Our life in the Philippines

Leon's 9th Birthday Party

2010-06-07T13:37:00.001+08:00

Rainy season has begun here in the Philippines. It has literally been raining every day, something that I am not used to. Because of this it has made me more lethargic and I find myself taking naps in the afternoon. It reminds me of when I was little and we had a porch outside in the front that was surrounded by a screen so the mosquitoes wouldn't come in and I would take naps there when it rained. The breeze was cool and it was very peaceful and very relaxing.

But this post is not about me it's about my son Leon who turned 9 on Wednesday June 2nd! We had a blast and it turned out nice despite that it had rained a couple of hours before the party started. I was hysterical as it had rained really hard and it rained for over an hour non stop. The party was supposed to have started at 3 p.m. but we didn't get a chance to start decorating until 2 p.m. so because of this the party did not officially start until 4 p.m. It was a Pokemon theme and I had tried my hardest to find Pokemon stuff here. It was hard though. I did find these cool Pokemon posters that I plastered all around to add some spark to the place.

Kuya Dong and Mammang contributed the taurpalin and the chairs. The taurpalin came out nice and it featured Leon's beautiful face on it. I had made some lovely centerpieces for the tables as well as some candy that was labeled for the adults. The kids received plenty of candy from the pinata as well as the goody bags which were stuffed with more candy and tons of toys to play with. The food, thankfully was just enough. We didn't think we had enough but we managed with what we had. The cake was the
yummiest and the moistest cake I've ever tasted. It makes me want to buy one now as I'm writing this!

We had played 5 games for the kids including longest breath, the boat is sinking, musical chairs, hep hep hooray and bring me. We played 2 games for the adults which were fun as well. Afterwards we had the videoke in which we sang songs and had some drinks. We had gotten Leon a scooter, which he really wanted and he was so happy. He also got lots of fun toys to play with from his friends.

I want to thank Grandma Aurora and Grandpa Glenn for contributing money to Leon's birthday party, we even wrote their names on Leon's balloons. Thanks to Mimi also who contributed the invites along with balloons and the happy birthday banner featured behind the food table. Overall it was a success and all the kids had fun which is what it is all about:)

More pictures of Leon's birthday

What has Anna been up to?

2010-05-18T19:46:00.000+08:00

I know, I know, it seems as if abandoned this blog but fear not I've been absent for a good reason. As you know I've started on a journey into internet marketing a couple of months ago. It's taken me this long to sort out through all the crap out there because there is a lot and I have finally invested in a mentor.

His name is Alex Jeffreys and it's really been life changing for me. It has gotten me focused and I am following a proven system which is key to being successful. Also, Alex Jeffreys is a six figure earner in internet marketing. If you search his name on Google there are no bad write ups about him which is unusual especially with internet marketing. He is down to earth and is real genuine. On top of that he is only my age, 28, and if proves to me that if he can do it, so can I.

True, there are tons of people that want to make it successful online but never do. It is also a fact there is room for everyone because the internet is an endless place of infinite possibilities. As I set out on my quest for success I think it is important to surround myself with like minded people and stay positive at all times. It is going to be hard work despite what you may think about internet marketing and it is going to take dedication. I am ready for this challenge as I want financial freedom for myself and my family as well as the lives that I touch as a result of this.

Please visit my new blog solely on my journey in internet marketing at Valuable Internet Marketing. My motto is providing value through internet marketing. I truly believe that if I help enough people get what they want than I will get what I want. You will find a lot of great comments from my fellow students as we are all supporting each other. Also, for those that are interested in internet marketing please visit Easy Cash Webinar System where you can watch a free webinar and get a wealth of information from my mentor Alex Jeffreys.

For those that may not be interested at all, please let someone know that may be interested as it may change their lives. I really feel that this path I'm taking is going to lead me to financial freedom and I invite you to do the same as well!

Easter Sunday Celebration

2010-04-09T12:23:00.002+08:00

We had the funnest Easter Day Celebration this past Sunday. We had the party at Mammang Lou's house and is was complete with games as well as karaoke which is what they absolutely love to do here in the Philippines.

We started the celebration with singing a song that Mammang had written on a big poster size paper. As you can see from the pictures we had two of the girls hold it up while we all sang. Afterwards, we did the Easter Egg Hunt. Mammang hid 12 eggs that were color coded and wrapped in plastic wrap. Depending on the color of the egg that you found than you won a certain amount of money. I found one egg but it was worth the most as it was the golden egg. I won Php 50 for it!! Leon and Leanna both one two eggs and were happy that they won some money.

After that we had played three more games that were really fun, you really just had to be there to see the laughs and looks on our faces because we were really cracking up. Leon and Leanna had a throw down against each other on the karaoke machine and whoever got the highest point won. Leanna had sung "Make It Real" her all time favorite song that she sings all the time. Leon sung "I Believe I Can Fly" and he was the winner!! He scored higher then Leanna but they both did really well. Leon and Leanna also danced to a song and Mammang even gave them some money for that. After all the games and prizes both Leon and Leanna went away with over Php 100 so they both were really happy.

We ate some good food too which included a roast chicken, barbecue and even honey baked ham that Mammang's son from California sent over and some really good vegetable soup. It was all so delicious but I'm glad I kept within reason on my intake as I didn't want to gain more pounds. For dessert we enjoyed some ice cream on cones and some coffee.

Overall we had a blast and Leon and Leanna really had a good time. I can't wait for our next together. There's nothing like enjoying the company of your family and just having a good time, that is what life is really about:)

Easter Celebration Pictures

Holy Week = Culture Shock!!

2010-04-04T16:02:00.000+08:00

It's Easter today but this past week was Holy Week here in the Philippines and it was a total culture shock for both Leon and Leanna. Here in the Philippines they conduct what they call Mandarame and that is where you see guys on almost every street corner parading around and striking their backs with a whip like thing. The noise alone is very loud and you can hear it from our apartment and when you hear this sound that means shortly after you will see a bunch of guys striking their backs.

The gross part about it is that this whip really hurts their back and you can see that they are actually bleeding. You will also notice the crowd walking beside them and if you walk too close you make get some blood splattered on you too. You will also see some people carrying the cross just as Jesus did.

The whole point of doing all this is for these so called sinners to repent what they have done and they do this as a sacrifice. They parade around so that people can witness them repenting but they cover up their faces so people will not see who these sinners are as they are embarrassed. They also actually televise people that volunteer to hang themselves on the cross with real nails that actually pierce through their skin just like what really happened to Jesus. There were 6 people that chose to do it this year but we did not attend as I did not want to witness something that gruesome and thought it would be a little too much for the kids.

Both Leon and Leanna were scared at first and it was actually Leanna that was a lot more scared then Leon. She was so scared to the point that every time she saw or even heard the people coming she would cling on to me like a little baby and cry. To help her get over her fear Mammang Lou suggested that we take care to see the Mandarame in person so that she would see firsthand that it was nothing really and also explain to her why they did that. You will see in the pictures we all were watching on the street as the parade of guys came and after awhile watching Leanna was not afraid anymore. It's still hard for both of them to understand though why this is done but at least they are not so scared.

The Mandarame lasts the whole week with a lot of them doing it mainly on Thursday and Friday. I'm glad it's over though as it is still gruesome to watch even for me. I guess it's because of all that blood and even the smell!! If you can take seeing more pictures then click on the link but if not then don't!

Mandarame Pictures

Leon's Moving-Up Ceremony

2010-04-02T14:22:00.001+08:00

My young scholar

Leon had his moving-up ceremony this past Tuesday and we celebrated with a dinner afterwards. Here in the Philippines they do it a little bit different and they only recognize the children that achieved honors in the ceremony that they hold at the end of the year. To qualify for honors you have to have a grade of 80% or above in all of your subjects. Also, because Leon was considered a "transferee" he got a special citation award as he had missed the first quarter of the year. Leanna was so close to making honors but unfortunately she did not get it as she missed it by 2 points. Next year though she had said she was going to get it and that is something that I will definitely help her in achieving.

If you don't get honors they really do not recognize you but you still pass and can move on to the next grade. Leon was only two people in his whole third grade class that was recognized so it was a real honor. There were a total of only 8 kids in the whole grade school department, from grade 1 to grade 4 that had gotten recognized. The children from the preschool department all got recognized though and those are the ones you will see in the picture that are wearing the white gowns.

