Give thanks

Yesterday was Thanksgiving day. I thought it's only applicable in the US. But it's the entire world that celebrates it. Sales are having it's discounted price, food chains having buy 1 take 1 promo in all their goods and people celebrate it like it's Independence day.

I realized that commemorating thanksgiving yesterday is by way of thanking the patronage of its clients for the business sectors. And as for us individuals, it is a day of thanking the people who in one way or another touched our lives and made it meaningful of who we are right now. It could be our parents, our siblings, our husband/wife or partner, our children, our friends and even our enemies. Yes, our enemies. Because if it weren't  for them, we won't be able to mold ourselves into a better person.

Isn't it nice to hear from someone saying "thank you" to you? It's such a magic word. And it's more than any material thing's worth. It cannot be bought or asked for. It just means that having you around them is more than enough help they could ask for. Helping somebody with their needs give a feeling of high and self-satisfaction. It is incomparable and thus the saying, "it is better to give than to receive".

But thanksgiving is not only a one day event. It should be an everyday mindset that as long as we are alive, we should be grateful. We have a lot of reasons to be thankful for. God, above all else, make things possible and beautiful for us. Everything that we have in this world are all created by Our Almighty God and for that alone we should give thanks with a grateful heart...

Mompreneur

I am truly at awe by those moms who juggle multiple roles in their lives. It is not very easy at all doing a lot of things just to be able to cater the needs of the entire household not to forget also taking care of our own self. As a mom for less than a year and a wife for almost 2 years now, I find it totally worthy the stress, the pains and the sacrifices I have put into my family. And looking at these mompreneurs, I am totally inspired by how they were able to manage their own time by having their own household to look at, plus an 8-5 career, taking care of their children, having a husband to take care too and having a business which they find it the "de-stresser" of their very hectic schedule.

I myself find it interesting to have an online business which I like at the same time earning additional income for my family's needs and mine as well. As I said in my previous post, "My Passion", I like working in action. I find this a challenging experience because aside from earning I get to meet a lot of mompreneurs too and learn from them. Becoming a "mompreneur" is a wish for me for now. I just hope that I will be given an opportunity to experience the wonderful world of being a "mompreneur".

One year with Mariella

My Mariella's birthday is coming and I still don't have anything prepared yet like scouting for the perfect venue for the event. Of course I want it to be special since it will be her 1st birthday. I thought of having a "Tangled"-themed party. Tangled is a cartoon movie similar to Rapunzel. When my Mariella is still a couple of months old, we used to play the DVD of Tangled we borrowed from her cousin, Ella. Remembering how she focus her eyes on the television set, it inspired me and my husband to let it be her 1st birthday theme.

Being a mom, I am particular of giving the best for my daughter. But with limited budget, I want it also to be simple and for everybody to enjoy good food and to celebrate with us the joys we have when Mariella is already here with us. Nonetheless, in search for the perfect things on her birthday, I just wish that above all else, God will always be with my daughter; to have a good health, always be cheerful, to have respect in us as her parents and to know that with God everything is possible.

We love you Mariella and I thank God for the perfect gift He has given me and my husband; and that is our daughter!

Rainy day

I love rainy days! It reminds me of being cozy in a big couch or in my bed; and of lazy afternoons and dozing off to sleep. I love the thought of eating hot champorado while watching old Filipino or old foreign movies. I remember when we were younger, we used to close the windows in our room (feeling like we are in an airconditioned room) while we are watching the television. Me and my siblings snuggle in bed, playing and hiding ourselves in a heavy blanket.

Now in my 30's, when rainy days, I love to sip a cup of hot coffee with creamer and a dash of powdered cinnamon coupled with hot toasted bread on top with peanut butter or butter with syrup on top. When in house, I love to still lock myself in my bed cuddling with my Mariella and still watch DVD's now. It's a nice feeling to feel the cold and warmth with my loved ones and thyself brought by rainy days...

Chances

Why do people always make the same mistakes over and over again? Is it valid that reasons will always be 'because we are only humans'? Most of the time we take it like a stride and because we are only humans, it is okay to make the same faults. I do admit I make also the same mistake. Sometimes, on purpose; on other times unintentional. Sorry is a very strong word yet people just take it for granted and used it like a crap; like to ease only the people you hurt and half the sincerity on saying it.

You can never really judge a person by how he reacts on certain issues in life. Maybe, just maybe, for cover up. These situations tests our faith, our own principles. But how are we able to face such realities that will never change our integrity and dignity as a person. I could never imagine a person doing wrong while he is conscious and mature enough to know that what he is doing is never right, at all! Hello karma? Are you there?

We must be of constant reflection to our self and to strengthen our relation to God through prayers to be able to surpass life's constant challenges.

My Passion

When I was in my late secondary years, I am fond of looking at people work in fast pace. I like looking at architects, interior designers, fashion designers work in action. That's when I decided to take up interior designing when I finished high school. I am so excited that I already decided to study in Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID) in Manila. But I was disappointed knowing the tuition fee that time. I cannot afford it plus knowing that Manila is so expensive to live in. My time is running out and I should be deciding on what course to take in college.

