Halfway There

Thank God! I'm halfway through the pregnancy. The twins are doing well, growing right, and healthy. The OB-Sonologist said that we might be having two little boys but she hasn't confirmed it to us yet, not until the sixth month when we can see the organs more clearly. Nevertheless, we were happy to know of the possibility of having boys. So thrilled, I started buying some baby clothes in neutral colors.
Every week, my belly is getting an inch larger. I got my appetite back. I'm starting to feel those back pains and leg cramps and it's getting harder to sleep and breathe. I'm not complaining though. I love being pregnant!
Anyway, my husband, Jayson just left for Papua New Guinea yesterday. It wasn't an easy thing to go through especially with the hormones I'm battling with. Emotions ran high and I just couldn't stop crying. I miss him every second of the day. I'm so used to him by my side that I feel incomplete. I know that he'll do what he's supposed to do there. I just need to be strong for our babies sake. That's it for now.

It's good to be back!
I just had the longest three days of my life.
Spotting... bright red fresh blood. It scared the hell out of me...and the whole of our clans. There was a dark cloud that hung over us. Having these precious babies in mind, we sought medical help and was admitted for Threatened Abortion (intrauterine bleeding, with or without contractions, a closed cervix and no passage of products of conception). I had to stay at the hospital for two days for observation and complete bedrest (with no bathroom privileges).
At first, I thought the bleeding came from my urinary tract (assuming that I may have a small stone) but the urinalysis didn't confirm my hunch. Fortunately, the ultrasound showed that the twins are doing well, growing fast, very active, and there was no sign of bleeding from within. So, I had to take some medicine and had to be confined to the bedroom for two more months. I can't even go downstairs, much more go to the mall. The price I have to pay is high but I wouldn't want to risk having to lose my little ones. I don't think anybody would want that.
I thought something like this this won't happen to me but it did.
We're just glad that for the meantime, I'm feeling fine.
We're so grateful for the prayers and support that we've been getting from our family and friends. Most of all, I'm so thankful for having a husband like Jayson. I know he's tired but he never once complained.
Got to go and rest now. Til next time.

Love Times Two

Well, what do you know? We're having TWINS!
I'm still at loss for words.
Here they are, making their first appearance.

Credits:
La Vie D'amour kit by Michelle Bradley @ Shelby Digital Design Shoppe
Twine and glass freebie by Sara Carling

Sixth Week

I'm now on my 6th week of gestation. About two weeks ago, I had a hard time sleeping, wondering when my period will come. I've always had a longer than usual cycle (30-33 days) that's why we had to wait a while for us to assume that we're pregnant. The instance that I had the slightest hint was when I had an Implantation Bleeding (pinkish vaginal discharge). At day 35, I started feeling nauseous the whole day so we decided to take a home pregnancy test that night. My heart was pounding hard and fast, I couldn't bare to look as the two lines appeared on the test. I waited a few more minutes, trying to convince myself that this time it's true, it's positive. Slowly. I walked toward my husband to show him the result. I've never seen him that happy for a long while. Finally, we're having a baby! Not long after a few moments of celebrating, we told our parents. They were very joyful as they will be grandparents for the first time.

A week after that here I am, always craving for wanton noodles! Aside from the sore breasts, uncontrollable sleepiness, frequent trips to the lavatory and refrigerator , I'm doing fine. I guess the hormones haven't kicked in much yet. Being pregnant is the best thing that has happened to me so far. I've been informed that getting pregnant with PCOS isn't going to be easy. For a while I started to doubt the possibility. I've been bombarded with medicine just to have the slightest chance of conceiving. I still am under medication and I'm glad I was compliant or else, none of this would have happened.
My dear hubby is so supportive and attentive to my needs and wants. I couldn't ask for a better partner. Anyway, here's a very special thing I did entitled "Sweet Beginning". It's my first pregnancy layout.

Credits:
Hip Mommy Kit by Summer Simmons @ Sugar Giggles

By the way, thank you to everyone who wished us well. We really appreciate all the good things that you have to say. And before I forget, here's something that I want to pass on to other women who is desirous of conceiving a child. I've always said this Prayer for Motherhood before I go to sleep at night. All it needs is a little faith.

