go shorty, it’s your birthday…(in a couple of weeks)

July is just around the freaking corner and this means…I will soon be another year older.  Yikes!  Still haven’t done stuff I want to do, but overall, my life rocks, I must say.  Life’s short, so I’m choosing to look at the good stuff that I got going on! Like…

• I’m going to be 33 years old, but I like to think that I can still pass for a “twenty-something.”   I may not get carded anymore, but people usually think I’m only 28 or so!  AND I recently got in for free at a club in NYC –maybe not out of “hotness” (more of a feeling of “sorryness”), but it sure beats paying the $25 cover charge! 
• I may have fine lines  and dark circles under my eyes, but I have minimal crow’s feet in the eye corners (I have to squint A LOT before I see them). 
• I may not be in the best of shape, but I’m actually getting active again whether it be popping in a workout DVD, or walking, or playing in the park with the kiddos.   And I can always go for the fall back: I did give birth to 2 children after all.
• I may not have a lucrative job, but I have a job!  And it’s a job I enjoy, AND one that actually serves the public interest, AND is family-friendly!
• I may not be able to splurge on the kiddos as much as I want, but I do have great parents and in-laws who do the splurging for us!

For my birthday, I’m treating myself to a trip to Mexico with my oldest and dearest friend in the world (going in August).  Prior to that, I’m a doing a family holiday with hubs and the kids.  Summer will be awesome!  And then the hubs and I will go to Costa Rica in November!  Rock!

But of course, even a girl who has everything still wants something, right?  Here’s my wishlist:

• An 8GB iPOD Nano in Black (the IPOD I have is 1st Gen…1st!!)
• An iTunes gift card to go with my new iPod Nano (if I get one, that is!)
• The Sims 3 (quite possibly the best game in the world..yet a game I haven’t played since giving birth to Rockstar Boy!)
• Starbucks gift card –to feed my addiction to their Iced Mochas
• A LeCreuset 5 qt French Oven in Green
• My house renovated!!!

all work and no play makes this a dull blog

Dear blog,

Hi?  How are you?!  It’s a been a while, I know.  I’m sorry I’ve neglected you, but work’s been super busy, and at night, I have no energy to type or think!  Sometimes, I feel like I’m a hamster in a wheel, you know?  Just going through the cycle and getting off periodically to eat, sleep, work, and hang out with the kids.  But such is life!  I really have no complaints (other than tales of financial woes which will probably just bore you to tears).

On the work-front, I’m still where I am, but got re-assigned to a new team in late February, hence the busy-ness.  I had to take over another colleague’s files and do catch up work along with new work.  I normally don’t write about work, but I’ll make this an exception.  I had this long, involved robbery trial in which I LOST.  It’s a blow to the ego especially since a) this is my first “not guilty” jury verdict (which makes it more hurtful for some reason); b) the defense attorney was an asshole with zero personality; c) the odds were on my favor; and d) I just really expected a win!   I know we can’t win everything all the time, but I’m still smarting several weeks later! Gah!

To top it all off, a few minutes after I got this verdict, we all got notices of a temporary layoff!  Granted, it’s in the form of a furlough day (forced UNPAID leave of absence), but still.  That’s one day I’m not getting paid for on top of the fact that we are not getting raises, and we are now forced to take a pay cut to offset our healthcare benefits.  Bottom line: at least I still have a stable job in this economy, right?

On the kids and family-front: The hubs and kids are all good and thriving.  The hubs and I are celebrating our 8-year wedding anniversary on June 1. We don’t know what we’re doing yet (probably staying in since that actual day is a Monday); I’m pushing for a dinner somewhere but it’s really hard to just go out for a meal sans kids because we have to arrange for childcare.  But I really don’t mind ordering in and just hanging out.  I am, however, hoping to get flowers which I know is rather frou-frou, but once in a while, a girl’s gotta get flowers, right?

