Scrapbooking My Faith

I have been raised by a devout Catholic mom.  We go to church every Sunday.  I was educated in Catholic schools from kindergarten until college.  My faith has anchored me through life's most difficult situations.  My faith played a huge part in my decision-making.  My faith gave me hope and encouragement when I need them the most.  

Surprisingly enough, my faith is the one area in my life I least scrapbook about.  Just recently, I took an online class about scrapbooking my faith by Courtney Walsh.  I also bought her book, Scrapbooking Your Faith, in hope of getting faith into our scrapbooks more.  I want my children to read my thoughts, give them encouragement and strength to look up when they feel so down, to say a lot of a little prayers, to be mindful of the God that will provide for them and keep them safe.  I want them to have a personal relationship with God like I did.  

Here are the three layouts I did.  I have another layout that is much too personal that I'd rather keep to myself.  

Template - Scrap Orchard; Papers - Princesa Kit by Jessica Sprague; Journaling Strips - Crystal Wilkerson; Quote Fonts - Georgia and Zapfino; Journaling Font - Pea Marie Christine; Date Font - Myriad Pro

Template - Scrap Orchard; Papers - This Week by Carla Dudley; Title Font - Big Mummy; Journaling Font - my own handwriting

Template - Anna Aspnes; Paper - Nancy Rowe Janitz; Journaling Strips - Crystal Wilkerson; Journaling Font - my own handwriting; Title Font - Carpenter ICG and Big Mummy; Amen font - Zapfino; Date Font - Rockwell Extra Bold


The following photos + words are sized 4x6 that contain passages and quotes that moved me, encouraged me, strengthened me, touched me.  Some of these quotes were taken from Pinterest.  I am printing them as 4x6s, slipping them into an ongoing album which I'll keep adding into.  I have made use of the landscape photos I've taken over the years.  My hope for doing this is that my children will someday find strength, encouragement, hope, and faith in reading these passages and quotes.   

If you haven't done so already, I encourage you to scrapbook about your faith (if you're a scrapbooker like me), or write about it in a journal.  You never know who among your family will one day need a lift, and maybe that's the type of encouragement that will change their lives for the better.  

Remember, Celebrate, Appreciate, Live, Love

Yesterday's Oprah show feature on Erin Kramp touched me to the core.  Though she was battling breast cancer at that time, she summoned the courage to record hours upon hours of video for her daughter and her husband.  Her final words summed up why she did all this - TO BE REMEMBERED.

As a mother, Erin's story resonated with me.  I also have an overflowing love for my boys and I have so much to tell them.  Perhaps we just chose different mediums, but we want the end result to be the same - so that we can be remembered.

Photography and scrapbooking has enriched my life in unimaginable ways.  Sure, I get tired and I should probably just use the extra time I have resting and sleeping rather than scrapbooking.  It makes me happy though.  Scrapbooking gives me a deeper appreciation of life.  It allows me to celebrate our everyday.  It gives me the chance to record moments so that they will be remembered.  It allows me to speak to my boys and tell them just how much I love them.  It gives me the opportunity to teach them lessons.

I am proud to say I'm a mom with a camera, always hunting for memories to capture so they can be recorded, documented, and re-lived.

Live life.  Celebrate the everyday.  Appreciate the blessings.  Share the love.  Treasure the moments.  Life is beautiful!

Of course I couldn't end a post without sharing something.  In this case, a layout of Calix's milestones and personality at age three:

Template - CT Rachael Sheedy from www.digilovely.com; Papers - Little Boy by Echo Park; Paper Clip and Tag - Cutie Pie by Sir Scrapalot; Staple - Pattie Knox; Fonts - Zapfino, Ali Edward's Handwriting, Comic Sans MS (Title), Myriad Pro (journaling)

The Royal Wedding

I was almost 8 years old in 1981 when I first witnessed a royal wedding on TV.  I didn’t know who it was, I just know that it was a big deal with everyone around me.  My aunts were glued to the TV, and I saw this beautiful woman walking down the aisle wearing a gorgeous white dress with a very long train.  I asked my aunt who it was and she answered “she’s Princess Diana – she’s going to marry Prince Charles!”  That definitely piqued my interest because up until that time, I’ve only read about Princes and Princesses on fairy tale books.  I have never seen them in real life.  It was then that my imagination came to life.  I’ve dreamt about being a Princess, even practiced the walk and the wave when nobody else is looking. Of course, real life kicked in for Prince Charles and Princess Diana and they divorced in 1996.

 Last Friday, April 29, I witnessed another royal union.  This time, I am a lot more aware of what was going on around me.  Prince William (Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s eldest son) married a commoner, Kate Middleton.  The world watched their fairly tale unfold.  Despite the number of devastating events surrounding the news lately, their wedding was definitely a feel-good event.  I can’t help but smile whenever I see them kiss (and mind you, I’ve watched that a lot of times already).  Their look speak of love.  I am praying that theirs is a happily ever after one.

