The past few days had been quite a challenge because I was left alone to deal with two wild toddlers and a teen with raging puberty hormones. And as I watched them destroy the house while I slowly sipped my coffee, feet up, I had been thinking about how I will be rewarded for being great …

July 22, 2023. 15:00 | HOME I looked out the window and saw dark, heavy clouds looming over. Five minutes later, it began to pour. I took a sip of my coffee and realized it wasn't warm anymore. I put the cup down and started heading back to the bedroom. Getting snuggled underneath all…

No one asked but one of my favorite things in the world is pockets. Then the skinny jeans took it all away.  I remember Jan having pockets in his pants that can fit a phone, a wallet, a large bag of Cheetos, a laptop, our fat cat, and possibly the entire city of Atlantis while I, on the o…

And guess what? I did not leave with a basket full of bright, colorful, and aesthetically pleasing stuff that are absolutely unnecessary.  I could have done it, you know. The husband was a thousand miles away and no one else can dissuade me from buying whatever useless knickknack I fanc…

I have been here for about an hour now.  While I try to make out what is being broadcasted over the speakers because I can only hear muffled and distorted sounds as if the announcer is gargling the microphone, I have been watching people.  And so it occurred to me that airports are a home…

I don't really get my fingernails done.  My hands look too manly that no amount of hand spa and nail color can make it ladylike. My day to day activities are also not very friendly for long, prettyfied, manicured nails (I wash my children's bum, no thanks). So yeah, a trip to the …

Do you remember the time when I could not be bothered to look good because I paid so little attention to my outfits? Well, my blog does . 😅 Then I realized how making a simple upgrade to my style just made me feel better overall. It does feel empowering, you know. Every outfit that I ch…

Because I am sick and all of my fingers are broken . But if I'm not going to do it now, I'm not going to remember any of it and this will never be written at all.  This is something that doesn't happen often. Thought about writing this to remind us that we survived this ordeal…

There is a reason why I haven't been posting dancing content on TikTok lately, why my face is getting "rounder" each day, and why we have to hold off or probably let go of our plans to immigrate to Canada (cold weather is a huge trigger). It's crazy how life can change …

Got this from Kryz Uy's post . I find it a bit relatable (except the being wealthy part), so I thought I'd do the same. 4 years later... Our marriage so far: bought a small home (applied in 2017 but it was turned over a few months after our wedding) traveled as married couple had…

I have a new pair of shoes! And it's one of the most beautiful shoes I've ever laid my eyes on. I know I don't need another one. Call it absurd , a weakness, a toxic trait, or whatever. But shoes do make me happy. Probably because I may have been healing from my "past tra…

Much has happened the past weeks. I don't even know where to begin. But I guess, I'll start with the news that we now have two feral toddlers to keep an eye on.  Our little girl, Isabel, turned one this month. And I know I have already said that we won't be traveling until she…

Yes, folks! I still play (with really long breaks in between). And yes, after 1,3xx hours, I am NOT YET DONE. I strongly believe that no Resident Representative (a.k.a Player 1), not one, has ever finished this game. I lost count on how many times I've tore down some parts of my islan…

I have been skinny for as long as I can remember. While I can devour a truckload of burgers and still not gain a pound, being cursed with a metabolism that burns up calories more quickly than I can eat isn't always a good thing.  I always had trouble finding clothes that fit me well. …

I remember it was summer of 2003 when I created my first blog. I did it out of the need to channel my inner Hulk who gets infuriated at life's slightest inconveniences into something rather creative. Then I got through that teenage angst phase and became mature (surprisingly). Started…

Perhaps I have not made it very obvious but I've said this before: I am addicted to boots —even if it is something I know I cannot wear regularly here in the tropics. Anyway, I finally got my very first Dr. Martens!  Hands down to the coolest, sickest, and most badass shoes I've e…

I don't remember the last time I wrote something serious.  And I think this post will be serious. And long. And unrelatable. And boring.  And... anyway.  Let me start this with our daily scuffle:

I am silently panicking. I never thought I'd experience a heartbreak far worse than a break up.

I grew up in an era where the concept of Wishlist  did not exist. In those days, whenever there was an "exchange gifts" during Christmas parties, the giver carried the burden of gift-giving—one that I carried ever since I started high school.

