Shucks, Long Time No Post!

It's amazing and embarrassing to me that almost a year has passed since I updated this blog. What happened to my zeal for documentation?!

My eldest has turned 7 already. We have had several of his teeth extracted! He has started wushu lessons and he is now a gradeschooler. He has also discovered Michael Jackson and can read and we have had to deal with iPad boundaries and him picking up words he should not be repeating.

My youngest is now rattling our ears off with his never-ceasing chatter, has been testing his limits, pinning his Kuya down, is able to give as good as he's getting in teasing and rough play and is able to do basic addition till up to 10! He has weaned from breastfeeding but still nuzzles me as if he still belongs to my chest.

And he isn't youngest anymore. For now, I am 11 weeks along with our unplanned third child... and while this fetus cannot seem to make up its mind of how this pregnancy will be like, I am so ever thankful I have reached this far without the perpetual bleeding that defined my pregnancy with Yakee, and the perpetual nausea and craving for instant noodles that plagued me while pregnant with Yamee. In fact, I mostly like ginataang food! That's pretty healthy right? :)

Hubs and I... we have been married for 9 years. We are still generally happily married, as evidenced by the tears we shed at Feast preachings when we realize, with all humility, how infinitely blessed we are to have each other. Certain bad things have happened to people we care about, but it is rewarding to feel all the more closer to each other... and closer to God.

We see God in each other.

Oh, and me... I am missing a gallbladder now!

PMI Philippines is Paying It Forward: #PHWILLSURVIVE

In a bid to help government and private sectors alike in post-disaster management, PMI Philippines Chapter is bringing in Paul Steinfort, an internationally recognized authority on post-disaster recovery and reconstruction programs.

Post-Disaster Management Workshop

As a way to make the workshop more accessible to people and organizations whose hearts are invested in helping in times of crises, PMI has allotted several seats to be raffled off,  ONE of which will be given away in this blog.

Now, should you be unavailable on August 8-9 or feel that you are not really the right audience for it, YOU SHOULD STILL JOIN this contest. Why? Because if you win, the organizers will provide you with a list of NGOs to choose from to gift your winning slot to. Consider it your way of helping key organization representatives to benefit from the workshop, who shall in turn be the catalyst of best practices for disaster management.

Contest runs from 12:01 AM July 25, 2014 to 11:59 PM of July 27, 2014. Winners will be notified Monday morning on how to claim their tickets.

There are many ways to increase your chances of winning a coveted slot, just follow the prompts!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

October Birthdays

I know... I have been one neglectful blogger. I still owe blog posts for our Dipolog-Dapitan trip and our Mind Museum Day but since these pictures are already up, they would go first.

Unfortunately for me, the kiddos got sick and then I got sick prior to my birthday. That made me really depressed. But hubs was all generous as usual for his birthday beloveds so I did get to enjoy the following :)

Alex Franco cake.... I chose this pic because Yamee's fingers were on the cake a second after this picture was taken

told you I was sick... 

Isobel's ice cream! This lot had to wait for about 3 days and went a roundabout way before landing on my tummy. 

Brownies and cream from Cioccolata (Bayleaf Hotel)... my new food phase

And we celebrated with both sides of our family of origin at Picket Fence

here's sweet Iya with a gelato mockup (Lianne couldn't make it coz they were in Manila just a week before this, and she had to study for exams)

I look like some streetperson playing nanny to the kids! Hay. But well, happy birthday to me and Yakee :)

Thanks to BIL, Yakee opened a gift for his birthday... haha. He couldn't quite grasp the idea of gifts of experience eh.

and here's bunso before he really felt bad about not getting a gift too

The October 7 birthday boys and their cake (which I mostly ate, hehe)

I should post this picture somewhere to scare me from the possibility of having 3 boys, haha

My fault for insisting on that against the light side... but anyhoo, thank God for our imperfect but very loving family

Picket Fence's gelato is my new fave, fave ice cream

the kids just loved it (well, the adults loved it more!)

card I made for Yakee... which he immediately misplaced... 

Not in this blog post is hubs' real gift to us... a Matstone juicer which I have been using every other day, and should use more. Hopefully, my diet will really improve and I will juice veggies more often.

I cannot believe I am already 36... and I am amazed that Yakee is now 6. When I put lotion on him and feel the beginnings of muscles in his lean body, I really get pangs of sadness at the babyhood that is now forever gone. Sigh. 

But thank God that asthma and tantrums notwithstanding, Yakee is growing up healthy and good.

Half a Year of FB Status Msgs

Woke up early and tried to go back to sleep, eh tinatandayan ako ni bunso, so bumangon na lang ako. Makapag Speculous Cookie Butter na nga lang, di ba Sancha?

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Ang tanong... Nasan na lahat ng ID lace for these? Haha. 