Pope John Paul II

I grew up knowing Pope John Paul II as the Catholic Church's leader.  He had been to the Philippines a few times.  I have always wanted to see him whenever he went, but didn't get the chance.  Besides, it'll be a miracle to even get near him, with the myriad of people showing up everywhere he went.  I was told, by a few people I know who got a glimpse of him, you'd feel goosebumps and an overwhelming feeling of peace and joy whenever he'd pass by.

In April 2, 2005, he passed away, leaving all Catholics around the world in sorrow.  He was probably the most loved, the most visible and the most popular Pope that he was missed immediately.  I was on my way to the Philippines at that time, and I knew in my heart that he will definitely be canonized as a saint soon, because of his amazing work as God's servant.  During the flight home, I prayed for his intercession.  Hubz and I have both been praying and hoping for a baby.  I asked him to intercede for us.  With this prayer was the hope that we'd get the chance to witness his canonization when that time comes.  When I came back to the U.S., I was already pregnant with Kail.  I firmly believed in my heart that he interceded for us and I will be forever grateful.

On Sunday, May 1, six years after his passing, Pope John Paul II will be beatified, the first step towards becoming a saint.  He has touched our lives, despite not having been able to come near him while he was alive.

The Power of Words

I first saw this video from the show 7 Live.  It showed exactly how powerful words can be.  This is why I rarely create a layout without journaling, and why I love reading.  Words have the power to move us, to change us, to motivate us, to heed us to take action.  Words are powerful.

On a related topic about words, here's a journaling-heavy layout I created from last night:

Template - Ali Edwards; Papers - Rainbow Sherbet by Crystal Wilkerson; Black Solid Paper - Ethan Solids by Michelle Martin; Title Font - Phoenix; Journaling Font - Courier; Date Font - Papyrus

2010 Goals

It's halfway through January 2010 and I have yet to get used to writing 2010 on my checks, LOL. I just couldn't believe that 2009 came and went like a blur in my memory.

This year, I have set specific goals for myself and having blogged twice this month, I think I'm on the right track, LOL. So, without further ado, I thereby present to my my goals for 2010:

Spend quality time with family. Though I'm home most of the time, I can say that there are times when I'm busy doing something else rather than spending those precious moments with my boys. I know that kids grow up fast, which brings me to my first goal - to spend as much quality time with my husband and kids as humanly possible. This means that my computer time would have to wait until after the kids are asleep and my husband isn't demanding that I spend time watching a movie with him. I just have to keep reminding myself to live in the moment and savor each minute with my family.

Live healthy. Okay, I'll admit, I tend to indulge myself on unhealthy foods. Can you blame me if those are the ones that taste heavenly? So, in light of the bad genes I inherited from my ancestors, I truly have to watch what I eat and make sure I get enough exercise to balance it out. It doesn't help that I live with a carnivore husband who throws up when asked to eat veggies. I have to make sure I eat enough veggies so my kids will grow up so unlike their dad in terms of eating habits, so help me God!

Blog More. I have been a bad, bad blogger last year that I think I've lost following on this blog (not that I have that many in the first place). But because this blog is also a reflection on our daily lives, part of my documenting everyday moments, I have to make sure I blog more often. I will strive for a once a week post, and more if my time allows. After all, I'm a wife and mom first, a working mom second, a life artist and photographer third, a maid fourth, and a woman fifth.

Create More. This is probably the only goal that I didn't slack on last year. I have made so many layouts last year that I have albums brimming full. Hubz even teased me that I have to rent a storage room for all my huge albums because our house will soon be full of them, LOL. Kidding aside, scrapbooking and photography feeds my creative soul so I will continue to do this as time allows.

Use my time productively. I have to make a mental note to myself not to slack off because time is gold. That said, I am big on lists. I make a list of all the things I need to do and check off those that I've accomplished one by one. It gives me a sense of satisfaction to be able to cross something off the list. But, I am just human and I tend to slack off sometimes so this is a reminder to get me back on track.

Never lose faith. With so many people struggling these days, the economy being in its current shape and form, it is easy to lose faith. Despite the many trials that has come to our family in 2009, I am truly happy to say that my faith in God has become stronger. He has been (and still is) my anchor, my shield, my protector, my crying shoulder, my strength, my everything.

Believe. I have to keep reminding myself that despite tough times, I have to believe that all these will come to an end, no matter how long or painful the journey.

Hope. I have chosen hope as my word for 2010. I choose to hope for the best and hope that after all this, I will evolve as a better and stronger person.

Before I end this post, I would like to share with you my first two layouts for 2010:

Template - Kate Hadfield; Papers - Little Dreamer Designs (blue background); Ali Edwards (all others); Cupcake Embellishments - Kristine Pocock; Fonts - Pea Jay (journaling), Georgia (title)

I got the idea to scrapbook portions of the christmas cards we received in 2009 from Ali Edwards. Every christmas, we receive a number of cards I have no idea what to do with. Now they'll be a part of our scrapbook.

