Overcoming My Fear of Driving

Hi blog! Did you miss me? I know it's been a while. I'm sorry I have not visited you for so long. I have been very busy updating my stagnant driving skills.

It's been over a month since hubby bought Jazzy, and up to now I still can't drive and park her alone. Good thing, my sister Dottie has been a very patient co-pilot. She's been my constant driving companion/ critic/ hand break-puller (I've had 2 instances of near-accidents already, and I'm not proud of it)

Last Sunday, during the Pacquio-Marquez fight, I did a dry run for picking up hubby at the airport on Thursday. Geez..I was driving for more than 3 hours. It felt more like going home to the province than picking someone up at an airport in Metro Manila. I got lost going there and ended up in Bicutan, then I got lost again on our way home.

Good thing there's a police station at the Roxas Blvd service road located 6 corners away from UN Avenue. The police officers were very kind, they were very helpful and they made me a beautiful map so that I will not get lost again going to Sta. Mesa. God for good samaritans.

I enjoyed driving that daydespite being lost and having slight errors. It was my first big drive and truly an experience that I will never forget.

Just Like The Old Times

I spent last weekend bonding with my best friend Maita. We have been friends since third grade. We were classmates 3 out of the 4 years in high school. Since Maita and I were friends classmates and our brothers were classmates back in grade school, our moms had no choice but to become friends as well. When we get sick and had to miss school, my Nanay and Tita Lydia would sometimes call each other or go to each other's houses to copy our missed assignments.

Maita and I also belong to the same circle of friends. We all went to different universities back in college, but our communication didn't stop. My friends and I all became godparents to Maita's eldest child, since Maita was the first in the barkada to have a child.

We would often go to each others houses or meet up somewhere for a little chit chat. So, last weekend, Maita wanted to meet up. She went over to my place to pick me up. I brought my son along so that her youngest kid would have somebody to play with.

We talked about everything. We talked about our kids, our husbands, our lives as desperate housewives, our problems, our frustrations, name it, we've talked about it. What I like about Maita is that I don't have to pretend, I can tell her anything, she can tell me anything. She can tell me straight to my face if I look terrible, I can tell her to shut up and keep quiet when her mouth is too noisy.

So last weekend, I taught her how to put on make-up so that she would look pretty for her husband. We experimented with colors just like teenage girls would. We did that while our kids were running around like wild monkeys. I looked at her wedding album and wondered why I wasn't there. She told me I had an important exam to study for that time that's why I wasn't able to make it. Too bad, what could be more important than my best friend? We can re-take exams but best friends are hard to find.

I went home happy that time. We should do that more often.

Thinking of Moving South

My husband took me out house hunting last week. I must say I was really surprised with my hubby's planning skills . When we got to Sta. Rosa,Laguna he had already made appointments with 2 agents. We met the first agent in the morning. We did our tripping at The Mandara in Silang-Sta.Rosa. I liked the place, it had a majestic view of Laguna de Bay and the amenities were nice. The sun was at its hottest but I barely felt the heat because of the cool breeze coming from the nearby lake. I fell in love with the place at once, and the properties had large cuts but (here comes the BUT part),...My hubby was concerned with security. The subdivision was easily accessible through the neighboring subdivision which is Sta.Rosa Heights. Plus, hubby had a boss who lived there and he had a bad experience with thieves who stole there electric cables. The agent also sounded desperate, and was really convincing us to reserve. I don't like being pressured. That was minus points for the poor agent. Too bad, but he was really kind and accommodating.

We met with the next agent in Nuvali. He took us to Avida Village and we looked at model units, after that he took us to Avida Settings which I think was a nice community but, we couldn't afford it.

Avida, a project of Ayala Land boasts of an eco-friendly environment and it is close to schools and hospitals. The agent even mentioned that it will have its own Alabang Town Center inside the Avida compound. Commercial establishments are already being developed in Nuvali and it is already beginning to look like Manila, not to mention the call centers. When we finally move in to Sta. Rosa, I'll never have to worry about employment, there's plenty to chose from. While we were entering the Village, I saw a sign saying Xavier School opens by June 2012...Wow, this place must really be meant for us. This was one of our concerns, we weren't sure there were Chinese Schools in Sta. Rosa, until I saw the sign. When the agent mentioned round-the-clock security and a shuttle service for commuters, he had us sold.

