HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

I hope you all had the opportunity to celebrate this new year with people you love and who care for you. As for me, I spent it with my Other Half and all the Harry Potter movies! Yup you read this right, we left the kids with the grandparents and locked ourselves in front of the TV for 48 hours. The best time ever!

I was going back in my diary (yes this blog is not the only place I go to write on) and I realized just how much I’ve changed this past year. I had 3 objectives for last year:

1.       Get closer to my kids

2.       Understand the real meaning of marriage and try to become a better wife

3.       Open my heart to God

I now realize that these objectives will take me a lifetime to achieve but this year will all be about working even more  on the 3 points above.

Right now my life is on the brink of change and uncertainty. I am so out of my comfort zone that I really do get scared. Nonetheless, I know that this will only lead to great and better things. I just know. And I have faith that God will provide during these difficult times as He always did.

As a new year has started, I also have some new resolutions:

1.       Continue on my path to forming a more personal relationship with God. Although, I’ve been raised  in the Christian faith, I feel it is only now that I have finally allowed myself to open my heart to Him. I’ve neglected my faith for far too long, and this year God has smacked me upside down in order to get me back onto the right path. I am at a good place now, especially after this very revealing last year, but I want to go further.

2.       Get my sexy mommy back into shape. I gained some weight , and on such a small frame even 5 pounds makes a big difference! So as of tomorrow, I’ll start eating healthier again and squeeze some exercise time at least 4 time a week.

 

3.       Make a conscientious effort to better my relationships: with my Other Half, my kids, and my family.

 

4.       Show my love for the important people in my life I have this tendency to create walls and shut people out. It doesn’t make it easy to make friends so  I need to step out of my self-protective circle and be more proactive. I have met some great people last year, who share the same values as my Other Half and myself and who have kids who have the same age as ours. It would be wonderful if they could be part of our life for the coming years. We are lucky we already have good friends around us but meeting new ones along the way only brings even more love and kindness in our lives.

Whatever your wishes and hopes for 2012, I hope you’ll all get what your heart desires… HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

My heart breaks…. PLEASE HELP…

My heart is crying and I will probably not find the right words to say how profoundly sad I am for the Philippines (my home country). The typhoon that struck Mindanao over last week has killed many and left almost a thousand homeless…

I am very thankful that my family  and I are safe here in Belgium and some others in different parts of the world. My heart and my prayers go to my fellow Filipinos who are really going through a tough time. It is even harder when you think than in less than a week it will be Christmas, a time to rejoice and have hope…

I feel powerless but will still try to do something about it, so here is the link to the redcross of Philippines:

http://www.redcross.org.ph/donate

A simple gesture even the smallest one might give a child, a family, a little bit of comfort. 

Many of us are complaining that we do not have all the we want in our lives, and shame to me, I do that too from time to time. But this whole situation puts everything into perspective. I have been blessed with so much, it is time for me to give back… It’s the least I can do…

Will you do the same too?

Et puis je fume... lalalalala

Hi everyone!

I don’t know about you, but I had a really nice week-end. We did not do anything special, we simply enjoyed each other’s company…

I also tried to practice these three attitudes...

So which words would define these two last days?

- Slow dancing in the kitchen with Other Half

- Cuddling up with kids

- Fun Christmas shopping

- Dancing crazy with the kids

- Nice family dinner

- Birthday celebration

- Red velvet brownies with white chocolate icing

- Love, sweetness, and a lot of laughing

- God

So yes it is Monday today, and this morning as I was dropping the kids to school, my daughter tightly embraced me and told me how much she loved staying with me, I would have given everything to make her wish come true. I take patience and look forward to the next week-end and re-doing it all over again…

Have a nice week everyone!

This song made me smile this morning and I thought was just appropriate for today… ENJOY

No Santa Claus in this home, sorry...

Last night, as I was tucking Arthur into bed, he asked me to pray with him…

It was really sweet because at the end he said:

Before I say Amen Lord, I want to sing you a song…

He sang his song saying he was sad that he could not see the Lord but that He’ll continue praying hoping that one day he’ll sit next to him.