This layout was easy enough to create. I used square punches, Basic Grey Fruitcake paper, Stickers for the title, pen for journaling, and some adhesive. I think I am going to do this every year.

Goodbye Tita Cory!

I was in third grade when Ninoy Aquino was assassinated. I couldn't understand all the flurry around me then and why my family looked worried, or why my parents were always glued to either the TV or the radio. I was in sixth grade when his widow, Cory Aquino, united the nation to overthrow a dictator. There was no other show on TV except what was happening at Edsa. The spotlight was on the Philippines because of a bloodless revolution that catapulted Cory Aquino to the presidency. I would probably be in Edsa had I been old enough to go. It was, after all, history in the making right there.

The Aquino government was faced with turmoil - lots of it. The economy was in such a bad shape, there were a number of coup attempts to overthrow Cory's governance. In the end, Cory's faith in God prevailed and she was able to complete her term with much admiration from the world.

I can truly say that Tita Cory was the president I remembered the most. She was the president during my adolescent years. I admired her humility, dignity, simplicity, devotion to the Lord, and strength of character. Too bad there isn't anyone in our government today like her.

Her failing health worried me, and from someone who witnessed a loved one suffer from cancer, I knew in my heart that it was just a matter of time. Thus, it was no surprise when I saw in the news that she succumbed to colon cancer in the morning of August 1, 2009. What amazed me was how much she was truly loved! Her entire wake was full of people clamoring to catch a glimpse of her. Her trip from the Manila Cathedral to Manila Memorial Park (where she'll be laid to rest) took 9 hours because of the number of people joining the procession. It was indeed a heartwarming sight to see. I watched the goings-on on her wake on TV, and was glued to the TV to watch her funeral. God knows I've shed tears watching her children and other people close to her speak so highly of her. I do not personally know her, but I do feel sadness in her passing. As Fr. Soc Villegas eloquently said "we will not meet anyone like her for a very long time".

Goodbye Tita Cory. You will surely be missed!

What this Recession Taught Us

One good thing brought about by this recession is that it gave us (me and hubz) a chance to take a good look at our spending and weed out unnecessary expenses. Don't get me wrong, I am not one who throws caution in the wind when it comes to spending anyway (except for my scrap hoarding, LOL) but it pays to really be careful. Now is not the time to indulge on uncessary things, to build up the nest egg and to formulate a backup plan in case we lose a job. It is truly sad that this economy is not getting any better and we haven't seen the light at the end of the tunnel - yet (I still remain hopeful that this will come to end soon). Add to that the fact that California is also experiencing major budget shortfall.

What led me to this day was when I was watching Oprah one time and they featured those who have been greatly affected by this recession. People in Sacramento (a good hour away from where I live), in the capital of California, losing their homes to foreclosure. These are middle-income families now living in tents because they coudln't even afford to pay rent due to a job loss. These are families who, a year earlier, were able to afford a WII as a birthday gift for their kids but could now no longer afford to pay for housing. These families are no different from you and me. They have been victims of this hard economic times. It was truly an eye opener for me. This could happen to any one of us. Scary, scary thought.

So, no more lusting over a new LV bag, nor drooling over the new Nikon D90, or pining for a new VR lens, or salivating over yummy papers and new scrapbook goodies. The only thing we're not skimping on is food. Even that, I make it a point to buy new stocks when we have consumed the supply in the freezer. This way, we wouldn't need to throw anything out. Even when scrapbooking, my challenge is to use the supplies I have on hand. After all, what got me into this hobby in the first place is the need to document our lives, not the latest and greatest paper or embellishment.

What we are currently doing is pay using our debit card - as much as we can anyway. Since it goes straight out of our checking, we're more conscious of how we spend our money. I also started tallying (while shopping) how much each item costs so I have an idea more or less, of the final amount I have to pay at the counter. We are also cooking more and eating out less. However, I still buy take outs on days that I have to be in the office because I get home late that my boys are ready to eat the furnitures if I don't have food with me. But, the takeouts have to be $10 max and should last for two days, LOL. We turn off lights in areas of the house that are not in use - even Kail is already trained to turn off the lightwhen he leaves a room - it's never too early to start, LOL. I also make it a point to jot down our day to day expenses so we get an idea of where we spend our money on.

We are also foregoing buying new furnitures for the house. Our formal living and dining areas are bare so that has become our kids' play area. Since the boys are prone to breaking things anyway, we figured we'd wait until they're a little older before furnishing it, and hopefully the economy is better by then too.

We're taking one baby step at a time because at the end of the day, what's really important is that we're together, we're in good health, and we're happy even amidst all the cost-cutting that we do. That's what counts most - not the greatest and most expensive of things. All in all, this recession has taught us to live simply but meaningfully.

