REMINISCIN'

On this day, 11 years ago, the Ocampo family first step foot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Although many years have passed, I still have lots of fond memories from back home.

I still remember...

• running around topless in our old apartment when I was little

• Teacher Brenda and Teacher Daisy at St. Margaret

• watching Si Goat Da Wonderpul where the goat poops out lots of loose change in this special pail; and also Buyoyoy Da Wonderboy which was just really weird but anyways...

• bathing in the rain (with soap and shampoo!)

• going to the beach then going straight to Timoga (swimming pool) to bulyas (wash off)

• Timoga's billboard:
  
• WELCOME TO TIMOGA SWIMMING POOLS! IS THE LARGEST POOL, IT DEEP TO SWIM, IT'S PEACEFULNESS TO SWIM! (buwahahaha)
• BTW, my mom told her friend in the Department of Tourism about the sign, and the next time we passed by there, it was gone.
  

• spending the day at Tinago Falls

• going to the palenke (wet market) early in the morning and buy palitaw and suman latik- my faves!

• having red hotdogs for breakfast- which btw can be bought here now

• stocking up on Sustagen powdered milk to get lots of freebies when they visit the school

• playing patintero, sagudsud, chinese garter, chinese king-kong, doctor wakwak, tago-anay, japanese game, dakpanay, langit-lupa, sisira ang bulaklak, 7-up and many more

• sleeping to the sounds of frogs, crickets and lizards

• huge, flying cockroaches and beatles

• getting picked up by a service to and from school

• loving Victoria Bakery's cheese bread and chocolate cake

• having recess in the canteen and lunch in the mess hall

• eating this really yummy bibingka in Samar everyday whenever I was there on vacation (As my uncle always said, it was really yummy cuz the maker was kagiron!!! If you don't know what that is, don't worry about it). LOL

• volunteering to count the money from the offertory after the mass at Lolo Boning's convent knowing that he'll give me some afterwards

• bathing in the river behind Lolo's house in San Jorge, Samar where there's supposedly alligators on the other side (I never believed it until I was older when my aunt showed me 'baby alligators' near the 'shore'- is that what it's called even for rivers? Well... you know what I'm talking about)

• having to dig to take a poop then covering it back up :-S

• picking random leaves and flowers so I can play luto-luto; and when I played with a yaya, I would actually have her start a mini fire for me and have her taste what I cooked up afterwards

• houses having either Bermuda or Carabao grass

• being chased by geese at the bottom of the City Hall in Iligan

• being chased by a cow near Tita Shak's house

• being chased by a crazy dog near our house

• Dario and Neneng :-( - I'm sure all Iliganons know who Neneng is (Dario is the one from Tubod)
  
• going to the carnival and Mugna during Fiesta season

• the Rotary Club's annual Bazaar at the Cafe Hermoso where Chinky and I would always chill in the bathroom

• being locked out in the balcony at the Maria Cristina Hotel in Iligan the day before mom's wedding

• pigging out on lady fingers from Excelsior, cream puffs from Michelle's or the ones made by Tita Neneng, cheese dogs from Delecta, chocolate cake from Snack Inn, pork bbq from BBQ Inn and Holiday Park, grilled chicken from Madelicious, esol from Sunburst, spaghetti from Tip Top and Mister Donut, spaghetti with white sauce from ChocoShak, ox tongue from Patio Alejandra, cinnamon rolls from Pop Rocks, chocolate crinkles from Raquel's, sans rival from The Old House, cheeseburger from Enrico's and of course, lechon from Timoga or Bayug!

• going on the hanging bridges in Tambacan and Bayug

• sleeping over at the Sabolboro's usually after parties and playing dress up with Tita Dang's clothes and shoes

• dance lessons at the Abalos Building

• trying to learn how to 'laba' (laundry) manually (hahaha... meaning, no washing machine!)

• everything had to be ironed- even handkerchiefs and underwears!

