A Housewife's Journal

rain... rain

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 03:23:00 GMT

I used to love the rain. I used 'used to' because I associate it with being fun and carefree. Rain = no classes, sweater and jackets, cold water, sleeping and eating.

Now, I am sad when I don't see the sun. This is because it means that my laundry will not dry up; baby and I can't go out; wet front yard, muddy lawn... everything is already associated with being a wife and mom.

*-*
Enough with my rainy 'senti', I have to get off now since it is already 11:30. It's time to prepare something. Good thing we had a late breakfast, this means late lunch too. Will read on engagement rings later. One of my brothers will ask me to look one soon. He already plans to propose to his new gf... someone I haven't met yet so I am a little bit reluctant with her...

week 337

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 03:04:00 GMT

My first time to join Unconscious Mutterings... here it goes...

Sister :: Ace
Talks :: welcoming
Electric! :: guitar
Corner :: stone
Turnstile :: ha?
Swap :: places
Young :: baby
Horrific :: somewhere
Block :: twenty one
Wind :: howling

not so good Monday

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:34:00 GMT

G is home on a Monday. He got caught with the nationwide transport strike. He left early but still he was one of those who were affected. The strike has caused big problems to students and employees going to work. I just hope that they (the transport group) achieve something from this or else, they might do it again until they get what they request for.

Speaking of transportation, I hate motorcycle drivers who keep on making 'singit' while they are on the road. They would just cross whenever they want or they would 'siksik' their bikes whenever they could but when they get into accidents, they blame it on the other vehicle that hit them. Good thing if there is a San Jose motorcycle accident attorney who would help them with their case. If I am being asked, if I want a motorcycle, I'd say yes. As long as we only use it within our subdivision and safety gears are always used.

6 months after...

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:56:00 GMT

It has been 6 months since I gave birth. Since then, I would say that there have already been a lot of changes in my life. Life has been more simple. No more unplanned shopping, out-of-towns and gimiks. Outings and travels are mostly with the family. If possible, we would even resort to rv camping since it is easier and 'cheaper' to have one.

In exchange to these limited 'extra-curricular' activities, I feel more complete. I love being called as a mother. Life has been more fruitful and more meaning since I gave birth.

weekly round up

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:47:00 GMT

The week has gone so fast that I didn't notice it. I only have the household chores and the baby to keep me busy but still I think the time has swiftly gone by.

Most of my morning are scheduled for the chores. These are made every time the little girl is busy playing or she is sleeping. From time to time, there are also some neighbors dropping by to buy from my 'sari-sari' store. Afternoons are for the 'soaps'. I am engrossed with the Heart and how she 'gives' the needs and horse supplements, since she plays the role of a veterinarian. I also sometimes watch the soap of Maxine, if baby Gwenks is still sleeping.

By 6 pm, I have already washed up baby and prepares her for sleep. I'll cook after then wait for G. While waiting, I am usually in front of the PC. Either I am having a chat with my siblings or I am busy with FT

losing the 'tummy'

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 03:09:00 GMT

Aside from the stretch marks, another proof that I got pregnant is my sagging tummy. Now, even if I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight I still have 'the tummy'. I am now on the look-out for the best diet pills in the market that can not only makes someone lose weight but can help eliminate the tummy as well. What G suggested is that I should try running with me. He has been joining fun runs for a couple of months now and his tummy has been trimmed since then. His pants are already loose on the waist part and he has started having some shape on that area. His beer belly is not just a little lump these days :p

What can you suggest? I heard that exercise helps, especially sit-ups but I do not have time to do it frequently. Any other ideas to reduce the tummy?

weekly blessings

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:26:00 GMT

It has been sometime since I last wrote about our week's blessings. The last one was several weeks ago... so its time to make up for it.

* G's trip to Malaysia - he has been waiting for this chance and this time it was given to him. Aside from being one of the company's representatives, he also got to go there with a little luxury. His group stayed in a 4-star hotel, had limo and driver for service and an additional per dime on the side.

* Angels, in the form of mom and dad - Mom stayed with us the whole time G was away. This gave me the feeling of 'being home in the comforts of my home'. I so love her 'lutong bahay' recipes. Something I can not give justice to when I'm the one who's cooking it. As for dad, he provides the financial part of the blessings :p

* Home Improvement - Thanks for the 'per dime' that G received, we were able to put roof in front of our house. This weekend, they will expand my lil store. We are also going to add more items on it.

* Online opps - True enough, these help us make ends meet. It is the amount that we use to pay for the credit card charges we incur for baby's milk.

* Good health - For the family. This is one of the blessings that we truly appreciate. In this time of crisis, 'bawal magkasakit'.

