My Silly Girl's Friends

I bought my little achiever some new pre-owned books for getting good grades in her 2nd trimester assessment checklist (more on that on a separate post) and we read it just before we hit the snooze box. She talks a lot lately. Well, uhm... since she learned how to talk, she maximizes her gift of gab every chance she gets. She's the heiress of my being a gabfest guru, after all. Hehe. Watch how she gamely introduces her friends to us while she picks her nose and being silly by the last few frames. I'm lucky to be this girl's momma, really. 
Sorry for the poor quality of the video but I still hope you'd enjoy watching. ♡

More home videos in my YouTube channel: click here to subscribe! 

Blissful blogging, is there such a thing?

Yes, there is. Allow me to tell you a story.

Last week, in the middle of the night, my 44th AML sent me a private message on Facebook, asking for advice. Wow. I don't think I'm in any authority to do so but it flattered me. It has something to do with blogging. She asked me what motivates me to blog, what do I do when I don't feel like blogging, something about bashers, when I think that my posts are better left in the drafts folder or when I just feel like giving up. I felt heavy. You see, I kinda felt some of her 'questions' a little over the past month. But... she made it light when she said that she feels at home when she reads this blog, that this humble palace is not, as how she puts it, "pa high profile". OK, you might say I'm making up stories. Email me for the screen cap. Hehe. So what did I tell her?

First, I'm not a high-profile social lass so there's no need to make my posts sound as if my lifestyle's about glitz, glamour and ootds. I am a kickass stay-at-home army wife and mom who never lets her husband leave home hungry and horny. Haha! And then I asked Ghezzi if I can publish our conversation here so to at least impart the blogging tips, which are basically 'answers' to her questions, with you. My answers were short, straight to the point but sweet. For this blog, I thought of adding more yadada to support it.

My Dancing Angel

I'm so glad that Pia's school has this yearly presentation of sorts for Christmas. It is not an ordinary classroom dance-and-sing presentation, fyi. They usually hold it in convention centers or theaters where there's a really big stage. Parents are invited and must dress appropriately (of course, unless you intend to embarrass your kids). I wore a Forever 21 dress (not that I feel 21 but it looks really pretty, you know) not realizing it was kinda short when I'm seated. Anyway, this school year's Christmas concert was my girl's first because she had bad skin infection two years ago. The concert theme was Christmas Around the World. The girls from their class, along with the other girls from the morning sesh, performed a very sweet interpretative dance in the tune of O Come All Ye Faithful. When their head teacher gave us instructions for the costume, I asked you, my dear readers, through my Facebook page on where's the best place to buy one. I  mentally scheduled a trip to Divisoria since I really didn't want to buy the common dresses seen in department stores. However, a little like three days after the post, it must have reached the heavens. Somebody messaged me that she would like to sponsor Pia's angel costume. Hallelujah!

2/52

"My daughter's photos, once a week, every week in 2014."

I'm enjoying this project more than I thought I would. I'm always on the 'look-out' for post-worthy moments of my ever growing taller silly girl that I can capture with my trusty point-and-shoot camera. That's the choco banana muffin I baked last week. It's really moist and delicious. Pia, on the other hand, thought otherwise; she just ate the top part where there are melted chocolate chips. Messy hair, sweaty forehead, starving struggling student. One of the best things a stay-at-home mom enjoys is seeing their kids and talking to them after a day (or few hours) in school. ♡

One Word, One Year: 2014

The past year, though I jokingly said was random, was actually full of blessings. I felt that we were happier and more comfortable compared to 2012 (i.e., I quit my job, Sophia had pneumonia, I underwent a major medical operation, the little girl had skin bacterial infection, R and I were fighting one day after another, etcetera, etcetera). Our road to 2013 was more peaceful. Of course, there were a few bumps, detours and sometimes stop-overs but I guess we have learned to deal with it gracefully. I have learned to choose my battles; in marriage and motherhood. That's what matters most, right? Challenges become problems because of how we see it. Problems become tragedies when we lose faith.

For 2014, I choose FAITH to be my one word - for this blog and my life.

I hope to have more faith in myself as a woman, wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend and yes, blogger. I hope to have more faith in my writing, cooking and baking skills; that I may use these to live my dreams. I hope to have more faith in my husband despite the physical distance. I hope to have more faith in my daughter's ability to be the best that she can be. I hope to have more faith in my mothering skills; that I can raise a child of God. I hope to have a strong faith that one day my siblings and I, along with our children and spouses, will treat our mom to a grandiose vacation. I hope to have faith in my friends despite our busy schedules. I hope to have faith in this blog; that it will reach a thousand or more women to live a faithful life. When tragedies and failures happen, we sometimes forget that there is God who actually did not want to let us see it that way. Therefore, I hope to have more faith in Him; in Him who will give the desires of my heart, in His time.

If there will be days when I tend to be faithless, I'd be happy to be shaken from that dreariness. Tweet or message me! That's my word, what's yours? 

*photo source: forcoloredgurls.com

Planned and Spontaneous Holidays

I can't believe that despite this mean cough, colds and aching joints, I am here blogging away my thoughts again... or should I say, kwento. OK, I think I promised you this early today. So, how did my small humble family celebrate the past holidays? We celebrated Christmas Eve at my husband's camp. It's the usual chilly, kinda malamok evening of food, booze and videoke. I baked mussels. I made buko pandan. I sang a few songs; mostly the new ones on the list, to the military kids' delight. I sang Titanium... twice! Haha. Sophia flamboyantly sang Roar. For our family's finale, my little popstar sang Lenka's The Show. Around 1amish, we called it a night.

1/52

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

I will write a new year post and formally welcome you here for 2014 when I am done collecting myself from the monstrous frenzy of the past holidays. Also, my husband's back to work today. My friend's right, I will never get used to the routine of him leaving on his last day of vacation. I always get sick once he left the house, never fails. I'm typing this down with painful joints (despite a full body massage last night), feverish body and clogged nose. But what the heck, I miss the blog. I miss the little interaction with you, royalties. Really. ♡

Today, I am copying a feature from one of my blogging idols. I emailed her about this 'cause I have so much respect in her that I felt the need to do it before putting it live. So yes, this is Bleubird's 52 Weeks: “a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013.” In my case, I do not own a badass DSLR, I am not a professional photographer and I only have a daughter. But I'd give this a shot. As a reader, I like how I saw her children's beautiful transition from what they have been from week 1 to week 52. This is mommy journal-ing to the highest levelz. 

From this post onward, LB will be called Pia. That's what family and friends call her; might as well have her called here the same. After all, you queens are my cyber pals. 

Anywaaaaaaay ―

"My daughter's photos, once a week, every week, in 2014."