Belle De Jour Coupons

A friend got me a Belle De Jour power planner from her most recent trip to Manila. I just love, love this planner - so much space to write on. Plus, there's a menstrual tracker, vacation planner, expense tracker, 2009 Goals, dream board, health checklist, birthday list, and coupons - lots of them!

The downside is, the coupons are for retailers in Manila, so I can't use them. But, if you will be able to use them, please send me an email at cammfiveten@gmail.com with your name and mailing address (first to email gets the coupons) and I'll gladly mail you these coupons. If you're interested on the list of retailers, please check them out here.

Project 365, etc.

During the weekend, I have edited the photos, added the texts for the days of the week and the date, had them printed at Costco, and have started assembling them on the page protectors last night. Photos for January are now neatly stored in their respective 4x6 page protectors, and I'll work on the journalling next. I also ordered a 3-ring 12x12 KMA red album today. I initially ordered the We R Memory Keepers ring album but it's no longer available at Ritz Camera. I ordered it from there because of the deep discount that came with it. I have posted the digital photos down (minus the journalling) and I smile whenever I see them. It reminded me of how we spent our January. As soon as I'm done with the journalling, I'll post photos of the actual spread.

I'm still taking photos - lots of them in a day actually - I can probably swing a couple of photos a day even! It's very exciting and it's not too late to join me in this journey. You can start today and end on the same day next year. It doesn't necessarily have to start on January 1st.

Yesterday was Kail's first day in preschool and you guessed it right, that was my photo for the day. We enrolled him thrice a week for 2.5 hours each day. He always has an artwork on his hands, which I plan to compile in a binder. It'll showcase how the artist in him would evolve.

Calix has started crawling on Sunday, Feb. 1st. He's probably late at 8 months - some babies are already walking at this point, but I'm just as excited like when I first saw Kail crawling a couple of years back.

Calix just recuperrated from flu last week. We rushed him to the ER on Wednesday night because he was harboring a 105 degree fever, which only went down to 103.6 after a cold sponge bath. Good thing he has a very good pediatrician who sees him almost everyday after the ER scare to make sure he'll get over this. She even ordered a nebulizer for him when she noticed him wheezing - delivered right at our doorstep! She's truly a gem and I'm so thankful we found her. She's F. Shanee Martin, MD of North Bay Pediatrics. They have clinics in Vallejo, Benicia, and Fairfield. Thank God Kail was spared from the flu. He had the usual cough and colds, but I started feeding him with way too many oranges and strawberries for the Vitamin C.

This reminded him of how much I hate it when kids get sick, especially those that just cry a lot and couldn't say exactly what's bothering them!

A New Year, a New Post!

We just got back from our 13-day vacation on Friday, Jan. 9. We were practically living by the suitcase as we travelled from Las Vegas on Dec. 28 to Jan. 1, to Disneyland in Anaheim from Jan. 1 to 5, to a Carnival Paradise cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico (courtesy of a very generous sponsor) from Jan. 5 to 9. Here's a little rundown from our travels:

• Talk about spending the New Year in Vegas with style - we did just that! They closed the strip down for cars so we were basically walking down the streets - LOVE IT! We also witnessed lots of people overdrinking and some were even lying on the streets - couldn't get up - drunk! The fireworks were a disappointment though. Unlike the previous years (or so we were told), they decided to launch them at ground level. Thus, those of us already at ground level couldn't see anymore... :(
• While in Vegas, we also visited Red Rock Canyon and Rachel, NV. Rachel, NV is the town closest to the infamous Area 51 where a top secret government location exists focused on studying, researching, and discovering lives beyond this world (aliens). We had some photos taken at so-called Extra Terrestrial Highway. Passing through this said highway is so eerie because it looks deserted - you could drive miles and miles without encountering any other vehicle on the road! Makes you think what'll happen if your car suddenly breaks down in the middle of nowhere - no cellphone signal as well, and the nearest gas station is hundreds of miles away! The temperature dipped as low as 19 degrees Fahrenheit when we were there. In fact, there was snow on the ground.
• On Jan. 1, we passed by Mt. Charleston on our way to Anaheim. Kail had fun playing on the snow that he doesn't even want to go. When we finally convinced him to leave, we witnessed a helicopter rescue from the ski resort up on the mountains. We gathered from the grapevine that a kid broke his neck skiing or snowboarding. A helicopter came to rescue him and take him at our ground level for first aid before finally taking him to the hospital. It was the first time I ever witnessed a 911 rescue at work!
• For three consecutive days from Jan. 2 to 4, we went to Disneyland to fulfill our promise to Kail that we'll take him there to celebrate his birthday. The lines were horrendously long everywhere we went! We waited a couple of hours before we finally got our tickets, and then there were more lines for the rides and even for the photo op with the Disney characters! What's good is that It was Kail's first time there and though Calix coudln't care less, Kail was, on the other hand, so giddy at seeing his favorite characters come to life! He had a blast having his photo taken with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Lightning McQueen and Mater, seeing Woody and Buzz Lightyear pass him by, watching the parades, watching Fantasmic, seeing fireworks, watching Playhouse Disney live! Good thing we had 3-day park hopper tickets so we were able to fully enjoy the parks. We even went to California Adventure on Jan. 3 and wondered where all the people were! We capped off his 3rd birthday with a character dinner at Goofy's Kitchen in Disneyland Hotel.
• We left Anaheim for Long Beach on Jan. 5 to take the Carnival Paradise cruise. Hubz was already getting stressed hauling suitcases whileI was pushing a stroller with the two kids in tow. Travelling with two small children is NOT an easy feat. Aside from our luggages, we needed a great deal of patience to handle the tantrums and meltdowns along the way. Good thing we can leave Kail at Camp Carnival most ofthe time and Calix on specific times. This allowed us to get a bit of a rest. Kail enjoyed himself immensely at the Camp. They always had activities for kids, and tons of toys to play with, even movies to watch. When I picked him one time, he had face painting on, a crown on his head, and an artwork of his hands. This made us realize that he's truly ready for preschool. And oh, talk about food - there's tons of food - 24 hours a day. We can order room service without having to pay anything. The sit down dinner menu is delicious. There's buffet available if you don't want to sit through dinner. We'd truly recommend this experience to everyone. We were so pampered at the ship! When Calix would fuss and it was dinnertime, the dining room staff would carry him just so I can continue to enjoy my dinner. If Calix would fall asleep in my arms, the dining room staff would slice my food into manageable pieces so I can continue eating. It's service par excellance! Thanks to J for recommending this trip and giving us tips. Of course a big shout-out to our very generous sponsor!
• It's home sweet home for us on the evening of Jan. 9th, and after a great deal of unpacking, tons of laundry, and a little bit of rest, I'mback to the grind at work!

