MIA for a While...

Hello... Though I know no one bothers to read this, thought I owe it to those that may happen to wander and ask, "Oooh, a new blog to explore, I wonder if it's worth a visit or two", I will be MIA for a while.

The hubs and I have decided to do as much DIY projects to finish before summer hits and we all melt from the heat and humidity that is the Mid-Southwest.

We have the Master closet finishing, downstairs bath moulding, foyer & LR painting and frontyard gardening to tackle. Vacations and visits to plan. Stocking up to do. Backyard maintenance to monitor and fireants to put under control. But best of all, we have a Cub Scout to help finish off requirements while having fun.

So with that long of a laundry list, which by the way, laundering of big comforters is one of the big projects, I will not be in the blogging circuit for a while. Not that I ever truly was.

Thanks, and see ya'll later with pictures!

OT-Schmoty!

Whoever said OVERTIME is great because of $$$, I so don't agree right now! This warehouse job requires mandatory OT on the weekends and a minimum of 2 hours a night!

My quality of life, shot! I am so blessed to have older children that can take care of themselves now. A husband so supportive and sweet, I think I have a toothache! LOL

My ears, bleeding! Between the vulgarity and blatant "cultural shut-out", I'm begging for earplugs!

My body, total Jell-O! I've lost some inches and pounds, but I also lost the ability to get out of bed on my own unless I have a very good reason to- like making sure the kids get to the bus stop! Up from 5:45 AM to 2, sometimes 3AM, not a good mix by Day 5!!!

*sighing loudly to relax*

We'll see how this job fares in the next few months... The upside, I got my first paycheck- all messed up, but still I got one, after 14 long years of managing my hubby's paychecks, it was quite gratifying to see one in my name again... ;-)

Ooooohhhhh! We finally have a new front door lock! Yes, it's a big deal for this "I'd rather save the money" lady! And I found EXACTLY the one I want, for $100 less on clearance! Yeah! Mr. Man installed it last night and it was such a great feeling to see it on our door that he also had to fix properly. Now that it's all planed out to make the lock fit flush, I can't wait to go to the paint section of Lowe's or HD and change out the whole door! Woohoo!!!

Goodbye!

September 13-December 29 (my birthday)

That's how long Kila stayed with us before she showed her true colors: unhinged and manipulative; crass and immodest. I say good riddance! (I have pictures of how she left her space before she came back from her date- to pack up- full of trash, mixed with wet and dirty underclothes, towels on the floor, but I won't gross you out like that)

We took her in and all (and I mean A LOT) of her stuff, rearranged two bedrooms, a bathroom, the dining room and the fridge to make room for her and gave her limits and a place in our family as one of our own. Allowed her to stay within the boundaries of her high school so she can graduate. Mr. Man and I signed on to let her stay the whole school year as her Education Guardian. We allowed her friends to come in anytime and eat, no questions asked. We added to our menu to accommodate her food choices and even funded her hair routine of biweekly dyeing-- ALL FOR FREE.

But I guess she's too good for us...

For our own children, we have 4 major rules outside of the obvious:

1. Curfew is tight but negotiable- tell us where you go, who you're with and check in at least once.
2. Personal Spaces- clean once a week
   
3. Laundry- once a week
   
4. Chores- get it done and offer to help

Kila broke all on a weekly basis and never mended her ways. My house stank of clothes reeking with secondhand smoke (from her boyfriend's car) and mounting laundry and dirty shoes. She claimed she's 18 and should be free, but she didn't want any responsibility either. When asked about why she wasn't complying to the rules, she said:

1. "I'm 18, I should be able to enjoy that!" (She's still in highschool and she was allowed to go out every night- curfew Midnight) I don't ask for details and don't mind waiting up for her. Glad I didn't give her a key...
   
2. "The bed's gonna get slept on anyway, what's the big deal?" (She's been sleeping on wet towels and dirty clothes, sleeps for 12 hours a day on weekends, during break- making L-Infinity gag with the smell)
3. "I don't like doing laundry!" (Did I mention the room reeked?)
4. When asked why she hasn't been helping unless we had to ask her (constantly), "I don't eat here anymore!" (She worked and went on long dates since break- that would be 1 week). When asked if she can help with any other chores, she said, "I don't know! (loudly)

Her boyfriend (a jobless 19-year old who met ONE awful Mormon family and judged us in the same vein though he voraciously accepted our offers of food and didn't mind lounging in our couch to relax his gut after) gave her the idea that he is her knight in shining armor by stating, "I'll take care of you.", further spun her web of acting like the victim that she's been portraying. To her credit, she is the product of a "spineless, crazy, mother who stole her graduation money" (her description), but I think, she's milked that sob story long enough.

