Forever Thankful

Today I posted my 30th thankful post on my FB and I know I will always be thankful every morning when I open my eyes and every night before I close them, and in between.
Today I am specially thankful that Elizabeth Edwards has her faith to keep her stay courageous and brave all throughout her personal ordeal. She has kept her grace all the time, a very hard thing to do.
I am also thankful for the vibrant colors of fall. They remind me that for every time a gray color comes, reds and oranges and yellows will soon follow to brighten our way.
I am most thankful for my family who will always be there for me and with me... no matter what!
Thank You!

Thankful

....November has 30 days of giving thanks. Each day post something you are thankful for as your status. They say, it gets harder as the month goes along. How long will you last? I bet I can think of at least 30 things. ;) Copy and paste to your status if you want to play.

Today, I am thankful that I started a blog so that I may re-visit what I had been, and still should be, thankful for.
This was my blog entry for my Thankful Thursday meme on 06-26-08.
... We are again blessed with a handsome little grandson. Sarah and Jet named their beautiful child, Daniel Josiah. The name sounds blessed to me, already. We've reached a BIG 40!!! I still can't believe we've lasted this long. Hubby and I are both grateful for the surprise (I am still thinking how I could have missed any clue) dinner party that our children organized. I am thankful that people who are special in our hearts came to celebrate with us. Although I will miss my students' antics, I am thankful that I have one more day to go before I hit the vacation trail again. I don't have to sleep early so I will wake up early. I don't even have to worry about what to wear for the 'morrow. I am thankful for my graduating students most of whom are the first in their families. May they set a successful trail for those who are to follow them. But most of all, I am grateful that our dear friend, Malu, had a 2nd successful kidney transplant last Monday at CSH. Her first was 14 years ago which gave her 9 good years. We hope and pray this one will be-friend her forever. I am thankful for the bloggers that make me think, cry, smile, touch, feel, grow........

A Month of Thanks

....November has 30 days of giving thanks. Each day post something you are thankful for as your status. They say, it gets harder as the month goes along. How long will you last? I bet I can think of at least 30 things. ;) Copy and paste to your status if you want to play.

Telleah, a facebook friend who I met while playing farmtown, had this on her wall this morning and I want to thank her for reminding me that I have to say THANKS to, and for, so many: the Lord who guides and keeps me; the people around and with me; things I see, feel, smell, hear, touch; places I've been to or still dreaming to visit and many many more.
Today I am very thankful for my family for understanding, or not understanding, my quirks.

DONA NOBIS PACEM !!!

Let there be PEACE on Earth and let it start with your blogs!!!

Thanks, Mimi, for this Peace project!!!

"I Do, I Do" said Kirby and Hazel

It was a lovely day. The weather was perfect for an afternoon wedding.
I was envisioning a typical wedding chapel....small room with portable chairs and a gazebo or small stage for the minister or judge. How pleasantly surprised we all were when we saw the small cabin-like structure. Is this it? Then we were in for more surprises. The "small cabin" is the famous The Little Church of the West (how literal can one be) which was built on my birth year, had been moved three times and now declared a historic landmark. It deserves the title perfectly! It is simply the perfect setting to tie the knot with someone you love: intimate, romantic, cozy and warm.
For some of the couple's pictures and the church's history as well, I invite you to click on the highlighted words.
Enjoy!

Nothing but Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PlayStation MOVE. All opinions are 100% mine.

Every year, when the month starts ending in "ber" , my brain starts going into the "what shall I give" mode. After all, the months that end in ber mean holidays and gift giving. Is there anyone who doesn't agree with me? This year, my code name might as well be PSM (PlayStationMove)!
In fact, I have been contemplating for a drastic change - this year instead of me giving out gifts, I am deciding on asking for gifts instead. Guess what I will ask them (my three sons) to give me: a PlayStationMove! While writing this I am already excited. I can just imagine the many things my family, especially the grand kids, and I, can do together with the system. I can already foresee the competition, not only between my sons and daughters-in-law, but most especially between my grandsons (yes, in addition to my three sons, I have 4 grandsons that is why I am praying hard for at least one grand daughter [chuckle]). I won't suggest a weekly get-together anymore, that I am sure. Another thing that I am excited about is the idea that I can inspire my beloved hubby to give his favorite couch some rest once in a while. That will be awesome!
And before I forget, for all the games and perks, like 3-D sports, Netflix, built-in WiFi, and more, that the system offers, if you already have a PS3, the package will cost you $99.00 only. What more can you ask for?

Signs....