• getting Alpine White chocolate as pasalubong from Mommy or Papa from work

• having wrigglers in our water in Pala-o (sooo gross especially when trying to take a bath)

• JED Ceramics

• asking Tito Harold for flowers to bring to school

• having to catch our own specimens for science class (ie. insects, frogs, birds, etc.)

• our very loud Volkswagen Brasilia which was originally Blue then re-painted to Off-White

• JUST SIMPLY CHILLIN' AND ENJOYIN' LIFE! Unlike here where people seem to be always rushing, always stressed out and thinking about WORK, WORK, WORK!
  

These are just a few of the many things I still remember about the Philippines, most especially about Iligan. I wish I can visit more often so my children can at least experience even a bit of the fun I had growing up there. I will never let go of these memories because the times I spent in the Philippines were THE BEST TIMES OF MY LIFE!

MY "NEW" SCHEDULE

I want to look good. I want to be healthy. So first thing's first... I need to lose weight.

This will be my "fitness" schedule every week:


Monday: Aerobics

Tuesday: YogaLates

Wednesday: Aquafit

Thursday: Fitness Bootcamp (intense cardio workout)

Friday: Aquafit

Saturday and Sunday: work on whatever machine in the gym!


The best part is: THEY'RE ALL FREE (in our condo)!!!

Hopefully by this summer I'll be all HOT and SEXY! (I wish!)

Wish me luck!!!

REAL SECRETS

Ever since I read the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, I've been so interested in reading and learning more about the different "secret societies." I've been reading books (both fiction and non-fiction), articles, and even watched documentaries that have something to do with them. While at the store last week, I found this magazine:

It gives you a short history of 'secret societies'. It has a lot of interesting things about the Knights Templar, the Masons, Opus Dei, Scientology, the Mafia, etc.

Oh, how I wish I could really know the TRUTH about these things!

MOVIE NIGHTS

When the hubby doesn't have to be at work at night, we usually spend it by sitting infront of the TV watching movies or TV series on DVD.

Today was his day off. We spent the day catching up on our Filipino TV Series on TFC. And tonight, we watched the second part of the Chinese movie we saw a couple of weeks ago called Red Cliff. This 2-part movie is now one of my favourite Chinese movies.


As of right now, we are finishing Disc 9 of 9 of the TV series Lalola.

I love being on mat leave! And I love having the hubby home ALL DAY LONG!

PANCAKE TUESDAY

Yesterday afternoon, Kyla came home with a note from school informing parents that they're having pancakes the next day since it's Pancake Tuesday! But what exactly is Pancake Tuesday?

When I asked the hubby what Pancake Tuesday was, all he said was, "It's the day before Ash Wednesday."

So what? Again... I consulted my friend Wiki. Here is what I learned:

"Shrove Tuesday is a term used for the day preceding the first day of the Christian season of fasting and prayer called lent.

The festival is widely associated with the eating of foods such as pancakes, and often known simply as Pancake Day, originally because these used up ingredients such as fat and eggs, the consumption of which was traditionally restricted during Lent."

That's it?! It's all because of the ingredients? If it were up to me, I'd call it ALL MEAT YOU CAN EAT DAY! Afterall, I can still eat pancakes any time I want during Lent- but not meat.

*The hubby and I enjoyed All You Can Eat Pancakes today for $3.99/each!

WHAT TIME IS IT?

My 6-year old just learned how to tell time. The hubby taught her for maybe five minutes and now she can't stop looking at her watch telling everybody what time it is.

While laying in bed before going to sleep, she asked how she would know whether it's a.m. or p.m. So I explained to her that starting 12:00 in the daytime, p.m. starts. When it's 12:00 at nighttime, it turns to a.m. Then the cycle just continues.

Then it hit me... I don't even know (or maybe I just don't remember) what a.m. and p.m. stand for! So I consulted my friend Wiki. And here's what I learned:

A.M. stands for ante meridiem (Latin for before noon), while P.M. stands for post meridiem (Latin for after noon).

