Blessed Sanctuary - where I chronicle my daily encounters, travels and on to motherhood

Summer Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:07:00 +0000

I have lots of pictures of our DD that I haven't uploaded yet to our computer. Last night I tried to upload but it took so long to download. I think I need to allot more time to it and find a way to upload faster.

The above pictures were taken in summer. I am not a professional photographer and I'm only using a regular digital camera so pardon the captures :-) I will also do my best to post recent pictures of our DD more often coz my family back home are asking me for it.

Missing Her Daddy

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:22:00 +0000

It has been a month since our Daddy left for his third tour overseas and our DD is missing him everyday. Almost every night she is looking for him. There were nights that she woke up crying and asking for Daddy. It is heartbreaking seeing her cry so I just keep telling her that Daddy is at work and we will see him soon.

When hubby thought of using the military program United Through Reading, wherein deployed soldiers can make a video of themselves while reading a story, he took advantage of it. While they were in Kuwait he was able to made three videos of himself reading a story for our tiny one. Now that we have the videos when she misses her Dad she will request to watch the videos. I also made sure that she watches it before we go to sleep.

Now, when she asked for Daddy and I tell her he will not be here soon enough, she will just asked to watch the video instead. Last week she wasn't feeling well and she woke up around 2:30am. She kept telling me to watch daddy so I stood up and turn the DVD on. We both watched one video of hubby three times before she went back to sleep. I am thankful that Daddy did it because it helps our DD in dealing with Daddy's absence.

Trying to be Independent

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:05:00 +0000

Our DD is now 28 months and she is a handful. She now tries to be independent in whatever she like to do. When we go places, she don't like to be in her stroller but want to walk. She won't hold my hands or her Dad's because she want to walk by herself and fast. It's very funny because her Daddy will introduce her as 'our 2 year old going on 17' :-)

When dressing up, she will tell me she want nice and like to pick out her own clothes. She will let out a big NO if she don't like what I pick for her. Sometimes I like it when she acts independently especially when eating and playing but when she become stubborn it's not good anymore. I know we will just be there to support her so she will know what she is allowed to do by herself and what's not.

Lately, because we have new friends around here, she also gain friends. What I noticed when they're playing is that she really know how to share and don't get offended or will not cry if other kids took her toys. When I say share or borrow she oblige. I am hoping that trait will not change. She don't fight with other kids too. She love having them around. I guess she expects that everyday she will see them that is why every morning she will ask about her 'ate and AJ' (her new friends). When afternoon came and she still don't see them she will drag me to the door and point outside to go to our friends apartment unit. I can see now a "laagan" in the making :-)

Our DD with My Sis and Her Hubby

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 23:33:00 +0000

My sister and her husband is trying to complete their family. They have their own house already and they are ready to have a child but they are not blessed with one yet. When we got there in the Philippines, my sister told me that we can leave our DD there and they will take care of her. Just for the time that hubby will be away and so I can do whatever I need to do here in the US. But of course it's not that easy to do. I don't want to be away with her. My husband also won't allow it. I know they kind of make it a joke but hoping we will allow it. It would be very hard to be away from you child. Even when I go to school and I leave our DD with hubby I am still worried how much more if she's half way around the world :-) I know there are cases wherein families have to sacrifice too much to include separation of family members but I am hoping we won't resort to that. I am happy to know though that my family back in the Philippines are very supportive and are willing to take care of our child.

DD's Second Dental Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:51:00 +0000

Before we left for Philippines in July I brought our DD to her 2nd dental visit. She had her teeth cleaned and just like the first time she did not cry. She's acting like a big kid already. She is more relax visiting a dental office than when we go for her baby well check appointments. I asked her Dentist if I can take picture while she's doing the cleaning and she gave me permission. I am hoping that she will stay the same not afraid of dental check ups.

She was asked to open her mouth big and she complied as told. Good girl indeed :-) She got a Tigger stuffed toy afterward being so good during the process. She will have another appointment in January 2010.

Meeting the Grandparents

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:50:00 +0000

Lolo, Lola, DD, ate Karen, Hubby, and Me

For the first time, my husband and our daughter met my parents on our recent vacation to my home country Philippines. It was a surreal feeling seeing my parents hugging and kissing our DD and their son-in-law. My father was even tearful when he hugged hubby which touches my husband a lot.