I know the kids and I will enjoy living there. Safe environment with cool, fresh air. Unlike the air we breath here in Q.C. it is flavored by Arlington Crematorium.

I wonder what it would be like living in Nuvali. It is such a high-end community I'm worried our funds would not be enough to pay for the new house. Liam would be starting school next year and it would really be tough on my husband's pocket. I really do need a job, but first I need a yaya to take care of my gremlins. I'm thinking about transcription or online english tutor jobs with a little bit of internet jobs on the side. Any suggestions anyone?

 Picture taking while we wait for Lunch to be served @ Conti's

I hope we can make things happen for the little ones.

I Love Balloons

My daughter's 1st birthday sparked my interest for DIY balloons. Since then, I've downloaded youtube videos and took a balloon seminar to enhance my craft. At first I wanted to put up a balloon/party needs business, but due to lack of time and manpower I've decided to do it some other time. Maybe when my babies are all grown up, I'll be able to focus on that. For now, It is just a hobby...a means to shut them up when they get too rowdy and noisy, while I watch them admire my creations. My kids are my number 1 fans.

Since many of you asked for it, here are some of my balloon works - with my kids as models, of course.

Here are some of my latest experiments:

 My experimental pillar. It is as tall as my 3'3" 2 yr old son

 I don't know what to call this..

 The Hanging Balloon String of Pearls

The Balloon Arch I made for my godson on his 9th birthday

and here are some of my older creations:

 My son Liam with Cookie Monster and Elmo

 Lightning McQueen

 My Little Ca-re wearing my flower bracelets

 Spider

 Flo, Lightning and Ramone(they can all be worn as bracelets)

A tall centerpiece

I have a problem this month. My good friend Cheryl is asking me to decorate their venue at UP Bahay Kalinaw for her son's 1st birthday party, but with my yaya gone, how can I possibly do that? I'm praying for a miracle, I hope I'll be able to do it with 2 babies in tow.


there..it took me ages to upload these. I hate my internet connection. I hope you guys enjoy looking at them

Why I Haven't Blogged For A While

I haven't blogged for a while..I would really love to but I haven't got the time. The yaya of my kids left us early this month, so what..I'm not scared. If she thinks she can trick me into giving her an increase, well sorry I'm not that pea-brained. It is better that way, I don't want to be blamed if she gets pregnant early while under my management. She has a penchant for attracting our foreigner neighbors(spell Irani). She thinks she looks pretty but I don't have the nerve to tell her the reason why the security guards and delivery boys would always like to get her attention. She wears make up even if She will just go to the supermarket downstairs. She wears skimpy shorts(I call them pek-pek shorts) and tight clothing..what would the guys think? The other parents think my yaya looks sexy but I don't think that sexy is the right word. I think they are just being polite.

Anyway, another reason why I'm not visible lately is because my hands were busy making my beautiful balloon creations. Yes, I love balloons, it is my new hobby. I promise to post pics next time. Right now let me just make do with stolen time, while my kid is still distracted.

Being a stay-at-home mom is tough, but I refuse to give in and be scared with horror stories of life without a yaya. I think it is better this way.  Less stress, less worries. I can leave my valuables anywhere, and the devil may care.

How Motherhood Changed Me

Motherhood  is such a vague term. Is there such a thing as a perfect mother? Pardon me if I say this, but I don't think so. Moms are only human after all. We all have flaws, it's inevitable.

So, what really is motherhood? Some people describe their experiences on motherhood like it was some pleasant walk in the park, but I tell you, mine isn't. Mine is more like a baptism of fire. I've only been a wife for 3 years, my eldest is only 2 years old and my youngest child just turned 1, but, my parenting life has already been a whirlwind of experiences. 

How has motherhood changed me? I tell you, it wasn't easy. It was a 360 degrees turn, and I changed because I had to, not because I wanted to. Motherhood for me meant that I had to stop being the bitchy and whiny person that I am because I have to give way and listen to another person's whines. It meant that I had to give up some of my guilty pleasures. Things that I normally enjoy by myself  now had to be enjoyed with the whole family. Food that I enjoy eating by myself, like my favorite bar of chocolate, now had to be shared with my little gremlins. From being a spoiled-rotten kid, I had to learn the concept of  improvisation (if there's such a term) and resourcefulness the hard way. I used to hate cooking (because I'm a bad cook), but now I'm kinda enjoying it more because my kids are always requesting for good food. I don't know how they did it but they turned something I hate into a passion.