I was never really a sandal girl. My toes look funny and ugly to be wearing one. But I have always wanted a pair of Birkenstock. They are not exactly attractive but they go well with my manly feet. They are also easy to wear and can go with anything—jeans, shorts, even dresses! The malls …

When you become a mom, you take on not just one, not two, not even three, but multiple roles.  As a mom of a teen, toddler, and a baby, I can be a referee, teacher, nurse, storyteller, an entertainer, event planner, a coach, caretaker, driver, repairman. And if I have the whole day, this …

Of course, the whole world has to know. Because I feel like a domestic goddess after doing such feat. And just in case it doesn't happen again. I don't know if there's a household chore more tedious than folding clothes. I would have seizures just thinking about it. Plus, it r…

You know what I miss right now? It's waking up early in the morning, then enjoying some freshly-baked pandesal dipped in hot coffee while having a little chit-chat with the family... at the beach. For almost a week, that's how our mornings were spent during our vacation a few mon…

At this point, I think I already lost the ability to write. I find it hard to write anything even when there is so much to share the past three months. This is probably the longest time I have been gone—in the blogosphere at least. I would have started this comeback post with an apology f…

I know it's already a week late for this. But just in case you are wondering if Jan and I are still okay because I have not posted anything on our anniversary —which is very unusual because I do it every single year—yes, we are okay. Very much okay. It's just that, I TOTALLY forgo…

It may not seem like it but, truthfully, I am terrible when it comes to parenting. A lot of moms probably feel the same way, too. It's just that people don't really talk about it. The truth is, parenting is something most mothers struggle to enjoy. It is a hard and thankless job.

Unfortunately.

"Kamukha ng tatay noh?"  Those were the doctor's exact words when I gave birth to our daughter two days ago.  I rolled my eyes in disbelief. That was the most difficult pregnancy and the most painful (albeit the fastest and shortest)  labor experience  I ever had. Tapos magi…

My Trafalgar Law hoodie arrived a few days ago. It reminded of the first time I had laid my eyes on this badass tattooed doctor with a goatee *gasps*. It was law at first sight.  I have also been binge-watching and catching up with One Piece lately and I remember the fun times I had with…

I thought I would have a long, uninterrupted sleep last night because for the first time in almost two years, I let our toddler sleep with my mom.  But that much needed rest never happened. I was so uncomfortable with this belly that could pop anytime, the perpetual back pain, the need to…

But unlike Eve, the devil had nothing to do with it.

I swear. Jan and I never ever thought that one day we would be called landlords.  We think it's a title only given to the asset rich, cash rich. Since we are neither, becoming a landlord has never really sunk in even though it has been seven months since we had our first and brand new…

Women my age don't get knocked up easily. Or so I thought. It takes a lot longer to get pregnant again. Or so I was told. So we made love unprotected. And surprise, surprise! It only took less than two months to miss a period. While the news was one of the best we received, it honestl…

2021 took so many twists and turns. But despite the grey skies that have been looming since 2020 that honestly seems like a hundred years ago, there have been those little ray of lights that seeped through from time to time. And as this year comes to a close, I would like to express my gr…

If there is one positive influence I have on Jan, it has got to be this. This is his second time to summit the Philippines' highest mountain. His first climb without me (yep, partially bummed because I couldn't go) and probably his worst hiking experience by far—with plans almost…

It was twelve years ago when I pushed a giant papaya out of my lady parts. And fifteen months ago, I did the same thing. I wish I could say that having a baby at 24 isn't all that different from doing it at 35. But nope. I sneezed my first born out. The second one, however, felt like …

I take pride in my DIY skills .  I was born creative. But if we're going to be honest here, I only do it because I am  cheap practical. If I can do something with what's available, I will do it if it means saving more money for better things like books I don't get to read.

I remember reading a friend's post on Facebook that said he will never ride the jeepney ever again. Another also shared about his first jeepney ride after so many years like it's a lifetime achievement or something. Knowing that they're not even someone you can consider rich ,…

Scenario at the vaccination site:  Kuya assistant: "Diri ang mga buntis." And he guided every pregnant woman out of the queue but me.

Okay. This is not something that a lot of people can relate to. But in case you are wondering, this is how I got by those raging pregnancy hormones during the isolation. I've heard a few kids play this but from what I know, this game kept A LOT OF PEOPLE (mostly adults) from spiraling…

I often find myself reminiscing about the old days. Those days when we get to eat out and go on spontaneous road trips every week. The time when we don't celebrate special occasions over food deliveries. The time when we conveniently fake fever to have an excuse for skipping work. Or …

I have been solo-parenting for almost a week now.  And that's because our cat, Appa, bit Jan on his left leg. While Jan thinks the biting was an accident, I think otherwise. That cat has been plotting to kill me since day one but was miserably unsuccessful so it decided to take it on…

I was asked to do a speech after my name was announced. I don't exactly have an affinity for speaking, let alone an impromptu one. Usually, the words I compose in my head are not the same words that come out of my mouth. I only wanted to be grateful but instead, I uttered: "I wro…

Last year, we celebrated the Kadayawan Festival at home. Wait. Let me rephrase that. Last year, we stayed at home and did our usual routine—otherwise known as work—without even knowing that it was already Kadayawan. This year would definitely be different. We plan on having a feast from d…

I was mindlessly scrolling Facebook, when this appeared on my feed: