Hurricane Sandy

Bummed that I am the only one going to work tomorrow due to No School announcements, I decided to eat. Yeah, punish myself by eating-- fruits. Yeaaaah! These kind of days are my turn off--- my kids are home but I need to go to work. Bummer!

Anyway, while eating, teasing and laughing-- KC asks me , "you still blog mom?" I said I was too busy for work and told her she should continue her blog. Then, out of the blue, Mr. Hubbs said, " stand right on that chair by the window, jump and there you go, blag!"

Hahahaha! Parang komiks Lang, " pak, pak, ka blag."

Happy Sunday!

37 random thoughts on my birthday

Another year? Well, last year, I wrote about this...and I got a lot of responses. It's just one of those matter-of-factly-we-are-friends conversation. I love writing like this. Maybe I am not meant to be a technical writer nor a journalistic one. So, let's talk, shall we?

1. Let's get it out of the way--- I still hate dandruff. Yup, I do. You all know that but here's the ugly part, Pherry has dandruff. Is it a teenager thing? Man, I hate it. I screamed when I was hugging him one morning and I saw those "snow" in  his head. KC got scared and both asked why I was screaming and making a grim face. You all know why. Yuck!

2. We always hear "life is short, let's make it worthwhile". But it brings so much more meaning to me now more than ever. Please pray for the soul of my mother-in-law and fast recovery of a fellow Filipino now recovering here in Boston MA.

3. My 2 Boston bestfriends are the greatest. If I have to live my life again, I'd still want to be friends with them. I love you SolSister and HG.

4. My niece Pits is my BFF--for life. And yeah, I owe her $2945.00 AND that's not why I said she is my BFF. Hahhahah.

5. I have the most adorable kids. Pherry, KC and Josh are my redemption.

6. I  realized how tolerant I am more than I give credit to myself.

7. I am so not enjoying my worklife right now. Refer to number 6.

8. Bon Chon is my fave restaurant of the year. Beat Minado for 2012.

9. I have a girl crush on Xtina. But boy, do I love Blake!

10. I'd love to go to San Francisco in 2013. Let's make it happen Mr. Hubbs.

11. I have not done a decent spa day since I started my new job.

12. I am grateful of my profession now more than ever. We were at Cheesecake Factory last Monday and a Filipino lady automatically assumed I was a nurse ( not that there is anyhting wrong with that, I would gladly be one if I can), she said " mga nurse kayo ano? I said, " hindi po." Ay, eh anong trabaho mo? ( Paki mo?) I almost said, "blogger po". But the good girl won and I said meekly, " med tech po". She said, Oh, di dapat nag duktor ka? To which I retorted, " hay, wag na po, mukhang marami na po kayo masyado. She said, " hindi ako doctor, nurse ako. " Alam ko po. Gets niyo?

13. I love red lipstick. MAC Ruby Woo and MAC Russian Red are my fave. I wear them to mass, work and when I go to Stop and Shop and Goodwill. Basically, everywhere. Inaapropriate? Maybe. Makes me happy? Yes!

14. Someone told me " friend, di ka pa umaalis sa kusina ah". I almost said, di ka pa umaalis sa Kapangitan ah. But I said " sinasamahan ko lang itong pamangkin namin na taga Michigan. Itsura. Ate, manalamin ka nga. Hmmmmp.

15. You really get to know your true friends in times of sorrow. My friends who I rarely see due to family and work commitments or just simply for being too far away from each other showed up at my monther-in-law's wake and burial.

16. There are so many grateful people. There are a few complainers and they make so much noise, it drowns Peace and Prosperity. Oh, Peace and Prosperity, how I chase you!

17. I don't feel any love towards iPhone 5. Seriously. Or maybe, I juct can't afford it. More likely.

18. I need a PC like I need air.

19. I need another bag like I need a toothache. So, no bags. Shhhh. Let's not make the Bagfairy upset.

20. I tend to forget lunch most of the time yet I am still gaining weight.

21. I wish the Patriots would win the SuperBowl this year. Please don't break my heart. Please...

22. Mr. Hubbs is becoming a great cook. Yup, I now believe in "practice makes perfect".

23. I have to teach myself not to get so disappointed when I meet my virtual friends.

24. My penmanship is getting worse. If you know me, now you know why I write emails. Sorry.

25. I still do not get the concept of saving. Sorry.

26. I have so much admiration to cancer/calamity survisors. Great great positivity. I salute them more than those self-proclaiming over achievers.

27. Instagram is my 2012 best discovery.

28. I have been bad lately. I have not been to mass for at least 75% of the time for the last 3 months. Shame.

29. There is more to life than bags. Yeah right.

30. I hate it when I see people using free medical care but have lavish lifestyles--- cars, fancy shoes and bags, vacations and such. Really? I pay so much taxes and I pay high deductible for you, so please stop spending my money.

31. I am easy to please but hard to impress. With family and friends like mine, not a single person can impress me with just " looks and wealth". To impress me, you have to do a lot of good advocacy for the needy AND be quiet about it. Then, I am impressed.

32. I tend to gravitate towards happy people now. Drama and stress is so 1990s. Right?

33. I have to learn how to ride a bike, do skating and real swimming. On that note, I have to re-learn that shopping, people watching and internet navigating ARE not sports. So be it. Help me God.

