MRS. REYES

starting 365...

2012-01-01T05:51:00.003-08:00

i have always wanted to start Project 365.

i must have tried once and given up after missing a photo or two here and there.

because i have so many friends on facebook getting into it,

i thought... why not?

i can always get into the spirit of things and hopefully (crossing fingers)....

hopefully this time, it will be one of those projects that i do finish.

so welcome to Mrs. Reyes' 365 days of photos.

please click the photo below... or the vintage camera photo on the top right hand

to take you to my photo-a-day-site.

on another note
i hope everyone had an AMAZING New Year's Eve celebration.
i will get to updating on that as soon as humanly possible!

i hope 2012 brings you blessings, love and prosperity!
i know i'm thanking God for all the goodness he has given my family
this last year and also thanking him for all that he will bring forth.

Dylan-ism #1

2011-12-30T07:18:00.002-08:00

last night while reading "Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?" by Dr. Seuss

me: He can go EEK EEK like a squeaky shoe.

He can go like a rooster... COCK A DOODLE DOO!

dylan: CLOCK-A-CLOCK-A-DOO!!!!

Christmas 2011 - The Reyes Celebrations

2011-12-29T08:41:00.000-08:00

the holidays usually takes its toll on my little family.

as per the hubby's family tradition
(and because there are SO MANY kids in the family)

we tend to celebrate on christmas eve with them starting at 6.30 pm.

we have dinner and chats then we spend the next 3 hours

making an impressive show for the kids when it's time to open up their presents.

this year, we had a total of seven families.
in between all of us, we have 13 children!

you can just imagine the amount of time when each kid takes their own turn

opening up their own present in front of all.

we changed up one thing this year though... each family had to have 2 games each.

you can bet that everyone was geared up playing hip, hip, hooray (a filipino gameshow game)
tongue twisters, paper dance and how well do you know your spouse!

we had a ton of fun, complete with prizes.

our little family on christmas eve

lola (grandma) melot with kaelan

opening (or eating) the first gift of the night!

my favorite boys

the number of presents keep growing each year

yay to matching outfits! i just love them!

playing hip, hip, hooray... and that's my hand holding a stand-in-mic

ate aia with baby kaelan

lola melot & dylan

we finished celebrations a bit after midnight and headed home.

the boys were so hyped up after all the celebrations

that neither wanted to get to bed (and didn't do so until almost 2 am!)

so we had them open a present each to keep them entertained

(and not to mention that no one gave toys and dylan was itching
to get his hands on some toys!)

by the time the boys were in bed

they were both so pooped out they just crashed on our bed!

but it isn't over yet.

i will update tomorrow with my side of the family's christmas celebrations!!!

i hope that everyone had a WONDERFUL HOLIDAY season this year!

on the ninth day of christmas...

2011-12-09T23:59:00.002-08:00

we were supposed to be riding the trains

at Bright Nights in Stanley Park

but this mommy forgot to purchase tickets way in advance

and there wasn't anymore left to purchase online.

so instead of being outdoors on a super cold December evening

we opted to stay indoors with the kids to finish up our Christmas shopping

and to finally get a chance to see.....

SANTA!!!

dylan went right up to the big man himself

and told him that he wanted some play dough for christmas
(good thing this mommy has purchased just that!)

and when kaelan's turn came, i was a little afraid

that he might cry for his photos and not want to be with santa

but the moment we put him on santa's lap

he took one look at the man and started smiling and laughing!

I SIMPLY LOVE IT!

have you had your santa photos done yet?

on the eighth day of christmas...

2011-12-08T23:45:00.000-08:00

dylan's pre-christmas activity for day 8
was to paint a christmas tree using his fingers!

that's his tree and my tree...
(yes, even this mommy couldn't resist finger painting!)

"yucky, mommy! wash hands?"

his tree is all done!

it was supposed to be a "paint-your-tree" day only.
that was our main event.

but then, the little bhubba found this unopened box of thomas & friends train set

that his godparents gave him for christmas last year....

so guess what this mom had to do?

the train, although it wasn't in my plans for today's activities

is a great prelude to tomorrow's christmas event!

i cannot wait!!!

on the 7th day of christmas...

2011-12-07T23:30:00.001-08:00

we had a much-needed down time today in celebration of the 7th day...

when the hubby got home, i popped some yummy ribs in the oven

and when dinner is done, we all plopped down on the couch

to watch a family christmas movie!

midway through the movie, dylan requested for some hot chocolate

so guess who made it?

and because we were already up for his hot chocolate

what better way to spend the remainder of the evening than

to have two steaming cups of hazelnut flavored coffee!

it is the perfect way to spend the evening with the family!

on the 6th day of christmas...

2011-12-06T23:57:00.001-08:00

we spent the entire day with the boys' lolo & lola (grandpa & grandma)

not that we're not with them on a weekly basis already

but it was nice to be there on a weekday

where someone else can help me look after them for a bit.

can you believe that because of that,

i finished working on these?

and when my mom arrived from work

the boys and i took her to the store

where each boy was allowed to pick-up one item under $5.

my mom thought i was being too cheap on her grandkids

so she kindly "sponsored" their shopping trip today!

i love grandparents... don't you?
they seriously spoil your child to bits and feel absolutely no remorse about it!!!

on the fifth day of christmas...

2011-12-05T21:14:00.000-08:00

we have been on the go these past few days

that it was time to do a christmas activity at home.

i picked up a little something from the local craft store yesterday.

something i know that dylan would especially enjoy!

it was a perfectly quiet and uneventful afternoon spent at home.

only 20 more sleeps until christmas...

i can't wait!

on the fourth day of christmas...

2011-12-04T23:20:00.000-08:00

after considering a few activities for today

we decided to help celebrate a special little boy's

first birthday with him and his family.

i unfortunately do not have photos of logan

as he was asleep in his mom's arms for most of the time we were there.

dylan had a wonderful time running around playing with his new balloon sword.

and jumping in the bouncy castle.

and stuffing his face with chocolate kisses.

i can't wait for our less hectic day tomorrow!

on the third day of christmas...

2011-12-03T23:40:00.000-08:00

it has been a very eventful third day for the boys and i.

we three braved the cold weather and without my car, went to the aquarium

for a fun-filled afternoon spent with their good friends, esther & sam!

i will let the photos tell the story.....

on the second day of christmas...

2011-12-02T15:35:00.000-08:00

dylan was so excited to see santa's video message to him yesterday

that it was only right for us to write to santa today for their christmas countdown!

kaelan "helping" kuya with their santa letters

decorating their letters to santa

while dylan dictated what he would like in each of their letters

mommy diligently wrote it all down.

i find it so sweet that he asked santa for an Iron Man toy for daddy.

and of course, he was drawing train tracks all over the page.

it's the one thing he does really well!

we're getting closer to Christmas!

i'm hoping that the snow arrives just in time!

on the 1st day of christmas...

2011-12-01T14:18:00.001-08:00

with both the boys being so small still

the excitement of christmas comes in the form of opening presents.

today, being the first day of December,

what better present than to open a personalized video from Santa?!?!

Dylan was amazed that Santa had taken the time to send him a message.

complete with his name, where he lives and his own photos!

we had Santa's video on repeat for a solid half hour.

i can't wait until Christmas!

are you as excited as i am?

on being "mommy"

2011-11-30T00:50:00.000-08:00

i love being a mommy. even more, i love being a mommy of two boys. at the end of my day, i am happy to plop down on my couch for a few minutes to unwind with play-dough stuck on my hair, chocolate on my cheeks, baby drool on my neck, rice cereals on my shirt and gosh knows what else my kids can get on me.

but sometimes, even mommies to two little superheroes need their down time.

it's been a month since the hubby has started pulling off his two jobs. that's 3 days a week where he is gone for a solid 16 hours, another 3 days where he pulls off his 8 hour shifts and sunday, as his rest day. i find it a tad irritating that everyone seems to ask how he is handling having two jobs... how it is affecting his health, his social life, his sleeping patterns, his "me time" and his time for his family. please, do not get me wrong. i love and appreciate the hubby for doing what needs to get done in order to ensure his family is financially secured but sometimes.......................

i wish someone could ask me how i was doing. how am i doing handling two kids by myself for 16 hours a day. how is this affecting my health, my social life, my sleeping patterns, my "me time" and most importantly, my sanity. i wish i am able to explain it to all that my job as a homemaker is truly that --- i am 24/7 on these children. i have no breaks, no lunch hours, my sleep at night is disturbed for feeding breaks and sometimes, all i want to do is to have someone to intervene and kick me out of the house for an hour just so i can get a little breather... go to a starbucks for my favorite drink and pick up a magazine to read. would you laugh when i tell you that i cannot even leave this children to catch a movie without causing a major scene? dylan cries so much that he ends up regurgitating everything he eats and kaelan refuses to feed from a bottle which makes it even more difficult to leave him anywhere, much less to anyone.

but let me clarify, if i can please. i am not complaining. really, i'm not. if anything, ever since my hubby has started his two jobs, i have gained a whole lot of respect for stay-at-home mom's out there who does not have much or any help at all. it's a tough job. a job that requires us to be constant in our discipline, lavish in our praises, clear in our communication, and loving, always loving no matter what. and patience --- don't even get me started on that.

but you know, at the end of the day, even when i would be wanting to tear my hair out when both kids have done nothing but act up, i still feel so lucky because my boys love me --- unconditionally. i get hugs out of nowhere... "i love you"'s screamed at me from the other room... drool-filled wet kisses at all times... cuddles at nap time... tickling sessions at bed time... silly made-up stories and games at bath time... my list goes on and on and on....

currently, i am the center of their universe and i plan to make the most of that. but these two boys who are so precious to my heart, will forever be the center of mine.

baby shower galore!