Before we plan for this vacation, my parents were always asking us when they can see hubby and their granddaughter. I did not promise them any time since I did it before and it wasn't pushed through. I don't want to disappoint them again. With hubby's impending deployment, I figured that there's no other soonest time to visit them than having it before he leave. So we decided to have it on July 26-August 10. It was a short one but the important thing was we were able to visit them.

My Mom was with the group that met us at the airport. She carried our DD inside the van and sat on her lap from the airport until we reached our town. It was a 3 and a half hour drive and our DD did not cry but peacefully slept in my Mom's arms. I was thinking she'll shy away from the rest of the family but thankfully she didn't. She was hugging everybody and go with any one who wants to carry her. My sister jokingly asked hubby if we can leave DD in the Philippines while he is on deployment. Of course it's not possible :-) I won't be at peace here without our DD. Now that we are back here my Mom told me over the phone that they misses DD very much. I know it will be another year or two before we can see them again.

Our Sweet Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:51:00 +0000

Now that our little girl is growing up I can see that she is also getting very sweet. When she thinks I am mad at her she will throw me a hug and kisses. I think it's very sweet of her to do it. Sometimes when she won't listen to me I make a fake cry and if she sensed that I am upset she will give me a hug :-) It really brought a smile to my face when she fall into my trap :-) I am not using this trick all the time though coz I know she may sensed too that I am only making it up and she will not fall for it anymore. I am just glad that we don't have an episode yet of yelling and uncontrolled tantrum. She is still very easy to calm down and hopefully it will always be like this.

My Professor Parrot Winning

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:42:00 +0000

This is a very late supposed to be entry of mine. I just uploaded the pictures in our PC that is why I wasn't able to make one right away. Anyways, back in April I entered a giveaway contest hosted by Momspective Reviews entitled Professor Parrot Language CD/DVD Giveaway! Luckily I bagged the prize for the said contest and I received my CD/DVD as pictured above. I already showed it to our DD and though she don't understand real well what is it about but she likes the song and dance to it too. I am very thankful for this wonderful winning and if you want to enter for more giveaways, visit her site now!

Whats Up!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:01:00 +0000

What's up with me??? Yeah I know I haven't been updating my blogs regularly coz I got side tracked with too much goings on in FB - as in FACEBOOK (hehehe). It's getting crazy lately with all the invites to join games; from farming to the catwalk and glamour life, yeah I joined 'em all! Right now I am hook with Sorority Life. I have to slow down with tending my farm and switch to the limelight (hahaha). This only show that I have no life here, lolz. Nevertheless, I am enjoying it and got to meet a lot of sisters online from all over the world. Now that hubby is back from a month long training, I will also slow down with my online games. We also have a lot of things to do before our vacation and hubby's deployment. But to all the ladies who visits my blog, check out Sorority Life too and be part of the sisterhood!!!! lolz

Blogging Absence

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:43:00 +0000

It's been eleven days since my last post here. I was busy with my errands, seeing friends and tending to our sick DD. The past week was kinda rough for me. I did a lot of driving going to places. Then Monday night our DD had a fever. I got so scared since there's only the two of us here. I was wondering what caused her fever. I was thinking she must have been tired from our driving almost the whole day while it was very hot and humid. I gave her baby Tylenol and the fever subsided. I gave another dose after four hours and her temperature maintained at 99F. When she woke the next morning she was very hot again. Although she had temperature she was still very active and playing a lot so I did not worry much. Then she started complaining her teeth hurts. When I look at her mouth I saw blisters and her gums kind of swollen. I called her dentist and made an appointment. Wednesday morning when she woke up and her temperature went up to 103F. I decided to call the hospital and made a same day appointment. I went to the hospital at 10am and at 1pm we went to see her dentist.

The doctor that saw her at the hospital prescribed her a mouthwash to apply on her gums every four hours. And he told me to continue to give the Tylenol if her temperature is still up. Her blisters and swollen gums caused her the fever. When we saw her dentist she was really behave. The dentist told me that her gums are really irritated and she has sores in her tongue, sides of her mouth and two on her lips. She told me to brush her teeth gently or just clean her mouth and teeth with gauze dipped in a salt solution. Then this Friday we will go back to the dentist to have her teeth cleaned.

I wasn't satisfied with the consultation at the hospital so I called the triage nurse and asked if I can get another appointment again since our DD's fever kept coming back and she had open sores in her mouth. There was no available schedule at the Army hospital so she referred me off post, at an urgent care clinic. Good thing the clinic is only five minute drive. She has normal temperature already and the doctor evaluated her and based on the symptoms showing, she told me she has a viral infection common with kids. She said it is like foot, hand and mouth disease. But good thing with her she don't have blisters on her hands and feet.