* Happy Family - Being contented with what we have makes us one.

Other small blessings:
- sinigang na hipon for dinner last night
- binayabasang gulay given by nanay
- facebook and farmtown
- tv on a sturdy tv stand even if baby Gwenks hit it with her walker, it does not move at all
- baby walker, thanks heaven for its maker
- boppy pillow and lots of pillows

homeowners' meeting

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:52:00 GMT

This was scheduled on the last Sunday of June. We were not able to attend the first meeting on March so we decided to join this time. The agenda for this quarter is almost the same with the first one, the only thing added was that 'on sari-sari stores' inside the subdivision.

We got there past 5 already but they were still discussing the issue on garbage and stray dogs. It took several more minutes before it closed. Next was on 'Toda', the group of tricycles going around. They discussed about the overpricing of some drivers and there 'choosing' of customers. Snack was passed around while this was discussed.

The last agenda was on the 'stores' inside the subdivision. Prior to the meeting, there was an employee from DDC Land going around asking for the names of store owners. *He said that it was being requested by Sutter because he (Sutter) is planning to have all stores closed down. He was building a commercial area on Phase 3 where all stores should be located. On the meeting, they said that this will no longer push through. Instead, they would just want homeowners with stores to fix their stores so that it would not create a 'squatter' look within the subdivision. The No-Store area will just be implemented on Phase 3.

At this point, G stood up to voice his concern. He said that he would agree to fix and improve the store provided that DDC Land Inc (our developer) should also do their part. They should also look after the rectifications of our units. Ours was scheduled on February 29, 2009 but until now it is not yet completed. Our CR is still flooded every after bath, different key is issued for our side door (they haven't changed it yet), and a lot more. While he was talking, there were some homeowners talking to me as well. They were telling me to tell G their concerns too. I told them that they should be the one to speak up but they said that they have public speaking anxiety. They do not have the confidence to tell there concerns up front.

After G spoke the crowd applauded him. They said that he said everything that they have in mind already. We didn't finish the meeting since we are late for church. If it wasn't scheduled on a Sunday, we would have stayed longer.

Base on the meeting and the feedback that I got from the crowd, there are many of us who are not satisfied with the way things are handled in this subdivision. If given the choice and if only we knew how DDC Land Inc works, we wouldn't have got our house here.

sleep wanted

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:00:00 GMT

I don't know what is happening to me lately but I feel so sleepy. Call be defensive but 'I am not pregnant, I just had my period' ;p I usually sleep at around 10 in the evening after waiting for G and cleaning up. In between the night, I would wake up to feed baby Gwenks. This is usually around 1 in the morning and another by 5 am. I would wake up around that time to start the day. In between feedings, I would sleep easily. If you would compute it, my sleeping hours is almost 7 hours. During the day, I would also take naps. This last from 10 to 15 minutes. I do this when baby is sleeping. So I shouldn't be sleep-deprieved, right?

I guess this is the reason why I am losing weight again. Some say that I need to have diet supplement because I eat too much but I say that the food I am actually eating is slowly going down the drain. Supplements are good but it is not something I need now. I would just recommend it to friends who are looking for effective means to trim down.

I really wanted to sleep but there is no one to look after my girl... paging mommy, drop by again soon we miss you already.

8 things meme

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:40:00 GMT

Thanks Mye for this meme. It has been sometime since I last answered one

8 Things I'm Looking Forward to... for July:
* Hubby's nth bday
* baby's latest milestone and development
* improvement of my 'little' sari-sari store
* a chance to book online for an international trip next year
* more work online
* start party planning for baby's birthday
* more sleep
* possible work promotion for G

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
* took care/played with baby Gwenks
* harvested at FT
* wash the clothes
* had chitchat with neighbors
* texted mom
* list down the things that I need to buy for the store
* cooked for the family
* chat with SIL

8 Things I Wish I Could do:
* get back to writing online contents
* sleep longer
* enjoy a week vacation with the family with everything paid for
* clean the house
* start my garden
* 'fix' the store
* shop and shop and shop
* have my own rv which I can bring everywhere; this is really great especially for families with growing kids like me the features really help a lot in travelling

8 TV Shows I Watch:
* Unang Hirit
* Eat Bulaga
* Saksi
* Primetime teleserye...
* Jollitown :p
* Happy Land
* Joey's Quirky World
* any show at GMA --- ito lang nakukuha ng tv namin

8 People I tag: i miss doing this
* Rocks
* Chris
* Arlene
* Janis
* Mye
* Jeng
* Rhia
* anybody else who hasn't answered this meme...

if ever...

