Ms. Kitty's Online Purrs…

• Of Missing San Francisco, Mini-Jetlag and Bigger Plans

  17May
  Categories: Dream Cocoon, Family Basics, Frugal Cubs, Happy Feet, Money Matters, Monthly Highlights, Ms. Kitty, My Little Shadow, Oh Life Bites, Photography, The Great Lab, This is Work, Turning Point Comments: 2

  …and so we are back from our first family travel this year.

  It was part of MLS’ 8th birthday celebration and also, an opportunity for us to explore NorCal as we have plans of moving to the West Coast next year. It is a definite plan and I hope the universe conspires in helping us achieve this ultimate goal, to build a home in California. I know people would often say that California is such an expensive and very dense State, that it doesn’t offer the best school systems compared to what MLS is having now. But you know what, to each his own and researching goes a long way. In fact, we have been able to narrow down our list with these 4 cities: Orange County, Irvine, Anaheim and South Pasadena and all of which offer school districts with 8-10 ratings. Houses can be quite costly but we are paying for a good education for our growing boy and hopefully, another addition to the family within the next couple of years.

  Despite us loving the Bay Area, I just do not feel that we belong there, most especially since our fields are not IT-centered. I was trying to feel the vibe I felt when I explored the communities of SoCal, but NorCal left me half-hearted. So most likely, we are bound to build a home in SoCal, specifically on cities mentioned above. There is no rush to this plan as we still aimed for MLS to complete his 3rd grade here in the East Coast but in the meantime, please pray that we will be able to land the job of our dreams (yes, I have some particular employer in mind, as well as TGL) and that relocation will be smooth all in God’s Will. Yes, there will be uncertainties and jitters along the way but who says that those 1st few steps will be easy.

  More NorCal photos to share in the next few entries . Have a good weekend everyone!
  

  

• Signing Off till Easter.

  24Mar
  Categories: BE Inspired, Diet Files, Dream Cocoon, Family Basics, Fasting, Foodie, Happy Feet, Happy Happy Joy Joy, Happy Thoughts, Health is Wealth, Hope for the Flowers, Lil Imp in the Making, Money Matters, Monthly Highlights, Ms. Kitty, My Little Shadow, Oh Life Bites, Pay It Forward, Private Stress Writing, Shameless Plugs, Spreading Positivity, The Crib, The Great Lab, This is Work, Treinta Y Cuatro, Turning Point, TwentyThirteen, Writer's Block Comments: 0

  

  This will probably be my last blog entry until Easter Sunday. I have decided to join the 7 days Fasting and Prayer by Bo Sanchez. I’ve realized that more than ever, now is the most opportune time when I needed to keep my focus and spend more time with God. You see, I have done this annually since year 2010 and I cannot tell you how much Fasting changed my life. It is such a powerful act of sacrifice and prayer that I have become witness to so many of God’s miracles. From all of the Fasting & Prayer Guidelines I have read and seen, Bo Sanchez’s offers the simplest. For that alone, I love it. It speaks right through my heart as if it were my own words.

  For this year, I have decided to go on a liquid fasting: Fresh Veggies/Fruit Juices and Soups + Avoid unnecessary time spent online meaning, ZERO Social Networking sites: IG, FB & Twitter. Until then, I wish you all the most blessed Holy Week.

  Dearest Lord,
  Teach me to be generous.
  Teach me to serve you as I should:
  To give and not to count the cost,
  To fight and not to heed the wounds,
  To toil and not to seek for rest,
  To labor and ask not for reward,
  Save that of knowing that I do
  Your most Holy Will.

• My DreamBoards.