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Pappie Jojo is home... Labeeeetttttt

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You know you're a breastfeeding success when
1) Your child gets sick, and your husband still thinks to thank you and God that you're breastfeeding said child... because he knows said child is being protected and will likely recover faster;
2) Your husband does not suggest formula or whatever vitamins when people comment on how lean your children are... for he knows the value of what your children actually ingests;
3) Your husband encourages people he deals with, a preggy woman or expecting dad, to contact his wife for breastfeeding information and support; and
4) Your husband has attended breastfeeding seminars (and is even aware of the Milk Code) and will even sometimes correct you or prompt you when you're trying to teach a bunch of new moms how to breastfeed properly

I really would not have succeeded in my breastfeeding journey (going on 6 years now!) if not for the great love and support of hubby Jojo (who even called L.A.T.C.H.to register for our first ‎#breastfeedingph talk). He definitely knew‎#BestStartsWithDad meant being there for me, cheering me on and believing in what God/Nature has provided... I am so lucky, so blessed and so grateful.

Happy father's Day to the crazy father of my two sons... thank you for believing that the best starts for our kiddos are the same as Best Starts with Dad.

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Wooden blocks richer... How long kaya before they start throwing one at each other...

Or worse... At us, Pappie Jojo? Hehe

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What a privilege... Watching your grandchildren play.

Hopefully Pappie Jojo... We get to enjoy the same, and not because our kids will be dads in their teens. Hehe.

 

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Mahal Mec ano ba naman ang anak mo, pumunta lang ako sa kabilang bahay, nahuli ko nang naghahalungkat sa baonan! Sana di makita ni Momsie Sonia ito, baka maisip niyang bilihan ng bilihan ng kung ano ano si Yamyoy! — with Bbee Kkhaa and5 others.

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Yakee: Mommy, just read to me from the tablet ok?
Me: Are you sure? Don't you wan the tablet to just read to you?
Yakee: No... Read to me from the tablet. It's because I want to hear your sweet voice ok?
(Hubs is asleep na... When he reads this, he'd wonder again how our sons could love my singing voice... But not his... Me being tone deaf... Haha... True devotion from sons lang!)

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Hayst.... Letter H na naman kami in bed, with Pappie Jojo and I precariously perched on our respective sides' edge.

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Awww... Perstaym that Yamee said "i love mama" and "i love papa"

Prompted by raisinets... But still.. Awww

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This was the first ever Mother's Day gift I received... As a pregnant woman some six years ago.

I find it really nice that the boys actually fight over this book which was intended to help me mother them...

Thanks again Pappie Jojo

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Just got home from super sulit, super sayang Aerosmith concert.

Steven Tyler was crazy amazing... Even if they didn't perform those songs.

I am such a Mom though... Couldn't wait to go home to my boys.

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The boys love listening to Akon... Singing a Hindi song (Chammak Chalo). Haha. Maybe we were Indians in our previous lives that's why we're so into Bollywood. 

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Hubs and I were late in joining The Voice fans so we were doing a marathoner last night of Season 4.

Me (kasi clueless nga): Sino'ng previous The Voice winner ang sikat?

Pappie Jojo (without skipping a beat): Yung ano, dating asawa ni Lorna.

Kaines!

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So glad that bunso is starting to talk more, I just need a dictionary were i can look up that "babus" means "bubbles"! — (Pappie)

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10 minutes into their first day of vacation and the boys already had a pet bird (Flapper). They played with at least 3 different kinds of crabs (caught some too), played with bugs (Goggles was a huge beetle), chased frogs, helped light bonfires, toasted marshmallows, swam everyday and rolled in sand for an entire week.

It would have been a very Waldorf holiday if they didn't end up killing the bird and crabs. Hehe.

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My tweet to Pappie Jojo yesterday:
"wahaha, I don't follow you here pala. Now lang"

His reply:
"bwahaha, ok lang, I don't follow you din"

My... Aren't we sweet? Haha

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And I can't get the smile out of my face after discovering that bunso has learned to paddle board on his own and insisted to carry the paddleboard back to the house... I am truly blessed and happy, thanks Mommy Sonia and Daddy Ruben for a wonderful place to vacation in!!! — with Mec Camitan Arevalo at The Best Beach House in Gasan, Marinduque.

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I have panganay thanking me for a wonderful day 1 and kissing me goodnight for a wonderful movie (after watching a video of Ironman)... Now I am vacationing in paradise!!! — with Mec Camitan Arevalo at The Best Beach House in Gasan, Marinduque.

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Yan ang epekto sa mga bata ng 12:30am na Roro ride pa Marinduque — with Mec Camitan Arevalo at Dalahican Lucena City.

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Pappie Jojo... Yakee says you three are my 3 idiots, and he's Rancho daw. Sino ka?

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Can't say yet if it was a bargain at P1900 at the scholastic sale but we're already at ladder 12 (2 sessions, maybe 30 mins total). The boys love the tiles and Yakee has been spelling other words using them... It's cute.

A sitting down alternative to our jumping spelling ek.

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Crazy met crazier  Right, Pappie Jojo? 

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13 years ago tomorrow (posting now lest I forget), Pappie Jojo and I met online (exact details might embarrass relatives and will definitely tickle friends)... 