The venue where they had it was a bit small and they had a lot of parents standing up but they later managed to get more chairs so they could sit. The kids performed a number singing "Go The Distance". They also had the children present roses to their parents which really touched me and I had started crying when Leon was coming up to me with the rose. I was thinking of all the times I had pushed him and that it really paid off in the end and I am so proud of him.

After the ceremony we went home to prepare the dinner that we had that night at Mammang's house. We had salad, spaghetti, barbecue and fried rice. We also got to sing karaoke and dance so we all had lots of fun. Leanna discovered a new song that she liked to sing so she sang that song about 10 times, no joke!! Everyone was tired of hearing it but we let her keep singing anyway. For dessert we had made Leon's all time favorite fruit salad and Mammang had ice cream cones for us too. As you can see from the pictures we had a lot of fun dancing and even taught the girls who didn't know how to dance to do the "achy breaky"!! Fun times:)

I am proud of both Leon and Leanna as they both have come a long way. I see a major improvement in Leanna and am very confident that next year she will definitely make honors along with Leon. Leanna had drastically improved in Math especially. Her third quarter grade was a 77 and for the fourth quarter she had gotten a 93 so I am very happy about that. Also, I forgot to mention that Leon had gotten a special academic award for being the "best in mathematics" so we are so proud of him for that too!! Although they had learned a lot from Brighter Kids and even met a lot of friends we have made a decision to move them to a different school that is a better fit for them. It is an international school for one and the facilities are bigger and their curriculum is better as well. Their new school is called Living Stone International School and they will be taking their assessment next week. The next school year starts in June so two months with them at home, what fun!! Leon will be taking up guitar lessons and Leanna singing lessons so we'll see how that goes. Will keep you guys updated!
Enjoy the pictures!!

Moving-Up Ceremony Pictures

Badminton Tournament

2010-03-26T20:04:00.000+08:00

I held this tournament two weeks ago and I know, I'm really late in posting them, but better late than never right? It was a lot of fun and everyone really enjoyed themselves.

The thought came about to have the badminton tournament because there are so many kids here in the neighborhood and I thought this would be a fun way to spend an afternoon. We had posted a poster to let the kids know about our tournament and the different age divisions that we were going to have. To make it fair I wanted the kids to play with other kids in their age group so we had three age groups. Age 7-9, 10-13 & 14-17. We did charge the kids an entrance fee to play which was only Php 20, only $0.43. The fees I collected from all of the kids did not even come close to the amount of money that I spent on everything but that didn't matter as this was all about the kids and as long as they had fun I was happy.

For each age division I gave out three prizes, the first prize was Php 500 which is about $10.86, not bad after they only had to pay Php 20 to enter. The second prize was a little gift for the top boy player worth Php 100 and the third prize was a little gift for the top girl player worth Php 100. All participants that played though did get a bag of candy just for participating. In addition we also fed the kids a full meal which included pancit (noodles), hot dog and rice. For dessert we served fruit salad in little cups. So like I said I did end up spending more than I collected but it was satisfying to see all the kids having fun and just being happy.

I don't speak the language well yet and can only understand a few words here and there. It has been a real challenge for me but I manage. A parent had came up to me and let me know that what I had done was "beautiful" and that no one had done that before and they really appreciated it. They were speaking this in Filipino so I understood only parts of it but when he said that to me I felt really happy that someone acknowledged what I did. I also know that this is something that the kids won't forget either and as long as I am able to make an impact someway and somehow in a small way that is all that matters.

Because this tournament was such a success a lot of the adults have been coming up to me asking when the tournament for the adults is going to happen. I let them know that we will plan it sometime soon. I was also thinking to myself to cut down on my budget as well before I go broke (ha ha joking only)!! Enjoy the pictures.

Badminton Tournament Pictures

Tony Sanders Products

2010-03-22T13:55:00.000+08:00

If you've ever been on MySpace or Facebook lately than you will notice ads all over the place promoting the popular games such as Fish Ville, Farm Ville & Mafia Wars. Tony Sanders otherwise known as T Dub Sanders is a popular author who has written a handful of ebooks on these popular games as everyone wants to be the top and win.

There has been a craze all over these social websites and these games have been played by millions of people. If you are looking to dominate these games than these guides are just what you need.

The following are the products that Tony Sanders has:

There are a lot I know but that just goes to show you how popular these games really are and believe it or not they will continue to grow with more fans who are eager to play these games each and every day. If you or someone you knows want more secrets and tips to these popular games than visit Tony Sanders Products where you can get more information.

Cheesesoft Products

2010-03-22T04:07:00.000+08:00

I am now promoting Cheesesoft Products which are software solutions for your computer. If you have experienced any PC problems then this company has the solution for you. They offer great customer service and they strive to increase productivity and protect sensitive information with their products. Cheesesoft also offers downloads with free trials so you can test the product to see if it suites your needs. The products that they offer is as follows:

Advanced Defrag
Advanced PC Tweaker
Convert Genius
Driver Checker
Duplicate File Cleaner
Easy Launcher
Evidence Smart
Final Sync
Final Uninstaller
Perfect Uninstaller
Registry Easy
Spyware Cease

Don't waste your time with all of the other products out there that promise to fix a computer problem and they just don't. With Cheesesoft Products you will not be disappointed!

Updates

2010-03-12T16:04:00.000+08:00

I've neglected this blog I know but with good reason. As I mentioned in my previous blog I have been looking for ways to make money online. With so many options out there, it's hard to sort through what is real and going to make me the money versus just useless information and believe me there is a lot of useless information out there!

I've been focusing on this internet marketing thing for a little over 3 weeks and I have found myself in information overload at this point. I still am keeping positive though and know that there is money to be made out there is cyberspace, I just need to keep at it and stay focused.

With that being said right now I am focusing my efforts on affiliate marketing as I have read that for newbies that is the best way to go. It's easy and you don't have your own products and you don't even have to have your own website. The costs are minimal if you choose to get your traffic the free way but if you want to pay for traffic running campaigns you can do that too. There is a little bit more flexibility in being an affiliate too. Right now I am testing a bunch of different techniques to drive traffic as of course that is what is needed to drive sales!

I will be posting my affiliate links here periodically as getting backlinks is another method to SEO marketing. I would like to start off with one that I hold near and dear to my heart and that is the Truth About Six Pack Abs Program. As many of you know I have used this program to lose my unwanted belly fat and am totally thankful for finding this program as it has really opened my eyes to the dangers in the foods that I was eating and also taught me the right foods to eat that I now have incorporated into my daily eating habits. Here are the following sites that I have dedicated for this program:

The Program Itself:
www.blastbulgingbelly.com

The Blog I created:
www.blastbulgingbelly.blogspot.com

The Videos to Exercises listed in manual
Ab Videos

The videos are new and what a lot of people have been looking for as it is much easier to apply and on top of that there is a feature in which you can download them right to your iPod so you'll be able to access them in the gym or even at home easier.

So far for this particular product I have ran some campaigns on Facebook and Google and have made 2 sales and they both happened within a day of me running the ads. I did however stop running the ads as I was running other product campaigns and they weren't making me any money and I didn't want to go in the hole before I even started so I decided to just stop all my campaigns until I researched more and found out what the best way was to advertise. I was really excited though about those two sales because again they happened within a short period of time and although it may not seem like a lot it proved to me that I could do it, I just need to focus my efforts on what will work. They have a saying in the online marketing world and it's "show me you can make a dollar online first" once you do that you just have to tweak and perfect what you have done to make that dollar and more will come rolling in. I hope for me that's soon:)

There are a lot of other affiliate products that I have decided to promote but as stated earlier I will dedicate a blog post to them separately. I will also do my best to update my progress as writing it all out will give me a perspective on what I am doing and will also give me a chance to think through the things I am doing.

Trip to Baguio City Philippines

2010-02-18T18:17:00.004+08:00

Me and my husband went to visit Baguio City Philippines a couple of weeks ago. I hadn't been there since I was a kid and my memories were very fond of the place. I remember it being cooler there as Baguio is located in the mountains. I also remember taking trips there with family and us packing the car and taking a long road trip. I'm not sure how long it took us before to get there but I would imagine that it had to be longer than the 6 hour bus trip that we had taken to get there a couple of weeks ago. Since then the roads have improved and even though there's not really a highway so speak that you take to get there the bus was going at a constant speed.