And the kids are doing great!  Rockstar boy is in the process of being toilet-trained.  I actually buckled down and did it last weekend and by the grace of God, he got it in just 3 days!  Now his favorite past time is peeing, I swear.  I still use ‘Pull-ups’ training pants on him, but he may be ready to take them off.  Even in the morning, his training pants are dry and the first thing he says now is “I gotta go pee!”  He’s such a precocious boy.  At three (and 4 months), he’s a very keen observer, he recognizes several letters, can count really well, forms articulate sentences, and has a strict fashion sense.  It’s really hard to get him to go to school (i.e., daycare) in the morning sometimes because he tells me: “Get out of my room mom!  I’m tired! I don’t want to talk to you yet!”  followed by minutes of battling over which clothes to wear: “I don’t want to wear that shirt!  I want my green shirt with the buttons on it!” or “I want to wear my Chucks!” (he means, his Chuck Taylors). He definitely has a strong sense of “self” and what he wants.  He’s sweet and sour at times, but in general, he’s a good kid.  The only thing I can’t stand about him right now is that it takes me HOURS to feed him.  He can feed himself, but chooses not to (he’s really just not into eating).  He has this uncanny ability to keep food in his mouth without chewing or swallowing.  I swear he can go on a full day without eating if he can get away with it!  Thus, mealtime is always a battle with him!

My Lil C, on the other hand, eats just like me (and my friends say I eat like a trucker!).  In fact, she’ll come up to you and beg you for your food even after she’s done with her meal.  The other day, she swiped her kuya’s sausages for breakfast and ate them all AFTER eating her own sausages!  At 15 and a half months, Lil C is also a precocious little chica.  She knows what her name is and says it; she can also say a variety of words like “mama,” “bubbles”, “more” (her favorite word along with “baby”), “cracker”, “kuya” (which comes out as “kaka;” it means “older brother” in Tagalog), “woof-woof” (when you ask her what a dog says), and “kack-kack” (when you ask her what a duck says).  She loves to dance (sometimes on cue), loves to eat like her momma, and loves giving people kisses.  She can be such a needy little diva though, and always wants to be held by mom –NOT dad.  I think she and dad have a love-hate relationship at this point.  It’s funny, if he touches her, she pushes his hand away UNLESS he has something she wants!

We’re taking the kids on a road trip to Myrtle Beach, SC this July and we’re crossing our fingers that it’ll all go well! It’s going to be a 12+ hour drive down there with stops and all!  I am also hoping to take the hubs to Mexico for his 35th birthday this November.  We just don’t know if we’re ready to leave the kids for 4 days or IF my parents are willing to take them for 4 days! We’ll see!  I feel I haven’t travelled in ages and everyone around me is travelling!  I am cursing myself for not travelling more pre-kids!

Lastly, I’ve been trying to get myself motivated to start working out.  My mom-pooch is really getting out of control –to the point that people have asked when I am due!! Grrr!! You’d think this would be a wake-up call to go to the gym, but I’m still in denial.  My main goal is to get more toned and not necessarily lose weight.  I’m a size 4 and about 112-115 lbs on a given day which is still in the normal range for a five-foot chick like me.  I accept that I can never be truly skinny.  I know I am not fat, but I am certainly flabby (which I keep repeating dear blog, I know!)  I’d love to be able to fit into this cute size 2 dress I used to wear but can no longer zip-up past my waist!  But still, it’s really hard to get my ass off the couch once the kids are asleep.  I realize though, that I will always have an excuse not to exercise, I just need to just suck it up and do it before I have to put on that bathing suit!!

All in all, that is my update!  I hope all is well with you blog and that you haven’t been too lonely.  Don’t be jealous of Facebook which I update a bit more –but that’s only because I can do it in a jiff!  You know my heart still belongs to you dear blog!

XOXO -kat

Cheese!

p.s. here’s a recent pics of the kiddos!

did i ever tell you about the time i had a secret admirer?

Picture it: Los Angeles, CA circa 1992. I was 15 years old (or 16?) and I had just started my sophomore (or was it freshman?) year at this tiny private school called Pilgrim. Population: 640 students. From kindergarten to the 12th grade! Almost everyone in school already knew each other and I was still the “new girl” for the most part. I was still getting acclimated.

So this school had a Valentine’s Day tradition (or was it Christmas? I really can’t remember the details anymore) of having “secret admirers.” That is, you participate in putting your name in this pot of sorts, then people pick your name and they have to give you small gifts for that week, culminating in a big present on Valentine’s Day itself. Unbeknowst to me, this guy who was a senior purposely picked my name and started giving me gifts. Most people got your run-of-the-mill Valentine’s Day gifts. You know, balloons or candy or whatnot. I, on the other hand, got some very interesting and lavish gifts.

I remember one day, I got a big-arse basket of Sanrio goodies (Sanrio, as you know, makes Hello Kitty, etc.) I was not a Sanrio girl as most of the school knows. I usually wore all black clothing and was dubbed a “goth” (and by some not so nice people, a “poseur”), so me getting a basket of Sanrio goodies was a bit strange. I remember giving a lot the items away, though I did keep a pencil box and I remember covering it with stickers of the bands that I liked.

