Our Family Vacation Plan

On August 2005, hubby and I went out of town, to the province of Cebu. It was a planned vacation. But during that time we opted to leave our three month old son with my folks so that we can recharge and get the much needed break after all we knew we deserved it.

I would say that even as we really missed our son, for it was the first time we ever left him that long. We were away for three days. We knew these are just one of the things a couple needs to do once in a while. Sometimes the overwhelming tasks of keeping house and taking care of your little one and even for the man to provide everything can eat up the parents. Moments like these are even encouraged from time to time to be able to recharge and have a getaway, making way for a marital bonding that will be foundational for a healthy family.

Right now, the feasibility of having the same getaway vacation is not possible in any near future. But even that is true, we are hopeful to be able to go some place, this time we will sure tag our son along. He is now capable of appreciating things around him and he is even extra articulate on how he describes things. We hope to do this before he starts schooling next year.

We are now looking into choices of Hotel Reservations. Just as the last time we booked for that vacation we had in 2005, we hope to get a good hotel accommodation, with a kitchenette facility. That would be the ideal even with a toddler around. We are also considering a resort.

Browsing through the online site of Hotel Reservations, it was just great to learn about their rebate promotion. They have such unbelievable competitive rates. Check this out: Get $20 with a 3 Night Booking, Get $30 with a 5 Night Booking, Get $50 with an 8 Night Booking, Get $75 with a 10 Night Booking, Get $100 with a 12 Night Booking. Those are for the $100 rebate coupon. Such a steal.

Although we are not certain yet, but definitely this will all be properly planned out after all the major events hubby has got to accomplish in the ministry. There is still the summer youth camp he is directing and the church location moving that we need to do. Both of which are scheduled on April. He is really very busy now, but he said he is looking forward to this much deserved vacation for our family. It will also be a perfect time for me to unwind after I take the board on April too, regardless of the board exam’s result.

Guard and Protect

There are many things that we sure have no control in our family. But there are just things that we can do and get ourselves ready for. Threats from just about anywhere are enough to give us the creeps and keep us in paranoia. It is wisest to be on guard for your sake and your family’s. For one, we can never be too sure of anything around anymore. Take for instance the identity theft crimes that are in the papers and in the news every single day. How sure are we really that we will not be one of the victims?

LifeLock guarantees the good name that our family has. The $1,000,000.00 guarantee they offer their covered member is just about enough reason for anyone to consider getting into the program. They probably have the most advanced identity protection system around. This will prove to be invaluable for people who would consider getting covered. LifeLock gives such great offers. Imagine, to get an adult covered, he only has to pay $9.00 per month, under their current LifeLock promotional code. And only 2.25 per month for kids. A small price to pay for such a guarantee, I know you all would agree. Check out LifeLock.com for more details.

Mobile Blogging Again

Dear son and I tagged along as hubby did his ministry rounds in Makati. I know what you might be thinking...Not on a Friday. Traffic is at its worse during this time of the week.

As usual, hubby is racing his way through traffic leaving all the slow poke drivers behind. If there is anything, he can drive like a mad man. A strong contrast to the mild mannered man that he is. My adorable son is sitting up front with his father, while I am sitting pretty in the backseat typing away from my mobile phone. We did not bring our laptop, that is why I am settling do blogging this way, which is cool, except for the fact that I cannot use punctuation marks. For some reason, this feature that transfers from mobile to my blogger account does not recognize punctuation marks. The last time I used them, the words went garbled.

Dear hubby went to one of the schools he has been working out for the youth camp he is organizing and directing. Afterwhich we proceeded to visit a family who attends our local church who happens to live a couple of blocks away from the school. The mother in that family just had a cataract operation last month and only had great testimonies to share how the Lord has blessed and healed her. They served us yummy Halo-Halo, they really insisted despite our telling them not to bother. Our son played with the kids around their house. From there we went to Glorietta and had our dinner at CUCINA located in G4. Watch out for another Resto Review that I will soon be doing in my ReviewsCorner.blogspot.com page.