2011-11-16T23:58:00.003-08:00

my beautiful best friend and her hubby are so blessed

to have not one but TWO additions to their family.

last saturday, amidst weeks of masterminding, planning,
working and designing, we finally pulled off her baby shower!
we put a lot of love in all aspects of her baby shower.
with mostly everything being handcrafted by both her and i.

i would like to share some photos with all of you

of the creative juices we had flowing

to pull off a 'beautifully simple' baby shower for her and her hubby

with the birds, nest & eggs theme in purple and green.

elegant diaper cake by our awesome friend nina.

mugs for our raffle draw.

delicious cake & cupcakes for all.

rather than giving out "mommy advice" cards for all the guests
we gave out "Twin Wishes" cards for them all

it's something for the twins to be able to read and appreciate
when they get a little older.

soap favors for all the guests

flower pompoms by moi and paper lanterns by the mommy-to-be

our room decor --- beautifully hanged feature for all!

of course it was time for some games

like the classic 'guess the belly size'

and we shared some great laughs with "bring me...."

had a few lucky winner with the raffle draw

and played "guess the price" of a bucketful of baby necessities

and of course i couldn't pass up a photo

with my gorgeous bff sporting her 31 week bump

(looking more like she's full term!)

then it was time to open some gifts and play baby bingo.

arwen & benjie's baby shower

november 12, 2011

it was a wonderful rainy afternoon

filled with lots of love, laughter & wishes for the upcoming twins

that will be blessing the lives of these two.

i, for one, cannot wait to meet two beautiful little girls

who we seem to have been waiting a lifetime for.

congratulations again lovies.

***all photos courtesy of Benny Mendoza***

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas!

2011-11-11T01:19:00.000-08:00

if there is any holiday that i love above all else

Christmas is at the very top of my list.

nothing beats the feeling once December rolls in.

in my case, December is coming faster than any other ordinary month.

you see, before even halloween came along

our tree was up and ready

just waiting for it's final touches.

and today, i finally got the rest of our ornaments in.

and my hubby proudly tells me that our tree

looks good enough to be a mall display.

back in manila, when i was growing up

as of september 1st, the malls would have all their christmas gears out

and christmas music would be playing all over.

we called it the "ber" months (september, october, etc...)

and the spirit of christmas is felt early on.

i am glad that the hubby, like me

feels that we should start the festivities a tad early.

our boys enjoy the beautiful christmas lights.

and get excited at the talk of santa coming by.

our family is surely getting ready for this holiday season.

are you as excited as i am?

pumpkin patch

2011-11-06T02:01:00.000-08:00

last october 27, my little family hit the pumkin patch.

it is our very first time going, can you believe?

that goes not just for the kids

but for us two adults as well.

we had a lot of fun exploring at the apple barn!

we saw matter from cars

enjoyed our first hay ride together

went through a corn maze dragging dylan in a wagon

jumped til we dropped at the massive jumping pillow

checked out and rode some tractors

checked out the petting zoo

and of course, we went in search for the perfect pumpkin!

it was a fantastic afternoon spent at the pumpkin patch.

we ended the trek with some amazing sweet potato chips

(they were super yummy!)

and some very cold apple cider juice.

we can't wait until next year's pumpkin patch trek!

where on earth have i been?

2011-10-06T02:26:00.000-07:00

it feels like it's been forever!

i have been MIA for the most part of september...

mostly with activities, parties, school

and with both boys coming down with silly colds, coughs, allergies

and all those other boy stuff.

being a mom of two

i never really realized how BUSY it was going to be.

but i'm planning on putting a little bit more effort into this blog.

as i have really missed blogging.

but for now, it's time for la-la-land.

i'll update soon --- and will visit your blogs very very soon as well!

flowers?

2011-09-19T22:15:00.002-07:00

my hubby is the last person in this world

who will ever pick up flowers of any sort

on any occasion that may arise.

he is a great believer that although beautiful

flowers are a total waste of a good dollar.

i kid you not when i say that in 9 years together

(and it's coming up this 22nd!!!)

he has only ever given me flowers about five times.

SERIOUSLY.

so imagine my surprise when i got these on the 10th!
(our actual wedding date).

the little man with daddys' goodies

flowers and tofu bubble tea --- i was on an anniversary high!

note to hubby:

thank you for finally listening to my "concerns"

you do have some sort of romantic streak after all

i just have to pull those ears of yours from time to time

celebrating six years...

2011-09-15T03:13:00.000-07:00

in celebration of our 6 year wedding anniversary

the hubby and i took the kiddies out for some family time.

it was a beautiful vancouver summer weather

that greeted us.

(just a quick note that this post is photo heavy...

and you can also click on the photos to enlarge)

we started the morning off by packing the kids in our car

and heading to tim hortons drive through for some breakfast

timbits for the little man

coffee, b.e.l.t. & bagel with cream cheese for the adults

our next stop was toys r us

just because we felt like picking up some small trinkets

for both the boys

dylan wanted to get on one of the rides

and asked us if he can share it with kaelan

so of course we gave him his baby brother to ride along!

our next and final stop was granville island

this must be one of my favorite places to visit in the city

as you can never really run out of things to do or see

the hubby was not very happy though when we arrived

the first thing that happened to him after leaving the car

was get splattered by bird goop

yes, you got that right.

disgusting bird goop that got on his glasses

slipped on his cheeks

and hit the littlest man right on his head!

supposedly, it is lucky though.

we've been told plenty of times to buy a lottery ticket.

(and we did --- and no such luck, unfortunately)

we stopped at the public market for lunch

the little man wanted pizza so we obliged

and because the hubby is going strong on his lifestyle change (aka. diet)

we stopped at siegel's to grab some of their yummy goodness!

we both had the Lox and Cream Cheese

(wild sockeye salmon, cream cheese, red onions & capers)

it was super delicous!!!

the little man was so enthralled with the boats around

and kept yelling at the top of his lungs that he wanted to ride one

that we obliged and got ourselves on a mini-tour

aboard the aquabus

when we got back at the island

we spent the afternoon lazing around

checking out some of the galleries

doing a bit of window shopping

chasing after the birds

and drooling over some sweets at the market

our last and most important stop

was a quick detour over at the gelato cafe

to pick up some creamy and decadent sweets

as a perfect punctuation mark to end our day

we had a marvelous time exploring a small part of our beautiful city!

it's even more marvelous that we've shared six years together

and now have two wonderful kids to celebrate our anniversaries with.

i think this will definitely be a tradition

for us to spend our anniversaries with the boys

and not just for ourselves.

Happy 6th Anniversary!

2011-09-10T09:02:00.004-07:00

six wonderful years ago

i had a chance to go back home to manila

and built wonderful lifetime memories

by saying 'i do' to the boy i fell in love with

three years prior to that

Happy 6th year anniversary ---

to my partner in crime

whom without, i would not have

two of the most gorgeous & sweetest little boys.

after all these years

it's still you that makes my heart skip its beats

and put butterflies in my tummy.

the dusty bookshelf: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

2011-09-07T00:26:00.000-07:00

what dusty bookshelf is complete

without a copy of Eric Carle's famous book?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

is on my toddler's list of must read on a daily basis.

and with pages looking like this...

what parent and child would not love the book?

it promotes learning and counting on it's lovely hard pages.

i, for one, am a BIG FAN of Mr. Carle.

a few of his books are sitting quite nicely on our dusty bookshelf

waiting to be pulled out by the little and littlest man.

gaga over paper

2011-09-02T19:15:00.002-07:00

two weeks ago i posted that i am burried

in some paper goodness.

i was.

i was very busy working on items

for my baby boy's dedication (baptism).

and since we were hosting the reception at our humble abode

i decided to doll it up a bit with some paper goodness.

click for larger image

since our theme was yellow and lime green

i grabbed some pretty scrapbook paper and got going on the work.

i made flower pompoms to hang over the food.

paper buntings were strewn both inside and outside of our home.

little cupcake toppers were made.

i repackaged some honeycomb cereals (which was a BIG HIT for the kids!)

made my own magnets with the little man's photo

and created it's own pesonalized case

with a "PK" in front (for Phoenix Kaelan).

it was a very busy few weeks for me

trying to put everything all together.

in the end, it all worked out perfectly!

a celebration...

