new look

My three-year old Marti got her first salon haircut two weeks ago. She was so behaved I gave her her favorite Goldilocks polvoron. :)

we all agree she definitely looks prettier in short hair.

triple treat

today, we celebrate my only brother's birthday. it may sound trite but he is really one of the best brothers anyone could ever have and I can only pray that the Lord will continue to bless Him with good health and reward Him for His generosity. thanks so much, Noy, for everything you have done to me and for me and my family. i will never forget how strongly you supported us just so Marti would live and how you would treat us to fancy hotels and restaurants just so we wouldn't be ignorante. those two, among so many other things. i'm still waiting for that Europe trip, the DSLR and the latest iphone. hahaha.

we also celebrate dearest Zach's 27th month. I continue to pray that He will always make him healthy and strong. i'm amazed at how smart he is!

a year ago today, i joined Convergys-IT Park along with 19 other teammates. although there have been so many challenges lately, i still believe it's one of the best decisions i've ever made. i couldn't thank God enough for leading me to this job after so many heartaches at the previous one. His timing couldn't be more perfect!

after Marti's class, we are going to have a small celebration. the kids have been bugging the tita to play with them at the mall. and since tomorrow is my rest day, we will have girl bonding tonight. but before that, i'll have dinner with the team at 6 PM.

thank you so much, Lord for all these blessings!

* pic above was taken on my sister's wedding reception. too bad the other sis couldn't make it*

new favorites

i am not feeling well. like most people i know, i am starting to have cough and cold. worse, things at work are not getting any better. amid all these, i want to think of positive things and what could be better than thinking of my new-found favorites.

* Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's toblerone cheesecake. i guess i don't have to say much about it, it's simply yummy!



* Gelatissimo's macadamia and caramel ice cream. heavenly! sinful!












* Royce' nama chocolates. My sis and brother-in-law brought two boxes of their champagne nama chocs. I was so attracted by the packaging alone --box comes with its own dry ice to prevent the chocolates from melting and a li'l "spoon" for easy scooping of each piece. they're also not so sweet and they give you a heavenly melt-in-your-mouth experience. good thing they have stores in Manila, i can easily ask some friends (ahem) to buy me some when i crave for them.



* Jack 'n Jill's magic creams (chocolate cream and peanut butter cream, not the combo flavors). i grew up with Skyflakes, soda crackers and Fita as my favorites. when i saw these magic creams cracker sandwich, i got as hooked as marti is to chicken and zach to pizza.



* Cafe Geroge's green tea cheesecake. it's not so sweet you would think you won't gain a pound. even M who normally doesn't like cakes, likes it.

... and I keep wondering if I'd ever lose weight... sigh. :)

happy feet

since i gave birth, my feet have become so big i am now a size 9.5-10 depending on the shoe style or brand. it is so hard to shop for these sizes here so i usually go to SM's XXtra shoe section (for daily wear) or to the i-can't-usually-afford shoe stores like naturalizer or aerosoles (at Rustan's). last week, i was so happy to find a plus-sized pair on sale at naturalizer. i got a size 10 of their Gisele slip-ons in Caramelo color.

i swear wedge slip-ons have never felt this comfortable. they're so light you wouldn't know you are actually wearing them. i loooooove my Gisele, i wear them almost everyday to work! now i am a big fan of Naturalizer and if only their prices here are as low as what i see on their wesbite, i'd buy all the pairs i like.

my new pair comes in their caramelo color. was too lazy to look for that from their website.

my dream team

they're God's most beautiful gifts to me. they keep me going each day especially lately when things have been pretty bad at work. i tell myself everyday that at the end of the day, what matters most is my family and not my stats at work.

hoping

today is the start of another work week for me. i am wishing and hoping this will be a better week and the coming days will also be good. i've had more than enough bad days at work. i've almost reached that point where you just want to give up, quit. but something tells me only losers do and people like me are made to not easily give up without a fight. so, i go on and i will continue doing my best.

hope we all have a great week ahead.

on dreaming big

i've read everywhere that there is no limit to what we can dream of and if we just believe, our dreams will come true.

M and i are planning a big and life-changing project. i hope and pray the universe will conspire to make it a reality soon. i will write about the details when we're halfway there.

back at 1

i was so busy this week i wasn't able to go to the gym until today. i didn't want my muscles to get shocked and tired so i just did a total of 45 minutes cardio machine exercises. i know these don't do much but i believe they are better than nothing, better than rolling on my bed or eating brownies while watching TV.

i failed in my resolve to eat less rice or sweets or fatty food. i have to go back to day 1 again. i don't want to rush things and get overwhelmed. one day at a time.

worried

My three year-old Marti has been having on-and-off fever since the other Saturday (June 27th). We already had her routine lab tests and the results are okay. Yesterday, I brought her to our pedia because she has been complaining of tummy ache the past few days. I am really bothered because she is not her usual self. She gets tired easily and whereas before, the mall is something she'd love to go to, lately she's not interested. After checking on her, the pedia said she suspects it's hyperacidity based on Marti's answer on which part of the tummy hurts.