We are now about ten kilometers towards home. We have just passed by Eastwood. This really is such a fine way to kill the unproductive time driving home brings, that is if you are not the one driving. This gives me the distraction that I need. I can get really stressed the way hubby drives. I swear I am not exaggerating! One proof to tell you how fast he drives, our son just said a couple of minutes ago, Excuse me cars, just when his father raced through.

Protecting Your Family's Name

If you have a family like mine, one of the most important things you would be concerned about is protecting your family’s name and income. One can only imagine the devastation of getting his identity stolen and losing everything that his family is suppose to have. But the truth of the matter is, in this day and age, events like this as sad as they are, are already happening.

If you have not heard yet, LifeLock is the number one program in the United States that is designed to protect one’s identity. LifeLock Promo Code allows for you to receive unbelievable discounts that they have available. There really is everything to gain and nothing to lose. This LifeLock Promotion Code will get you to reach the best services from the most adavanced, safest and easiest to use identity protection system around.

Life Lock Promo code’s discount offer will not just guarantee your good name but will also give your family the security they deserve. Times have really gone techie and criminals have gone long and wide to get through other people’s identities and steal them to get hold of their possessions. LifeLock is such a great way to ensure our family’s future and security.

GTKY Tag

Thanks Joy for this tag. I appreciate you sis! :-)
************

Copy this entire list of questions and change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then tag and pass it along to other blogging friends. Let’s see how well we can get to know one another!

1. What is your occupation?

- A banker turned full time pastor's wife. I am currently a work from home mom, happily juggling her role as a wife, mother, learner (I am soon to take the board).

2. What color are your socks right now?

- From where I am at, it is impractical and just uncomfortable to wear socks.

3. What are you listening to right now?
- The sound of the keyboards tapping from the laptop and the desktop. Me and hubby are a blogging couple.

4. What was the last thing that you ate?
- Chocolate cake.

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
- Oh yes! I prefer it over automatic. It gives me the freedom to speed up whenever I want.

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
- Pink!

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
- I haven't been on the phone for quite a while now.

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
- Oh yes! I figured she could really be a great friend. :-)

9. Favorite drink?
- Pandan Juice from Oody's and Green Tea

10. What is your favorite sport to watch?
- Superbowl with hubby. (It has to be with him)

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
- Yup, on a regular basis. But that was before I got pregnant with my son.

12. Dog named
- Pogi and Cutie

13. Favorite food?
- Japanese and Persian Cuisine

14. Last movie you watched?
- Enchanted

15. Favorite Day of the year?
- Our wedding anniversary

16. What do you do to vent anger?
- Get really angry and rant.

17. What was your favorite toy as a child?
- My stationery collection.

18. What is your favorite, fall or spring?
- Spring.

19. Hugs or kisses?
- Lots of kisses.

20. What kind of pie?
- Pizza.

21. Do you want your friends to email you back?
- Oh yes. Who doesn't?

22. Who is most likely to respond?
- Ellaine, PinayMama, Pinay Mommy, Bregie

23. Who is least likely to respond?
- I'm not really sure.

24. Living arrangements?
- With hubby and son.

25. When was the last time you cried?
- I forgot already.

26. What is on the floor of your closet?
- DVDs

27. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to?
- Jeff

28. The friend you have known the shortest amount of time that you are sending this to?
- PinayMama

29. Favorite smell?
- Light Blue, Lucky You

30. What inspires you?
- My loved ones.

31. What are you afraid of?
- Bugs of all shapes and sizes

32. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
- Cheesy.

33. Favorite car?
- Mini Couper.

34. Favorite cat breed?
- Persian.

35. Number of keys on your key ring?
- Lots.

36. How many years at your current job?
- 6 years.

37. Favorite day of the week?
- Monday.

38. How many provinces have you lived in?
- Have always been in the city.

39. How many countries have you been to?
- Just my homeland.

May I know you...

|Jeff|Kuya Jessie|Ellaine|Hailey|PinayMommy|Mhel|

|Delish|Bregie|Elay|Kengkay|Mhel|Korky|Melai|Noemi|

The Day with My Valentine

The day started off on the wrong foot. I did not think it will all end so well. Am I so glad. Here is a shot with my hubby dearie in a local not-your-usual date place. It was spontaneous, really. No plans at all. We had so much to do. All we had in mind was to replenish our grocery stock because there was no other day that we could do the shopping. I am off to my review class again tomorrow. How I dread weekends lately.

