Busy little Baby

As I've mentioned in a previous post, Zye doesn't dig cartoons. What catches his attention are commercials and gameshows. I managed to capture his facial reactions while watching t.v.

Zye, while watching the game show "Game Ka na ba?"

This is Zye getting ready for the chorus part of the

"Makulay ang buhay..." commercial.

I wasn't able to catch his hands raising up. Sayang.

The rod, the rules, the child

" He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him."

Proverbs 13:24

I am starting this entry with a bible verse that stirred so many emotions from our e-group. An article regarding this particular verse was shared by a fellow mom and it has solicited so many different opinions on how one should discipline a child.

So am I saying that my basis on our child's discipline is biblical? Am I one of those parents who say, "Spare the rod, spoil the child?" Does this mean that I am pro-spanking and that my child will grow up in such a way that his reprimands will comprise of a belt? I see some eyebrows being raised. Let me give you my two-cents worth.

I believe in the value of discipline. I grew up knowing how it is to be disciplined and I am in every way thankful that I was raised that way. Yes, I have had my share of the belt. I even experienced kneeling on a bed of rock salt and monggo beans. None was traumatic for me. My sister and I would laugh at those experiences remembering how we would cheat and not kneel as soon as the door of the room was closed. My mom never expected us to kneel all the way. She just wanted us to learn to follow rules.

When our son turned 6-months old we learned that he can already distinguish the difference in our voice pattern. So naturally I have learned to shout "No!" when I need for him to know that he shouldn't do a particular thing. I was able to observe how he would still try to do it again but stops whenever I call out his name in a louder, deeper, I-told-you-not-to-do-that voice. That means he is ready to be disciplined already.

Does this mean I can now spank him any time I want if does not obey what I say? Of course not. But I have had my moments of striking his hand whenever he want to touch the electrical socket or whenever he wants to unplug our appliances. I do that because he no longer listens to the change in my voice pattern and I need to emphasize that it is not safe for him to play with such things. He may not understand everything that I am saying but I will not regret having to hit his hand every now and then to let him feel that he cannot always have what he wants.

Some may say that you can always talk to a child to discipline him. I say you should always talk to a child not just when you want to discipline him but in any case possible. When you don't spare him of the rod, you should explain why you did it and what he needs to do so that he won't have to experience getting hit again.

I am grateful because my husband and I have the same thoughts on discipline. Still, we are yet to find out as Zye grows older. I am hoping though that the Lord will guide our son in such a way that we wouldn't have to use the rod. Am I trying to contradict myself? Not a bit. The possibility of having a well-disciplined son without have to go through the spanking is achievable with a great deal of Divine intervention.

In the argument that the above opening verse is subject to many interpretations, I beg to disagree. We may have our different opinions on this subject but God didn't send that message to be interpreted in different ways. He knew exactly what His message was. It's about time that we ask Him to reveal it to us.

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

This is my official entry to the 7th edition of

Pinoy Parenting Blog Carnival.

Welcoming back PPBC and Doc Joey too as she hosts this one again.

Success

I finally was able to get a copy of quickoffice for my n77 that can edit the document and excel file! Yipee!!!!! Less papers for me! I can now carry all my important documents without having to worry with the size of my bag!

Now all I need is an organizer software for my phone.

Passing time

It seems as if time just slips away without us even knowing it. On Monday, it's going to be September! Our son will be on his 11th month, my age will increment again and after that husband and I will be celebrating our second anniversary. Wow! And yet I feel that we are still far from what we want to accomplish. We still have a long way to go. I am hopeful that our lives will be what we hope it will be in the next two years to come.

Of course, still all in God's time.

I need an upgrade!

A few months ago, Cinemax was no longer part of our cable subscription fee. If we wanted it back we're supposed to pay an additional amount. After that incident, Discovery Channel was no where in sight. The same reason. We have to pay more than what we are currently paying for just to enjoy more channels.

That's not yet the end of my cable story. For the past six months we have been dealing with an intermittent signal if no signal at all due to so many repairs being done by the company. I need Direct TV! I want my money's worth and I want to watch a decent program if that's not too much to ask!