Yesterday, hubby and I invited our sons and their families to join us for a simple dinner at home. We thought, because of their never matching schedule, getting them all together would be short of a miracle. How happy we were to see our three sons all together! They all kne, that the dinner was to welcome Hazel so how they laughed when I told them that, since we can not afford to treat them individually anymore, from now on their birthdays will be celebrated, altogether, once a year only. It was so heartwarming to see my whole family laughing, joking, teasing one another and simply having fun.
When they were all gone, I noticed how our living room was transformed into a race track and a favorite center piece got converted into a jurrassic park. That was a sign that our grandkids had unconditional fun.......and that truly made our day!!!!

Moments!!!

They all worked hard to reach this moment - being able to cook as a group. They worked in groups with members so diverse as the menu they put together. This is one of the moments I will always remember. I will admit, that in time, I will forget most of the names, but those faces will be forever etched in my mind.

Give It the Boost !!!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boost Mobile. All opinions are 100% mine.

"Oh no! Again? Didn't I just send a check?" I heard my son cursing (good his children were not around). Like any dutiful mom (chuckle), I asked him what the problem was. "Nothing, mom. Just these never ending phone bills!" he answered under his breath.
Maybe I should tell him about Boost Mobile, I told myself. With it he can decide the best plan suited for his own phoning style. I very well know that he uses his phone as if it is a part of his clothing that he has to wear everyday and without which he will feel so incomplete. He texts in and out, he listens and leaves messages through his voice-mail and still give calls almost without break, he even tweets. I know he feels naked without his FB opened and he has to send e-mails to, oh, so many people I would not care to know. On top of these, he still finds time to search the web for the latest news while he listens to his choice of music from his Blackberry. I learned and practice multi-tasking but not as multi as he does... I can only do two at a time!
He will be interested to know that any one can select the best plan he thinks will answer his needs and pre-pay for it. By doing so, he will not worry about any bill coming at the wrong time, well, at least according to one's financial schedule. By the way, I might still be able to convince my son to send me a gift - a Re-Boost for my phone. I peeked through his wallet and I know he has cards to pay for it (chuckle again). Or, maybe he will prefer automatic payment which is also acceptable.
Why not visit the site and open an account before my son beats you to it!!!

Neil's Designs

When Neil, my nephew, was barely 5 years old, he would draw all the ninja characters, in action, and would proudly show me to get my nod. When he reached middle school he had a sketch book filled with sceneries and portraits he pencil-sketched- and every weekend that I would spend with his family, he would pull the pad out of his drawer to again show me. I knew he would go far with his talent. I was not wrong. He is now an architect and I am posting two of his designs.
Neil, you've gone a long way from that matchstick drawing you used to show me! Good job!!!
BTW, Neil is in white shirt in the group picture.

Move On!!!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

My friend had to go to her eye doctor for a laser treatment so she requested me to drive for her. While waiting for her to get called I noticed a guy, I assumed the son, dutifully lifting his father in and out of a wheelchair maybe two or three times while, at the same time, minding his two children who were running and squealing around the waiting area. I couldn't help but wonder how he managed to get his father in and out of his car. I am sure he took some lessons on how to care for somebody like his father by the way he handled him plus the safety precaution he observed as he locked the wheels before lifting his dad.
I wish all caregivers like him will take the time to visit the NMEDA site to get informed on how this organization works. By visiting the site, he can even learn, through the members' assistance, how to help his dad to move about independently. The organization is composed of emergency mobility dealers that can advice or assist caregivers or patients who need assistance in deciding what mobility equipment to get, which they have quite a selection of, depending on a patient's need or needs. Members are certificated so that they can give an educated advise to anyone who will contact them.
And to further assure you of the integrity of the organization, they undergo an annual accreditation program to make sure that the mobility equipment industry follows and stays within the guidelines that the industry requires for the safety of its clients. Come on, check the site to see if there is a dealer near you and schedule an appointment. You have nothing to lose.

The good thing about it....

I thought it would disrupt the schedule that I had mentally planned for my long vacation. But after the first day, I began thinking... "It wasn't bad at all!" I am talking about picking up my grand kids from school. While waiting at the parking area I luckily found, I saw these garden patches. What a delight to look at while waiting till the bell rings!