2011-08-29T04:17:00.001-07:00

my family on the littlest man's dedication.

more photos to come...

paper goodness

2011-08-21T01:48:00.000-07:00

i have been away lately a i am busy working

on some paper goodness.

you heard me right.

some paper goodness.

i've been elbow deep in pretty paper.

working on a ton of DIY's

for this upcoming saturday's dedication

for our baby boy.

said paper goodness will be posted soon

so stay tuned!

happy sunday, lovies!

20SB Blog Swap #9: i heart summer. and roadtrips!

2011-08-17T22:23:00.004-07:00

hey y'all!!

austin-mommy-bella

i'm kiranda {pronounced ker-AND-uh}. i blog over at mommyhood. i still consider myself somewhat of a mommy-newbie even though i've had two kids in just under two years. crazy, right? i'm a vocalist and have a bachelors degree in vocal jazz performance. i'm also a wicked awesome barista at an award-winning coffee shop in downtown seattle. and more recently, i'm starting my photography business- Captured By K. Photography. i love Jesus, 90-calorie fiber one bars {the chocolate ones}, pedicures, clean houses, the smell of fresh rain, and good food. oh. and i loooooove summer.

ever since i was a little, my absolute favorite time of year is the summer. it just doesn't get any better. i thrive in the summer. it's like the rest of the year i'm merely existing, but in the summertime i come alive, friends. for anyone who lives in the PNW {pacific northwest}, you're aware of how our summers can be. washington is a pretty awesome state and most of the year it's pretty crummy here on the westside. but man oh man, washington sure does come alive when it wants to. summers here are absolutely beautiful. and this year, while everyone else was dying in triple digit heat, we've had a nice string of perfect summer weather days.

this summer, i spent quite a few days in the hospital with my bellz while she had surgery on her liver. she's fine now, but i tell ya- sitting in a hospital while the sun shines outside and your little is in the OR...talk about torture! and while we were in the hospital, austin {my other little} went over to the eastern side of the state to soak up the sun with my mom and the rest of my family. when we finally left the hospital, bella and i decided to go on a roadtrip. since dad was away for training, why not?!

so we packed our bags and made the trek over to spokane. it was the weekend of my grandmother's 75th birthday and she had no idea we were coming. needless to say she was pretty excited to see us.

see! isn't washington amazing?

bellalina and i trekked 300 miles and spent a wondrous week with my family.

honestly, it was the best vacation i took this summer.

b and my aunt.

w/ yoli {my mom}

w/ uncle winto.

ahh! i hate that this one didn't come out the way i wanted it to. :(

l-r

yoli, b, aunt schel, nina {godmother}, cousin clifton, uncle leslie

walking on the dangerous bridge with grandpa

acting craaazy.

it was one of the best weeks I had this summer.

thanks for reading!

for more mommyhood- goodness, stop on by my blog!

www.mommyhood-blog.com

{facebook} {twitter} {pinterest}

{photography}

the three months weight challenge

2011-08-12T22:20:00.009-07:00

you may wonder how this all started.

the hubby was given an ultimatum by the doctor

and long story short, he has no other choice but to lose some weight.

over the last two days, both his status and mine on facebook

was geared towards curbing his lifestyle.

one thing led to another and next thing you know,

his family and my mom has gotten on the wagon

and we have a challenge on our hands!

with my dearest friend kary's suggestion

i have decided to open this challenge up to the blogging world

to see if anyone is interested!

below are the Rules and Regulations of the challenge

which has been forwarded already to current participants

____________________________

Start Date: August 15, 2011
End Date: November 15, 2011
Winner Announcement: November 16, 2011

1.) To be an eligible challenger, you must submit $20/person in the pot (to be kept by me for the 3 month duration).

2.) Monetary submission should be received by Monday, August 15.

3.) Only US & Canadian patrons are allowed at this time. We will treat the dollars as equal to reduce the questions of exchange rate and such.

4.) If you are a US patron and would still like to join, you are welcome to send me your $20 via PayPal. Please email me at mommy.shrimp@gmail.com for further details.

5.) Every Monday, starting from August 15, your weight, along with a picture of your feet on the scale, should be sent to my email. For the sake of fairness for everyone, this is required (please ensure that i can fully read the weight on the picture or I will ask for another photo). If you are submitting your weight in KG (kilograms), I will be using this converter (http://www.convertunits.com/from/kg/to/lbs) so that everyone is equal across the board.

6.) Your weight will be kept in confidence with me although every two weeks, I will be sending out an email as to how much each person has lost to keep all of you motivated to lose the weight and win the pot at the end!

7.) At the end of the challenge, whoever loses the most weight (calculated from their beginning weight and subtracting their most current weight), will win the total of the pot.

8.) To the winner, please understand that dependant on the exchange rate of Paypal, your total pot may be slightly higher or lower than the original amount. Again, I am looking at both the USD$ AND CAD$ to be of equal value for this challenge.

9.) If there are two (or three, or four...) people who are tied in 1st place, the total of the pot will be split evenly between the winners.

10.) We trust that everyone will be honest in their weight submissions. We would like to keep this as a fair, clean and honest challenge!

***IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR YOU TO SEND IN YOUR SCALE PHOTOS. THREE WEEKS (CONSECUTIVE OR NON-CONSECUTIVE) WITHOUT YOUR WEIGH-IN WILL AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFY YOU FROM THE CHALLENGE AND YOUR MONETARY SUBMISSION WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED***

____________________________

i would also like to include that second and third place winners

(discounting any family members and only open to my blog followers!)

will be receiving a little something from me!

please remember that you have until Monday, August 15 at 9:00pm EST

to join in and get both your submission and first weigh-in to me.

if you are interested in joining and have any other questions

please feel free to email me at mommy.shrimp@gmail.com

HAVE FUN TO ALL OUR CHALLENGERS!!!

the dusty bookshelf: Caillou Books

2011-08-10T00:09:00.000-07:00

there are three things my little man is head over heels in love with.

the first being his brother (ok, that's a person)

the second are his trains (be it thomas, chuggington or whoever else)

and third is Caillou.

yes, Caillou. he just adores Caillou.

we have netflix at home because they have the complete

four seasons of Caillou and for his down time,

the little man get to watch his favorite show.

of course, what little boy who loves Caillou

would be complete without having a few choice Caillou books on hand?

this set includes the following selections:

Caillou Dresses Up!

Caillou Goes Birdwatching

Caillou's The Hiding Place

Caillou Rides a Bike

Caillou Rides on the Plane

Caillou Walks a Dog

of course, not a day goes by that we do not read

ALL six books.

yes, we've have them memorized by heart already.

27 is over...

2011-08-05T02:15:00.003-07:00

i just turned 28.

because the hubby had to work on my actual birthday

and i have been badly wanting to take the kids to the beach

we decided to hit Barnet Park last monday to do a quiet celebration

with my boys, my bestest girlfriend, her hubby and her baby bump.

after weeks of dreary vancouver weather

(and if you know me, i am quite happy with that!)

it was actually quite nice to see the sun peek out on monday

and we were able to thoroughly enjoy the time spent at the park.

how about i let the photos do some talking here?

after a solid 8 hours spent by the beach

numerous sunblock applications

forgetting the grill of the bbq (thank goodness we had aluminum foil!)
breaking the handles of our picnic bag

my bff having to buy a cooler on her way

and also the very preggers bff having to taking a dive in the cold water

to catch the little man who lost his footing (thank you for this!)

building sandcastles

digging in the sand

feasting on some yummy bbq

and hours upon hours of just plain quality time

i can say that in just one day, we are able to fully get our summer on.

we had a fantabulous time!

and i have to say, it was a nice way to end year 27

and begin year 28.

love me those kick's

2011-07-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

i love my baby brother.

seriously.

because he knows me oh so very well.

i know this is long overdue, but...

thank you for their matching shoes!

this sister of yours is truly thankful :)

the tale of the macarons

2011-07-27T00:54:00.000-07:00

my bestest girlfriend, A. (who is 15 weeks pregnant with twins!)

has been having a LOT of cravings lately.

one of her more recent cravings was macarons

and her wonderful hubby, intent on only pleasing

his very pregnant wife

bought her a box of these yummy treats.

because these macarons are only available at certain places,

i haven't had an opportunity to grab them

until the hubby and i decided to take the kiddies

to the vancouver aquarium for a fun-filled afternoon.

on our way home

we quickly made a stop at the urban tea merchant

where dylan and i stepped out of the car

to grab some yummy delectable treats.

i made the little boy choose which macarons he wanted

where he proceeded to tell me which colors it was

that appealed to him most.

the macarons were YUMMY.

i loved the lemon one.

the little man loved the almond infused one.

the husband on the other hand???

he posted this lovely photo of our macarons on his facebook page

along with the following description:

Bloody wife bought these bloody "Macarons"
that are just as big as a looney for $4 a BLOODY PIECE!!!!!!!!
Talk about waste of money.
Geeezzz.... And she gets mad when I buy my video games?!
*toink*

i had the best laugh in weeks when i read that!
it was also followed by this conversation thread that had me

hurling even more laughter at him.