The sores and tender gums are really a discomfort to her especially when she's eating. She had hard time chewing as well as swallowing. Tuesday until Thursday she hardly ate. She was asking for food that she usually eat but once she took a bite she will give it back to me right away and will say "ya-yay" or "ouchi". I gave her liquids, milk, water and diluted apple juice all the time to make sure she's hydrated. At night she wakes up complaining of the pain in her mouth. Ever since she got sick I haven't had a good sleep. Although she doesn't have fever since Thursday night but her discomfort due to her mouth sores makes her fussy and irritable at night. I am very glad that this weekend she started to eat a lot. The sores are starting to fade and her swollen and bleeding gums is also starting to heal. I am just glad that despite her being sick she is still happy and very active. Hopefully this week everything will be okay and her sores will disappear completely.

How DD Behaves in the Plane

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:44:00 +0000

One of my concern about our trip was about our DD's behavior inside the plane. Hubby brought her car seat because we paid for her seat. When I put her on her car seat she did not complain. I was crossing my fingers that she will be good until we landed.

I brought color wonder, treats, books, toys, and her favorite doll, as of this time, to get her occupied. On our way to Hawaii, as soon as the plane took off she dozed off to sleep as well. She woke up when we were already inside Salt Lake City International Airport. I think she was very tired since she did not have good sleep the night prior. From Salt Lake City to Hawaii she was mostly asleep. She was playing when she's awake or asked for food. The passengers seated behind us praised her for being such a good baby on that flight.

On our way home, she was a bit cranky. Our flight left at 1:10pm. It's about time for her nap that is why she was antsy. She cried when I put her in her car seat. I told her to go to sleep but she wanted me to massage her back or her legs. I gave her the Goodnight Moon book and she stopped crying. She dozed off to sleep while flipping the book. She woke up and cried when I removed the book from her lap. It was my mistake. She did not stop crying until hubby picked her up and let her slept on his shoulder.

In totality, I thought she behaved so well. The flight are not that long compared to international flight but I know what to expect now when it comes to her behavior while in the plane. We will have another vacation and this time it's going to be longer so I need to prepare a bit more than what I did when we went to Hawaii.

Phatband Internet Speed by Charter

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:49:00 +0000

I am really glad I joined twitter-land because it enables me to be in the know of what is hot and new in different fields. I haven't opened my twitter page for days now but when I checked it I read Charter’s Twitter Feed saying they're rolling out Phatband, the super fast internet speed. I believe this is the fastest speed of internet connection that a provider can give to its customers and this is only through Charter.

According to the Ultra60 Information Page of Charter, the speed of internet is 60 Mbps and this is the highest speed that a provider can offer as of this time here in the US. Charter offers this in the St. Louis market and will be available to other areas that they service all throughout 2009. The rolling out of this ultra fast internet service by Charter is their way of giving back to their customers. They wanted all their customers to experience the ease of using the internet. With this kind of speed, customers can enjoy fast streaming of games, music, movies, telecommuting, and browsing through multimedia sites. I wish we are serviced here with Charter. It will surely be different to have internet Phatband connection.

Back from Aloha Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:48:00 +0000

We got back from our vacation yesterday midnight. It was a great vacation although I wish we have more time there. We were only there for four days and three nights and those days are not enough to see the beauty of the island and the entertainment it offers. We were there mainly for the graduation of the oldest son and the side trips and sightseeing were only secondary. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the stay and glad that the kids also enjoyed seeing each other. The time they spent was short but I believe they had a blast seeing and knowing each other. I will be posting pictures of our trip after I am done uploading it. I am just so tired right now and feel sick. I got sniffles and sore throat while we were there. It was so hot in Hawaii and it's the kind of heat that will really drain your energy. Even our DD and the older daughter, R, got the sniffles. But even if we were not feeling that good we still tried to make our stay there a great one. There are just too many things you can do in Hawaii that you need more days to enjoy each and not in a hurry. It was my third time there and seemed like every vacation is always short :-) Hopefully our next will be different and we will do those that we haven't done before.

May Top Droppers

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 04:11:00 +0000

I am thanking my top droppers of the month. I appreciate all your time and effort in visiting my blog. Hope you come back again.