Credits:
Quiet Me Down Kit by Valerie Fowler @ The Digichick

Fresh

It's all goood, baby! I'm off to my first Prenatal Check-up.

Are you having a baby?
If you are, there's a new kit by Summer Simmons called Hip Mommy.
It's a funky kit with bright colors and lotsa elements.




You can get it Here.

Something to look forward to

I am NOT dead... at least not yet. I'm so ashamed of leaving my blog empty for a while. Not that I don't have something to tell, I just feel so lazy this past few days. I guess being broke and jobless really pumps out the energy in me. Anyway, I have some great news too.
The clinic inspection went well and is already approved by the PNG Medical Board. But the thing is, they still want us to expand the clinic to accomodate patients from neighbouring provincial hospitals. Wow! Isn't that just awesome news? Before we we're thinking whether we'll be able to have a number of patients. Now, I'm wondering if we could handle the volume. I guess it's better than having no work at all. At least, we have something to look forward to. It's just a matter of time before we get our working Visa which is long overdue. Fixing the requirements held us back for a year...a very long year! Sometimes I wish I could have gone into residency training just to kill time. On the other hand, if I've gone into training it would be harder for us to conceive and have the treatments. In line with that, I'm on my second month of taking 150 mg of Clomiphene Citrate. I must be responding to this dosage because I finally broke the cycle of having PCOS every other month. That alone is good news and if we'll be able to have a baby, that would be a great blessing.

* * *

In othe news, designer Michelle Bradley is having a birthday on the 4th of July! As a birthday treat, she is offering a freebie on her site at Shelby Design Shoppe. Grab it before its gone! It will only be available for a limited time.
Go here in the forum: http://www.shelbydesignshoppe.com/msgboard/index.php?topic=35.0
or Her blog: Shelby Digital Design Shoppe

Mari K is also having a 50% sale over at The Digichick in celebration of her daughter's 2nd birthday. Sale ends on June 30. Lots of great stuff and new kits up for grabs. Don't miss it!

That's it for now! Have a great weekend!

That's my dad!

It's father's day! Happy day to all the father's out there specially to my dad. I'm so broke I wasn't able to prepare something for him. I know he understands...he always does and I'm so grateful. When I was growing up, I wasn't able to see much of my dad. I just see him in the morning before I leave for school and in the evening when I'm about to sleep. He was a workaholic! Nevertheless, when he's not so busy tinkering with his car, he takes me out to go wherever I want. "Wherever" for him means anywhere in Makati. We'd go to church at Greenbelt Park where the chapel is surrounded by a pond. Afterwards, we'd go to Pancake House and order our favorite Taco. I've always known that I'm a spoiled child. I get whatever I want and enjoyed being a child...mostly because of how my dad treated me. I miss those times but right now, I'm enjoying every day that we are together.

Credits:

Super Dad kit by Mari Koegelenberg @ The Digichick

p.s. If you have time, you might want to check out her blog: Mari K Creations . You just might get lucky.

In other news, our clinic in Papua New Guinea has just been approved by the inspector from the medical board. All we need is documentation on their part so we could apply for a working visa. This is great news for us! Eventhough it took longer than we expected, at least there's some progress in that department. We're so excited to go and work our butts off. Then perhaps, there will be better days for us all.

It's My Party

...and I'll cry if I want to. Yep! Today is the day. I'm thirty one and I want to stop counting from here on.
When I was YOUNG-er, I was so excited about my birthday. I couldn't sleep waiting for midnight to come when all my friends would call me up and I'd be on the phone for hours. I used to be excited about a new birthday dress to wear, giddy about the celebration to come. Those were the days.
Today, I'm just happy to wake up to a new day! No birthday cards to read, no presents to open (except for that red envelope mom & dad gave), aside from that I know so well that there's nothing for me today. Dad woke me up with a greeting as I in turn greeted my mom a Happy Mother's Day. It doesn't bother me to share the limelight with all the mothers out there, coz if it weren't for them, there'll be no birthdays. I felt neglected somehow. Mom took off early to go to Pampanga and attend one of my cousin's wedding. Dad opted to stay home with us.
I went to Church early ( which is very rare) with my hubby just to thank the Lord for all the blessings He had showered upon me. I am not a deeply religious person but I know how to give back what God has given me.
Maybe we'll celebrate later. I'm glad Clomiphene hasn't started kicking in yet or else, I'd wind up a famished grouch. I'm feeling...Italian.
I have only one wish for my birthday... **********
I think you know it by now.