She's 18 and we respected that and that's why we rearranged our whole life the past few months to accommodate that fact, but instead, we ended up taking in someone who didn't know how to be grateful and the whole time, vindictive. She said that she didn't trust us because "our close-knit family weirded" her out (I feel so loved). She also stated that she wasn't going to change her ways for us but she changed for her boyfriend for herself. (fine and good, but I didn't ask her to change, I asked her to help out and mind the major rules.)

She left labeling my daughter ignorant and other awful things thru texting. Her boyfriend, disrespected me in my home by cussing me out. I guess they are each other's soul mates. Don't worry, we blocked her phone and took them out of our Friends list in Facebook. We wiped them out of our lives because we don't need people that will bring us down. I made sure she left with ALL of her stuff and that she picked up her trash TODAY because I wasn't going to ring in the New Year with her still a part of our lives. I've had enough...

Now let's see boys and girls, how long this fairy tale between them would last, shall we? I say good riddance but I do pray that her own family gets their act together and soon bring her back home because she is clearly only 18, by age...

Being Sick... And Wet!

No, the two are not directly connected but more consequential of each other.

My kids have been sick; first it was J-Pony, then I-Dude a little bit. Then L-Infinity and her friend Kila. Now it's I-Dude again. It's been exhausting in so many levels. Between Mr. Man's new Houston shift and these "way too often" rainy/stormy days here in our area, I am really at the edge of my seat from going nuts! Plus complicate that with the "99.5F fever" minimum by the school district rule of keeping kids home. When all the kids are home during the weekends, it's like dodging a mine field. Coughing, spitting, sniffling and temp checks. Soups, sandwiches, medicines and time tables- aaaaahhhhh!!!

Facebook, unfortunately, no longer enough to kill brain cells to keep me from screaming, but at the same time, I'm glad that my kids know they can feel comfortable staying home when they are sick and that they'll be cared for. Talking to Kila, L-Infinity's friend and now staying with us, she revealed how her mom just hands her stuff when she gets sick. She didn't even know what they were! I had to have her call and verify before we headed out to CVS. It turned out to be just Nyquil and Aspirin but the horror of not knowing what she's been taking really got me.

I'm the kind of mom who pesters doctors with what works with my children, what each medication really does and remembers what medications do/not do for my children. I'm a stickler for medication schedule so not to overdose. I can't imagine my beloved ones just taking whatever out there to get rid of a cough or a cold when they couldn't take it anymore. Or the possibility of being left alone until they felt better.

Going off to a subject close to my heart, I know most in our society are still conflicted on having women stay home and be domestic especially the last century, but for me, there was no contest. I wanted to stay home to be with my children as long as we can afford to. How blessed and grateful I am to have found a husband who feels the same way and works with me now more than ever to continue this decision.

People I knew before I was LDS (Mormon) used to say, "Mr. Man must make a lot to keep you at home." And when I tell them otherwise, it's almost an unbelievable concept to them. Even my own family thought that I'm being naive by not going back to work. I'm not naive; far from it. This was a decision that we made even before we wed and one that is fulfilling to me, despite all the normal hassles and what others deem as hampering to my potential. I will go back to work someday, but not now. Not when my children rely on hearing my voice when they come home and have grown up not needing an extra key when school's in session.

I highly respect working moms; I used to be a working single mom myself and worked part time before I was pregnant with J-Pony, but this is where I belong for now and I couldn't be more satisfied. There's no other opportunity for me where I would have had more time to: read both for myself and to my children, keep up with their progress in all areas, learn to bake, indulge in my love of table top designs, cook, learn to do crafts, learn more about Excel, go back to college and learn how to entertain and be a great hostess. So I guess you can say, I learned more the last 12 years, than I ever did working. I'm speaking for myself and I couldn't more pleased...

Why Is It...

