1.  I don’t like cats.  It’s nothing personal.

2.  I can play the piano.

3.  I can speak German.  I actually earned a Zertifikat Deutsch, a certificate of German as a second language.  Unfortunately, I seriously lack practice.

4.  I took an Italian language course, too.  That was before I turned 17.

5.  I find metaphysical science fascinating.

6.  I attended a seminar on Basic ESP and Intuition under Jaime Licauco and realized I have a talent for “remote viewing”.    I wasn’t successful in spoon bending though.

7.  I’m blessed to have been able to visit 16 countries, some of which I was able to visit more than once.  It was my Mom who literally showed me the world.

8.  I’m a self-confessed mommy’s girl.   I. Want. My. Mommy!  Now!!

9.  I can make a knot with a cherry stem using my tongue.

10.  I have three active blogs.

11.  It annoys me when people say “Bora” for Boracay.

12.  I love sushi.

13.  I was a girl scout all four years of high school.  No Citizen’s Army Training (CAT) for me.  Ha!

14.  I used to say “Jap” for “Japanese” with reckless abandon, until hubby pointed out that the Japanese find that offensive.

15.  I cry easily…tv dramas, weddings, good-byes, etc.

16.  I hate good-byes.

17.  I love Target.

18.  I type at a fairly decent speed…85 words per minute, with fingers properly positioned on the keyboard and without having to look at the keys.

19.  I love to bake.

20.  I love taking pictures.

21.  I’m not a morning person, but have no choice but to be one.  Ugh!

22.  I am longing for a Philippine vacation.

23.  I’ve made friends, albeit virtually, with a good number of people.

24.  My all time favorite movie is Silence of the Lambs.

25.  I have no clue what Nikon rifle scopes are.

There. Done.

Hubby took a photo of the monitor hanging on one of ‘em ceiling mounted tv stands. The top scorer, Anabel, who scored 120 points, is the sister of Abby’s best friend Desiree (who scored 97 points).  Anabel, I believe, is only 3 years old.  Another future bowler in the making.

These are the questions that the tag wants answers to:

Do you read books to your child?
Does your child like to read books?
Do you like to buy new books or is second-hand ok?
Post a picture of your child’s bookshelf if you have one.

Yes, I read books to Abby.  I’ve been doing that since she was inside my womb.   Yes, Abby likes to read books.  She refuses to go to sleep until she’s been read to.  Oh i like buying new books!  I’m a sucker for book trials, which is why Scholastic loves me so much!   Second hand books are ok, too, but I haven’t really gotten hold of any.

I decided to pull out the books from the shelf so I can better show you Abby’s reading materials.  Here they are:

These are Abby’s first books.  We bought these during a family vacation in Malaysia.  I can’t resist a good deal. 

A child’s library isn’t quite complete if Mother Goose is nowhere in sight.  But that’s just my personal opinion.

We brought these fun reads all the way from the Philippines.  I got them at National Bookstore at about Php50.00 each.  Abby has practically memorized these books, so much so, that she can recite the words while I read to her.

These books are all gifts.

Some of the books in these pics were won from raffles, and some are from party loot bags.

These ones are from my short-lived subscription to the Brighter Vision Learning Adventures.

These are the Dr. Seuss books, another subscription, which I have already cancelled.

These are magazines.  Guess what they’re about!

These are free books from Scholastic.  I only paid for the shipping.

Abby also has a book of fairy tales.  Feminists might be shaking their heads on this one.   Don’t worry, I assure you that Abby will grow up knowing she has to fend for herself and not wait for a prince to save the day. *wink*

I highly recommend the Bob books for the beginning readers.

These are Abby’s coloring books, which she seldom uses.  She’s too much of an artist for these.

And these are Abby’s workbooks.  I highly recommend the ones by Kumon.

I didn’t realize Abby has so much books already.  She also has a good number of Leap Frog learning gadgets.  What I’d like to have are personalized books where Abby gets to be the star of the story.  I think it would make a nice keepsake.