Did you guys know (or remember) that? See, even adults can learn new things every day! Thanks to my little, big girl for asking. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have bothered finding out.

ON THE 81ST ACADEMY AWARDS

• I absolutely LOVED Hugh Jackman's musical numbers (especially the one with Beyonce, Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper- did you guys see Amanda fall on her bum while coming down the stairs?). I AM IN-LOVE WITH WOLVERINE!

• I thought the funniest ish was Jack Black's comment about how he makes his money by doing a movie with Dreamworks every year then betting his money on Pixar's for the Oscar's. That nearly killed me!

• Is it just me or did Jennifer Aniston seem a bit tense while presenting? Afterall, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were right infront of her! But whatever... John Mayer was there behind them. So Jenniefer Aniston and John Mayer- are they or aren't they?
  

• I loved the way the previous winners (for the best {supporting} actors/actresses) introduced the nominees and welcomed the winner. I really liked how they made it so personal.
  

• I've always thought Sophia Loren was one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood. But did you see her tonight? What was she wearing? And her face... multiple facelifts and botox, perhaps?

• How come there weren't many nominees for Best Music (Song)? I always look forward to the performances every year but tonight, I was disappointed.

• I thought Danny Boyle's "Tigger" moment was just a bit weird. But since it was supposed to be for his children, then okay.

• YAY FOR 'SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE'!!!
  

DEBIT, PLEASE

I was lining up at a convenient store when the man infront of me asked the cashier if he could use his debit card to pay for a bottle of iced tea that cost $2.00. When he entered his PIN and everything, the cashier told him that the transaction was declined.

The guy just laughed and said, "Okay, okay. Hold on. Let me get a can of pop instead."

So he did. This time for $0.99 on his debit- again. But it was still declined. "Insufficient funds," the cashier told him.

The guy laughed once again and left the store. The people lining up just shook their heads and laughed, too.

OKAY. I know it's probably none of my business, but don't people check how much they have in their bank accounts before they start swiping it around? I was embarrassed enough when my debit card was declined- which I later found out that my bank cancelled it because of 'suspected fraudulent activities.' But being declined due to insufficient funds- for $0.99?! C'mon people! That is so not a laughing matter.

Please check how much funds you have available before you start going around using your debit card AND embarrassing yourself.

I WANNA LEARN HOW TO...

KNIT!!!

Why?! Because I always find myself falling in love with all these expensive, KNITTED scarves and hats every year. So I figured, instead of paying at least $20-$30 for each, why not learn how to knit and make my own?! That way I can control the colour(s), style, length, etc.So now... I just need to find somebody who can teach me the basics- since it's easier for me that way compared to trying to figure it out on my own from a book or magazine. Then later on when I'm used to it, I will make ALL of you scarves and/or hats as presents (bday, xmas, etc.)!

BOTTLED WATER

500mL Evian = $1.91
1L Evian = $2.91

A lady walked into the store and picked up a small bottle of Evian. When she saw how much she had to pay, she freaked out. She started going on and on about why she had to pay so much for water when it should really be free. Her friend told her to get Dasani since it's cheaper (by about $0.15!). But she ignored her and still kept on going. I suggested to try going to Shopper's Drug Mart or Wal-Mart since they sell their store-brand bottled water for about $0.89 for 2L. But she said she preferred her Evian. Her friend just laughed and then she started going on and on about the issue all over again.

"75% of the Earth is covered in water, so why should we pay so much when there's more than enough supply?... blah blah... yada yada yada..."

Personally, I do agree with her. Some bottled waters are a bit overpriced. It doesn't matter what brand it is or which glacier or mountain it came from- IT'S WATER. And luckily, we are in North America where even tap water is clean enough to drink. But why not just purchase a re-usable drink bottle and fill it up with water or whatever drink you prefer every time you go out? That way, you won't have to complain about how expensive bottled waters are selling for OR you won't be forced to drink from a yucky water fountain. PLUS you're at least doing the environent some good.