least to say

my poor pregnant girl of a best friend

is in heaps of trouble from the hubby!

all because of some silly macarons!!!

movies galore

2011-07-26T06:00:00.004-07:00

for the first time in months (yes, months!)

i was finally able to get my act together

and catch a couple movies i've been dying to see.

i had a date with both my hubby and baby brother

to see the final chapter of Harry Potter

though i will not review the movie

i will just say that it was a bittersweet ending.

my brother was right-on when he said he was a tad sad

for it was like saying goodbye to his childhood

for he grew up in the Harry Potter era.

then on saturday

because the hubby felt cheated that i got to watch my movie

and he hasn't had his pick in ages

off we went to see transformers!

i'm a bit of a boy when it comes to movies.

i like them big, bad and all blown up!

i love fight scenes and guns (as much as i love romance!).

seeing transformers in 3D just made me appreciate it all the more.

i couldn't get over the graphic details of this movie.

it was a terrific weekend filled with movies.

which is so rare for us these days.

before we had kids, i think we watched everything in the theatre.

now it's a treat for us to be able to go at all!

my boys and i

2011-07-25T02:20:00.000-07:00

this is week 3 of the hubby being back to work

after a 2.5 month hiatus.

although sometimes i'd like to tear my hair out

and cry myself over tantrums, spilled milk,

a hungry crying baby and a dirty diaper

or to even put myself in the corner for two minutes

for feeling badly about having to put my dylan in time out,

i still try to remember that the good days always outweigh the bad.

like dylan apologizing before i even lose my temper

for something he has done and he knows he shouldn't.

or kaelan cooing and babbling when his kuya (older brother)

is trying to talk to him.

or waking up after a long nap

to find dylan has moved to kaelan's side of the bed

so that he can hug his baby brother and seeing them both fast asleep.

yes, good days definitely outweigh the bad.

and though the three of us are missing their daddy.

i find that sometimes, it's great to have one less boy in the house.

it's one less gray hair on this mommy's head!

pages of my life

2011-07-22T01:02:00.002-07:00

in the process of clearing out our storage room

i opened a long-forgotten box filled with some of my childhood memorabilia.

letters from friends in elementary, birthday cards,
high school photos, dried flowers from prom...

each one triggered a memory of days gone by

that brought an instant smile to my face.

inside this big box, i found a smaller box.

hidden in its recess were journals... my journals

counting back from my very first, given by my mama and papa

for my 11th birthday.

it started with `dear diary...`

and for years i kept on writing...
from tears to triumphs

friendships formed and loves lost

from writing about my day to ranting about a horrid event

these pages formed so much of my life

that i am able to see such a transformation from a little girl

to a grown woman.

my last journal ended in 2002, the year i met my hubby (go figure)

and i did take a break from writing.

so much so that it took me years to get back again.

but this time, i blogged.
i opened my very first blog with xanga back in 2004
(which is now closed with it`s pages archived)
and my love of writing has resurfaced.

this current blog of mine has been opened since 2009
but prior to that, i have had other entries as far back as 2007
that i have wholeheartedly integrated into this site.

i have been asked multiple times why i blogged.
and why i would want to share so many details of my life
to people who are unknown to me.

my answer is always the same.
i blog for myself --- not for my readers
(though all of you are the delicious cherries on top!)

i blog for the love of writing.
i blog because i have two beautiful little boys and a loving husband
and i want to be able to jot down simple moments
that i will forever treasure with them.
i blog because it`s a reaffirmation of the life i live
and that i am so thankful for each of the blessings that come my way.
i blog when i need to vent, when i need to cry, when i need to laugh and just because.

at the end of this year, this blog will be printed in journal format.
i will add it to my collection of diaries
but this time, with the sole purpose that my little boys
will pull it out from their bookshelf and read of my love for them.

because that is the exact purpose of my blog.
it`s an open love letter to my two most precious little loves.

*pictures via weheartit*

the dusty bookshelf: Baby, I Love You

2011-07-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

written by: Karma Wilson

illustrated by: Sam Williams

i find that having a toddler at home

who is in the process of learning to appreciate books

is a fantastic time for me

to also fall-in-love with children's books.

Baby, I Love You is now part of our "must reads" for bedtime

and my Dylan gets to say the "I Love You" parts

complete with a tap on my nose

in a squeaky little voice.

i just adore books ---

and i adore that my son is loving them too!

the dusty bookshelf: Goodnight Moon

2011-07-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

written by: Margaret Wise Brown
illustrated by: Clement Hurd

Goodnight Moon is our favorite bedtime book.

i remember years ago

when this was first introduced to my baby brother.

he loved this book so much

and has memorized it cover to cover.

it was only appropriate then

that the book became my baby brother's present

to my eldest little boy

for his dedication (baptism).

we have a hard copy of the book

and it is so worn out that you would think

that it has been passed down a few generations.

but that is how you know a book is good.

because it gets so much use --- too much reads.

and Lord knows how much my son loves it.

that much like his godfather, my brother,

he now has it memorized cover to cover.

they could be twins

2011-07-13T21:31:00.002-07:00

my boys are 2 years and a bit apart

but they look so alike at this stage

that they could have passed off as twins!

Day 4 @ BC Children's Hospital

2011-07-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

our little man is a trooper.

he is doing so much better and both nurses and doctors

are very happy with his progress.

no more chills and fevers.

no more diarrhea.

no more projectile vomiting.

all smiles for the camera

we are to be kept an extra night and day

just to administer the last set of antibiotics

via the IV tube.

afterwards, we will be released with oral antibiotic prescriptions.

daddy entertaining the little boy

his ultrasound turned out normal.

his blood culture tested negative for bacteria in his blood.

his urinalysis showed traces of e. coli so we are treating that.

we will have a follow-up in six weeks, then six months.

mommy burping a non-stop kicking little baby

our mr. tsubs is back to normal!
he is currently flirting with all his pretty nurses.

"how you doing?"

ER trip

2011-07-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

my teeny mr. tsubs is in the hospital.

we rushed him friday at five pm when out of the blue

a sudden onset of chills occured

and i found myself carrying a very feverish 2.5 month old.

we were in the ER with talks of catheter urine test,

blood work and lumbar puncture.

i insisted they do everything else but the lumbar puncture.

the doctor insisted we do it to rule out meningitis.

i insisted again to see the results of both blood work and urine test

prior to doing a lumbar puncture.

thank goodness i did for all doctors agress he no longer needs an LP.

mr. tsubs, it turns out, is fighting a bacterial infection (UTI).

he gave doctors in the ER quite a scare last night

when all of a sudden, he started convulsing for twenty minutes non-stop.

it was concluded that he was not having seizures, but has rigor instead

as he was quite alert during that time.

it doesn't make it less scary but i was heartbroken to see the him

in so much pain (and i've had chills before so i know how it feels!).

luckily, the baby boy is responding well to medication.

we have been admitted to the children's kidney ward

and he is monitored around the clock

while his antibiotics are kicking in and doing their job

in helping his system fight off the infection.

it's been almost 24 hours since his last fever

and he is faring much better as per countless nurses,

four resident doctors, two med students,

two ER doctors and pediatrician.

we are just waiting for both blood and urine culture test result

to pinpoint exactly which bacteria he is fighting off

to tailor the antibiotics to his exact needs.

but aside from that, mr. tsubs is much more comfortable now

and i've had no more breakdowns as of last night.

as a parent who has made numerous trips to the ER previously

and who has seen firsthand what febrile seizures are like

you would think it would be easier for me

to stomach needles, blood and tests.

or to see a child shaking and convulsing repeatedly

or crying until their little voices are coarse

or screaming at the top of their lungs

while crocodile tears are falling on their tiny faces.

it is NEVER easy.

let me repeat that. IT IS NEVER EASY.

especially when it is your own child you have to watch

for you are helpless and feel worthless

and though you want to take away their pain

no amount of cursing and crying will do it.

so last night and today and for the remainder of our time here

(and most definitely for eternity)

i will do the best that i can

by cuddling, consoling and kissing my little boys.

and telling them how much mommy loves them

and how i will never leave them

and how will hold their hand every step of the way.

and for each and every night as always do

i will ask our Father to keep them safe, keep them healthy,

and to always keep them on the right path.

and i will also ask him to listen to me, never leave me,

and to hold my hand in each trial i will have to overcome

as i need him... his love and guidance

to help me be strong and wise and grounded

for my baby loves.

my mornings are for...

2011-07-08T00:52:00.000-07:00

KAELAN
yes, that's right.
my early morning start is just for kaelan.

while the little man is asleep
and the hubby is getting ready for work
kaelan gets up at about 5:30am (after 7+ hours of sleep)
and we settle in for a nice hour of baby and mommy time.

it's all about the feeding for the first half hour.
then it's all about the cooing, the tickling, the giggles and grinning
the laughing and kissing, the hugging and dancing
and all those gooey things us mommies do with little babies.

it's our very special time.
just him and i.
getting to know each other quite well.
while the rest of the world is probably still snoring the night away.

finger puppets

2011-07-07T12:40:00.002-07:00

my dylan is a massive fan of caillou.

so big that in one of the episodes where caillou made finger puppets

he took off the caps from his markers

and said that those were his finger puppets!