I was really surprised though at how those bus drivers are able to maneuver through the winding roads as we were literally going up these tall mountains and the roads were narrow and only with one lanes. We had made quite a few stops though on our journey because apparently there are a lot of people that go to Baguio, so as the bus driver saw someone waving him down then he stopped to pick them up. We stopped at two rest stops to stretch our legs and get snacks to eat. The majority of the time going there me and my husband listened to music on our iPod's. The time coming back was spent sleeping as we were tired and it was a very long day.

It was just a day trip for us as we did not plan on staying there for awhile. My husband just wanted to see the place and get a feel for it as he had heard a lot of nice things about it. He absolutely loved Baguio!! He enjoyed the weather first of all and he also liked the people there, they were very friendly and nice. I was not used to the cold weather though and although I was wearing my jacket I was still cold!! I had even started sniffling and sneezed here and there. It must have been around 70 degrees and if anyone knows me that is too cold for me!

We left around 8 in the morning and arrived in Baguio around 2 p.m. We walked around the park that was there as well as went to SM Baguio City which is the Super Mall over there. We had something to eat at the mall and took some pictures on the second floor overlooking the city. We only had a couple of hours there which was enough as like I said before this trip wasn't really planned. Besides we didn't have any other form of transportation besides us walking and with walking we could only go so far especially since I was cold. We didn't take too many pictures so it's really not worth posting a link to Kodak Gallery for them like I usually do with my other photos but I will post a few here.

My husband really liked it there and actually went back another time before he left with one of his friends as he had a music contact out there that he had to meet with. We talked about having a getaway place there to come to relax when we needed a cool place to stay. Next time when we visit we will definitely check out some places:)

Leon's new hairstyle

2010-02-17T17:04:00.004+08:00

When my husband was here he had decided to lock Leon's hair like his. Although Leon's hair is a different texture he was able to do it but now it's my duty to maintain it which takes time. Lucky me! I have to do it every other day now.

Leon actually wanted his hair like daddy's for a long time now. He always liked it long, that is why we never cut it. He used to wear it down when it was shorter as he always loved the comments he would get from people everywhere we went. I also liked his hair down as he had some amazing curls, even better than Leanna's. There were a lot of people that would think he was a girl though but that didn't bother him any because the people that could tell he was boy just adored him and especially his hair.

When it got longer and especially when we moved here to the Philippines where it's really hot he always wore it in a pony tail. A lot of the kids from school liked his pony tail and admired that he had different hair than the rest of them. We finally locked it up a couple of weeks ago. It's still in the beginning phase and it's going to take a while for it to permanently lock up but eventually it will. Right now it just looks like he has a bunch of just bigger curls. As you can see from the pictures it still looks nice. He still keeps it in a pony tail though. We'll see how it turns out in a couple of months:)

Enchanted Kingdom

2010-02-16T18:51:00.003+08:00

I have really been slacking on writing on my blog. I guess it's because I've been really busy with my husband being home. He has now left though so I have time on my hands now to work on this.

In my last post I had mentioned blogging for profits but I have not even heard back from Google about my Adsense campaign that I want to run on this blog. I knew it was going to take a couple of days but I didn't think it would be this long. I guess I should contact them huh? I'll do that and see what they say.

Meanwhile I hadn't posted these pictures up so I thought I should. These pictures are from when we visited Enchanted Kingdom the first weekend in February. The kids really enjoyed it. There were not too many rides geared towards adults and Levar was sad about that as he thought he was going to ride some rides. We opted for just letting the kids ride the ones they wanted and joined them for some of the rides as well. The water log was as usual really fun and we got a little wet which we wanted to do as we wore our bathing suits underneath. To my surprise they didn't have any other water related rides besides the water log. The kids were disappointed as they really wanted to soak in the water.

There were some rides in which the lines were really long. Particularly the huge ferris wheel that you'll see in the pictures. Unfortunately we didn't ride that one but it was nice to see. We had arrived around 11 a.m. and good thing we did because as the afternoon rolled around especially around 4 p.m. it started getting really crowded. Mom didn't ride any rides at all. She was in her own little world, walking around the whole park and admiring the landscape and the different types of rides they had.

Overall it was a fun-filled day with the family and one where we could say that we've been to Enchanted Kingdom in the Philippines. We would like to take the kids to Disney Land Hong Kong so we will be planning for that sometime this year.

Enchanted Kingdom Pictures

Work At Home or Get a Job?

2010-02-03T10:07:00.002+08:00

I've worked all my life since after high school when I started as a bank teller. Ten years in the banking industry has been good to me. I've gained a lot of skills including leadership, management, & social skills. Not to mention good pay. I have been fortunate to have a job to help sustain my family and live a lifestyle in which we didn't have to struggle.

Being in the Philippines for five months now it feels weird not working at a JOB but don't get me wrong I definitely do not miss the stress of having a job. I have been keeping myself busy with writing three business plans actually and another two business ideas that I have also. Which leads me to think about if I really want to stress myself out again by working. I knew that I didn't come to the Philippines only just to work for someone else. Unless you have your own business or you have a high status job here then you are likely to make enough money to just barely get by here. It's a sad truth that many people experience here but that is how it goes.

Being an entrepreneur is not easy either. It takes time, dedication and the will to work like you've never worked before. There is however, different types of things you can do as an entrepreneur such as working from home in the comfort of your own home or starting a brick and mortar business. The business plans I had written were in fact for brick and mortar businesses and I'm starting to think that it might not be something that I don't want to pursue at the moment. The reason why I'm saying that is the fact that I will be taking time away from the kids and the time that I spend with them in studying with them for school.

While I know I could hire people to do the work, it's not that easy to do that here in the Philippines, I don't think it's easy to do that anywhere. The labor costs are real low so it wouldn't be hard to find people looking for work per se but the difficult part is finding the right people that will do the work and people that you can trust. On top of that since I don't speak the language it's harder for me to really trust someone and know if they are really on my side or just out to con me. It's not good to think about things like that but if you don't then you will not be prepared if something bad does happen.

I know that if I do start a brick and mortar business I will be spending a lot of time getting it up and running and not dedicating the time to my kids and that was the main reason that I liked about being here was the time with my kids. For the last couple of days now I've been online trying to think of things that I could do from the comfort of home and not compromise the time with the kids. Of course the main thing that I found was internet marketing. There are a bunch of different ways I can make money online, some that are just flat out scams but some that are legitimate and worth it and will actually make me money. One thing that I have already established is this blog that I'm writing in right now. Although I started this blog to keep in touch with friends back home and for them to keep track of what's happening with my life here in the Philippines I didn't realize that I could also make money from it also. It's a natural progression that I think would be good for me. I don't consider myself a great writer and I know that it will take time to hone my skills but I think I could write some stuff that people will be interested in.

One last thing before I close out this post (I know, this post is long already) is that I actually applied to be a Foreign Service Officer otherwise known as a Diplomat. I know I just posted about not getting a job but after learning about what they do it sparked an interest in me and being curious I decided to just go through the process to see where it would take me. On top of that I thought it would be some good experience for me. Being a Foreign Service Officer means being employed by the US Department of State and being dedicated to representing America and responding to the needs of American citizens in other countries. I will be taking the test in March at the Embassy in Manila so I will keep everyone updated on that.

I miss my parents

2010-01-31T20:38:00.005+08:00

It's been six months and counting that I've been here in the Philippines and am feeling somewhat home sick. I guess you don't realize how much you miss people, especially family, until time passes by and you start thinking about them a lot. Although I talk to my parents on a regular basis it's still not the same as seeing them face to face especially seeing them interact with the kids. I'm sure they miss seeing Leon and Leanna and spending time with all of us too.

Mammang Lou gave me an old picture of mom and dad the other day that was hand painted by some painter back when they had lived here in the Philippines. Don't ask me what year the picture was painted but it had to have been some time before 1991 because that was the last time that we had lived in the Philippines. Also judging by the picture dad was a bit skinnier so it definitely had to be in their younger years because dad has gained a few pounds since then. They both look so cute and so young, two lovebirds in love. They have been married now for 41 years and their love gets stronger and stronger as the years go by.