My dad was right. I should have just gotten directtv just like he did. He always boasts how his satellite t.v. delivers the best quality as far as reception is concerned. And he always complains that our cable has so limited channels compared to his directv. I thought he was just teasing me but now I better do something about this before I lose my sanity.

And to think I am such a couch potato!

Oh no!

One!

Although Zye is turning one sooner than we thought, it's not about age we are talking about.

Then what you may ask?

His first tooth is already out!!!! Yipee! Finally after quite sometime of hoping for a sign of white from those gums there it was. I don't have a picture of it tough. Hah! I've had enough challenge in carrying him. Spare me the agony of catching that tooth on camera.

Oh, in case you were wondering..yes, I have tried a hundred times.

Still no luck.

Caught in the Act

Zye during his attempt to reach for the radio on our headboard.

Looking at the brighter side,

it's a good sign that he is actually in the process of standing on his own.

I'm not sure if I'm actually wishing that he walk alone soon though.

Hmmm...

I am yours

I heard this song again and I just wanted to post its lyrics here, to remind me of a few things.

Who Am I Lyrics

Thank you Jesus. It is only because of You that I am worth something more.

The hi-tech me

I am no longer the "techie" person that I used to be. But I still love gadgets!

A few of my wishlists actually are gadgets. A lot of my friends have told me to read technology reviews first before choosing (or buying in this case) the stuff that I want. I must confess that there are those time that I am just attracted with the physical look of a certain phone, camera, or mp3/mp4 and I don't even bother to take time in knowing their features. I guess that's also why I end up buying another gadget after a month or two.

I did learn my lesson -- the hard way! Now, I read product specifications and articles just to be sure that I am going to buy the gadget that will deliver what I need. Right now I am scanning over the top ten list of camera because I still haven't decided which one I'm going to buy.

Technology is sweeter the second time around.

Starting over

I am no longer the organized person that I was before.

No, or house is not a mess and my things are definitely in its proper places. It's just that I have TONS of things to do and I end up just doing two or three of them in a month's time. Yah. A pretty bad record. And I don't even have to make taking care of Zye as a reason. My mind is just all over the place right now.

I am so not practicing my 7 habits. I am dealing with urgent things and I don't even categorize them if they are important or not. Whatever is needed at the moment. Worst is when I do things that I just feel like doing but are not exactly on my top list of things-to-do. I know, I know. Not too good for a starting mom. But at least I know what the problem is.

Solution?

Start again with using my PLANNER! Yes. I used to be a list everything girl. Noting everything. Making sure I follow my schedule. Get everything done. I miss that old me. It's not an excuse that I've got tons of responsibilities at hand. I've got to be up to the challenge once more. Do the thing I do most: PLAN EVERYTHING.

Can I start tomorrow? Hahaha!

Verified!

Yipee! I fnally have been able to verify my paypal account!

During the past few months I didn't even bother to do so because it seemed as if I do not have any future when it comes to on-line matters. But now, opportunities are finally seen here and there. So I decided that I should lift my paypal's unknown status so that I won't have any limits as far as payments are concerned.

Now that my paypal account can receive limitless amounts, I just have to find more opportunities out there.

Hmm...I'm wondering if the opportunities are endless as well.

The supermarket experience

Last Saturday was the first time that I went inside the grocery store with Zye. And I didn't even do my groceries!

Instead of picking us up from the house, I told Dong to just meet me and Zye at SM Hypermart Ortigas. We were to attend his officemate's son's dedication at Market! Market! and meeting him at the hypermart will definitely save us some time (and gasoline!)

Since Zye is already heavy and I am not exactly tall, carrying him around is a challenge for me. The stroller was in the car so I don't have any other option. If we sit down, Zye will just probably start turning or jumping on the chair and that will spell difficult for me.

The creative side of me figured something to solve my dilemna. We went to the supermarket and I had Zye sit down in the big push cart. I was one happy mom I tell you because the minute he sat down the cart it was like his world stopped. He was so amazed with the big shelves and all the other push carts around him. Problem solved! I had one satisfied baby having the ride of his life. The best thing is that I caught it all on my cellphone's cam!

Yeah, Zye didn't really look too happy with the last picture. But there's a story behind that. A little girl and her mom went inside the dressing room. Zye was actually waiting for them to come out. He was a bit surprised because they went inside but didn't come out immediately. Hahaha. I even explained it to him even if I knew he wouldn't really understand me.

