encounter, not doing so is a failure as a parent.

This week's Mommy Moments theme is not easy since I don't have much photos of my kids when they're not feeling well.  As usual, our summer Europe trip last year saved me (again!).  On our second day in Rome, my son had a fever and was clearly not feeling well.  He is quite the traveler, through it all, he didn't give us any hard time.  On the first photo, we were visiting the Vatican museum and I didn't hear any complaints from him in the more than three hours we were in there.  He was just quiet, walking when he wants to and other times carried by dh.  In this second photo which was taken the next day, we were in St. Peter's Square waiting for the Wednesday Papal Audience.  You can see the dark circles under his eyes in this photo.  I always travel with  the kids' medicines so we were prepared.  My daughter also got sick during this trip.  We were in Trier, Germany when she had a high fever.  We brought her to the doctor where they prescribed antibiotics.  We were lucky that the doctor was fluent in English so there was no language barrier.  Visit other Mommy Moments entries here.

My son came down with a cough and a cold last week. Then last weekend, he came down with a fever. It was during this time when the news about the swine flu was breaking out. I, of course, became nervous. I went online to find out what the symptoms are but it wasn't really a big help. According to what I've read, the symptoms of swine flu is similar to the flu that we've been getting. Since his main symptoms are a runny nose and a cough, then it's not the flu. Just the same, we kept him from school today even though he was feeling well. I do hope that the swine flu doesn't reach our state. I'm a little worried since one of my daughter's classmate just came back from Mexico for Spring break. I hope that he didn't bring any swine flu germs with him.

My daughter has reached that age wherein she's more aware of what's happening around her. I always have the evening news on and she, of course, hears and sees what's on. There are times where she would ask me about a certain story and I try to explain it in a way that is appropriate for her age. The other night, she saw the news about the raging wild fire going on in South Carolina. She knows that a family close to us just moved in that state. She is worried that they are affected by the fire. I had to explain to her that they are far from the affected area and their house, just like the Outer Banks homes are not in the danger zone. When the collapse of the financial institutions were the news of the day, I also talked to her about it. She has some questions and I tried my best to explain how and why it happened. Thank goodness for the hosts and guests in Good Morning America, I got all my information from them and it really made it easy for me. I think that kids in the right age should be made aware of what's going on around them. If we try to shelter them from everything that's going on, they might grow up believing that the world is a bed of roses.

I missed last week's Mommy Moments, drat! It was a very busy week for me plus it was also my 11th wedding anniversary.  I was going to post the photo of the pregnancy test kit showing a positive result when I was pregnant with my first born since that was a very sentimental moment for me.  Too bad I didn't get the chance to scan the photo.  Oh well, at least I'm back for this week.  :o)

For this week's theme, I sure have a lot of photos to choose from.  I'm the photographer in the family so there are tons of daddy moments that I captured.  As usual, all the photos here were from our summer vacation last year. It's very convenient since it's all in my notebook compared to the other photos which are in my desktop computer.  Anyhoo, these are some of my favorite captures with dh and the kids.  In Florence, Italy we went to the Leonardo da Vinci museum where they have reproductions of most of his inventions.  In the top of the alps in Switzerland called Jungfraojoch, dh and the kids had fun sledding down the Aletsch glacier.   I especially love the last photo which was taken in the Glacier park in Lucerne, Switzerland.  Dh and daughter stood in front of this funny mirror and had a blast laughing at themselves.  I also have many photos of dh and my daughter walking hand-in-hand while strolling through the cobblestone streets in Europe.  To see more entries, please visit MommyJourney.com