Having raised 4 children, all with different personalities, must've been hard but they have done it and speaking for myself they did a good job:) I owe everything to mom and dad and am very thankful everyday for the many blessings and the things they have done for me in my life. Their love for each other is a true example of what love is. They have been through everything together and they have each other's love and commitment to keep going for the rest of their lives. This is an updated picture of them. Aren't they still so cute? Thanks mom and dad for everything, I truly love and miss you guys:)

Me Pictures

2010-01-24T16:34:00.001+08:00

Finally getting the chance to post some pictures that I had taken of myself. These pictures were actually taken back in November but did not get the edited pictures until the beginning of this year. The pictures were taken by a very talented young lady named Raleene Cabrera. I found her online. She is only 19 years old and is currently going to school for interior design but she loves taking pictures on the side. It is her hobby and she said that is actually her passion. She does photos for different people when she can and she also does some professional shoots for magazines and various models as well.

My hair as you can see from the pictures was not cooperating with me. I had taken the pictures in Manila which is about an hour and a half away from where I live in Pampanga. My set time to meet with Raleene was at 1 p.m. so I left around 8 a.m. which would be give me time to travel there plus find a place that would curl my hair for me to give me some volume. Everything was going according to plan but unfortunately when we got there we had a hard time even finding a place to do my hair. I didn't want to just go to any salon that I saw so I had to do some searching for one. Of course the taxi driver was no help as we were in Makati and he didn't know where a good place was and on top of that he was a guy so he didn't know much about all that hair stuff. I finally found a place called Ystilo Salon that I thought would be good but boy was I wrong. I had my hair curled alright but it was definitely not what I wanted and I was crying because of how bad it was! By the time the hairstylist was done and another hairstylist had tried to fix it, it was already close to 2 p.m. I didn't have any time to argue with them so I left with a bad do.

I didn't even want to take the pictures anymore but I didn't want to bail out on Raleene so I just sucked it up and took them. She helped me with my makeup and for my hair I just put water on it and that is why on the pictures it looks flat and just outright ugly. In the end, although I was not happy with my hair I thought the pictures turned out o.k. Next time I definitely will make sure my hair is right:)

Having fun with hubby being home

2010-01-22T18:17:00.001+08:00

I haven't blogged in a week as I am busy spending time with my hubby. I can't believe he's been here for a week now, my how time goes by!! It took him a long time to adjust to the time here and he still is feeling a little sleepy during the day. I keep telling him that he needs to stay awake the full day without taking any naps in order to have a good nights sleep but he won't listen.

We have just been hanging out at the house and spending lots of time with the kids, when they're not in school that is. The kids were off yesterday and today so they have an extended weekend. We have decided to go to Enchanted Kingdom tomorrow. Enchanted Kingdom is the Philippines' version of like a Disney Land. We're taking Gerlie and mom so there will be total of 6 of us going. What fun!! Can't wait and as always will post the pictures as soon as possible!

Busy Week

2010-01-13T18:01:00.001+08:00

I am having a busy week this week!! First it was the wedding on Sunday then the kids have their final exams for the 3rd quarter this week which has been keeping me extra busy. Add to that the fact that I am preparing for my hubby's homecoming this weekend and I feel a little burnt out!

The kids have a lot of material to test over and since Monday I have been studying and reviewing with them at least 7 hours every day. I know that seems like a lot but I actually alternate my time between Leon & Leanna. Both of them have exams and the material is just as tough for each. The kids get home around 12 noon and we start studying around 1 p.m. after eating lunch and playing a little bit, then it's hitting the books until 8 p.m. when they have to go to bed. I'm glad that I am able to spend this much time with them though. There's nothing like being able to study with them and watch them grow and learn new things. The kids have 11 subjects believe it or not and here is just a sample of what they had to study for the 3rd quarter:

Leon - 3rd Grade

Language: Sequencing events, adverbs (place, manner & time), prepositions (prepositional phrases & conjunctions) & kinds of sentences.
Christian Living: My faith will make me a better person, fair at home, school & everywhere & 4 memory verses.
Science: Plants (comparing them, monocots & dicots, & uses of plants and plant parts), matter & energy (states of matter, useful & harmful substances, & changes in the state of matter), energy (sources of light, how light travels, path of light, other sources of light, & behavior of light).
Computer: Windows (desktop, icons, & start button), Microsoft Word (basic screen elements, formatting & editing text, closing, opening, renaming, & saving document).
Math: Numeration (skip counting by 2's to 10's), multiplication (1-2 digit multiplicand & multiplier, & properties of multiplication), & static division.
Sibika at Kultura (Philippine Culture): Mamamayang Nagkakaisa at Nagtutulungan, Pamayanang Urban, & Pamayanang Rural.
Filipino: Pang-abay, Pang-angkop, Pangatnig & Pangungusap.
Reading: Sequencing of events, characterization, & following directions.
Mape (Music, Arts & PE): Musical phrase, musical instruments, string instruments, woodwind instruments, folk art, making cards, ethnic designs, track & field & lead-up games.
Spelling: spelling words in all subjects.

Leon's school books

Leanna

Language: Adjectives (limiting & descriptive), comparison (positive, comparative, & superlative).
Christian Living: signs & notices, Jesus helped many people, & 3 memory verses.
Science: Matter (characteristics of objects, basic feel of objects, states of matter, & 2-3 dimensional shaped objects), energy (sound, light, heat, motion, push & pull, other forces - magnet, wind & electricity).
Computer: the monitor, the printer, computer lab rules, & windows.
Math: place value, comparing numbers, reading & writing 3 digit numbers, multiplication, days of the week, & months of the year.
Sibika at Kultura: Mag-anak, Pangangailangan ng mag-anak, & mga katulong sa pamayanan.
Filipino: Pang uri, & Kaantasang ng Pang-uri.
Reading: community helpers, parts of the house, mother and young animals, sequencing events, & sentence construction.
MAPE: movements & rhythm, musical beat, rhythmic pattern, folk arts, paper craft, ethnic designs, individual games, group games & native games.
Spelling: spelling words in all subjects.

Leanna's school books

It's a lot I know, but now you know how I feel. Wish me luck:)

Santos-Ocampo Wedding Pictures

2010-01-12T20:51:00.002+08:00

The wedding this past Sunday turned out really well. I was up early as the people doing the makeup were at the house early. I thought they had come too early as it was around 7:30 in the morning when they had woken me up to go get mine done. I should've done my own makeup because as you can see through the pictures the powder they used on me was too light!! Oh well, I made the best of it and even tried to wipe it off a little bit. The makeup artist said it would absorb anyway during the day.

The wedding ceremony was touching as the groom was singing "Beautiful In My Eyes" while the bride was walking down the aisle. I kept telling myself I wasn't going to cry but when I saw the bride walking down and plus the song in the background I was overcome with emotion and I shed a few tears:) I'm a crier though, I love to cry! Leon was my photographer during the ceremony so some of the pictures are a little off but overall he did well.

The reception was nice as well and as expected there were a lot of people. The food was really good and I was glad they had served the entourage and the other sponsors as I would not have wanted to stand in the buffet line. The table I was sitting at was on the dance floor so I had a great seat on everything that was happening. I also took a lot of good shots. I was surprised that a majority of the guests left after eating but apparently that's what they do here in the Philippines. I don't understand why people take the time to get all dressed up then don't even enjoy themselves when they go to functions like this!

The kids and I had a great time though and of course the bride and the groom were as happy as can be. They will be going on their honeymoon tomorrow. They will be gone for three weeks taking an asian tour I believe to Thailand, Malaysia and other places. Congratulations to the newly weds, may their life be full of happiness, love and children in the future:)

Wedding Pictures

Holiday pictures 2009

2010-01-08T19:59:00.001+08:00

Pretty tree

The kids with their presents

Me and Leanna

Me and Leon

This is kind of late but better late than never!! Here are our pictures from the holidays which includes Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and our outing to Manila on the 27th.

We went to Manila to give wedding invitations to Uncle Rudy's side of the family which included visiting 3 houses. Each house had food for us and after the first house I was already full but we still had to eat at the other houses of course! In the evening we went to Araneta Coliseum to watch Disney on Ice which was a fabulous show. The kids had lots of fun. We had left 7 in the morning and did not return until 10 p.m. that night so we had a long but fun day. Enjoy the pictures!!

