2013 the year that was

What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?

Join a fun run, Milo at that, 5k for me. Hubby joined the Marathon 42k J

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Some I did but some next year ulit haha

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Cousins Aunee, Jelo’s Mira and Kristine gave birth to Mandee, Jazz and twins Nica and Julia.

Chie gave birth to cutie Noah.

Did anyone close to you die?
None.  Thank you.
But a friend’s husband died before Christmas and it was really sad and ang sobrang sudden kasi L

What countries did you visit?
Brunei and Malaysia last March to April J

What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
I don’t find my 2013 lacking I hope we wont lack on anything this 2014.

What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March trip to the abode of peace where we spent 3 weeks of quality family time!

May trip to a place we both haven’t been for our anniversary.

60^th birthday of Nanay Ellen

My birthday surprise from my husband!

October barangay election when Tatay won 2^nd for Brgy. Poblacion Kagawad.
November 2, first birthday of our little boy also his and Thea’s joint party at Jollibee where Thea wouldn’t want to leave Jollibee off her sight, poor mascot pawis na pawis na siguro hahaha.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Being a mom to two kulit kids.
Running too.
What was your biggest failure?
Failure to plan some things ahead of time, hmmm like Christmas presents hahaha, but all things work well naman in the end so ok na.

Failed to wean thea sa bottle, but that I know will take time mahirap talaga yun so try try ulit this year.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes. February last year I had this UTI and it was insanely difficult to pee. Traumatized after that, I fear it would sting every time I pee. Good thing it never happened again.

What was the best thing you bought?
Flowers and plants, they prettify my garden.

Books too! I still love having the paper on my hand, not so techie here when it comes to books, had downloaded quite a number of books but they are just emergency e-books those that I read when there’s nothing handy.

Whose behavior merited celebration?
As always My girl, his dad, my lil boy!

Thea for achieving a lot this year, you have worked so hard dear and I know inch by inch we are moving forward. To God be the glory!

Caleb for bringing so much joy to this house with his kulit antics, gigil, laugh, pacute smile, babye, flying kiss, ear splitting shout and basically everything he is.

Alvin for being such a supportive husband. For knowing me and taking care of me on those down times. For the love and all those surprises J thank you.
My parents for showing us that old age doesnt matter if you want to glorify God in your life.
MIL for taking good care of FIL and still being there to help us.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

The Yaya's. Following is a transcript of the drama. This is gonna be looong so skip to the next question because it may give you heartattack.

Not naman depressed but our Yaya of 4 years left us because she became preggy by a man not his husband. She carefully planned her departure, we are about to go to Brunei so she asked if she could make ‘bale” P2000  plus her sweldo of  half a month, so we gave her the money. Then enrollment was coming and we want to help her child go to college, hubby gave her $100. A week after we went to Brunei my sister said our yaya left na her family and 2 kids with her new boyfriend. She didn’t give the money for tuition fee to her daughter. Kapalmuks.

Oh and there was yaya woes too, trial and error sa mga yayas. The first two we got had a fight. Yaya 1 was  madaldal and kept texting me about yaya 2 ‘nabasag ito” “wala daw kayo alahas” “ang mura daw gamit nyo” “aalis na daw sya”  etc. So I asked the one who referred me yaya2 is she really was okay. Girl who referred texted Yaya2 and the drama started. Yaya2 cried from 9pm to 12am, drama queen ang peg? She texted her previous amo saying she wants to go back, doesn’t have money daw, her previous amo the one she said who locks her in the house etc. I wonder what horror story she made up about me naman. Yaya1 was asked to quit because I couldn’t handle her kadaldalan sakit sa ulo and feeling close agad asking for the things in the house na she thinks we aren’t using. Arrrgh.

Then YayaBru came she was sent to me by my mother and she said she was okay, former yaya of my sister but I knew she wasn’t that efficient before. But I was desperate and I need one asap so I took her in. Then 2 or 3 days after her stay she was insinuating she would make bale to buy a washing machine, I smiled lang. Then when we are about to get a stay-in helper she said she wanted a two-day day-off per week, I just said let’s see I was just keeping my head cool ha, kapal eh. Then on my back pala she was talking na to my MIL saying I don’t want to make her ‘bale’, how bossy I was, and telling her about things in the house aka sumbong etc. One day a neighbor came here and asked for her, she asked me pa where is Bruha, I didn’t thought anything bad about it I called her and she went to this neighbor and they talked a bit lang naman. Weeks later she said she needs to stop working na because she needs to take care of her kids etc etc pero that was all a lie because neighbor pala pirated her already, increasing her salary by 500 pesos. Good thing MIL told husband about her making kwento and said she was offered a higher pay and she would leave na, we would have offered her the same but with all the kwento she said its better to say goodbye, good riddance. #ayawkonangahas - bossy daw eh ano ba trabaho nya ditto supervisor ko? End of rant –

YayaMali came and was mali-mali, spacey, always smiling/grinning even if I was serious explaining to her about things. Her mom asked for 1k bale agad ha, I think she knew I might give her back agad so she asked na for bond money haha (bumale agad). Well this girl naman isn’t fast enough to take care of Leb, my boy’s finger got caught in the fan because she wasn’t looking and she’s right behind Leb. I asked her to clean the CR and after several minutes she said she’s done when I entered there was a pool of water on the floor. While there are tons of things to do I saw her lying on her room asked why, she said because I didn’t tell her what she should do. Then the other yaya complained na she was taking all the light work. Then I was watching a movie on TV maybe she likes it too so she watched hindi silip lang while doing her task ha, she sat down on the sofa and watched. So the next she made a mistake I gave her her money and asked her na to leave. Di ko carry ang stress na dala nya sa buhay ko hahaha.

