Happy Birthday, VGood!
Yesterday was Vera’s 7th birthday.
I originally planned to hold a party for her 7th and Nate’s 2nd (on July 6th). But technohub and I figured a family weekend getaway would be more economical (and hassle-free) than organizing a full-blown birthday bash. So yes, weekend getaway won over kiddie party. 
Since we do our grocery shopping every Sunday, we all went to the mall as usual. First stop, though, was at the department store - V wanted new shoes for her birthday. I don’t really spoil my kids; they’re used to the talk-to-the-hand sign whenever they point and say “I want this! I want this!” , so they eventually stop clamoring. But during special days such as birthdays and Christmas, they usually have their wishes granted. ( So far, no one has asked for the moon, so…) Read the rest of this entry »
Life 101: On Choosing Happiness
I woke up today to my phone’s text tone. It was a message from someone dear to my heart. It sounded of defeat, frustration, unhappiness. It broke my heart that, despite all the blessings he has received from Life, he feels that the word HAPPY “is empty, meaningless, and absurd.”
How can someone lose sight of all the reasons to be happy?
Why are some people swallowed up by their own problems and imagined sufferings, so that they fail to see there are many others in real suffering? Read the rest of this entry »
The Perfect Bathroom
In my perfect world, the perfect home doesn’t have to be huge. Yes, I want it comfortable, but not luxurious. I want an uncluttered, simple home with a bit of outdoor space for the children to around at.
The bathroom, though, is a different thing. For me, the bathroom, not the bedroom, is my refuge. It’s the only place where a busy mom like me would have time alone. I always tell my kids “When I’m in the bathroom, please leave me alone to enjoy my few precious moments of privacy.” But I sometimes forget to lock the door, and one of them would come barging in to make sumbong that she was hit by the other, or the other wouldn’t share the TV, etc, etc.
Anyway, back to my dream bathroom. It will have lots of space - storage space and lounging space alike. It will also have a walk in tub (oh yeah, for when my hub and I are too old to hopping over), a rain-shower style shower (the kids will love this), and a sound-proof acoustic door (hehe). Soothing music would be nice too.
Aaaah. The luxury of dreaming. It’s free - take it. 
I’m Back and Alive Again
Yup, my PC had another bout of conking. This after I blogged last week on backing up my files. Aaargh! One fine morning a few days ago, I turn on my PC and it doesn’t get past this blue screen that says: unmountable_boot_volume.
Thanks to a very dear friend’s office tech-guy, Mr. Dr. B (salamat, doc!), my PC has been revived back to life. He suggested, though, that I back up my files in CDs, or flash disks, or even at 4shared.com. Ah, it’s a shame that I even blogged about it, but was not fast enough to be ready for this conk-out. Oh well… Such is life…
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The hub’s office has been badly affected by the most recent typhoon. Outside, flood waters reached thigh levels! Inside the office, a few office supplies were damaged. Thanks to the staff’s foresight (and hub’s prodding), all stock items were safely brought to higher levels.
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The technohub is stranded somewhere in China! Due to the ravaging of a storm (that was called Frank while in the Philippines), flights from Chongqing to Hong Kong (his connecting port) have been canceled since yesterday. I don’t mind how many times the airline will have to cancel the flight, as long as they fly when it’s definitely, surely safe.
Hang in there, hub. I’ll see you tomorrow, I hope! We miss you. (The kids definitely do - Nate misses your morning-ritual drive around the village; VGood misses hugging your soft tummy to sleep; and Patch the allowance that comes from your pocket. hehe).
Old-Car Care
The other day, while the kids and I were on our way to school, my 11-year old car overheated! My husband, who used the car last week, forgot to fill the radiator with water.
I’ve been using this car for over 4 years, and like a good friend, I’ve come to know its habits, sounds and quirks. Like people, older cars need more TLC. I make sure that the radiator is regularly hydrated, the engine oil is changed and tune-ups are done periodically. Aside from regular body washes, I treat Trusty (ok, that’s his name officially, since now) to a good under-chassis wash. I also have the contact numbers of suppliers of good quality auto parts on hand for when the need arises.
Thanks to my sister-in-law, I also discovered that rubbing the dashboard and door panels with Armor-All does wonders! The inside is now looking so squeaky clean and brand-new.