Holiday Pictures 2009

Dress fitting and a fun filled day

2010-01-06T11:22:00.001+08:00

Yesterday was a fun filled day. I was sad I didn't bring my camera with me because I really wanted to take pictures of yesterday.

I tried on the dress for my cousin's wedding this coming Sunday. It was a bright lime green long skirt and a corset spaghetti strap top that was green as well but had vertical lines of dark purple on it. After that we had lunch with Tin Tin (Christine, the bride to be) with her mother at a place called Toll House that was really good. Afterwards, we went to Ribeye Function Hall where they are having the reception to get everything organized and ready for the 570 guests that will be in attendance. Yes, that's right, there is a guest list of 570 people!! It's going to be interesting to see how the night is going to go especially when it comes time to serve the food.

They are having a buffet table but some guests, like the entourage and the immediate family of the bride and groom will be served at their seats. The hall was a bit outdated but it had a dance floor, a stage and a good sound system and was pretty spacious. I'm anxious to see it all decorated with flowers and stuff. Afterwards the girls (me, Mamang Lou, the mother of the groom, Maryann, the sister of the groom and Tin Tin) headed to SM (Super Mall) Clark to look for some shoes to go with our dresses. I was not lucky to find any shoes but Mamang Lou and Maryann were able to find some. I will just be borrowing a pair of silver shoes from Mamang Lou (we have the same size) for the wedding.

Well can't wait for the wedding!! Four more days. Will definitely blog about it the next day as well as post some pics.

My first blog for 2010

2010-01-04T12:45:00.001+08:00

Well I am definitely ready for a new year!!! I have changed the theme of my blog and will be doing so every month as I like a little change here and there!

The kids are off today (Monday) and they resume their classes tomorrow. They have been off for the last two weeks and are ready to go back to school. They will be studying for their exams they have to take all next week so I will be helping them do a lot of reviewing.

My hubby will be back two weeks from now so we are all so excited about that too!! We will be taking the kids to Enchanted Kingdom which is a theme park in Manila. It's kind of like their version of Disney Land here in the Philippines.

My cousin (Peter Santos aka Kuya Dong) will be married next Sunday so we are getting ready for that as well. I haven't gotten fitted yet but I should be doing that this week. Leanna needs to try on her dress too.

Well I can't wait for the things to come this new year!!! Sadly as another year passes by my kids also get older. I always said that I don't want them to ever grow up and I still feel that way because they are my babies. It amazes me how fast they grow up right before my eyes. Leon will be 9 this year and Leanna will be 8. My, how time goes by!! Well at least for now I can truly treasure every moment with them and take lots of pictures too:)

Happy New Year's

2009-12-31T17:22:00.001+08:00

As the year is coming to a close I have spent some time reflecting on the past year and what lies ahead for the new year. We have accomplished a lot this past year including making a major move to the Philippines and we have a lot more to do as we make our life here.

I am very fortunate to have an incredible husband who has supported us and is working hard for us to provide us everything we need here. He is my best friend and I love him very much!! I am also thankful for my two wonderful kids who keep me going every day and are there as a constant reminder of why we are doing what we are doing, for them so they could have a better future. I am also very thankful for my two loving parents back in the states for they have paved the way for me and provided and took care of me when I was younger. Without them I would not be or live the life that I have now and for that I am truly grateful. I also thank my sister Maria as she is my best friend and I miss her so much. She just got a new job as a manager at a bank so I congratulate her and wish her the best, I know she will do well. Lastly, my mom here in the Philippines who has provided her unending love to me and my family.

As for resolutions, I haven't really made a list of the things I want to accomplish but I do have goals from earlier this year that I created before we moved to the Philippines. It's a work in progress and it always changes as once I have accomplished something then I add something else. Health wise I have done real well in reducing my belly which I had really wanted to work on so now it's all about maintaining that which I definitely am going to do.

Well, so long 2009, here we come 2010. To all my friends and family Happy New Year and everyone enjoy the new year to come!!!

Christmas party at Brighter Kids

2009-12-30T20:20:00.002+08:00

The sun was in our eyes

Posing in front of the school tree

Leon

Leanna

Brighter Kids Learning Center

The kids enjoyed the school Christmas party. I haven't posted the pictures so here they are. It was held on the last day of school before they took their break. They had exchanged gifts with each other. It was also catered by McDonald's so they had a lot of fun with games and friendships!!

More pictures

Sweet Leanna

2009-12-28T17:24:00.001+08:00

My daughter Leanna is getting so big. I can't believe just 4 months ago when we moved here her handwriting skills were not that great plus she could barely read!! Now she is able to write really well and read a short book all by herself. The pictures you see are of a sweet note Leanna wrote for me as well as a note and a little breakfast she had prepared herself. She is so sweet, when she wants to be:)

I'm officially a Philippine citizen

2009-12-26T10:07:00.001+08:00

After months and months of waiting for this we finally got our dual citizenship papers!!! Yeah!! We got mine, Leon & Leanna's but I have only attached pictures of mine and Leanna's as Leon's certificate had an error on it and they had to fix it.

As a Philippine citizen I can now vote as well as own land and do all the other things that a Philippine citizen can do. Congratulations me!! Our next task: to get Levar's visa which will be another long waiting period!

Santos-Ocampo Wedding Invitation

2009-12-23T14:36:00.001+08:00

Yet again it's been a long time since I blogged. I have been busy with the kids' Christmas party last Friday and with them being off of school for two weeks it's been hectic around here. I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve and by next week this time it will be a new year!!

Kuya Dong (aka Peter Alain Santos, my cousin) will be getting married in less than 3 weeks, January 10th to be exact. I have posted his invitations for his wedding. Notice the principal sponsors page, there are over 40 people listed, now that's a lot of sponsors!! I will be filling in as a bridesmaid but am not listed on the invitation as it was printed before they knew I was going to fill in. Leanna is going to be the flower girl and is listed on the invitation. Also, Leon may be the coin bearer as well but it's still up in the air. I will definitely post pictures of the wedding too!

Mammang Lou's & Kuya Dong's newly renovated place

2009-12-15T09:22:00.001+08:00

Mammang Lou & Kuya Dong in the dining area

In the living room area

My favorite piece in the house - the bamboo!

Kuya Dong is putting the final touches to his newly renovated home and it looks great. They had started with renovating the back house where the boarders used to stay and converted it into a nice and bigger room for Mama Josie, a spacious living area complete with a bar and an entertainment area, along with a dining and kitchen area with a refrigerator.

For Kuya Dong's place he made the living room bigger and added some nice wood cabinet pieces that he uses throughout the entire house. My favorite thing in the house though is the bamboo that he uses in one of the cabinets as well as the one he uses as as a divider to the outside patio that he built which is attached to his room. This little room that he added will have a table and he added a green light so at night time him and his wife can enjoy the fresh breeze and a nice romantic dinner. The wind from the outside actually comes into the house and circulates through the house and is used for ventilation as well. Kuya Dong even added a drain in the room so that when it rains the water can drain out.

Well hope you guys like the place like I do. He did a good job and only did so in about 2 months time:)

MORE PICTURES

Happy Andrada's Fashion Show

2009-12-07T16:17:00.001+08:00

Well we had a blast this past weekend at the Fashion Show Leanna was in. It was her first job and we are all so proud of her. She did a great job and she featured two pieces from Happy's 60 piece girls collection. Call time was at 12:30 p.m. and the show started at 5 p.m.

Viva, Happy's sister read an excerpt from a book she had written. After that there was a magician that did his act. He was both funny & talented. He even picked Leon to be his volunteer for the first act in which he made balls disappear. Then they had a children's choir that sang beautifully. They had a birthday cake for Happy as she was celebrating her birthday too!!

It was a long day but a fun filled day. The venue they had it at was nice too. It was at Shangri La Plaza Mall and if you know anything about Shangri La it is high end. They had a Gucci store, Tiffany & Co. & other high end stores. It was a really nice place, even Leon asked me "Mommy, how come they don't have fun stuff for kids to do here"? Enjoy the pictures!

PICTURES OF HAPPY ANDRADA'S FASHION SHOW

Here's a video which I couldn't download here but was able to download it on Facebook. It's of Leanna walking down the runway in her Hippie inspired tube dress. Her first outfit she wore for the night.