I was profoundly touched of how genuine Arthur’s feelings were. And before I kissed him good night I told him that I was really proud of the young man he is becoming.

Then he asked me this question, you think he’ll like my song enough that Santa will come in our home this year?

Last year, I told the kids that Santa would not be coming over and I told them that it would be the same case this year.

In a bit more than a month it will be Christmas… And as a Christian, I am trying to find ways to explain to the kids what the true meaning of Christmas is…

We have never celebrated Santa Claus at home, simply because I don’t want Christmas to be about him (Oh dear!!!! I can know hear the judgmental opinion of everyone – but I’m ok with it).

My Other Half and I agreed not to tell them the truth about Santa just yet, and just to stay vague on it. We’ll simply tell the kids that Santa doesn’t come to our home as he goes to the families that need him more…

But I can’t prevent the other kids to be talking about Santa at school and I had to give a careful thought to how I would answer the dreaded question: who puts the gift under the Christmas tree then?

So this is how I have decided to explain it to the kids:

Dear Arthur and Morgane,

I know you are wondering who put the gifts under the Christmas tree every year and there is one simple answer to this: it’s me.

I am the person who chooses, wrapes, and places the presents under the tree, the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (And yes, Dad helps, too.)

I imagine that someday you'll do this for your children, and I'm you will love seeing them run down the stairs on Christmas morning. You'll love seeing them sit under the tree, their small faces lit with Christmas lights.

I could tell you Santa did this but I would be lying and I promised myself I would try never to do that.

Instead I’ll tell you that God has been good to our family and has helped Mommy and Daddy to find ways to put a few gifts for you guys under our tree.

You see, Jesus is bigger than any person or Saints like the one we call Santa Claus, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can’t see or touch.

It’s a big job, and it’s an important one. Throughout your life, you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, your friends, your talents and in your family. You’ll also need to believe in things you cannot measure or even hold in your hand. By this, I mean "love", this great power that will light your life from inside out, even during its darkest, hardest moments.

Jesus is a teacher, and I have been his student. The best lesson I’ve learned is that the most important thing during this time of the year is to love one another. Gifts or no gift, what we need to do is believe in Him and be grateful for all we have. In our home, there is no Santa going down the chimney, but a Mom and Dad who love you more than anything and with the Grace of God are able to provide for you a home, food, toys and a loving a family…

With full hearts, people like Dad and me take our turns to help Jesus do a job that would otherwise be impossible – by reminding everyone the true meaning of Christmas – the birth of our Savior and the reminder that up there someone loves us more than anyone else..

I love you and I always will.

Mommy

And this Mom will teach her children about God...



On this Sunday...

This is what I wish to tell the world :

Wishful thinking for now, that’s why I’m looking forward to this evening, when the kids will be tucked into bed, and when I’ll be able to put my feet up and enjoy this movie and hopefully have a good laugh before another crazy week starts all over again…

Hoping you guys are enjoying your Sunday!

As for me, I'm enjoying another cup of coffee and then going back to doing some laundry, cleaning up the mess, and cooking - yes I know, I have such a fascinating life isn't it ;o)

This day wasn't so bad afterall...

I was in a "panic" mode this morning as I had taken a day off last Friday, which meant that work had piled up on my desk and in my mailbox. I manage to do go through 6 bullets out of 10 on my to do list, which makes me pretty proud of myself.

On top of things, my boss who arrived in the office quiet grumpy almost instantly changed his mood once we started working together… I’m not going to bad mouth him on my blog, I’m tempted but I won’t do it. Why? Because one of my cousin reminded me that even though he seems to have everything in his life to make him happy, he is missing one HUGE part: Faith.

This is what she wrote to me after I explained to her that I was having a bad day, and that dealing with a difficult person was a bit part of it:  "Material things can not fill their longing, only God can. Be lovable to them, not by choice but do it because it pleases our Lord. Even better, pray for these people--- you can not hate them if you are praying for them you know? Try it--- it works!"