On another day, I got a dozen roses. I have never before in my life, gotten any bouquet of flowers from anyone so that was a rare treat. I was very embarrassed but secretly flattered. I still didn’t know who it was from and I had liked to think that they came from my boyfriend (oh yeah, I had a steady boyfriend at the time who knew I was getting these insane gifts), but I knew they weren’t from him. I wish they were though!

On the last day of the gift-giving extravaganza, I got a gold bracelet. Come to think of it, I may still have it somewhere. It came in a nice velvet box all wrapped up.

By then, everyone else in the school knew who my secret admirer was, and they told me. His own younger sister told me although I didn’t quite belive it! It turned out to be this boy named Yun Kim –he was the editor-in-chief of the yearbook (or was it the newspaper? Again, I don’t remember), and an all-around decent guy. I think he was on the football team as well and he was definitely the in the Top 5% of his class. (Since our school is so small, the students are well-rounded in that the valedictorian and football quarterback and drama star are often one and the same person; no typecasting here).

I knew Yun Kim had an “interest” in me, but I was definitely not interested in him and he knew it. I told him about my existing relationship many times. He had already talked to me over the phone here and there and had already invited me to all sorts of platonic outings (although I think we both knew they would be considered “dates”). We did go to see a band before –I told him I liked this band called Lush and he got me tickets. He even went so far as to come to my house and talk to my parents about taking me to this show because I told him my parents were super-strict. They gave me permission to go! And let me tell you, this was a rarity! I think my parents knew that I wasn’t into him that way!

So of course at the end of the week, he told me that he had been giving me these gifts. I asked him why he had been so extravagant. He was honest with me, and said that he had feelings for me. He said he hadn’t met someone in a long time, and that he was attracted to me and though I was special because I was so smart, intuitive, pretty, sweet, etc…He said he could always have an intelligent conversation with me. And no, I’m not tooting my own horn, he really said that! I really didn’t know what to say except that I was very flattered he thought of me that way, but that I was going out with somebody already and we were very committed to each other. And that was the truth. (My high school boyfriend and I met in early 1991, and broke up in 1996 –so that’s a pretty long time).

He said he understood, and that he though he could show me how strongly he felt about me by giving me all these gifts. I offered to return the bracelet but he declined and said to keep it. Afterwards, we never really talked to each other anymore and then a few months later, he graduated from high school. I think he ended up going to either UC Berkeley or UCLA.

When I remembered this incident, I googled him and found out that he works for Enron in San Francisco, CA.

I bet he won’t remember this incident at all.

* * * * *

On Friday, I’m flying to Los Angeles, which I consider my second home. As most people know from this blog, I grew up there. I lived there from 1989 to 1995 and that’s where my family first moved to after leaving the Philippines. I have a lot of acquaintances there, and most of my high school friends still live there. A trip back there always triggers a bit of nostalgia.

I won’t be there that long –only for the weekend (I won’t be bringing the kids and I won’t be able to stand being away from them that long) and I’m trying to see as many people as possible! If you’re in the area, and you want to meet up, let me know!

confessions of a shopaholic-in-rehab

I can pinpoint the exact moment that I bought into (or became a victim of!) the culture of consumerism. It didn’t happen to me up until I was a freshman in college. It was when I opened my first J. Crew catalog in college, circa November 1995. Prior to that, I was a happy, clueless, I-don’t-like-shopping type of a girl.

When I was in high school, I held a part-time job and saved up for things that I wanted. I was very financially responsible. My parents were living in NYC, but I stayed behind in Los Angeles to finish high school. I got a part-time job so that they wouldn’t have to shell out spending money for me. I used this money for my own stuff and it went a long way. This is because I wasn’t into going to the mall; I wasn’t into shopping; nor did I go out to restaurants or bars.

I bought my clothes from thrift shops like Goodwill, and from a lot cool consignment shops lined up on Melrose Ave or La Brea. My shoes of choice were my trusty Doc Martens and I owned probably 2 other black pairs of shoes. That was it. The only times I went out to spend money was to go see bands or movies. We didn’t go out to eat, we stayed in or went to free parties. It was a very, very simple life. I bought what I could afford and that was that. Thus, I always had money whenever I needed it.

