Work@Home

It’s my 5th day at home. Tomorrow, Nanny Ann is coming back hopefully well enough after her bout vs. conjunctivitis. I should say Jake and I have bonded quite well this week, though not without the occasional fits of tantrum from both parties. Hehehe…. Anyway… the week seemed to just breeze by. After getting Jake all done and fed when he's not asleep, all I could remember doing since Monday, was sitting in front of the computer that was connected to our office network while Jake sat next to me watching tv and drinking his milk or playing his new Reader Rabbit cd.

Time flies, it’s already mid-month and before we know it, it’s Christmas time!


Click this video to see happy Jake...

Happy 10th Birthday Kyle!

Kyle 10, Matt 13 & Jake 2.5

Kyle turns 10 today! When asked where he would want to have his special dinner, he already had 1 resto in mind.

Tonight we will be having Kyle's favorite pochero/bulalo.

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I was home since Monday because Jake's nanny was sick with sore eyes. Today, while I was multi-tasking, taking care of Jake and managing my email, Jerry sent me a text message. The birthday miswa from my MIL's cook was on its way to our house (and probably to the other in-law's houses as well being customary for Chinese families to share the birthday miswa). So I sent down the helper to meet with SIL and get it.

When she came back up, there was one pot of birthday miswa, a gift for Kyle from 2 SILs, 2 red money envelopes for Kyle and me (a generous cash gift from MIL since I share the same birth month with Kyle) and a birthday invitation from our niece for her debut.

Looks like a lot is going on this October... birthdaysss, school exams, sem break, vacation, etc... busy days ahead...

While running thoughts through my mind, a knock was heard on our front-door. I opened and there stood another SIL who's just bringing over a gift package for Kyle. When I went back in, Jake had a naughty look on his face... "Open gift, Ma?"

Home-cooked Meals

EDSA Shangri-la steak lunch during our last Mancom meeting

We lived with my mom-in-law for the 1st 7 years of our marriage. When we decided to live on our own, my generous MIL offered to send us food everyday. Something that was to be a unique set-up for the next 7 years. Friends and relatives from my side who knew about it would say I was lucky. Hehehe... It was no secret, as far as I'm concerned. And I only have Mommy to thank for. She really doted on us.

Though it was and still is very much appreciated, we finally advised the cook to stop sending us food. I think it came as a surprise to her who's been doing it routinely everyday. My MIL probably doesn't know about this and would have wanted to continue the supply. However, we felt it was too much of a burden now not just for her (she's not feeling too well due to Parkinson's) but for the other members of the family too.

Well as the song goes, some good things never last.

On another note, my boys are always looking forward to going home from school nowadays. Next thing they'd say after the customary kiss and greeting is: "What's for dinner?".

SIBLING RIVALRY REVELRY**

An old pic taken during our trip together in Switzerland.

Here's an introduction for the benefit of those readers who have just been directed to my personal online space. I'm the eldest among 3 sibs. We are your regular sister-brother-sister trio and like the rest of humankind, we squabble, bicker, compete, among many things.

For most of the years while we were growing up and even up to the present, our normal get-together wouldn't be complete without one of us getting teased or taunted or made fun of. That's just us. We were and still are a classic example of "makarinyo brutal". Blame that on our Paparazzi, whose idea of fun is dissing either one of us jokingly. Operative word being "jokingly". Even Mamarazzi is not exempted from this and would just be cool about it... or not, whichever the case may be. Hehehe...

So anyway, what's all this gibberish about? Though outsiders or non-members of our family may deem us loud almost to the point of "parang nag-aaway", we never really took offense of what the other had to say. I guess we were made tough not to take to heart any snide remark. In all certainty, we'd all agree that we've become like Mamarazzi who's just cool about most things, fortunately.

That being the case, a lot of things are non-issues for the three of us. Things like who is more good-looking, who is smarter, who is wealthier, who is more successful or powerful, who is more generous, who is more willing to help, etc don't really count as important. These things give a different dimension of us that we try to joke about. Of course we recognize these as blessings and as positive qualities, but NEVER as a license to act more superior over the other two.

In any situation where one of us needs the other, we do what we have to do when we are able to do it, and we don't expect anything in return. We don't demand for credit. It's up to the beneficiary of the good deeds to recognize these and reciprocate. The doer moves on.

Simply put, we don't count points.

We are makarinyo brutal but we love each other to bits. I hope everybody could say the same thing about their sibs.



** SIBLING REVELRY was a title of one of Junnie's posts.

At the Milo Olympics

Matt (leading the pack, wearing blue) finished 1st place in this heat. He represented his school (high school division) to compete against other participants (from all over Cebu) in the Milo Olympics. However, he was not fast enough to qualify for the finals.

Time to lose the weight he's gained since last year's competition. Hehehe... Plus of course he needs to work out and practice regularly to regain his speed...

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What were my other two boys doing while Matt was getting ready for his event???

Here's a video...

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And a few pics (did I hear anybody say psychotic again???)

Kulit ni Jake!


Hmmm.... Kyle is probably a candidate for braces... We'll wait till all his permanent teeth come out.

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Right now Matt is at home (since yesterday) nursing a swollen foot. He's on antibiotics to prevent infection. His doctor said no need to worry about tetanus as his shot is still in effect. Hopefully, his swollen foot gets better before Friday or the other doctor (surgeon) that we consulted will have to make an incision to drain the swollen blister. This will take longer to heal. Poor kid.

I hope he doesn't need to have the (minor) surgery.

New Meaning of Psychotic?

I have recently been described (and i quote) "to do psychotic things like taking picture of my money and publishing them, etc"...

That blogger probably never knew (never will?) that there is such a thing called PHOTOBLOG. So for dear blogger's sake, repeat after me... THIS-IS-A-PHOTOBLOG.

Well blogger, now you know.

Loving Brothers...

When our generation passes on, I hope my sons grow up loving each other, appreciative of each other and being there for each other, no matter what. May their bond remain strong. Though conflicts may arise, I pray that they be spared from pain. If they have to go through it, may they persevere in doing what is right before the Lord. May they not fall prey to any evil... May they be discerning enough not to let anybody put a wedge in their brotherly relationship....