in retrospect

i'm not into new year's resolutions but lately i've been thinking a lot on so many things i want to do for this year. things that i want to improve on and things that i needed to do but wasn't able to. and so now i wanted to not just dip my toes but take the plunge and dive into a different level of memory keeping.

so this year i want to start anew with project life.

last year i made only around 5 LOs... not bad for a moody and slow scrapper like me but it also did not fulfill my need to record memories. i took a lot of pictures but those did not end in scrapbook projects, they were buried in my hard drive. so now i have tons of backlog and i'm thinking of a better way to do with those pictures.

i also noticed that euan loves to see pictures of him and that is a major cue for me to put up an album for him. NOW. which would mean simple LOs that would document the now of things. i want him to remember. i want him to leaf through the pages of his life. this year i want him to be involved not just as the subject of LOs but i want him to be able to write down some of his thoughts or even get the actual bits and pieces of his daily activities like his doodling and drawings. i love that he loves my LOs, which is a big inspiration for me to really make this process work.

i also want to be able to involve richie as well. between the two of us, he is now better at taking pictures even if i am the one who influenced him into photography. i wanted him to be able to capture life and to capture him capturing life.

i also want to take more piuctures of me and have it in LOs as well. and i also wanted to be able to take more pictures that would speak more of how our lives are, NOW. i also wanted to take more family pictures because i also noticed that we only have a few. even if it means taking it from a tripod or just from self-timer and not-so-perfect photos, i would be more than happy if we would have plenty of pictures together as a family.

i also see that i work best with a deadline. most of the LOs i did were from a blog challenge so i think i can do more if i set myself on something. this would not mean having to pressure myself to take photos a week or do a LO a week. but i want this to be free flowing, something that i will enjoy doing. with a lot of things happening this year, especially with the coming baby, i wanted this to be simple, doable and enjoyable. thinking about it ignites my creativity and all its possibilities. i think i will love this process.

this is a great, big plunge for me. it overwhelms me but i know in my heart that it can be done. one little problem though, project life is sold out after i decided to even try it! guess i would have to keep everything digital first, journal and all then transfer them to the album when it arrives. at least i have something to start with...

that's the spirit! cheers to creativity!

blissful moments

there are many things to be thankful for this month. after hubby's birthday, today we are celebrating our 5th anniversary. at about this time, we are done with our exchange of vows and was pronounced husband and wife. i can still remember what fr. ador told us in his homily...that 2:45PM, the exact time we were exchanging our vows, is our special prayer time - it is a time that we should pray for each other, where ever we may be. even at times when we failed to be consistent with this promise, because of the many things that we've been doing (although that is not a fair excuse), we never forget to pray for each other before bedtime. this year i hope start the habit of praying for my hubby during our special prayer time.

to my dear husband,

thank you for being with me through thick and thin. our journey was never easy and i know that things will remain to be challenging in the future, but knowing that you are there to take my hand every single step calms my restless heart. the life experiences we have shared along the way made us stronger as a couple and i could never imagine having anyone to share it with than you. YOU have made the journey worthwhile. thank you and i love you so much!

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and while i am in bliss, i am also celebrating friendships. it's always refreshing to be with friends who, even if you haven't seen for a while has kept the same warmth over the years. i love my college friends! i love how we have stood with each other as life unfolds. we've seen the best and worst of each other and i love that those were not enough reasons for us to grow apart but instead formed a stronger bond of friendship. i love that we were able to look back and laugh at all our impulsive decisions and silly mistakes during our younger years. and i love that those remained to be private among us. best of all, i love that we have remained true to each other over the years. it really feels good to have true friends who would welcome you with open arms in spite and despite of.

hopeful

As i bid goodbye to a challenging 2010, i am looking forward to 2011 with hope.
2010 was not a perfect year for me but God always has His way of making His presence felt in my life. He has gifted me another chance on motherhood, my top blessing for 2010. He has made me experience His love through the joys of having a wonderful, happy toddler who rocked my world big time. I found His strength through my loving husband to whom i find comfort when all else seemed helpless. He has constantly reminded me to be joyful, even when trials get the better of me.
As I welcome 2011 with much hope, I also embrace it with much thanksgiving as we celebrate my husband's birthday. His birthday has always been a gentle reminder for me to be thankful at the start of each year - with the blessing of another year of love, joy, and friendship.