Just goes to show... God's plans are more perfect and He thinks long-term. 

The best is yet to come!

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mahal, alagaan mo naman mga anak natin... He looks doogs, doogs, doogs, doogs...

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Valentines... Always a good excuse for Pappie Jojo to come home bearing flowers.

Love it! And of course, I love the giver to bits.

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The whole family went to the dentist for a cleaning and checkup. So proud of the two tykes. The dentist commented that kuya is part of the 2-3% of children with very healthy teeth that he seldom sees. While for bunso, the dentist had started setting our expectation that we might just end up trying to see of he would sit on the dentist chair, the most see if he would open his mouth (given that it was bunso's first dentist check). To his surprise bunso was the one who sat himself on the chair, and he even got to clean Yamee's teeth! Good Job Kids!

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I guess its becoming our yearly tradition, I'm with panganay watching the Chinese New Year countdown, can't wait to have bunso tag along!!!


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Pinabaunan ko ang mahal kong asawa ng tutong na kanin, kasi walang kakain.

Umuwi syang may dalang J.co donuts.

Padalhan ko kaya ng sunog na kanin bukas...

Health Check Fail

Because of hubby's new job, we have to apply for health card memberships again... and aren't faring wel in that area because of our family histories and preexisting conditions (like being overweight!) and the results of the latest APE at hubs's former company.

Sigh.

So... we have had to shell out precious cash to undergo more blood chemistry tests. The results warrant consultations with doctors to manage our conditions.

The good news is that we are still not diabetic but just barely. The bad news is, our livers are complaining and are great candidates for cardio-vascular diseases.

This is causing us stress.

And I am furious and ashamed that I let our precious sons, the ones we always say we love so much... to have two unhealthy parents.

But I would rather not dwell on the negativity... God brought us here because He is telling us something. It is really time to be accountable.

Embracing Intentionality

I like to believe that hubs and I are intentional parents... and we are striving to always improve. But of course, we have a long way to go, are struggling everyday, are highly imperfect.

But anyway, we are striving to be better. Therein lies the promise of great things, where our sons are concerned.

Bo Sanchez recently shared this quote that really, really struck me:
DO NOT ASK GOD TO GUIDE YOUR STEPS
IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO MOVE YOUR FEET.

When I pushed for homeschooling because I wanted the opportunity to raise our sons in a better way, with the values that we believe they should have, I guess you could say I moved my feet. I didn't just ask God to secure my sons' future and success. And now, we have begun our baby steps.

The thing with homeschooling though is you start wanting to be even more intentional in your parenting... which is why I am sharing these videos here, with the hope that other parents out there can forgive their parents and start taking responsibility for how they should be as parents to their kids now.

Discipleship Begins At Home
(this was a Father's Day special challenging fathers to take on more active roles in parenting)

Influence the Heart 

Each video is about an hour long... I really hope parents will take it upon themselves to watch them both, and talk about them. You don't have to be deeply spiritual or religious to take away the great message from these talks: that our children need us to model good and right for them to grow up good and right.

Updates, Updates

I know... I have been blog negligent!


Immediate Family Life
Pappie has left his job for another one. He was at the previous one for 10.5 years so the weeks leading to the decision was a stressful time. He is now with a different company, at a more regional role. We are so proud of him, so thankful for him.

We are facing tight times as we realized that we have been living from paycheck to paycheck without savings and investments. That must be improved on and pronto!

The kids had a grand time learning to swim. Yakee ended as Best in Basic Freestyle and even Yamee was his class' star student (haha, I am not biased). Now, Yakee is officially homeschooling and Yamee and I are enrolled in the parent-child program at St. Michael.

We got a helper!!! But are also now facing the possibility that she might not come back when we allow her to go home and visit her Dad in August. Too bad because again, my kids have gotten attached to her.

We got some repairs done at the house (our roof isn't leaking anymore, and our aircon is new and saving us on electric bill) and have made some decluttering. Some space have been freed, at least.

Our Relatives
The boxes filled with my yarn and the wooden blocks have arrived... pics to follow because I have gotten used to taking pictures using the iPad. Happiness! And my own Dad got an iPad mini from my sister so he's making his presence felt over the net as well.

We also celebrated birthdays in hubs' family at the beach as a last hurrah before the school year began...

  

 

   

Meanwhile, hubby's dad's health has been deteriorating and I know it is a great source of stress for everyone. Hopefully, his sisters coming to care for him too will perk FIL up.

The boys also enjoyed my cousin's family's visit over the summer... because they had playmates!

 

Friends

The kids had fun at the Tribeca/Southern N@Wies playdate... but Yamee got scratched by a cat, which resulted in a need for rabies shots for him. Stress galore!

 

before and after being scratched

 

source of amusement and stress talaga, haha

the kids with their art work!

the mommies with our own masterpieces (albeit smelly na by then)

So... yes, the Arevalos do lead happy, crazy, interesting lives :)