That shit flew out the window once I got to college. When I stepped foot at my college gates, I was greeted by workers from Citibank who enticed me to sign up for a credit card along with gifts of a free phone, hamper, binders, and other knickknacks. It was almost like you couldn’t pass through without going through the gauntlet of creditors lined up in front of you! I had no clue about APRs, principals, etc! I just signed up!

And as I made friends and acquaintances in college, that’s when the shit really hit the fan. I was introduced to the world of catalogs! (Remember, this was circa 1995 so the internet still wasn’t big). J. Crew! Delia’s! Nice brown packages would be waiting for me to pick up! I don’t know how I just succumbed. I saw other girls do it, and so I did it myself! Gone were my Docs. Now I suddenly had 7 pairs of shoes to pick and choose from! No more simple, thrift store clothes or clothes from cheap-o stores. I replaced them with duds from J. Crew, Banana, and the like. It was like I just ordered for the sake of ordering, not realizing that I was racking up debt galore! But it didn’t matter. I had to keep up with the Joneses. I had to buy the new “it” bag –I remember my friend Julie showing me her new Kate Spade bag and I had to have one. I remember another friend who had Ralph Lauren stuff so I went out and got me some duds as well. Kate Spade soon gave way to Fendi, Gucci, and Prada. You can say Kate Spade was my gateway drug.

It was sad. I held a part-time job to tide me over, but it was soon apparent that my parents had to step over. So I started sending them the bill. They had a fit but helped me pay. After all, I was just a student at the time.

Law school was when I tried to shut it all down and started to try to live simply again. Try was the operative word. It was a slow process. I studied my credit, read books on finances, became a fan of Suze Orman. It worked so that by the time I graduated, I got my credit card bill down to $500 (from an amount I won’t even tell you) with the help of the cash we got from our wedding and some admonishing by the hubs. And since rockstar baby’s birth, I haven’t really bought anything “designer” on a whim. My favorite store is Target. My favorite purse is a $3.50 tote I bought at Old Navy. I’m really, really trying to curb it. And in 2006, I got my balance back down to a respectable amount before I went out for maternity leave. Unfortunately, it ballooned back up during my maternity leave because I had no money! What can I say, it’s a process.

The balance still goes up and down, but at least now I scrutinize my bill and haggle my APR down to the last percentage point.

Now I know how to use credit cards wisely. And only when I really, really need it.

Like to buy a new Rock Band 2 bundle for my Wii. Hee-hee.

a wrinkle in time

Right now, I’m having a hard time managing…well, my time.  As a full-time working mom of two very young kids, my hours are all accounted for (almost down to the last minute).  Here’s a glimpse of an average 24-hour day for me and you tell me where I can be more productive.  Yes, it looks long and boring, but bear with me.

6.40 am - Lil C starts stirring about to let us know she’s awake.

6.45 – alarm goes off

6.50 - I get out off bed and hit the showers

7.05 – I start dressing up and amuse Lil C (who is of course, fully awake but behaving in her crib which happens to be in our room because she still wakes up at least once a night)

7.10 – Rockstar kid’s door opens and he starts his day by yelling “mommy! i want to go to your room!”  We let him in. Then it’s the hubs’ turn to hit the showers.

7.15 – I dress up and dress up Lil C at the same time

7.30 – If the hubs hasn’t started, then I dress up the rockstar kid.  We all hurry downstairs.

7.30 to 7.45 - I get the kids’ school stuff ready, and my own shit ready (which is always partially ready from the night before); the hubs puts on the kids’ winter gear and puts Lil C in her car seat.

7.50 to 8 am – We shuffle to the car; strap in kids, and I head off to drop the kids off to school (aka daycare); the hubs goes to work.  If we’re good, we sometimes make it to the car by 7:45 am! It takes me about 5 minutes to get to school.

8 – 8.15 – Morning drop-off; settle the kids to school.  Then I head to work.

8.45 – park car; stop by McDonald’s to get coffee and breakfast burrito (the $1 kind), walk a blocks to work.

8.50 – at desk, dump stuff, put on make-up, go up to court.  If I get to work early, I eat at my desk.

9 am – sip coffee, sneak bites of burrito in jury room, shoot the shit. Work.

9.15 to 12.30 pm – work (Mondays, Wed-Fri are my really busy days)

12.30 to 1.30 – lunch (recently, I’ve been going to physical therapy during this time which takes about 15 minutes).  On non-busy days and I don’t have to go back to court, I go to Target and/or run errands, or go out to eat with co-workers.  I bring my lunch at least 3x a week.