Happy new year! May 2011 be a better year for all of us. Cheers!

amused

today, you woke up telling me over and over how much you miss me, while hugging me tight. i almost did not go to work just to stay with you. my heart just melts at how you look at me as if telling me to stay. but after a while you kissed me goodbye and told me to take care. you are just the sweetest!

lately, you have been learning to read (or should i say spell) almost everything you see. you even love to read traffic signs and would often asked what those meant. i think it is more of me than you that is amused everytime you came up with words that go with what you have spelled. i think it is because as a toddler, you are more of a picture-reader at this stage. and so, some of what you have spelled lately:

G-A-P -> JACKET (the word was written on your jacket)

L-A-C-O-S-T-E --> ALLIGATOR (there was an alligator patch with the word written on your shirt)

E-X-P-L-O-S-I-V-E --> DAMIT (how's that? that was written on tito sam's shirt!)

T-O-S-H-I-B-A--> LAPTOP

B-A-B-Y- C-O-U-T-U-R-E --> BAG (i don't know how you knew that this was a bag because you just read it from some paper bag)

F-E-N-D-E-R --> GUITAR... ay hindi pala...BASS GUITAR (and now you can even classify what type of guitar it is!)

the last two words were written in cursive but you were able to spell it anyway... you are simply amazing... and amusing!

through your eyes

today, you are a kid bursting with emotions, a kid with a tremendous personality.

i see that you are a happy child. you love to laugh. every tickle, every chase, every word that sounds funny to you would merit your laughter. i love how your laughter echoes in the house. even when there are a lot of moments with whining and crying especially when you don't get what you want, you could easily switch on your happy mood.

i see that you are affectionate. you love to hug, kiss and snuggle those who are dear to you. you never forget to kiss lola goodnight just as you cannot sleep without mama hugging you tight.

i see that love to be praised, even with the little things that you do. you wanted to be right all the time and despised being told that you are wrong.

i see that you get mad easily. when something annoys you, with hands on your waist, you would shake your head and have that mad-eyed look! but you too can easily shrug off what seem to have caused the rage.

i see that even as a toddler, you have a perfect sense of order. you would always remind me to arrange and put my slippers beside yours just before i climb to bed at night. or how you would want to arrange your wooden dominos by pairing the same images altogether.

i see that you are a budding musician. you love to sing and love to mess with papa's guitars. and when you hear some good music, you would instantly do that foot-tapping and follow the beat as if you are playing the drums or the guitar. you love to be in papa's practice and even want to be in places where papa plays.

i see that you are an artist. you love arts and crafts and dabble with mama's paints and materials. you love to get your hands dirty and explore whatever materials i give you (be it paint, glue, clay,rocks, shells, etc). you know how to appreciate the arts and would always remind me how beautiful my works are. one time when i entered a contest and didn't win, you told me that it's ok and that there's always a next time.

i see that you love to write. i love to hear you ask me for more papers so you can write letters, spell names, draw and doodle what would tickle your fancy.

i see that you love to read. even if it is just picture-reading, i love that you are able to connect the pictures with words and tell it into your own words. it amazes me that you remember each stories and even memorized some of your well-loved books.

i see that you are a fast and eager learner. you do get bored easily over repetitive activities but at the same time would never stop doing the things you have learned. you look forward learning new things in school while also enjoying the other times when it's only the two of us exploring different ways to learn.

i see that we are important to you. you are sad when we are not with you but you are extremely happy when we are around.

seeing all that through your eyes makes my heart melt.

cook-out peeps

we love to eat. we are happy eaters. we are happy to get together once a month and share not just meals but also secret recipes to good food. we look forward to this gathering since this is the time when we don't fight the urge to pig out. we are happy to get the better of each other in cooking! and we just get better and better each cook out fest.

we love to laugh. we love stories that even when told over and over earn endless laughter, stories that would make our jaws ache and eyes teary from too much laughing.

we love to be together. anywhere or any time of the day, each time is always a blast! because those are spent with wonderful friends.

yey for happy times!

a night like no other

dear son,

i look forward spending evenings with you, especially when it is time to laze up in bed and read with you before bedtime. you would pick up a book (and most of the times, it would be the same book, for a week or two!) and we would read it over and over. there were moments when i am too tired to read to you but your pleading would make me give in to read a book or two. but there were also days that you want to read 5 books! and i would find myself still giving in.

lately, you love your bible stories book. you love being read about the stories of noah, samson, jonah, and david. the stories of the first christmas and tower of babel amaze you. i have often wondered if you would remember these stories and i am happy that you did when last night, you asked papa to read to you the story of samson, telling him ahead what it was all about!

my heart just bursts with joy!

it was a rare moment to see you and papa reading together and i was thrilled watching the two of you, having a great a time!

you know that i love reading with you and i know that you love being read to. it has been OUR bonding moment. but it takes me on a different high seeing that you have taken on the habit and shared that moment with papa. a moment that i know will hold a special place in papa's heart.

know that these moments mean big time for us... even if those are some random moments or a part of our 'usual' routine, we are overwhelmed with joy for every single time spent with you.

love,
mama