  22Mar
  Categories: Around WWW, BE Inspired, Business on my Mind, Diet Files, Dream Cocoon, Ecole, Family Basics, Fasting, Foodie, Friends Keep Me Sane, Frugal Cubs, Gratitude List, Guilty Pleasures, Happy Feet, Happy Happy Joy Joy, Happy Tagging, Happy Thoughts, Health is Wealth, Hope for the Flowers, Just Run, Just my 2 Cents, Lil Imp in the Making, Lookbook, Mommy Dearest, Money Matters, Monthly Highlights, Ms. Kitty, Music is My Life, My Little Shadow, Oh Life Bites, Pay It Forward, Photography, Picker-Upper, Private Stress Writing, Shameless Plugs, Something New, Spreading Positivity, The Crib, The Great Lab, This is Work, Thrift Store Junkie, Treinta Y Cuatro, Turning Point, TwentyThirteen, Wardrobe Building, When Vanity Strikes, Writer's Block Comments: 0

  Sharing with all of you my Digital Dreamboards.
  I hope I inspire you with my positivity! Cheers!

  Happy Friday!

  Let’s all do the Happy Dance, okay, those who like the Harlem Shake, do as you please hee hee! (AND…one piece of advice, if you’re stressed, find custom stress balls and squeeze out those stressors away!)
  
  

  “Nothing is lost if one has the courage to proclaim that all is lost and we must begin anew.” –Julio Cortázar

  Tags: Dream Board, Dreamboard

• Hello March.

  01Mar
  Categories: Anger Management, BE Inspired, Dream Cocoon, Family Basics, Frugal Cubs, Happy Thoughts, Just my 2 Cents, Money Matters, Ms. Kitty, My Little Shadow, Oh Life Bites, Picker-Upper, Shameless Plugs, Spreading Positivity, The Crib, The Great Lab, This is Work, TwentyThirteen Comments: 1

  please be gentle.
  please be kind.
  please be better.
  please make me a better person.
  AND please mark the last month of 2013′s 1st quarter with good memories.
  
  In the meantime, I have to work and make sure to research on nice cigars as gifts to TGL’s friend.

• GRATITUDE LIST V.2013.1: January

  31Jan
  Categories: BE Inspired, Dream Cocoon, Family Basics, Foodie, Friends Keep Me Sane, Frugal Cubs, Gratitude List, Guilty Pleasures, Happy Feet, Happy Happy Joy Joy, Happy Tagging, Happy Thoughts, Health is Wealth, Hope for the Flowers, Money Matters, Monthly Highlights, Ms. Kitty, My Little Shadow, Oh Life Bites, Shameless Plugs, Spreading Positivity, The Crib, The Great Lab, This is Work, Thrift Store Junkie, TwentyThirteen, Wednesday Happy Thoughts, When Vanity Strikes Comments: 0

  I am Back!
  …back to reality.
  …back to the grind.
  …back to the old me and inspired!

  I am actually writing this on the 1st day of February but for posterity’s sake, I back-dated it to January 31. Just had to emphasize that.

  Anyhoo, I’ve been back to work for a week now but it took me really hard to adjust without my folks around the home, back to doing housechores (particularly, cooking and meal-planning, yikes!), re-organized our home as the other room was shared with my folks and my closet with my mom. So much had to be cleaned up and finally, our home is back to its serene cleanliness plus a very deafening silence at times.

  It was hard getting back to our old ‘normal’ because in the middle of all these adjustments, we got hit by the nasty East Coast flu bug! First it was MLS, then me and finally , TGL. You can just imagine how bad the situation was at home for 2 weeks, we literally survived with food take-outs and deliveries. It was a first-timer for us as we never really get sick often, especially me and TGL. Most of the time, it would be just the lil’ boy but not all 3 of us, all at the same time! I guess after 5 years of Winter here, our bodies finally caved in and got hit! The upside of this is the fact that finally, TGL is officially convinced that West Coast is the place to be. Warmer, Happier, Closer to friends, family and home, err 12 hours away via plane. At least, my folks won’t have a hard time traveling to and fro, transferring planes with an almost travel time of 24+hrs. That, and I can just imagine how easy and economical it is to plan a trip home annually (me, day-dreaming hee hee).

  I’m rambling but I just had to inject this: I never really felt this place is our home even if we’ve been here for 5 years. I felt that we had to be here for 5 (going on 6) years to mature, to learn and grow up. It was a good start-up place for newbies immigrants like us but nothing close to settling. Hopefully 2013 is the year that our plans to relocate to the West Coast will materialize, please pray with us!