That was our weekend story.

To multiply or not?

That is my question.

Should I create a multiply account or not? We currently have one but it is actually for business purposes. (Although I haven't really concentrated on this one) I am thinking of migrating from friendster to multiply because I actually adore the photo albums in multiply plus their photo uploading process is less complicated.

I am having second thoughts though because we do have a family blog. Creating an active multiply site may hinder me to have lesser visits and updates in our family site. So what's it going to be? Should I go for it? Should I just look for a free site for my albums?

*Sigh*

STATUS: Undecided.

Top of the list

Being someone who has relied mostly on reviews and related articles, I find Webhostingrating's site particularly helpful in determining the web host provider that will give the best value for my money.

I have been drawn to reading their web hosting articles which houses a variety of writings discussing new web host providers, programs, or other internet-related articles that will help the millions of surfers on-line. Since I am currently searching for a good web host, their web host ratings are my number one concern because they have an update on the market's Top 10 host providers. The list itself is already a good indicator of comparison and is very helpful for people who don'thave much time to go over all the reviews of each provider.

I'm also spending a few hours in reading web hosting tutorials and learning the how's and why's of this technology. I never realized that choosing a web host will entail so much effort from me but the truth is, I'm actually enjoying the experience.

Wishlist #...4?

Hahaha. I lost count of my wishlist.

Oh well, I'd just have to write this one down. I will soon be venturing inot my own shirt designs. Yes, MY VERY OWN! I will be starting out a few just to test the market and to see how people will actually go for my ideas. So what will be my business name? I'm thinking of the following:

1. Jown's Label
2. Tags by Jown
3. Shirtales
4. Shirtalk
5. Paraphrased

Those are some of my choices. I'll give more details once my designs are out. In the meantime, you may leave me a note which name you find interesting.

Wish me luck!

Staying healthy

Good health is very important nowadays. It is such a challenge to actually stay fit in such a stressful, polluted world.

I am not comfortable in drinking vitamins because I still associate them as medicines so I'd rather go for other means and ways to stay healthy. Right now I am using panty liners and napkins that prevents cervical cancer and detoxifies my body at the same time. Yeah, talk about technology huh? The other day another technology was introduced to me by a churchmate. She said that she is currently undergoing magnetic theraphy. I was speechless. Magnetic what?

It turned out that almost the same way with the panty liners I am using, magnetic therapy products also uses what I call the "ion theory" to help in our body's wellness. Learning that made me happy because I know for a fact how ions (especially the negative ones) attract more oxygen. That is already a big factor to consider using magnet therapy and that is just one of the many things that this product can do. You want to know the other health benefits that we can get from it?

Nah. I won't spoil the surprise. You'd have to find out for yourself.

Sell away!

A good product will always need good marketing. My husband, having been on the sales team for the past six years, told me that if I were to push through with my shirts(yes, I have a few designs at hand) I need to participate in trade show exhibits to have a bigger market for my product.

So here I am in the middle of making my business proposal together with my marketing plan for the upcoming tradeshow. I am thinking of having table covers that will show my different shirt designs. This is something new instead of just having my shirts hanging around the booth. I'm also considering to have my logo as a table top display so that people who will be inquiring about my shirts will not miss our label.

Do you want to see a sample of the designs? Nah.I'll save it for later. I don't want an early publicity for my shirts.

Leading others

A personal reminder on being a leader.

Catching the wave

My friend has been bugging me to try something new. So there I was figuring out what she was talking about when I stumbled upon bloggerwave. The curious me just had to know what this site was all about. Surfing around their site, I found out that they are another option to earn a little more.

Apparently, this is what my friend wanted me to try. She says that since I enjoy blogging too much I should somehow grab a few bucks as I go about with documenting my life on-line. Well, I'll just have to try this one. Who knows, I may learn a thing or two upon catching this particular wave.

Dealing with it

My friend, Jessica, badly needs credit repair.

She called me up yesterday morning, pouring her heart out, not knowing what to do. Jessica is such a spender to the point that she sometimes buy things even if she doesn't need them. Now, she badly needs to get a loan because her car has to be fixed. She had been turned down by so many banks due to bad credit. Luckily, I have been blessed with family members who knows a lot about credit repair services.

