Christmas Wishlist

It is officially the month of gift buying and gift giving! Only 24 more days till Christmas and I haven't started buying gifts for my family or even for myself. I was of course busy with my move here in the province and I'm still adjusting to life here. Anyway, I've decided to make a wish list for myself (hoping somebody might give it to me!).

1) Brand new car
2) Trip to Macau
3) Ipod touch/Ipot Nano
4) A ferris wheel ride in London
5) Gondola ride in Italy
6) More time with my family

Of course, most of them are wishful thinking, but not entirely feasible. Like the ipod touch/ipod nano which are carried by anybody these days. With it being handy and fashionable, who wouldn't want one? The others on the list, well, I'll be hoping that Santa would pass by my blog and make my wish a reality.

Things I did'nt know I could do

Since I moved here in the province, a lot of things have changed. I have made a list of the things I did not do when I was in manila, but was brave enough to do it here:

1) Go to the wet market - first of all, I don't like going to one since I don't like the smell when I go to one. The floors are usually slippery, when you buy meat or fish, the smell usually sticks to your hand. They don't have sinks there where you can wash your dirty hands. But, I did it here, on my own. I haggle with the vendors, put my hands on stinky fish, and just enjoy the place. Mind you, their market here is pretty clean compared to the others I went to ( I sometimes accompany my mom when I was in manila).

2) Sample unusual food - this is still connected to the market thing. This happened on my first visit. I want to buy beef, and I went to the market after lunch (which was a bad time) and looked for beef. My SIL pointed out a stall that was selling what looked to be beef. So I bought some and was planning on cooking beef nilaga. When I boiled it, there was this unpleasant smell coming out of the pot. When my husband tasted it, he said I was not cooking beef, but carabao! My goodness, carabao in the market! Anyway, I ate it anyway since it tasted a little bit like beef, andmy husband said I should at least try what I cooked, but I steered clear of the stall that sells it in the market.

3) Get up early - since my househelp doesn't know how to cook, I do the cooking here. Anyway, its not really a chore since I love to cook. I just wish that I could sleep more in the morning.

4) Walk for blocks and blocks - since I'm new here, I prefer to walk to my destination to see the neighborhood firsthand. The mall, church, market, and all other significant places are all walking distance from my house. In manila, were so accostumed to our cars that we sometimes forget that it's nice to just walk around and enjoy your surroundings. But of course, there's nothing to see in manila but smoke and smog.

For now, that's all I've been doing here. With each passing day, I am enjoying my stay here... =)

My Birthday Month

This post is to say the least, late. It's past my birthday already! Since I'm already here in the province and the date fell on a weekday, I celebrated my birthday without my family. But, I did celebrate it with my husband and in-laws. I cooked carbonara, made green salad and fruit salad, and they bought crispy pata. Hubby bought chocolate cake which was very sweet, since he usually does not do that. Although my family was not with me, I was happy my in-laws were nice enough to be there on my special day. I'm still adjusting here, but thank God, my family here are very supportive and caring and are willing to help me through my transition.

At Home At Last

Hello Techie World! I'm back after a leave of absence (about 7 days i guess). I missed blogging! My son and I are now in the province with my husband. We've been here 4 days and already, I miss the fast-paced world of manila. Yep, life they say in the province is kinda slow, but, I was amazed that it isn't. Everytime I look at the clock, I feel that it's sprinting! It moves so fast! Maybe because here, I do a lot of cooking...which I did not do much when I was staying with my mom...unless it was a special occassion. That's when the "barefoot contessa" emerges. hehehe. So, how does it feel to be here? Well, it really puts me in the zone where the reality of being a mom and wife sets in. It's like living through college but with other responsibilites attached. FYI...I lived on my own during college, also in the province, away from my family...but of course back then, I'm only responsible for myself and not for other people. But who am I to complain? Because being here with my husband and son, feels like home. It makes me warm and fuzzy inside...it's like sitting in the kitchen, nursing a hot cocoa when there's a storm outside. Or cuddling with my sweetie and talking sweet nothings together. I know you get the picture... What I'm saying is that moving here is no sacrifice when you are surrounded with your loved ones. So here's a hooray to all those people who moved away from home to start their own family. I know now what that feels...happiness.