Have a great day everyone!
Happy Mother's Day!

CTM of the Month

Lookie, lookie!
Guess who's being featured this month?
See it here.

Road Trip

So, what's new?
We travelled 1100 kilometers by land.
Can you imagine how long we've been sitting on our butts?
We left Saturday Morning at about 3AM. It was still dark but I know we could handle navigating the first stretch. When the sun rose, we were already at Quezon Province. I've been there a couple of times before but haven't reached the boundaries. It was a grueling ride! The road is awful, much like the surface of the moon! To make things worse, there were no restaurants opened at 7am. Good thing we saw a roadside eatery called Delicious. As usual, I ended up ordering Wanton Noodle Soup which is my favorite. I didn't expect the food to be that good. I particularly liked the egg noodle and the wanton with the shitake mushrooms in it.
As we went on our way, I realized that we had to go through the zigzag road along the mountain. I didn't get to sleep through the whole trip. We passed by the fishing villages of Gumaca, Quezon, the coconut plantations of Camarines Sur, and some other scenic places.
It was 11AM when we finally reached Naga City. We were able to get accomodations at Naga Regent Hotel, by far the best hotel we could find in the city.
The wedding's at 2Pm so I immediately started preparing. Jayson took longer to get ready. I was starting to get frantic when we couldn't find the church. When we got to the church, I thought that the mass has started already which really made me pissed. Good thing it was the wrong church. We were lucky enough to reach Our Lady of Penafrancia Basilica. The reception was held at an indoor garden more similar to the place where we got married. We don't know most of the people around so were seated with a couple of locals. It was a beautiful wedding full of traditions and love overwhelming. It was worth the trip.

Sunday morning, we left Naga and headed further south to see the infamous Mayon Volcano. We made a stop at the Cagsawa Ruins (an old Spanish Colonial church that got buried during the volcano's eruption in the early 1700's ) where all that is left was the bell tower. It was a little cloudy when we got there so we never really saw the peak of Mayon until later in the afternoon.
Then we went on to find the white sand beach of Masibis. The way to Masibis was steep. After reaching the end of the road, they said that we have to take our vehicle with us on a ferry ride across the river because there's still 5 more kilometers of driving before we reach the place. We chickened out and couldn't take that risk. We headed back, disappointed and a little rattled about the situation. We passed by the beaches of Kalaykai and Bacacay where the water is clear but the sand is so black. Far from what we had in mind. It was getting dark and we just wanted to find a place to stay. We were lucky enough to find a decent and private resort in Mullner's. We went for a swim in the warm water and dark night. I didn't stay long because I felt my face burning and itching from the saltiness of the water.

Monday morning, we woke up early hoping to have a clear view of Mayon volcano but it rained on the most opportune time. I'm afraid that it was going to be a bad day to travel. After breakfast, we started heading home. Our tank's almost empty and we couldn't find a nearby gas station that accepts credit cards so we had no choice but to pay in cash and sacrifice our lunch money. I was the one navigating so I chose the shorter road to take. It was too late to turn back when we realized that we will be travelling for hours in a road beside the mountain cliffs of Iriga. I couldn't move or say a word. There was silence in the car. I guess we all got petrified when we saw that we had to pass by the eroded part of the mountain. It was like being in Jurasic Park without the dinosaurs. I saw the Island of Catanduanes on my right side with the white sand we were dreaming of. The view was breathtaking but still, I couldn't even move a finger to get a shot. Is this the way that I'm going to die? I started praying to all the angels and saints to keep us safe! My gosh, it was the most exciting and horrific part of the trip! I never doubted Jayson's driving abilities, and I know that was the time to believe in him. We got to the plains safely, and God granted us with sunny skies through the whole time we were at the mountain. I've never been so happy to see rice fields again in my life! It was already night time when we reached the nearest City which is Lucena. Famished and tired, we screamed at the sight of Max's Fried Chicken. After that, the trip home seemed faster. We reached Manila after 12 hours of road trip. I'm just so glad to be home!