So, what's the plan for 2009? Well, I'm embarking into a new challenge - the Project 365 by Becky Higgins. I was one of those unlucky ones who didn't get my hands on the kit. Nevertheless, I am taking a photo a day to document our year. I'm taking photo of even the most mundane of things and documenting such at Shuttercal with bits of journalling. I'm still hoping CK will offer more Project 365 kits in the future. But if not, I have an idea forming into my head as to how I'll be able to turn them into layouts. What's good about this option is that itwill make good use of my stash. I'm only on Day 15 but I'm already having fun with it. I take photos even with my iPhone so as not to miss a day! I challenge you to try it - it's fun, and a very good way to document everyday of the year.

Happy New Year everyone! Looking forward to celebrating the Chinese New Year as well because the next one's Year of the Ox and it's my year!The last time the Year of the Ox came around, I left for the US so yes, I'll also be celebrating my 12th year in the US come November!

I am one who takes pride in being able to balance career and family life, but at the back of my mind, I had hoped that I wouldn't be in a position when I would have to choose between career and family because the choice is obvious. To someone who values family like I do, it's hands down family right? But, it wasn't as easy a choice as I thought.

I was recently faced with a decision between career advancement and family. I talked to hubz about it and he said it best - "Weigh your priorities. Choose what will make you happy". In the end, I decided to forego that chance to climb up the corporate ladder.

Because I can work from home on most days, I get that opportunity to take part in my kids' milestones. Time with my kids is something I will never be able to get back would I miss their growing up years. Sure, I'd get the chance to rub shoulders with who's who in the company but what good would that do if my own kids wouldn't even recognize me? At the end of the day, their hugs and wet kisses mean more to me than all the money and fame in the world. After all, I'm a mom 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and I couldn't be happier.

I've been out of touch for a long time again, but with some very good reasons. With two kids to care for, I couldn't even find the time to catch my breath. And if that isn't a good enough reason, we decided to move to a new house during the last week of July. If you think those are enough to drive anyone insane, I took two summer classes at the Community College to finally complete my Real Estate prerequisite for taking the state test. Since summer classes are only 8 weeks long, all courses had to be taught double the time which means I cram 4 times as much because I took two classes! If you think I'm done with those three heavy reasons to be out of touch, I'm also back to work since July 7th.

To those who have been aware of my C-section complications, I am healing better now - thank God! However, I have an outpatient procedure on Friday at a surgeon's office to finally put this issue to rest.

And if you think I'm done giving reasons, well, you're in for a big surprise! My family has been going through some rough times lately because of what I thought were good investments that ended up haunting me. Anyway, we're taking it one day at a time with hope that this too, shall pass.

So, if you get the chance to see me, don't be surprised since I dropped 34 lbs in all since giving birth (I only gained 30 lbs total throughout the whole pregnancy). I'm 4 lbs lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight. 4 more lbs to go and I'll reach my pre-marital weight at 100 lbs!

Other than that, God has been good to our family and we couldn't be more than grateful.

Maternity Portraits and Tagged!

