I need at least 5 extra hours in a day during this Christmas season. Really! I'm sure other moms out there feel the same way. Aside from maintaining the household and paying bills and searching online for cheap auto insurance companies (since the rates here in the state where I live is horrendous!), there are the kids' school and extra-curricular activities too! I'm still not finished with my Christmas shopping. ugh... Breathe.. That's what I need to do right now. I'm sure I'll get everything done sooner or later. Well, I hope it's sooner, don't you?
It has only been 3 months into the school year when we heard that my daughter's science teacher and the 8th grade's homeroom adviser is quitting. What a surprise! It's sudden and from what I've heard is that she is a new grandmother. Taking care of your grandchild is a good enough reason to retire, especially with the high cost of child care. Now, the new science teacher is a man who likes to wear bow ties. He reminds me of a professor in the Harry Potter movies since he also likes to wear scarves. He was a high school teacher and when he retired from teaching, he was a teacher in a Catholic school too. I hope he is as good as he is on paper. My daughter is in Middle school and she needs a very good foundation in the sciences to succeed in high school.
Okay, Thanksgiving just passed and so far so good. No major weight gain to report. Yes! But it is just the start of the holiday season so no reason to celebrate yet, it is too early. The key is moderation, try a little bit of everything but not too much! Or else, you'd be searching how to lose weight fast in Google. hahaha
If you are a parent, then I'm sure you experienced a time when one child becomes picky with food.
Another year, another Thanksgiving has passed. This was my Thanksgiving table this year. Doesn't it feel 'fallish'? :) I purchased those leaf placemats at Walmart, it's on sale too. Yay! I made a traditional Thanksgiving feast, roast brined turkey plus all the trimmings. And yes, I made my own jellied cranberry, not from the can, thank you.
And it did! I thought that I lost half of my pair of diamond stud earrings. I scoured the bathroom floor and bath mats but no cigar. I carefully looked on the bed and under the sheets, nada. I carefully patted the carpet beside my bed, nothing. I swept the kitchen and dining room wood floor, zilch. I concluded that it is gone forever. I asked dh to give me a new pair of diamond earrings for my birthday, to replace the old one that was lost. Good thing I decided to wait and did not purchase the cute pair I saw in the mall because dh found it on the carpet in the computer room! How did it get there? duh! This was after it had been missing for more than a month. I've vacuumed that room and didn't see anything. He said that it was lodged in the corner of the table legs. *sigh* Thank goodness.
Have you tried teaching an 11-year old good eating habits? I think it is harder than pulling teeth, so to speak. Do kids these age try their best not to eat healthy foods? Daughter A loved fruits when she was younger but nowadays, she cringe when I tell her to have some fruit. She eats oranges and grapes and an occasional apple; but whenever she complains that she is hungry and is rummaging in the pantry, she does not want to eat fruits. She'd rather have some kind of cracker or pretzel or even some cereal bar. I hope she gets out of this crazy eating stage, or else she will be like some people who rely on diet pills to keep their weight down.
I know parents cringe if someone suggests that they favor one child over the other. But is there some truth to it? There are some days when I find myself comparing my two children. I did not want to admit it and I still don't but sometimes, I feel closer to one than the other. Could it be because of personalities? It is not that I love one more, because I know that I love them both the same; they came from my body after all. I don't know how to explain it, it's just a feeling. I still remember my sister complaining that I am my father's favorite. I don't want my kids to ever think that I favor one. :\
She is in the tween stage. The awkward stage in life where she is not a child anymore yet she is not yet a teenager. I remember when I was at this age, it was hard to buy clothes for special occasions. I was too old to wear ruffles yet too young to wear young ladies' dresses. Now, she is starting to get pimples. I have started her on Mario Badescu products. I also want to try natural acne products. It is pricey compared to the products sold in the corner drugstore but it is well worth it.
Isn't it true? The older the child is, the more expensive the gift that they want. My eldest is now 11 and will turn 12 early next year. She is not into 'toys' anymore. She mentioned that she wants either a cell phone or an IPod touch for Christmas, maybe a game or two for the DSi and the Wii. It is getting harder to shop for her, and let's not even talk about clothes. Dh feels we are lucky that she is not into shopping while I, on the other hand, kind of wishes she is. It would've been nice to go shopping with her.
