Joint Celebrations

Go ahead and call it a shortcut, or lazy mama syndrome. A few months ago, Mr. Fliz and I threw our babies a joint birthday celebration. I "borrowed" the idea from another fellow Mama, who now happens to have FOUR boys. We met at the pediatrician's office and often run into each other at church and around town. She mentioned to me that she often throws a joint birthday party for her two sons because they're only a month apart. Brilliance! I mean, how could I not have thought of that! So my kiddos are about two months apart--but I thought I still might be able to get away with it. And I did! Successfully!

We decided to do it at our local health club that offers kids' birthday party packages and we opted for a party with rock climbing and a bouncy house. Something sufficient for kids turning 3 & 5. I chose October as it's right in between both my babies' birthdays. At first it seemed a little lame, but then I rationalized that this would save me time and money rather than throwing two parties so close together with the same people. I would limit my guest list to a few school and family friends (apart from close cousins). It was perfect! 

Of course there were a few glitches at the venue, but they compensated by being generous with extra play time, food & drinks. A few adults even took a chance at some rock climbing. Below are some pics from a memorable party. And yes, I also "borrowed" my cake idea from this rockin' mama.

contents of our goodie bags

 

 

Mr. Fliz-it took all of three seconds for this guy with long arms to make it to the top

Gratitude

I'm thankful for my family, who constantly remind me to be my best self. My husband who is my "patna in the foxhole," my love, and the one who always tells me to keep going when things get way tougher than I expected--Thank You. To the two littlest souls who I adore, whose simplest smile or touch brings warmth to my heart like no other, Thank You.

To my parents, whose unconditional love inspires me to make my way through this insane life, Thank You. Your sacrifices to give me the best you could, continues to inspire me to be a better parent and partner to my husband. 

To my sister, though we have our roller coaster fights, we somehow always find our way back to each other and learn to love and laugh. Thank You for loving me as I am.

To my crazy family (that includes my in-laws, too), that I love without abandon, I'm forever grateful for the support and love you give to me and my family. Thank You.

To my friends, you know who you are, I'm so lucky to be surrounded by such genuine, loving, strong, funny people. In a heartbeat, you know how to improve my mood, that laughter and time do heal all things, and for all the times you guys held my hand when I was scared to stand alone, Thank You.

But most of all, Thank You Lord for all of the above, because my life would not be complete without it. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember, gratitude in your heart will make you a better person. 

A bit late, but always fun to look back

Above are my superheroes, hard at work protecting the neighborhood from evil forces. This was the kids' Halloween costumes. Supergirl was a rad hand-me-down that just pleases this Mama. I'm not a big fan of princesses and fairies, etc. I'm not against it, but it's just not my thing, so when my baby girl wanted to be SuperGirl for Halloween, who am I to stand in her way. My son was both a Jedi and a Power Ranger. Two separate costumes. Don't ask. We didn't have to pay for either, so thank you peeps.

If you are still eager to learn about our Hawaiian adventure, check here. I've finally posted about our travels. I have yet to update my other blog about the great food finds we found. Will work on that before 2013 is over. Next week begins the countdown to Christmas! Woot! Woot! Holla!!

Have a great afternoon.

In the Aftermath . . .

The devastation of Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan to the Philippines is absolutely unbelievable. My heart goes out to all fellow pinoys and those who have loved ones affected by this directly or indirectly. My family, thankfully, was not hurt as they are in Manila, but I'm sure they know of people and/or relatives that are.

I am asking anyone who happens to read my little space in the interweb, to help out the Philippines. We can all do one little thing to aid those affected. Monetary contributions to trustworthy relief organizations that are working directly with the people on ground zero is quite helpful as they can direct funds to what is needed the most. All over Facebook, the web, through word of mouth, through your churches and community leaders, you can find where to donate to. 

Below is a list that I've received on FB, and from friends and family (one of whom works hand-in-hand with relief organizations in the PI) of institutions and organizations you can donate to. Instead of spending another few dollars on a second cup of coffee, buying yourself a treat, or going to the movies, perhaps you can allocate those funds in a way that will continue to keep giving and know your dollar went somewhere to feed, clothe, medicate, and assist in someone's survival. 

To everyone that has donated money, time to fundraise, contacted others in sponsoring shipping things to help out, from the bottom of my family's heart...A multitude of thanks and appreciation. I know you are already stretched thin and with the holidays approaching, what I'm asking may be a lot. So, may God bless you and your family and if and when you are in need, we hope to return the thanks a thousandfold.

De La Salle University-Disaster Management Response Program: 
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/philippines-disaster-response/

Habitat for Humanity/Rebuild Philippines:
http://www.give2habitat.org/philippines/ReBuildPhilippines

NAFCON with Visayas Primary Healthcare Services:
http://nafconusa.org/programs/

One World Institute: http://www.theoneworldinstitute.org/donations/index.htm


My cousin is a social activist and is part of Gabriela USA, her organization is working with NAFCON. I know it's important that our hard-earned money really does reach the people of the Philippines and want to give it to vetted organizations. 

The Philippines may seem worlds away from where you are, but in the aftermath of any disaster, we live on this one world, and we need to help each other survive it. Let us inspire our kids to continue to be compassionate leaders.

Mahalo

We have been back from beautiful Oahu for almost two weeks. However, our kids are still saying, " I don't want to leave Hawaii." Tough luck kiddos, if only life was a permanent vacation. You're officially on mainland soil.

It was an interesting trip. Relaxing for the most part, but a pretty tough beginning because Micron had a fever before and 3 days into the trip. Let's just say, I couldn't relax in paradise, no matter how much the surf and sand called to me. But in the end, it was fabulous, and nothing less than awesome. Mr. Fliz is already asking when we're going back (and the plane hadn't taken off yet). 