On Saturday, we had our photo shoot with none other than Auey Santos of Photograffiti. It was such a fun shoot!

I've always admired Demi Moore's unforgettable maternity portrait and though I don't have the heart to bare it all, I can daresay I have the courage to bare my very pregnant tummy! The photos can be found here. I couldn't be happier with the images.

Kudos to Auey for her talent and overflowing creativity and artistry!

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I've been tagged by Dang and here's my take on the Six Unimportant Things About Me:

1. I love chocolates even when it triggers my migraine. The darker it is, the better for me!

2. I hate the taste of milk (it used to upset my stomach) but because of calcium, I have acquired the taste.

3. I love to shop! In fact, I hoard lots of scrapbook supplies though I barely make a dent.

4. I am OC when it comes to the bathroom. I like the faucets sparkling, the sink white as snow so I wipe it off everytime we use the bathroom. I've also taught the husband and my son to clean as they go so cleaning won't bea big production number everytime.

5. I love taking photos and I love being in photos!

6. I can read and watch TV at the same time. When I was in school, I used to study and do my homework in frontof the TV. Call it multitasking, hehehe!

I owe one more tag from Gem. Hope to get to it soon!

I finally replaced my 3 year old Treo with this sweetheart:
I love, love, love my new iPhone. What's great is that I didn't have to shell out a fortune for this darling. A close friend neighbor's major weakness is collecting the latest cellphone craze. She got this baby a couple of months ago and after minimal use, she decided it was too big for her. She sold it to me for a fraction of its original cost with some accessories! I didn't even have to pay for taxes. I'm a happy camper! ;)

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I was able to churn out 5 LOs in 3 nights. If you know me, this is a BIG milestone since I haven't touched my scrapbook supplies since September last year. Here are the latest LOs I created:






Valerie Salmon's sketches provided the inspiration to finish three of them. I also decided to splurge on flowers when I can. With a house full of boys, it is not often I get to do this (even when I have tons of flower embellies to use).

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I also had Kail's 1st birthday album printed from Blurb. Special thanks to Jeff Lopez for providing the digital layouts.

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We have not been successful at potty-training Kail yet. Hubz isn't consistent at making him pee every 30 minutes or so (he gets lazy sometimes - men!). This is what I'll focus on when I start my maternity leave. I plan to go off a couple of weeks early - April 21st - so I'll have time with Kail and hubz, and hopefully, I can rest a bit before the baby comes on May 8.

We have opted for another C-section. Because of my gestational diabetes, I might have another big baby and might have another hard time at getting him through the birthing canal.

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On my previous post, I mentioned I'm going to have a date with hubz while a friend babysat Kail. Hubz and I did get the chance to watch a movie, but my friend gave me a surprise baby shower after we got back. I wasn't really expecting it since this is our second baby, it was going to be another boy, we were able to keep all of Kail's stuff for the next baby to use. Anyhow, it was still a welcome surprise. I'm so blessed to have good friends.

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I still owe Gem and Dang their tags. Will get to them as soon as I can - promise!

We have started training Kail to sleep on his own bed since Saturday. Hubz and I have squatted in his room to make sure he doesn't feel afraid when he wakes up and find himself alone, and would thus, refuse to sleep in his room. We noticed that he would wake up at wee hours in the morning to move to the adjacent airbed (where hubz and I are sleeping for the past week). We didn't mind because almost all kids we know do that - move to their parents' beds when they awake, that is. But last night was pure success. He slept on his bed the whole night! It was actually I who would wake up in the middle of the night to check on him and make sure he's ok. The hubz has been teasing me that Kail seems ready to move to his own bed but I'm just not quite ready to let go. He's absolutely right! If not for the coming baby, I would reminisce him sleeping in our bed for as long as he'd want to - nevermind the fact that Kail occupies most of the bed while hubz and I are squeezed in on both edges. Also, for the past couple of days, he has been taking his afternoon naps on his bed - without his daddy beside him. You see, with Kail, he loves sleeping atop his daddy so it's truly an achievement for him to sleep alone. I have to pat my husband on the back for being so patient at training him. Now, if only we'd have the same patience to potty train him as well!


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I have finished creating Kail's ABC Album (which I started last night by the way). You can browse the finishedproduct here. It is now ready for printing - yahoo! Thanks to Jessica Sprague's pre-made design that made this photo book easy peezy!


Special thanks to The Picture Company for the photo on the cover, first page and to the Grandmas' photos. Another kudos to Jeff Lopez for the Family and Xtra Special photos. Those were taken from Kail's first birthday party.

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Our close friend and kumare L volunteered to babysit Kail tomorrow while the husband and I goes on a much needed time alone. She actually convinced me to take that date day since we won't have this time alone when baby no. 2 comes along. Kail is well-loved (and Kail loves playing with his kuya and ates too) by our friend's kids so we know he'll be in good hands.