And it does work! I don’t know why I didn’t think of that as soon as I got in the office, as most of days, I’ll start my day with a prayer, why not today? Because I let myself get caught with the stress of the world instead of following my faith and its principles… Focus on our Lord and let Him deal with the rest…

Tomorrow is another day, and I promise myself that my first words will be for the Lord… I have no doubt that whatever comes my way, I will face it with courage as I know that I am not alone…

Until then, I am grateful for my wonderful Other Half, who manage to take a few hours off to pick-up the kids and relieve me from the worries of not getting on time at the kids’school this evening. I’m looking forward to a nice family meal and a relaxing eveing with my Other Half catching up on our favorite series and probably falling asleep in his arms…

I hope you Monday has been good to you, and remember tomorrow is full of possibilities…

Guess who is taking a day off tomorrow?

Nobody else than MOI (*insert Evil laugh here*)

Looking forward to….

… A week-end where we are all together. I’m can’t wait for my week-end to start. The weather is quiet promising and Other Half will be with us for a whole 2 days.

As some of you know, Other Half is a policeman, which means he sometimes has to work on week-ends. I don’t mind being alone with the kids on weekdays as time flies fast with school, bath, homework, preparing dinner, and cleaning up, but week-ends are different.

It's always so much more fun when Other Half is is around.

Proof?: When Other Half is absent, the kids keep on asking several times a day when Daddy will be home to the point that when they are upset they would cry hard and keep on asking for him. I pretty much do the same thing, but my pity party involves a tub of Nutella and a bag of chips to follow. 

On top of having Other Half around, I’ll be spending my Sunday morning with my best friend. I’ll be taking her to a Zumba class, I’m not sure that she’ll survive it but then again, I’m not sure I will either… Then Sunday afternoon, I have invited a nice family to have lunch with us, which means my house will be full of joy and laughter, and that’s all I need for now…

That’s why I’m so excited that we'll all be together as we did not have the chance to be with Other Half last week. Reunited and it feels so good.... [insert cough here] Sorry, didn't mean to break into a song there.

Anyway, I hope you’ll all have a fabulous week-end filled with good laughs, love,  great food, and sweet friends…

Wishing you All....

… A BEAUTIFUL WEEK-END !!!!

 

Every Wednesday...

... this "OCD" mummy does A LOT of this:

Yup, this is what I will be doing after work and before my Fairy Cleaning Lady comes tomorrow…

Sometimes, being at work is nice, yup….

Happy Father's Day!

I have said it many times, I love my life and there isn’t a day where I don’t feel blessed…

I owe my Other Half big time. I don't say it often enough but my Other Half goes above and beyond when it comes to helping me with the kids.

Sure, every time he runs off to work, there is a little skip in his step, as he anticipates to listening to what he darn wants on his car stereo in peace and quiet as he sits in rush hour traffic.

But when he comes home, literally from the minute he pulls up in the driveway, I do the hand off..."Yeah, Daddy's home! Mommy's off the clock!"

Some dads need a cool-down moment when they get home from work but Other Half knows that even if he demanded it, the kids would not give it to him.

He welcomes them with open arms, greeting them at the door with "Hey guys, I see you managed to keep your mother sane for another day!"

After dinner, on most nights, he'll rush them upstairs so I can either wash the dishes without 4 little hands clawing at me or sit down at the table and zone out on my laptop.

The song below did touch my heart because, it reminded me that reason I feel complete is because I accomplished one of my biggest wish: having a family of my own.

I am so grateful to my Other Half for sticking with me through the years… Not only is he a wonderful husband but he is also the one who made my life complete by giving me 2 beautiful children…

 

I tried to live this life on my own

But emptiness was beating down the door

Yea I rose up like a flood

Until my dying days were done

They are no more

Nothing makes sense without you

It's like waking up in the dark

I didn't have a song

Until you came along

Falling in love with you was easy

You were always mean to have my heart

I was broken all to pieces

You were there to be the missing part

And I never wanna go back

To the way things were before

You saved me and you made me yours

Happy Father’s day Oli, the kids and I love you more than words can say…

My kind of luck is the type that....