Chilly Friday Morning in Cainta

Wow, its really the "ber" months already! I woke up today and literally had goose bumps in my arms because of the weather outside. The past few days, it was still summer hot, but now I can attest that december is just around the corner. Christmas na!

Tips for Married Couples

I was browsing thru old emails, and I stumbled upon this wonderful message from my fellow nawie, Momai Barrameda.... I'd like to think that I'm not the only one adjusting with married life... It's really different once you are at that stage where it's forever, compared to having a bf-gf relationship. I'm hoping things would turn great when you've been together a couple of years....

Strengthen the relationship and bond you have with your partner with these simple tips.

These are just some random thoughts and activities to help deepen your relationship.

Don't try to do all of them at once. Choose one or two that you feel would work for you and your spouse.

** Think of a behavior you each have that other people like or praise. Ask yourselves why you do this. Share with one another your feelings as you think about this behavior.

** Try not to interrupt when the other is talking. Wait to add your opinion until she/he is completely finished with what they have to say.

**Don't make your spouse your slave. Do things for them for a change. Bring him/her a drink, a snack, slippers, the remote, whatever...

** Be honest with yourselves, and write down some ways in which you manage to instill guilt in your spouse. Try for one week not to use these manipulative behaviors.

** Go to the library together and select a book to read together. Or if you are really not book people, get a movie. But don't just watch it, talk about afterwards.

** Discuss what first attracted you to each other. But, if your wife use to be 120lbs. and now she's put on a few over the years, please don't remind her. This is not the time to list physical characteristics. Be open and honest about each other's personalities.

** It's okay to dream a little. If money were not a problem or a consideration, what would the two of you be doing now or how would you be living your lives?

** Talk about your lives growing up. Share with one another your memories. Childhood makes us who we are as adults. you can really get in touch with each other by sharing your memories.

** Make some time for the two of you. Find a way to free up an afternoon or an evening where you won't be disturbed by phone calls, children, friends, work, school, etc and just be together.

**Always remember to respect each other!

"There is only one happiness in life...to love and be loved."

A-B-C Tag

I would like to thank Jhelea for this tag

Well, here are my answers:

A. Attached or single?~~~Attached for 2 years now.

B. Best friend? ~~~ lots and lots...

C. Cake or pie? ~~~Cake especially blueberry cheesecake from red ribbon

D. Day of choice?~~~Friday, because it means the start of the weekend

E. Essential item?~~~cellphone and stroller (for my son, who i don't leave home w/o)

F. Favorite colour?~~~red, the color of love and passion!

G. Gummy bears or worms?~~~Gummy bears

H. Hometown?~~~Cainta, Rizal

I. Favorite indulgence?~~~Traveling and food (yummy!)

J. January or July?~~~January because it's the start of a new year, new life and new beginning (same answer ko k jhelea) hihihi

K. Kids?~~~1, a 10 month old trumpo.

L. Life isn’t complete without?~~~God, Jericho, my son Xter, and my family.

M. Marriage date?~~~May 17, 2007.

N. Number of magazine subscriptions:~~~0

O. Oranges or apples?~~~Oranges, tumitigas pupu ko sa apple e. hehehe

P. Phobias?~~~phobia ba ang takot sa daga?!

Q. Quotes~~~ There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. ~~~ quote ba ito?

R. Reasons to smile?~~~just lookin at my son makes me smile!

S. Season of choice?~~~ winter, coz i will have an excuse to get extra cuddly with my hubby...

T. Tag 5 people.~~~ Lyra, G , Michelle, Jovie, Mabel

U. Unknown fact about me?~~~ my legs are very bendable, hehehe

V. Vegetable?~~~ lots and lots! i love veggies!

W. Worst habit?~~~ kissing my son when he's asleep that sometimes i wake him up, hihihi, bad mommy!

X. X-ray or ultrasound?~~~depends on what is needed at the moment.

Y. Your favorite foods?~~~anything, i love to eat!!!

Z. Zodiac sign?~~~ Scorpio

I'm passing this tag to fellow bloggies, happy tagging!!!