Kail has a Dancing Tots class in the morning, and we'll probably head to Union City immediately to attend KuyaAxel's birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. Then we'll drop Kail off at the A's, have lunch, then watch a movie.We need to head back before nighttime because we promised our neighbor we'll watch Pacquiao with them at their house.

We're excited! It's the first time in ages I'd be out with the husband. That's the price we pay for having no help nor family around.

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Happy weekend everyone!

We came back from Vegas on Tuesday at 1am. The traffic along Hwys 15 and 58 were terrible!

So, what did we do while in Vegas? On Saturday morning, we went to Red Rock Canyon in Nevada. In the afternoon, we walked along the strip and watched freebie shows. On Sunday, we went to Mt. Zion National Park in Utah. In the evening, we let the kids loose at Circus Circus' children's play area. On our way home on Monday, we dropped by Hoover Dam. Productive and pretty tiring I'd say... ;)

Kail enjoyed playing with my friend's kids (ages 11, 7, 5). The way they treated each other were like siblings. Even up to this day, Kail would do a roll-call - ate? uya (for kuya)? tita? My friend L said her kids also miss Kail a lot and have been bugging her when they'd be able to see my little guy again. Cute!

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I have been very open about our journey through Infertility in the past. It took us 2 years to finally conceive. Hubz and I were both in tears when the pregnancy test came positive. I had tears in my eyes when I saw Kail and held him in my arms for the very first time. Now that I'm pregnant again, we are excited but not so much like the first. This time, there's a little bit of apprehension mixed in. Would we be able to handle raising a toddler andan infant at the same time? How would Kail react to a new addition in the family? Will he feel jealous if our attention is suddenly divided in two? But this video made me realize that we are so blessed to have been given another chance to become parents. There are couples who have been longing and are still waiting for this miracle to happen. We know the feeling - we've been there before.

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There was a thread on one of my e-groups about living with in-laws and though I didn't get the chance to sharemy point of view, I thought I'd post my two cents on my blog.

There is a reason why leaving one's parents to be one with the spouse is biblical. I firmly believe that couples should be given the chance to work their marriage out and live on their own. Having in laws or parents in the same household complicates matters and might even rock the marriage in the end. I should know because I grew up living with my paternal grandparents and siblings. There would often be disagreements between my mom and my dad, between my mom and my dad's siblings, between my mom and the grandparents. That might have caused (in part) the break-up in their marriage. It was then that I vowed to myself that I wouldn't put myself in the same situation when I have a family of my own.

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I'd like to blog about my son's new pediatrician. With Kail's former pediatrician, the wait time is unbelievable and when we're finally seen, she would check on him as fast as she could. I feel that she can't wait to get us out the door! When Kail developed horrible rashes on his face and skin, she kept giving him creams to help withthe itching, but it doesn't make those rashes go away. I have asked over and over for a specialist referral but she would shrug my concerns off. Only after 7 or 8 months did she finally cave in and gave us a referral to an allergist. Kail was diagnosed as allergic to eggs and nuts!!!!

If she didn't take her sweet little time on thereferral, we would've immediately known and I would've stopped giving him anything that has eggs on it (bread,cakes, etc). When I was breastfeeding, I would've refrained from taking in anything with eggs. If only those things happened, the rashes might've been controlled and my poor little Kail didn't have to suffer.

So, after years of looking for a realiable pediatrician, a friend finally recommended Dr. M who holds clinics in Vallejo, Benicia, and Fairfield. She's heaven-sent! She doesn't make us wait any longer than 10 minutes. She's always very attentive to what we tell her, and she's good at pacifying our concerns and making our worries go away. She takes time to look and examine Kail when sick. She would even give us tips on raising a toddler like discliplining him. I just can't imagine why it took us this long to find her!!!

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Happy weekend everyone! Stay dry if you're in NorCal!

I got the result of my glucose tolerance testing a couple of weeks ago and I was told I tested positive for gestational diabetes! This was a surprise because I didn't have one with Kail. I guess age may have a lot to do with this since I'm turning 35 this year! I have friends who didn't have one on their previous pregnancies but was tested positive on their recent ones. Tomorrow I have an appointment with a nutritionist for the prescribed diet. I also have to prick myself a few times a day to check my blood sugar. Bummer! All those sweet stuff I ate during the holidays finally caught up on me!

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I need a new cellphone. My treo 600 isn't bluetooth capable so soon, I wouldn't be able to use it while driving.Here are the phones I'm eyeing:

The Blackberry Curve 8310:
The Palm Treo 750:

The Apple iPhone:
We visited The Apple Store last weekend and I heart the iPhone! My only concern is the price.

So what do you think bloggers, if you were in my shoes, which would you choose?