 ...  has Morgane pooping at the EXACT moment I'm about to shovel the first bite of a hot and savory food into my mouth (nothing like hearing "Mommy, I need you to wipe my butt" as I'm about to sit down to a nice meal)

...have my kids completely quiet while I'm on hold on the phone BUT as soon as the operator comes on the line and announces, "Thank you for holding....how can I help you?", all hell breaks loose and they need my immediate attention right then and there

… makes me spend 15 minutes making pancakes for the kids and after the first bite, they will claim they like "Dad's pancakes" better (when in fact, these are the same pancakes that just happened to come in a ready-made package, which he microwaves in only a matter of 60 seconds)

...have Other Half and I finally sneaking upstairs for some 101 time (literally) and Morgane happens to have a nightmare at the precise same moment

But my kind of luck is also the type that will have my heart melt, especially when I hear....

... Arthur saying his prayers last night, he included (without anyone suggesting it) my dad, and his siblings who just lost their father 2 weeks ago...

"....and please remember to bring lots of peace and comfort to Lolo and his brother and sisters because their daddy is up in heaven with you now. We don't want them to be sad. Please let them know that he is an angel now and that he's watching over them.

....oh, and thank you for putting love in mommy and daddy’s heart.  And next time you see Jesus, tell him we said hello and that we really tried not to torture our dog today but she keeps on coming back. Amen."

I wonder where they are….

Who am I talking about? My neighbors! We’ve been leaving in this house since January of last year, yet I rarely see the neighbors. My mom-in- law always brags about the fact that she has wonderful neighbors that always want to give her a hand in her yard or are just inviting her for drinks, why is this not happening at my place?

Maybe you’ll give me an explanation after you read this…

On any given day, if you just happen to be strolling by our house, you may hear me making the following statements to the kids...

1. "It's not your fault?! Really?!  Well, then who's fault is it then?  Oh wait, let me guess...Jesus told you to do it, right?"
2. "Here's the phone...why don't you call the Wicked Witch and tell her how horrible I am for making you clean up the juice you just spilled?!  Maybe she'll take you back to her castle, bake you a batch of cookies and force her flying monkeys to dance for you."
3. "Can someone PLEASE drop a hammer on my head so I can check into the ER for a few hours and get a damn' break?"
4.  "God called.  He told me to remind you guys that he watches you all year long and he is NOT happy when you DEMAND that your tired mother cut the crusts off your sandwiches...(or whatever else I'm trying to manipulate them with)"
5. "Are you seriously trying to drive me insane on purpose?"
6. "You don't like what I'm serving for dinner?  Then get a job and buy your own food".
7. "Dude, I'm telling you, one more time...THOSE. PANTS. ARE TOO SMALL.  But if you want to wear pants that are way too tight, FINE! But don't come crying to me when you're bent over suffering from a crippling case of painful gas after you eat breakfast."
8. "If you kids need me, I'll be locked in my bedroom in the fetal position, sucking my thumb."
9. "It is bedtime.  So PLEASE stay in your bed!  I don't care if you're thirsty or have to go potty! GO. TO. SLEEP. NOW."
10. "Kids, I can see the moon.  It must be time for bed.  I don't care if it's only 6:30.  If the moon is out, it's time to go to sleep.  I'm pretty sure that's a law...somewhere".
11. "Someone left the fridge open...again!  Did I miss the memo that electricity is free today?"
12. "How many times have I told you not to leave your toys all over the floor?!  The Toy Fairy is coming by later tonight when you're in bed and snatch up your toys....but not before she flings a juicy, green booger on each of your pillows while you sleep".
13. "Well, well, well, thank you for allowing me to have the privilege of wiping your butt for you.  What would I do with myself if you ever learned how to do it on your own!  I'd probably cry hysterically all day long."
14. "Daddy's not here, he's at work.  I'm in charge.  Actually, I'm in charge even when Daddy is here.  You're ALL my little puppets...*insert evil laughter here*".