1.30 to 3.30 - back in court (usually, I’m done by 3.30.  Sometimes, I’m there until 4, 4.30)

3.30 to 4.45  – work on files, socialize, snack, surf.

4.45 to 5 pm – I bounce!

5.30 to 5.45  – I pick up the kids. The hubs and I take turns although I usually do Mon, Wed, and Fri pick-ups.  On the nights I don’t have to pick them up, I go home and start on dinner.

5.45 to 6 pm – we are home! Mad scramble begins because I usually try have rockstar kid’s dinner ready by 6-6.15 pm.  If I’m lucky, Lil C is asleep from the ride home; we wash up, then we start eating.  Eating takes place in the living room.  In front of the TV.  *sigh*

6 to 7 pm – dinner time for everyone; sometimes I let Lil C sleep until 7 pm, then I feed her afterwards.  But I usually wake her up at 6:30 if she’s still snoozing.

7 to 7.30 pm – playtime.  Lately I’ve been using this time to wash dishes if I can.

7.30 – bathtime for Lil C, then bedtime by 8 pm (on a good night).  Lil C’s bath/bed routine is done by moi.

8 pm – bathtime for Rockstar kid. Then begins the long, laborious process of getting him to actually sleep (ritual includes the reading of 5 books!) -this is done by the hubs, although on occasion, I will have to get involved.

9 to 9.30  – the kids are down for the night!!  I wash dishes and clean up. Prepare tomorrow’s lunches.  Try to tidy up.  Sometimes this runs late.  Sometimes, I skip washing the dishes although I am trying not to.

9.30 to 10.45/11 pm - I watch TV, go on the comp, read or whatnot.  This time is actually meant for me to do exercise (so far, I’ve only done HipHop Abs once at 10 pm)

11 pm – lights out for me and the hubs

sometime around 3, or 4 or 5 am, Lil C will wake up and thus, so will I.  I give her a bottle, then go back to sleep.  Cycle begins all over again.

***

Okay, you still with me?  I know, I know.  So boring, but that is basically my average 24-hour day.  Your job is to help me identify a good time to squeeze in exercise!  My goal this year is to get fit, remember?  So I was thinking that I can start jogging/walking in the morning IF I wake up at 6 am (once Spring hits, of course.  Not when it’s like 10 degrees outside like today).   Or squeeze in a DVD around 8:30 pm and just cut-out any ‘me’ time.  What do you think?   I had also hoped to actually start going to the gym after I put Lil C down, but I don’t think that’s realistic.  I will reserve actual gym time for the weekends.

I also am getting the Nintendo Wii (scheduled to ship on January 23! Yay!) in the hopes that I can use it for exercise!  I heard it actually works and will get you moving.  

My goal is to also do more chores during the week so that I don’t have to do them on the weekends.  So on occasion, I’ll do a load of laundry and fold it after the kids are asleep.

And incidentally, if you’re wondering what the hubs does at night (aside from bathing the boy), he’s in charge of feeding the boy, taking the trash/recyling out, shovelling, picking up dinner if need be, and will occasionally wash the dishes.

It gets better on the weekends.  We actually get to play more with the kids, and we actually go out too!  The hubs usually goes out Friday nights, and I usually do brunch/lunch/dinner with my friends on either Saturday or Sunday.  We also do family playdates with other families or kid-friendly friends. 

But hot damn, being a full-time working parent is totally demanding.

on boobies

So when I first found out I was pregnant, one of the first things I thought was “Yes! I get to have bigger boobs!” (of course, this is in addition to being happy I was having a baby and all that fun stuff). But my eyes were on the prize = B or C cups baby!

What a crock. My boobs hardly inflated. I mean they looked fuller and all; some of my friends commented I looked chestier than usual, but I never had to buy a bigger bra cup or anything like that. I certainly wasn’t like my fellow A-cup friend who got C’s post-baby. Or my co-worker who went from B-cups to F’s!! Yes, F’s!! (Uhm, I don’t want F’s for the record).

There was a point were they did look like a balloons to me (although in comparison, they would still be less than C’s). When my milk came in about 2 days post-delivery, they looked like I stuffed water balloons in them. Like I had bad implants done. And they freaking hurt like crazy. And leaked like crazy. But as I breastfed, they went back to their normal size.

The second time I got preggo, same thing happened. Still no big boobs. And now, at about 4.5 months after the last time I breastfed (I stopped fully at the beginning of October 2008), they look absolutely deflated. They look smaller than when I started. To me, they look like sad, saggy half-filled water balloons. I mean, WTF?!