The Key is "Going Beyond"

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

I learned from my father that teaching is one of the noblest, if not THE noblest, profession one can pursue. During his generation, he was already "deputized" as a teacher simply because he graduated at the top of his 6th grade class. And so, he told us his children that he taught those who were younger than him what he had learned during his 6 years of school - mainly reading and writing. Today, a teacher must aim beyond that. At this very competitive world, a post graduate degree can mean enriching what one already knows and possibly promotion or a step or two above one's present salary level. But does everybody have the time to pursue it? Yes, if you consider enrolling at the USC Rossier School of Education's MAT@USC, an online degree program which can be completed in 12 months, according to its program information , if you decided to. Imagine yourself earning a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from one of the most prestigious research universities, not only in America but in the whole world, with 100 years of education history behind its name and guided by a group of distinguished faculty that had contributed to modern education and had been recognized for it. Further imagine yourself participating in commencement ceremonies and earning lifetime benefits as a member of a renowned alumni association. And it even offers a tuition reimbursement program which can be a plus during this harsh economic times. Furthermore, what can be better than earning your degree at your own phase, at your own time and place. And, how about picturing yourself being a part of the elite Trojan family of educators!!! Everybody will surely recognize that license plate!

The unexplainable......

If there is any movie that can make me cry, even how many times I see it, it is "An Affair to Remember" with Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant. Oh no, not the one with Annete Benning. I saw it too but my lachrymose glands didn't know what to do (chuckle)! I don't know why. Maybe because the Kerr-Grant version was at that time when I was starting to experience the many angst of first love and the latter one was when I already knew how to mend a broken heart.

Vacation a la King

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hampton Hotels. All opinions are 100% mine.

Finding an accommodation is one of the major steps one has to make when planning or going on a vacation. Why? Because it can usually take the most out of your allotted expenses for the trip or event. The Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes is a thing to consider if you are still dreaming of that get-away. For any one and three of his friends, the chain is offering a daily sweepstakes for a free weekend getaway at any of the Hampton Hotels. All that you have to do is visit their site and enter the sweepstakes as prompted. Who knows, you can be that winner who'll get picked tonight!
There is nothing more exhilarating than vacationing with friends. You know each others' likes and dislikes, whims, perks, etc. You can talk to each other about anything, laugh and discover new things and enjoy everything that will come your way together. And all these for almost free? Come on, there can be no better deal than that!
If Hampton Chain of FriendsSweepstakesSRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N5552.IZEA/B4536674.2;sz=1x1;ord=[timestamp]?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=1 HEIGHT=1 ALT="Click Here"/a> will give me the chance to win, I already have three friends to pick up and adventurous as we are, we will go to a place that we haven't been to but have heard of as fun, exciting and everything else!
And ... note this: the sweepstakes is held daily!

Our new job....

Today, hubby and I went with our second son to his boys' school. He had been looking forward to my joining the unemployeds, by the way. Today he gave us a dry run of what we need to do when we take the grandkids to school. Rule 1: we have to be early or we will walk half a mile to the gate. Rule 2: we have to be at the designated gate or the little boy won't be let in. Rule 3: we have to make eye-contact with the teacher or else she won't release the little boy to us.
We are just too happy that we can drop and pick up the bigger boy as we used to.

Needed: Determination Determination Determination!!!

For the last two months I have been trying to gather enough courage to go into our garage with determination..... determination to put down those boxes that fill the shelves lining the walls. But putting those boxes down will only clutter the garage more, you might think. Well I want to put them down so I can haul each box into the recyclable bin. Yes, I want to finally say goodbye to those things that we've been clinging to for the last 2 or more decades! Items that we've not used for years but so afraid to let go of.
But what I am afraid of is my lack of determination not to open those boxes without taking a last look at the items inside and put each item back in the box and back on the shelves again!!!
Somebody HELP!!!!

Let's Start Them Green !!!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

What is the first sense that engages you when you are in a supermarket or on a page? Sense of sight, right? Look at the picture above. Aren't your eyes drawn to it? If I were to buy a formula for my kid, I will be drawn to the shelf that holds these items because of the colors and the design that seem to beckon at me and beg me to please give it a try. The first thing that catches my eyes is the word ORGANIC. What can be healthier than that! From there I will be taken to my examination mode to check what really is inside this attractive can. As a mom who've had milk-drinking-tots myself, healthy qualities in a product is foremost in my choice. Bright Beginnings formulas do not contain antibiotics, growth hormones or pesticides that can potentially harm babies or kids - a great plus for any mother's list of requirements, will you agree? And have no fear, its nutritional contents have been certified under USDA regulations.
Accessibility and availability is another thing to consider. Because it is available online, Bright Beginnings available at diapers.com , a customer friendly site where you can find all you need to know about the product, one can have access to it 24/7. One will have no fear of running out of formula anymore. And one more thing - it is reasonably priced. A smart choice, yeah?