Bilateral Polycystic Ovaries, again?
I am so screwed up!

Still hopeful

I'm still here, folks. I'm so terrible when it comes to writing that I don't do it much. Well, nothing has changed much except for my crowning glory. I thought that my hair had a life of its own, getting harder to manage each day. As if it's not enough that I 've had some troublesome days!
Anyway, I was so disappointed about having another unwanted monthly period that I couldn't talk about it. We certainly had our hopes high but to our dismay, nothing good came out of it. I guess that's the price we have to pay for some leisure. So, I decided to move on in silence, taking things astride. Another round of Clomiphene and the whole she-bang, another series of ultrasound. For a while, I got used to being in the lithotomy position that I didn't care anymore.
Meanwhile, my dear husband started applying for his residency training in Surgery. I, on the other hand, didn't go with him. This time, it's just a matter of priorities. I don't know how we'll be able to make a baby with both of us on duty, with different schedules and all stressed out. Not to mention the very low salary that's just enough for his food and gas allowance. Staying home might be the more sensible choice for us. In any case, the monetary compesation is not really a big issue. The better end of this deal is the amount of knowledge and skill that he can get from this experience.
We haven't given up on our upcoming career abroad. It's just that things are taking longer than usual. Honestly, we don't know what to do anymore. The Medical Board of PNG's really squeezing out every last bit of patience we have. If I may say so, I think they're just a bunch of morons who doesn't know what's good for them! We gave them all the requirements, our clinic is almost done, the only foreign doctor in the area has left already, and all that's missing is us. It's the end of the month again and time for them to congregate. I hope this months meeting will be more productive and favorable. *Fingers crossed*
And so amongst all this chaos and uncertainty, one thing is for sure... I love the way my mom cut my mane! I feel ten pounds lighter!

Trip to the Islands

I don't really know where to start so here it goes.
March 29 Wednesday
- Roadtrip from Manila to Port of Batangas; 2 hours
- Got on a Roll-on, Roll-off (Ro-Ro)ship from Batangas to Calapan, Mindoro: 2 hours
- Roadtrip from Calapan to Roxas, Mindoro; 4 hours
- Got on a Ro-Ro ship from Roxas to Port of Caticlan; 5 hours
March 30 Thursday
- waited for sunrise to get on a 15-minute boat ride from Caticlan to Boracay Island
- Checked-in at Orchids Resort in Station three
- German Breakfast by the beach
- Swim til Lunch Time
- Lunch at Gustoph in Station Two
- Stroll at D'mall - souvenir shops and dining places
- Dinner buffet at Bar Grill in Station Two
- Watched a Reggae concert at Bom Bom
March 31 Friday
- It's our 14th month anniversary
- Farmer's breakfast at the resort
- Island hopping boat ride
- Snorkling near Crocodile Island
- Shop for souvenir pearls and accessories at Puka-Shell Beach
- Lunch at Hey, Jude! in Station Two
- Had a Henna tattoo
- Dinner at the resort Patio
- Watched a fire-throwing show at Cocomangas, had some drinks and the Pizza is a must-try
April 1 Saturday
- Breakfast at Bei Marc and Beck's
- Afternoon swim
- Banana Boat ride - an inflated boat shaped like a banana being pulled by a speedboat; the objctive is to turn the boat over and drop the passengers into the water
- Shop for Souvenirs
- Dinner Buffet at Dalisay Paradise Restaurant
April 2 Sunday
- Morning Walk from Station Three to One and back hunting for South Sea Pearl vendors
- Willy's Rock
- Crepes for Breakfast
- Pack things for departure
- Boatride from Boracay to Caticlan
- Roadtrip from Caticlan to Roxas City, Capiz
- Lunch at Ramboy's in Kalibo, Aklan
- Watched a Pistol shooting competition at Capiz Gun Club
- Dinner with our friend, John's family in Roxas City, Capiz
- Stayed at their Resthouse in Ivisan, Capiz
April 3 Monday
- Lunch at Capiz Gun Club
- Had a Pistol Shooting lesson from the Club members
- Had Authentic La Paz Batchoy at Ted's
- Bought dried Squid and Fish (Danggit) for Pasalubong
- Dinner at Dodoy's house
- Pack luggage
April 4 Tuesday
- Roxas City Airport, flight to Manila


That was the end of our week-long vacation. The best part of it was experiencing the warm hospitality of the people we met along the way. I would love to come back someday! I'm missing the island life already.