Motherhood has taught me a lot of things. Among these are patience, love, understanding, sacrifice, appreciation, respect and selflessness. The near-death experience of my daughter when she had open-heart surgery also taught me how to be tough and how to pray with faith. As a mother, it taught me how to accept that some things are really just beyond our control and we just have to trust God, hang on, and believe that everything will be ok. I even shaved my head off in my attempt to bargian for my daughter's life. My hair is my fettish, and I gave it up for her. I chose to go bald to save her life.

The doting mother that I am now is because of my kids who taught me that I was capable of giving so much love without expecting anything in return. It is also because of my husband who loves me for who I am who understands that I am not perfect. It is also because of my parents whom I've yet to thank for always being there to guide me in my attempt to explore the wonderful world of parenthood. 

Because of my experiences as a mom, I've grown to love, admire and respect my mom more, now I know what she had to put up with raising 3 smart asses. I only have 2 kids but I feel like giving up already, especially when they get too much to handle. If I give birth to one more kid, that may be the cause of my death in the near future..too much stress is bad for my health.

My Family

Motherhood for me is not always a blissful experience. It is sometimes happy, but peppered with bittersweet moments. It has made me a dynamic and partly schizophrenic person. It has taught me the value of unconditional love. I would like to think that being a mom has made a better person. It has made me feel complete and important. It motivated me to strive and be the best that I can be. Being a mom is an overnight thingy, it is a constant learning experience. Yeah, it is tough and challenging, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Window Pane

My cellphone has been neglected for a few days now. I've lost  my interest in reading forwarded messages, mushy quotes, corny jokes, chain text messages,  and so on and so forth.

The only purpose it serves now is just to take pictures and put my kids to sleep while listening to downloaded childrens' songs and videos. Since hubby is far away, we've resorted to communicating via the internet.

I was browsing through my cellphone pictures and I found some new shots. They were a little bit blurred, obviously taken by an amateur. But one particular picture caught my attention.

This picture was taken by my 2 year old son,a view from the room of our condo unit. Would I be able to take a picture twice as good as this? Hell no! 
I don't even take pictures half as good as his. Looks like my son will become a photographer someday...

Not Everything Is Just One Click Away

I feel a bit sad today.

I joined a paid to read and rate articles site and have already made $20 from it. For days I labored to read these articles though I find some boring. I usually do this while I toggle through reading my emails, looking at facebook and reading forums on just about anything.

Through these forums, I read about a paid to chat site (I dunno, I felt naive at that time and a little bit bored,too) that I also joined. I was chatting with one of the members asking me to join a paid to click site when this member mentioned that my paid to rate articles site is a scam. I felt devastated. I said, "Oh no! You have got to be kidding me! I'm so addicted to it already and I'm almost halfway through cash out!" Then the member said "It's for me to know, and for you to find out!"

So to cut a long story short, acting on impulse, I joined the PTC site. This time I felt productive and was able to cash out at $0.05, better than nothing,huh. I don't know what's happening to me. I don't know why I'm joining the bandwagon when normally I would just snob such offers. Am I getting desperate? Desperate for what?

I dunno. So far this craze has just led me to a series of unfortunate events. I've yet to know if my paid to rate articles site is really a scam. It better not be, or else, I'll really blog about it and give them a mouthful of words. More than all the words in their articles put together.

Green Barley – A Miracle Food

Ate Ria, my cousin whom I’ve not seen for 2 decades recently found out that my dad has Stage 4 Lung Cancer. She visited my dad last month here in my place…somewhere in the Sta.Mesa-Quezon City Area. I was really surprised, the last time I saw her, I was still wearing pony tails.

I didn’t know that Ate Ria is a born again Christian, we were devout Roman Catholics. Despite our differences in worshipping God, we all sat down together to pray over for my dad and my daughter (who’s still being observed by her doctors after her open heart surgery). Ate Ria’s prayer really moved all of us, after the session we were all crying.

