I have some destination and activities in mind. We really have to make the most out of the 40 days vacation that is allotted to dear hubby. Actually he can already take his vacation this coming September but I told him that it the kids will be more happy if he will be with us during the Christmas Season.

Since it is Christmas season, most of our time will be spent with family reunions and gatherings. Apart from the usual holiday fun fares – I am also thinking of other destination for our family. Though it is already cold season that time, going to the beach is not a bad idea. Since we are on a tight budget because of the anticipated house renovation, we are eyeing beach resorts in Batangas which is just several hours drive from Manila. But my husband told me that he will really save for a vacation in Subic, Hongkong Disneyland or a Summer Fun at Provo Beach Resort.

I appreciate my husband for this;  I know that he always wants the best for me and my kids. But for me, no matter how we spend it, regardless if we are only at home, family bonding time will always be cherished. For the time being that my husband still has to work far from us, we have to adjust to our situation. Nevertheless being apart for the longest time, I am really determined to make this short vacation as memorable and as happy as it can be.

Not Mine - Photo Credits : Here

Having a place to go – is a home. Having someone to love – is a family. Having both – is a blessing. ~Donna Hedges

You can still grab yours until May 31, 2012 at Php 60.00 (Phil. Peso) each for every single or accumulated Php 1,000 Purchase of any Petron fuel.

1. Learn to Drive – DONE. I thought that I would not be able to learn how to drive because I am “nerbyosa”. But I had been driving for 3 years now. True enough I was able to conquer my fear.
2.  Learn how to swim – this is sad since until now I am not able to conquer my phobia. When I was young I almost drowned this explains why.
3. To travel often (2 travel destination in a year) – I still have to work on our finances to fulfill this.
4.  To learn how to play the acoustic electric guitar – this is now on my most realistic TO-DO which I know that I can accomplish. I already have a guitar and a guitar chords music book. My little boy is also showing interest so perhaps I can learn with my “bunso”.

These are just some of my personal TO-DO lists which I would like to accomplish for myself. I do believe that apart from our family, apart from our kids, we also have to love ourselves and do something for ourselves that will make us happy. When the cup is over flowing with happiness you can share the positivity it to others

Some who opts for grandiose celebration really invest on it. You can just imagine the money, time and effort invested into the wedding. Some really splurge and lucky are those who have stayed on their working budget.

Others have their gimmick enough to get the re-call and attention, or just to be different.  I have seen in the Internet a wedding in where they hire Minneapolis wedding DJs. I also know of a wedding where the reception venue was held at McDonalds. A bride and a groom also wears a Chuck Taylor shoes and not the typical heels and shiny black shoes.

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Apart from the fun fare of the wedding, we also must agree that during the actual wedding ceremony, there should be solemnity – free from all the gimmicks, attention grabbing tricks and other fun-fare.

But for me, apart from the actual wedding celebration one should invest in a good wedding photographer. After all wedding day, everyone heads to their own individual lives; it is the memory of your wedding stored in photographs is all you have. It is important to invest on a professional who has in-depth knowledge on wedding photography mn.

A wedding photographer should not only be your listed supplier but they should be there to capture every important moment, expecting every minute details that could happen on The Day. An experience photographer should be able to capture priceless smiles, unexpected tears, funny and joyous moment on your wedding day. They should know what to expect even in an unexpected and unsuspecting moment.

At the end of it all we should be reminded that wedding is just the start of your life as a couple.  It is the Relationships that should be worked on and focused.  At the end of the day everyone who had celebrated with you will be distant apart from you…It will just be between the two of you.

Photo Credit

It is my 6th year as Brown Pinay of the blogosphere.

There is really no funfare to celebrate, but nevertheless I am very very happy that after 6 years I am still here blogging and sharing bits and parcel of me.

Blogging is a fulfillment of one of my frustrations in life – to be a journalist. Although it was not fulfilled, this blog has been a haven of my thoughts and experiences in life.

This blog is a real blessing to me, I am able to earn my few dollars and buy little comfort from it.  I was able to buy our sofa set, bean bag sofa, helps pay the bills, buy my little “capricho” just to name a few.The best part of it is meeting friends whom I reagrd before as a friend from a distance.  But eventually they also become a personal friend online and even offline.  It is always nice to put faces in the name of the bloggers and their blogs.

This blog has been very vital in keeping the communication with my OFW hubby alive. My Brown Pinay has been practically in every occasions in our life, in almost every ups and downs.  I have several “The Blogger is On Leave” posts and several “The Blogger is Back to Blogging” posts. True enough but once a blogger always a blogger and you just cannot get enough of it.

After 6 years here I am still blogging my heart out and sharing my thoughts as Brown Pinay.  For how long? I could not tell.  I just hope that my passion  to blog continue burning, but should the time comes that I decide to retire my Brown Pinay blog, it will always be my joy reading all those years of heart warming experiences, frustrations and sadness and happy memories of my life.