MY VERY OWON LAPTOP

On Sunday afternoon, I went to Best Buy with my mom and hubby. We were there to buy my dad a new laptop. The hubby did all the research beforehand so we were really only there to see if they had any in stock then purchase it.

When we got there, the hubby showed me the laptop he recommended to my parents. He said that if I wanted a laptop, he'd get me the exact same one my mom was getting- good specs, good price, very good deal!

But when I saw the laptop, it didn't catch my attention the way I expected it to. I didn't feel that flutter of excitement that I thought I'd get now that I'm actually laptop-shopping! So I started looking around but every time I showed Brice something that I liked, he kept on saying, "No, the other one is waaaayyyy better."

It was really frustrating. There I was hoping I'd leave the store with a brand new laptop but it seemed like I wasn't having any luck. Brice kept on pushing for that laptop. I told him I didn't want it. When he asked me why, I told him the truth:

"I want something shiny! I want something that would look cool! I wanna be able to take it out and not feel too blah about it. I don't need that extra 1GB of memory! Besides, this has a better processor (like I knew what I was talking about). And it's only $50 more, which is really just an additional $7 per month compared to the other one- and I actually will like it. I WANT SOMETHING SHINY!"

He finally gave in- like always. So here I am typing away on my very own, brand-new laptop!!! But now I have to start getting used to using a PC- it's been a while.

ABSENT

This morning, my mom called me to say... "Umm... This Animal Sounds is getting old. Where's the new one?"

At first I didn't know what she was talking about (my brain's been really slow the past week). Then it hit me- oh, it's my blog!

Uh... Mom, It's only been a couple of days.

I've just been so tired helping out at the store since last week that I have no energy to post up a new blog when I get home- although I have quite a few of them on my 'drafts.'

But anyway, I'm back from the dead and the in-laws are back from their vacation so no more working at the store everyday for me! YAY!

Expect a lot more posts from me from now on...

ANIMAL SOUNDS

One day, Kyla wanted to play "pretend" with me. She was going to be a little girl who lived in a farm. She wanted me to play the different animals.

This is how our conversation went: (This is the easiest way for me to tell the story.)

KYLA: "Mommy, you're gonna be a rooster. You have to crow so I can wake up."

ME: "Okay... TUK-TU-GA-OK! TUK-TU-GA-OK!

Kyla opened her eyes and stared at me with this really confused look on her face.

KYLA: "Mommy, what are you doing?! You're supposed to crow like a rooster!"

ME: "I did! I did crow like a rooster!"

KYLA: "No, you didn't. You did something else. You said TUK-TU-SOMETHING. It's supposed to be COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!

ME: "Well, Kyla... In the Philippines, that's the sound roosters make!"

KYLA: "What kind of roosters do they have in the Philippines?!"

* * S I G H * *

KYLA: "Okay, mommy. Now you be a frog and I'm trying to go to sleep but you keep making noises."

ME: "KOKAK! KOKAK!

Kyla looks at me again very confused. She was getting really exasperated.

KYLA: "Mommy, what are you doing?!"

ME: "I'm making frog noises. Isn't that what you wanted me to do?"

KYLA: "Yeah, but that's not the right sound, mommy! It's supposed to be RIBBIT! RIBBIT!

ME: "Well, Kyla... In the Philippines, that's the sound frogs make!"

KYLA: "How come animals in the Philippines make weird sounds? Oh yea... I know why! THEY'RE TAGALOG!"

* * D O U B L E S I G H * *

*As far as Kyla is concerned, every Filipino IS Tagalog.

MY TASTY VALENTINE

The hubby and I had our Valentine's Day dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House in downtown Toronto. We've been wanting to go there for years now but never got around to doing it until now.

Mahn! I can't believe we've waited this long to dine there. Their steak was definitely THE BEST STEAK the hubby and I have ever had!

We were very lucky to have gotten a table for tonight. The hubby called them at 1:00 am last night to see if we can make reservations. Lo and behold, they had one more available slot!