Have you RSVP'd to this event yet? *grin* Hmm, I do not know yet if I will be one of the crazy many to go out that day. Standing in line does not seem too appealing. I still have to make up a gift list for the family. It seems like it is getting harder to think of gifts for children the older they get, doesn't it? Then there is the Christmas stocking. I hope there are nice stocking stuffers for women this year. Getting a surprise gift is nice only if you like the gift but what if you don't care for it? You don't want to offend the giver so you just grin and smile and say 'thank you'. :)
I want to see it, my 11-year old daughter hardly cares for it. :\ Oh well, I'll just have to wait till it comes out on DVD...I think. But if I consider how much it'll cost the four of us to go to the movies, then it will be easier for me to wait that long to see it. I haven't read any of the books, don't know why considering I was a bookworm.
Do you agree when I say that it is a lot of work? Reading all the information about different health benefit options is enough to give me a headache warranting a couple of Tylenol capsules. I hope it is as easy as choosing what ice cream flavor to order (or maybe not!) Then there are more options to consider like getting extra life insurance, dental insurance and even disability insurance. This is very important because it is not easy sometimes to get a disability insurance on your own. The good news is that there are companies that will help you get this kind of insurance. This is good to know, it'll help when you have people on your side that knows the ins and outs of disability insurance.
If you ask me, I would rather read a thick paperback novel than going through the annual health enrollment form.
Boy, her feet grows longer each day! I had to get her a new pair of boots this year. Her old boots, a classic Ugg does not fit anymore. At least, she was able to use it for two years. This new pair I got for her is the Bailey Triple Button in chocolate. I like this style, she can wear it folded like the photo or pulled up. The Ugg boots are very comfortable, you won't trip over stair rods or slip on icy sidewalks. I hope she gets to use it for a couple of years. Well, since we're almost the same shoe size, I'll be able to borrow it from her and she can borrow mine.
Hmm, is the answer 'not fast enough"? I hear you. Mine is just a tween but she is already driving me crazy. I just have to remind myself that her brain neurons are not yet wired completely, hence the attitude. I find myself saying the same things over and over again every single day. I should get a voice recorder and just play it whenever the time calls for it. It'll save me effort yaking. yak yak yak. ha ha I wonder if boys this age are the same?
Now that your kids are in school full time, what is there to do? That is a good question. For me, I find things to do around the house and I also volunteer at the kids' school. I noticed that private schools are more open to parent volunteers than public schools. I don't know why. Does anyone know?
Meet my new notebook. Actually, I've had it for about two months now. It is a Dell XPS 17. Love Love Love it! This replaces my old (but still reliable and a powerhorse) XPS M1210. It has an Intel Quad processor (of course, I need to patronize our own) and loads of RAM so it is super fast. I can have many windows and applications open and it doesn't slow down to a crawl like most notebooks. Since it costs an arm and a leg, I also purchased the laptop insurance, just enough to cover the major parts like the hard drive, monitor, motherboard and other expensive parts. I have to admit, I am a techie through and through.; much more than dh is, believe it or not!
Do you know that there are some stores tomorrow that is having a big sale just like the famous Black Friday sales? I heard it on the news. One of the stores is Target and other big stores too. I think Macy's is included. One store started it and when the other merchandisers heard about it, they joined the bandwagon. This is good news for us, consumers, isnt' it? I think I will be at Kohl's tomorrow, right after dropping the kids off to school. I am going to a party on Saturday night and I still don't have anything to wear!
Yet here we are with our dog, Cooper and his Halloween costume! He is dressed up as the horse of the Headless Horseman from the Sleepy Hollow story.
I know, Christmas is a couple of months away and we still have to celebrate Thanksgiving but it is not too early to make a list, right? It seems that the older the kids get, the harder it is to figure out what to give them for special occasions like Christmas. Kids nowadays are into 'techy' stuff. They listen to music on their IPods, play games on their DSi, Wii or XBox. Now, if they already have these gadgets, like the XBox console, then one gift could be any game that can be played that is compatible with the XBox. I also saw this commercial about the new xbox kinect. Have you heard of this? So what is the difference with Kinect games? Well, Kinect games give you the freedom to jump, duck, and spin your way through a unique adventure without holding a remote. It sounds fun, doesn't it? I read that it wtill be one of the most sought after gifts this holiday season. I have the feeling that a lot of parents will be lining up outside the stores just to get their hands on this game. Will you be one of them? I know I wont!