Jessica stopped by our house this afternoon and my aunt gave her the details regarding bad credit repair. Her face suddenly lit up knowing there is still hope. My aunt also adviced her that it's wise spending that she needs to get into her system. That way, she'll be able to take care of her reputation as far as her credits are concerned.

All in a days work! I just hope my friend did listen to my aunt. Otherwise, this is going to be one long, repetitive story without any moral lesson.

Bonding over the weekend

The joys of parenthood.

Brillante Award

Wow! And add to that a thankyou to Pat for sharing this award.

The Above recipients of the Brillante Weblog are welcomed to put the Logo on their personal blogs and have the honor of passing this award to seven other bloggers.

Here are the rules for passing on the award:
1. Put the logo on your blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate at least seven other blogs
4. Add links to those blogs on your blog
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

I'd like to share this award to Jenny, Mec, Issa, Teena, Angel and Joey

Wish granted!

I was just about to write this as a wishlist but I no longer have to do that because yesterday, hubby and I bought a new t.v!

It is a 21-inch GanzKlar Slim Fit Color T.V. So a lot of eye brows are probably raising and asking the question "Ganz...whaat?". It is German technology that I might say is pleasing to both the eyes and the pocket as well. It is cable ready, having 181 channels, and the pixels are clear enough just like those of the leading brand. Its base can be swiveled making it easy for us to move the t.v.'s orientation whenever we want to. The best thing, this baby doesn't even cost more than P8,000.00. Believe it because it IS FOR REAL!

One with nature

As a child, I grew up knowing the importance of plants mainly because I have poor lungs and it is only in the presence of plants that I actually breathe better.

The ironic thing is that we live in a condominium unit adjacent to the busy streets of the city. My mother, however, is wise enough to put as much outdoor planters along our corridor that almost resembles a small garden. Our home cannot be without plants too so we have a great collection of decorative planters to harmonize with the lovely flowers that my mom had lovingly nourished.

Now that I have my own family it saddens me that, unlike my mother, I cannot put up my own mini-garden due to my very hectic schedule. At the very least, we have a tabletop planter that somehow draws us to a more relaxing state after a hard day's work.

Over and out

This is Zye after his stressful day. Mental note: Stress = eat + drink milk + whine + play + crawl over the place + imitate someone who sneezed + clap + dance + sing (which is more like shouting) + throw the remote control.

Looking for the right one

Now that I am really beginning to enjoy blogging, I have also found out the importance of a hosting service for my blog.

I used to think that web hosting services are just a waste of time and money. But now I am seeing how good my website can be in terms of applications, storage and the content. Am I beginning to sound too technical? Well, it's true. When you are one of those people who starts and ends their day surfing the internet, you will appreciate webhosting and what it can actually do for you.

So do I get a cheap web hosting or should I not settle for anything less than the best web hosting? I'd have to consult with my husband regarding the budget for this one. I am excited though with this change that my blog is going to have. Don't worry, I'll keep you all posted.

I love shopping!

I love shopping for clothes, bags, shoes, home fixtures, even my son and husband's shirts!

~Start copying here (no need to right click the image)
~Credits: Paper & Elements Created by Kim Jensen / Layout by JennyL

1. Don’t remove the credits when you post the image.
2. Please link back to the person who tagged you
3. If you have more than one blog, please post this to all of your blogs so your other blogs can be listed to the master list too
4. You need to pass this tag to many friends you think loves shopping.
5. Come back at BARGAIN.SALES.DEALS. and leave the exact post url so I can add you to the master list to help increase our rankings and improve our Technorati Authority.
6. Enjoy Shopping !!!

SHOPAHOLICS : 1.) A Slice of Life 2.) Jenny Said So 3.) Simply Jen 4.) This and That 5.)Bargain.Sales.Deals. 6.) Me and Mine 7. ) Little Peanut 8.) Creative in Me 9.) Pea in a Pod 10. The Shopaholic in Me 11.) Life's Simple Pleasures 12.) My Planet Purple 13.) Women With Xtarordinary 14.) Women With Extraordinary Life 15.) Princess Vien 16.) Me, Myself and I 17.) Feeling 18.) after the i do 19.) Jown's Brewery 20.) The Adventures of Dong and Jing
{end copying here}

thanks to Carla for this tag!
i am tagging everyone in my blogroll! =) Enjoy your shopping!