My co-worker said the same thing about hers. Funny enough, we both had our kids at approximately the same time frame (both for our 1st kid, and our 2nd kid). Hers didn’t get huge either, and now she claims she’s smaller than she started as well. She wants implants. She wants to buy boobies as a treat to herself.

As for me, I would never buy boobies. I don’t think anything’s wrong with it at all. It’s just that if I would ever have any cosmetic procedure done, it would be for lipo (thighs, arms, and belly) and not boobs.

I guess having big boobies isn’t in the stars for me.

* * * * *

While I’m here, I just want to give myself a pat on the back for having 2 posts already! LOL. I had a few more resolutions in mind for 2009, and writing more posts is definitely on the list. Along with:

19. Gain more muscle, lose fat, get toned! (I know I am not fat; I mean with the shit I eat, I’m surprised I don’t weigh more than 112 pounds on an average basis, but I would like to get my toned self back).
20. Eat healthier. See above. I have the shittiest diet on the planet. I have McDonald’s for breakfast about 3x a week, eat massive amounts of pork and red meat, do not consume veggies or fruits, and live on coffee, ice cream, and chocolate. I got to change all that if I want to live to see my baby boy and girl get married!

Help me.

happy 2009!

Happy New Year peeps! It’s been a while (yes, even though I said I’d start posting regularly again)! I know you readers miss me (yes, all 3 of you) and I totally miss writing on a regular basis.

Why the sporadic posting? Well first of all, taking care of 2 kids is much more different than taking care of just 1 kid –lots of my time and energy goes to them and by the time they’re down for the night, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of the computer and think of something witty to say. Secondly, I just lost the passion to write on a regular basis. I do write for myself, but I also like feedback. So no feedback = no encouragement. But I’m over it. My new motto is: if you type it, they will come, right?! LOL.

The third reason I haven’t written is that I was trying to make changes in my life that just didn’t happen. Again, a lot of my time and energy was sapped trying to make the change happen and it took a while. The change hasn’t happened yet, but now I think it’s a good thing. Or rather, now I’m embracing what I do have and learning to live with it. Cryptic, huh? I think most of you can try to figure out what “change” I was trying to make (and if not, I’d be happy to tell you via email).

But that’s that for my absence.

2008 was a great year for me. We were blessed with Lil C (born 2.15.08) and I have totally forgotten what life was like without her. She’s almost a year old; it’s hard to recall the first tough months trying to care for both kids at the same time (maybe because I blocked it out of my mind). Now, we have our schedule down pat and Kuya Rockstar is equally enthralled and enraged by her (he’s still jealous, but you can tell he loves her to pieces). It’s so much fun watching them play together and I can’t wait until she’s older and starts talking back to him.

Rockstar baby is not a baby anymore. So I’m thinking I should retire that term. He’ll be 3 in February but he’s already acting like a precocious pre-teen. I mean, he tells me to leave him alone and everything! He’s such a smart kid, but we’re so behind on the toilet-training! Each day is different. Some days, he’s ok with it, and most days, he’s not!

Me: Okay, it’s time to do pee-pee on the potty today. So you tell me when you’re ready and we can go to the bathroom because you’re a big kid now.
Him: I’m not ready yet.
Me: Okay you can go later.
Him: No, I want you to change me on the table. I’m still a baby.

Crazy antics.

Everyone in the family is in good health, we have good jobs and a cozy home to call our own, and despite the economic downturn, we’re all good. We have good friends who support us, care about us and the kids, and the hubs and I still have that spark going.

I can’t really complain, although the hubs will tell you that I do! But he knows my only real complaint is that we can’t afford to renovate our home yet. So we’re back to the year 2010 as the year to do our big home renovation. I guess I can wait.

This year, I’m trying to be more positive and be the best version of myself that I can be. My new year’s resolutions are:

1. Save money. Write down everything I spend money on. Spend wisely.
2. Eliminate debt slowly but surely.
3. Be more organized.
4. Go through the mail each night and don’t let the junk mail pile up.
5. Clean the house as much as possible each night.
6. Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
7. Let go of friends/people who have become acquaintances. It’s not my responsibility to always initiate contact.
8. Go to sleep earlier.
9. Wake up earlier so that I’ll have time for myself in the morning to actually make coffee and eat breakfast.
10. Make my own coffee in the morning.
11. Go to the gym at some point. Even if it’s just once a week.
12. Do my stupid HipHop Abs DVD at least once a week!
13. Toilet train rockstar boy.
14. Be nicer to my parents.
15. Stop yelling at the kids.
16. Stop comparing myself to others.
17. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
18. Be happy.

i’m easy!

