Working It

This tag is from Em. Self explanatory no? :)

Here are eight things I am grateful for.

1. Simply Being Alive.
:: Everyday, I am always thankful that I am given the chance to be with my loved ones, to experience new things, to put my humanity to the test, to share my blessings, to be a friend, and to love, for yet another day. Not everyone is given this opportunity so I know better than to take this gift of life for granted.

2. We Can Afford.
:: To put food on our table, to put clothes on our backs, to live in a nice home in an opportunity-rich country, to revel in a few personal luxuries, and to have enough left over to give back.

3. For our Little Family’s Huge Family.
:: No matter how quirky or dysfunctional the dynamics of our extended family may and can be, I am nonetheless ever thankful for their steady presence, love, and support. The knowledge that we have them in our lives, always, to fall back on anytime, gives me a tremendous sense of security and certainty.

4. For Friends.
:: Who never fail to share a laugh, a story, a blessing, an honest opinion, or a moment out of their busy lives for me. Living away, friends are what make my world less isolated, my loneliness less oppressive.

5. Being In the Baby Pink of Health
:: We’re not exactly the health buffs we need to be and, sadly, we often succumb to the occasional virus making its rounds in our tropical climate. Nevertheless, I am quite thankful that hubby, Ninna, and I have been spared from anything critical that merits any agressive medical attention. I wish, though, that we could say the same thing for some of our loved ones back home who are struggling to overcome their respective illnesses. However, the fact that they are responding well to their prescriptions and treatments is reason enough to be thankful, too.

6. My Ninna
:: She is the joy in my life. She, in her small innocent way, has taught me that I can love beyond the confines of my heart, that I can find wonder and contentment in the simplest of things, that someone can trust me unconditionally despite what I may have and haven’t done in my lifetime, and that I can find fullfilment in a single smile, hug, or kiss. I love this girl with my every being, and there is nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for her.

7. My Hubby.
:: When I prayed to God for the man He had in mind for me, I was thinking more along the lines of Matt Damon. But, God doesn’t always give us who we want, rather, He gives us who’s right for us. It took me a while to accept it, and a little bit more to trust, but once I understood, I knew without a doubt that he was mine. Hubby is decisive as I am arbitrary, he’s outspoken as I am reticent, mature as I am frivolous, and totally in love with me as I am of him. I am thankful he is in my life, without him I’m incomplete.

8. You
:: Who read my ramblings. Who inspire me to write entry after entry after mindless entry. Who take me at face value and, even without really knowing me, connect with me regardless. Who are happy for me when I am happy, ache with me when the tough gets going, cheer with me at my Ninna’s little triumphs, and pray with me for realization of my dream Birkin. Thank you for giving me a few minutes of your time each day. MrsPartyGirl would not exist without you. Salamat!

What are you thankful for today? :)

I am tagging Christine (practice *wink*), Keith (because it’s your anniv, hehe!), Junnie (MEMEnto boy!), Jen (para hindi puro AI updates!) , and Selvo (pampababa ng high blood mo pare!). Thanks guys! :)

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.29.2008 :: MeMeMee :: 4 Comments »

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.27.2008 :: Wordless Wednesday :: 8 Comments »

This tag comes from the Nellicious Nell. :)

EDIT: I was also tagged with this meme by Em and DPhatGirl, two months later, hehe. Paano ba yan, Em and DPG, mission accomplished kaagad? :)

Here are the rules: Remove one (1) question from below, and add in your personal question, make it a total of 20 questions, then tag eight (8) people in your list. List them out at the end of this post.

1. At what age do/did you wish to marry?
:: I wanted to get married at 23. I wanted to be able to grow up with my kids and still be there (ie. alive!) for my grandchildren. Eh, well, I got married 4 years later so it wasn’t too far off the mark. :)

2. What color do you like most?
:: Blue

3. Have you ever shoplifted?
:: I don’t think so. No.

4. Where is the place that you want to go the most?
:: Right now, Gerry’s Grill, hehe.

5. Which part of you that you hate the most?
:: The flabssssss.

6. When you encounter a sad moment, what would you do?
:: Cry. Or laugh hysterically, hehe.

7. What are you afraid to lose the most?
:: My sanity, hehe. My memory, and my family, of course.

8. If you win $1 million, what would you do?
:: Save for retirement and Ninna’s college fund, travel, “give back”, and (*audible gulp from hubby*) splurge on handbags, hehe.