Dropper	# of drops
My Life	26
Cool Dad Central	24
FickleMinded-A Life That Is Less Ordinary	21
Whatever Comes To My Mind	20
My Written xPressions	19
Momspective Reviews	17
Juliana's World	16
Holidays and More...	16
Juliana's Lair	15
My Library	15

Mommy and Daughter on the Slide

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Sun, 31 May 2009 22:53:00 +0000

Two weekends ago, we brought our daughter to the park. It's a big park but mostly you can see are slides for little ones and older ones. This park is situated near a lake and there's a big grassy area if you want to lay your blanket and soak under the sun.

Since our DD is still tiny to hop on the slides, I told hubby we can slide together. The slide I chose was high and straight one. I was afraid to do it at first coz it's really high. So we went on. Our DD was wriggling on my lap I had a hard time settling her. Both my hands were holding her that I forgot to hold on to the sides of the slide. We zoomed down the slide and before I knew it we both flew off to the ground. Good thing, hubby was standing right below blocking the concrete retainer wall. If he wasn't there it would be a disaster.

I was shaken but laughing at that experience. It does show that it's been ages I had played in the park that sliding is kinda hard to do :-) Hubby teased me afterward. He said we were like rockets that just zoomed down from the skies :-) Lesson learned, I need to have more practice playing slides and use the curvy slides next time lolz

Take a Summer Trip to Branson

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:22:00 +0000

I can't believe how time flies so very fast. We are now entering the summer season; not officially though. I am excited for the summer but also dreaded the days to roll by quick because it also means my husband will be away for a year. Anyways, as we are pinched with this economic crisis, it does not mean that we have to deprive ourselves of having summer fun. A great way to spend the summer is to go places that offer a lot of things to do like in Branson, Missouri.

I heard a lot of good things about Branson. This coming summer they have lined up activities and events that vacationers can enjoy. They have Father’s Day Salute, National Kid’s Fest at Silver Dollar City, the 10th Annual Clown Jam, and other live entertainment going on. One thing that I am really looking forward once we visit the place is checking out Silver Dollar City. I can picture my family having a grand time splashing at their renowned water theme parks and adventures, watching live entertainment, especially their Bluegrass Festival, and enjoy dinner shows.

As to accommodation, you can't beat the hotels that are situated in this wonderful city. There is Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing, a luxury hotel perfect for family getaway. This hotel is strategically located wherein it is only minutes away from the numerous attractions of the city. Another place to stay is the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel that is connected to the city's convention center. These hotels are just walking distance away from shopping centers, restaurants, theaters, and other fun sites.

Now, if you are looking at going to Branson, you might think of checking out their Hilton Serenity® Bed package. You can have a good night sleep at this hotel condo that features state of the art amenities. You will surely not miss home once you select this type of package. So, check out their site now and make your reservation early.

Day at the Spa

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Sun, 24 May 2009 05:39:00 +0000

Part of my winnings that was sponsored by IZEA and Busted Moms was a $500 gift certificate for spa and salon services. I mentioned in one of my posts that I scheduled my spa appointment today. So, I went there this morning at 10am and was able to get out at 4:30pm. I basically spent the whole day there for pampering and relaxation :-) To tell you honestly, it was my first time to be pampered that way. I felt like a million bucks afterward.

The spa that I went to is the Tuscan Sanctuary Salon Spa. The spa looks very nice and the people there are very pleasant. I chose a day spa package which includes a 90 minute AVEDA Hydraotherm Massage, a treatment enhancement of your choice, a Self- Renewal Facial, a Spa Manicure, Spa Pedicure, Shampoo and Style and an individual make-up lesson and application, includes a deli lunch. I may have this only one chance of having a spa day getaway so I did the longest and thorough one. For treatment enhancement, I chose their Caribbean body mask and wrap using different Carribean plant ingredients that gives inner calm and rejuvenates the skin. They use different products of AVEDA for all treatments that they have. I felt very relaxed during the process and even dozed to sleep a little bit while being wrapped like a burrito.

I got the facial next, my first ever in my 33 years of existence :-) I was just so scared before to have that kind of procedure before but now I see the need to have it done. I got pointers from the Esthetician that did the facial and she's very helpful in answering my concerns about my skin. I love the result. My skin felt so soft and smooth. I am now trying the AVEDA moisturizer and exfoliant and see if it will have great effect on my skin when used daily. But the most important thing to do in taking care of our skin is still having a healthy lifestyle, get enough sleep, and drink a lot of water.