I'm back! I'm just popping in for a while. I loved spending time in Boracay but my body is still aching from all the fun and excitement. I'll post more pictures soon! Promise!


Credits: Garden Glow Kit @ Citrus Blossom.com

Acceptance

A month has passed since Basti passed away. I've gotten over those crying days. I know I'm okay already because I can look at his pictures and smile. Just to remember him by, I made this LO specially for him.

Credits: Daydream kit by Mari K @ TDC

Bogart

Drum rolls...
Presenting...Bogart!
I can't begin to tell you how much this little energizer has changed our lives. Bogart is the reason why we've been smiling more often. He's our bundle of joy, our jester. Although he could never take the place of our dear Basti, he's making his way into each of our hearts.

Credits: Dirty Boy kit @ Fernlilis.com

That's what friends are for

I'm back, folks. I just had the longest 2 weeks of my life. Everything seems to go wrong. Anyway, I took the time to recover from our loss. It was a difficult thing to go through and I'm really thankful for all of you who took the time to care. It meant so much to me.
I guess, things could only go uphill from this point. I feel my mojo is creeping in. I can't wait to do the things that I neglected for some time.

On the lighter side, my bestfriend who's in NY surprised me with a call. I started to weep as soon as she talked about Basti. I must admit that I have forgotten to answer back her mails. She just knew what happened with Basti thru this blog. I know that she really cared about him but most of all, she got so worried about how I'm taking things. And so today, she sent me some flowers. It's beautiful and I love it just because it came from her. I couldn't have gotten a better friend. Thanks, bestfriend! You always know how to paint a smile on my face.

Farewell to a Dear Friend

It's been a busy week. Now, my heart is just full of pain. My pet, Basti has been sick. He lost his appetite, he seemed a little depressed, and always tired. I tried to make him eat even if I had to spoon-feed him soft pieces of meat. His teeth must be really aching coz he just swallowed everything. Last Saturday morning, my dad gave him a bath, I blow-dried his hair, and he looked handsome. We brought him to the vet to have his teeth checked. He was sedated and got his incisors removed. Because he couldn't eat, the vet placed an IV line on him. We had to confine him for a couple of days just to give hime time to recover.
We visited him Sunday, he looked fine. He was able to stand up and drink a little. He sat in front of me so I could caress him just like I used to. He licked my hand and I felt a little relieved. He looked at me as I walked away. I couldn't sleep the whole night, thinking if he's going to be alright.
Yesterday morning I got an early call from the vet telling me that he contracted Canine Distemper. It was bad. He said, he's been crying all night. Maybe he was calling out for us and that he was in great pain. We immediately went to see him. He was lying down, unreactive, looking back at me with blank stares. He lost the sparkle in his eyes. My heart was crushed to pieces. I couldn't stand to see him that way. I know he can still hear my voice telling him how much we love him. I was hoping for the best, but the reality is he's just deteriorating. I didn't want to leave him that way. We went home for a while to eat lunch. I just couldn't get myself to eat and the tears just keep falling. We called at 4pm to get an update from the vet, he's still the same. I wanted to go back to see him but it was too late. The vet called us to let us know that he had passed away. I was a few minutes too late. When we reached the clinic, there he was curled up like a baby. I couldn't believe he's gone. I touched him for the last time and closed his eyes.
It was nearing sunset as we went home to Bulacan. I said a little prayer and buried him in a safe spot. I hope he's in a better state now, free fom pain and suffering. We will miss him terribly. He has brought us so much joy more than anything else. Thank you Basti, for all the great memories you left with us. You will never be forgotten.