9. What do you loved the most last year (2007)?
:: All the travelling we did.

10. List out 3 good points of the person who tagged you:
:: About Nell: One of the most unique persons I have ever met. Has exquisite taste and a detailed eye for beauty. Delicious, Vicious, equals Nellivicious, hehe!
:: About Em: Super pretty inside and out. Raket queen, hehe. The sweetest mommy to Ethan.
:: About DPG: Intensely loving and loyal. Well-spoken, well-read, and well-rounded. WYSIWYG. :)

11. (I am switching out this question) Is there anything about you that people misunderstand?
:: People seem to think that I’m gregarious and brave and always in control. In truth, I’m a shy, scattered, scaredy-cat.

12. Till now, what is the moment that you regret the most?
:: I don’t believe in regrets. I want to believe that everything happens for a reason and that it’s but mature to own up to and learn from every mistake a person makes. Bow.

13. Which type of person do you hate the most?
:: Cocky ones who can’t back it up.

14. What is your ambition?
:: To become the best SAHMMY there is. And to own a Birkin.

15. If you had one wish what would you wish for?
:: Toned arms, hehe. Seriously, good health for all of my loved ones.

16. How did you celebrate new year?
:: Media Noche with relatives in California.

17. Name your body part that hubby tells you he adores.
:: Ala Little Prince, those which are invisible to the eye. In short, yung mga nakatago, hehe.

18. It is already 2008, do you have a new year’s resolution?
:: To live a healthy life. And to put a realistic limit on my purse-chases hehe.

19. What do you look forward to in 2008?
:: Finally permanently residing somewhere. Ninna going to school. Me getting preggers again. Me making moolah again one way or another.

20. What were your accomplishments last year?
:: Moving twice, ergo, starting over twice.

Done-da-da-done! :)

For this meme, and since its the new year, I’d like to reconnect with my blogger friends whom I haven’t “talked to” in a while. I’m tagging Ogie, LitCoo, Haze, Jeanny, Dial, Judy, Amie, and Kate.

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.26.2008 :: MeMeMee :: 5 Comments »

What’s the perfect way to spend the weekend?

Stopping to smell the flowers…

Snacking on your fave munchies…

Doing a happy dance…

Hanging out with a buddy…

Getting eaten by a lion?

Maybe not. :D

~~~

Our weekend at the Lion Country Safari (West Palm Beach, FL). Bow!

~~~

Almost every weekend, we are out exploring our current home state, the Sunshine State. I know it takes me a while to update our travel blog (sorry fans!) so, by joining and doing the Weekend Snapshot (WS) meme, I could at least give you guys a sneak peek of our trips, hopefully whetting your appetite for the main event that is sure to come later at the travel blog (some time later, hehe).

This is my first WS contribution. :) You can check out the other Weekend Snapshot entries here.

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.25.2008 :: WeekendSnapshots :: 3 Comments »

Toni tagged me with this one, supposedly something for the month of hearts. Umabot naman ako, di ba? :)

Ooohhh, and I just have the most perfect pictures for this!

The Rules:

1. Post your photo wearing red, may it be a red top, bottom, the least would be red accessories if you hate wearing red… If you can’t find one, you still have an option…. Either post your Significant Other’s photo or your child’s photo, if you have one. Of course, they should be wearing red.

2. Let us know the reason why you were wearing red that particular day. Was it your birthday? Is red your fave color or was it the shirt that you first saw in your closet that day?

3. Tag 3 people close to your heart. By the way, they have to be in your blogroll. No cheating heart please.

Lest I become mistaken for a stop sign, a fire hydrant, a British phone booth, or a super extra jumbo purefoods hotdog, in my stead I am posting pictures of my Ninna in her pretty red party dress in response to the tag.

Besides, I couldn’t possibly look as cute as this girl.

The dress was a gift from her Lola Titas in California. It was supposed to be a Christmas dress but we didn’t receive it in time. She had her chance to wear it at the super bonggacious 7th birthday party of her friend Najee in January 2008.

