Stay In Love Like Youngsters :-)

Eeeww! Absurd. Never!
These are some of the first thoughts that might come to mind with the mere
mention of learning from a teen (or even a younger person).
How could a teen possibly teach us something about love?

Wasn`t it true that when you first fell in love, you could spend virtually every
moment of your day with that special person--and never get bored or preoccupied?
Then, the moment you got home, you can`t wait to talk to him or her on the phone.
When you couldn`t be together, you were thinking of each other.
Hours apart can seem like an eternity.
Your every thought surrounded that person.

Attentiveness is a quality that seems to disappear over time.
It`s interesting to watch how attentive teens can be in their relationships.
The other consistent quality about teens in love is enthusiasm. It`s magical
to observe the zest and aliveness that many young people bring to a relationship.

These things are just `something` to think about. Stay in love like teens. :-)
Im so proud to say, as always, that me and Colin certainly have---

...and there isn`t a day that goes by that we aren`t grateful for these insights!

My Basty Is 4

My little boy just turned 4 a few days ago. He is really a huge fan of Ben 10.

Weeks before the celebration, i was already preparing and buying  stuffs

                  for his party. And of course, his cake. Was really researching hard because i wanted

his cake to not only look good but also taste good.

I`ve come up with so many options to choose from.

The famous Red Ribbon, Goldilocks, and the local bakeshops. They

all have their own unique creations and styles.

In the end, i ended up with a home-based cakeshop. I told them that i wanted chocolate

moist cake for the entire birthday cake. I gave them the idea of what the cake should look like.

I was so happy because they didn`t fail me. :-)

Soooo Cool & Loving It

Im so sorry for not blogging for so long. To all my readers, friends, and my 4 followers, sorry for not updating you lately with what`s happening with me. **--**
I really am so busy these days.

Anyway, im back now.

June 21 was our anniversary.
And for my anniversary gift from hubby, i got this very awesome phone.
In my experience, this phone has the best camera i`ve ever used on a mobile
phone.
It`s the first Android phone from the company. (Sony Ericcson)
I still need to know its features though.

So far, it really amazed me. Thanks again, hubby. *-*

For You

Today (June 21) is a very special day.
This post is for my hubby. *_*

"I love you because you are you.
You don`t have to be any different from who you are
to receive and secure my love."

There are no conditions attached to the love.

"You don`t have to lose weight, make a certain amount
of money, agree with everything i say, behave accordingly
to my plans, share all my goals, or smile at me when you don`t
want to. It`s even okay when you`re insecure or depressed, or
when you make mistakes---I LOVE YOU ANYWAY!
You don`t have to be perfect or even close to it.

Happy Anniversary! *_*
This is "for you".

Be Kind First: Thought For Today

Above all else, im doing my best to adopt an attitude

of kindness. *_*

Making it my highest priority to practice it everyday.

Each and everyone of us can do this.

Start at home---in your relationship.

Kindness is one of the primary ingredients in nourishing

a warm feeling between two people. Infact, it can be the centerpiece

of your entire relationship. It does everything from keeping you

close and connected when all is well, to keeping arguments from turning

into fights.

Being genuinely kind is not about smiling when you feel like you don`t

like it or acting cheerful when you are low.

Rather it`s about treating your partner (and everyone else) the way you

would like to be treated.

It`s been said many times that in life, we teach people how to treat us.

It`s certainly true that the best way to teach others (including our partners)

that we would like to be treated with kindness is by offering

kindness first. Indeed, kindness is extremely contagious.

And kindness, practiced on a daily basis, is one of the key ingredients to

nourishing our relationships for a lifetime.

Why Canon?

Simple!
Think about what you do now as a hobby or for a living..

Are u passionate about it?

Is it a passion?

Or do you wake up in the morning feeling ready to get stuck

into your work?

Or do u go to bed thinking about it?

This is how i feel about whatever i do and of course

about photography!

For me, what matters so much in photography are passion

and of course, equipment!

That is to say, good quality cameras.

From the "canon cameras" range, I currently have the Canon EOS D400.

And i just love it.

Thanks to my oh so supportive hubby. *_*

Don`t miss out from checking "canon cameras"

Personally speaking, they`re the best. Out of all the cameras i`ve

tried..

Can You Be My Friend?

I woke up at 5:45 a.m. today, and that`s already too early for me.

But because i needed to. Though i rented her a car to pick her up

and bring her to school everyday, she wants me to drive her there today.

It`s my daughter`s first day in school and of course she`s very excited.

Last night, she already prepared her clothes, shoes, and her tweeny cosmetics.

She`s the lil me. :-)

On the way to school, we were chitchatting.