In Loving Memory Azotea's Sebastian"Basti Yamat" August 31, 1999 - February 13, 2006

It's been a Year

A year ago, two long time lovers (is 9 years long enough) vowed to love each other no matter the circumstances. Well, what do you know? That was us! The year has gone by in such a fast pace. We haven't accomplished much. No new addition to the family and we're still here. Eventhough we had an unproductive year, I'm still thankful that I'm able to go to sleep with my dear husband beside me and that I get to see him everyday when I wake up. He is such a blessing! Although... there are times when he gets too annoying. I just want to smack his face and punch him to the ground. Lol!

Anyway, here's a layout I did for my dh on the occassion of our 1st wedding anniversary. I've put so much love and attention into making this one. I hope he likes it, and I hope that you do too. Happy anniversary, baby! Mwah!


Credits:
Paper: Home Comforts kit by Mari K @ TDC; Delight kit by Taran Conyers
Flowers: Lil Petals by Holly McCaig; Delight kit by Taran Conyers
Ribbon: Delight kit by Taran Conyers
Brush: Bloom Buddies Brush set by Holly McCaig
Elements: Bling Fasteners by Holly McCaig
Fonts: Blackjack, My Old Remington

Muse Me

Last week was not a good week for me. I'm always at the hospital for my follicle monitoring. I must have had 3 TVS in 1 week. It was tiring and left me anxious about the results. Fortunately, I had some good outcomes and I could rest for a week or so. I'm keeping my fingers crossed again.

Then there's TDC. I'm getting frustrated with how things turned out. My comments on other's LO's don't show up. That's really a bummer, since I love giving away praises. Then I noticed that my LO's were not appreciated much. It's really disheartening because I've put a lot of love and effort in making them. I felt that I didn't give justice to Mari's kits (which are really works of art) with my LO's. I felt unworthy. Since I started digiscrapping, I considered TDC as my home. I loved participating in the forums, browsing through the gallery, leave comments, and join the challenges. I know that I'm not supposed to feel bad, but I do. I'm just thankful that I still have my 2Peas gallery...hanging around the site still gives me a sense of joy and pride with what I do.

I was glad to find Holly's Dare to Muse me challenge for this week. It gave me inspiration and made me think about the things that I should be proud of. God help me, I hope there won't be lots of times when I'd doubt myself. When I started counting my blessings, I knew that there's no reason for me to be gloomy.

I am...

Credits:

LoveLoveLove kit by Mari K @ TDC

Bling Fasteners @ Holly McCaig's Designs

Times like these makes me really proud to be a Filipino. Thank you to our people's champion, Manny Pacquiao for bringing in the honor.

Been tagged by Mari!

What scrapbooking lines/products/etc do you dislike?
I'm not a fan of vintage just because I have a hard time playing with it.

What is the hardest thing you've ever had to scrap?
My graduation. I didn't have a lot of photos to scrap with. Bummer!

What technique do you use more than any other?
Embossing and drop shadows. I also use Optikverve.

Ever been published?
Nope! I'm too shy to submit.

What's the smallest scrap of paper you save?
Notes from my friends in college. Scraps that we pass around when we're really bored of the subject.

Ever have any scrapbooking-related injuries?
Low back pain!

Finish the sentence "If I wasn't a scrapbooker,
I would spend my money on gadgets.

Give us your best storage or organizational idea.
Color-coded storage boxes for papers.

You just won a week-long scrapbooking cruise for 5. Who's going with you?
Holly Mc Caig, Mari K, Valgal, Fernlili, Shabby Princess

You're turn!After you've answered the questions, tag 4 of your scrapbook buddies!
Fernlili
Valerie
Paula
Kristy Ann

I haven't had a good night sleep...just an hour and a half. I wanted to sleep but my mind kept on wandering. Have you ever experienced the feeling that you're not appreciated? I must be having a creative block. My LO's are going unnoticed in the galleries. Do I really suck? Everytime I do a LO, I give it all I've got. I try to find new ways of improving my craft and make it unique. I just don't understand.
Here's a peek at my newest creation. I Love,Love,Love using this kit by Mari K. It has my favorite color (*pink*) and has the cutest elements to boast. And yes, It's Mari's birthday today! Happy birthday, girl!