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I am surprised to find myself actually working on fulfilling my goals (others call them resolutions) for the year. I won't divulge them yet until I've completed them so as not to jinx a good start. Wish me luck to be able to complete one of them before I give birth, and the other one before my birthday in September... ;)

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We're off to Vegas on Friday with some friends. I am in need of this break because I've been stressed thin on our Feb. 22 install. Yes, I am taking off before we go into Production for a much-needed respite. But no, we're not going to Vegas to gamble. I just think that we needed to get away as a family before I give birth in May, otherwise, we may not be able to go at all. Besides, we have our timeshare week expiring this year so we might as well use them since we're paying for a very expensive maintenance fee anyway.

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I got tagged by Gem! I'd post the reply when we get back. Sorry Gem - things have just been pretty hectic!

'Til my next sari-saring post, possibly when we get back from Vegas!

Sari-Saring Post

I sat in for my 3-hour glucose test today. I was there as early as 7:15am, told the pinay phlebotomist/receptionist that I was there for the glucose test, hoping she'll give me the drink and I can start counting the hours. She instead told me I have to wait until she calls my name, and then I have to give her my doctor's request, and only then will she be able to give me the drink. Well, it took 45 minutes for the manager (thankfully) to call my name. I told the manager I was there 45 minutes earlier and she confronted the pinay why I wasn't given the drink right then and there. She said she needed to know if I fasted, to which I told her I did. To think that there was a sign to let the folks at the front know if we're in for glucose test or other timed tests!

An hour later, you'd think she learned her lesson (she was reprimanded by the manager by the way). I had to remind her that I'm due for my second blood draw (the first was prior to drinking the solution). She asked my name and insisted that I'm not due for another 10 minutes more! I debated that I saw the manager write the time on my paper (9:02, 10:02, 11:02). Yun pala, there were 2 of us there for the same test, with the same name - what a coincidence right?! Haay naku, the last time I ate was 6:30 last night so at 9am, I was so, so hungry, with another 2 hours to go. Muntik ko na kaya siyang kagatin sa inis!

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For the second day in a row, Kail was harboring a fever at wee hours in the morning, then the fever will be gone by morning. Father and son are also hacking by now, and when Kail starts a coughing fit, he'd throw up. My poor baby... I hope he'd feel better soon!

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What's up with the weather? I have had to scrape ice on my windshield twice this week. This morning, the newscaster warned motorists to drive safely along Hwy 29 as there's ice on the road! This is California, for Pete's sake... we're supposed to enjoy a snow-free weather!

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I have been seriously thinking whether I'll undergo another C-Section or go through VBAC (Vaginal Birth afterC-Section) this time around. Hubz wasn't around when I gave birth to Kail and I figured maybe he'll appreciate the chance to be my labor coach this time around. But do I really want to subject myself to all that pain? My next consideration is the recovery period. Since I would have an infant and a toddler to care for, it'll probably be easier if I opt for VBAC with a shorter recovery period.

One advantage I can think of regarding C-section would be a longer leave period. I can only have 6 weeks off for a normal delivery while there's an allotted 8 weeks maternity leave for CS. I could use the extra two weeks to bond with my two boys! ;)

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We watched Spiderman last weekend and Kail was enthralled. He kept saying "Miman" even in his sleep! He also loved watching the DVD over and over again.

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Have you ever seen these boudoir shots? I wish this was introduced back when I was a size 0, and back when I had the nerve to bare it all without feeling like a pig! I would've immediately booked myself a session then. Haay sayang... I wonder if I'll be able to get back to my ninety-something lb., size 0, a waistline of 23 self? I probably have to live at the gym and exercise nonstop to achieve this. Unless of course, I become a suki of Drs. Calayan or Belo?! ;)

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Happy weekend everyone! Sorry for the hodge podge of posts. Hope the weather in your side of the world is so much better! To all those in Northern California, it'll rain again through the weekend so stay dry people!

The holidays have come and gone. And then, while busily counting down for Kail's second birthday on Jan. 4, the little boy got hit by a virus. He was harboring a 102.9 degree fever on his birthday - very clingy and oh-so-irritable. Poor guy! At about the same time last year, he was also sick, and has just gotten out of the hospital in Manila.

We did nothing fancy on his birthday. I was hoping we could go to Disneyland but good thing we didn't book anything. The Bay Area was pounded by a winter storm which left a lot of households in the dark (thankfully, not ours though). Kail was down with a nasty combination of fever, cough, colds. He was up and about almost all night because he couldn't breathe properly. He's a little better - no more fever, but he passed the virus on to me. So, I have clogged nose, sore throat, and I'm barking like a dog. I couldn't take any medicine because I'm pregnant so I'm relying mostly on good ol' natural remedies like gargling with warm water and salt (and sometimes with cayenne pepper instead of salt), eating lots of oranges, drinking tons of liquids, and trying to stay warm.

Hubz, on the other hand has been spared. Perhaps because his antibodies are imported from the Philippines... ;)

Hopefully we'd be well soon and the weather will finally clear up. We're still hoping we could take Kail somewhere for his birthday.

Have a blessed 2008 everyone!