Merienda

A couple friend took a vacation in the Motherland and brought back some pastries as pasalubong and childhood memories instantly come flashing back. These pictured items are usually served for merienda (snack or tea time)especially after arriving home from school. I remember very well that image of pieces of galletas, or pilipit, or broas on a saucer and a bottle of orange juice (usually artificially flavored) on the side waiting for me and my cousins every week day that there was school. My auntie saw to it that we had those first before we could rush to the tracks for our afternoon games with playmates.
Aaaahhhhh...... memories!!!

Retired?... Retiring?.. Please read on...

STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART


(A friend e-mailed this to me...)

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avant garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60s & 70s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love...I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not  break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being  imperfect.


I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.


So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.
I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever,
but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel  like it).

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!

 

HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY, JACOB!!!

Priceless Moment

Gloria and William
Larry and Fina Ed and Princess
A lunch at Chinatown (can you see it from the plates?) to celebrate Larry's birthday.

Through His Youthful Eyes

Our second son and his family always take advantage of their break from work to travel wherever they thought their two young sons will learn from. The last one they shot three birds with one stone, so to speak, by driving along the West Coast from California through Oregon to Washington to see the sights, visit a friend from high school, and re-connect with relatives on his dad's side.
When they reached Oregon, they decided to take the road closest to the ocean. My daughter-in-law called me just to tell me how their 4-year-old son was seeing and enjoying the view. When she asked him why he was so quiet, my grandson told her:
"Mommy, look! It is like a coloring book!"
pointing to the trees and flowers and ocean and everything around.
Isn't that the highest form of appreciation for the beauty of nature around us?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOMMIES AROUND THE WORLD!!!

The Wise and the Wizened

This is a tale of two men, my dad and Tiger.
Dad was an elementary school principal who had declined several offers for the higher positions repeatedly. One of my sisters asked him, out of the blue one day, why he didn't want to accept the position like the one that one of his cumpares (cronies) was holding, adding we could have enjoyed more "perks" in life if he did. I can never forget Tatay's answer. "My daughters, I am only human who could easily be tempted by what those positions hold. Why will I take the risk of jeopardizing my daughters' names? You are so precious for me to tarnish our name that you will carry with you forever."
And Tiger? Well, you all know his story.


By the way, dad received two more promotions before he retired.

From the Mouth of Babes

Jacob (7) and Joshua (4) were busy with the computer games I was sure they didn't notice their dad coming in and rushing to get some food from the refrigerator. Jokingly I told their dad to take it easy cuz his shirt is already stretching around his middle. I was surprisingly amused when, without taking their eyes away from the computer, Jacob said:

"Grannie, daddy is very fatty."

to which Joshua added, laughing:

"Yeah, grannie, cuz daddy is pregnant!"

His First Piano Recital

Jacob with Ms. Jian Li, his piano teacher.

Our grandson Jacob's (Jake as he wants to be called now) first piano recital. Lolo's once-a-week trip to pick him up from his school in Claremont so he could catch up with his piano lesson in Chino Hills is paying off!!!
Good job, Jake!!!

Crab Salad a la Mex

Prepared this salad for Inang and Seibert's visit yesterday. This is one of my students' favorite toppers for their tostada or corn chips. Yummyyyyy!!!

The Plant

I fell in love with it the first time I saw it. I told myself I would have one, too. But I had to wait, hubby said. There is no place for it, he added. So I waited patiently. Then, the right time came. Without warning, hubby came home one day, a big smile on his face, cuddling in his arms a brown paper bag filled with my most coveted plant!.
Oh, how I loved my new plant. Hubby helped me nurtured it, caressed it, loved it. We learned what it wanted and we gave it our all. There were days when we couldn't be with our plant and it gave us signs that we were missed. But we easily learned how to make up for lost time. Thinking that our plant will be happier with a friend I convinced hubby to get another. Again, surprising me, he arrived with a big smile on his face cuddling a brown bag in his arms. Inside the brown bag was a friend to our beloved plant. Then change started showing little by little until the truth hit us from nowhere. Little by little, the new plant started engulfing our plant... practicallly taking it away from us. First, its leaves started drying out on the edges, then the blooms got smaller and smaller until some of its branches started falling off from the trunk. Then the roots started rotting until our plant, our beloved plant, was there no more!
All I can do now is think of those days when my dear dear plant was in bloom!!

B.I.B.L.E.