Well, it's the kids' Spring break this week and you moms with school age kids know what the household is like during these times. I have two kids that have to be kept occupied most of the day. We didn't make any plans to go out of town because we will be going on a long summer vacation in a couple of months. Both my kids are early risers just like dh and me so our days start early. I am so glad that they don't sleep late because it will drive me crazy. So what have we done so far? Well, we went to see the movie Monsters vs. Aliens. It was enjoyable for the kids and that's the important thing. We went during the Matinee so we saved $ on that. I also bought with us two bags of microwaved popcorn and drinks. Yes, I am one of those people. ha ha I don't want to pay $6 for a bag of popcorn and $4 for a drink multiplied by three! Call me budget concious but don't call me cheap. LOL
The kids also play in the computer for a short time during the day. My kids have their own computer so there are no fights over that, thank goodness. We just need to update the video card in my son's computer because some Reader Rabbit games will not play on it. So far they have not driven me up the wall yet. :o)

My little one had been waiting for Easter Sunday for what seems like forever, for me at least. He's been asking me continuously when we're going to grammy's house for the Easter egg hunt. Well his wait was finally over yesterday. The kids, along with their three cousins went egg hunting in my in-law's backyard. I'm pretty sure he got the most (mostest according to my little boy LOL) Easter eggs amongst the kids. He really had a great time doing it, with his dad by his side while I took photos. You can see the playhouse in this second photo. My in-laws had this built by a contractor for the grandkids to play in.

After the egg hunt, we had Easter dinner with the whole family. Even my ex-sis-in-law who is considering a health care career was in attendance. It's good that she and my brother-in-law have remained friendly after their divorce last year. My father-in-law cooked a leg of lamb and ham with all the trimmings. My mother-in-law asked me to bring yams with marshmallows and I also made a dessert called Mango Crepe Delight. I didn't eat much since I was still stuffed up from the birthday lunch we attended earlier that day where I also saw my BFF Mira and family. So that holiday is done, next up is dh's birthday and his brother's 50th birthday bash. How was your Easter Sunday celebration?

Eggs, eggs everywhere! Real eggs, colored eggs, chocolate eggs, malted eggs, Jelly Belly eggs, etc. My kids love Easter, they always look forward to the Easter egg hunt and coloring eggs. Of course, they also know the 'real meaning' of Easter and they celebrated with their classmates by going to mass on Holy Thursday. My son's class, along with pre-K3 through grade2 had an Easter egg hunt in the school grounds. He was so excited when he told me that the Easter bunny went up to him and smiled. :o)

Here in our household, we always color eggs for Easter. They both enjoy it and no, it's not messy at all. If there are any color stains, it'll just be on my kids fingers. I also make sure they're wearing an old shirt and I laid out pages of newspaper on the table.

One other Easter tradition we have is an Easter egg hunt inside our house. A's eggs are the ones that are high up while T's are the ones on the floor or wherever he can read it. The kids also have an egg hunt at their grandparent's backyard although I don't think I'll enjoy it this year since it is only in the 40's. BRRRR!

How about you? How do you celebrate Easter?

This week's theme is a fun one, it's kids' costumes. Here in the US, dressing up for Halloween is big among kids and some adults too. So it really is big business and boy, the costumes can get expensive. When kids are little, it is very easy for moms like me to get costumes since they will basically wear what you put on them. This all changes when they get a bigger. They have their own idea on what they want to be for Halloween. In this first set of photos, T was 16 months old and I dressed him up as Mickey Mouse, wasn't he cute? A dressed up as Jessie the cowgirl from Toy Story and she was 6. The photo below it was in 2006 where T was dressed up as Blue and A was dressed as Hermione (although I asked her to put on the round eyeglasses for the photo.

This next set of photos are for 2007 and 2008. In the first photo, T was dressed up as a pirate (he likes to watch Pirates of the Caribbean and has all DVDs) and A was a cheerleader. For last year, A is dressed as a 'Pink Lady' from the 50's complete with a poodle skirt while T, who loves the Transformers is of course dressed up as Optimus Prime. For this year, T wants to wear a Star Wars clone, that is, if he doesn't change his mind. A meanwhile is not sure what she wants to be yet.

You can view more Mommy Moments here.