I was in the mall this weekend and I heard a familiar sound. Bells. Not just any bells, it's the ringing bells of the Salvation Army kettle person (is that what you call them?). Hey, I'm not done with Halloween yet! What is going on? I've seen Christmas decorations and christmas gift boxes being sold in a store a week or so ago. This is getting ridiculuous, isn't it? If I remember correctly, after Halloween comes Thanksgiving THEN Christmas. Retailers are trying to cash in but is anyone buying? Not me, for sure. I want to enjoy Autumn first and not to mention, the roast turkey, graving and stuffing before I start thinking of the Christmas holidays. HO HO HO
I feel so tired lately. No matter how much sleep I get at night, I still feel as if it is not enough. Usually, I wake up before 5AM but nowadays when the alarm goes off, I turn it off and stay in bed. It's not as if I have a hard time going to sleep and need some sleeping pills. It's very easy for me to go to sleep, it's the waking up part that is hard. It doesn't help that it's cold in the morning too now that it's Fall.
I've just had a lot of long days. What with the kids' school activities and extra-curricular activities, coupled that with school parent meetings - I am so tired.
So, this weekend, I plan to just stay in bed for an extra couple of hours and hopefully I will feel recharged next week.
My daughter is now a 'tween' and I am trying to instill in her proper eating habits. Yeah, right! At this stage, they want to eat junk foods for snack. I don't want her to find herself at a weight that she is not happy about. I don't want her to have an eating disorder either and end up looking for all natural diet pills just to lose that extra weight.
There's always bad news about kids being abducted out of their own homes or picked up from their own street while playing. It is very scary! I have two small kids, well, one is not so small since she's as tall as me! You always think that you're glad it's not your kids, right? But of course, in the back of our minds, there's always this fear that something bad will happen to them. I just pray about it.
I'm happy to say that I live in a nice and safe neighborhood. It is one of the things we looked into when we were looking around for a house. We don't want a door that is filled with door locks from top to bottom and bars on the windows. We want a neighborhood where you don't have the fear of your house getting broken into when you're sleeping or out to work. I feel lucky that we have the means to give our kids a safe neighborhood to grow up in. I cannot imagine living in a place where the crime rate is very high, that would be awful.
Last Winter break, we went to Disney World for the first time as a family. I've been there many years ago but that was when I was still single. Now that I'm married, we waited until our son is tall enough to ride most of the attractions. It was a fun yet chilly week! Who would've thought that Orlando will be experiencing that kind of weather?
Now, who's not going to fall in love with this fluffy marshmallow of a dog? He is so lovable and sweet...but he does get into trouble once in a while. Is this normal for a puppy? He likes to chew on socks, shoes and *gasp* furnitures!
My kids' school merged with another Catholic school and will now be under the Diocese. It's good news in my opinion since it means that there will be more money spent on each kid. When it was still under the Parish, the school depended on the extra money from the Parish; now that it's under the Diocese, I am hoping it'll mean more money for the school.
Okay, I really need an exercise partner. Someone who is in the same boat as I am, wanting to shed those extra pounds, and someone who doesn't talk too much. You know what I mean, there are people who likes to talk and talk and talk, you can barely get one word in. We have a treadmill in the basement along with a weight machine and some Total Body thingy that dh bought. It would be nice if we can get an elliptical machine. I saw those ellipticals at a TV ad for a local gym. I wonder if it's more effective than the treadmill? The ad say that it is but of course, all ads will say anything for you to buy their product. After this trip to Manila, I am seriously considering getting back on the wagon, so to speak. I fell off the wagon when we had our vacation to Disney World this last Winter Break. I hope I'll get that extra push that I need to jumpstart my derailed exercise regimen.
For the second time in less than a year, I am going back to the Philippines on a sad note. It would've been nice if I was going on vacation, sadly, it is not the case. My only brother was murdered along with his girlfriend. They were taken from his apartment and brought to a remote place and were shot and stabbed to death. I pray to God that the perpetrators of this heinous crime be brought to justice.