The businesswoman in me

A great business plan should include the best marketing strategy there is. Why? Because the heart of an establishment is found in the number of people that your product can reach out to.

So in the process of preparing our business proposal, my husband and I are also organizing our marketing list. It is imperative to have our very own consumer mailing lists too so that we can give them an update of the newest line of products that we have.

Speaking of lists, I need to list brokers before the week ends. We are looking at the possibility of investing for our very own house and I need to find a good broker before the search for the location starts.

Wish us luck!

Sticks and Celebrations

I need to make a mental note to find a good cigar for my cousin’s husband. It will be his 38th birthday this coming August 28 and my cousin said that her husband will definitely have cigars in his birthday list.

I am no expert on such and I have actually asked one of my friends to help me out on this task. My friend suggested a store that sells the best cigars in town so my husband and I will probably drop by the store one of these days. My friend also suggested an online website that sells the finest cigars he has ever known. A wide variety is indeed available at famous smoke's online shop. Just in case we get caught up with our tight schedule, I'll definitely do my shopping online.

I think we will buy a good wine as well to bring to his party. A good toast will most certainly give a boost to the celebration. Cheers to everyone!

My very own coffee break

Apparently my blog's title will definitely suggest, if not fully imply, that I love coffee. Well, I do. So this post will pay tribute to the coffee tastes that I love most. I am not claiming that I am an expert on this one. Thus, everything that I will be talking about here will be based on my very own opinion. And it will not hurt if you say a thing or two as well about your own favorite coffee blend.

ON FIRST PLACE: Kopiko 3-in-1 coffee mix.

Yes. Kopiko is no longer just a candy. It has evolved to be a blend of its own and I must say that it is living up to its standards. If you love the candy version I believe you will love their coffee mix as well. It is, however, stonger than the usual instant coffee mix and I must say that it is the best replacement for the usual blend of a strong brewed coffee.

COMING IN SECOND. Starbucks coffee.

Some may say that most people love Starbucks only because of the status quo that is attached to someone who drinks their coffee. But among those of its kind (I need not say the names of the other establishments as a sign of respect), I love how their mix is strong enough to wake me up. Their frappucinos (cold coffee blends) are not too sweet that is why a venti is still quick to finish as compared to the other cold blends that I have tried. My favorite hot coffee is their Caramel machiatto and for the cold coffee it's a tie between coffee jelly and caramel frap.

THIRD but SO NOT THE LEAST. Dunkin Donuts Coffee.

I think they are the one that really started the coffee talks here in the country. Well, at least in my generation. But way before all the coffee shops came into life, Dunkin Donuts have been serving good brewed coffee. The smell of their coffee actually entices your craving that you get lured to come in and take a look at what they have inside.

There. I still have a few favorites but these are my top three coffee blends. It satisfies my taste buds, tickles my senses and warms my soul. More than the coffee itself, it's the conversation that happens within each coffee break and the bonding moments with the people whom you share your coffee time with that makes the experience worth while.

Enjoy your cup today.

Dress code

I may never be able to explain what it is about women and shopping. There is a certain kind of attraction that just happens when I am in the midst of clothes.

It's not even an addiction as some people say. It's instinct. Summer comes, then it's time to shop for shorts, cotton shirts, sleeveless tops and bright colored dresses. When the cold months come, it's time for jackets, long sleeved shirts or blouses and shawls. I can go on explaining but it just boils down to one thing: shopping is essential all-year round.

I am not even justifying my love for shopping. I'm simply stating out the fact that shopping is important not just for women, but for everyone. You can always do it wisely by going every sale so that you get to have more value for your money.

Let's not even start talking about shoes and bags. I can go on forever if we include those two!

Jown, Jing and I

I have a few names at hand. Family calls me Jing, work friends gave me the nickname Jown, while school friends call me Jo. I have used the name Jown in my e-groups basically because it is easier to recall (as well as unique) but my family blog identifies me as Jing.