But, Ate Ria didn’t just come over to pray. She also gave my dad 3 bottles of Green Barley. My dad tried it at once. After finishing the first bottle, he noticed that he’s not having sleeping problems anymore. My mom got curious and decided to give it a try, too.

Ate Ria left a flyer here and I found out that it is best for people suffering from the following disorders:

-          Amenorrhea

-          Anemia

-          Asthma

-          Bronchitis

-          Burns

-          Cancer & Tumor formation

-          Cervical Ulcer

-          Cholelithiasis – Gallstones

-          Constipation

-          Cyst

-          Diabetes

-          Dysmenorrhea

-          Edema

-          Leukemia

And the list goes on..

My dad got hooked to drinking Green Barley, he actually became a dealer.

He gave me 2 free bottles to try..and I did. It actually tastes good. It reminds me of pineapple juice.

Now I’m sleeping better, too. Let's see what happens after I've gulped the entire bottle.

Expecting Not to Expect

…After a traumatic experience

After one year of breastfeeding , my period menstrual period came two months ago. I was waiting for my second cycle last month but it never came. I’ve been delayed for 10 days now, and I’m seriously starting to worry. What could’ve possibly gone wrong? I counted the days with my OB-GYNE and she said that I was safe. We were careful.

I am having mixed feelings about being pregnant again. I’m sure most trying-to-conceive couples would have a violent reaction to this.  If ever I’m pregnant, would the fetus feel a sense of rejection? I can’t help but feel guilty. Besides, our eldest is just 2 years old, and our daughter just turned 1. We feel that we have not spent enough time with them.

Deep in our hearts, my husband and I know that we are so not prepared to have another baby, yet. After all the trauma, after all the financial difficulties…

 Our first child had neonatal sepsis because my bag of water broke early. I was in labor for 24 hours before he came out via NSVD. Being in labor with a fever is a nightmare.  Doctors at Capitol Medical Center were already endorsing me for emergency cesarian section when my OB came. The residents couldn’t do anything but obey when she said, “There will be no CS. I told my patient she can do this. Kaya niya yan ang laking babae niyan eh, marunong naman mag-push gusto ninyo mag- CS? Eh kung i-CS ko kayong lahat?”

My second child is another story. She is the real reason behind my fear of being pregnant, again. She was also born via NSVD with perfect APGAR score…everything was perfect. She had fair skin, lots and lots of hair, red lips, and yes, dimples, too (just like her kuya). She was beautiful. It’s a good thing that  I had a good OB. She delivered my child via NSVD (again) though my child had her umbilical cord coiled around her neck. Only a top calibre OB can do that. I was under general anesthesia the whole time though it was a normal delivery. She said it was to slow down the birth process. I labored 6 painful hours for her but I was not awake when she came out.

Who would’ve thought that after 2 weeks she will be diagnosed with congenital heart disease known as TGA (transposition of great arteries). It was a life threatening disease that was common in boys. Her pedia-cardio said she needed ASO (arterial switch operation) asap, or else…

My husband and I rushed her to the Philippine Heart Center at once. We had no money and even if we had I’m sure it will not be enough to finance her operation, the doctors’ professional fees and other hospital expenses. We were blessed with kind relatives and friends because they were there for us when we needed them. They brought money, food, blankets and they even donated blood. They even had maternity napkins for me.  I am just an honourable housewife, I have nothing to give. My episiotomy wound was still fresh at that time so I was sore all over. Imagine what I had to go through while waiting for my child to come out of the operating room. I had to sleep on cold corridor floors. I was crying for 1 week straight because I could not fathom what I am experiencing. I was suffering from emotional and physical stress. I could not bear to look at my daughter, with her wounds and tubings. She had at least 7 holes in her body for her tubings, plus her chest wound.  It was not a pretty sight I wouldn’t wish it on my daughter’s frail body.

We nearly lost our daughter because of that operation. She coded and her heart stopped for a few seconds. She had a bleeding complication. It was such a traumatic experience. No parent would want to talk to a shaking (it was more like trembling) doctor right after child’s operation only to hear “We’re doing the best we can.”

It’s a good thing God listened to our prayers. My daughter made it through. We made it through. We made it through Ondoy( I was pregnant with her when it happened and I had to climb the roof, I had to walk more than 2 kms  just to get to a freaking evacuation center because no one wanted to rescue us, I had to wade in waist-deep water and yes I slipped several times. I had abdominal cramps and nearly lost her), we made it through her coiled cord and, we made it through her heart surgery.