(ingenuity at 2 years old makes this mommy proud!)

so what did this not-so-very-crafty-mommy do?

research online for a DIY finger puppets, of course!

i found these gorgeous patterns at an etsy store

very nice, right?

yeah... no. i didn't get to make these.

we instead ended up making these finger puppets instead!

*pix from original DIY instruction*

the actual instructions for this DIY called for construction paper

but we decided to use foam sheets instead

and with the help of the glue gun

we were able to create the base!

the hubby who has a knack for art
did the work on the drawing

and we ended up with the chicken!

we also made the elephant and plan on making more.

for now, it's a great small project

and the little man couldn't be happier!

Something Borrowed: "She's a little witch on Thursdays!"

2011-07-06T06:00:00.001-07:00

i came across this video online

and thought that i should share.

i was hooting and hollering with laughter

and i kid you not when i say that i had tears in my eyes

by the end of this video.

this kid is just too cute.

i hope you enjoy this as much as i did!!!

p.s. it's been a while since i've posted
a "Something Borrowed" feature. it's time i bring it back!

grandparents are the best!

2011-07-05T14:08:00.002-07:00

my parents came back home yesterday
after an extra long weekend trip south of the border

their first order of business?

visit their grandchildren, of course!

and they came bearing wonderful gifts.

not for their own daughter

but for the kiddies.

thanks mama/yoya and papa/yoyo!!!

for ALL THE CLOTHES for the two boys!

i no longer have to go shopping for their summer outfits now.

not when you've spent a bazillion moolahs on it!!!

grandparents are seriously the best!!!

wouldn't you agree?

two thumbs up!

2011-07-04T10:48:00.001-07:00

you got that right!

two thumbs way up high for this little man

who is now the king of his potty!!!

it took us all of four full days to potty train him.

(remember this post and that?)

on the fourth day... we were jumping for joy already.

we were done!!! (for the meantime, that is.)

who knew that potty training would be like a walk in the park?

i sure didn't but i'm thankful nontheless!

it has been so hot lately...

2011-07-02T23:59:00.002-07:00

that on a daily basis i have been craving bubble tea.

and not just any bubble tea.

i have to drag the whole family and drive a solid half hour

just to go to my most favorite bubble tea shop of all.

it seems they are the only one who serves my addiction.

CAPPUCCINO ICE CREAM BUBBLE TEA.

***drools***

seriously, no other shop has it.

and i should know.

i have been ordering the same thing from them

since i was in grade 9 (when they first opened!)

and that was a good 13 years ago!!!

watermelon & avocado on a super hot vancouver day

the dusty bookshelf: Busy Little Mouse

2011-06-28T12:25:00.002-07:00

written by: Eugenie Fernandes

illustrated by: Kim Fernandes

i am trying to instill my love of reading to my darling boys

dylan is at the age where he is now enjoying short stories

repetition is the key at his age so i try to pick out books

that he is able to quickly grasp and recall

we are currently in-love with this book.

not only does it have a cute story line

it also has some lovely illustrations

that any kid will surely love

this is a must-have in your bookshelf

if you have little ones.

my boys simplest toy...

2011-06-27T21:12:00.002-07:00

is their lolo (grandpa) and lola (grandma)

(pronounced as YOYO and YOYA by dylan)

need i say more?

funny how in this picture

kaelan looks exactly like my dad

and dylan looks exactly like my mom

mommy's night out

2011-06-25T08:14:00.002-07:00

a good friend of mine called a few days ago

her opening line was something close to this...

"uhm, what are you doing friday night?
are you like free for three or so hours...

can you leave the kids with kady and he won't mind?

coz i got tickets to the rihanna concert!!!"

uhhh, yeah. like i was going to turn down THAT invitation?

not only do i get to hang out and bond

with one of the greatest mommies (and diaper cake designer!) that i know of

but i get to put make-up, jewelry and a bit of heels on!!!

(only mommies will know what i mean on this one)

neens and i rockin' the curly hair and pearly whites

least to say, these two momma's had a fantastic time

singing and dancing our hearts out

at a jam-packed rogers arena

so we left with sore throats, hurting feet and near-deaf ears

but it was a price worth paying for

to get a few hours of girl time...

i need more nights like this one!!!

multitasker me

2011-06-23T23:32:00.001-07:00

what is this mommy up to at 11:30pm???

cleaning the house (putting away mess)
baking muffins for dylan's last day of school
putting together a "thank you" present for dylan's teacher
sorting & folding laundry
actually still doing laundry (2 more loads!)
putting dylan to sleep
feeding kaelan so he can sleep

facebook-ing

blogging

making coffee so i can stay up

what are you up to at 11:30pm???

randomness...

2011-06-22T21:25:00.002-07:00

silly chubby feet

and not to mention very hairy legs

in pink flip-flops

have i mentioned this is not my feet?

it's actually the hubby's! (yes, you read that right!)

we went for a walk to the waterpark and he wore new shoes

and those shoes hurt his feet badly... very badly

so what did we do? SWITCH!

(too bad i didn't get a picture of his big shoes on my feet!)

i love a man who can wear pink.

be it a shirt, tie or some very girly flip-flops!

on another random thought.....

have you ever played this game?

i have not hooted and hollered in laughter in a while over a game

(and i have a love of cranium!)

but pass the pig was a blast

especially if you are playing for some moolah!

and lastly.....

with summer upon us

rompers just might be my most favourite outfit for the season!

i have these two which i just happen to love

and which i happen to wear almost every time we step out of the house!

yes, they are that darned comfy and airy!

not to mention summery!

what are your randoms for today?

newborn shoot

2011-06-20T16:00:00.003-07:00

when kaelan was nine days old

we went ahead and had some newborn shots

taken of him.

though this is two months late

i guess better post them now than never!

here are some of my fave shots...

of course, my most favorite of all

just has to be one

of my two adorable little loves

two months was quick

2011-06-19T09:44:00.001-07:00

today, on father's day, my little kaelan turns 2 months old

time just seems to be breezing along

from this tiny baby boy weighing no more than 6.2 lbs

to an amazing little boy with a twinkle on his eye.

he is now smiling at us constantly and cooing at all times

he stays up more often in the daytime and plays with his brother

and we all can't get enough of him

06.18.11

on another note, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the wonderful dads out there.

my father's day post will be for later tonight!

potty training day #2

2011-06-16T23:37:00.002-07:00

prior to starting potty training
i have read numerous books and talked to a number of moms

who can shed some light and knowledge

on how to make it an easy transition both for child and parents

i will be honest when i say that i was very nervous to start

i know how messy it will get and that 'accidents' are bound to happen.

as i've said previously, we are starting the little man slowly.

no diapers in the daytime unless he is down for a nap, bedtime or when we are out

i will then slowly transition him to no diapers at naptime, etc.

it's day #2.

and the little man has successfully been peeing in the potty!

"need to pee, mommy!" is his usual opening line.

no bribery and no tricks.

i think he is just plain ready to use it!

*i hope he forgives me for posting this pic up when he's old enough to understand*

potty training day #1

2011-06-14T13:08:00.004-07:00

we've decided to start the little man with his potty training.

with the hubby going back to work in 2.5 weeks

TODAY is the best day to begin.

we let him run around the house with no diapers on.

so far, two bathroom runs and no accidents.

not bad for his first day, right?!?

but we are taking this the slow route.
no diapers when he's awake
and we will cheat at nighttime
until he is fully trained in the mornings.

wish us luck!

i know we're going to need it.

and if you have any potty training tips,

i'd be grateful to you for sharing!

monday's favourite things

2011-06-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

+ the smell of BBQ in the summer +
+ walks along the beach +

+ sinking my bare feet in sand... or cooling them off in the water +
+ long drives to any destination +
+ sunrise at 5:30am +

what are some of your favorite things?

a walk around the seawall

2011-06-12T11:37:00.001-07:00

it was such a beautiful day yesterday

cloudy with bits of sun peeking out

and the wind was just perfect

it was our type of day to take the kids out for a walk

and we ended up going to stanley park

where we walked the seawall from Second Beach to Siwash Rock

we could've gone for a longer walk if we were in gear

but i was in my flip flops and my feet can't really go much further

after all, i was pushing two kids along the way

we didn't have our camera as we normally would
and the hubby was too lazy to take photos

so this is the only one we took for our walk

on a side note

we just got this new stroller and i am absolutely loving it!!!

i am envisioning tons of walks around parks, beaches and downtown

now that it's easy to tag the two tots without the hubby.

have a gorgeous sunday lovies!

i can't wait......

