Oh my gulay!

The gulay craze is the thing in our house today. Why? Because this is Zye's favorite commercial. Apparently, our son doesn't dig cartoons. I don't know why but he is more into game shows and commercials. His favorite game show is Game Ka na Ba? and his most adored TV ad is the meaty ginisa of Knorr. I can just see Zye waving his hands at the mere start of the chorus.

"Makulay ang buhay...Makulay ang buhay sa meaty ginisang gulay!"
Everybody dance now!!!

Of types and kind

In our journey as new parents, we have to assess ourselves well and determine what kind of parent we ought to be.

Should we be strict parents? Strict to the point of having your kid fear you? Strict that only your voice is heard and nobody else's opinion matter once your decision is made? Tough call. But for sure we don't want to be that strict a parent. We don't want our son fearing us. We want him to respect us as his parents, and learn the value of following our rules because he believes we know what's best for him.

Should we be the very kind ones who'd let their kid do whatever they wish to do? Be their bestfriend that sometimes there is no more line that distinguishes you as the parent? Of course we don't want to be too nice. They may end up not listening to you. They may have a bestfriend but there is that chance that they may no longer see you as the authority that you ought to be. We don't want to take that chance.

So what kind of parents are we? The strict bestfriend we suppose. We are trying to be that parent in the middle. One who builds enough trust by letting our son feel that we are always there to support him but letting him feel as well that when he does something wrong we won't tolerate it. We cuddle him, we play with him, we make him feel our love in every way possible. Yet we correct him as early as now by saying "NO" whenever it is needed.

There is no particular handbook on how to become a great parent. And you will only know you are a good one in how your kid is living his life. We are no perfect parents and we will never be one that's for sure. We just want to be the kind of parent that our son needs us to be.

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This is my official entry to the Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival 6th Edition hosted by Angel.

Getting to know you

Tagged by Carla. (sorry it took awhile, sis)

The rules are simple. At the end of the post, the player tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What was I doing 10 years ago?
* Studying. Busy with college life

What are the 5 things on my to-do list today?
* 1. blog
2. pay bills
3. photocopy fliers
4. e-mail a few people
5. digiscrap

Snacks I enjoy:
* Tempura crackers (currently our obsession), french fries, ice cream

Place where I lived:
* Pasig. Still living here...

Things I’d do if I were a billionaire:
* 1. Buy a house and a complete educational plan for our son
2. Invest money on good business
3. Travel with our families (sarap nun!!!!)
4. Buy musical instruments for the church
5. Madami pang iba.....hehehe

I'm tagging: Teena, Rocks, Eds, jade, kathycot, Trinity.

Mother

Wipe the tears
there is no room for hurt
Your heart
expands itself to love
beyond

Your arms are warm
a blanket of comfort
A bridge that extends
reaches out to everyone

You believe always
because in you there is hope
Possibility is never far
you made me realize
my own dreams

Today, I pray well
that my heart
will beat like yours
and be the light
that you have been for me.


-Jdd 07.28.08-
*****************
For my mom, as she
celebrates her day
tomorrow.

We love you!

When angels mind your business

Getting into business can be really tough. I should know because my husband and I are budding entrepreneurs. Sometimes, no matter how innovative your product is, your finances can keep you from earning as much.

How I actually wish that someone would knock at our doorstep and venture capital into our business. There are days when the product cannot reach its potential because there is not enough funding. If only heaven can send an angel investor that could help us out fulfill our dreams.

Luckily for me, my hours in front of the computer has actually paid of. I stumbled on Go Big Network and learned that I can go looking for people who believe in our products and are willing to fund our business. Three cheers for technology! The future of our business is getting clear. Now, finding angel investors is just a click away.

Is that good news or what?

The week that was

I can't believe that it's Friday once again. It is only now that I remembered I haven't written anything here and haven't even done my tag (Sorry...)

I've been busy preparing presentations for prospective clients as well as fliers and calling cards as well. I've been updating our multiply site and answering e-mails at the same time plus chatting with old friends. That is of course on top of taking care of my son and the other errands that I need to attend to. (READ: Paying bills...plenty of it!)

Our son will be spending one week at my parents house, without us. So that may sound as a non-toxic week and it means I may have more time to finish all my tasks.