After having my lunch, I then proceeded to have manicure and pedicure, shampoo and hairstyle and the last thing we did was make-up. I got pointers on basic make up application. This is my problem actually. I really don't know how to put make up on that is why I only put lip gloss or lipstick. To some this is a no brainer but I really cannot pull it off. With the one on one this afternoon at the salon gave me confidence to do it by myself.

My day at the spa today was really a great experience. It did not only detoxied my body and made me rejuvenated but also helped in my personal growth. I learned a lot. I am so thankful for the sponsors for giving me the opportunity. Below are some pictures that hubby took before and after my salon spa day.

Before

After

1st pic taken outside the salon when hubby picked me after the spa session: 2nd pic taken outside our apartment building going out for dinner. Hubby's treat to end my me-day :-)

Baby Bedding

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:11:00 +0000

One thing that I have a hard time deciding when we were planning for our DD's nursery was the design of the room and the accessories that goes with it. I am the type of person who likes to matchy-matchy when it comes to bedding, decor, and window treatment for the baby's room. My husband told me to do whatever I want to do and he will just follow. One thing that I somehow regret looking for baby stuff was by not surfing much on the internet and look at other sites aside from the ones that I already know. I should have looked at babybeddingpalace.com because they have various selections of 12 piece baby crib bedding sets that are perfect for any baby's room. What I mostly find in stores are just 6 piece sets and you have to buy separately the window treatment and other accessories. It is more expensive when you do it rather than having to buy it altogether at a better price. Baby Bedding Palace's Baby Bedding products are made of 100% high quality cotton that is soft and comfortable for babies to use. The material does not irritate your baby's skin. So, now that I know there is a place to get 12 piece bedding sets for babies, I will not have any problem decorating next time.

Farm Town Withdrawal Syndrome

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:48:00 +0000

I am currently experiencing withdrawal syndrome away from playing at Farm Town :-) And even our DD is also cranky since she can't watch her favorite nursery rhyme songs in youtube and starfall. For two days now hubby is upgrading our desktop and changing the software in it. He is upgrading to Vista and before he did it he reformatted the computer. He don't have much time to do it but only during his free time. He comes home from work late everyday because of the many goings on in their company plus he has to attend school after work as well. I tried using the other laptop last night but then some virus attacked it so he said I have to stop using it and he will reformat it as well. Good thing there's not much files in there. Right now I am using the older laptop but this is very slow that logging on to facebook will take very long it will just frustrate. I hope he'll be done tonight so I can attend to my farm online lolz.

Our Two Year Old

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:56:00 +0000

Our little girl turned two yesterday! Yes, she is now officially two years old and I know we are now slightly, just slight no escalation yet, battling the terrible twos as they say :-) We did not have a party since there's only three of us here and hubby was busy yesterday. So we thought of having a small celebration this weekend. Either we have to buy something and share it at home or go to a restaurant and invite few friends. We are joining together the celebration for my birthday as well :-)

This morning I brought our DD to her 24 month well baby check-up. Everything is great. She is on the right track with her development for a two year old toddler. I think she is typical kid who is afraid of doctors or those that wears white in a hospital or clinic. When we were called to go in our DD knew that she will be checked and she said ba-bye and wave at the nurse, in short she wanted to go home already. We were then told to go in another room to wait for the Peditrician. As soon as we entered the room she said "ah-gi?" - her term for again. She did not cry though until the nurse brought in the vaccine and closed the door. She knew what was coming. Even when the Pedia came in and checked her she was still sobbing and kept saying go and ba-bye. When everything was done she was very polite to say to the Pedia "ten-chu" - thank you - and "ba-bye".

I was glad we did not stay long at the hospital. It was pouring heavily and the drive going home was rough. It wasn't traffic but because of the heavy rain I can't barely see the cars in front of me. I was driving cautiously and stayed at the safe lane the whole time. My passenger, our DD, was complaining of hunger already. It was around 10:30am. She only had milk and a little of PBJ sandwich and I don't have anything yet to eat. I passed by KFC and got my fave grilled chicken meal at the drive thru. We got home safe and glad this check up is all over. It will be a while until her next appointment.

Planning for Summer Escapade

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:19:00 +0000

Summer is just around the corner. It is also the best time to go for a vacation. I love the summer weather because if you go to places for rest and relaxation you can enjoy most of its days. The sun is up and more often, no threat of rain. But we can't expect how our weather works at this point in time. Nevertheless, once you go for a vacation in summer you can look forward to have a grand time and fun in the sun. You can go to a park and have the kids play with other kids to their hearts content, go to the beach and splash all day long or go to your favorite theme parks and enjoy the rides and different adventures they offer. Whichever you prefer, it sure would be a blast.

