*Haay.*

I truly sincerely wish I can just be on holiday mode forever so I can truly sit back and relax but everything has just been so busy! Every night there is somewhere we need to go to. Then I need to work. I have not scrapped for weeks and Im getting depressed. Add to that is the my OC-ness to start everything new and fresh every year. So I want to a new blog look, a new hairdo, a new bag, a new wallet (I use one bag and wallet to the office and most lakads every year) — but those things I can easily just get from my Mom’s stash :).

So I owe myself and everybody who wants to read my blog a serious update :). Love love love this season.
And Im doing some bloggie carnival soon. I hope you guys join soon Somebody might get really lucky

Share This

Do you want to write better? Ever want to improve your writing skills? You can find so many nice writing tips on this web site - www.dailywritingtips.com. It features tips on writing such as grammar, punctuation, spelling and more. You are sure to become a better writer (and blogger) with their help. Check them out!

Share This

IMG_3817

Originally uploaded by aggietha.

Her most favorite Christmas pressies - a cellphone and the stroller baby. You should have heard when she saw the gift - she exclaimed, “BABY!!” (pronounced bi-bi! LOL) and played with it so many times, endlessly. I still havent even assembled the dresser but the tent, the baby and the cellphone has been a constant companion, and Elmo. The pressies were a big hit this season. I hope I can blog more about it soon.

Share This

We have been fortunate enough to have no one in our family addicted to alcohol and drugs. A family friend had a son involved with drug substance abuse and it was a hard time for them and such a trying ordeal. They did the right thing though. They helped him admit he needs to get help from a professional and sought a Drug Rehab center for him to enter in. He has now been clean for 9 years. Drug treatment and Alcohol rehab are very important for people who are involved with alcohol and substance abuse to have a very strong family support especially on the time he would enrolling in a rehabilitation program. If you know somebody who has a drug addiction and needs help fast, refer him to a drug rehab center fast. But the enrollment to a center doesn’t end there, he will need the support and acceptance of family more than anything else. Drug Rehabilitation is sometimes the only way to go sometimes when people really need help. Addictions are curable, with steadfast love and acceptance from family, willingness to change from the addict and the support of loved ones. As always, the family should be the strongest support system.

Share This

Make no mistake about it - I plan to seriously learn more about photography by next year. Not really something to make me earn a living out of it, but something for me to be able to take photos that will best capture the memories of our family. The holiday season and my photo-a-day project (inspired by Jessica Sprague) has allowed to me venture out (finally!) into manual mode. I still have a long way to go though, but I am always excited everytime I get some decent picture out of settings I experiment with.

Now, I have been browsing and surfing photography forums, articles and photo groups more. I have come across the PhotographyCorner web site where there is such an awesome contest for the 2007 Photograph of the Year! They have the monthly photography contest too, but the annual contest, of course, is something everyone is eagerly looking forward to. You can read more about it at the Photography Corner Blog. With their sponsors being SmugMug, PsPrint and other big companies, Im sure the prizes will be rocking! Their prizes are
valued at over $20,000!! The rules are fairly simple - as the contest indicates, all photos submitted must be taken during the year of 2007. Submitted photographs must not be manipulated (minor edits like color correction are ok, but things like selective color, image stitching, HDR images, and Orton effects are not acceptable). Only one photograph per person too!

Now, what I plan to do is get myself involved actively in a photography forum and participate in weekly photo round ups. That can help me shoot outside my comfort zone (I mainly just take pictures of my kids!). I think I will participate in their forum and contests and who knows — I might just submit a photo for their 2008 contest!

I cant wait to see who wins this year!

Share This

Just a picture of us girls with my Dad. Notice how skinny my younger sisters are no? I swear I was that skinny seven years ago as well, hahahaha! Too bad for me I always had crash diets and took
diet pills when I was young. Now it has wreaked havoc for my metabolism. Oh well, next year is THE year, just you wait

Share This

Im sick of eating, I swear. LOL. We passed by a total of THREE houses on Christmas Day all of them with tables full of holiday food. I honestly got sick just looking at them. LOL. I ate a little of everything (no rice!) but I was looking for my grandma’s paella. She really cooks it well (one of a kind). As always, too much overdose of sweets - cakes, pastries, cookies, salads, etc. I really need to get serious in losing weight next year. Everybody was commenting and asking what happened to me! (You know how Pinoys are!)

Share This

It is back to work for me tomorrow!

We had a very nice Christmas — busy, tiring but really fun. The kids had a blast opening all their toys, which was really something else. Christmas really is for the kids. We (the family) didnt give each other anything, but it was so nice seeing the kids (there were only two apos, mind you) opening their presents. Matthew was all smiles (he didnt want to get any picture taken all thoughout the night, I swear, that deserves another story! LOL), but he gamely posed for this:

Mainly because it was time to open pressies

Share This

Pictures 198

Originally uploaded by aggietha.

Easily my most favorite spot in the Shrine. I have to take more photos later when we have our Noche Buena. My mom bought real poinsettia plants — they look so nice! Amadeo is hot during the day but once afternoon sets in, the wind is really something else. It is deceptive as you think you can handle it later on your nose will be dripping already (hamog). We are hearing mass in Lourdes Church in Tagaytay. And we were crazy enough to brave the crowds in SM Dasmarinas earlier — last minute shopping. My sisters wanted to push through with the blue and white theme — I found some nice navy dress shirt and cute leggings for Martha.

All in all, the stay here has been awfully nice. Conversation and laughter with the parents are always memorable and just downright touching. I have a lot of memories this Christmas. Best ever yet.

Share This

Share This

My blog will be on a Christmas hiatus starting tomorrow! Enjoy the holidays! If you want to keep up with whatever I am busy with,my Flickr will most probably tell you (Im going to use that to keep track of scrappable pictures while we are away).

Dont forget to celebrate the REASON for the SEASON!

Share This

We didnt go anywhere today, we didnt dare to. Traffic is so bad these days. Good thing Matthew wanted to be at home lang. He just wanted Jollibee chicken, spaghetti, pizza and for me daw, cake. (He said, “Alam ko naman gusto mo ng cake kasi kelangan picturean pero Mommy ayaw ko kainin yan ha!” LOL. The boys really dont like cakes. The girls - me and Martha - ate it. Si Martha ang parang me birthday! Hahaha!)

Share This

IMG_3042

Originally uploaded by aggietha.

Matthew’s 7th Birthday.
Four Days Before Christmas.

I cleaned the house as much as I can and the husband miraculously wrapped the gifts (Im tamad). Now, wala na talaga akong gagawin ever. Im kicking back to enjoy and indulge in the season.

Share This

12.20 It was such a good day

Originally uploaded by aggietha.

I have been having a blast reconnecting to what I loved first - writing by hand. I have discovered that words flow naturally, and that they are more real. I wish I can have my handwriting back the way it used to look though.

12.20 My favorite day of the year (Out of the Ordinary no events type of days!)

Share This

There is a free local phone chat line service hugely popular in Texas, particularly in San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. It works like this - you get to call in for free for a live phone or chat with other people. You have the option to even leave Voice Personals. You just record your message and then you can hear other people’s voice personals and from there, you can leave them a message too. You dont have to put your phone numbers so everything will be confidential. The next time you login, you can now hear other people’s messages for you, if there are any! So if you are in the are, you can have some Dallas Chat personals or
Houston Chat voice mails!

Share This