I wanna see some more red so I’m tagging photobloggers Weng, Ela, and Simply Muah. :)

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.21.2008 :: MeMeMee :: 6 Comments »

Thess tagged me with this meme. Here goes!

The rule is very simple. Just copy the following entire list of questions and change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then tag and pass it along to other blogging friends. Let’s see how well we can get to know one another!

1. What is your occupation?
:: SAHMMY (Stay At Home Mommy). What can I say, it’s a full time job (with benefits).

2. What color are your socks right now?
:: No socks, sorry.

3. What are you listening to right now?
:: Don’t pelt me with rocks but Paris Hilton’s “Stars are Blind” is currently playing on my Media Player.

4. What was the last thing that you ate?
:: Rice and one week old adobo.

5. Can you drive a stick shift?
:: Yup.

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
:: Red.

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
:: Hubby.

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
:: I don’t just like her, I love her. :D

9. Favorite drink?
:: Water with lemon. (Lemonade?)

10. What is your favorite sport to watch?
:: Tennis.

11. Have you ever dyed your hair?
:: Yes, with matching highlights, hehe.

12. Pets?
:: Hubby and Ninna, hehe. Seriously, I have a bunch of dogs back in Pinas.

13. Favorite food?
:: Obrycki’s Crabs. Ever.

14. Last movie you watched?
:: At a movie theater, Enchanted. At home, Letters from Iwo Jima.

15. Favorite Day of the year?
:: My birthday.

16. What do you do to vent anger?
:: Cry. I’m not the throwing, slapping, yakking, nagging, screaming type of person kasi.

17. What was your favorite toy as a child?
:: Speak and Spell, hehe.

18. What is your favorite, fall or spring?
:: Fall. I love the colors!

19. Hugs or kisses?
:: Hugs. Pero if I can have both, why not? :D

20. What kind of pie?
:: Buko Pie forever.

21. Do you want your friends to email you back?
:: Yes, I love receiving non-forwarded emails.

22. Who is most likely to respond?
:: Someone who is not busy (like moi).

23. Who is least likely to respond?
:: Someone who’s either busy or tamad, hehe.

24. Living arrangements?
:: Me, hubby, and Ninna living independently. :)

25. When was the last time you cried?
:: Last Sunday, while watching Exteme Makeover Home Edition. Lagi akong napapaiyak dun, keynes.

26. What is on the floor of your closet?
:: Winter stuff.

27. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to?
:: Angela and Mamah Liezl.

28. The friend you have known the shortest amount of time that you are sending this to?
:: May, (to get your site going, hehe!)

29. Favorite smell?
:: Freshly-baked bread. And chocolates.

30. What inspires you?
:: Music, a beautifully written book or blog entry, Art. My daughter.

31. What are you afraid of?
:: Being left alone. Death in the family. Going to hell.

32. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers?
:: Kahit ano, basta burger, fight. :)

33. Favorite car?
:: Porsche Cayenne or Volvo XC90. These are the first things I’ll buy when I win the lotto. :D

34. Favorite cat breed?
:: I used to have to persian kitties. SLN.

35. Number of keys on your key ring?
:: 3 (House, Car, Mailbox)

36. How many years at your current job?
:: 5 years and counting, hehehe.

37. Favorite day of the week?
:: Saturday, day-off ko hehe.

38. How many provinces have you lived in?
:: 3 (Bulacan, Pampanga, Rizal)

39. How many countries have you been to?
:: 3 (Philippines, US, and China – well, HK, Macao, and Taiwan, hehe)

Done. :D

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.20.2008 :: MeMeMee :: 3 Comments »

Ninna was tagged by Jo’s Patricia to list down 8 random things about her.

Here they are…. :)

1. She learned to walk when she was 9 months old, but started speaking only on her 18th month.

2. She doesn’t like posing for the camera. She’d rather take the pics herself.

3. She can’t be bitten by a bug because it will surely swell. As in SWELL.

4. She doesn’t like wearing costumes.

5. She has a great memory. She can tell you the state capitals of most of the US states, she can learn the lyrics of most songs easily, can recite the dialogues of her favorite TV shows, and can always remember what pasalubong she asked for from her Papa earlier in the morning.