I am not surprised because since classes started, Yaya has been telling me that Marti has not been eating well. Although she can do things by herself, she only eats really well when Yaya or anyone of us is around to "feed" her. On the third day of her class, Yaya said the teacher would no longer allow them to go inside the classroom during the kids' eating time. She was very worried because at the end of her class, she would see Marti's food almost untouched. I regret not talking to the teacher about it, now Marti's too young to have hyperacidity. But I had my own reasons for not doing it, one of which is I understand what they want to instill on the kids and secondly, I don't wish to be known as the "mom who always complains". I asked for medical certification from our pedia and I asked Yaya to tell the teacher about it (I couldn't do it myself because my shift this week has changed again).

Over the weekend, my li'l sis who's here on vacation, did Marti's assignments with her. Marti and I did them the past week but I never noticed that the Math book they're using for Nursery is for Kinder. My sister being a teacher herself, could not hep but comment that the activities contained in the book seem too advance for Marti. They're already asked to draw three-dimensional objects when Marti has not even started drawing lines.

When I got in at work this morning, a Team Lead (TL) handed me a sealed envelope from our clinic. It contained a letter informing me that my ECG result showed dome abnormalities and I need to see the company doctors within 24-48 hours from date of receipt. I have yet to see them and I'm sure this is the thing my li'l sis has been telling me ----cholesterol! goodbye Sunburst chicken skin crackers! =) I still hope it's something not serious. I CAN'T be sick.

I am struggling with the required passing mark for our metrics. Most of us feel things are getting harder each day. I am hoping I will be chosen among the many who applied for the HR position.

I am tired. I am sleepy. I am happy my rest days finally start tomorrow and we will be staying at the Maribago Bluewater Resort. Thank God for siblings like mine! Bless them for their generosity, Lord.

random stuff

i have been so drained at work the past days, i wasn't able to write a birthday post for Kaith. but i was able to have lunch with her on her birthday and gave her my gift.

happy birthday again, kaith! thanks so much for always being there for me. you're one of the best friends anyone could ever have. God bless you more.

as i have mentioned in my previous post, i have decided to go back to the gym because i'm getting heavier and unhealthier each day. i started july 1st. it feels good. yesterday was purely cardio day. and i'm glad i also didn't eat as much as i used to. i don't want to make sudden changes, they might overwhelm me and i'll quit.

yesterday, i beat the deadline for the internal job posting at convergys. yes, i applied for the employee engagement specialist position. i have always wanted to be in HR department and this is the most perfect time. i believe i have more than what it takes to be in that position but of course there are also a lot of qualified applicants. please help me pray i'll get the job.

i've read somewhere that we should not be afraid to do something new. yesterday morning, i saw a post in the office that the soccer club of convergys are inviting more ladies to join. it got me interested and i really want to try it. growing up, we were not into any sports and i feel it's never too late to get into one. thing is i am not physically prepared for it ( and even the hub says so, based on how sedentary my life has been). maybe a few months from now, after i have exercised enough and will be flexible enough.

i was supposed to have a friday night-out with the hub and sis (who's here on vacation), today being my rest day. but after i took a shower in the gym, i felt so sleepy and tired. i know i'm really not over the exhaustion at work yet. hoping for better days ahead. but marti and i had to do her assignments.

i spent the whole day today accompanying my sis in the salon (which made me think of getting my hair dyed), doing the groceries, driving the hub to his basketball game, buying mcdo's happy meal for the kids and worrying why marti's fever is back.

i am looking forward to my gym session tomorrow after work. i'm quite worried it might not be possible because the hub is going home to bantayan for an aunt's interment and it's the yayas' day off.

logging off now. i have work 6 hours from now.

fresh start

when i read what my cousin, Linnor wrote in her FB, it was like reading my own thoughts today. yes, today marks the beginning of another month and quarter. thank God for new beginnings!

yesterday, i was really thinking of starting anew in my fitness jouney. all i did the past weeks was eat, eat and eat. i gave in to my cravings for sweets. one day i'm at la marea, the next day i'm at east west (for their mango sushi). i'm not surprised that when i finally went back to the gym today after 11 days of absence, my weight has gone up to 190 pounds form 187.5! i'm not happy. i really have to discipline myself NOW. i will exercise (be it in the gym, at home or at IT Park) daily, even if it will only be a 20-minute walk. AND i really have to cut down on my fatty and high-calorie food intake.

the month that just ended wasn't a good one for me work-wise. i am still waiting for our final scorecard but i know i failed in two of the metrics (issue resolution and chats-per-hour). i feel bad. this is the first time in 11 months (remember i even got a top 2 award when i just started). i am telling myself not to dwell on it anymore. i want to practise what M would always say, "moving forward..." and so today, i have decided to work harder and do better. there may be factors beyond my control but i will make sure i always give my best every single day at work.

today marks a fresh start for me, a new beginning. back to day 1.