34. I have to buy Lady DIor. Yes Ma'am, Lady Dior before Celine Luggage.

35. I am looking forward to the things that make me happy. Friends, family, vacations, frozen soda, red lipsticks, dancing in the rain, spa day, Netflix, Glee and The Voice. Also, tinola, maggang hilaw and binatog. Simple things make me happy. Pass the taho, please.

36. I wish to have a humongous reunion with my cousins on my mother's side of the family. My cousins are lovely people.

37. I wish everyone has family and friends like mine. It's a treasure.

I am grateful for all the blessing The Almighty has showered me and my family. I continue to cherish even the simplest things in life, like a freshly brewed coffee and a tiny drizzle in the morning. I have a lot of dreams and aspirations but for now, I am content with what I have and I share what little things I can. I hope all my family nad friends realize how happy I am to be surrounded by this much love.

With that, I leave you with these photos. I have more pictures but for now, let me buy myself a computer so I can blog my life away.

Here's a picture on my birthday dinner hosted by Mr. Hubbs;



With my "sponsor". Thanks RN Eric

Thank you note on my birthday

I am gifted with the greatest friends ever! I am surrounded by highly intelligent, successful, beautiful and generous people--I could not ask for more. So, to my dear friends, thank you for all the love and time you have given me and the family. From graduations to communions and birthdays, from simple occasion and lavish celebrations to sad beginnings and  happy endings, from grand vacations to just simply hanging out---- you were all there! The gifts were great, but the company is so much better---and i know the best is yet to come! Happy birthday to me! Hahahhaha.

Sabi nga ni Ate Vi, I love you Lucky! In my case, I am lucky.

First Day of School 2012

Well,  here we are in October and I am still catching up on LlagaLand's family activities. First day of school and I have not done a Summer 2012 post yet? Woooah! Crazy huh?

Anyway, we do not really go crazy on back-to-school shopping because we do so little by little. Outfits? I buy when they are on sale, so I do not really budget for the beginning of the school year.

Precious came with us. I love it. Although school shopping is crazy, it is fun---we are the Llaga's, remember?

So here they are--- my Three Little Monkeys who don't seem to be so little anymore. Suddenly it hits me. Really? A freshman in high school? AND MOMMY, you are embarrassing---apparently taking pictures is not cool. So what? Did I hide the camera. Nooooo. I pulled over to the side street and convinced the young gentleman that no on is looking. It did not really work but it make him feel better, at least it is not in front of the school. And KC? She's ok, as long as you don not ask her to pose. She smiles, you shoot, get out. HAhahha. No take twos. She smiles, you shoot, get out. Josh just simply runs away. I had to "pull" my "palengkera" stunt to let him stop and smile for mommy.

I meant this shot to be a 2012 school year announcement picture but they refused to put their backpacks down. They said the ground is wet---so OCD like their dad.  I still think the picture is a great concept.

Pherry is now a freshman is high school. He has 4 AP classes (Advance Placement) and 1 Honors class. Needless to say, he is extremely busy and stressed. It has been over 5 weeks and I can still say he is still very organized--I hope he stays that way. That is the only complaint his middle school principal---- she actually wonders how he passes his exams considering how disorganized he is. Just thinking about his school load makes me tired. I did ask him if he wants to enroll in regular classes and he says he is fine. I don't believe in too much stress for kids just to compete. True, you need to have all the edge you could to get to the best colleges but I know the school admissions now are looking more and more to well rounded kids. Gone are the days where academic excellence is the only measure.

Isn't he so handsome? Please indulge my mommy moments. And just so you know, these braces cost an arm and a leg. But I don't care--- having nice set of teeth is an edge in life, right?  ; )

Joshua just ran off. He knew I was going to ask him to smile so I can take pictures. He is so funny. He tells me, "mom, you can't take pictures, Miss Witmer is there." When I looked, I turn around and he is gone I had to yell for him to stop. Oh, boy, I can only imagine when he goes to high school. He actually asked his big bro tips for high school and Pherry just told him..." blend, blend.... wear grey and nothing fancy so no one notices you." What a profound advice, ha?

KC is the last drop off. See, my 3 Little Monkeys go to different schools and this will go on for 3 more years. I know, I thank you. I am a great mom. Hahhahahha. Just kidding. I am sure there are more moms out there who do greater things for their children. Also, Mr. Hubbs drops them off most of the time. Funny side story: Josh told me one day, "mom, ever since Dad started dropping us off, we have never been late." I told him, well, that's because Mom comes from night shift and it is difficult and he tells me "yeah right" and then kisses me knowing he kinda pinched me in the heart a little bit.

My only princess is in middle school officially! Wow. Am I getting old or am I getting old/ Hahahhah. I don't care. My only consolation for getting old is knowing my kids are growing and soon I can see my dreams in fruition. You see, as I always say, my success is defined ONLY by my kids' success. When they are done with school,  have a beautiful, peaceful and meaningful life. Then my job is done.

How about you? Do you go crazy with back to school shopping?  How important is education to your family? Are your kids more into sports or academics? Are you like me--- crazy in taking pictures of your kids? Please share.

Have a good evening folks.