She`s anxious coz she still doesn`t know who will be her classmates this

school year. And she`s hoping that her bestfriends from 3rd grade will still be on the same class with her this year.

Making friends is important to her, so i let her feel that it`s important to

me, too.

I tell her stories about my days in school when i also need

to make new friends. I know that it`ll be comforting to her that her mom

went through it.

As parents, we should give our kids the freedom to pick their friends,

but it`s our role to guide them in making the right choices...knowing

that these kids will be a big influence in our child`s life. School is scary

enough for children who stress over homework and tests, but it becomes

an even scarier place if they have to worry about making friends, too.

As parents, we need to let them know that there is nothing to fear---

there`s a friend out there for everyone.

And boosting their confidence and leading them to the right direction

will find them in lifelong friendships.

Being A Mom

Motherhood is bittersweet!

I want my kids to grow up so badly, but i also want them to

stay the way they are forever.

I want them to be as responsible, to go to bed early so i can have

time for myself in the evening. But at the same time, i want them

to just be there, snoozing away near us.

I love that i can take care of them, nourish them, be there for them, but

sometimes it`s so emotionally and physically draining.

There are so many little chores that needs to be done every single day,

stock up the diapers, tidy up the toys, fold and put away the laundry,

tidying up the house, cooking, driving them to school...

All these little things are tiring, but as a mom, i enjoy doing them just the same.

I love how our lives have been forever changed because of our kids.

And yet sometimes i yearn for the simplicity of the past.

And then guilt comes in.

I once read that "Motherhood is the loneliest job on earth".

Maybe because all mothers feel that way at some point.

But im still thankful i have these lil angels.

They are my only treasure.

And that`s what makes it possible to just pick up,

get on with it, and try again tomorrow!

Just Around The Hill

I'm so in love with this "song".

It is  just so beautiful!

Sing with me...
:-)

My Partner Is My Bestfriend

I had to choose a single characteristic that has made our relationship

remain special, fun, and vibrant over the years.

It would probably be that the two of us are,

first and foremost,really good pals.

Make no mistake about it,---we're all the other things, too.

We are committed to each other and faithful.

We share an overwhelming love for our kids, similar

values and goals, shared interest and mutual respect.

As well as an attraction for one another.

Yet, as wonderful and important as all of these other characteristics

are, none of them guarantees keeping your love for each other alive and strong.

After all, there are many faithful couples who bicker in the car on their way to church. There are plenty of wonderful couples who share the same values, yet

they are constantly irritated at one another.

But when you are good friends, however, everything seems to take care of

itself. Pals support one another. They make allowances for each other`s imperfections and usually very good listeners. They stay connected sharing

in the good times and being there for each other during difficult times.

Me and my hubby are convinced that having a great friendship is the best way

to secure a great relationship, the rest is pretty easy.

Being really good friends is a gift, and a goal worth pursuing.

And im so blessed that i found a best friend and a partner in one!

I`ve Picked My Fave Scent

I love it since the day i tried it.

Hubby gave it to me as a present from his trip abroad.

That was 2 years ago when i first tried it..

The scent is not so sweet and has a lasting power!

I fell in love with it...and now it is by far my most favorite

perfume of all time!

* i always make sure i get one everytime i travel abroad,

coz i dont wanna run out, it`s always out of stock! :-)

Im Now In Love With Wedges

Before, im just more of a stiletto kind of girl.

I rarely wear wedges!

But now, im in love with them...

My latest purchase was 2 days ago...

Weekends Are Made For Fun

Who do you spend them with?

I always spend my weekends with my hubby and kids.

Saturdays are always for me and hubby only. Whether it`s going to the malls,

shopping, driving around town, or bar hopping at night, we made a commitment early on to always make time in our busy schedules to be together and always bring that spark back and step out of our routines.

Sundays, on the other hand, should be for everyone.

Hubby, me and kids. This weekend, we spent it in a resort just a few minutes away from our house.

It was our first time there, though.

But we all had a wonderful time.

How do you usually spend your weekends?

Make The World A Better Place

Did you ever think how the world would be if you just do one good deed each day?

I`ve thought about it and made a commitment. Each day, just one good deed.

Big or small, it doesn`t matter. Self-sacrificing or not, extraordinary or mundane...it doesn`t matter.

...Say for instance, being kind to whoever you deal with throughout the day.

...Smile at the grocery cashier, even if she`s taking forever.

...Calling your mom and telling her you love her.

...Let one person ahead of you in: a long queue, a traffic lane, parking space,

grocery check out etc.

...Say hello and goodmorning to people you meet on the streets.

...Be a good neighbor.

...Call your wife/husband in the office just to say you are thinking about

her/him.

These are only few of the things that we can do.