  To sum it up, I had a rough start this year not to mention that I’ve officially gained 8lbs! But that would not break my optimism for 2013. Let’s begin by listing my happy thoughts for January 2013.

  There will always be something that can sour your day. All you can control is your own response. Don’t lose your joy. -Joel Osteen

  

  1. Of course, New Year Celebration with my folks tops this list.
  2. A surprise despedida lunch (including tuyo-haven’t eaten this for 6 years and homemade siopao!) for my folks prepared by loving neighbors, L & C.
  3. Les Miserables with my folks on their last weekend here. Truly, I’ve no words for the film! Aahhhhhh, I can watch it over and over again.
  4. Victoria’s Secret Angel Reward card of $30.00! Did I shop too much last December to get this reward? Hee hee! I plan to buy a new pair of bikini for Summer.
  5. Couponing! I’ve started last quarter of 2012 and I am so regretting for not doing this early on because the amount of savings we are getting are just unimaginable! Planning on doing a blog entry on this one.
  6. Split Cam and Clone Apps. Made me sane on days I needed some laughter while battling homesickness.
  7. Great Grandma Brag book I got for $1 at the thrift shop. I can’t wait for my Grandma to see what I’ve prepared.
  8. Red Lobster, IKEA Food, Big Bowl, Red City Buffet, Papa John’s.
  9. Twilight Marathon, hee hee.
  10. American Idol, Glee, Pretty Little Liars, Carrie Diaries-even if it bores me sometimes, I’m happy to add this to my favorite TV series.
  11. Make-up & Skincare Shopping: MAC Candy Yum Yum, MAC Brow Set in BoyGirl, Lancome Genefique + Blush and Lippie, Clinique Facial Scrub, Missha BB Cream, Naruko Skin Care and yes, I’ve promised myself that shopping stops on February onwards. I can do it! Planning on an entry on this too.
  12. Post-Christmas Gifts from Friends, particularly the Make-Up Forever Rock Forever Kit, iDie!
  13. Established prayer routine.
  14. iMessage, Whatsapp, Viber, Facetime, Voxer. Makes distance a lot easier to deal with.
  15. Baby news  from one of my very bestfriends based in Chicago, weeeeee!

  How was your January?
  Ok, i’m outta here, gotta check this inetsoft.com for a reporting engine.

• GRATITUDE LIST V.2012.8: Thanksgiving Entry+ 2012Highlights

  29Nov
  Categories: BE Inspired, Christmas Countdown, Diet Files, Dream Cocoon, Family Basics, Foodie, Friends Keep Me Sane, Frugal Cubs, Gratitude List, Guilty Pleasures, Happy Feet, Happy Happy Joy Joy, Happy Tagging, Happy Thoughts, Health is Wealth, Hope for the Flowers, Just Run, Mommy Dearest, Money Matters, Monthly Highlights, Ms. Kitty, My Little Shadow, Oh Life Bites, Shameless Plugs, Spreading Positivity, The Crib, The Great Lab, This is Work, Thrift Store Junkie, Turning Point, Wardrobe Building, Wednesday Happy Thoughts, When Vanity Strikes, Writer's Block Comments: 0

  

  December is coming in 2 days, are you ready?

  I am! You see, I can’t wait for 2013 to come.
  That, and the most wonderful time of the year happens to make even the grumpiest people happy hee hee. (insert: top gibson guitars playing on the side)

  The year 2012 was not the best year for us (TGL, included), there were a lot of hurdles along the way, not to mention the roller coaster of emotions. However, if we try to look back and think about the blessings we received this year (highlighting MLS’ 7th birthday celebration in Florida + bringing my folks to NYC for the very 1st time), they override whatever unfortunate things that came our way. So yes, it was a great year and we are ending it with a more positive outlook. Feng Shui says that the Year of the Water Snake (which happens to be TGL’s year) sets the huge RESET button of our lives, meaning, it is the best year to begin, restart and make grander plans. As early as now, TGL and I can feel that 2013 is our year, we are excited, well, excited is an understatement, we are claiming it with God’s grace. We cannot wait for the Grander Plans that He has in store for us next year. Thus, we are leaving 2012 with a grateful and open heart.