2011-06-10T15:40:00.002-07:00

..... but then, can you???

the teeny bopper in me is squealing it's head off over this new trailer.

i cannot (and i stress CANNOT) wait to catch this movie

even if it means going on a weekday morning

to the Stars and Strollers movie times!!!

forgive the twi-hard fan in me, will you?

family day: harrison hot springs

2011-06-05T07:11:00.003-07:00

we had a wonderful saturday enjoying some much-needed family day out.
anyone with two very young children knows how difficult it is to step out of the house
it takes at us at least 3 hours to get everyone bathed, packed and ready to go!

we hit record time yesterday by getting out in two hours flat.

i was craving for IHOP but we would have to drive out of the way
so we headed over to white spot for some yummy breakfast.

pancakes for me and mushroom & egg omelet for the hubby

after stuffing ourselves full

we prepped for our hour or so drive over to harrison hot springs

harrison has to be one of my favourite places to visit

and prior to dylan's birth, the hubby and i drove down there at least twice every summer

we have spent a couple of overnighters in this small town

and have very fond memories there with friends

so while dylan and i enjoyed walking around...

basking in the sun... (and i am now sporting a red sunburnt nose)

and playing in the water...

the hubby and kaelan had to stay in the shade
as we are not yet allowed to put any sunscreen on the baby
(and let me tell you it was HOT yesterday!)

after a few hours of frolicking and playing

and just plain enjoying the beautiful summer weather

it was time for us to get our gear and head home

to catch game 2 of the stanley cup finals!

(which, btw, our Canucks won!!!!)

but of course

the hot sun and a quick trip out of town is not complete

without stopping for some yummy gelato!

i hope you lovies had a great saturday as well!

a teensie weensie preview of our saturday

2011-06-04T22:09:00.002-07:00

my little family had a very busy saturday.

it was an outrageously gorgeous day on our little corner of the world

so we ventured out and took the kids to one of our favourite spots about an hour away from home

here's a quick peek on where we spent a good portion of our day!

isn't it just beautiful? what with the lake and the snow-capped mountains in the background!

more photos and updates to come tomorrow so stay tuned!

a parent's prayer...

2011-06-01T21:48:00.006-07:00

Help Me give my children the best... not of trappings or toys,

but of myself, cherishing them on good days and bad, theirs and mine.

Teach Me to accept them for who they are, not for what they do;

to listen to what they say, if only so they will listen to me; to encourage

their goals, not mine; and please, let me laugh with them and be silly.

Let Me give them a home where respect is the cornerstone,

integrity the foundation, and there is enough happiness to raise the roof.

May I give them the courage to be true to themselves;

the independence to take care of themselves

and the faith to believe in a power much greater than their own.

See That I discipline my children without demeaning them,

demand good manners without forgetting my own

and let them know they have limitless love, no matter what they do.

Let Me feed them properly, clothe them adequately and have enough to give

them small allowances... not for the work they do but the pleasure they bring...

and let me be moderate in all these things,

so the joy of getting will help them discover the joy of giving.

See that their responsibilities are real but not burdensome,

that my expectations are high but not overwhelming

and that my thanks and praise are thoughtful and given when they're due.

Help me teach them that excellence is work's real reward,

and not the glory it brings. But when it comes.. and it will.. let me

revel in each honor, however small, without once pretending

that it's mine; my children are glories enough.

Above all, let me ground these children so well that I can

dare to let them go.

And may they be so blessed.

by Marguerite Kelly

a brother's love...

2011-05-27T02:04:00.002-07:00

when kaelan was born, we were a little worried about dylan's role as a brother.

is he going to be jealous and want more of our attention?

is he going to throw tantrums and tell us that he dislikes having a new baby around?

would he harbor hard feelings now that he has to share his mommy and daddy?

it turns out that all our worries are for nothing

for dylan has fallen in love

fast and hard.

since day one.

at two and a bit, he is his brother's constant companion.

he climbs up our bed first thing in the morning to lay sleepily beside the baby.

he hugs and kisses him at all times and wants to carry him the way we do.

upon hearing kaelan's cry, he runs to him and kisses him immediately to make him feel 'better'.

he wants to help feed the baby, rock the baby, change the baby

and name any other thing we have to do with the baby and he wants that.

today, we took dylan out for a date to the theatre (his very first time!)

and when he realized that kaelan's car seat was not beside him in the car

he suddenly pipes up with "where's baby? where's baby, mommy?!?"

and he asks the same question everytime he can't seem to find the baby.

we are so lucky to have such a loving first born.

he truly is God sent and his unconditional love for us has blossomed and extended

and that love has poured itself over to his little brother.

monday's favourite things

2011-05-23T20:05:00.001-07:00

+ romantic books and films that make my heart go pitter-patter +

+ tulips and gerbera daises. they are my most favourite of flowers +

+ at starbucks: grande decaf easy on the caramel machiatto +

+ nap times... not just for the boys but for me as well +

+ midnight showers... they are currently my only guilty pleasure +

back to blogging!

2011-05-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

the previous week has been the busiest we have been since baby k arrived.

with family in town from toronto,

we have spent the last week being tourists in our own city

and have been cooking and eating up a storm.

i will get the updates in once i have a chance to get all photos uploaded.

for now, here's one taken at shannon falls.

pretty in... yellow?

2011-05-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

yellow has never been my color.

you can dress me in hot pink, lime green and even orange if need be

but yellow???

but then last week as i was browsing around the mall

i chanced upon this very pretty eyelet skirt

and i just couldn't pass up on it

it had that very springy/summery, light and airy feel to it

and i just fell in love.

so now i own something yellow and it's hanging front and center in my closet.

monday's favourite things

2011-05-17T01:01:00.000-07:00

this post is a tad late... but better late than never, right?

+ tulips in the springtime +

+ the sun beating down my back with the soft cold breeze on my face +

+ tiny hands and baby feet +

+ hugs and kisses from my three boys +

+ karaoke!!! +

mama's day celebration

2011-05-10T21:40:00.001-07:00

this year marks the 3rd time i am celebrating mother's day.

i couldn't have asked for a better gift than the early arrival of my baby boy, kaelan.

but i did receive my very first (of hopefully plenty more) hand-made card from my ltitle man, dylan.

ok, so technically, it was his teacher who made the cards...

but that is definitely his hand-print there which he worked on at school!

we celebrated Mother's Day by going to church in the morning.

i thanked God for all the blessings he has showered us with

and for the three precious boys in my life.

we also met with my mom-in-law and sisters-in-law to give them our little appreciation gifts.

we then headed over to Kentizen for lunch with my mom and dad.

their buffet selection of japanese and chinese food was so drool-worthy

that i had a hard time trying to stop eating.

*my mom with dylan and my dad with kaelan*

because mother's day turned out to be a gorgeously warm day

we wrapped up our afternoon with a stop at La Casa Gelato.

with 218 flavours to choose from, i opted for the safety of ferrero rocher and coffee flavour

while the little man had chocolate chip and the hubby...

well, he went for an extreme by trying the wasabi flavour (which, by the way, he says NEVER to order)

and some yummy toblerone flavoured ice cream.

*dylan after thoroughly enjoying his ice cream*

to top it off, here's my mom and i (along with our carbon-copy chins)

with my boys... the apple of both our eyes!

got to love those moms!

2011-05-08T20:59:00.001-07:00

in celebration of mother's day

i decided to put to together little appreciation gifts

for some special women in our lives.

these little brown packages contains

my favourite tinted lip glosses and some scented soap

and i couldn't resist those gorgeous clip-on butterflies from michaels

these very pretty tins cans

also held some glossy lip balms packaged in very cute containers!

(i forgot to takea photo of them)

i wanted to create a big post on our mother's day celebration

but alas, i am exhausted and with both my boys down for the evening

i too am craving to just crawl into bed.

so i am going to leave my mama's day post for tomorrow.

and wish all you mom's a very HAPPY MAMA'S DAY!

i hope you all had a great time celebrating this special time.

(but as all us mother's know, every day is extra special)

cold turkey

2011-05-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

my two year old loves his binky.

we have many names for this said item.

tebebe. bebe. the shut-up-fier. "T". tsup-tsup.

you name it, we've come up with all sorts of code names for it.

as the hubby is home for another five weeks

we figured that now is the best time to wean the little man off it.

so we (meaning I) read up on ways to decrease the use of the pacifier.

and we (meaning I again) set-up a game plan.

least to say, game plans did NOT work.

and we ended up having to resort to cold turkey.

and the little man cried his heart out the first night.

for an HOUR AND A HALF.

and the following morning, he cried himself silly for an hour.

and that evening at my mother's, he cried himself to the point of throwing up for half an hour.

and in the car on the way home, HE NEVER ASKED for his favorite bebe again.

*he still slips up from time to time, but that's a given... but boy is his progress amazing!

monday's favourite things

2011-05-02T23:25:00.001-07:00

+ the smell of babies, throw-up and all... nothing can compare +

+ turning the pages of a brand new book +

+ the crispness of newly printed bills from the bank +

+ the minutes between sleep and waking up +

+ neck massages from the hubby +

i heart 'em boys of mine

2011-05-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

babies make the cutest faces!

2011-04-28T15:14:00.000-07:00

one thing i love about newborns are the faces they make.

it amuses me every time without fail.

like this one...

or how about this one?