But it won't be the same. *SIGH*

Missing Zye already.

My Hero

I have been waiting for July 17, 2008 because it's the return of my favorite superhero. The Dark Knight is here to save the day once more.

I LOVE BATMAN. I chose him over Superman because he lives not on extraordinary strength. He tries to make a difference by using his resources, translating them into high technology gadgets that can be used to win over the evil of society.

So last night, hubby and I made a date with the Cape Crusader. The movie had a great twist in it, surprising you every now and then with the turn of events. The city's view isn't as gloomy as the past Batman movies but the Joker (played by Heath Ledger) was a character on its own. His presence will make you shiver a bit. Maybe it's his very weird sense of humor and his freaky face that is distrubing. But his idea of what the world is, makes you want to say that he knows more than you think he does.

Maggie Gyllenhaal fits the personality of Rachel Dawes more perfectly than Katie Holmes in the last sequel. Aaron Eckhart did a splendid job as the new D.A. of Gotham City who, in the end, turned out to be a character as well (I will not tell who for the benefit of those who haven't watched it).

How did Christian Bale fair this time? Pretty much the same: quite the conceited Bruce Wayne (compared to how Bruce was presented in the past films) but the confused hero of the town. Among all those who portrayed Batman, I think Bale is the one that best fits. Before, it was Keaton for me. Now, I'd have to change my preferences to Bale.

Was it a happy ending? There are no such thing as happy endings for superhero movies. Why? Because inspite of them not wanting to be a hero anymore, they are confronted with the choice of not having to choose for their sake but for others. At the end of the day, you still do what's best for most of the people. You never get to do what's best for you.

And that would only mean more Batman movies to look forward to.

TO THE BATCAVE!

Ooopps....they did it again!

Yes. This is the fourth time that I caught them. I still can't believe it. I'm not sure how it happened but it did.

When health becomes wealth

Literally, health is my source of wealth nowadays. Our baby business is flourishing slowly yet surely. The great thing is that I somehow extend a little help to those who needs to have their health improved or at least have their energies boosted.

The secret is compact in a little, green strip while the packaging is (funny as it may seem but it is true) in a pad.

You may want to check out what I'm talking about in our other site. Feel free to message me though, in case I got you thinking.

Surprise

My dad had 3 boxes shipped and sent to us. All along I thought that those were his stuff (he is an OFW) until Sunday when he went to our house to open the boxes.

One box was for Zye. It was suppose to be a birthday present but because of my Dad's excitement, he didn't want to wait for Zye's first birthday anymore. The gift? A battery-operated bike! Hubby assembled the bike while I tested it. I think I enjoyed it more the my son did, hahaha!

The Assembly

The Finished product

The giver and the receiver

The happy biker boy

Thank you Lolo Daduds!!!!!

Blog experiment

Tagged by Pat.

Participants:
1. Me and Mine 2. Creative In Me 3. Little Peanut 4. Pea in a Pod 5. Sugar Magnolias 6. The Salad Caper 7. All Kinds of Me Stuff 8. Aggie Scraps 9. Winding Creek Circle 10. Mommy Talks 11. Fun Fierce Fabulous 12. Me, Myself + 2 13. Confessions of a Supermodel Wannabe 14. My Precious Nice 15. Just Me.. Eds 16. Eds Mommy Life 17. Jean’s Live it Up… 18. My Simple Joys 19. My life is Peachy 20. Mommy Talks. 21.My Colorful World 22.Changing Lanes 23.Pit Stop 24. Shopaholic Ties the Knot 25. Jown's Brewery 26. The Adventures of Dong and Jing

RULES:1. Add your blog/s to the list. Feel free to add all your other blogs. It’s okey if you only post this questions in one blog as long as you answer them.2. Get back to Me {YEN} and I’ll add your blogs to the master’s list here!3. Tag as many friends online you know. But you don’t need to be tag in order to join.

QUESTIONS:
1. I posted this experiment at URL: http://frappucinojown.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-experiment.html
2. I posted this on date (day, month, year): 16 July 2008
3. I posted this at time (24 hour time): 1200 hours
4. My posting location is (city, state, country): Pasig City, Philippines
5. My blog is hosted by: blogger
6. My age is: 30
7. My gender is: Female
8. My occupation is: to take care of my hubby and son
9. I use the following RSS/Atom reader software: oopps..not sure
10. I use the blog format to post to my blog: blogger
11. I have been blogging since (day, month, year): February 2005
12. My web browser is: IE
13. My operating system is: Windows XP

Tagging Jacque and Joanne.