My roommate and I once: a bunk bed.  My brother slept on the bottom bed, and I, on the top.

Never in my life have I: gone on the Philippines’ LRT.

High school was: when I met Hubby.

When I’m nervous: I get fidgety.

My hair: has never had the taste of highlights and color.

When I was 5: I had my first birthday party in school.

When I turn my head to the left:I see houses (our neighbors’) through our front window…and plants and flowers, too.

I should be: folding the laundry. The dryer just beeped. *Ugh!*

By this time next year: I hope we’re already living in our own house, still here in Texas.

My favorite aunt is: my Mom’s eldest sister.

I have a hard time understanding: poker.

You know I like you if: I go out of my way to talk or actually be with you.

My ideal breakfast is: any of the Philippine SiLog eats: tapsilog, longsilog, tocilog, etc.

If you visit my home town: you’ll see that it’s quite busy.  Batang sampaloc…that’s me!

If you spend the night at my house: you’ll be treated with utmost Pinoy hospitality.

The animal I would like to see flying besides birds: horses?  Hahaha!  I bet Abby would love that, too!

I shouldn’t have been: staying up ’til 2am for so many nights already!

Last night I: plurked, blogged and bloghopped.

A better name for me would be: anything other than my real name, mwehehe!

I’ve been told I look like: Jessa Zaragoza and Basia.

If I could have any car, it would be: …gosh, I can’t think of any right now!  I’ll get back to this one. Hahaha.

::: Start Copy Here :::

Memes are a great way to link everyone together. In Cyberspace, many people use English as the Universal Language and say Hi, Hello and more. Have you tried learning other languages of the same meaning?

Let’s get to know each other by placing a welcome/hello greeting in your language and spread it over all bloggers in cyberspace.

1. Copy the text from Start Copy Here

2. Post it in your blog. Make sure you copy it in compose mode (blogger) or visual mode for the others. This will enable you to copy all your friend’s link as well. Have fun doing it.

3. In the next number, add your blog url and link it

4. Add the greetings that you use frequently or one that is in your traditional language.

Konichiwa Meme by AikoAiko

List:

::: End Copy Here :::

Anyone out there who needs a filler? *wink*  Feel free to snag this tag!   Ok, let me at least tag two people – Odette and Gracie.

This is our first formal portrait together, taken when Abby was about a month old.  The photo just screams “new”: new baby, new mommy, new relationship, new experiences and challenges, new everything.   Abby is now 4 years old.  I sometimes find it hard to believe that she was ever so small…so fragile.  So much has changed and changes will continue to happen.  But Abby will always be my baby.

I am passing this on to Carol, Feng and Rachel.

Master List :
1. Juliana’s Site 2. Moms…..check nyo 3. Pinay WAHM 4. Residual Matters 5. So Cute 6. Pinaymama’s Diary 7. Beauty of Life 8. Point of View 9. The Callalily Space 10. Nyumix 11. Aeirin Collections 12. 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires 13. Twerlermz’s Blog 14. My Virtual Journal 15. Capturing The Moments 16. Jenny and Belle 17. Just another day in sunny Florida 18. Pampered 19. Apple of my Eyes 20. Mummy Diaries 21. All about your child 22. Super Mae 23. It’s my party 24. In My home 25. LZMommy 26. All Natural 27. It’s a woman’s world 28. Rantings of A Woman 29. ParentZine 30. Me and Mine 31. Dancing in Midlife Tune 32. Mind Bubbles 33. Vanity Kit 34. stripe&yellow 35. Em’s detour 36. something purple 37. My Virtual Closet 38. Why Babie? 39. My Views On My So Called Life 40. FunFierceFabulous 41. Dancing in Midlife Tune 42. My Colorful World 43. Surviving deployment 44. Live Love Life 45. HotMomma 46. a {GIRL} for all status 47. BaReFooTeD Me 48. Uncomplicated 49. FunFierceFabulous 50. Hailey’s Domain 51. Hailey’s Beats and Bits 52. On A Wonderful Day Like Today 53. House Everything 54. Shopaholic Ties The Knot 55. My Stories 56. Working It 57. Mapped Memories

Rules:
1. List 6 things that describe yourself today.
2. Add your blog to the list. Feel free to add all your other blogs.
3. Tag other online friends you know.