Now, I am here in the Los Angeles International Airport waiting for my flight to the Philippines tonite.
Compared to the airport in Boston, there are a lot of police presence here in Losd Angeles. I see a lot of them with high-powered firearms on their shoulder. It's kind of creepy but it gives me the sense of security at the same time. After the 911 incident with the box cutter, airport security has never been tighter.
The dryer, that is. We've had that dryer forever. Actually, dh owned it even before we met! That's a long time ago considering we've been married for more than 10 years. We've been meaning to replace it but other appliances had to be replaced first because it stopped working, like the free-standing stove/oven and the fridge. Now, two years later, the dryer finally croaked. I was hoping we'd see some promotional products so at least we'll get a discount. Well, we got a 10% discount for purchasing the matching washer since it has the energy star seal. Too bad the dryer wasn't discounted - no dryer has received the energy star rating yet. So, now, I'm using my new washer and dryer and am loving it!
Well, at least he uses the wee-wee pad now. It took him three weeks to learn where to relieve himself. I thought my house will smell like a kennel before he learns but I'm so happy that he is a smart puppy! It also helped that he gets a treat everytime the goes to the bathroom. I'm still trying to figure out how much to feed him. He is not a big eater so that is a good thing, or else I'll have to look for diet pills that work for dogs! Just kidding! He is such a sweet puppy though, we're glad that we chose him.
Do I have to? Well, yes, I've got no choice! I wish I have help, just thinking of it makes me lazy. Every year, I wonder where I should start. Should I start with the clothes? clean the windows? change the humidifier filters before storing it in the attic? oh, and the garden! the vegetable and the flower garden...Hmm, I guess this year, I will start with the windows. It is a pain but someone's got to do it.
Yes he is.. His name is Cooper, it is his 'original name' and the kids liked it so we decided to keep his name. He is a pure bred Bichon Frise and he comes from a line of champions. Quite a pedigree! We have the house all ready for him, this is just like making the house baby proof! Although this time, we have to make sure there are no wires hanging about. Good thing we don't have any medical equipment in the house, less wires to deal with. We also bought his food, he eats Avoderm all-natural puppy food; toys, and other stuff. He is coming in tonite via American Airlines. I hope there are no delays in his flight. He will be the kids' first dog and they are excited to meet him. I received a call from Cooper's breeder this morning and she gave me her phone number and email address just in case we have any questions regarding Cooper. I'm so glad that he comes from a good home, then he won't have trouble adjusting to ours.
I believe that young kids can be taught to clean their rooms. Depending on their age, it can range from picking up toys and putting it back in its' right place to vacuuming their room and changing bed sheets. I also let T, who will turn 6 years old this summer, into dusting tables and entertainment centers. He wanted to vacuum too but he could not finish the whole room, he gets tired just after a couple of passes. Well, at least he's trying to do it, that's what counts the most.
Can you honestly say that you are ready for any unforseen circumstances? It is a hard question to answer. That's the reason why there is insurance. Also, a part of our paychecks go to the government for medicaid and social security disability. It's a big deduction but I can sleep better (a little bit) knowing that there is something that we will receive if ever that time comes.
It feels bad when you lose anything and it feels really bad when it is something that you treasure. Well, I feel really, really bad! I lost a diamond earring! I just noticed it the other night when I felt my left earlobe...nothing in there! Drats... I swept the floor with a broom (like the ones used in the Philippines - yes, I have that LOL) and didn't find it! *sigh* I've had that diamond earring before T was born. Dh told me that if we couldn't find it this weekend, he'll get me a new pair. I hope I can find something similar at a reasonable price so I don't have to wait for Cyber Monday to get a good deal.
When we drove to Orlando, Florida last month to go to Disney World for the kids' Winter break, the kids didn't drive us crazy..thank goodness! We made sure that they have their individual Nintendo DSi, their favorite books, her IPOD, his favorite Webkinz stuffed toys PLUS the most important thing during our trip - the SUV's built-in DVD and entertainment center! Lucky me, dh drove 99%. I only drove for an hour and a half - just one time - during our vacation. We are also thankful that we didn't have to use roadside assistance at all. We have the AAA Premium membership so even if we had engine troubles, we don't have to pay for towing and such.
