This is what you would normally see during 1PM at our house. In fact, before you see it, you can hear it already.

This is Martha whenever I let her sleep during afternoons, granted that she is awake by morning, which as of now, rarely happens. Who needs diets that work when you have kids stressing you out?

Taken from my P365 blog:

Afternoon Pre-Siesta

Martha’s screams are routinely heard in the neighborhood around 1PM everyday. This is when I put my foot down, shut the TV off and tell her she needs to sleep. Sometimes, she only does a cover act of her performance, most often than not, she lets me see the whole act – Cover Act: Screaming. Main Act: Crying crocodile tears, asking for her "Daed", throwing her milk bottle and telling me she doesn’t like me. Of course, it is only a battle of wills. And I win all the time.

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This is my latest picture, taken last December 27. As you can see, my hair has grown longer (up to the ends of my shoulder blades already in fact). This is owing to exactly one year of growing my hair. I promised myself I won’t have a hair cut and I will try having my hair curled for once in my life. Now that I am only waiting for a few inches to grow out (and a few home treatments to prepare my hair for the trauma, hehehe), I am now itching to cut if all off again. This happened in 2008 as well, at the spur of the moment, I had it cut. I know I really dont need a  trim with my hair but a quick trim with my big big belly (hehehe), but for now, I cant seem to take it off my mind! It’s driving me crazy. The husband told me to have it curled and if I dont like it, to cut it off = to simply put it, don’t worry too much about hair (for Christ’s sake!).

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While looking for best weight loss supplements online, I came across a news article saying a solar eclipse will be happening today:

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that a partial solar eclipse will be visible in some parts of the Philippines today, January 15, reports the Manila Bulletin.

The eclipse, which will start around 3:49 p.m., will be visible in Metro Manila where the moon will cover almost 40% of the sun. The height of the eclipse will be at 4:53 p.m. and will end by 5:51 p.m. According to the Inquirer, this solar eclipse would be the longest since 1992. It was also reported that the eclipse will be annular, meaning that the sun will appear as a bright ring of fire around the moon in other parts of the world.

The Bulletin published PAGASA’s warning that cautions spectators not to look at the eclipse without protective eye wear.

This will make a great Photo of the Day (POTD) – but my camera lens suck.

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It is only halfway through last year did we really decide on the changes we want to implement in our rented house. Since we are renting, our options are limited so we decided to buy things we can take with us when we move. Prior to that, we had built-in cabinets built (which was taken off our rent, up until now) but honestly, looking back, it might have been a wrong move as I see a lot of nice stand-alone cabinets (which would be ours still if we move out).

A lot still has to be done, especially with the big brother’s room. At least, I was able to save enough to get us a bed and my workstation (all from my “job”!). Our next target is the kitchen and our laundry area.

It needs a major overhaul, I tell you. The laundry area needs to have new laundry lines installed, and truthfully, I think we need a new (bigger and faster) washing machine. I want to have a pantry closet with an adjoining dish cabinet built for my plates (I invest in Corelle plates, with two kids, they never break, even if they have been dropped to the floor – promise!). My sink (I tell it is mine because I wash the dishes three times a day, seven days a week) is too small and the faucet is too low. Kitchen Faucets are currently on sale at FaucetsonSale.com and I am thinking since they offer huge discounts, I might as well replace our small one – I would just need to let our landlady know so it can deducted from our rent.

I would want one exactly like that!

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~via http://quote-book.tumblr.com/.

(Thank you Alpha for always sharing the best inspirational cute stuff!)

I haven’t even gotten to summarizing 2009 in this blog and here I am swamped with backlog of stuff I want to write about. But then again, who decides which is important in the blog or not? I need to stop trying to accomplish everything and do it in sequence, or else I will never be caught up with life. What I am trying to say is, I may or may not be able to summarize 2009 for you in my blog – but as long as I have pictures and entries for it, I can always look back to it in April or June or August – when life gets less busy. In the meantime, I am sure most of us are still trying to recover from the holidays (drinking and taking colon cleansing products from all the indigestion) and trying to make goals and resolutions.

I am still trying to decide my one little word for the year – so let me just share with you an article I read over at Zen Habits to help all of us achieve our goals. Just live a simpler life.

A 12-step method, perhaps, simplified into just 6 steps.

1. Write down your top priorities. We all have a long list of things we want to do, to try, to learn, to accomplish. Just pick 4-5. You can do that right now — make a short list of the things that are most important to you. My list: spending time with my family, writing, reading and running. These are the things you’ll build your life around, for now. You can always change this list later, as your priorities change.

2. Reduce one commitment. What is something you do every day or week that’s not on your short list? Is there any way you can get out of it? Make a phone call or send an email right now that will get you out of that commitment. It might mean disappointing one or many people — but you are going to create the simple life you want, not the complicated life others demand of you. By reducing this one commitment, you are simplifying your life, creating more time and space for the important stuff. Make the choice to put your priorities first, to find the time for them, by reducing your commitments.

3. Simplify your to-do list. Same concept, but at a smaller level — what’s on your to-do list that doesn’t need to be there? Something you’ve been dreading that you don’t absolutely have to do? Can you tell someone you’re just too busy to work on this? Can you give it to someone else, or automate it? See if you can pare your to-do list to just the most important things. Alternatively, just pick 1-3 things to do each day, and don’t worry about the rest.

4. Set aside some disconnected time. If you’re connected all the time, this step is essential. Don’t skip it! Pick one hour to be disconnected — no Internet, no email, no IM, no phones. You can use your computer, but just for desktop computing, like writing in a word processor or text file, or working in Photoshop, or what have you. Use this time to really focus, to pour yourself into important tasks that you love to do. Or you can use this disconnected time to relax.

5. Create your perfect day. You’ve blocked aside some disconnected time, but let’s take that a step further: what would your ideal day look like? What would you do when you woke up, what would your work day look like (hint: it doesn’t have to be the work you’re doing now, but it could be), would you have time for exercise or sports or taking a walk or relaxing or reading or doing a hobby, would you have time for loved ones, time to clean or do errands, time for checking email, etc.? List the things you’d do, ideally, then simplify to the most important ones. Then lay them out in a schedule. You don’t have to stick to this schedule exactly, but knowing what’s ideal gives you something to work toward. In some cases, you can simply start living this day, tomorrow, but in others you’ll have to make gradual changes to allow this ideal day to happen. The key: taking control and responsibility for making the perfect day a reality.

6. Declutter. You want a nice, decluttered, serene space to surround you in your new simplified life. So you’re going to create it. Two ways to go here: if you don’t have much time, just do 10-15 minutes for now, and continue to do small increments until you get to where you’d like to be. Here’s how. Second method is if you have an entire day or weekend — set aside a big block of time and just overhaul your workspace or one or two rooms in your home. Here’s a good method.

Next Steps
Once you get to this stage, things should be a bit more simplified. But you’re probably interested in going beyond that. Here’s what you can do next — but please, please, don’t try to do these all at once. Pick one at a time, and do it slowly, over time. Simplifying isn’t a race — it’s a life.

• Declutter some more. Read.
• Letting go of wanting to buy more. Read.
• Reducing more commitments. Read.
• Transitioning to doing only work you love. Read.
• Creating time for solitude, quiet and relaxation. Read.
• Slowing down in everything you do. Read.
• Being present more often. Read.
• Single-tasking. Read.

And most importantly: enjoy the process! The important thing isn’t a destination — a perfect, simple life — but the journey along the way.

Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.
- Lao-tzu

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Laser procedures have been gaining popularity and acceptance these days. From treating skin (dermatology), treating eyes (laser eye surgery or LASIK) and now to toning the body, giving some serious competition to the major surgery called liposuction. Laser procedures have the advantage of being a very relatively bloodless procedure. One probe or instrument does the work of most of the instruments needed and one need not be opened or cut up – laser probes cut just a small diameter (around 2mm). It also has the ability to stimulate early healing, that is why most laser procedures are out patient procedures. Once an institution has invested on a laser machine, the ongoing and maintenance costs plus the disposable equipments (used ine very procedure) becomes a lot cheaper.

Patients narrate that they experience less pain, swelling and apparent bleeding, making them a popular option for cosmetic treatments these days.

Laser Assisted Body Contouring is performed at sono bello. It is able to contour and sculpt body shape, even permanently removing fat (it destroys adipose cells). I think the best thing about it is you can stay away during the whole procedure. I am quite scared to undergo liposuction because the patient needs to be under general anesthesia. It also is relatively post-operation free, you can return to your normal activities within a few days. Since the probe is very small, the use of laser can help tighten skin around the ares where contouring will take place.

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Ever since I can remember, we have never been the couple to celebrate Valentine’s Day. It is too much of a commercialized holiday for me, it occurs a day before payday and I celebrate my birthday two days after – go figure. We just decide to celebrate an event solely made for me.

I don’t get presents as well. It is because 1) I don’t like receiving flowers (before) and 2) The husband would never give me anything that will make me bigger than I already am –chocolates.

If only he can give me something in a classic blue box:

I love necklaces!
Here are my top three (from left-right):
1) Heart and Tiffany Box Lock Charm Necklace
2) Engraved Round Tag Necklace
3) Star Lariat Necklace

Jewellry remains to be one of the Top Valentine’s Day Gifts of every year. And Tiffany Jewellry remains to be a popular choice among couples. Try giving the perfect gift – Tiffany Jewellry for Valentine’s Day!  I kid you not, I have seen many a women cry when given such a precious gift!

Check out the Valentine’s Day Sale 2010 at TiffanyStore.org. You can take 10% off your entire order with the coupon LOVENEW. Act now! You never know who will make your day come Hearts’ Day!

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If children live with criticism,
               They learn to condemn.
          If children live with hostility,
               They learn to fight.
          If children live with ridicule,
               They learn to be shy.
          If children live with shame,
               They learn to feel guilty.
          If children live with encouragement,
               They learn confidence.
          If children live with tolerance,
               They learn to be patient.
          If children live with praise,
               They learn to appreciate.
          If children live with acceptance,
               They learn to love.
          If children live with approval,
               They learn to like themselves.
          If children live with honesty,
               They learn truthfulness.
          If children live with security,
               They learn to have faith in themselves and others.
          If children live with friendliness,
               They learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Copyright © 1972/1975 by Dorothy Law Nolte
Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.
This is the author-approved short version.

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