The day will draw to a close in about two hours.  I am…

thankful…I always am…for the unexpected blessings I received (does LinkNerve ring a bell?).

looking forward to tomorrow when Hubby comes home from his business trip.

cramming to finish two more opps so I can call it a night.

unable to resist plurking.  I am now addicted!

determined to be out of the house before 7:40am so Abby will be in school by 8am.  We’ve been successful since Monday!  Yey!

tired because of utter lack of sleep.

Links: Creative In Me | Little Peanut |Me and Mine | Pea in a Pod | Sugar Magnolias | IamDzoi | My Happy Place | To the Moon and Back |Raising Sandy | My Colorful World | Working It | MyParty.Finds.A Home. | Cafe Munchkin | Mapped Memories | Munchkin Mommy | Your Site Here

How are you doing, Nell, Cez and Mel?

Eyebrow Threading :: Microdermabrasion

Aromatherapy :: Body Wrap

Blowout

My favorites are the microdermabration and body wrap.  I get a lot of aromatherapy, too, but never the blowout and eyebrow threading.  How about you, do you get all of the above treats or, like me, just two or three of them?

Here’s a list of fellow Mom’s who had their share of real-world spa treatments: Wheng | Yen | Shimumsy | Eds | Mitch | SAHM-Mitch | Hailey | Rachel | Feng | Weng

Feel free to snag this pseudo-tag and make your readers smile.   Cheers!

Meeya?  Em?  You want this?  Hee hee.

Gracie tagged me for this meme.  Thanks, Gracie!

The rules:
a. List these rules on your blog.
b. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog.
c. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.  You’ll have to read on for my 7 facts and see who i tagged.

Here are 7 facts about me:

1.  All throughout my school life (read: gradeschool to university), I was grade conscious, which lead me to graduate with “second honors” in grade school and “cum laude” in college.   High school will always be a big disappointment because just like the non-winners in “The Weakest Link”, come graduation day, I went home with NOTHING.  Ugh!  Huhuhu.

2.  Before I left the Philippines in May 2007, I’ve been going to the same hairstylist since 1998.   His name is Matt and his from the Peninsula Manila’s Emphasis Salon, formerly Rodger Craig.

3.  I did not “touch” my eyebrows until I was the ripe old age of 23.  Hee hee.  I felt like a woman after I had my first ever waxing.  Ooooouch!

4.  I looooove Japanese food, which is why since high school, I’ve believed I must be Japanese in one of my former lives.

5.  I gave birth to Abby via C-section after 10 hours of epidural free labor.  O ha?  What can I say?  I’m masochistic.

6.  I married my first boyfriend after more than 8 years of “couplehood”.  

7.  As much as I possibly can, I think happy thoughts.

Whew!  I am tagging Meeya, Abby, Em, Dang, Cez, Ela and Nell. 

I would like to tag: Weng (whom I know have the most gorgeous preggy pics)

What can I say?  She’s right!  Hahaha!  Kidding.   Thank you, Mee, for giving me an excuse to post my preggy pics.

These pics were taken at The Picture Company (Podium Branch) when I was 8 months pregnant with Abby.  It was a time when thoughts of hopping on ellipticals were farthest from my mind.  These are pretty daring preggy pics.  Are you ready?  Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

My favorite…

Hubby and Me…

Photo Collage (My favorite are my 2 solos.  Hee hee!)…

There.  I hope I didn’t make you gag.    Hahaha!

I am tagging Feng, Rachel and Joy.  Share your “glowing” preggy pics, girls!