The restaurant's ambiance was perfect! We ordered their 3-course prix fixe meal. Both the hubby and I had lobster bisque as appetizers. For the main course, the hubby had their rib eye steak while I had the filet. Our side dishes were mashed potatoes and sauteed mushrooms.

The steaks were served in hot and sizzling plates. The server actually had us hold up our napkins to prevent our clothes from getting splattered on. Apparently, their steaks are broiled in 1800*F to lock in the flavours.

When we crave for good steak, we usually go to The Keg. But now, I don't think we can ever go back to eating steak from The Keg after tasting Ruth's Chris Steak House's steak.

The only downside is though, the place is a bit pricey for normal people like myself. I almost had a heart attack when we got the bill- LOL. But it was an evening and money well-spent.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

OUR FIRST VALENTINE'S DAY TOGETHER

*Taken at Pacific Mall on February 14, 2001

MORE OF ME...

Since I've been tagged numerous times on this MY 25 thing on Facebook, I figured I'd do 15 more on top of the 10 I've already done on my previous blog. So here it goes:

• During a meal, I eat my dessert first OR along with my main course.

• When the hubby and I watch foreign films, we need to have the volume turned up even though we don't understand what they're saying.

• I actually like washing dishes. I find it soothing and relaxing.

• I can't sleep without a blanket on me- even when it's HOT!

• I always order calamari as an appetizer when out for a meal.

• I swallowed a giant fly when I was 13- while gossiping!

• Before going out, I always check The Weather Network for the day's temperature so I can dress myself and the kids accordingly (OR decide whether we should still go out or not).
  

• I secretly play with Kyla's toys. They're so much cooler than what I had when I was little.

• My cellphone is on 24/7. Thanks to CityFido!

• I hate needles. That's the reason why I never got the epidural while giving birth to both my girls. I also ask for a butterfly needle every time I need to get bloodwork done. AND this is why I'm too afraid to donate blood again- the needle they use is GINORMOUS!

• A few years ago when we went home to the Philippines, I had to lie to one of my Profs so he'd let me do the exam early and let me leave. I told him my great-grandfather passed away-> my great-grandfathers have been dead for a loooonnnngggg time.

• I like to travel but I am afraid of flying. Being on an airplane scares me so much that I start shaking and crying- especially during take-off and when there's turbulence. I know it's the safest mode of transportation but the worst for chances of survival if anything happens.
  

• It wasn't until we moved to Canada that I really got into watching Filipino movies and Filipino shows.

• I am so lucky to be married to somebody who doesn't mind going shopping! He took me to my first Black Friday shopping in the US 6 years ago and I knew then he was for keeps. HaHaHa!

I did 11 on my previous blog so I'm now stopping at 14... Plus, I'm really just too tired to think.

CUTE, LITTLE CAR

While driving to the mall earlier today, I noticed a small car infront of me. I couldn't see the driver's head so I thought, "Wow, the driver must be really, really small." I couldn't even see the top of his/her head- but I could see a man sitting on the passenger's seat. I was right behind the car and I don't know why but I was very intrigued on how "tiny" the driver was. When I went beside the car, I got very disappointed- there was no "cute, little driver." The man on the passenger's seat WAS the driver! He had a right-hand-drive vehicle!

So I decided to take a picture from my cellphone- it's the first time I've seen one here in North America! LOL. And as if that wasn't bad enough, I took another one after he parked at the mall's parking lot- I swear! I wasn't following him. It just so happened that he was also going to the mall and parked where I normally park too. But I made sure the owner didn't see me. I didn't want him thinking I was some kind of weirdo taking pics of his little, old car.

Are right-hand-drive vehicles even legal here in Canada? I guess so since it had an Ontario license plate. Oh well. It gave me something to write about.

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!

While helping out at the store, a very well-dressed lady came in. She was looking at the magazines and started talking to me about random celebrities. She seemed very nice and friendly. There was nobody at the store so we started talking about random stuff- including family.