6. She’s afraid of mascots. And Santa Claus impostors.

7. She is a huge fan of Dippin Dots ice cream. Her favorite flavors? A mix of strawberry and chocolate.

8. She likes shopping for shoes. (And, among rows and rows and rows of shoes, she picks the Blahniks every time.)

Ninna tags: Ris’ Mia, Weng’s Abby, Em’s Ethan, Nell’s Nicho, and Mel’s Vera.

*guys, the tag doesn’t have to contain pics. maarte lang ako, hehe. *muah*

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.18.2008 :: MeMeMee :: 14 Comments »

This tag is from both Thess and Nell. Here’s one each for you guys! *muah*

Here’s our family on the National Geographic featuring our historic trek and discovery of the never before explored caverns of the Grand Canyon.

Sports Illustrated (swimsuit edition) featuring Ninna, the next super model. Peace!

This was fun! :D

~~~

*Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.14.2008 :: MeMeMee :: 7 Comments »

This tag is from JMom.

For sure, Pinoy ako. But I’m taking this quiz anyway. :)

Instruction:
Take this quiz if you want to know just how Filipino you are. Scoring after the jump.

1. You can speak Filipino
:: Opo. And Kapampangan, too, but who’s counting.

2. Whenever necessary, you take the hand of an elder relative and pat the back of the palm of that hand to your forehead and say “mano po”.
:: Opo. I do. Although I have to agree with JMom that some elders prefer a kiss on the cheek or beso-beso (to keep the age factor down, hehe).

3. You know “bayanihan” and had witnessed it personally at least once.
:: I know bayanihan and, although I have yet to see a kubo being transfered to another location, I’m happy to say that I have seen other forms of bayanihan done amongst the true pinoys we know.

4. You’ve seen a bahay kubo at least once.
:: Opo. I accidentally set fire to one, too (hehe!)

5. You’ve ridden on a jeepney at least five times.
:: Opo. The jeepney and the LRT were my main modes of transpo when I didn’t yet have a car.

6. You have separate clothes for in-house and outside use (pambahay at panglakad).
:: Opo. My apologies to the UPS and DHL guys who always seem to know when to fluster me with their presence when I’m wearing my rattiest of pambahays.

7. You’ve eaten adobo, dinuguan, kakanin, tuyo, dilis.
:: Opo. But I’ll take balut over dinuguan any day.

8. Your meal is incomplete if without rice.
:: Opo. Low-carb diet be damned.

9. You hear Sunday masses and attend Misa de Gallo with your family.
:: Lagi po. We were also lucky enough that the pinoy community here in our area organized a Simbang Gabi last December, which were able to attend (the absence of puto bumbong notwithstanding).

10. You can sing “Lupang Hinirang” very well, with no lines missed.
:: Siyempre. In grade school, I also used to conduct the veritable 4/4 measure for entire school in front of the entire school.

11. You don’t care donning ragged and torn clothes exclusively for use inside home.
:: Actually, I care a little bit. Although my pambahays may be old and ugly, I see to it that they’re not torn, dingy, or too ragged. Besides, gwapo yung taga-DHL noh. Dyahe.

12. You have bought items in a “sari-sari store” at least ten times.
:: In Pinas, yes. Especially Pop Cola, Goya, and Chippy, hehe.

13. You have played patintero, tumbang preso and piko during your childhood.
:: Tumbang preso not really. For boys kasi. But I was an ace in Chinese garter – lagi akong mother, hehe.

14. You can sing at least five OPM songs, and know what OPM means.
:: Opkors! More than five pa, thanks to magic sing hehe.

15. You know the Philippine presidents from the year of your birth onwards.
:: Opo. Marcos, Aquino, Ramos, Erap, Glo. (obvious bang nawalan na ng galang sa last two? hehe!)

16. You have witnessed “balagtasan” at least thrice.
:: Opo. I lived in Bulacan (the birth province of Francisco) so it was inevitable.

17. You’ve been recounted with stories involving aswang, tikbalang, manananggal, nuno sa punso.
:: Opo. Remember Pinoy Thriller and Regal Shocker? :D