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:23:00 GMT

If ever I get to have a job now, I will surely find something related to insurance. Why? because I grew up with it. Way back during my college days, my mom entered the career world and became an insurance underwriter. That time, my mom would discuss information regarding the contracts, the policies and even the latest 'what-nots' in her field. Familiarization is what I would consider if ever I would enter this field too. In addition to this, insurance lead would also be great. I've read that there are a number of underwriters using this and they have increased their sales. It is indeed efficient and very reliable, as they say.

But whenever I tell G about my intention of going to work, he'd just laugh at the idea. He knows that I won't exchange my being a housewife to any occupation out there... unless I could bring my daughter to work

getting ready

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:50:00 GMT

Wedding day from December is moved to May (or that is what I know). My sister Ace is starting to prepare for her church wedding. If you can see her, you might say that she is older than I am since she is bigger than me :p Now, aside from scouting their suppliers, she is also into getting slimmer. She is looking for the best fat burner that she can use. She has a list of it but she doesn't know which is the best for her purpose. So I suggested that she search online for feedback and reviews first.

I am also getting ready for her big day. G and I will stand as their cord sponsors. I still have to grow my hair and do some exercise to reduce the belly fats that I accumulated during pregnancy. 10 more months to go... I need to start soon to achieve the look that I wanted. I just pray that I won't get pregnant until the wedding.

here comes... july

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:23:00 GMT

There are a lot of things that I look forward to July...

Here is my list:
1. The renovation of my store - I have a little store which I look after during the day. It is really small that only includes some basic items which is used at home. I do not have ephedra diet pill, though I read about the great reviews about this pill. There are even some of my neighbors asking for 'the' effective way to lose weight but I told them to buy at reputable dealers. Back to my store, we hope to add more stuff to it, plus improve the over-all look of it.

2. Baby Gwenks' 6th month birthday - This is not her 1st birthday yet but being able to reach the 6th month of her life means that we have already accomplished something. The 6th month opens her door to a new stage... being able to eat solids, sitting on her own, crawling, walking and a lot more exposures.

3. G's birthday - He is turning 3+ soon Even if we would not have a party, the way that we had last year, we will still have to cook some pancit on that day. I hope he gets to have his birthday leave so we could go to mass together on that day. We have a lot of things to be thankful of, the best of which is the fact that he is still with us.

4. 'Possible' family bonding with neighbors - I, together with a couple of my neighbors, are planning to go to EK. They wanted to bring their kids there to enjoy the rides. We will also join them even if baby Gwenks visited EK already.

5. More work online - Something I look forward to, the whole year round

wrong lay-out

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:57:00 GMT

I wanted Grohe faucet for my home. G wanted to transfer the faucet that he placed outside our house. It has been a nuisance to everyone who is using it. Why, he made a wrong lay-out for the place where he installed the faucet. He placed it below our window so if the person forgets about the open window, there is a tendency that they hit it.

It is me who should be blamed for this I insisted that the faucet be placed under the window. My reason, I need to see baby from time to time, especially when I am washing the clothes. But when I also hit the window, I wanted it to be moved immediately.

divi trip again

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:21:00 GMT

It has been more than a year since I last visited Divi Land. So when my mom asked me if I could accompany her to Divi, I immediately agreed. I just had to arrange that someone look after baby Gwenks when we go there. My initial plan was to wait for her tatay and go to Divi on Sunday, but when MIL told me that she is coming over Friday night, I thought that it would be better if we can go on a Saturday.

We left the house early, around 6:00 am. We were at Divi by 7:30. Our first stop was to look for baby clothes and accessories. We need to prioritize it so that we can budget the 'remaining' money for other stuff. We got our baby loots for a little more than 1k. We got a lot of discounts as we were the store's 'buena mano'. After that, we look for mom's curtains... while scouting for the cloth which she will sew for her curtains, I was already looking for baby clothes and I was able to buy several of it. We also got some maternity dusters and blouses for my SIL, a couple of slippers for mom and some blouses for me. We finished shopping by 10:00 am and got home by 12:30 noon. I would have wanted to shop more but I didn't have more budget for it.

As early as now, I am already planning when I would go back to Divi. I plan to buy items for baby's birthday party as early as October so that I would have to join the people doing their Christmas rush. I want to finish everything by November, for the January party.

*A simple tip for those who are planning to go to Divi. (1) Be there early, 'buena manos' are given more discount. It is easier to haggle. (2) Dress simply. It is better to leave your diamond rings at home, even just for the day. (3) Buy in bulk, if possible. The more you buy, the bigger discount you can get.

happy & relax

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:44:00 GMT

This week has been relaxing... added the fact that there is a typhoon which makes sleeping a lot better. As I have written before, G went to Malaysia for a week-long training. We, baby and I, were left behind. So I asked my mom if she could come over and stay with us while G is away. Now, I am totally dependent on her... it was like going home but within the comforts of my home. She has been cooking delicious meals, which I cannot surpass. Eating time is longer because we get to make 'chika' in between. I also have more time in front of the pc since she plays with her 'apo' whenever baby Gwenks is awake.

Hay, I so love this week. I have rested enough and I think I even gained several pounds already. To maximize my use of the computer, I have been searching for designs for our lawn. When G returns, he plans to 'fix' some part of the yard. He hopes that he can put some roof extension so that we could put some outdoor chaise lounges where we could stay in the afternoon.

I can't wait to see G back home again but I will also miss mom when she goes to Baguio after... for now, I will just maximize being pampered by her

father's day

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:59:00 GMT

For Father's day, our dearest tatay got something that he has been wishing for. He is now on his way to Malaysia, to attend a training c/o HP Though we didn't get to celebrate his first 'real' Father's day today, we were able to celebrate it last week when we went to Tagaytay. We made the best of it last time because we anticipated that they might leave today. We woke up early for our trip. We headed to Pink Sister's Convent to offer prayers and later on went around Tagaytay. We went to Palace in the Sky and later to the Picnic Groove. After lunch, it started raining so I told them that we should go home already.

In my mind, I was already thinking that we should go back again soon. Hopefully, next time we will be able to check-in somewhere I have been dreaming of. I wish to stay at a hotel similar to Vegas hotels but it is not just within the budget that we can afford.

As a whole, we enjoyed our Tagaytay trip we ate merienda at Little Bread House in Paseo before finally ending the day. I hope tatay enjoyed his day as much as we did.
- Pictures to follow -

on leave

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:44:00 GMT

I am on leave next week from my wifey duties Actually, it is G who is leaving on Sunday. He will attend a training from June 22 to June 26, which requires him to check-in in a hotel for that span of time. He will be with 2 of his office mates. This only means that we, baby and I, can sleep longer since we do not have to prepare breakfast. I can also sleep earlier since I will not have to wait for him from work... such a relaxing week for me

On the other hand, we will surely miss him. This is the first time that we are not sleeping beside him. Anyway, to make up for it he promise to bring home 'pasalubong' for us. He is thinking of buying a doll maybe for his little girl. As for me, I told him I wanted teddies. I saw this link over the net and I told myself that I should own at least one of it. When I wear it, it will surely make me feel sexy and hot :p Surely hubby would always want to go home early.

Anyways, I just hope that hubby makes the best for his trip and that he'll be home safe.

my turn

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:30:00 GMT

I've been writing about baby Gwenks' cough and colds in her baby blog. Last Monday we went to her pedia for her last rota vaccine and at the same time we had her checked. Doc Pedia prescribed Ambroxol for her cough and Neozep drops for her colds. So far, she is getting a lot better. But despite the cold weather, she still has an electric fan by her side.

This morning (actually it started last night), I was already having an upset stomach. Now I am so weak going to and from the cr (excuse me for that). I think I do not have the strength to finish the day anymore Good thing the little girl has been very cooperative. After I gave her a bath, she was already playing alone. Now she is in her duyan sleeping. I hope this 'feeling' will stop in a while. I do not want to be admitted. I still have a lot of things to do and prepare. I still have to go to the mall and hope to find a gift for Father's day. Even if it is on sale; its the thought that counts anyway

Have to move now, I still have other works that are about to expire... just read on

2nd quarter

marisalvilla@gmail.com (mari) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:42:00 GMT

6 months has past and another six months more. 15 days of June has already passed which means that we are already about to end the second quarter of this year. Time has gone so fast that I think I have to move fast to be able to achieve my plans for this year.

For the second quarter of the year, I was supposed to inquire for possible cart business that my siblings and I can engage with. We have a number of 'ideas' as to what cart we should franchise but the only common idea is that it should have dependable POS systems that comes with it. This idea was set aside when I ended up being a full-time housewife with no househelp. Now that baby Gwenks is a little bigger and that I can bring her with me easily, I can now start inquiring again. So far, I have a 'prospective' line that I am looking at.

As for my accomplishments, I was able to maintain the house without any help. Likewise, I was able to follow the schedule for baby G's vaccines and check-ups. In addition, our small store is still open. Despite the hectic schedule that I have, I am able to attend to neighbors buying from the store.

As a whole, I can say that our 2nd quarter is okay. No one got sick and we are blessed in many ways.

For the third quarter, I hope to do more on my list. I hope to cross out more accomplishments and be more fruitful.