What the Rain Brought

Except for the past wonderful weekend (sunny and high 70s weather), the days leading up to it have been really crummy. Gray, wet and soggy. I usually love it when it rains. On the other hand, four consecutive days of gray skies and unending rain can be a bit much especially if you're trapped with two hyper tots who are just bouncing off the walls.

Alas, all things must come to an end and fortunately, the melancholic weather was no exception. The sun decided to show its cheerful face again last Friday and I immediately let the kids out the yard to let off some pent-up steam.

Lo and behold, my observant son, AJ immediately spotted something that looked very much like a dwarf's teeny-weeny p_ _ _ s.

With this green thought in mind, it was a challenge keeping a straight face when I told AJ what it actually was.

For the Love of Reading

My hubby and I may have different interests and preferences over a lot of things, but I am very happy to note that we share the same love for reading. Granted that his tastes run more towards sci-fi while mine veers towards romance and/or mysteries, it's still rather nice to spend quiet time together reading.

Unfortunately, in the past couple of years, the times that I've indulged myself to a good novel have been very few and far in between. There just seems to be too much to do rather than settle myself down and lap on a book. Unlike my DH, I cannot seem to enjoy a novel by reading snippets of it at a time. I need to read at least three or four chapters to enjoy myself or else the pleasure of reading is soured a bit. Thus, during our "reading moments" (usually right before bedtime), I just content myself with leafing through various magazines. Not that there's anything wrong with passing my time getting updated with the different trends and news stories outside my cocoon, but sometimes, I miss the escape that a good novel brings me. I also miss gnawing on a good story line and caring for characters as if they really exist.

So now that AT will almost be two years old, I decided that it's time to bring back some old pleasures even if they have become indulgences. Honestly, I also think that I need to stretch my brain muscles a bit too. I'm afraid my brain cells are dying off much faster than anticipated. That's why I invited myself to our neighborhood's book club.

You read it right. I didn't wait for somebody to approach me and ask if I was interested in joining their book club. I walked up to my neighbor/friend, DR, and asked if they were open to additional members. Hey, there were only four of them who are originally in the book club, so I figured that adding myself to the group would not be a lot to ask for. So DR, ever gracious as always, welcomed me to join. It turns out there are four of us girls who want in. Now, I don't feel THAT bad about imposing, hahaha!

So, the way this book club works is that a novel/book is chosen for the month and it will be discussed over dinner at the end of each month. No scholarly interpretations necessary, just inputs on how the story relates to us personally. Heck, a chance to read and a qualified girls' night out (luckily, I know or at least have met all the other girls on the "expanded" club... and they're all very nice), I just can't wait to get started! Anyway, the book for October is The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. The novel has mixed reviews online, but it's mostly good. Since it's a newly-released novel, I won't be able to borrow it from the library. I'd have to purchase the book, which might turn out to be a bummer if I end up not liking the book. No matter, I still can't believe how excited I am to join something as nerdy as a book club. In time, I'll be gushing over playing bridge and Bingo! I've really come a long way, baby!

Fourth Quarter's New Beginnings

My Boy's Back in School

I never thought that I'd say this so soon, but I am glad that AJ is back to school! Granted that he's only in preschool and just goes thrice a week --- at two and half hours per day --- it feels good to fall back to a rhythm that I seem to have gotten used to this past schoolyear.

Two and a half hours may seem too short, but I can squeeze a lot into them. I can easily jampack most of my household chores in that time. Put first batch of laundry into the machine, fix my kids' rooms, vacuum the house, unload the dishwasher, put first batch of laundry into the dryer and put next batch in, set the meat for dinner in the fridge to defrost, grab my daughter AT to then fetch AJ from school. Whew! Quite a mouthful! By the time we get back home from preschool, I just reheat the previous night's dinner for our lunch then let the children play a bit before AT's afternoon nap. I seem to have my routine down pat, don't I?

This past summer was just chaotic with one week trailing the other with seemingly no sense of rhythm. Now, I'm really not too stodgy about routines, in fact, I pride myself into being the more spontaneous parent. However, with any sense of routine thrown out of whack, the chores I listed above would simply be impossible to do in a day! So we all ended up eating leftovers more times than I care to count and living in a complete dishevelled home in clothes that don't exactly match.

Anyway, school's back and thank the holy angels for that!

It's also a good time for AT and me to have our own time together. Poor AT, she's had to share me with her brother most of the time that she hardly knows what to do when she has my full attention. But this girl is a trooper! Even while I do my listed chores above, she often happily goes her own way. AJ at the same age? A total Post-it to me... wouldn't let me out of his sight. So while AJ is in school and AT's with me, I also carve out some time where she's in the spotlight. And this girl is loving it!


Getting My Butt Off the Couch

Having miserably failed at my 9 0' clock diet, I'm now dragging my butt to the gym at least twice a week. If the local YMCA had it in their shedule, I would be doing yoga everyday. Unfortunately for me, this isn't so. And even more unfortuanate, even if that happened, yoga still wouldn't melt my flabs away. So every now and then, I try to squeeze in some aerobic exercise in between. "Try" is the operative term here because I'm really not that motivated to just sweat for a whole hour. The reason why I don't consider yoga as working out is because I feel relaxed afterwards, but spinning? I usually have to crawl my way out of the gym by the time it's over!

Alas, I have no reason to whine. My hubby is even more diligent with working out than I am! To boot, he's lost at least fifteen pounds already, while I have lost... zilch. I know that I have to get a move on! Is it a defeatist attitude to just give up trying since the holidays are coming up and I'll be storing in more calories anyway? Somebody help me! I need a good kick in the ass!


AT's Going to be an "Ate" Soon

My younger sister is due to give birth anytime soon (who knows, she might already be in labor as I'm writing this). This means that AT will be called "Ate" (older sister, or a respectful way of addressing an older person). My kids will have cousins! Even up to now, this sounds too sureal for me. One more smack in my head reminding me how I'm truly a grown up. The world is no longer solely mine to conquer, but is mine to nurture for the next generation. Sigh!

Wish that we'd be in the Philippines to see my new nephew. Gosh, I miss home!