Click here to read more of our Valentine date.

Emergency Needs

Times are unpredictable. Unsuspecting times will come whether we like it or not. It is already a given. When we find ourselves in those circumstances it is good to note that there are entities that offer payday loans. There are times that we are caught in between pay periods and our need for emergency cash cannot wait until the next pay schedule.

As bad as it may sound, but we do live in a world that is far from perfect. There will always be times that will come in unsuspectingly and leave us staring at nothing because we are left with no clue where to get our much needed resource. These days getting yourselves qualified for a cash advance loan is made easy. So if you find that you do not have that extra cash to answer for medical emergency or an unsuspecting car problem that requires immediate attention, you may want to settle for a payday loan. And if you are wise, you make sure to keep in mind to pay off the loan as soon as possible. Preferably come the next pay day – which is the very essence of the loan. It’s purpose is to help you get the resource you need and the responsibility to pay it off come pay day is yours.

Stylish Spectacles

I used to wear 750 grade glasses in grade school. It was a major blessing that my sense of sight got corrected and I am now sporting a 20/20 vision. If ever the time comes I would ever need to wear glasses again my Great Discovery: Zenni Optical will sure to come in handy. Imagine, Zenni Optical $8 Rx Glasses includes lens edge polishing and beveling with anti scratch coating. Is that a great deal or what? What’s so cool about this is they deliver internationally. Indeed the Best Thing Found: Zenni Optical.

In Case of Emergency

In an imperfect world like ours, disappointments come in all sorts and forms. Very often financial challenges come and times like such do not come easy. Although I honestly do not like the idea of living on debt, still we cannot avoid the comings of financial emergencies. I guess the key here is to manage paying off debts as soon as possible.

TrustSource.Org/payday site makes reviews available for people who are considering availing of cash advance loans. I believe as the term implies, these kind of loans are meant to be as such – payday loans. Which means they are meant to be paid come payday. Sometimes the rates of availing of a payday loan is way lighter than paying off reconnection fees for utilities.

So whether you need money because the car needs to fixed and has to be taken care of immediately or even medical emergencies, you can find sites here that will especially cater to your current need. It is fairly easy to qualify for these kind of loans and the best part is the cash you need is electronically transferred to your bank account which is so convenient. Processing of approvals are also done in no time.

Mobile Blogging!

I so love Blogger! This is my first entry via mobile and I'm giddy as a little girl who had just been given the prettiest porcelain doll! I am actually posting away via mobile now. How techie can the world get?

Of course the downside here is I don't get to set my post's alignment and no picture attachments. But I figured I could easily do the editing later. It is just interesting how careful I am now not to shortcut spell my words as I usually would when I do text messaging. This is yet the coolest thing in blogging. I so love Blogger!

I Need This Fix

One of the neat things my being an internet savvy has benefited me is the great finds that I discover over time. Like for instance, BilliardMagic. Who would have thought that it will at all be possible to play online billiard just like you are in real pool tournaments.

BilliardMagic has the best technology you will ever come across. Their graphics are superb, their 3D animation makes playing online snooker feel so real. I have always been a big fan of billiards and the convenience of playing the game online makes BilliardMagic the real deal for me.

My Dilemma

I am a wreck. I do not know how to get about to sitting down and finally going over my reviewers even for half an hour. The many hours spent sitting down during my review class doodling over hundreds of stuff. I almost feel that the lecturers were literally pumping information up inside my head and I am unconsciously refusing to budge.

We were told that we have to at least sit down and review an hour a day to to be able to make it. And I am now here not finding enough strength to get any of the loose leaves of my five pound reviewer stacked together.