Only one good deed each day, that`s all.

For sure, we can make the world a better place!

That Fragrance...

Every time i open a "balikbayan box", the first thing that always strikes me is a fragrance which source i still have to figure out up to now.

Is it from the Ivory soap, or from the Pantene shampoo? Maybe it`s the Jergens lotion? Could it be the whiff of clean American air that somehow got trapped in that huge box? Or is it the mixture of all of the above?

Up to now, i really don`t know!

All i know is that for some strange reason, that certain fragrance sticks to everything made in the US---the T-shirts, the jeans, towels, and even the sneakers..I'm even thinking that the smell would surely have seeped into the peanut butter if not only for the thick sealed glass bottle it comes in.

Have you ever thought about this, too?

Tell me what`s on your mind...

Sweet Talk Your Plants

This morning, i went to my greenhouse to check my orchids. ( i usually do this 3-4 times a week)

Like any other house plants, orchids need light, water, fertilizer and humidity.

And of course, like every living thing they also need love.

That`s one reason i always talk to them.

They love being acknowledged like that!

Exotic As They Are

Orchids are some of the most breathtaking plants...but many people think they are difficult to grow.

I was kind of scared when i got my first orchids. I thought I couldn`t keep them alive. But i was pleasantly surprised at how easy they were to take care of, and

how easy it was to have beautiful orchid flowers for months at a time.

With a diluted orchid fertilizer given once a month or so, and a regular watering schedule, you too can have beautiful orchids.

Organized Chaos

Some of the first things i noticed about Cambodia was the ratio of cars to bikes on the road -- for every one car, there`s ten motorbikes or bicycles! There appeared to be no rules of the road. Everyone just basically doing their own thing, even driving on the wrong side of the road sometimes.

But everyone seemed to look out for others, as well.

I never felt unsafe on the roads.

It`s what i would call "organized chaos".

A Stand-Off

In Phnom Penh, monkeys are everywhere. :=)

I took this pic on my first trip there.

Why Do I Love Cambodia?

A lot of people i know are still bewildered as to why i love visiting Cambodia. They say that Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world. They say that it is infested with corruption, lawlessness, AIDS, drugs, chaos, human rights abuses, and so on, and so forth.

So why do i love Cambodia?

...Because i always feel at home!

And for that, i will still keep on coming back..

My Thought For Today

One of the decisions we`re both happy about (me and hubby) is that, early on in our relationship, we made the decision to "Conspire to Inspire".

We decided that we would like to to be mutual sources of inspiration for one another, personally, profesionally, and every other way.

When you conspire to inspire , you do a lot more than act as a cheerleader for your partner's efforts. Your motivation is to help your partner become all that he or she can be---not necessarily what you want them to be, but rather you help them fulfill their own dreams and desires by believing in them, encouraging them, and sticking beside them in good times or bad.

What i`ve learned is that couples who stick together with love and ongoing respect conspire to inspire each other in their own unique ways.

And im so proud to say that "My partner is my source of inspiration."

My Oh-So Favorite Bag

Louis Vuitton Trevi

I bought this bag a few months ago...and i so love it!

It goes with everything. I never regret that i bought this bag.

It`s definitely worth it. It` a worry-free bag.

It`s quite pricey ($1,940) but it`s absolutely gorgeous.

My favorite Louis bag thus far! :-)

Random fact: Did you know that the trevi is named after the famous fountain in Rome

called Fontana di Trevi which is the most ambitious of the Baroque fountains of Rome?

Now you know! :-)

Flip flops

Do you have any?

I do!

A pair of havaianas...They`re slim. They`re shiny. Sparkly. They`re stylish!

And i love them.

I never wear them out hiking or on a super long walk. But for walking around the house, at the beach, or in doing errands on a warm weather, they`re perfect.

I actually wear flip flops almost everyday in the summer.

How about you? What shoes do you normally wear in the summer time?

My Love For Coffee

My love for coffee only started 10 years ago, but i have to say that coffee and me have grown quite close. Im not saying that i drink 10 cups a day or gone addicted to it, but i always make sure i have access to good quality coffee. How about you? I`d love to hear your thoughts, as well.

A Sweet Surprise

I have been asking my hubby to get me a rack for my shoes, one that can at least hold 40 pairs or more. We have been looking around and couldn`t find one that i like. One day, he brought me one. Just a small rack that can accomodate 14 pairs ( he said he can`t find the one that i need). But still im so happy, because it`s the prettiest shoe rack ive ever seen..

I`m back!

I have been away for so long and it`s just recently that i decided to blog again. It`s almost been 2 years since i started this blog, but since time is not on my side, i havent been able to update. Thanks to Che for some insights. *-*