So what is your plan for the summer? I have a suggestion for you to go to Kissimmee, the heart of Florida. This small town in central Florida has a lot to offer. Not only the hospitality and friendliness of its people, but the many attractions such as world class theme parks, outdoor adventures, fun rides, beautiful golf destinations, tranquil beach landscapes, nature parks, and many others the family can enjoy. I can attest to its grandness since we've been there twice and would love to go back there again.

You can even avail of a free vacation in the heart of Florida. Just enter the Kissimmee free vacation sweepstakes now for they are giving away three (3) weekend getaways (3 days/2 nights) for two (2); and two (2) week-long vacations for four (4). Drawings will be held on or around 4/1/09, 5/1/09 and 6/1/09. Simply check out their site and submit your entry. I already did. Crossing my fingers I will get lucky and have a free Kissimmee vacation.

Lucky ME!

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Tue, 12 May 2009 04:43:00 +0000

I am the happiest and luckiest Mom on earth :-) Yeah, I am. Aside from having a wonderful husband, I am also blessed with a wonderful child whom I dearly love with all my life. But the icing on the cake came through an unexpected twitter message from Busted Moms, followed by an email from IZEA telling me I won the contest they are sponsoring. If you are a follower of my blog or happen to know about the contest sponsored by IZEA about Busted Moms then you know what I am talking about here. The contest was all about giving Moms who were being busted by the recent economic downturn. As a way of lifting up Mommies, they're giving a $2500 Mommy Makeover Package to the winner. And YES I am the LUCKY MOM who bagged the grand prize!!!!

This winning is very timing for me to celebrate not only my birthday but also Mother's Day. It is also an answered prayer. I have been in my lowest point when I had the miscarriage in March (have to blog about it next time). I was praying to be lucky when I posted about the contest here in my blog and twittered it hoping that if I win it will be a big help not only for me but also for my whole family since we are going home to the Philippines in July. What happened in March was also one reason why we find time to have this vacation. I felt I needed to feel the presence of my family, physically, especially my Mom.

So, the winnings, as I've mentioned earlier, is broken down into $1500 Sears gift card, $500 spa/make-up, hair allowance, and $500 cash money. This is really an awesome gift for me. Honestly, in my whole life, this is the first time I won a contest. I am not really a lucky one when it comes to contests like this. I think I am breaking record right now. I am so grateful with IZEA for sponsoring this contest as well as for Busted Moms. I can now pamper myself and get a much needed relaxation and de-stress before hubby leave me for Iraq. I still have to schedule my spa and makeover day though, maybe this coming weekend. This will be my first time to be pampered from head to toe and I am very excited for it. I know, I have to show picture of before and after makeover. Don't worry I will be courageous enough to post my picture here for the whole world to see :-) and also blog about my makeover experience so stay tuned.

Thanks again Busted Moms and IZEA!!!! You are awesome!!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:04:00 +0000

Wishing all the Mothers

a

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Two of Us

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:37:00 +0000

Seldom is that three of us able to have picture together. When we go out and we're not bringing the tripod for the camera, it's either me and our DD or Daddy and our DD will pose for the camera. I just don't like bugging stranger to take our pics. It's just me; unless if we really have to then I will ask somebody. I really have to start taking our picture together as a family, especially when we go to another place. It would be great to have a keepsake with the entire family in it. Honestly too, I don't like to pose for the camera :-) I think it's because I am not confident with the way I look right now. I was browsing through the pictures that we have taken for the past months and you can count with your fingers and toes pictures that I'm in it; mostly its hubby and our DD or our DD alone. Guess have to start aiming the camera at me again :-)

April Top Dropper

noreply@blogger.com (Bless) — Fri, 01 May 2009 19:29:00 +0000

It's time to give appreciation to my top April Entrecard Droppers :-) Once again, I am very thankful for your continued support and visits here in my site. As promised, I will give out 50 EC credits to my top droppers :-) Thanks to all of you :-)

Dropper	# of drops
Whatever Comes To My Mind	31
Mother by Design	29
Momspective Reviews	28
Hot in Singapore	28
FickleMinded-A Life That Is Less Ordinary	24
Momspective	24
Juliana's Lair	22
Wii Mommies	21
Happy Moments.. Happy Thoughts!	21
Symphony of Love	21