We spent nearly 1 million pesos for her operation and we’re still paying for it now, still a long way to go.

So forgive me for being happy when I got this result in my pregnancy test:

God is good. I think this is His way of letting me spend more time with my gremlins.

 I'm just wondering...when will I have my monthly period again?

My little bundles of joy.

Mega Saturday @ SM Megamall

Yesterday, we packed our bags and went to Megamall for our weekend family bonding. My son Liam was so happy. He waited for weeks to be with his Daddy again, and he made sure that he enjoyed every moment spent with him, they were inseperable.

I had to meet Ea at French Baker for my Human Nature Products dealership at around 4pm. We were there at lunch time, since it was a huge place we never ran out of things to do. After lunch, we went to Megatrade Hall 2 and checked out the bazaar and the Teen Summer Fashionista pageant. I used to like malling but strolling with two babies is really tiring so I told hubby I needed to rest because my fragile back is already aching. He said he wanted to go to the Cyberzone so off we went.

I thought we were just going to check out some net books, I didn't expect we would be walking out of a store with a new gadget. Yes,the gadget was for me. He bought me a new netbook, he even let me choose the color.

Here she is, my new baby. I named her Tappy, such an eye candy!
She's sitting on top of our HP Pavilion named Taptap.

After buying the netbook, we went to French Baker at the 3rd Floor to meet Ea, she informed me that she will be late so my family and I decided to eat while waiting.

I ordered this. Chicken Ala King, my all-time favorite.

Finally, I get to see Ea. She showed me some human nature products and they smelled really nice. She told me more about Human Nature and its advocacies. I told her that I've been wanting to try the products after watching it on TV5 a few months back, and since I've been reading forums about it, I was all the more convinced to pursue it. Since the products are organic and had no harmful chemicals, we'll be caring for the environment as well, in our own little way.

She gave me this flyer and it came with a freebie, too.A 100% natural Sheer Lip Soother in Island Kiss.

After meeting Ea, my son wanted  to go to the arcade so we took him to Tom's World. And boy did he enjoy. My husband and I enjoyed watching him more.

So that was how I spent my Mega weekend with my family.

For inquiries about Human Nature dealership, you may send me an email at anne_quijano_chong@yahoo.com.ph

Chicken Adobo Aloha

The experimental dish that made my husband  love me more

I have never been a fan of cooking. As a child every dish I’ve ever tried to cook always ended up either raw or burnt. It’s not that I stopped trying, I was just protecting my fragile ego. My mom is a very good cook, it is hard for me to compete against her high standards.

On rare occasions, she would often call to say that she would be home late. Being the eldest child, it was my duty to provide a meal for my dad and siblings when my mom can’t. I tried, I swear I did, but to no avail. I hate hearing complaints about my food, especially if I shed blood, sweat and tears just to perfect it. My siblings used phrases like “not palatable”, “bland”…and at one point I even heard the word “yuck”. It was when I decided to give up cooking. From that point onwards, whenever I would be asked to cook adobo I would make up excuses or I would call a neighbor to cook it for me while I watch.

Several years later, I tried to cook adobo again while we were staying in China. Same story, my husband didn’t like it because it was too salty. But, this time there was a compliment…the potatoes were cooked just right. Yes, much as I’m ashamed to admit it, I reached the age of 31 without knowing how to cook a decent meal.

Due to my frustration, I googled every kind or adobo there is. I found this interesting Del Monte recipe that had pineapples in it. I decided to give it a try. While combining the ingredients, I found the marinade lacking. Being the expert cook that I am(joke), I decided to experiment.  I didn’t care what it would taste like, I just wanted more sauce.

Dinner time came. I watched as my husband slowly chewed on his food (keeping my fingers crossed under the table). His first words were “Mmmmmmmmm!” and then he smiled. “Nice, mukhang sumasarap na mag-luto asawa ko ngayon ah. Good job!”..and I was all smiles. I was not expecting the complement, honestly.

Here's my masterpiece

Just when I was about to give up, a miracle happens…The quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, after all.

 A happy man makes a happy wife…

Momma Wants to Work, Too!