That when school starts... My normally happy, go lucky smart children fall prey to these hair- pulling "grrr" questions? Why do they let...

• Drama happen in all situations?
• Laziness reign over homework?
• Texting or little TV bring about the zombies in them?
• TV privileges become a battleground?
• Mommy doing homework or housework, NOT be seen as a quiet zone?
• Forgetfulness as a viable defense?
• Bedtime a painful chore?
• Their big brains turn to mush over chores?

Don't get me wrong, it all gets sorted out after a few weeks, but until then no matter how organized we are in getting ready for school, they go through so much whacked out personal routine that I literally lock myself in the bathroom and scream!

It's not helping that between the two opposing schedules of Mr. Man's work shift and school, I am back to being a literal insomniac again. I caught maybe an hour the last 5 days, of zzzz's... Yes, people, I am cranky!

If you've never gone through these, congratulations! As for me, it is an annual ritual. *sigh*

Some neighbors, you just wanna...

I don't expect anyone to agree with me on this, but since this is my blog and all...

It's officially less than 36 hours before a whole school year starts up again and everywhere around here kids are being put on some kind of routine again. Well, apparently our "back" neighbor didn't get the memo!

At 9:45PM, said neighbor starts blasting their music with bass loud enough to freak out my two smallish kiddos. People were talking in their patio, no... make that screaming since they were so loud and cars were parked on the obvious, NO PARKING ZONES of the RED LINE and the MANICURED LAWN. HELLO!!!

Didn't these people read their contracts about the 10PM Noise and Loitering curfew, or the NO PARTYING OUTSIDE YOUR UNIT (including the patio after 9PM) or... at least have enough common sense to realize that each and everyone of the units in the building have SMALL CHILDREN THAT HAVE TO GO TO BED EARLY?

My next door neighbors, tired from shopping for last minute BTS supplies, also had to complain about them because of the cars interfering with their ease to get out. My friend's husband waited with me and since his job is on call 24/7, he had to make sure he'll have an easy way to get out and leave PRONTO! So we both call the "Courtesy Officer" who WALKS instead of DRIVE to the area and took him a good 20 minutes to arrive.

The worst thing about this LATE party, they had little kids suffering from the BLASTING BASS! On top of that, I think they were friends with the newly "off duty" PAPA JOHN'S driver because we saw a delivery car do REVERSE at about 40 mph! It was zipping by anywhere backwards! Can you say, NUTS?!

C'mon! Of course, this morning, they had to wake me up from fighting in their MASTER bedroom! Closet doors were slamming, screaming and what sounded like another friend "mediating". Well, bud, it didn't work!!! You just added to the noise!

Aaaaahhhh!!! If these neighbors don't quit it, I have no choice but to complain about them to the management on Monday. I'm surprised that their "next door" neighbor whom I also know (nice lady, btw), doesn't complain and just accepts all the excuses this lady gives her!

Other than that, we had a typical day... I've discovered that I really am not impressed with Facebook, but I am into the Farm games!

I'm Addicted to Baking! (Really!)

Ok, confession time... Way back when I was a new bride, one main reason that would keep me awake at night were actually two things: "What does it mean to be a Mormon wife?" and "I hope he doesn't like homemade breads." Silly right? Not to me; at the time, those really worried me! I even thought if I cook well enough, he won't ask me to bake anything. Didn't work...

I was scared to find out, IF, my new hubby, "Mr. Proper Mormon RM Man", expected me to be this "quick learner" in the ways of being a Mormon wife. I've heard the horror stories of "barefoot and pregnant while smiling all the while" stereotyping of the so-called, "Molly Mormons". Or the often preached, "be meek and submissive to your husband" bits all my life as well as in the church. I thought, "Not me, I definitely wasn't that kind of a personality. I can and do speak my mind!" But that wasn't the cause of my "wake up sweating" moments, it's the "homemade bread" thing.

I was really naive about what LDS wives learn and end up mastering since I heard and see a lot of talented women in every ward I've been in. It was dizzying to take that all in! One fact, I knew, I didn't know how to make bread and let's just say that the first time he mentioned it, I felt cold all over! I knew I couldn't bake outside of brownies and I was soooo pathetic with cookies. "Bread? Bread?!" (My earlier attempts, I made some of the Filipino dinner rolls a couple of times, and each batch turned out like rocks. They were awful!) You have no idea how much I researched and produced gourmet sandwiches to distract him from wanting homemade breads. LOL But he always managed to mention it and hoped that I would keep trying.