Here is the picture. I am sitting inside that auditorium and all I have in mind is what to blog about and the many things that I have got in mind that I need to do. I would even get my mobile to check my mail at least every five minutes. I am definitely one distracted girl. Being the passionate person that I am, my tendency really is to focus on the object of my passion and pursue it. I can easily do multi-tasking but my concentration and all of my being is set on my passion.

Even as I share these things to my husband, I know I am in a real risk of flunking the board and that would be such a shame. But should it be that I would have that thought to motivate me to get my mind and heart on detour? I am determined to go on with the review and the exam. I will do what I can, but I just will not push myself to get serious and hit myself on the head while so doing. If ever I flunk, at least I made sure I had the people around me warned. The exam being barely two months away, I must really be in big trouble.

My Son

Any mother would understand how it feels when your ever so active toddler goes silent all too suddenly. This was the what happened yesterday morning when my ever jumpy toddler who is usually all over the place went silent. Dear husband and I got concerned. I was too sure that he was in some kind of trouble or going over things he is not supposed to play with. We then went to check what he was up to. This is what we saw. He was too preoccupied with his books and he was reading seriously. He did not even notice the fun his father and I were having just watching him like that.

My Fudgy Brownies

I baked fudgy brownies today! After putting it off for weeks now, I finally made some brownies. I need this to relax and as a treat to sweet hubby. It's one of his favorites. His all time favorite is my banana cake. I will bake one again next week. Baking a cake in the midst of the busyness of my schedule can be very liberating! :-)

A Long Day

Nice and easy. There was no crowd yesterday morning. This was taken discreetly at around seven thirty in the morning. Sweet hubby dropped me off the station. We knew in our hearts that the day will have to be spent away from each other. Yesterday was our eleventh year anniversary. Eleventh year from the time we became a couple in February 10, 1997.
The first lecturer again lulled me to sleep. The doctor/professor literally just read to us our hand outs and nothing else. But the second lecturer who took the floor after lunch gave us the time of our lives. Prof. Aurelia T. Estrada was just awesome! She did not just make sure she does not put us to sleep but really rocked her way to sharing with us all the the things she knew that would benefit us when we take the exams. She is just about the most animated lady I have met and she is turning 65 at that! She said that she is off to retiring December of this year. She knew all of her teachings by heart and is someone who refuses to teach with mediocrity. I love her humor and the authority she exhibited. She is one proof that those two can go together. What a lady!
I have to say though that sitting down for lectures like these can really be crazy. Imagine, four hours straight in the morning, then another four hours after lunch can really drive anyone nuts. It's draining and despite doing nothing, it is so tiring. It is hard to concentrate on everything you are being fed with. It's funny how I feel like a zombie every after my review classes.

My day beautifully came to a close when one of the girls that I have been counseling and I love dearly texted me and told me that she will come by the school and her dorm is just close by. I have not seen her for over a year now and have been wondering how she was. She treated me for dinner and had quite a talk. I am just blessed that the Lord has allowed for me to meet her again and things are becoming hopeful now despite some complications. She sweetly dropped me off to the Legarda station for my train ride. I swear I would not know how to get there by myself. It was a better route than having to take the Quiapo station.

I later got home thrilled to embrace my cutie pie son. I cannot begin to tell you how much my heart longs for him every time we are apart. We were just be apart yesterday for approximately nine hours but I always miss him so much every time.

My husband and I were together last night at the exact time our relationship turned eleven. It was ten in the evening in 1997 when we were officially together. He came home from church before nine last night. Our days were both tiring but we both agreed coming home to our house is just God's sweet grace.

A Glimpse of My Review Class

I just hope to show you a glimpse of how my review class went today. I am blessed to have met this first lecturer we had. His name is Rene C. Romero and he is the man! He is one learned and excellent professor. He taught with unbelievable energy despite his age. He is a well traveled teacher and a very hilarious lecturer! He sure has redeemed the name of the school he is representing. I must say though, aside from the entertainment, I cannot really say that he has imparted a great deal of information because he said it right, it is impossible to impart everything in a 54 hour curriculum in four hours time. But he has said enough pointers for us to anticipate what lies ahead for us especially in the lecture he gave on the Sociological-Anthropological Foundations of Education.