VIDEO OF LEANNA WALKING DOWN THE RUNWAY

Pictures from the field trip

2009-12-06T16:25:00.001+08:00

The kids had a fun time but there was an incident with Leanna. Apparently she was following a boy named Jericho (her crush) on the monkey bars and was not listening to Gerlie or her teachers and she let go of the monkey bars and fell on her face!! She had a big bump on her forehead and scratches on her nose. Her nose was bleeding also. They had not taken many pictures after the incident as Gerlie had to keep an extra eye on her after that. Luckily they applied makeup up on her at her fashion show the next day:) Overall she's ok though and we also had a god time at the fashion show!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

2009-12-06T12:24:00.001+08:00

I heard it snowed in Houston so I changed my blog page to reflect that. Plus it will remind me that it is in fact winter because it sure doesn't feel like that here! Most of my life I've associated winter, Christmas and the holiday time to be cold. Now that we're here in the Philippines with me wearing flip flops, dresses and shorts every day, it's a change of pace for me:) Don't get me wrong though, if I could choose to be here or there it would have to be here because I despise the cold weather. I'd rather just see the cold then be in the cold and that is why I changed my page, isn't it cute? Well Houston, enjoy the cold weather without me!!

Leon & Leanna's Field Trip

2009-12-04T07:09:00.001+08:00

The kids had a field trip today. They had originally scheduled this field trip back in September but were not able to go due to Pepeng. They had to meet at the school 6 a.m. this morning and will not be returning until 5 p.m. tonight so they have a full day ahead of them and I have a full day to myself! Of course I've planned my usual massage and this time will also get a green tea facial along with a manicure & pedicure:)

The places they are going to visit today:

Paradise Ranch (Butterfly Garden, Aviary, International Garden, Cave, Hiking, Sight Seeing & Tribal Presentation)
Zoocobia Fun Zoo (Birds of Paradise, Philippines Pride, The Barn, It's a Small World, Garden Maze)
Air Force Park (with FREE ice cream)
Fire Station, Police Station, Parish Church
Bicentennial Park, Coca Cola Bottling Corp., Kyungshin Hospital (Hmm, that sounds like a Chinese name, probably is!)

What fun! I'm sure they will have a blast. I've asked Gerlie to take lots of pictures so I'll post them upon their return!!

Sorry, didn't realize I never posted the pictures for the field trip. Thanks to the anonymous person who commented and said they wanted to see more pictures. Here they are:

Field Trip Pictures

Pictures from the kids party

2009-11-30T20:11:00.001+08:00

The party yesterday was a success. A lot of happy kids that enjoyed a nice time with Leon & Leanna. Of course there was a lot of cleaning up to do afterwards but was expected as we had a lot of people in our place. It lasted until 9 p.m. at night as we had Ake's family come later on and fed them dinner. We had a lot of pancit left so we sent them home with some too. We also sang karaoke so we had some fun times. Enjoy the pics and make sure you read the captions!

Party Pictures

Getting ready for the kids party

2009-11-28T18:38:00.001+08:00

I spent the day today preparing for the kids party tomorrow , Sunday November 30 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. We are inviting a total of 12 children, 6 boys and 6 girls from the neighborhood. I forgot that here in the Philippines when you invite the children of course you have to invite the parents too:) I made giveaways for all the children and also made an agenda of things that we are going to do. Leanna will have a spa party which will include a facial, manicure & pedicure and to top that off makeup and hair done. Leon will be playing different games with his friends like badminton, jump rope and jacks. In addition we will be singing karaoke and watching a movie. The kids are going to have so much fun I can't wait!

For the food Leanna and her friends will be having sandwiches with chips & biscuits and Leon will be having hotdogs with chips and biscuits and for dessert yummy fruit salad. The adults will be having pancit, asado, cornbeef and rice. I won't be eating any of it but I'm sure it will be yummy!!

Look for pictures soon of the rocking party we're having tomorrow!

Comment Section

2009-11-26T18:48:00.001+08:00

I fixed my comment section on my blog so family and friends please feel free to leave your comments. Thanks!

Leana's first job

2009-11-25T08:47:00.001+08:00

The invitation

Front

Back

Leanna in the Christmas inspired dress

This past Saturday I took Leanna back to Manila to get her DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) permit for the fashion show she is going to be in next Saturday December 5th. My baby has her first job!! When we were there she tried on the outfits she is going to wear and of course I took some pictures:) I only took a picture of one outfit but she has another one she is wearing too. Happy has a nice studio with a lot of fashionable clothes that are very trendy and colorful. On top of that don't you just love her name too? Her sisters name is Viva, that's a cool name too! Her line for the girls are very cute as well. One of the pics I took of Leanna was a Christmas inspired dress which looked so cute on her. Happy suggested wearing one of those underskirts during the fashion show to make it look more fluffier. I can't wait for the fashion show, it's going to be so exciting!!

MORE PICTURES

I'm sad:(

2009-11-20T10:55:00.001+08:00

I just found out that Mimi will not be coming in January to visit as planned nor Levar will be coming in December as planned. The tickets are just too expensive in December as it is the holidays and every one and their mommas are traveling around that time!! The quotes on the tickets were $2,000 plus which is just ridiculous. Levar figures just waiting a couple of weeks, if he leaves in the beginning of January, the tickets will only be around $1,100. Mimi was supposed to go with him but she now has decided to just come in March. She wants to spend time with the kids so they will be out of school then.

It seems like a long time but I guess the time has gone by fast thus far, what's a month and a half more? We'll see, I guess I just need to make some friends here but even that is hard as I don't go out that often. When I do go out it's only to SM Hypermarket to get groceries and if the kids need anything for school I get that too. But I do keep myself busy at home, sometimes I think where does the time go?

My Kettlebell

2009-11-19T16:55:00.001+08:00

8 kg. Kettlebell

Side view of my stomach after 3 weeks of working out

A lot of people have been asking me how and what I use to work out. Since there's not a nice gym close by I can't attend a gym so I've opted for the kettlebell. I did some research over the internet and the kettlebell is a total body workout. It's known as the handheld gym because you get all of the benefits of going to the gym except you don't have to. You get cardio and weight benefits which are the two essentials for loosing weight. I chose a 8 kg. ball which is just right for me. I do about 15-20 minutes of exercises with it along with some bodyweight exercises after that. Then I do 5-10 minutes of ab exercises to complete my workout and voila, I'm done. I do this 3-4 times and week. Add to that me eating healthy and I have a winning combination. With the kettlebell there are tons of different variations you can do. For more exercises I just looked it up on YouTube and it showed me how to do them too!!! Hope this helps everyone wanting to workout but can't either due to the fact that they can't join a gym or the fact that they don't have the time to work out. If you take 30 minutes to an hour of your day to work on YOU then you will feel and look different!!!

Baptismal

2009-11-17T18:39:00.001+08:00

Cutie Steven Nash

Kuya Dong's driver, Ake, had a baptismal for his son that we attended last Sunday. The little boy's name is Steven Nash and he is 6 months old. Gerlie was one of the Ninang's. They had a lot of other baptismals that day (I think about 20 more) so it was quite a lengthy process, boy was it hot in the church!! Afterwards, they invited us to their place for a celebration which included food, karoke and just good times. The kids had a lot of fun playing with their new friends. We'll probably have a get together with the kids soon as Leanna wanted to invite them over for a spa day.

Steven Nash's Baptismal Pictures

The death of Chicken Little

2009-11-16T09:47:00.001+08:00

I'm sad to report that our beloved pink chicken little passed away this morning:( I was awoken by Leanna at 5:15 a.m. with her coming into my rooming and crying hysterically. She was really saddened as she really loved that chick. I had a conversation with her that all living things have to die and that it was the chick's time to go. It was followed by "but it's just a baby, it didn't grow up yet"!! I consoled her and let her know that when she comes home from school today we will bury it and have a little ceremony for it. She will write a few words and read it aloud during the ceremony. She couldn't stop crying the whole morning before going to school (poor baby)!! I also let her know that she probably took care of it too much. She fed it a lot, picked it up and cuddled it a lot, and even gave it a bath and sprayed perfume on it! Here are the pictures. R.I.P. Bubblegum!

My 28th birthday!!!