This past Winter break, we brought the kids to Disney World for the first time. They had been to many countries in Europe, but they have yet to go to the 'happiest place on earth'. It's by choice, we wanted to wait until our boy is tall enough to get into most of the rides, and we were glad that we waited. He had a great time all in all! We opted to drive down to Florida since we wanted to visit some friends and relatives along the way. It is very expensive too, to stay inside Disney World. We stayed at the Disney Wilderness Lodge Resort and it was WOW!! The lobby is just breath taking and well-worth the visit. For our week-long stay, inclusive of 5 park tickets, we paid a pretty sum for everything. Good thing we saved for this trip - by cutting back on eating out, for one and by getting cheap car insurance. Will we go back? Hmmm, I think not. Not because we didn't enjoy it but because we are the kind of family who likes to go to new places each time. Well, with the exception of some cities in Europe, we want to go somewhere else next vacation.
I always see those weight loss commercials everyday. They have people's testimonies, that they loss a certain number of pounds just by taking this certain pill or food substitute. I always look at these with skepticism. One should not believe these commercials, or at least take it with a grain of salt. I would rather believe the weight loss success stories of people I know or hear it from friends of friends. I know of one fool proof way of losing weight and it is less calorie in and lots of exercise!
It's Winter Break for the kids and we are spending a week at Disney World. This is their first visit and they are enjoying every minute! We got a package and are staying at the Disney Wilderness Lodge - the lobby is breath-taking! It is so beautiful, rustic yet elegant and huge! The food at the restaurants are very good, I'll probably have to go on a quick weight loss diet when we get back home next week.
quick weight loss diet
At 11 years old, A's feet is already 5 1/2 inches!! I'm petite but I have a big feet at 7 1/2 inches. Now, A is almost as tall as I am, I am only taller by less than an inch. I'm glad that she is going to be taller than me and that she took after her dad. I cannot wait though when she can wear my shoes, I have a lot of pairs that she can choose from. I know that her feet is going to grow longer than my size so I am not going to buy her expensive shoes like a pair of Stuart Weitzman until I know that her feet has reached its' maximum size.
I finally got it! I'm the last one in my family to get this H1N1 shot. I was supposed to get it the same time as dh but I remembered they said that you need at least a month between the time you got your regular flu shot and this Swine flu shot, so I had to wait. Good thing I did because I was able to get it from my primary care doctor's office and this will be covered by my insurance. Dh meanwhile got it from Walgreens and he was told that it wasn't covered by insurance. (?) The kids already got theirs, but they had the nasal spray type which of course made my daughter very happy! If you are interested in getting this kind of flu shot, you can go to Google and search for clinics in your area. That's why I love Google, you can search for almost anything, even for auto insurance quote.
Being a stay-at-home mom, there are a lot of times wherein I feel that I'm in that movie with Bill Murray - Ground Hog Day. The one where the same thing happens over and over again. I know I am lucky that I get to stay home and be a full-time mom and just take care of the kids and the household. Sometimes though, it gets boring doing the same thing each day and each week. Tomorrow is the actual 'Ground Hog Day', I hope there won't be six more weeks of winter! It has been too cold!! I'm looking forward to spring, plant some bulbs, clean out the flower gardens and replace sprinkler parts like spring plungers .
Bone-chilling cold! It is today! Brrrrrrrrrr...... This is the coldest day of the year so far. It is only 14 degrees Fahrenheit - that is below the freaking zero! It's so hard to believe because just two days ago, we had a heatwave. Temps rose to almost 50 degrees but now this... Thank goodness for central heat. Living in this part of the country, having the furnace filter well-maintained is very important.
I blogged about seeing some lines aka wrinkles some time ago and apparently, dh read that post. He commented yesterday that he too needs to find the best anti wrinkle cream that is also not hard on the pocket. Even men need to take care of their skin, well, probably dh and some men and those who fall into the 'metrosexual' category. Dh isn't one, he doesn't get manicures or stuff like that. LOL He looks great for his age though, you wouldn't think he's almost half-a-century in age come later this year. :o)
Like some women out there, I want to lose some weight. Now that I'm in my 40's, I find it difficult to take off extra pounds. Of course, there's the daily exercise which I now get, thanks to EA Sports Active (which I love, love, love!). Now comes the question, should I go on a 'restrictive diet'? I haven't tried any diets so I have no idea which works. I heard of the Atkins diet (kind of scary considering you eat a lot of meat, fat and no carbs) then there's the low-fat diet, the Zone diet, the South Beach diet, the Cookie diet (now this one sounds yummy to me!!) and Nutrisystem. I've been reading a lot of reviews online, including the nutrisystem reviews and it does get confusing!