The second lecturer was a board top notcher from a decade ago. She talked on the Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education. She was good all right. It was obvious that she was well versed with her subject matter. But the thing is she just practically read to us our hand-outs. That's it. I have noticed that handling a crowd of probably over three hundred could really be a challenge. But I believe like the first lecturer, it is a skill one can learn to be great at. I say this even as I see him ease through the subject matter to a full four hour marathon without losing any of the students. I must really give it to the man. He's one of those who's been there and is just enjoying the breeze effortlessly. While the lady is that of the younger brood who is still on her way there.

There you have it. Nice view eh. I am sitting on the second row of a possible fifty row seat auditorium. This photo is a bit fuzzy. I only brought with me my low end phone. Remember, I'm commuting. You can never be too sure. These are the things I make sure I do. I don't even dare wear my engagement and wedding rings. The Quiapo area is just too dangerous.

The Day That Was

I woke up at around six this morning. Checked my Inbox for important messages. Checked an opps site and when I was about to clear in and jump to the bath, there was one worth $13.85! That was neat, so I grabbed and submitted in less than ten minutes. It was nice to leave the house knowing that I was able to grab an opportunity. Because I was almost sure my review days will be my down days for opportunity takings. At least, that opp was enough to start my day.

So there, I then headed to fix up to go. Hubby and I made a quick trip to McDonald's and had our breakfast. He dropped me off for my train ride in Santolan. I have never seen so many people! It was good that it was the first station, so I was still able to claim my seat. It was a good 20 minute ride to Legarda Station, the second to the last station where I got off. I took the bus there after and was right in school just in time.

The challenge for the day was the trip back home. I was told the two of my buddies who I go home with have some places to go after class, so that means I am treading the scary Quiapo place by my lone self. I was debating whether I will just ride the fx towards Cubao and another going Cogeo. But I knew that today being a Saturday, I will have to stay in traffic for at least an hour. And I do not want to waste time. I had to see my son the soonest possible time. Oh man! If I only had Hiro Nakamura's ability to bend time and space continuum. That would be so neat! So anyway, even though I was so scared.

I have this tendency to always getting lost in places. Seriously! For example, in the mall nearest our place which I must have probably gone to for like a thousand times, I still get lost inside, I swear! So this is why I am scared. Plus the fact that Quiapo is flocked by real bad people. One of my buddy reviewer said that her co-teacher was going towards the train in the very same place I would tread to head to that train, when someone just went to his side and whispered to take out his wallet. There was nothing he could do because this bad man was threatening him with a pointed object on his side. How crazy is that? Well, honestly, that scene is the most usual, ordinary one in that given place. So I really am risking whenever I choose this shorter train ride.

I have three things with me whenever I tread that lowly place: prayers, my ability to sprint walk and a pepper spray on my right hand. You can never be sure. Plus my petite stature and my being a girl at that, makes me look such an easy target. May the Lord be with me in my every travel. I go through those same streets again tomorrow.

Back to Reality

Tonight I would have to go back to the reality that tomorrow I need to drag myself to school for my review classes. I just pray though that the school will make sure now that it will be worth my while. Four thousand five hundred pesos is not a small amount to pay for a review class that I have seen from the first two days I attended their program. That is more than a hundred bucks for ten meetings. In a first world country, that amount may be fair, but you would understand how much that is if you live in a third world like ours.

It's really not much about the money. My disappointment in the school is again surfacing. I have to sit back and allow them to redeem themselves. The second day of my review when we were left for more than an hour to wait for the supposed next lecturer for nothing, was a weekend, a Sunday at that. So probably, just probably, there was really no one to tell the reviewers in the auditorium that no bloody lecturer was coming. But then again, how irresponsible is that! Second, imagine my disgust when I saw the guy who usually stands at the reception area of the auditorium happily eating his lunch and he was just about the only person who we were looking for to tell us whatever happened to the lecturer (when the group of almost three hundred just decided in frustration, that we just go and leave the auditorium- most of us headed for the cafeteria). The bottom line is this, the whole ugliness of what happened points right back to the school.