  …And since I still have a Thanksgiving hangover, let me reminisce what I am thankful for this eventful year of 2012:

  1. GOOD HEALTH for me and my family. I’ve been cleared from my Breast nodules + carpal tunnel, SUPER THANK YOU LORD! Aiming for better and healthy lifestyles at the beginning of the year, lead us to this. The discipline, consistency and determination were all worth it.
  2. JUICING + CALORIE-COUNTING + ZUMBA + JILLIAN MICHAELS.
  3. WEIGHT GOAL ACHIEVED! 110 lbs at the moment, pushing 105 before the year ends.
  4. RESTO-HOPS. TGL and I really loves trying out new restaurants, it became our hobby hee hee. Some of the Restos we tried this year include:
     - Shake Shack
     - The Cheese Shop
     - Five Guys
     - Red City Buffet
     - Aroma’s Specialty Coffees & Gourmet Bakery
     - Red Ribbon
     - Fresh Market
     - P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
     - Joe Crab Schack
     - Sticks Kebob
     - Korean Express
     - Pho 79
     - Buffalo Wild Wings
     - Aria Pizzeria & Bar
     - Panera
     - Bonefish Grill
     - Yorktown Pub
     - Riverwalk Restaurant
     - Hightide Bar & Grill
     - Crabshack of River James
     - Honeybee Frozen Yogurt
     - IKEA
  5. FOOD. Basing on the list of restaurants listed above, can you tell we’re a family of huge eaters? Anyway, I fell in love with Cherries, Key Lime Pie, French Macarons, Pancetta, Brookside Dark Chocolates in Pomenagrate & Acai Berry this year.
  6. HUBBY’s COOKING SKILLS. His new dishes this year include: Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Lambchops, Batchoy, Grilled Seafoods, Callos.
  7. WORK. Despite a lot of stress and hurdles, we are still blessed to be able to provide for our young family and even afford some life’s luxuries.
  8. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT + SAVINGS. Discipline and goal-setting made us easier to manage our financial blessings.
  9. THRIFTING + YARD SALES.
  10. 34th Birthday with my folks and boys.
  11. TRAVEL
      - FLORIDA: Legoland, Disneyworld’s Magic Kingdom + Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Clearwater Beach
      - NEW YORK CITY
      - BEACH TRIPS: Yorktown + VA Beach
      - Richmond & Chantilly
      - Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey
      - Washington, D.C.
      - WILLIAMSBURG: Colonial Williamsburg, Merchant’s Square, Busch Gardens
  12. TV SHOWS worth noting: AMERICAN IDOL, OLYMPICS 2012, GOSSIP GIRL Finale, WALANG HANGGANG (yes, I got hooked on this) and I made TGL watch Pretty Little Liars with me tee hee!
  13. Arrival of BRADLEY, the newest member of TGL’s family.
  14. SEEING A RAINBOW after not seeing one for so many years.
  15. JESS ROBREDO!
  16. FISHING for TGL, MLS and their male buddies.
  17. FILIPINO FRIENDS in the neighborhood.
  18. TECHNOLOGY, specifically, Voxer, Simsimi (lmao!), DrawSomething, Camera+, Instagram (still), Facetime, iMessage, LoseIt!, JoyceMeyer App, BigDayApp, Disney Parks App, NYC Map, Subway NY App, BibleApp.
  19. MLS’ milestones: Sunday School (Sacrament of Reconciliation), Straight A’s at School, Lost a tooth for the first time on July 9 and the 2nd one on July 23.
  20. Lastly, thankful for the 5-month vacation of my folks which means Christmas and New Year will be extra special.

  Again, thanks to MOMENTO App for making all these events in my life easier to consolidate. I might not be able to do my monthly highlights this year anymore due to limited blogging time, thus, this would suffice.