So for now, I'll keep on my exercise regimen and try to stay off the Haagen Dazs.
When you're a mom or a dad, there are a lot of times where you feel like you are a doctor, and I'm using that term loosely. Kids always go to mommy or daddy when they get hurt or are feeling bad. Being a parent, you need to be ready and on your toes with a bag full of Band-aids, ointments and over-the-counter medicines, maybe even one for hemorrhoid pain relief. But for those times where you have no idea on what to do, is it advisable to go online and 'google' the symptoms and cure? Or should you call the pediatrician's after-hours number and ask?
Oh well, looking at the bright side, it isn't THAT bad! It comes with the territory, I am 44 years old after all. I'll just have to start using an eye cream, not just any regular eye cream, mind you. I want to use the best eye cream that my pocket can afford. I'm going to start at the Good Housekeeping website or some similar sites where they have comparisons of different brands and prices. I believe it's better to start early than wait until I'm in my 60's to slather on this anti-ageing products.
I always get into this dilema every Christmas and birthdays of my in-laws. What presents do we give them when they have almost everything? These past couple of years, we've been giving them photos, albums and calendars. Now, I want to do something different; no, I'm not thinking of photo mugs since they have a cupboard-full of them. I'l actually thinking of giving them something to use with their laptops. I saw these custom mouse pads where you upload a photo and they will print it on a mouse pad. After all, it's the thought that counts, right?
I've been patiently waiting for Spring! It is just too cold this winter and there is too much snow. Well, here in this pic, there's just little but we've had it as high as 16inches. Dh didn't bother to bring in the patio chairs but he did put the outdoor cushions in the attic and the patio umbrella in the basement.
Sometimes, when I have a lull in my day, I would go online and do job searches. I just like to see what jobs are available for someone with my qualifications. It is good to know that there are jobs available if ever I want to go back to the workforce. Thanks to the internet, it is definitely more convenient for someone to look for jobs. There are many websites like Monster.com - for all sorts of job openings or www.consonus.com for IT jobs. As for now, I need to concentrate on raising my kids and running our household.
I swear, health insurance is getting expensive each year. It would be good if the benefits also increased with the price but it seems that you're getting less for what you pay for. This year, we have to use a health savings account where all medical expenses get deducted. When that's all used up, we have to pay it ourselves. I hope and pray that we don't use it all up, so we need to stay healthy and just hope for the best.
In my household, it's in the family room. That's where we have what we want to call our 'home theater'. But we don't use the surround sound with the Wii, it's going to give me a headache for sure! During football Sundays though, dh gets the TV for the whole afternoon, so no Wii for the duration of the day. The kids mostly play the Wii after school so there's usually no problems with that. I don't like to put the Wii in any of the kids' room since dh and I also use it for exercise and some games like Wii Sports and Golf.
My baby girl A turned 11 years old yesterday!! She is now officially a TWEEN! *shudder* She's already been exhibiting tween symptoms for a year now and I know my white hair has been sprouting faster! LOL Pretty soon, before I know it, she'll be starting Driver's Ed! I don't want to think about the car insurance when she starts driving! It'll probably go up the roof!
When do you start planning for your summer vacation? Well, for me, it depends on where we are going. I planned our Europe trip a year before hand. The hotels in some of the cities we went to, like Venice, Rome, Florence and Wengen in Switzerland gets filled fast so I had to make a reservation a year earlier. Can you believe that? Well, if you want to get your room choice, you have to do it but if it's okay for you to sleep in the attic, then you can wait until the last minute. :o)
Anyway, this year, we will be staying close to home. I don't know where to go, maybe somewhere in Maine. We could rent an RV but I don't know if AAA provides rv towing, I have the gold premium membership so I know there's no mile limit to the towing. Well, it's definitely one thing to think about. It would be so nice to finally go camping with my friends and their families.
Posts