18. You’ve been read, have read or have heard Filipino legends (Ang Alamat ng…)
:: Opkors! My mom even compiled these stories into a book which my siblings and I loved to read.

19. You’ve lived, stayed or visited Philippine places other than your city or town at least seven times.
:: Opo. I was (and still am) a certified lakwatsera.

20. You’ve visited local (or public) wet market at least five times.
:: Opo. For a time, I was my mom’s palengke assistant and she used to wake me up at 5 in the morning para lang mamalengke. Not my favorite gimmick, I tell you.

21. You have heard guys trying to sing Englebert Humperdink songs on a karaoke machine.
:: Josko po, opo!

22. Your main means of expressing anger is tampo.
:: Ah-eh, medyo. I’m not frontally agressive (as most pinoys are) and being passive agressive is more the way we tend to go.

23. You eat with your hands or use your fork and spoon together.
:: Opo at opo. Basta pagkain, kahit paano, fight.

24. You visit home taking with you a few balikbayan boxes.
:: Opo. Or else we will never see the end of tampo, hehe.

FRANCESCA’S ADDITIONS:

25. You visit your home town and start to say english with full fake slang to all your neighbors, family and friends, in bathrobe and highheels house shoes… (may kilala akong ganun), lol.
:: Ay hindi po. Too pretentious, hehe. Besdies, I’d like to take full advantage of the fact that I can speak Tagalog to everyone for a change.

26. You drink your hot coffee with the teaspoon on it.
:: Opo, minsan.

27. You are joining Paluwagan.
:: Before, I used to! My mom always spearheaded paluwagans, hehe.

JMOM’S ADDITIONS:

28. Does the song Bayan Ko bring tears to your eyes?
:: Sometimes. Especially when I think of Ninoy.

29. Do you have Bagoong or Patis in your cupboard?
:: Opkors! A meal is not complete without the perfect sawsawan.

30. Do you have a picture of the Last Supper or wooden Fork and Spoon on your wall or, as in my case, your mom’s house?
:: Last Supper, yes. Fork and Spoon, no. We don’t know where to get one, hehehe.

MEEYA’S ADDITIONS:

31. You have watched at least 5 Sharon Cuneta movies.
32. You know who Henry Sy is.
33. The men in your family own a barong tagalog.
34. You know what the Philippines’ national tree is.
35. You have read Noli Me Tangere or El Filibusterismo.

How did you do?

Continue Reading »

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.13.2008 :: MeMeMee :: 1 Comment »

Monaco tagged with this simple meme.

Rule #1: Copy all the links below and replace a single link under the appropriate letter of the alphabet. If your domain name, or even the title of your blog, starts with an “A,” you’d replace the link under that letter and put the replaced link at the bottom. Also, don’t forget to credit the tagger, or where you got the list from, at the end of the list with a full URL of the post so that a pingback gets generated.

A. acowboyswife.com
B. Beautifulandhappy.com
C. caffeine-overload.com
D. Different Faces of Me
E. everythingandanythingblog.com
F. forumfinder.net
G. GeekMomMashup.com
H. happykeg.com
I. ipentimento.com
J. joanjoyce.com/blog
K. keyboardmonologues.blogspot.com
L. lifeinlenses.blogspot.com
M. marcroger.com
N. notjustmama.net
O. originalmx5.net
P. peapodsquadstuff.com
Q. qweddings.com
R. rhyan.net
S. shirleysdelight.com
T. TenaciousCreations.com
U. utada-online.net
V. valmg.com
W. working it
X. xaviermedia.com
Y. yimto.com
Z. zbudapest.com

Replaced link: wayfarerwings.com
Previous tagger: keyboard monologues

Rule #2: You now have to “tag” at least five people and encourage them to participate. Remember, though, that not everyone is into these kinds of things, so don’t be upset if they don’t participate. Just simply replace your tag. Remember to tag blogs only and no pornographic ones as we do want to keep the integrity as a blogging community.

Tagging the following Working Girls: Em, Mel, Toni, Kitts, and Nyree.

MrsWorkingGirl :: Feb.11.2008 :: MeMeMee :: 2 Comments »