I mentioned to her that I have 2 beautiful girls at home. Then she asked me how old I was. I told her I was pretty young when I had my 1st one but everything turned out well for me. Then all of a sudden, she changed from this sweet, pretty lady to this horrible, monstrous witch (with a capital B)!

She started lecturing me about life and about being a young mom. The whole time I was thinking, "Mahn! The words coming out of her mouth are worse than what anybody else (my parents included) has ever said to me. Who the heck does she think she is?" And her tone was very condescending.

I just stood there speechless and pissed beyond pissed. She kept on going on and on until she mentioned that she was 45 when she had her first child and that she wouldn't have changed a thing. She said she's done everything she wanted to do- get a job she likes, travel around the... not the world... Caribbean, go on cruises, had a nice white wedding, etc...

I honestly don't care how old anybody wants to be when they want to have children. If they wanna have it when they're 20, 50 or even 80... I DON'T CARE! That's their own decision. If they don't wanna have any children, that's up to them too. I don't think I'm entitled to judge anybody for the decisions they make.

So anyway, back to the female dog, she said to me that I must be so ashamed going to my daughter's activities at school since the other parents and even teachers may be talking about how old or should I say, how YOUNG I am.

This is when I decided to stop biting my tongue. I turned to her and said...

"I actually like volunteering at my child's school. I don't care what others say about me. I WOULD RATHER HAVE THEM TALK ABOUT HOW YOUNG I AM THAN TO BE MISTAKEN TO BE MY CHILD'S GRANDMOTHER! Oh, and about the stuff you've already done... getting a good job, touring the Caribbean, having a nice white wedding... I've done those too! Not the cruises yet though. I'm waiting til I'm YOUR age to do it. Anyway, you should get going ma'am. You're grandchild... I mean, your child must be waiting for you at home. BTW, I'm 25 and my mom's YOUNGER than YOU! Have a great day! "

*For the curious ones, I was 18 when I had my first child- not that it's any of your business.

FOR HERE OR TO GO?

Over the weekend, Brice and I had lunch at HOSU Bistro. I ordered my usual- Chicken Teriyaki with Tempura Bento Box. It cost $9.95.

But guess what?

For $4.99 you can get the exact same thing but you just have to get it TO GO!

Can you believe that? You can save yourself $5 to have your food in a styrofoam container instead. But I think the reason they charge more when you dine in is for this:

"FREE" Appetizers!

FRIGG!

TO MY MOM:


This is the same as the LMFAO thing.

Maybe the F isn't so bad. It's on a huge billboard on Queen Street. I guess you'll just have to believe it's the 'better' F word.

LM_AO! (cuz I'm a good girl!)

*Photo taken by MOI @ Queen Street West, Toronto on the 8th of Feb. 2009

THE CORRECT ANSWER IS...

I was watching a Filipino game show earlier today and the cast of a new drama series were playing. When I'm watching game shows, I really get into it. I scream at the contestants telling them the answer like they could hear me. Anyway, the question that caused this post was: If Sabado de Gloria is Black Saturday, what is "Domingo de Pascua?"

I personally didn't know the answer but one of the contestants answered Palm Sunday, which turned out to be incorrect. Nobody else answered and I really don't know why! Here are the choices:

a) Palm Sunday
b) Easter Sunday
c) Good Friday

HELLOOOO?! If Palm Sunday was wrong, what other Domingo's are there?! Mahn! Even I knew which one to pick! C'mon guys... Think!

LA-LO-LA

Being on maternity leave has given me lots of free time to spend... catching up on Filipino soap operas! I have video on demand TFC (The Filipino Channel) at home so I can watch my shows anytime I want. But because I have too much free time on my hands, I sorta run out of good shows to watch on TFC. So I've resorted to buying soap operas by the other network, GMA, at the Filipino video store.

I'm not exactly a GMA fan but the girl at the video store recommended this show called Lalola. I told her I'd think about it and maybe I'll buy it next time I come back. But she was so sure that I'd enjoy the show that she gave me the first DVD for free!