Financing Your Home
Whether it’s the home you’ve always dreamed of, or you’re settling for something more affordable, most of us need financial assistance in building our homes. Banks offer home loans, but with increasing inflation, interest rates are expected to go up. Most real estate developers also offer in-house financing, some even have zero-interest rates for the first year or two. And then there are mortgage lenders which offer a varied array of services, from fixed rate loans, to FHA loans and refinancing.
When getting home loans through any of these options, the most important thing is to always read the fine print.
Today’s Dose of V-Quips
Today, on the way home from school. My favorite Dave Matthews Band CD is playing in the car stereo.
VGood: Who’s that singing, Ma? What’s his name?
Me: Dave Matthews
VGood: I like his voice. Handsome ba siya?
Me: Uhmmm… Yes, he is gwapo.
VGood: He’s hot.
Me: ??? (toink)
VGood: (explains herself) Hot means gwapo!
She seems to have had an overdose of Hannah Montana, iCarly, and Naked Brother’s Band during summer.
~~~
Tonight, while changing into her pajamas after taking a bath.
VGood: Ma, why do girls have to wear panty?
Me: ??? (toink)
~~~
Back to School
School started this week for my girls iPatch and VGood. It wasn’t a very eventful start. Well, VGood broke 2 pencils (in half! I don’t know how and why she did it. Maybe she was feeling restless during class) and lost 1 whole pad of paper on the first three days.
Other than those, it was a good start for both…
They still find it a bit hard to wake up at 5:30 every morning. Thanks to the really loud alarm clock that technohub bought on Father’s Day, the task of waking them up has become easier.
Ugh, breakfast is a struggle for VGood. I understand her, actually. Feed me something, anything ,at 6 in the morning, and I probably won’t have the appetite too. I coax her to eat, so she has energy for the day. But sometimes the coaxing becomes a bit impatient. And loud… Ah, back to school blues, the neighbor probably thinks. Read the rest of this entry »
Back-up Your Files
Like most people in this almost-paperless age, I keep most of my files in my computer. A huge chunk of my computer memory goes to keeping my most treasured memories a.k.a. zillions of digital photo albums. When I get hold of important documents, I always make a digital copy and store it in my computer just in case the paper copy is stolen or lost.
But what happens when your PC conks, goes haywire, dies out on you? It’s very important to create back-ups. These could be in the form of CD-ROMs, or external computer memory gadgets such as USB flash drives and memory cards. Heed the advise, and you won’t regret it if and when your PC crashes.
Most Expensive Parking in Quezon City
I’ve worked in Makati City before, and I know that parking fees are really expensive there. Given the scarcity of space, high number of vehicles, and premium price of land in Makati, the cost of parking is justifiable.
But how about when one gets charged Php100 for 5-hour outdoor parking in Quezon City? Is that justifiable?
This happened to me and Cookie (only, she was charged Php80 even if she got there a few minutes ahead of me) on Thursday last week.
We - three mommy bloggers, Lynn, Cookie and I - got together at around 4 PM for foot spa and relaxation at the Nail Loft branch in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. The rip-off parking fee (unknown to us at that time) was courtesy of Diliman Commercial Complex, the building where Nail Loft, along with Convergys, Starbucks, Ministop, is located. Read the rest of this entry »
Photo Hunt: Emotion(s)
Today’s theme on tnchick.com’s Photo Hunt is: Emotion(s)
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My son, MagNate, has a lot of photos expressing emotions. Here are a few. I hope you enjoy as much as I did digging through his photo archives. I realized that a year ago, he was just so small; now he is big and so sure of himself.
tickled-pink (December 2006)
in deep thought (April 2008)
bored (May 2008)
irritable (May 2008)
extremely irritable (April 2007)
contented (January 2007)
happy (May 2007)
happy-sleepy (May 2007)
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Join other Photo Hunters here.
Property Foreclosure
Real estate property, especially a home, is one of the most important investments one could ever have. For most people, it is the fruit of hard labor. Homes are often acquired through mortgage. Unfortunately, some people encounter problems along the way, are unable to pay their mortgage, and so property foreclosure looms. Luckily, there are websites today that offer mortgage and foreclosure help. Check stopmyforeclosure.net if you need advice and help.