In a recent encounter with a few n@wies, I suddenly learned the importance of sticking with one name. I will now officially use the name Jown for recall purposes. Jown1 when leaving messages in tag boards coming from this blog while Jown2 when I'm coming from my personal blog.

Case close. Hehehe...

A matter of choice

There was once a time in my life when I was hooked on using credit cards. Who wouldn't be? Once I get inside the mall all the clothes and shoes seem to be waving at me. When cash is far at hand, my cards will always come to rescue my hunger for shopping.

Later on I realized that I should learn to choose a low interest credit card to minimize my expenses (and to actually enjoy more shopping!). See, a good choice always comes in handy. I must say that my better judgement has allowed me to be financially wiser and giving me more room for savings.

Good credit cards will certainly help you manage your finances better. So go ahead and weigh your options. It's never too late to be a wise spender.

Bookmark Tag

An interesting tag from Joanne.

Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. No cheating!
2. Find page 123.
3. Find the first five sentences.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag as many people as you want.

The book: the five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom

The sentences:

"My children went there, and their children and theirs. But not me. My idea of heaven was far from the ocean as possible, back in the busy diner, when my days were simple, when Emile was courting me."

Just as "Tuesdays with Morrie" is a favorite of mine, so is this one. This is a very touching book that makes you think about what you've done in your life.

Tagging Pat, Sweetpea and Leah.

Hair, there, and everywhere

I was browsing on our pictures figuring out which ones to use for my digiscrap. I couldn't resist to make a post on the transition of my hair. Not really the style, just the length and how it looked on me.

The conclusion: I am officially missing my long hair.

The waiting is over

Finally...

Waiting almost always feels like forever! Now, I am happy that I will be starting on a new venture, a new way to earn and a new way to learn new things.

I just pray that my writing is good enough to stick with this venture for a very long time.

Still, I'm thankful. Positive that I'll be kept after three weeks.

For the love of movies

As I have said in one of my previous post, my husband and I are self-proclaimed movie addicts. Be it local or foreign films, we never miss a good one.

There is nothing better than to watch it on the big screen but practically speaking, it is quite expensive to watch movies. A seat on a good theater will cost around P200 on top of the irresistible popcorn and a refreshing can of soda. Of course if you haven't eaten dinner before the movie, that's an even bigger expense!

The solution to our addiction is simple: DVD. Having a kid in the house means giving up on some of the old habits. So we just have to make do by watching the movies we missed at home once their DVDs are already out. The good thing is that we get to watch in the comfort of our very own home. Of course, we also buy a DVD copy of our favorite movies. It's nice to watch it over and over again most especially on a Sunday afternoon when we are just hanging out at home.

Do we love technology or what?

On a lighter note

My sister was the one who witnessed this.

********

Yesterday was our uncle's funeral and most of the relatives who weren't able to come during the wake was there to pay their last respect. One of our nephew upon seeing our uncle asked a very innocent question:

"Hinimatay siya?"

********

My sister couldn't resist to smile whenever she remembers this question.

Dating 101

Tagged by Eds.

Players: Ozzy’s Mom Me,Myself + 2 Kidd Designs Fun.Fierce.Fabulous Me and Mine Little Peanut Pea in a Pod Creative in Me Notable Bistro Sugarmagnolias Around the World Eds Mommy Life My Precious Niche Just Me.. Eds The Adventures of Dong and Jing Jown's Brewery YOUR BLOGS

1. When was your first kiss and where?

..::.. Naman. Long time ago! Super history na ito. Basta alam ko sa cinema :P ..::..

2. When was your first real relationship and how long did it last?

..::.. Sometime 1998. Quite long…almost 3 years..::..

3. What age were you allowed to date?

..::.. Hmm, personal choice. College na ako nakipag-date. Naks!..::..

4. What’s the craziest thing you did (for love) when you were a teenager?

..::.. Ha! Madami.. may pagka-martyr ako eh..::..

5. How long was your longest relationship and what’s the secret?

..::.. With hubby. 4 years. God is the ultimate secret. He is the third party in our relationship ..::..

6. How long did you date before you decided to settle down?

..::.. 4 years before we settled down. Pero during our third year, planning stage na yun ..::..