No, this isn’t a post about my bedroom shenanigans . More like I’m bored, I haven’t posted in ages, and I thought this title would catch your attention! Did it?!

There’s been a lot of goings-on in my life –some I can’t really share here (although I’d love to), and some that I do want to share. Life’s been good. Like I said, I’m easy and I’ve been more or less content. Work and the kids keep me busy. The kids especially are a hoot. I can spend hours gushing about them, but no, I’m not the kind of mom who can only talk about her kids and nothing else. I do want to share some of their cool tricks:

Rockstar baby (or rather, rockstar boy):

After turning 2.5 years old in the summer, he can do a 20-piece puzzle by himself!

He likes picking out his own clothes and shoes (although I feel he’s been doing that already)

He likes singing along to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” –especially the “oh-oh-ohs” and the “put a ring on it” part.

Once, when I threatened him with a time-out, he actually said “So?” back to me!

He can identify the letters: O, X, and J!

Lil C (aka, the Bean):

Lil C has been very busy. She started standing (using props) at about 7.5 months!

She can now stand by herself without any aids and can use a walker and take steps!

She can wave goodbye, claps her hands, shake her head to refuse something, and is very high-maintenance.

No one can make her laugh like her kuya!

She’s learning to pick up food and trying to put it in her mouth.

What else is new? Well I got into a car accident last week. Not fun, but I wasn’t seriously injured and the kids weren’t in the car thank goodness. I was rear-ended by a car going about 30 mph. The other car’s airbags deployed and everything and had to be towed away. This is probably the biggest accident I’ve gotten into. I have back and neck pain galore (I’m actually standing while typing this because sitting is not comfy), and will be going to physical therapy. But other than that…I’m taking it easy –especially since the holidays are coming.

Speaking of holidays, I’m easy to shop for! Hee-hee. Gift cards from Starbucks, Target, Toys R Us (for the children’s use), Amazon or Sephora are always good. Nothing fancy. Like I said, I’m easy!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving to everyone!

P.S. I’ll start posting on a regular basis again!

all about my father

My dad is king of the faux pas! Leader of the social gaffe! Growing up with him has made for some amusing stories, to say the least. In my family, you see, my mom is the extrovert. She’s a vivacious story-teller, a social butterfly, and the queen of hospitality. My dad, on the other hand, is an introvert (like me). A pensive, reserved, quiet sort of guy. Oh, but when he decides to be a social butterfly…. that’s when the cringe-worthy yet hilarious moments rack up. When he shares stories and jokes, watch out! Like the time that we were having dinner in Madrid with a group of fellow tourists…

Fellow tourist: Can you please pass the pepper?
My dad: Oh sure! You know how the blacks call it?
Tourist: huh?
My dad: Blacks say “pe-pa!” Hahah….
Tourist: *with pained look in eyes, reluctantly laughs*
Me and my brother: *silently wish for the ground to open up and swallow us up*

Or like the time I brought a friend from college home for a party and he tells us a story of how stoned and drunk he got with my uncle that they ended up eating 10 rotisserie chickens between the two of them? (And incidentally, my dad was *thisside* of buzzed when he told us the story).

I think that he just doesn’t think about what he says. I mean half the time, I know he means well, but it comes out shitty. Like the time my cousin and I were standing next to each other. Now my cousin is very fit and slim, and at the time, I had packed on a lot of weight. He stands behind us and puts his hands on our shoulders and flat out says: “Now why can’t you look more like her!” My cousin looked very embarrassed, and I was just pissed. OMG, right?! But of course, you don’t talk back to your parents and I knew that he was just trying to be “funny” (for lack of a better word). To this day though, I remember that incident.

What can I say though? You usually only get one dad, and as far as dads go, he’s still a great guy. He’s always supported my family and he is generous to a fault. I mean what dad would insist on getting you a BMW X5 despite you telling him you just want a cheap Honda Civic?? Or pay for your college AND law school education? Or tell you that he’s paying for your wedding just because he wants to? He’s also very understanding of the fact that sometimes, kids will just get into shenanigans and that this has no bearing on their moral fiber! Case in point: He picked me up from college once for some family thing and I was obviously hung-over. So hungover that I made him stop the car every few blocks or so so I can throw up. He quietly said: “Let’s not tell your mom about this.”

