GRATITUDE JOURNAL

by Linnor The boys can spend their time meeting up with friends, walking around or playing at Timezone while I sit and enjoy my quiet afternoon at Starbucks. Just give me multi-grain bagel with cream cheese, strawberry jam and butter to go with my tall brewed coffee, my phone and free wifi. :)

by Linnor The busy week plus having to nurse Jake's fever stopped me last Thursday from hiking at the park with cousin Mimi. Yesterday, however, I squeezed in the time to step out and do some calorie-burning 30 minute walk with her. Having a walking buddy who engages in animated talk while sweating it out makes hiking fun. Amusing as well is the fact that we kept talking about food while we were trying to slim down. Hehe.  Also, the smell of yummy food wafting in the air from the nearby resto challenged our resolve to keep fit as if taunting us. Really amusing. If not for the drizzle, I'm sure we would have gone several rounds more. We did 3000 steps. Not bad. Looking forward to the next session. Woot!

by Linnor Well then, ziplock and ice cubes would do the trick. Jake is nursing a fever due to cough and I'm putting on my mom-doc's cap. Mucosolvan, Meptin and Calpol are my friends now. And of course the ice cubes too.

by Linnor Just checking in for a quick update after a long absence from blogging. This shot was taken during Cebu's Sinulog 2010 last January 17 (the mardi gras is usually on the 3rd Sunday of January). Here I am with Jake, proudly showing off our tattoos. :) The elder and more daring sons opted for henna.  Photo credits: iPhone, Color FX app and Photogene app

by May After the holidays, we didn't expect our lives to be really tough. On the first week, Zia got sick with fever as high as 40 degrees celsius. She didn't want to eat anything because she could not hold food long enough to digest it. Others might have panicked at the onset but I tried to keep myself together. I did a lot of researching, reading, and praying. Ice cold sponge bath, paracetamol, chicken arroz caldo, TLC, and God's mercy cured her on the fourth day. On the second week, I asked my maid to go for her routine medical check up and to our suprise, the results showed that she cannot stay here in SG as per law. We were caught off guard as we needed to repatriate her immediately without having to wait for a replacement. I've been stuck at home since then. More expenses (air ticket for her and all the fees for a replacement) less income (since I could not work). Now as a homemaker, I wake up 8am to prepare Zia for school (good thing somebody discovered bre

by Linnor     Pics taken at an Apple Store in Technohub (Diliman)   While most are already taking down their Christmas trimmings, we (or at least our family), in Cebu, are still not ready to take down the decors just yet. The Feast of Senor Sto. Nino, or Sinulog for those in the know of local fiestas, is coming up on the 3rd Sunday of January (17th this year). It's kinda nice to let the good feeling linger for a few more days. :) Viva Pit Senyor (in advance)!!!

by Linnor Let me post the following pics (taken on the last month of 2009) for posterity :)     November 29 - We checked out the CIS Bazaar in Marco Polo and took pics with the giant Christmas tree at the lobby.     November 30 - Santa Claus, who we met by chance at Metro Ayala while we were panic buying for new shirts for Jake, posed for a pic with Jake. December 2 and 4 - While I was busily planning for the December events in the office, I juggled between that and being mom to Jake, who ended up sleeping either in Jerry's office or in Starbucks. December 4 - Our tree was finally completed. From outside our window, this looked as if it's a full-sized 6-foot tree when in reality, it's a 3-foot tree on a 3-foot high round table.  ;)     That night, Jerry and I attended Globe's Pasasalamat Night at Marriott Hotel.  The event had a Las Vegas-theme with the ballroom decked with casino-looking paraphernalia complete with slot machines.  Luckily (pun intended), Jerry