Wishlist #4

Second honey is what I have in mind with this wishlist. Another place that I would definitely want to visit is UK. For me, it’s a place that’s just so rich in culture, history and the place just seem to flow with sophistication (that I’m hoping someday, I might have!) I can just imagine viewing the wonderful Palace of Westminster. That would be one of my best days. So now, here I am, figuring out our budget and how I can actually fit this UK travel. And I believe I will get this wish out of my list and into reality because I was able to find cheap hotels in UK .

Yes, you read it right. At first I can’t even believe it myself. I was surfing and looking for London Hotels and I saw a lot of affordable ones that are really lovely. I remembered that my husband has an aunt in Manchester so I looked for Manchester Hotels as well because we'll probably stay for a couple of days.

Our UK itinerary is almost packed. I almost forgot to look for Edinburgh Hotels. I most certainly wouldn't want to miss the majestic Edinburgh Castle. And I would really love to get a snapshot of that one.

The dream is just a click away for me. Schedule shouldn't be a problem because I can find the hotel that I want at the price that I can afford anytime,anywhere.

UK here I come!

Friday's Feast 196

Appetizer
When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?
Wow! I can't even remember. I think about three months ago.

Soup
Name one thing you miss about being a child.
The simplicity of life.
Salad
Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.
Hmm..butter.

Main Course
If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?
French. It sounds romantic and sophisticated.

Dessert
Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…
An owner of a well-established business.

Heart's desire

THIS IS MY ENTRY TO THE 5TH EDITION OF PINOY PARENTING BLOG CARNIVAL HOSTED BY Guardian Angel. I can't help myself getting teary-eyed while writing this post. Thank you for the invitation to write once more for PPBC.

*************************

Everyday, I ask myself, what the future holds for my son. I guess I speak for all the parents out there who is yet to see their kid grow to become the person that they will be.

So how do we actually mold them to be great persons? How do we see them 20 years from now? Will my son become a doctor or would he rather be an engineer and build the world's finest buildings? Should we let our kid choose their path to success or must we lead them to the path that we think is best for them?

Whenever I see the world as it is -- cynical, competitive, deceiving, fast-paced, sometimes to the extent of non-caring -- I fear about how my son will face the cruelties that life can bring. It is that fear that I somehow bring different ideas in mind on how I should raise up my son, what to teach him, what he should do, what he should be when he grows up.

I want him to have the best education and be really good in school. I want him to be able to finish college and get a degree that his generation will need. An engineer perhaps, or a computer professional who can work his way up to the corporate ladder. I want him to excel as well in sports. It may be his ticket to fame and his assurance of financial freedom. I want him on top of all things to be active in church and find the ministry to which he can be of service to God.

The thing is, those are the things I WANT.....

And as much as I want all of those for him, I realized that above everything else, I WANT my son to be HAPPY. Which leads me to the realization that his dreams must be set on his own terms, his own will.

The truth is, he should grow up doing the things HE WANTS to do....

Does that mean letting him do anything? Of course not. That's where we come in. We teach him what is right from wrong. We teach him the importance of honesty, respect, faith and love. We let him grow in an environment that allows sharing of ideas and emotions but not forgetting to set rules and limitations. We emphasize the fact that as much as he can choose his own future, we are there to make sure that his decisions are not clouded and that he will know how to weigh things in his own way.

I just want him to grow up knowing God's love.
I just want him to grow up knowing how we

would do everything to give him the best.
I just want him to grow up knowing that we trust him enough

for him to follow his own dreams.

And I'm sure the rest will be history.

Strangers

Here's my update regarding Wishlist #3: It's officially down the drain.

DSL connected directly to the laptop - working.
Wireless Router directly connected to the laptop (for configuration) - good.

Laptop automatically finds and connects to the wireless router when it is switched on.

When DSL is connected to the router's WAN port and laptop connects wirelessly, laptop can connect but there is no internet connection.

All possible situations already exhausted. The diagnosis?Don't use the router anymore. Signed, Sealed, Delivered...all gone.