Credits:

Love, Love, Love kit by Mari Koegelenberg @ The Digichick

Font: Love Letters

On a lighter note, I went for another TVS this morning. It's day 14 and I'm trying to monitor my follicles. After all the weight loss, nausea and diarrhea, It's all gone. Goodbye, Polycystic Ovaries! Woohoo! I'm so happy to see that I'm starting to ovulate again. What a relief! I just have to continue taking meds and monitor follicle formation...Hopefully, we'll get a positive result soon.

It's my dad's birthday! And since I'm flat broke, instead of me giving him a gift...he gave me one. How sweet is that! Luv yah, daddy.

I've been tagged by Kristy!
Here goes...

Four jobs you’ve had in your life:
Cashier, Physical Therapist, physician, Wife 24/7 ( does this count?)

Four movies you would watch over and over:
You've Got Mail, Sweet Home Alabama, Stepmom, The Incredibles

Four places you have lived: Manila, Laguna, Subic, Pampanga

Four TV shows you love to watch: House, CSI, Desperate Housewives, Clean House

Four places you have been on vacation: Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Milwaukee

Four websites you visit daily: TheDigiChick, 2 peas, Blogger , Friendster

Four of your favorite foods: Pizza, Chocolate, McChicken, Mac&Cheese

Four places you would rather be right now: At the mall, Papua New Guinea, a Spa, The Beach

Four bloggers you are tagging:
Val
Mari
Tin
Mimi

Have a nice weekend, everyone!

I was wondering why Basti (my adorable pug) has been losing weight. Was it because of the lamb chops he had last Christmas? I don't really know. His feeding didn't really change but I noticed him always showing his front teeth. I'm so worried. Well, he lost a tooth today. Poor doggy. It doesn't seem to affect him in a big way. His appetite is still good and he's playful as ever. Is it normal for dogs to lose their teeth? Will it grow back? I have to do my research.

On other things, I just finished my first LO using Mari's Jellie Babies kit. This is a really big kit with lots of elements, papers, alpha's and ribbons. I just love it, the pastel colors, the textures and shapes! Btw, just got news that Mari is now a Digichick designer. Pretty cool! I'm so excited for her! I know that someone as talented as her would be a wonderful addition to the roster of designers at the site.

Anyway, I was not sure if it turned out okay (my LO, I mean). I have so many things in mind and different ways of using the kit that it got jumbled up in chaos. Well, here's my first attempt...Surely, it won't be the last for this kit.

Credits:
Jellie Babies kit by Mari Koegelenberg
Font: My Old Remington

I'm really having a bad day today. My throat is really dry and itchy, I feel like my lungs' going to come out as I cough and worst of all, I had my period. Just my luck, huh? Anyway, I just need to suck it up and stop whining. So instead, I thought of channeling my energy into work.

I just got this wonderful new kit from Fernlili {Confections of a Pre-Teen}. Somehow, receiving and playing with it kept my spirits high...at least for today. This kit is so girly with lovely pastel colors, doodles, gellies and everything you need to work with. And yes, she was kind enough to send me a direct link to the kit since I'm having trouble downloading with YSI. Thanks again, girl! You made my day!

I had the perfect photo for this kit. Featured in the photo is my dh's niece Shalina Bianca with her brother RJ and her friends. This was taken during RJ's 6th birthday party. Have a nice day, y'all!

Credits:
Confections of a Pre-Teen at Fernlilis.com

Happy New Year

Happy new year, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful celebration.
Needless to say, I think this is the best new year party we've had. The family is complete, lots of friends, a hearty meal and spectacular fireworks! Who could ask for more?
Six hours befor midnight, we're still at the mall shopping for some good wine and treats for the kids. It's amazing how people get so engrossed with welcoming the new year with a Bang. I know I am! I don't want to get emotional this time. No thoughts about leaving the country soon. I just tried to enjoy myself that just in case I don't get to come back here for next year's holiday, I'd still have beautiful memories to take along with me.
Ok, I said I won't be emotional. I'm a little sleepy from all the celebrating, my throat is sore, my stomach is having a life of its own, and my nose is running at the speed of lightning. Got to catch some sleep!