Thoughts and Confessions of a Happy but Frustrated Stay-at-Home Mom

I have been a stay-at-home/breastfeeding mom to two beautiful kids for two years now and I’m loving it. I enjoy waking up to the sound of my kids’ laughter, I enjoy their hugs, I love the feel of their wet kisses on my cheeks and on my lips. I just love being with them. Hearing them call me Mom or Mommy is music to my ears.  When I take them out to play, I like listening to the sound of their squeals and boisterous laughter as I watch them tumble and fall. I’ve really been lucky because I was there to witness their firsts.. .their first toothless smiles, their first steps, their first cry, their first bath..name it, I was there to witness it. Unlike their jealous dad who’s so far away. My husband has to go to China every now and then because it’s part of his job as a manager.

My husband is a good provider, but he would sometimes complain about how huge our credit card bill is or how huge our electric bill is, and I would feel guilty. Sometimes my ailing, old parents would come for a visit and I would feel all the more guilty because I can’t give them money at least for buying their medicines. I miss being able to give them at least a portion of my salary when I was still working as a call center agent. I miss being a dutiful daughter to my parents, I know that somehow, they are still counting on me. I get frustrated sometimes, knowing that I can do nothing. If only I had my own money to give. And, what about my obligation to my godchildren during their birthdays and special occasions?  I can’t count the number of times I’ve told them “pass” or “I’ll just make up for it next time”. How about the number of invites from friends that I’ve turned down because I feel so guilty of spending my husband’s hard earned money just to have fun? Do they believe me when I tell them that I’m busy or my kids are sick?

I was so busy surfing the net when I stumbled upon this forum about online jobs and PTC sites. I guess it was a blessing in disguise. I’m still convincing myself to give it a try, who am I kidding? Of course I want to try it out, who wouldn’t?

I’m beginning to feel excited again. I want to be able to do what I want to do. I read something about paypal and getting an EON card from Union Bank, so I decided to take the first step.

Yesterday, I applied for an EON card and I’ll be getting it next week. Yey! Then I surfed some more. This time, I read a forum  about HumanYNature Products. I decided I want to become a dealer...Pampering yourself while caring for the environment, perfect  combination.  Can’t wait to try HumanYNature, I’ve seen it on TV and so far feedback is nice.

At  least for now this is my battle plan.

It’s not that I’m tired of being a mom, I’m just tired of being a bum!

CareBear"s 1st Birthday

My daughter Caitlin Reese turned 1 year old last month (March 1,2011). We celebrated her birthday last March 6. It was also a series of firsts for me, so I was really excited. It was my first time to plan a party for one of my kids. We had Care Bears for our theme, and that made it even more challenging since Care Bear items are hard to find these days.

Everything was DIY, not because we wanted it, but because we were working on a tight budget. Ca-re had Open Heart Surgery when she was just a few days old and up to now my husband is still paying for borrowed money used for her hospital expenses. We could've just opted for an intimate celebration but I just couldn't resist not giving a party for our miracle baby.
This is Ca-re's second life after all.Thanks to science and the good doctors at Philippine Heart Center, and thanks to The One Up Above.

After all the planning, here's what we came up with:

These are my DIY cupcakes. Actually the cupcakes were bought at the grocery store, I just made the icing and the toppers. Not bad for a first time. Some guests said the icing tastes good.

My sister-in-law's balloon flower centerpiece.

The guests must've liked it, by the time the party ended the tables were bare. Some guests were even complaining.."How come she got two, I didn't get any?"

The colorful pillars were done by yours truly, my cousins and my sister-in-law

The cute CareBear standees were gifts/labors of love from my sister, my brother and my cousin Rachel, yes those are also DIY

My sister-in-law and I placed these CareBear stuffed toys inside a lootbag the night before the party. We stuffed it with candies and confetti. These bears were a big hit among the guests.

What's a birthday cake without a picture of the celebrant in it,right!

That's my daughter, the cutest celebrant of all.

It was a tiring yet significant learning experience for me, and I enjoyed it. I was blessed with really helpful relatives and friends. My close friends Nicole and Maita helped me a lot. Maita helped me find the caterer and face painter, while most of the party ideas came from Nicole. My sister-in-law Tintin also really helped me a lot, she was my little manager.
Now, I'm looking forward to planning more parties for my relatives and friends.
Looks like I've found my cup of tea.