Rain...

It's raining here in Brussels and I have this song currently on repeat since I absolutely love this song…

So, Lord - please don't stop the rain...

I’m looking forward to this evening and just staying inside. My plans for this evening?

1. Cook a meal for the kids and I while Other Half will be working

2. Tuck the kids into bed

3. Take a hot bath

4. Wear comfy clothes and watch a girlie movie

5. Read a few pages of my new cookbook before tuning the lights off and going to bed….

Oh what a beautiful plan…

Grateful...

Sometimes, in the midst of work, meetings, events (good ones and sad ones), and planning parts of our lives, it's easy to get caught up in the moment. I have been extremely guilty of this for the last couple of months.

Anyway, I stumbled upon this quote, and thought it was the perfect way to come back to reality and realize that even though there's a lot that seems to consume our lives, we should nevertheless be grateful for it all.

Life is too short to live with regrets, be unhappy, and drown in things that weigh us all down. So, take a a few minutes to rewind, recharge, and return to all that really matters in life.

I’ve compiled 10 things that I love doing every single day and makes me grateful for the beautiful life I have:

1. Have time in prayer

2. Prepare, sit down and share a meal with my children and my Other Half

3. Read at least one chapter of a great book

4. Have a date night with my Other Half

5. Have a play date with my best friend and her two adorable children

6. Take a whole day to pamper myself

7. Get dressed up (including hair and makeup)

8. Hear my mom’s voice

9. Make a stranger smile

10. Laugh so hard my tummy hurts

A strong positive attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug.

Patricia Neal

You will be Missed Florencio Albano...

Father God, Thank You for always being there for me no matter what I face. I know You will never fail me, even in my most intense trials.  I have not always understood why I was going through certain things; however, I do not have to understand, because You are God and You are in control, in spite of my lack of understanding. I know that all You require of me is to trust You, and look to You in faith and You will come and save me, and bring me an answer. You always have, and You always will, because you are faithful. You never fail any of us who look to You. I have failed You, Lord, by my doubt and unbelief at times, but You have never failed me. Lord, please remove all the sorrow and grief I feel. Heal this pain I feel in my heart and help me to trust You more.  Fill this empty place in my heart with more of Your Spirit. I ask this in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Do you know her?

I know this woman. I wish you could know her too. This woman is amazing.

This woman grew up in a very poor household with 7 kids. She was exactly the middle child.

This woman is working harder and is doing more chores in her life than her daughter would probably EVER do in her lifetime.

This woman and her husband moved away from the only country they had ever really known to Belgium. They made it work for the sake of their daughter.

This woman demanded respect and responsibility and consequences from her daughter. This daughter had chores. She was to help. She frequently reminded her daughter of how good she had it and despite her constant eye rolls and condescending looks, she was listening. She would remember and one day appreciate what she was doing in her. The thankless job she was performing would pay off. I like to think it did anyway.

This woman and her husband lived and are still leaving on an concierge’s salary. With this, and the help of her meager supplement from her part time employment, this woman and her husband put their daughter in the best schools for all 12 years with their hard earned money.

This woman struggled a bit with her identity as her child grew. Having to watch her primary responsibility for the last 19 years slowly leave her proved to be one of the most difficult tasks of her life.

This woman found her peace. She took joy in her new role as friend to her now-grown child ans as a grandmother to 2 children. She is there constantly for support .

In the present day, this woman would amaze you. She has a gift – it’s called hospitality.

She can whip up a meal for 15 people in minutes and I do not exaggerate.

She makes fantastic food.

She has hosts many gatherings and parties in the most organized fashion preparing days in advance and making all guests feel welcome and pampered.

She has always worked very hard. She can stand on her feet for hours on end working non-stop only for short water breaks doing very difficult and very dirty physical labor. Hard, dirty work is not beneath her and she has never shied away from it.

She STILL works hard at her age of SIXTY-SEVEN.

I know this woman intimately.

I am honored to call her my BEST FRIEND. I am privileged to call her MOM.

Every day, I become a little bit more like  my mother… I could not be more prouder!

I LOVE YOU MOM!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Thank God It’s Friday!

Why:

1.       Because it’s Friday!!!! 2 Days off!!! Yes! Yes! Yes!

2.       Wine time means adult time. And adult time is what I need!!!

3.       I discovered that like my kids, I too need a comforter. And vino is my version of a blankie. It calms me down. It shuts me up. And it helps me sleep through the night.

4.       Someone once told me that when I’m about to lose my temper I should take a deep breath and count to ten? Well, it only takes me about ten seconds to open a bottle of wine, so by the time I’m done; I might as well enjoy it!

5.       Whining adults, spoiled bosses, and sometimes shitty stressful days are part of our job. And we deserve to be rewarded for going above and beyond with our efforts. Amen to that!

6.       Seriously, do I really even need to come up with more valid reasons to why I love Friday and wine together I love it, and I want it, and it’s almost 5 o’clock right now and I should really be getting ready for wine time instead of typing this blog post.

Have a beautiful week-end everyone!



I love cooking for my family!

As opposed to this picture, my friends and family will be happy to learn that I have not lost my cooking skills J No worries then!

I love to cook, it’s therapeutic and it also engages my creative side. It’s also the way I found to show my loved ones how much I care about them. I could spend hours reading culinary books and then applying what I have learned in my kitchen while adding my own personal touch.

I have been cooking on my own since about age 12. At 15, I realized I wasn’t cut out to pursue normal studies and decided to change direction and studied catering. I graduated 3 years later and I have never stopped cooking since then…

When other half and I decided to buy our house, my dream finally came true as I could re-design the whole interior. So being a cook, it made sense that one of my favorite rooms to design would be the kitchen.

The approach is really different when you are a cook and love to entertain as opposed to just having the kitchen and the looks but rarely get used.

I really gave a lot of thoughts in designing our kitchen and I’m grateful to my other half for making my dream come true as it is perfectly what I had imagined. I love light and open kitchens with great appliances and lots of counterspace.

Our kitchen: BEFORE



Our kitchen: AFTER

It’s a work in progress, I still need to find the perfect lightings and a few appliances, I’m not in a hurry as I want to cherish every moment spent in this room…

I’m looking forward to share my passion with my kids. I want it to be a real quality time with them, which will give them memories for a lifetime.

I can’t wait to gather all my friends and family into our new home. Yes it really feels like home now… 

Soon I’ll be posting beautiful pictures of the wonderful meals I intend to prepare… My scale will probably not agree with me but hell, we only leave once so I might as well enjoy my time spend on earth J CARPE DIEM!

1, breath, and 2, breath, and 3 loose it!

I’m sure I’m not alone in this situation but it’s becoming clear to me that to get anything done in my house, I have to repeat things 3 times.

Take last night for example. Kids are watching TV, it’s time to get in the shower.

"Get in the shower." Wait…patiently.

"Get in the shower!" Notice I am being ignored.

"GET IN THE SHOWER!" (now indignant)

Dinner battle is up next:

"Arthur! Morgane! Dinner time!" (said in nice voice) No response.

"HEY GUYS! DINNER TIME!" (little firmer)

"OK! I’m not going to say it another time!" (losing it)

Here’s where the law of three kicks into neurotic gear.

"I said….TIME FOR DINNER! TIME FOR DINNER! TIME FOR DINNER!!!!!!!!!"

I’m not sure what the kids thought of this because they were afraid to make eye contact with me but other half  took his seat pretty damn fast, I will tell you this much: at least one person is listening to me in this house. Sigh…