Anyway, my eyes glued to every art & design magazines I encounter (interior and fashion designs to be exact). My eyes and mind is feasting to every work of art I read. I envy people of their own creations and wishing to be like them in the near future. In their own self I like seeing how composed, beautiful they are, enjoying every master piece they've completed. To my own evaluation, they made themselves beautiful when they love what they're doing. And that's what I love in designing.

To my frustration of not getting what I want to be, my only consolation was cutting, collecting artclips/issues from the newspapers and buying magazines of it. I asked may papa to get me everyday issues of newspapers containing it and I'm happy that papa is supporting my "wishing-to-be-an-interior-designer" ambition. Not knowing that I had boxes of it since I started collecting in 1996. I love it when I constantly browse it in my free time. It gives me a feeling of high seeing beautiful images. Now that I have no time anymore of scanning the news, good thing that internet gives me full information of new innovations about interior designs, fashion and beauty updates that until now I remember that once I enjoyed giving my pleasure a taste. Still I am an interior designer by heart!

Christmastime...

I like Decembers not because another year will be coming and expecting for a new year (hopeful and enthusiastic) but because the Yuletide spirit is here. What I like about December is the cool Christmas breeze, the music of Christmas carols, the people busy preparing for the holidays and most of all when everybody in my family will celebrate with a big bang together in one place. Usually we celebrate it in our ancestral house. My uncles, aunties and cousins gather, and celebrate Noche Buena together. We share good food, the air filled with music, good laughter and we have our annual exchange of gifts.

Ever since we were kids, my parents have the tradition of putting up Christmas tree, putting Christmas socks for each one of us and decorating the whole house with Christmas decors. At the start of September, my papa and mama makes sure that we enjoy each and everyday until December 25 comes. They put gifts for us in our own socks in the condition that we are good during the day; that we don't fight each other. They make it to the point that we believe in Santa Claus and he is there to give us our wishes only if we are good. True enough, we receive our presents for being good on that day; otherwise, no presents in our socks. And that I believed in Santa because why do they know that we are good or bad when they are working and that they don't know our behavior on that day? Only to find out that our nanny was the one who reports to them of how are we during that day. Until now when I reminisce that point in my life I can't help but smile and still feel giddy because at that moment in my life I savored and enjoyed my childhood during Christmastime..

Pamper myself!!

I am stressed out. I feel that I have to pamper myself. From the time that I was still expecting my first child (not so long ago) things have changed about everything that I routinely do. I am limited of my physical activities since I don't want to put pressure also myself especially my baby. With all the physical and emotional changes that I've been through during the 9-month period, I think I deserve to satisfy myself and feel good about being Me. Now that my Mariella is born, I am more restricted to doing my usual stuff. Of course, there's nothing more fulfilling than being a mom and being able to see my Mariella respond to us and to see the many expressions she has right now. Now I know that being a mother and a wife is not an easy role to play. Aside from that you have to be a mother 24/7, I should also be a wife 24/7. And as a woman who also have a career on the other side, we should be calling ourself a Superwoman!

It is a 360-degree turn from being a carefree and selfish person to a selfless person I am today. Because I now focus on the needs of the house, my husband and my Mariella, I forgot to take care of myself anymore. It is already a luxury for me the sleeping hours, the going to the malls for a walk and to where I would want to go to relax like going on facials and body massage like I used to. How I wish could turn back time! Not that I wish there's no Mariella, no family that I have now. They are irreplaceable, of course. But how I wish I could go for relax mode and to have a Me-time. If I am given a chance to wish infront of a genie, it would be: one whole day in a spa (whole body massage and scrub, facials, sauna), getting a new hairdo that perfectly fits my frame, and a complete wardrobe make-over..

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Chocolates!!

I love chocolates! It not only brings life to my taste-buds but it affects my current state of mind. Every time I take bite and munch of it, it brings me in Cloud 9 (remember the chocolate?). Ever since I was a kid, I have a sweet tooth already. And as years go by, it became my savior to my depression, stress and worries in life. Oh how I love chocolates! The more I got to have a love of it after that Nescafe coffee TV commercial said that caffeine is good for the health and is a source of healthful antioxidants to our body. The fact that chocolate especially the dark one (which I truly love) is rich of antioxidants and is made up also of caffeine. But of course, too much of everything is not good for the health.


I have a hang up for chocolate nowadays because recently every time my boss returns from his trip he has this particular chocolate he gives us cased in a mini can holder that is nice to have it as collection. The name is Godiva in dark chocolate. It's like a bean that is easy to pop in the mouth. No messy grinds of chocolate when eaten. I can secretly pop in my mouth during office hours and not be seen by my boss eating it ;-). I can even finish it in one sitting!


Oh how I love chocolates!