To my family, my siblings, my parents, my pampankins and specially to my hubby and to my little bundle of joys – Ishi and Icko – thanks for the inspiration and love.  You always inspire me to write, you inspire me to blog, you all inspire me to share my happiness and inspire others.

To all my readers and followers at even yung mga nadaan lang dahil kay Mr. Google.  Thank you very much…Maraming Salamat sa iyong pagdaan.

This is my First Post : 100 Things About ME
Ang Kwento kung bakit ako nainspire mag blog: Blogging at Bloghopping…..
This is the First Look of My Blog: {see how it evolved}: Brown Pinay’s New Look

Feel free to browse around my past blogpost…

While husband is away, I am the official “tagapagmana” of my hubby’s set of screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, , llave-tubo, torque and pipe wrenches and lots a lots of nails and screws {i.e tamper proof screws, self drilling screws etc}

I have mastered the art of basic plumbing, carpentry and even electrical. Actually this is not new to me since I was raised by my Mom to know the basic house repairs.

While in college, we are thought in our Electrical class to change fuse in the switch box, while other fellow girl classmates are hesitant to do it, I don’t have any qualms in doing it that time. It is my first encounter with electricity, I am glad that I learned to do it.

Based on experience and various mishaps and mis-adventures at home while hubby is working abroad, I had already changed the Teflon of our leaking faucet, changed the light bulbs, placed an additional lock in the main door, fix our closet’s lock. I had even shoveled the excess soil that our mason-carpenter failed to neat up in front of our house which has become an eyesore to me. So instead of sulking on one side I did it myself.

Well that is one thing that Moms and Moms to be should learn. With home making comes various shoes to fit in including doing Daddy tasks so that when Dad is not around Mom does the fixing in the house.

I guess I have to update my curriculum vitae and add my carpentry, electrical and plumbing skills in my credentials or better still call me your Handy Dandy Mommy.

I cannot really give a review for the movie, except that my if my kids have fun with it and love it then it is also an A+++ for me. So since my Ishi and Icko have a good laugh and fun then The Avengers is rated Mommy A++.

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I may not be that expert in this field but I would like to share to the newly graduates or those who would like to shift careers I would like to share to you some of the tricks of the trade which works for me and might work for you as well.

For purchasing support:

•  Be familiar with the request / Determine the needs of the requestor – Being a purchaser, we don’t really know everything, so when in doubt ask the requestor or search the Internet in other words Google it. (i.e ingersoll rand compressor parts and air oil separator – for someone who has been office based, I am not familiar with this but since the Internet offers a vast net of information at least I can have the idea of how it looks like and its functionality)
• Ask if they have preferred brand or generic brand will be acceptable. The requestor at times has preferred brand that they have already used and trusted.
•  Don’t always go for cheap price, go for quality too. But of course it is a plus if you can negotiate a quality product at a cheaper price.
•  Develop a strong negotiation skills since you are one of the company’s instrument to cut company expenses / cost – Learn the art of negotiating with suppliers and vendors. More often than not, the suppliers would charge you in their budgetary cost with 20 to 30% higher of the price of the item since they know that as a buyer you would still negotiate the price.
•  A preferred vendor list is advisable to have. This is to obtain the best leverage available to your organization. This way you can also negotiate with the vendors to have certain items at locked price scale at a certain period of time.
• Go for green and earth friendly products.

This are just some of the tips that I would like to share for you and I hope it helps.  Next in my tip list will be to be effective in Logistics Support to an organization….

After that very tiring day from work, my SUNFLOWER in full bloom really makes me smile. Apart from the sweet kiss of my kids, the bloom really makes my day.

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You are a disciplinarian before – which I resented in my younger days, but now that I am also a Mom too, I realize that you are just over protective of us.

You easily get angry when we are rowdy; perhaps you just got irritated because you were so dead tired from work before.

You would easily raise your voice, but now I realize that you are sick with hypertension and diabetes.

I would often see you restless because you had been deeply bothered by the tuition fee payment of all 4 of us. But then just like any wonder Mama, you made it with 4 college graduates and now professionals under your cap.

You would scare us to death with the hit of your belt every time that we have low grades and we fall beyond your expectations. But because of this my siblings and I pushed ourselves to be the best in our studies and in our every battle.

I almost hate you for being an iron lady, but now I realize that if not for your strong conviction and determination, we would not be the way we are now. Now that I am a Mom like you, I realize that you may show tough love but that does not mean that you love us less. You are tough because you need to be and for you feel that it is the best to do that time. I would never question your parenting style, though I just wish that you are more approachable as a Mom. We may have different parenting style, but we have the same goal for our kids to give them a good life and tons of love.

Mama, now that I am also a Mom like you, I realize that being a Mom is a tough job. Now that I am a Mom I appreciate you even more. I dearly love you and sincerely thank you for everything.

Happy Mother’s Day Mama KO.