I swear, kids today have too many gadgets and toys. I remember when I was a kid myself, I was happy with my tiny dining plate set, palayok and a doll or two. Now, my kids have toys that occupy a part of their rooms. Take note that we didn't buy all these stuff, it came as gifts from relatives and friends. Then add to that, are the electronic gadgets like Nintendo DS, personal computers and Game Cube. My daughter even asked if we can get her a PS3 for Christmas. (By the way, the answer was a big 'no'.) I'm just glad that even though they have all these stuff, they still enjoy reading. They're really not into TV, unlike me. As long as they get straight A's then their 'privileges' won't be revoked.

I don't know about your kids but when my kids tell me that they want to help out in doing the yard work, I don't expect much from it. I know they mean well but I usually end up by myself after 15 minutes or shorter than that for my 4 year old. Spring is definitely in the air, here I am thinking of how to spruce up the yard. I know, spring started last month but here in the northeast, it was still freezing a couple of days ago. I need to go get some annuals to plant in our front yard. It gets expensive, buying these annual flowers every year but it gives color to the yard. When we moved in years ago, I wanted to plant some dogwood trees but our neighbor beat us to it. No problem though because they planted two trees beside our yard so we get to appreciate it for free. Back to the kids, I bought them their own garden gloves to use in planting and yard work. My son enjoys watering the plants, as long as it has something to do with water, he's there. My daughter is getting good at helping me plant the seedlings. Dh mows the lawn although I do it sometimes. We have an electric rechargeable lawn mower so it is very light, no fumes and a breeze to use. So that's what our weekend is going to be for the next couple of month. How about yours, does it involve gardening?

I had an unusually busy weekend. I spent Saturday prepping the ingredients for Sunday and cleaning up the house. Good thing I didn't have to do much since I started getting organized a month ago and de-cluttering around the house. Do I sound like Peter from Oprah and Friends radio? LOL I made Hoisin Roast Pork, Fresh Lumpia, Arroz con Pollo and Maple-Lemon baked Salmon. Watch out for these recipes in my food blog.

My friend from Maryland is visiting the Cape with her family so I invited them over for dinner. The last time I saw her was 5 years ago. We went to Washington, DC for the weekend at attended her son's baptism wherein I was one of the Godmother. My good friend Lanie and family also came over yesterday although Mira wasn't able to make it. My son and Andrew (Lanie's son) enjoyed the company of our visitors since they're all boys. My daughter meanwhile, kept to herself most of the time with Andrew keeping her company once in a while. Andrew introduced her to this online game called Runescape and showed her how to play it. All in all, it was a fun day albeit a tiring weekend for me. How was yours?

Aside from Christmas and Halloween, Easter is another holiday that is my kid's favorite. I'm sure they're not alone, almost every child loves Easter because of the egg hunt. Every year, we celebrate Easter with a family dinner and an egg hunt afterwards. My kids also bring goodie bags to school for their classmates. These goodie bags are filled with treats like small toys, pencils, eraser and candies from haribo sweets. So what is haribo sweets? Well, it's an online store where you can purchase candies in bulk. Can you imagine shopping for candies online? It is FUN! They have many candy brands in stock plus if you are looking for sugar-free candies, this store has it too. Buying candies online is convenient and cheaper if you are a busy mom or your organization are having a fundraiser or giveaways. This is ideal for church groups, school fundraising, corporate gifts and other groups. If you have a sweet tooth, then this is the way to go too. You can get anything from this store with no minimum purchase. This online store carry about 2000 different brands of candies and chocolates. Looking to purchase Jelly Belly beans? They have it plus you can choose the flavors or you can get it mixed. Got a craving for cotton candy? No need to look for a county fair, you can get tubs of cotton candy from this store. Shopping here is easy. You can choose to shop by candy popularity, occasion or category among others. If you are buying for a business, organization or just for your family, Haribo sweets is the way to go.

This special day was on my daughter's First Holy Communion two years ago. My father-in-law was so happy and proud during this day because among their grandkids, only my kids are being raised Catholic.
This next special day was during my son's Baptism. He was baptized when he was 1 year old because I wanted for my mom who lives in California to be present. My father-in-law, in the foreground, is one of the Godparents along with Lanie and my brother-in-law. You can see me somewhere in the photo, I look bloated. LOL I should've taken some diet pills.