2009-11-15T20:35:00.001+08:00

Yeah, it was my birthday today and it was enjoyed with the ones I love, at least those that live in the Philippines:) My dear husband and my sister was not with me today but they did call me and wished me a Happy Birthday!! Mimi was the first one to call me right at 12 midnight like she always does every year!! She always wants to be the first one to greet me. Followed by husband and his rendition of the "Happy Birthday" song. I also got calls from the Tiongco family, thanks Atching Joy, Mammang, Pappang, Kuya Norman, Naleen & Noreen, I love you guys!!! Then I also spoke with Atching Aurea, I miss you too!!!

We invited the Santos family (Mammang Lou, Uncle Rudy and Kuya Dong) for dinner in which we had pancit, macaroni salad, pork chops and rice. Thanks mom for cooking!! It was really yummy!! For desert I made fruit salad to accompany my cake from Goldilocks (Black Forest). I had a tiny piece but it was yummy. I gave the neighbors some, Reyza & Shay (the maid's at Mammang's place) then we gave the rest to a family of 6 down the street.

I then opened my presents from the kids and Mammang. Mammang got me two cute dresses (that you wear with tights). Thanks Mammang, they are cute!! Gerlie also made me a nice card. I'd also like to thank Mimi. She deposited some money in my account so that I can enjoy a day at the spa, which I will be taking advantage of on Tuesday. I plan to get a hot stone massage, green tea facial, manicure, pedicure, and wax on my eyebrows, upper lip, and under arms. Sorry, did I describe too much? Anyway, overall I had a great day and am just so glad I was in the presence of the ones I love. Here's to another great year of health and happiness:)

More pics!!

Leanna got accepted to be in a fashion show

2009-11-13T09:21:00.001+08:00

I'm very excited to say that Leanna got accepted to be in a kids fashion show on December 5th from famed fashion designer Happy Andrada!!! She attended the go-see this past Saturday in Manila and she had to walk down a runway and then show them 5 different poses. Although Leanna was still sleepy from the ride she managed to show them what she got. I actually had her go up there again because the 1st time she was just not that into it but the second time she did better. I got the text yesterday that she got accepted so we are all very excited. Leanna has a great personality and she loves to entertain so this is perfect for her!! I will definitely post the pictures from the show in December.

Fontana Waterpark

2009-11-13T09:05:00.001+08:00

WOW!! I just realized that I hadn't posted anything since the end of October. That just tells you how much I'm into blogging:) Anyway, these pictures were taken when we went to the water park called Fontana on Monday November 2, 2009. It's located in Clark which was the old Clark Air Force Base about 15 minutes from here. It's a nice park, not that many choices though for rides. They just had a big wave pool, a huge slide and a lazy river that went around the whole park. For the kiddies they had a pirate themed play area and another little area. Still in all we had lots of fun and seeing the smiles on the kids faces is the best part. Enjoy the pics!!

Fontana Water Park Pics

Costume Party

2009-11-01T13:28:00.001+08:00

The kids were off of school on Friday but they did have a costume party where we were able to enjoy some fun, food and games. Leanna was a purple fairy princess and Leon was a ninja. At the party they had a cotton candy stand and even a magician. Of course there was a lot of food!! Also, there was a guy selling colored baby chickens and Leanna decided she wanted to get the pink one. I'm not sure how long it's going to last but it's chirp is so loud that it hurts my ears. It stays outside in the back though and it likes to eat rice. She's so excited about her new pet, we'll see how long that lasts:)

Here are more pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=931074847113%3A305071922

I miss my sister

2009-10-28T13:00:00.001+08:00

Isn't she pretty?

It was girls night out

It's only been two months and I miss her already. Even though we talk everyday, it's still not the same. We have never been separated more than two weeks at a time, that was when I took a trip to the Philippines last August. Little did I know that we were going to move here a year later! She truly has been the best sister. Even though we had a lot of fights growing up, thinking back now I don't even remember what they were about but obviously it was about petty stuff. This is what I remember about my sister when we were growing up:

always being in trouble, she was blamed for everything even though I may have done it
she had the worst set of teeth ever!!
Mom used to always dress us the same so a lot of people thought we were twins (remember those blue jean jumpers with the alphabets on them?)
spilling a whole bag of sugar in the kitchen and paying for it later
putting a toothbrush down the drain (it wasn't mine though)
her dancing to "Like a Virgin" by Madonna
hiding bathing suits in our books (I don't know how we did that) and told mom and dad we were going to study but we went swimming instead
being real mad at each other, we sat across from each other throwing pennies at each other from a jar
her being scared of herself when she looked in the mirror
being there when I got my period, she was so excited for me while I on the other hand was not enthused
staying up late and just having girl talks, we talked about anything and everything
always available and willing to watch the kids (if she wasn't busy with something else)
loving the kids like her own (she seriously thinks Leon is hers though)!!
following each other from bank to bank (you know what I mean Mimi)
taking care of me when I'm sick, bringing medicine and cooking lelot

The list goes on and on. I am truly lucky to have a sister like her. She is a strong woman who I know will soon have a family of her own and be really happy. She has done a great job putting herself through school and working hard and I know she will soon find that dream job that she's been looking for, it's only a matter of time. I love my sister!

United Nations Program

2009-10-23T12:28:00.001+08:00

The kids had lots of fun at the United Nations Program that their school hosted on Wednesday October 21st. Leanna represented the country of Argentina from the continent of South America thus we chose a nice fru fru dress that of course showed her belly (that was her idea by the way) complete with a head piece that had some fruits on it. She looked so cute in it but she did not wear it the whole time because she was complaining that it hurt her head. Leon represented the country of the United Kingdom from the continent of Europe and he was dressed as a gladiator (an outfit from the old school, but that's what he wanted to wear)!! Both of their costumes were custom made for them but we rented them as they will not be wearing them again.

Leanna was the co-emcee of the event so that is why you will see pictures of her on the stage with one of the teachers. We practiced for 5 days straight on her memorizing her script and she did a wonderful job. She spoke well and she did it loud and slowly. Both Leon and Leanna did a hip-hop number along with their classmates and the grand finale was "Heal the World" by Michael Jackson complete with hand movements. They both did a wonderful job and I am so proud of them.

For more pictures go to: http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=478869247113%3A202884534

Festival Supermall

2009-10-21T16:26:00.001+08:00

Wow, it's been a while since I posted a post on here!! That tells you how busy I am with the kids. They just had their program today at SM City Clark and performed a United Nations event that I will post pictures on soon. These pictures are of our outing at Festival Supermall in Alabang which is about an hour away from Manila. The kids had a lot of fun there in which they played a lot of video games, rode a water ride at Pixie Forest as well as raced against each other at the race track. It was a great time and as usual I love to see them laugh and have fun. Here are the rest of the pictures: http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=322559237113%3A9179630

First day of dieting and exercise

2009-10-13T18:52:00.001+08:00

I feel good today! I started my exercises and meal plan. I have cut all the fatty foods and sugar from my diet as well as the white rice and white potatoes and have switched to whole grain breads. I have been drinking a lot of tea and water and flushing my system out. I'm kinda feeling the burn in my muscles from my workout this morning but that is expected since I haven't worked out in over two months. I did about 15-20 minutes of jump roping to start my workout and afterwards I did a bodyweight workout which included squats, mountain climbers, walking lunges, pushups and step ups. After that I did ab exercises which included lying leg thrusts, reverse crunches, ab bicycles, alternating crunches, bench crunches and abdominal vacuums. I really want to start going to the gym to do weight training as that will really propel my fat loss and belly reduction but the gym is too far away!!! I can't wait to get a car so I can drive there. I'll keep everyone updated of my progress.

Technical Difficulties

2009-10-10T20:41:00.001+08:00

Thanks to Joan who notified me of the links to the pictures. They were not opening up the pictures as they should. I checked it out and found out the problem. You should be able to click on the links and view the pictures with no problems now. Please let me know if anyone is still having difficulty viewing them. Thanks and enjoy!!

A decision to start eating healthy & loose my belly fat!!!

2009-10-09T14:33:00.001+08:00

It is so difficult to find a good gym where I live!!!! I don't know if it's because there are not that many people here that want to exercise and stay fit or if it's just that gym's are just not as popular here. Whatever it is I am not going to let that stop me from being healthy and loose my belly fat. It is a must that I need to do this for myself. The people here in the Philippines love to eat food and the food consists of a lot of sweets which of course is not good for you as well as a lot of meat. I've been doing a lot of research on the internet and I have compiled a few pointers that I will be following. Here they are:

1.) KEY: Reduce and maintain a low body fat percentage

2.) For women we need to get at 16%-19% body fat to bring out our abs (six pack here I come)!!!