But now that I've conquered my fear of baking and I don't really know how it got started (oh yeah, with his banana bread, back in Gilbert, AZ using the recipe from a Dole Bananas packaging). It was a total "exhale and celebrate" moment when my very first loaf of white bread turned out great! I'm sure you picked up on that from my previous posts. ;-)

So, in honor of that, I got brave and made Honey Wheat Bread! Yes, I crossed over to wheat flour! My own recipe, too! *woot woot* See, see? (sorry poor quality pics, cell had to do, left the cam in the van and hubby took the van)

While I was doing that, the girls decided to make some cookies! Chocolate chip cookies, the recipe, from the back of the Blue Bonnet Baking Margarine box. They were delicious! We shared some with the neighbors!
Ok, back to the sandwich bread... I-Dude and J-Pony helped me knead the dough. It was fun having the kids help. I will definitely have them help again next time.

(Psst... see the container, that's from IKEA, and I'm so lovin' that line that next week, I will buy some more of the tall ones to hold another kind of flour because I'll be making "Multi-Grain" next! And I just realized that I can make my own oat flour by putting the rolled variety into a food processor! Cool and money saving, perfect combo!)

This is what it looked like when it came out! While it was baking, I could smell the honey. See it's imperfection, just fine with me and Mr. Man, when I texted it to him, thought it looked delish!
Here's the heel, look at the inside! Doesn't that look like the commercial sandwich breads? It came out soft and subtly sweet from the honey. mmmm...

So now you know a little bit more of why I am so addicted to baking breads now. It was a fear to conquer! And guess what? I have hubby in love with me more... I can't sing him to sleep or scrapbook well enough to grace any magazine, but I can bake sandwich breads and it's making my marriage that much better! A nice bonus, for sure! LOL It keeps him wanting to come home after a hectic half week at work... I love that man! (And it helped that I aced my three different stints with Chemistry: HS Chemistry (Philippines), HS Chemistry Honors (California) and Chemistry 101 in college(California))

Thanks for reading!

The Next 5 Years...

I got this random question from Megan of Infertile Myrtle.

If you knew you couldn't fail and money was no object, what would you like to do in the next five years?

I would definitely set up my children's college funds in different CDs and UPromise. Then I would buy our dream home complete with a big land, a huge library of classic books and a big china room to house all of my dinnerware sets that I'm collecting to start a rental business on... I'd also travel to China and Spain to do my genealogy and visit all the temples. I would convince my mom to live with us and hire the best doctor around to care for her...

Oh, that would be wonderful...

Life... What does it really mean?

I love having a blog and reading my friends' blogs because it helps me put my views into perspective. And through our written stories, we bond and we tackle the most daunting item on the list, we call it, simply, life...

Take me for example, my brief stint in Gilbert and Mesa, Arizona was wrought with misery. Not because it was a bad place where we were, but I found me miserable because as I've previously mentioned, I'm Asian and from a tropical island called the Philippines. I couldn't handle the heat, the dry and the dust. I remember feeling very claustrophobic in our very first apartment in Gilbert, it was dark, we were the bottom apartment and we faced a main road that blasted dust into our patio day in and day out. I went insane! We transferred to an upstairs one and I was happy for a while but our bottom neighbors couldn't handle the noise of small children and constantly told on us at the office and blew smoke upwards through our balconies! We were veritable prisoners!

Then of course, we transferred to the ASU Williams Gateway Housing and each morning was so quiet and deserted that I thought I would crawl out of my skin! I didn't want to be happy anymore... I just wanted to get out!

But life has a way of turning things around... I have met a handful of women that have truly left a lasting impression in my heart and each of them I still care for. The fact that we have found each other through our blogs, show me that we have yet to care for each other. Each one was an example of love, patience and motherhood to me that I can never learn on my own. (I hope they don't mind that I comment on their blog the moment they post, lol) We celebrate each other through different means and find ways to strenghten our bond despite the different directions our lives have lead us. Blogging, I think is purely inspired...

I love my children so much that I am a "Motherhood" student still hoping that someone would be smart enough to compile all successes and give it to me personally! But until then, I continue to be in awe of these few women that have shown me that home is where I make it to be. A handful of them is all that made me feel grateful I am a mother during stressful times, but it is enough.

Their triumphs, joy and pain, I feel... I want to run to them and rescue them from their hurt. And someday, somehow, I can do that for them, even just to say- "Thank you for teaching me to be a better mother."

Right now, we are all mourning with our dear friend, Crystal Eldredge and her husband Spencer , for losing their son, Sage, at 8 months old last Thursday. Each of us have known Crystal in our own special way and along with the entire Eldredge and Reidhead families, express our love and concern. She is one of those examples that shines without anyone's help. She is simply amazing in all that she does and still find time to compliment others. Some of us will come to her side, some will send their love and some, like me, will say goodbye to Sage the same way as Crystal on Wednesday, even though I am two states away. Life, no matter how you define it, is a gift to cherish and when given the chance to flourish, has a way of binding people; and children is the best glue there is...

Sage; meaning healing herb or wisdom

I can tell you that this precious little boy's name was also inspired; he certainly HEALED his parents of any void they were feeling in their lives and WISDOM to know the truthfulness of the gospel when he joined them, though briefly... That is how I feel about all of my children, and on Wednesday morning, they will join me in releasing colorful balloons in honor of

Sage Lawrence Eldredge

Thank you Heavenly Father for granting my desire to be a mother to prepare me to meet these ladies that will always be a part of me...

Techno-Girl; Who? Me?

In May, Charlie will graduate from his Apprenticeship and will be traveling more for work, so the family schedule and needs that we currently enjoy is again out the window and adjustments had to be made. Couple that with an expired cell phone contract and what do you get? A third line- for me. Yup, you read right, a cell phone for me!

First of all, let me declare that I am not into cell phones, pagers or radio thingys- never been. Perfectly fine with land lines. Why? Because it's just not my thing, that's all. You don't believe me? I had a cell phone when Ian was about 6 months old. Charlie got me one as a tool since I loved to walk everywhere in and around our apartment complex. But when Charlie accidentally swam with his phone on Ian's 1st birthday party, I gladly gave up my phone and never looked back. Then on 2003, our schedule changed again and an extra phone wasn't needed. (Woohoo!)He was asleep in the morning, so sometimes I took it with me as a security to get hold of him if needed, but other reasons to keep one, I never had any.

Back to last Saturday; all of us decided on phones and I am now a somewhat miserable cell phone owner. I was at Ross the other day and this contraption rings in my purse. Thinking that it must have been one of the ladies waiting to pay in front or behind me, I just quietly listened until I recognized the ringer's tune. It was mine! Grrr... "I will never get used to having this thing!" was what came out of my mouth while reading the name of the caller. It was Charlie announcing he was done with his browsing inside Radio Shack. In the sweetest voice I could muster, I said, "Ok, I'll see you in the van soon, I'm still waiting here to be checked out." Since my phone is one of the newest ones out there, I felt all the gaze in my direction which made me more uncomfortable in holding this thing much less talk on it!

Of course no bad thought or deed of mine against cell phones go unpunished; I ended up waiting in line for another 30 minutes! Serves me right I guess...

I can kick and scream that I have a new phone to worry about, complain about the higher bill we'll get from Verizon and even forget it like today but I know that I have no choice... my family is evolving once again and a new cell phone, in my possession with my name on the voice message prompt, is now the newest member of our family along with two others...

Thanks for letting me rant... How do you feel about your own cell phone?

What Weekend?

Just when you think you've got the weekend to relax, recover and plan for the next week, things seem to pile up more in front of you...

Let's see:

There's a Choir UIL tomorrow, but how did it turn to a sleepover?
Hangout at a friend's house, so why are they coming here?
An extra hamper became available, so where did all these dirty clothes come from?
Extra boxes from UPS deliveries, so why are there more things to store?
Just hit the grocery, so why is there nothing to eat?
Kids just got home, so where's the extra help?
Garbage was just thrown, so where did all these trash come from?

Sound familiar to you? Or maybe, just maybe... it's just my weekend to not get anything done! Nah, I'm sure it happens to somebody else. I'm just dreaming (I hope...)

Simply Amazing!

It would seem that I'm cursed with this thing called "guilt".

On different years, we have had our "slim pickin'" times and hoped feverishly that miracles would happen. We have gone through being told to get ready to bury two of our children or face the consequence of a hard life for them. Fun news, fun news...
Even being unjustly evicted because we fought the management from living with a rickety front set of stairs, electricution from bad porch light wirings and rotting bathtub foundation. Not to mention caring for a son that started out with jaundice, double pnuemonia and fibrile seizures.
Or how about silently panicking while fervently praying for our 18-month old little girl old who swallowed a penny which slowly choked her, but she first had to suffer from hunger and dehydration because the nurses couldn't prep her for anesthesia while simulataneously almost overdosing her with anesthesia because of labeling error on her bracelet. Or not having enough money to put on the table, away from all family, in a new state and it's almost Thanksgiving.
We suffered job loss, taking on multiple jobs to put food on the table, fallen-through job interviews and prospects. Even loss of first home purchase opportunity and not knowing when the next bill can be paid.
We went through all that, just like many of you, so why is it that when things are good for us, I feel guilty comfortably celebrating, afraid to acknowledge and shy to shine?
Why is it? It's not like it's a natural response, to me it's almost unnatural-- I can feel impending doom and pain of others and as if getting ready for a storm, I brace myself for it because it becomes physically painful for me. (Of course, when we're the ones suffering, I feel of everyone's joys too, and I feel hopeful for us...)

For example, last year and this year, we have successfully pinned down a budget system that can help us get through some "unforeseeables" (word?), but then I started to feel that unbearable guilt but this time, it all came at once...

Two women, I've heard of, lost their babies.
My baby sister, her van broke down and couldn't pay for it in full so they held it and she had to beg for rides to work and walk to the garage to give them the downpayments.
Two of my neighbors are suffering financially.
A young friend is in danger of becoming homeless.
One of my brothers, will lose his job this September.
Last year, I had to beg Heavenly Father to spare my niece's and SIL's life from a difficult and dangerous pregnancy.
My mom got sick that worried her doctors.
My FIL was operated on for a mass in his system.
My MIL had leg pains that became almost unbearable.
A neighbor and friend came to me for help with reaching out to our church.
Read about so many kidnappings and assault of children, here in Texas alone.

The list goes on and on... And it hurts so much that I find myself crying instead of celebrating my family. I don't know why this happens to me, but it does and I'm so glad that I have a blog that I can celebrate each of my amazing children and wonderful husband. A blog to let people know how wonderful they are, each and everyone of them. And the love and laughter we share everyday. I am so grateful beyond words that I have my three children and a husband who is crazy about his family.

My family is amazing, good or bad times.

Just thought I'd tell you...

Meet the Teacher Night

Man, where did the time go? One day, I was almost pulling my hair out trying to figure out things for the family to do, then I blinked and "poof!", school is here again!

Today was an adventure; L-Infinity had a dentist appt at 9am, we had to go to Dallas to apply for something for me, only to find out I can do it online, then lunch and more school shopping to do! J-Pony and L needed backpacks and then back on the hunt for the elusive "18x24" construction paper... Only it was a typo, yep a mere typo that ended up wasting our precious gasoline on several occasions thinking it's really something Jasmine would need in 4th grade. I-Dude's list wasn't any easier; apparently, after the teachers have found their "chosen" primary composition notebooks, they forgot to have the list updated. We had to go to Office Depot to find this specialty notebook just to be told that they wanted a spiral bound one as opposed to the regular black marble. Aaaarrrgggghh!!!!!!

Whoever put this list together ought to attend an editing class, because it was nothing short of a "stupid, stupid mistake" on their part to have such a confusing list. And the EPI crew who put together the school packets this year, they're somewhat spaced out too, not to notice that they labeled a "12x18" white construction paper, "18x24" on their own boxes! I guess idiocy spreads during summer time when most people elect not to use their brains!

Then off to Wal-Mart for more food to store while waiting for the "First Day of School" to come around as this is when the kids choose three meals they want to start the year off with. As usual, it's "pork adobo, steamed veggies, steamed rice and V-8 Fusion juice for dinner. I'm back to making extra waffles for the freezer and even try to make orange jell-o with mandarin oranges in it so we can save money on lunches.

So... how was your day, dears?