"E.T. phone home...."

on another note, i can't believe my baby boy is a little over a week old already!

that's time for us... too fast!

for easter...

2011-04-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

a week before easter, i had the little man help me prepare some eggs for his classmates at school.

as we were expecting a full house, i had him working on 12 eggs a day for three days.

he was supposed to give them out to his friends for easter.

but alas, we had baby phoenix and couldn't make it to school anymore.

nontheless, it was a great project for a two year old.

he thoroughly enjoyed working on the eggs.

it kept him occupied for a good 30 minutes a day!

little boys

2011-04-25T19:35:00.002-07:00

little boys are the sweetest things in this planet.

this morning, dylan woke up and i placed his baby brother right beside him in bed.

my little man proceeded to hug his brother gently, smiling sweetly and closing his eyes after.

i live for this type of day.

i still can't get over the fact that i now have TWO.

two boys to give lots of hugs and kisses to.

two boys to pamper and spoil.

two boys to chase around the park and play trains with.

two boys to completely cherish and love.

i thank God for giving them both to me.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!

my boys

2011-04-24T10:04:00.002-07:00

how did i ever get so lucky to be blessed by three gorgeous boys in my life?

i must've done something good somewhere along the way.

and three pushes later...

2011-04-22T00:02:00.001-07:00

PHOENIX KAELAN

April 19, 2011

6.2 lbs & 49"

come out, come out!

2011-04-13T16:11:00.000-07:00

i have tried everything i could possibly think of to naturally induce labour

i have walked until my feet hurt

gotten tons of relaxing massage from the hubby

stuffed myself with pineapples

cleaned the entire house twice... short of stuffing myself in the oven

and ate enough spicy food to last me a lifetime

none has even caused one single silly contraction.
i am soooo ready to get this baby out.

any tips or tricks to get labour started?!?

monday's favourite things

2011-04-11T02:07:00.003-07:00

+ falling asleep beside my little boy +

+ baby kicks... i will miss being pregnant +

+ the smell of fresh laundry +

+ pitter-patter of rain on the windowsill +

+ driving with the windows down on a cool, crisp day +

what are a few of your favourite things?

precious moments

2011-04-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

Boy, n.: a noise with dirt on it.
~Not Your Average Dictionary~

... but times like these, no matter how sticky his lips are or how much glue is stuck between his fingers, makes a being a mom so worth it...

photo taken by the hubby

he's a sponge!

2011-04-05T22:56:00.002-07:00

at 26 months, my little man can count to ten, sing his ABC's (up to P), recite words and certain phrases of some of his favourite books and sing lines to some of most-loved songs.

i can't believe how fast he's growing up on us!

Baby Shower

2011-04-03T23:27:00.000-07:00

I am thankful to have such a wonderful set of friends

who go out of their way to throw me such a rockin' baby shower.

My little family had an amazing time celebrating the soon-to-be arrival

of our new bundle of joy.

36 weeks and counting! Almost there....

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 7

2011-03-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

boo... i'm a day late on this one again.

DAY 7: A PHOTOGRAPH OF SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO YOU

i have blogged about the importance of my wedding ring before. it is the one "thing" that i treasure most as it symbolizes so much of what i hold dearest to me.

a few months back, my little man has misplaced this ring at my parents house and i am so happy to say that just earlier this week, my brother finally found it... in his sock drawer of all things! i am definitely ecstatic to have my wedding ring back!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 6

2011-03-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

DAY 6: A PHOTO OF YOURSELF TWO YEARS AGO

this photo was taken last March 18, 2009 (the type A personality in me keeps a very detailed and organized picture file on my comp so i can pinpoint exact dates!). the little man was about 6 weeks at this time and there's me with about five to six hours of sleep on a daily basis.

i guess i will be looking forward to that again in a few weeks!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 5

2011-03-23T13:40:00.001-07:00

i know this is a day late but it couldn't be helped so i am catching up! forgive my tardiness and i hope this actually doesn't happen again...

DAY 5: YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPH OF YOUR BEST FRIEND

yes, you are seeing correctly. that is a massive hole at the most inappropriate part of the wet suit my bff was wearing! and she will most likely kill me for pulling out this pic but please, she was wearing a swimsuit underneath so it's not like i'm totally exposing her!!! this was taken back in the summer of '07 when we went rafting for the day --- we had a ton of fun playing in the frigid waters of squamish and experiencing the thrill of white water rafting. it was one of those adventures that i would love to repeat!

this is my 2nd most favourite photo of hers (i stole it from her FB).

meet A, the all-time bestest bff anyone can have. she was a snob when we first met (YES YOU WERE!!!)... or so i thought, but luckily, we met again years down the road and totally hit it off. i don't know what i would do without her.

she is one of the most beautiful people i know inside and out... and also one of the strongest women i have ever come across. i always thank the man upstairs that he has sent her my way :)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 4

2011-03-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

DAY 4: A PHOTO OF THE ITEM YOU LAST PURCHASED

have you ever been stuck at chapters for hours holding at least 10 books in your hands trying to figure out what to buy? that was me yesterday... i can never seem to leave that store without purchasing anything.

this time around, i was stuck at the parenting section for what seemed like hours while the hubby and little man browsed around the indigo kids section (browsed for toys and trains, that is!)

as my son is currently in his "totally awesome two's", i thought this might help me freshen up on some tips and tricks to handle certain T's (tears & tantrums!)

found these kumon activity books for toddlers! i can't wait to delve into them with the little man so i went ahead and got him scissors and glue as well (and not to forget crayons!)

what have you purchased lately?

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 3

2011-03-20T22:26:00.000-07:00

DAY 3: A BAD HABIT YOU WISH YOU DIDN'T HAVE

can you guess my bad habbit???

i am horrid when it comes to biting nails! it disgusts me and i can't seem to help myself sometimes --- luckily i only do it in the privacy of my own home... never in front of others! if you have any for sure ways to stop nail biting, let me know and i will try it! i will do anything to stop this habit!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 2

2011-03-19T23:11:00.000-07:00

DAY 2: 15 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF

it's always tough for me to get some sort of list together that has to describe "me"... but i'll try!

1.) My first name is actually Johanna but I go by my second name Elaine. My parents did not know if they were having a boy or girl and were going through baby names and when my dad said "Johanna", I kicked quite hard so I technically chose my name. They would have named me "Jon" if I turned out to be a boy (which is now my younger brother's first name!). Elaine was derived from my grandfather... he was nicknamed "Elen" and my dad wanted to pay his respects to his father and gave me "Elaine".

2.) I was born with a mole on my right cheek. If my mom's stories were correct, the mole was a perfect heart shape when I was young. It grew over time and sorry to say that it is now a very ordinary beauty mark. I've considered getting it taken out but am too scared of the procedure that I have opted not to anymore.

3.) I met my husband through Apt107.com in the summer of 2002. It's the much earlier version of myspace and all those social networking sites and we had a mutual friend acquaintance who introduced us. I was not a fan of him at first (I really hated the gap between his two front teeth!) and shot him down before we even had a chance to have our 2nd date. Through a series of serendipitous meetings, we actually became official in September of 2002. That's 9 years this year!!!

4.) I met the hubby when I was 18, got engaged at 19 and was married at 21. The hubby is 2 years older than I am and he was not prepared to get married until he was 27... I told him there is no way I would wait that long and he suddenly popped the question! We got married 16 months after he made me choose my ring.

5.) I have a beautiful little boy I love to brag about. Baby #2 is on the way --- we only have a few weeks to go!

6.) I have a penchant for singing. Throughout high school I was a part of our school choir, girls choir and jazz choir. I was also a part of a four-person singing group that did small gigs both in and out of school. Oh! And of course I can`t miss being part of the church choir every Sunday. Which leads me to fact 7 about me...

7.) I love Glee!

8.) I have moved houses nine times in the last 5 years. Yes, I just love to move! I`m quite the pro at it now (my best friend doesn`t think so, actually).

9.) I very rarely shop around town. I actually cross the border and hit Ross to do my shopping! I can go in there with $200 and come out with 6 dresses, 2 cardigans, 3 pairs of shoes and a few handbags. No kidding. I`m a bargain shopper!

10.) I lose my cell phone ALL the time. There really isn`t a point to me having one because it is usually misplaced and I don`t normally find it until three to five days later.

11.) I am a wuss when it comes to needles. I panic and hyperventilate when I go in for bloodwork. I usually ask them to make sure to get a vein before poking me and beg the technicians to NEVER EVER fish for my vein or I will faint dead away. Don`t ask me how I got through with an epidural... I think that came with a lot of tears on my end and a lot of distracting from the anesthesiologist.

12.) I am a caffeine and sushi addict. Pregnancy has its downfalls and this is one as I can very rarely have both of my favourites!

13.) I cannot dance to save my life! I think this is the reason that clubbing was never big in my vocabulary. I can count the number of times I have been to a club since I turned 19.

14.) If you ask me to cross my eyes, I can do it extremely well!