Lead the way

Last Saturday, I conducted a Leadership workshop for the coordinators and leaders of our church's young people. These are some of the things that I personally believe in:

A leader knows the way, goes the way,and shows the way.

JOHN MAXWELL

True leadership must befor the benefit of the followers,not the enrichment of the leaders.

ANONYMOUS

Leaders are not born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else,

through hard work.

VINCE LOMBARDI

And I say, "AMEN" to all these.

Status

E.C.E graduate. Former Engineering Instructor. Recently resigned software developer. Full-time wife and mom.

Part-time demo girl.

Couldn't be more proud.

Tagged!

Tagged by Jan. I loved this because it allowed be to go back to memory lane once more (Yeah, I'm a sentimental fool) Thanks Jan!

:::::BEGIN COPY:::::

Rules:
1. Start Copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy.”
2. Choose the photo(s) of you and your child(ren) that you would like to share in your blog, with a small story/explanation about when and where the photo(s) was/were taken.
3. Add your blog name and url blog, then leave your url post in here. And I’ll add you to the Master List.
4. Please help spread this tag by tagging your friends as much as you can.
5. Please come back again to copy the update of the master list, often. This process will help new participants to get the same gains as the first participants.

Master List:
1. Juliana’s Site
2. Moms…..check nyo
3.PinayWAHM
4. Surviving deployment
5. Live Love Life
6. HotMomma
7. a {GIRL} for all status
8. BaReFooTeD Me
9. Uncomplicated
10. FunFierceFabulous
11. Hailey's Domain
12. Hailey's Beats and Bits
13. On A Wonderful Day Like Today
14. House Everything
15. Shopaholic Ties The Knot
16. Our Family Adventure!
17. My Life In Manggachupoy Street
18. The Adventures of Dong and Jing

Here's my share of picture:

Zye was only a week old when this picture was taken. He was so tiny since he was a preemie baby and went out of my womb a month and a half earlier than his due date. I chose this because this reminds me of my initiation to motherhood: the sleepless nights, the frequent nursing, the changing of diaper. I was in the process of making Zye burp when this picture was taken. But now, it looks like I'm sleeping on my job. Harhar.

Let's see what captured moment Jade, Eds and Issa will share.

Celebrations

Last Friday, July 4, was hubby's birthday and Zye's 9th month. It was definitely a day of celebration. Two generations at that.

No special stories. Just a grateful heart for ALL the marvelous things God has done for us. I am even more excited because I know there is still a lot of good things ahead of us.

I love you Dhe!

We love you Zye!

May you be blessed even more. Kisses from me!

Shoutout

What we have is no longer love...

It's our dreams weaved together,

It's our hopes shared,

It's our minds united,

It's our journey in one path,

It's our time in a single hour glass.

What we have is each other.

You're the only one this heart beats for.

-Jdd.07.03.2008-

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This is for you Dhe, a love thought before your special day.

Going up

My husband and I were watching the news late last night. How sad to know that minimum fare may increase up to P12.00. Everyday, it gets harder and harder to survive. A good meal nowadays would cost a leg, how much more if you add up the other cost of living.

If we think about it, 10 years ago people have been complaining of the same thing. And yet here we are, still complaining. Will life ever get better? It's now a matter of believing that it will.

I'm glad I'm not a pessimist.

What's cooking?

One of the things that I love to do is to eat. And it is because of it that I have been drawn to cooking. When I was still single, I barely cook because my mom does all the cooking at home. Now that I am already a wife and a mom, I am already the queen of the kitchen.

To be able to best achieve the taste and quality of food that I want, I have to be picky in the things that I use for cooking. All the ingredients have to be fresh and my cooking utensils have to be really good.

One challenge that I have encountered is how to make the meat really tender. During beef stew nights, I would always worry if the meat is already good enough to eat. It was then that I realized the value of my mom's crock pots. Before I really thought that crock pots were just an addition to my pile of dishes not to mention a waste of time and money. It is only now that I really understood its worth in the kitchen.

Although I currently have a crock pot at home, I would love to have this particular cooker whichI found in the internet:

It was definitely love at first sight. Not even mentioning its versatility, it would really be great to have this work-of-art in my kitchen. Hmmm...maybe I'll put it in this year's birthday wishlist.

Stroller boy