I had a great childhood thanks in part to him (other parts include my mom and her side of the family). And both he and my mother were responsible for my love of reading (which in turn, pretty much formed my nerdy personality). By age 10 I was already raiding his Stephen King collection, and read his many books on psychic Edgar Cayce. Even before the Da Vinci Code came out, he’s long been an “enthusiast” of the occult, mystical leanings, conspiracy theories, what-have-you. He’s also taken me to the first movie I can remember (Raiders of the Lost Ark), and has bought me toys, books, a cool-ass bike, and a pet monkey!!

My dad is a lawyer. I’ve always thought of my dad as this uber-smart guy since my mom’s told us stories of how he got through school solely on scholarships and hardwork. He worked for a firm and then lucked out and was counsel for the Sy family (which in my head, I liken to the Darlings of Dirty Sexy Money –but without the trashy glamour or gossip), but he decided to go for broke and forge a future in the U.S. Now, he has his own firm and has made a good living –enough to support me and my two brothers, as well as help out several relatives in the Philippines (being the eldest son, he has tons of responsibilities. Tons). I think it’s awesome that he had the balls to just up and move and simply DO what he felt he had to do for the future of his family.

Our family and family friends sort of assume that he is “grooming me” to take over his firm. But my dad’s never pressured me into doing that. He loves my ideals (he claims I remind him of himself when he was a young lawyer) and admires my dedication to public service. He himself could’ve been a judge but he didn’t see it in his future. He thinks what I do is great, although I really think he and my mom worry about my financial future (hence his propensity to “help us out”). I think he thinks I’ll venture out into the private sector soon enough.

But it’s funny how nowadays, he comes to me for legal advice on what to tell potential clients He’s in the papers for a few high-profile cases, but yet he’s asking me for my opinion! Now this is a guy who can wax poetic about the law, legal advances, politics, etc. and I’m pretty much the exact opposite (I’m the most unlawyerly lawyer you will ever meet). So I think it’s cool that he values my opinion as to what I think about his case. I appreciate it, but I don’t think I can ever fill his shoes.

8 things about me

Aiza tagged me a little while ago, but instead of doing the meme she sent, I did one of her old ones.  So here’s 8 dazzling new things about me!  Can you feel the excitement? Hee-Hee.

THE RULES – List of 8

• write 8 facts about yourself.
• in the 8 facts, you share 8 things that your readers don?t know about you. at the end, you tag as much other bloggers to keep the fun going. each blogger must post these rules first.
• each blogger starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
• at the end of the post, a blogger needs to choose as much people to get tagged and list their names.
• don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Here’s my crazy 8:

1.  My new favorite reading obsession is Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series.  It’s trashy and cheesy yet, fun, fast-paced, and cool.  It’s based on the reality where vampirism is legal, the dead can be reanimated, and you need a warrant of execution before you can kill vampires.  Anita is an awesome character –she’s petite (5′3), but can pack a punch.  She raises the dead for a living, kills vampires, but dates one (as well as a werewolf).  Awesome.

2. I heart zombie flicks.  I actually haven’t seen a lot, but my favorites include the Resident Evil franchise (and all it’s cheesiness), Shaun of the Dead, and Dawn of the Dead.

3.  When I was little, I wanted to be a mermaid.  Since I can’t be one, I have a tattoo of one.

4.  I would love to breakdance.  Alas, the only thing I can do is pop-lock –and the hubs wouldn’t even classify what I do as pop-locking.

5.  I secretly think that I can sing, but I will never sing my heart out like I do when I’m alone in my car or in the shower.  Not even when I was in my band and actually singing (yes, I was still reserved).

6.  I thought of writing a screenplay for The Virgin Suicides when I first read it in high school.  I had about 6 pages and didn’t follow through.  Sofia Coppola did hers 6 years later.

7.  I consider myself a foodie.  I haven’t been able to actually dine out like I used to, but I’m planning to once the kids are older.  But I like anything from your local turo-turo, hole-in-the-wall, to a delicious chef-tasting course at Daniel.

8.  Unless I super-duper, absolutely have to, I cannot take a dump in a public restroom.  Period.  I’m anal like that.  Ha ha!! Get it?

I’m not going to officially tag anyone since everyone is busy.  But if you want to do it, be sure to let me know so I can read your crazy 8!  Okay, now I leave you with this uber-cute photo of baby girl who is officially crawling and getting into everyone’s business.

look what i can do!