That same night, Brice and I watched Disc 1 of Lalola and 4 hours later... we were hooked! We needed the next discs. The next day, we were back at the video store and picked up Discs 2-4. The girl laughed when she saw us and just said, "I told you you'll like it." We finished all 3 discs in a couple of days but Disc 5 wasn't available yet. It was only until a couple of days ago that we got a hold of Disc 5. Today, we just picked up Discs 6-7 (which we'll probably finish in the next several hours).

Apparently, the show is still running in the Philippines and will be wrapping up soon. When it does, what do I watch next?

*Each disc is approximately 4 hours long. They are 9 for $20. Soooo worth it!!!
**If you do the math, the hubby and I are paying about $0.50/hour. Where else can you get that?!

RIN ON THE ROX

Love this song!



Another fellow Filipinos who were featured on the Ellen de Generes show- all because of YouTube! Mahn! I should start singing in the bathroom and record myself maybe I'll be famous, too. (Yeah right!) LOL.



CHECK THEM OUT!

MY PAID DAYS OFF

I've been on maternity leave for 8 months. It's been great so far although there had been so many times when I get so bored at home, especially when Brice is on duty at the hospital. I started thinking about what I could do to help with my boredom but nothing good enough came to my mind (nothing that doesn't involve spending money, that is).

Then one day, my mother-in-law asked me if I wanted to help out at her store. I was kinda iffy in the beginning but the hubby reminded me about my childhood dream. And he said I was gonna get paid, too! So I went and tried it out... and I loved it! I was living my childhood dream but I can be sitting down doing it and read all the magazines I used to spend lots of money on- FOR FREE! Plus, my boss is not really a boss. I don't really do any heavy work cuz the hubby or the brother-in-law are always there.

How cool is that? I get some time away from the kids (I love them but I need a break once in a while), catch up on my mags, spend time with the hubby all while GETTING PAID!

The only bad thing is, I've been munching on a lot of junk that we sell at the store.

I LOVE HIM!

Here's one of my favourites on YouTube: MR. DAVID CHOI

Go check him out. This is just one of the many songs that he recorded. I find that I actually like his version better than the original in many of the songs.

FACES

Isn't it amazing that out of the almost 7 billion people in the world (plus all those who've lived before us), none of us really look alike? Even in your family, nobody really looks the same as you- unless you're identical twins (but even identical twins still have their own defining traits). Maybe somewhere in the opposite side of the world, somebody may look similar to you but not exactly like you. How many possible 'facial' combinations are there? I guess this is just one of God's wonderful and truly amazing work of art.

DEAR SANTA...

I know Christmas was already a couple of months ago but last week, Kyla (my 6-year old 'baby') came home from school with a folder full of random sheets of paper. She told me those were all her schoolwork from last year (September-December). There were art works, writing activities, math activities, etc. But one sheet of paper caught my eye...


What do you think? Future Miss Universe or Goodwill Ambassador? Either way, I AM ONE PROUD MOMMY!

BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Remember my little debit card incident? That day I was supposed to meet up with a friend and pick up a VIP ticket to see the love of my life, Piolo Pascual. I was really iffy about getting it because I felt really bad spending $150- that's about a couple of months worth of groceries! But the hubby knew how much I really wanted to go (again) so he told me to go ahead and buy the ticket. So it was set. I was going to be $150 poorer over some stupid obsession.

But then my little 'incident' happened. I lost $500! I called up my friend and told her I wasn't gonna get the ticket until I got my money back. I was a bit upset but surprisingly relieved.

The following day, I got a call from my FAIRY GODMOTHER saying that she might be able to get FREE VIP TICKETS for the same concert. Well... that 'might' turned into reality and I am now a holder of a VIP TICKET (with a meet and greet) to see My Piolo! And the best part is... I got it for FREE!!! LUCKY ME!!!

*A big THANK YOU goes out to whoever stole my money (I already got it back, BTW). If it weren't for you and what you've done, I would've sooo WASTED my $150.