3.) Three points that will aide you in loosing body fat 1.) Positive mindset 2.) Dietary Habits (eat good nutritious meals) 3.) Physical (take action) and do the right moves to loose that belly

4.) Foods with high Glycemic Index (GI) - white rice, white bread, white potatoes, corn flakes, crispy rice cereals, ice cream, bananas, cooked carrots, candy, cakes, & anything else that has low fiber

5.) Foods with low GI - dairy products, most fruits & vegetables, whole unrefined grains, sweet potatoes, barley, beans & other high fiber foods

6.) The more fiber you have in your food the slower the blood sugar responses to that food, look for products that contain 1.5-2 grams of fiber per each 10 grams of total carbohydrates

7.) Get grass fed meat & wild fish & free range chicken or organic and/or free range meats

8.) Unprocessed & natural IS HEALTHY!!!!

9.) Two EVILS - 1.) High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): sodas, breakfast syrups, fruit juices, ketchup, sweetened cereals, cakes, cookies, pasta sauces, barbeque sauces, & salad dressings. HFCS's are lipogenic which mean they promote fat storage, our body doesn't recognize it so it does nothing to satisfy our appetite. Look for products that use natural un-processed sweeteners like raw honey, molasses or organic maple syrup, DO NOT use artificial sweeteners. 2.) Trans Fats: soybean, corn & cottonseed oils. Trans fats are created through artificial hydrogenation. Look for oils that say "unrefined", "virgin", or "extra virgin" on the label. Butter is better than margarine.

10.) Green tea, oolong tea & white tea aide in fat loss, drink them!!! If you want some sweetness to it add some honey.

Those are just some of the tips I learned but if you incorporate the above you will definitely see some improvement in your well being. I've made a choice to start being healthy and living healthy and I can't wait to see how I progress in the next couple of months. I haven't exercised since I've been here and all of that is going to change. Stay tuned to my progress!!!!

My outing at Nail Couture

2009-10-07T13:15:00.001+08:00

This is a new nail place in the area called Nail Couture. They had lovely decor so I had to take pictures of the place. The pedicure was ok but when it came down for them to do the nail art on my big toes they lost a lot of points! They did it via digital art which is not what I am used to. Usually in the states they do it manually with different colored nail polish and special tools. Here they strapped my foot down and inserted my whole foot in the machine for the machine to sort of spray paint this image on my toe. They tried twice and it did not come out right. I was loosing my patience so the last time they did it I just kept what they had done. Anyway, enjoy the pictures!!!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=818388817113%3A1347193791

Manicure & Massage - Php 700, A nice meal out - Php 500, Being able to spend time with my kids and help them with their studies - PRICELESS!!!

2009-10-07T12:59:00.001+08:00

As I look at the past month or so that we've been here in the Philippines I can't help but to be thankful for the opportunity to be here and really spend quality time with my family. It's an experience like no other and it's something that I know will definitely have an impact in the kids' future. I was not able to spend half the time that I spend with the kids now when we lived in the states. It was work from 7-5, get home, cook dinner, get the kids cleaned up and then off to bed they go by 8. Now I am able to sit with the kids without feeling rushed and am able to spend the time that they need to enhance their studies and help them out with homework and with Leanna help her with her reading and writing skills. I am not short tempered as I was before and I am able to focus solely on them which I can see they appreciate that. Leon is 8 and Leanna is 7. The years have gone by really fast and I want to be there for them at an early age to set the foundation. As I mentioned having this time with them is truly priceless, try it for yourself and then you will know what I mean!!!

Leanna's 7th Birthday

2009-10-04T19:17:00.001+08:00

Leanna celebrated her birthday on Tuesday September 29, 2009. I can't believe how fast my baby is growing up. She turned 7 years old, 7 more years and she'll be 14, yikes!!!! We had a party for her at her school which included feeding 46 students and a staff of 12 employees. We had gotten her cake at Sweet n' Fancy which included a nice big 3-D size picture of her a well as a number 7 on her cake. She had a fantastic time and loved all the presents she got from her friends. The kids enjoyed their chicken and rice from Jollibee and of course the teachers were very appreciative of the chicken, burger steak and rice that we had gotten for them. The cake was yummy and as you can see from the pictures we did not have a lot left. Happy 7th Birthday Leanna and may you have many more to come!!! More pictures at : http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?token=528388817113%3A656816634

Hong Kong Trip September 2009

2009-10-04T11:28:00.001+08:00

Our trip to Hong Kong was great!!! We arrived on Friday September 18th and stayed until Monday the 21st. There were definitely a lot of people and a lot of walking that we had to do. The city was very pretty and very clean despite all the people there. We did a lot of shopping and sightseeing and just spent some good quality time with each other. We plan on taking the kids during Christmas break this year to Disney Land so they have that to look forward to.

Click on the following link to view more pictures of our trip to Hong Kong:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=3186ylo1.35tkpb1t&x=0&y=-xhg38x&localeid=en_US

Typhoon Pepeng Watch

2009-10-04T11:15:00.002+08:00

It's Sunday morning and I'm glad to say that Typhoon Pepeng did not affect us that much. We had some rain but other than that we did not experience any power outages or trees falling like last time. I was in Manila yesterday and surprisingly they did not get hit either as they had expected. So we are all safe and I am happy about that. It should be the end of rainy season pretty soon and it will dry up here and the weather will be summer like so it's going to be really hot. October through around January or February is their summer season and after that it should cool down a bit. Meanwhile, my friends and family in Houston will experience fall and winter and it will get cold there. That is one thing about Houston that I will not miss. I do not like the cold weather at all so being here in the Philippines is ideal for me. If anyone wants to visit me during winter break I'll be here relaxing!!

Pictures of the kids first day of school

2009-10-01T20:54:00.002+08:00

I'm happy to say that the kids have started school at Brighter Kids Learning Academy. Their first day was on September 9th about a week after we moved here. Getting them enrolled was a number one priority for us as the school year here started in June. They missed the first quarter of classes so they are enrolled in remedial classes to catch up. School is from 7:30 - 12:30 but with remedial classes they are there until 2:30. They will do that for about a month and they will get re-tested again to see where they stand and if needed will continue the classes depending on where they have a shortfall.

Leon & Leanna both like their school and they have met a lot of friends in just a short time. I will soon post the pictures from Leanna's birthday party and you will see that everyone is friendly and are really excited they have "American" friends. The kids are getting adjusted to the language barrier as well as I am since I do not speak the language fluently. They study Filipino in school so that is a plus and as I help them study for that subject I'm learning it too!!

For more pictures go to: http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=3186ylo1.3gm96qb5&x=0&y=vt8f2n&localeid=en_US & http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=3186ylo1.9eq0e2x5&x=0&y=-qk2uu0&localeid=en_US

Pictures of our apartment in the Philippines

2009-10-01T20:38:00.001+08:00

A picture of a palm tree looking out our front door of our apartment. To view all photos of our apartment click on the link below:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=3186ylo1.6fm4azyh&x=0&y=-20l8x2&localeid=en_US

We moved to the Philippines!!!!

2009-10-01T20:24:00.001+08:00

September 1st 2009 is the day we moved to the Philippines. Me (Anna), my husband (Levar), and my two children (Leon & Leanna). That is where I got the name of our blog, our first initials and of course "inthepi" meaning "in the Philippines", so "alllinthepi"!!! It was something I just thought up of in the spur of the moment and after numerous attempts at other names and all of them being taken I had to be a little creative!! Well we are finally here. A lot of people didn't believe we were going to make the move but here we are. The decision was easy to make but the hard part was actually going through it. Moving our things and starting fresh all over again. Not to mention getting used to a new place, especially for my husband and the kids as they've never been here. I've had to get adjusted as well since the last time I was here was back in 1991, in which I must say a lot has changed. I've had to leave my family back in the U.S. as well as work colleagues and friends. A lot of people have been asking how are they going to keep in touch with me since I'm so far away so I've decided to create this blog to create sort of a journal of our life here and to post pictures so people can see what a beautiful place the Philippines is and what the lifestyle is like. I hope everyone enjoys it and hopefully people will come and visit me here!!