7. How did you know he was the ONE?

..::.. We had so much in common and our beliefs are almost in the same level ..::..

8. Now, at what age will you allow your kids(s) to date?

..::.. Tough question. I’ll cross the bridge when I get there ..::..

9. When it comes to your kids dating, will you be a cool parent or a strict parent?

..::..Halfway of being a cool and a strict parent ..::..

10. What piece of advice can you give to your child when they start dating?

..::.. Be responsible. Enjoy the experience but know your limits ..::..

This one was fun. I'm tagging everybody in my blogroll and all n@wies out there!

Of death and moving on

We had a tough week. Last Wednesday, one of my uncle died. He was my dad's younger brother and basically my dad's bestfriend.

I woke up at around 5 in the morning because Zye wanted milk. I looked at my phone and saw that there were six missed calls: three from my cousin and the other three coming from my mom. Instinctively I already knew that the calls meant to bring sad news. And the best of my instinct served me right.

I told myself that I will not cry. But it was too hard not to. As soon as I saw my cousins, I felt the sadness in their hearts. My sister and I made all the arrangements with the hospital since the family are still in shock during the time we arrived. My mom on the other hand accompanied my tita and her sister back home. We waited for the funeral services to get my uncle's body. I was the one who identified the body before it was released and it was not at all a sight that I would have wanted to see. Seeing my uncle during that time was like seeing him at his death bed. I felt the pain that he went through. The only consolation in his passing away is that I know he is no longer suffering.

Now all we have are memories. But I intend to stick with the happy memories that I have of him. I pray that his family will always be comforted by God and may they also be given enough strength to carry on.

Zye with my uncle, Papa Wing. We will miss you.

Heads up

Our church is soon to experience a major change. We are in the process of designing its interior and basically figuring out how to maximize the space that we currently have.

First space saver is that the LCD projector will be having a fix location already. Second sapce saver is that we will be replacing all stand fans with ceiling fans and lastly the mixer will be housed in a sound booth which will also be a storage for some of the insturments that we are using.

We've already chosen the color to use, the tile designs that will replace the ones that we have right now, and just awhile ago I have already chosen the craftmade fans that will certainly go well with the church's new look.

What better way to start the week!

The other side

The sun has set
the sky has darkened so much
that the twinkling of the stars are fading fast

The seas no longer bring peace
they became reminders of the suffering
which you thought would have been endless

now the story had ended.
no longer will you be able to see warmth
the only remembrance
was the pain.

Papa is just a word now.
Meaningless.
Hopeless.
Lifeless.


-jdd 08.09.08-
********************

For my uncle, Papa Wing. You will always be remembered dearly.
We love you.

Couch Potato

Our sofa consist of 3 pieces: a three-seater, a two-seater and a one-seater. The three-seater piece had already given up on us. Its upholstery started tearing apart about three months ago. We tried patching it up because we liked our sofa and we refuse to buy a new one since the other two pieces were still in very good shape. Unfortunately, the patching won’t work anymore. Our son endlessly finds ways to take each patch off the sofa.

Well, maybe it’s really time to go get a new one. Of course, having not much time to go to malls and depots, I’d just have to do my window shopping online. Personally, I like the feel of Italian furniture but sometimes my eyes still find Contemporary furniture pleasing. We are wishing though for a Modern furniture over-all theme but this will be determined if we can financially find a way to modernize everything in our home.

The old sofa set was black which was safe enough so I thought I’d still replace it with a black one. My heart is already set on this lovely sofa set which I found at eroom service’s site. Love it, love it, love it! Now I just have to figure out how to make my husband say yes and we are all set to having a new lovely piece of Designer Furniture.

Home sweet home.

Got Milk?

Helping out the Mommy Community spread the word.

Mommies and milkshakes

One of my frustration is that I wasn't able to breastfeed my son the way I planned to. I was only able to breastfeed him for about one and a half month and it wasn't even enough for him. After all the pumping and the malunggay, the milk flow was still too little to feed my hungry son.

Inspite of this frustration, I am still very much an advocate of breastfeeding. I salute all the moms who do so and I support their campaign in my own little way. With that, I am posting this as an invitation to the Mommy milkshake marathon this Sunday. I won't be able to join though because our Sunday Church service is at 10 A.M. This is my way of helping out in that cause.