15.) I have never been the self-conscious type. Sure, I can shed a good 30+ lbs but I have always believed that God has given us our bodies for a reason and it is up to us to love it and respect it. You will never find me complaining about my weight... I tend to embrace my extra-sexiness :)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 1

2011-03-18T21:37:00.001-07:00

Just to ease myself back into the art of the blogging world again (because I have been majorly slacking on this end), I have decided to partake in a 30 day blog challenge. Hopefully this will make you, my reader, get to know me and my world a little better... and hopefully, you leave blurbs of yourself in here as well so that I can get to know you too!

DAY 1: A PHOTO OF YOURSELF AND A DESCRIPTION OF HOW YOUR DAY WAS

Forgive this crappy, pixelated photo I took from my comp... I didn't have the heart to pull my camera and take a much more decent shot. Complete with no make-up, hair that has been pulled out of a ponytail, a ratty old t-shirt and i hate to admit this, no shower as of yet for today (as I don't usually get a chance to hop in there until 11:30 at night) this is the usual "me" you will find on a daily basis.

My day has been spent mostly in bed (as was the last few days). I am currently 33 weeks pregnant and am having a rough last few weeks of pregnancy. My body is a lot more tired, sore and achy and it doesn't help that I have a toddler who is in constant need of my attention. Luckily, I can sit him in bed with me, pull out a few Caillou episodes from netflix and he is happy to watch as long as mommy is beside him.

I tend to get up only when he is hungry or is bored and wants to go to his bedroom and play (where I can again lay down and relax on his bed this time!). It doesn't sound like much of a life right now... which means that I can't wait for baby #2 to arrive so I can get back to some sort of normalcy around the house.

oh-so-swoon-worthy

2011-03-12T09:32:00.000-08:00

i'm a 27 year old pregnant woman lusting after this gorgeous piece of specimen.

ok.........

now that i got that out of the way, please forgive my teeny-boppiness for this post but i just can't get over a dream i had this morning.

let's just say that i was able to re-live Bella's view of of Breaking Dawn........ all the way up to the honeymoon scene with this mr-oh-so-drool-worthy-i-will-drop-my-panties-just-for-you-edward-cullen.

seriously, all the downsides of pregnancy just went out the window when the biggest bonus is having a very... let me stress that, VERY VIVID INTIMATE dream that feels much too real and gets your senses all messed up.

i am going to have a very happy saturday :) i hope yours is just as good!

little big boy... with his own room!

2011-03-10T23:20:00.000-08:00

over the last few days, we have been busy purchasing and putting together some new items for my little man's room. we finally bought him his "big boy bed" and also a few storage units for his toy collections. on my list of upcoming "things to buy" is a book case, some shelving and maybe a few minimalistic decorations.

i'm so thankful for ikea as we are able to snag some great buys with his bed and storage! i spent so much less than what i originally planned and cannot wait for the finished results. i'm hoping we're done prior to baby #2's arrival... this is our special way of easing the little man into his new phase of life as "Kuya" (big brother).

as it is, he is spending his very first night alone in his own room. i'm kind of anxious about it as we have always kept him on our bed these last two years. i'm sure i'll be wandering over to his bedroom sometime tonight and will be slipping in beside him for some shut-eye (this is the reason we bought him a twin bed instead of the originally planned toddler bed!).

on the topic of room decorations, i was browsing etsy yesterday and fell madly in love with some beautiful children's prints by TRAFALGAR SQUARE. here are a few of my favourites...

i am seriously enthralled by all the prints in their shop and am planning on purchasing a few for my boy's room. wouldn't that just be lovely? i'm hoping to snag these four to begin with... and build from there.

it's just like winning the lottery!

2011-03-03T16:53:00.001-08:00

back in January, Kary hosted a fabulous first giveaway that i was lucky enough to win!

I NEVER WIN ANYTHING... so imagine my surprise when her gorgeous miguelito pulled my name out of this beautiful red heart-shaped bin and later announced MY name! i was in serious shock and had to repeat the video again and again just to make sure i was hearing the right thing.

about a week or so ago, the package arrived at my mom's address and i was able to pick it up from her just this weekend. imagine my excitement at this beautifully wrapped package...

i was trying to be sooooo good and not rip the packaging but just couldn't help myself! inside the box was first a card that i ripped through... kary, i just have to say I LOVE YOU!!! :) your letter was heartfelt and i loved it!

and finally, the goodies!!!

thank you kary, for giving me a chance to feel like a million bucks with my new fuzzy slippers, wallet, earrings and necklace! i can't wait to have the opportunity to fancy my outfit with any of these items!!!

strong start

2011-02-26T13:18:00.001-08:00

it's been too long dear friends since i've last grazed my blog. with our recent move it feels like organizing the new place will never end! to top that off, i have 7 more weeks until i hit my 37th week and baby #2 is bound to arrive anytime after.... i have a million things to take care of prior to said arrival!

but enough of that. i have previously mentioned that the major perk of moving into our neighbourhood is the school across from our unit. these last few weeks, i have been taking Dylan to their strong start program --- a program that runs for children below the age of 5 to be able to interact with other children in a school or preschool setting. the only difference with this school is that parent participation is required.

it's been a great program so far! Dylan and i have started a new routine and usually make it to school by 9am and leave at 11:40. he gets gym time, play time, art time, computer time, circle time... you name it. and my little boy is thoroughly enjoying it!

warning: photos galore here!

it's about time!

2011-02-13T07:31:00.000-08:00

i've been awake since 4:30 am today cooking up a storm for our friends who are helping us move. that's both breakfast AND lunch!

excited, much?

you bet i am!

see you all in a couple of days!!!!

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Cruz!

2011-02-09T10:47:00.004-08:00

last saturday, february 5th, my childhood best friend took on a new title and a different last name.

i wish i could have been there to share her special day like she was for mine. we could've laughed non-stop for about five minutes over silly nothings --- all of it caught on camera. we could've spent some time catching up as if the years spent apart barely existed. i wish i was there to be able to help her but we are thousands of miles away from each other with continents separating us.

nontheless, i wish her nothing but the best that marriage has to offer. i wish her a lifetime of wedded bliss, children to fulfill their dreams and a blessed marriage.

CONGRATULATIONS, COJ & TINS!!!

*photos taken from Cleober Sinues & Coj Cruz' facebook page*

4 days until the move!

2011-02-08T12:01:00.001-08:00

it has been an extremely busy few days in our little household. with the sorting, packing up, shopping and making necessary calls for the update in our address, i haven't even had a chance to catch up with all you lovelies!

i have almost forgotten how hard moving can be... almost.

to give you a sense of our small and humble abode, below are a couple of photos from the previous tenants.

kitchen/dining room

our patio (bottom floor)

i just love how small and cozy the place is! i am not one to live in a big house because seriously, i would never be able to keep things neat and clean! but a small two bedroom is perfect enough for me. i can just imagine us spending much time outside in the patio for bbq's in the summer. what i love even more is that right across from it is the playground in an elementary school!

once we have moved and settled in, i have a big surprise for my wonderful followers! i can't wait to get things together for that --- hopefully very soon!

9 days to pack!

2011-02-03T15:53:00.000-08:00

with a new baby on the way, the husband and i figured that we needed to move to a slightly bigger place on a more convenient location. after i quit my job last year to be a stay-home mom, we moved back to my parent's home for a teeny bit to get our bearings together and figure out where best to move to. after a couple of months looking around, we found a condo 30 minutes away from our family and instantly fell in love.

we toured four units in this building. FOUR!!! the first three landlords wanted us to take over their unit but we turned them down for different reasons. the worse being that one of the landlords did not know what they were doing it all! when we were just about to give up on this location, one last unit opened up and we decided to try our luck one more time --- it seems that 4 is our lucky number!

we secured a beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 year old ground level suite with it's own patio. right across the street is an elementary school with a program for non-school-aged children and a playground to die for. we are blocks away from a waterpark, grocery, malls and there is a bus stop two minutes away from the house. transportation is as easy as 1, 2, 3... (as we only have one car) so it will make it easy for me to get anywhere with two kids!

now, i only have 9 days to pack 2 years worth of toys, clothes and paraphernalia. we closed the deal today and signed the one-year lease. we also went out to purchase some much-needed items for the home... least to say, my budget is blown out the window but wow... WHAT A GREAT FEELING!!! at least we were able to purchase the "must-have's" --- a couch, a mattress of the little man, bar stools, pillows and duvets. next week we go for a kitchen shopping trip!

it's an exciting time for my little family. we are moving on the 13th and i cannot wait! best of all, the new place will be fully ready for when baby #2 arrives. i truly am very excited for this upcoming move!!!

photos via weheartit

love o' my life

2011-02-01T23:19:00.000-08:00

he's the second man in my life... only surpassed by a teeny tiny bit by his daddy.
and i will NEVER ever be able to get over the fact that i have this beautiful little boy.
full of life... energy... exuberance and LOVE.
i can never be grateful enough to Him for gifting me with someone so precious.
and the best bit of all...
is that i have fallen in love twice.
and it's going to happen again a third time in thirteen very short weeks.

*i just love my life*

[my little dylan on his 2nd bday - 01.30.11]