It will be my first time tomorrow to take the lrt train ride to Legarda on a Saturday. My first was last Sunday, which was a breeze, because there were few passengers. I have to brace myself for tomorrow.

I think I have everything set and I can manage to leave the house. I have already arranged a helper who can do the cleaning for me. Yay! Am I so glad! These last few days were an impossibility, no matter how much I hope to clean up and do all the magic wonders my domestic prowess can do - having an on and off fever for six days straight drains all there was in me. My lips are cracked, my head feels real dead heavy. But I am so glad to be doing better now! It is my first day today without fever!!!! Woohoo! Finally, the Amoxicillin is doing it wonders. But my throat still feels bad. I still can't swallow perfectly. Slowly but surely. At least, now the timing is just perfect. I would not have to miss my classes tomorrow.

I am really praying that the lecturers will be worth our while. Praying, praying, praying. The first two days of my review classes with them just labeled the school in general. Those two bad days really gave the PNU a bad name. Will let you know how it goes tomorrow. I hope, and I can actually smile in anticipation. Allow me to sign off now and prepare my stuff. :-)

So Much To Do, So Little Time

I have once kidded dear hubby last week, "A blogging wife makes a sloppy housewife." We both looked around and we just smiled. It's true. But of course, I have been sick lately so that should also count.

But there is just this thing that I should really focus on. Seriously. Reviewing for the board. How now, can someone tell me, how can I possibly do everything!?! From taking care of my toddler, to keeping house, to doing my online job (which have doubled more than I have imagined), and now the review! Yes the review! I have officially started reviewing last Saturday. Read this for more on my disappointment in that school where I enrolled to review. I was telling myself, even if I pass the board and in the process torture myself reviewing, I will not earn half of what I am earning now as I do my online business even if I call myself a duly licensed, full fledged teacher. Of course this applies if I only teach locally.

I have got to get my mind focused. I have been talking to dear hubby about this lately and I told him, I could easily re-take the board in September, if ever. I will just take things easily for now. Why should I be hard on myself? Application for board costs less than a thousand. At least I could take it with the rest of my dear batchmates in September. ;-) Of course, I am still hoping I could make it effortlessly, but that's hoping against what? I know where I stand. If it will be God's will for me to pass, I will be oh-so-thankful! But if the Lord sees that I still do not have what it takes to be a teacher, then He will probably not give this to me. Which I would understand.

My priority is my family and I am just being practical. But I also so want to get over this board issue so I will still pray that I make it. :-)

Sick

The sweet thing about being sick is you see people around you manifest their care and concern with the things they do.

I have been running with 38 to 40 degree Celsius temperature since Saturday night. I have found out from my visit to the doctor last Monday that I have tonsillitis and it does not look very pretty. I was given Amoxicillin and was told to gargle on Bactidol five times a day.


So there, whenever my temperature is up, hubby would give me a sponge bath. He would just insist, to my dismay sometimes. Yesterday, when I was rolled up in bed, on the verge of chilling. (Seriously!) My son helped himself from the roll of toilet paper and went to the faucet to get it moist. I was wondering what he was to do, then he patted my forehead and my face and kissed my arm. Can anything be sweeter! I so love my boy. :-)

Day by Day with The Aspacio's

And behold our new blog! Thinking of the best names for url is hard, especially if what you have in mind are not available anymore. I was thinking of mytwocentsworth or twocents worth. But both are not available anymore. A url really is a virtual real estate. You claim it then it's yours.

I hope to continue to do what I have been doing. Journaling things and events in our family. Time flies and I hope not to have things that I hold close to my heart go yellow with age. The permanence of blogging is such a neat idea. Unless, "blogger" of course has a change of heart and decides to delete all accounts. Which I believe is not a possibility. :-)