Good thing come August and September things has gotten pretty cool with the yayabelles I got. They are still here and though they have their own quirks I can manage them, some I let go some I tell them so it wont happen again. This year is definitely a yaya search year, hoping 2014 wont be anything like that.

Where did most of your money go?
School, therapy, ABA – but It was worth it.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Christmas. Our Brunei vacation. Tagaytay break!

What song(s) will always remind you of 2013?
I’m into You!

Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happy happy happy
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner I was even more thinner than last year 55kg now J
iii. richer or poorer? Richer syempre J with friends and all things worth counting mwaaah

What do you wish you'd done more?

Uhmmm blog more? But yeah life with two babies took place and it was harder to blog na eto nga I had to ask them lang for some time.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
I don’t know. FBing maybe, well doesn’t everybody????
.
What was your favorite TV program?
Got no TV addiction lately but I have my dvd player and I go to movie house when I can for some me time, squeezing it in between Thea’s 1-3pm therapy. So if the movie is more than 2 hours I need to go out the cinema before the movie ends like what happened with Iron Man3, Superman,Hunger Games and that Bea movie I forgot the title. After that I will ask friends what happened, buhay mommy driver.

Would you believe I wasn’t able to start the Hunger Games movie then I had to go out at 2:50 but the movie will end at 3:30 how awful is that :P But I still love the film, the book more though.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is a very strong word. But I have someone I’d rather not see muna.

What was the best book you read?
Last quarter I reread hunger games just because I want to and because it was such great read. But the new ones Ive read are the perks of being a wallflower, Mark of Athena, that new book of Sparks oh gulay I cant remember the title haha.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
That thea can sing Jingam Bells hahha then Leb will say Hey! hahaha

Thea can play twinkle twinkle on the xylophone!!!

What did you want and get?
ABA for thea.

What was your favorite film of this year?
Hunger Games for the win!!! Sige na nga sama na yung Iron Man 3.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 34. I had a blog about it and it was a great one.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Expecting less meant having more, haha weird no.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
I was skinnier this year but tops and jeans pa din whole year just this time I can wear more sleak jeans na hahaha.

What kept you sane?
My family.

Alvin as always J

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hirap! Waley hahha

What political issue stirred you the most?
PDAF – pork barrel issue Janet Lim Napoles.

Who did you miss?
Hubby goes home frequent pero I miss him much pa din everytime he goes back to Brunei tulad ngayon di sya dito nag new year huhuhu and I miss him heaps.

Who was the best new person you met?
The nawie girls esp csn, this family-like group has been a huge help to me especially to being a good mom to my little girl Thea J

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
In running I learned Determination

In challenges I learned to keep my Faith

Love I learned from the eyes of my little girl and arms of my husband.

Joy I learned from my son, simple things simple joys.

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
Good job!

The most touching experience you've had this year?
Alvin about to leave for Brunei, me and the kids will bring him to the airport, Thea is super clingy to her dad kissing and hugging him.

Apathetic??? Not my Thea, she knows how to make lambing and she shows love! Thank you Lord.

What did you like most about yourself this year?
February was a challenge but God gave me strength to cross the hurdle and manage the pain. It wasn’t pain alone eh it was a puzzle too but thank God I got past it.

What did you hate most about yourself this year?
Post partum L

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

You say it best when you say nothing at all.

Was 2013 a good year for you?
Surely! Blessings abound and even if there were challenges I have seen how God works through it.

What was your favorite moment of the year?
Each month we celebrate Leb’s birth!

Everytime Thea learns new things.

When Alvin goes home from Brunei.

What was your least favorite moment of the year?
ulit ulit?

Where were you when 2013 began?
La residencia

Who were you with?
Regalado family. The kids and I at the bedroom while the boys are having their time. This year no boys time as 2 of them had to fight an episode of ill health and avoid alcohol. Plus my guy is not home for New Year’s.

Where were you when 2013 ends?
House

Who were you with when 2013 ends?
Mariano fam was here 6pm-9pm they left and had some fun time at Ate Lala’s house then us three, me Leb and thea went sleeping na haha. Woke up 12midnight to call hubs in Brunei.

Do you have a new years resolution for 2014?
Yes

What was your favorite month of 2013?
December

Did you lose anybody close to you in 2013?
nah

Did you miss anybody in the past year?
wala naman masyado

What was your favorite record from 2013?
hmmm not much pero Hubs like Bruno Mars

How many concerts did you see in 2013?
haven’t watched any

Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2013?
nada

Do a lot of drugs in 2013?
nuh

You do anything you are ashamed of this year?
none

How much money did you spend in 2013?
tama lang

What was your proudest moment of 2013?
Juggling things to do things for the two kids and making it work. Juggler momma nyem!

What was your most embarrassing moment of 2013?
cant think of any now,

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2013 and change something, what would it be?
I don’t know if I want to change it eh but yes I remember the date but I don’t remember the feeling anymore hahaha.

What are your plans for 2014?
definitely start a business waaaah naku naman sana itong taon na yun

How are you different now that the year has ended?

I am more calm now, me and Alvin has gotten to know more about each other now. I have become stronger, the challenges has made my heart stronger. Body stronger too as I have now a sport/hobby which is running.

What are your wishes for the new year?

That we may know Jesus more and each day celebrate His goodness to us.

May each waking day reminds us how richly blessed.

May we be grateful in everything giving thanks for the good and the bad.

That we may see awesome and wonderful things courtesy of our very awesome and wonderful God.

Let us all claim His blessings this coming year, a year of love, of peace, of joy, of abundance, of Christlikeness, of seeking His desire for us rather than our own, of helping, of being willing to help, of learning new things, of togetherness, of kindness,  of grace and of hope.

Happy 2014 friends!