For the sweet tooth

I am no baker. Although I have always believed that I can be good at baking kasi napakahilig ko sumunod sa procedure. I have this thing with reading manuals before doing anything. Masyadong sigurista. That's why I knew that if I did focus on baking, I'd be doing well.

But right now, I don't want to stress myself with baking. And since I love desserts, I wanted to do some of my favorites in the easisest way possible. READ: No bake!

I found several recipes that I will try in the next week to come. I am posting it here so that I wouldn't need to worry about not finding it when I need to use it. (Yeah, memory gap is just around...) You may want to point at the name of the recipe if you want to check out the site where I got it.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
chocolate curls

Preparation:In a small bowl sprinkle unflavored gelatin over the cold water; let stand 1 minute. Add the boiling water, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved. In a separate bowl combine the sugar, cocoa, whipping cream, and vanilla; stir to blend. Beat on medium speed of electric mixer, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times, until the mixture is stiff. Add the gelatin mixture and beat until well blended. Spoon the chocolate mousse into dessert dishes or glasses. Sprinkle mousse with chocolate curls, if desired. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Chocolate Mousse II (this one uses graham crackers for crust)

Cookies And Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients:
24 chocolate sandwich cookies (oreos), finely crumbled, about 2 cups
6 tablespoons margarine, room temperature
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
coarsely crumbled chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos), about 1 to 1 1/2 cups

Preparation:Combine fine cookie crumbs and soft margarine; press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. In a saucepan, soften gelatin in cold water; stir over low heat until dissolved. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed of an electric hand-held mixer until well blended, Gradually add gelatin mixture and milk, mixing until well blended. Chill until mixture is thickened but not set; fold in whipped cream. Reserve 1 1/2 cup cream cheese mixture; pour remaining cream cheese mixture over crust. Top with coarsely crumbled cookies then remaining cream cheese mixture. Chill until firm.

Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup granulated sugar
11 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 graham cracker crust, below
more whipped topping or whipped cream for topping
shaved milk chocolate, optional

Preparation:Melt chocolate chips over low heat in saucepan or microwave, stirring frequently until smooth and melted. Set aside to cool. In large mixer bowl beat cream cheese, sugar and butter until smooth. On low speed blend in the melted chocolate. Fold in whipped topping until blended. Spoon cheese chocolate filling mixture into prepared graham cracker crust. Cover and chill until firm. Garnish with whipped topping and shaved chocolate, if desired.

Other no-bake desserts can be found here. Yummy!

First time tooter

When Zye was away, I pondered on how I was a mother. Too early to get sentimental? Well it wasn't just because I was missing my son that I thought about this. A part of me felt that I may not be doing my role well as a first time mommy.

During the first four months of our son, I did everything for him: bathed him, changed his nappy, prepared his milk and food -- everything. Even if we hired a nanny for him, I still did everything for our little angel. It was funny because it was when I resigned that I noticed I gave most of the responsibilities to his yaya. I felt guilty. It seemed as if I became to lazy to do the things that I should be doing. I became busy with other things and deprived my son of my time with him.

So now, I am tooting because I'm back in the game and my son is happier than ever. I promised myself that I will be the mom that I used to be and no longer give my responsibility to other people. Cheers to all the other moms and to all their tooting stories today!

Tantara-ten!

Zye turned 10 months old yesterday. Two more months to go before his first birthday. Wow! To think that last year around this time of the month, I was just 5-months pregnant!

He was on vacation last week. My dad came home for a vacation and naturally wanted to spend time with his grandson. So we let Zye spend one week over his grandparents -- without us. It was a long, dragging week especially for me. It was too lonely now without our son around.

When he came back home his newest trick dawned on us -- clapping all by himself. Yes. Sometimes, he claps even when he is crying. Hahaha. A point of confusion. Or maybe he just wants to make more sounds on top of his cries. He still has no teeth but eats with much gusto as always, sits on his own and lifts himself up when he is able to hold on something. He is learning to walk although he looks more like a drunk man trying to make his walk very straight. Here's to more developments to our son. Hooray!!!