Our grandson Jacob invited hubby and me to attend their outreach church's opening. He practically begged us to join him, Joshua and his mom and dad. How can one disappoint a grandson? One simply can't!
One of the highlights of their service was when their invited Pastor from San Diego spoke. There were so many points in his talk that kept me listening intently specially when he said that the bible is the only book that is always current, never needs updating, that it holds what everyone needs to know, and that it stands for Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth.
He talked about vision and motivation and for one who never had a formal religious instruction, I was motivated, more than ever, to learn more about what is good in my own faith and theirs, combine them, and start reading the Bible!
Thank you Pastor.

Thanks to FB, I found Phil!!!

She's always Auntie Phil to my kids. She's Phil to everyone who had worked with her - whether as a co-teacher or as a member of the choir that she coached.
We last saw each other in 1985. But every time friends from our Nigerian days and I get together, there will always be someone who will mention her name either wondering where she could be these days, or if I have gotten in contact with her. Yes, that was her impact on our group. So, since facebook always "invites" me to look for friends I started playing with the app by typing her maiden name. Wow, she's not the only one. More than a dozen popped up of the same name. I started scrolling down thru the list.. then I saw those eyes, and those lips, and that unmistakable smile! I got excited. Hit her name. Got to her page. Data matched some of what I knew of her. Sent her a message ... and ... after a few days of anxiety .. she confirmed!!!
It was a great unexplainable feeling.......
It is very nice to see you again, PHIL !!!

Baffling, indeed....

I came across this sentence:

Whatever wife lectures the violent baffle.

and I am really baffled as to its meaning. Any thoughts on it?

Another day....

Today is another day of coping. I am thinking of creating a blog just for this. If and when is still to be seen.
There is something happening with hubby. He is, little by little, becoming more aggressive (couldn't find a better word), maybe out of frustration for not being able to say and do what he mentally wanted to at the moment.
Our morning routine for the last two months is - he gets up to take his blood sugar test while I prepare his breakfast. We eat together then he prepares to go to the clinic for his dialysis (he still can drive himself to and from the clinic which is about 2 blocks away). I always ask him how he is and his routine answer is "I am OK" if only to assure me that I have nothing to worry about. Some days, he wouldn't even let me get up from bed.
Today was a little different than usual. After his testing, he sat down by the table. When told that the toasts are ready, with an irritated voice, he said "But they are not on the table yet!" WOW, that was a big FIRST. He had always been calm. After eating, I told him what happened and he had no recollection....
What I am starting to fear is what if I happenned to sleep soundly and missed his cues?

Goodbye, VES !!!

Ves is gone and I still can't believe it.

Last time I saw her was in 2007 when hubby and I visited the family in the homeland. Ves is married to our nephew, Keats. This is my last image of her, and it will be, forever.

Rest in peace and play and sing with the angels, Ves.
We love you!!!

2009 into 2010

Everyone needs an inspiration. Mine is named NANCIE. Whenever I feel like complaining why things don't go my way, I think of her. When a little pain makes me wince, I think of her. When I get disappointed for not getting what I wanted, I sought her page. From her I collect my own courage, strength, understanding, forgiveness, faith and love. I can't feel what she feels but I know I feel much better than she does and yet everything for her is about hope, love, mercy, devotion, generosity and faith.
Thanks, Nancie.

The More Natural, the Better

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Safer® brand. All opinions are 100% mine.

I always admire my husband's dedication to his gardening. We have a very small backyard but every summer we always get plenty of sweet, juicy, plump tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and beans. Oh, did I forget the hot peppers? And chayotes? This year I also noticed that our persimmon tree gave us so many fruits we couldn't seem to finish even after we had distributed them to friends and relatives who testified to their extra sweetness. Want to know the reason why?
After a rain, I noticed a gross-looking gooey mixture in a pot close to our persimmon tree. Not wanting to "disturb" it, I tipped the pot so its content will just pour into the base of the tree. Oh, I can never forget that smell! When I told hubby about it, he told me about his composting technique. No wonder he didn't want me to throw (or even touch) any peelings from the veggies he cooked with. He would keep everything in a plastic bag and keep it in his "secret" place. I also came to understand why he never went to buy any of those chemical fertilizers.
Want to know more about the benefits of organic gardening? Visit saferbrand.com for very helpful gardening tips and advice. It even has it's own library of bugs and insects to help you of which bugs to keep and which ones to let go, without using any chemicals that might be harmful to your own plants. (No, problem, those ladybugs are plant friendly.) Do you know that chemical fertilizers can harm you progressively? No wonder so many, children and adults alike, are getting sick everyday of illnesses that were not here before.
If you are on facebook go to Safer brand's facebook page and better still, be a fan which I did before writing this.
Or, follow up on the site's latest because Safer brand is officially on twitter too.
Come on! Let's go Organic and live healthy and safe.