This was the kids and Mr. Fliz's first time to the island they call the "Gathering Place." Fortunately for me, this was my third time, but it was ten years ago since I last saw this magical place. Creating new memories with my family was especially fun and what stood out most in my mind, is remembering how carefree my children were at the beach. Without a care in the world, they played, and played, and played, and played some more on the sand and in the ocean. Telling them to leave the beach was difficult at times. This vacation was exactly what our family needed. It seemed forever ago we had purchased tickets (just about the same time we were going to Disneyland) and then before we knew it, time for our getaway.

It was good quality family time. What I truly love about island getaways is the mentality and easy-going approach of the locals. They truly want you to "hang loose." No rush, no need to fret about things, the casual attitude and not to mention, their kindness to tourists. The people of Hawaii really speak to you. The locals for the most part were all quite kind, though we did encounter a few peeps not living up to the "hang loose" creed. 

I will do a few food-related travel posts on my travel blog here, please check back in a week or so. 

Countdown to Vacay

In exactly 10 days we'll be heading over to clear waters for some much needed R&R. Yes, the kiddos will miss school for a bit, but traveling is still a learning experience. We just completed a busy week, and an even crazier weekend, only to follow it up with an even busier week and weekend--and yet, the kids have a 4-day weekend this week. How I manage to always get myself into these situations before a vacation is beyond me? I have no luck whatsoever. 

Moments like these, I try and center myself and remember that these are "nice problems" to have. I'm extremely thankful for God's blessings and allowing my family and I to still take trips despite being on one income. 

Fall is here. It gets darker earlier, and even though we're going through a pretty warm spell in our neck of the woods, the crunching of leaves beneath our feet is evident. This is my FAVORITE time of the year. Amidst the chaos of new schools, new friends, new experiences, I am looking forward to holiday get togethers, family birthdays, trips to the pumpkin patch, bundling up, and snuggling with my favorite short people on the couch on rainy days with piles of books. 

So, as we are still trying to "let go" of Summer, we're hoping this vacation will set us up for all the craziness we'll have to endure in the next few months.

A Successful Week

This was one of those weeks. The ones where Wednesday should be Friday because hump day just isn't getting it done. It's been busy in our household. My kid-free mornings during the week have been spent doing The Bar Method ( Mamas, I need to post about this awesome, gut-wrenching, thigh-quivering workout that= pain--in the best possible way) and I realize I need to alter my schedule so that I get one of those mornings free to do NOTHING. Or something more than working out. Our afternoons and evenings were busy and at the end of each day, I feel like my legs ran a race. Some days, I really did. 

This was a successful week nonetheless. Micron didn't cry. Zilch. This past Monday morning started out like any other, except both were cranky from a late Sunday night and were seriously on each others' nerves, which led to both of them being in a time-out situation. Micron cried (because time-outs still mean she has to pout and sometimes cry), somehow a light bulb went on in my head. I rushed over to her as she was crying and told her, "Ok, cry it out now before school so that by the time I drop you off, you're done. You're done crying at drop-off. Let it all out now." Mamas, it worked!! Micro chirped in and said, "That's a great idea." And once she was done crying and I released her and Micro from timeout, they gave each other a hug, apologized, and somehow, Micron understood. 

Don't get me wrong, I didn't take it for granted the minute I dropped her off and realized she didn't shed a tear. In fact, I hadn't even said goodbye, but our eye contact ensured me that she knew, "Bye Mama, I'll be ok. Even though I still don't want you to leave." It was cause for celebration. I smiled in disbelief the entire time I drove away. I felt like if I thought about it too much, I might jinx it. Then Wednesday came, and no tears. Today, no tears. As a parent, I've learned to take each moment as it comes, because you never know. 

I'm proud of my baby girl. We're still coping and adjusting to new routines, but each day gets a bit easier. My shoulders don't tense up as much nowadays, and I feel like we've broken through some barriers. I won't know what it will be like once we go away for vacation and she might cry again. But, baby steps. 

This was her chosen outfit to start the week off. She chose it all, right down to those awfully cute leg warmers. Micron definitely has more fashion sense than me. Thank God! (Ignore those ugly bland white walls, we're slowly decorating room by room and the living room is low on the list for now)

Learning to Cope

As adults, we fall easily into that trap of expecting our kids to behave and react accordingly to certain situations. Expectations are high and often we forget that these little guys go through some major adjustment periods. Micron and I survived the first week of pre-school. (Our whole family did). I say, "I," because I'm the stay-at-home parent who has to deal with the crying child at drop-off and having to deal with her anxiety about stressful situations during the week. It's not easy. For her and for me. I try and not compare her with Micro, who by the end of the first full week of pre-school, had stopped crying. She is not him, he is not her. 

As a family, our anxieties get passed to and from one another. I'm doing my best to keep calm, give reassurance and strength, as well as trying to identify with Micron what she's going through. Breaking out of our comfort zones is no easy feat. It takes a village to raise a child, and I'm lucky my village is extremely supportive and comforting. But there are those moments, when I feel frustrations' pressure heavy on my shoulders. That unwelcome feeling of having to get through the next couple of minutes...you know what I'm talking about, whether you have kids or not. That has been my MWF mornings. I'm racing to drop off Micro 40 minutes earlier than Micron starts school, and help him settle in to follow the morning's directions from the teacher. Then the anxiety starts to set in about my drop-off with Micron. I know it's wrong to feel that because she'll feel it too. But sometimes, I can't keep it at bay.

I survived the first week of two kids in school. I got some quality "me" time. I had a GNO (girls' night out). I'm ok. Micron still leaves school with a big grin when I pick her up. Her teacher says Micron is her "little shadow." We can't win all the challenges the first try. We just have to keep picking ourselves up and try, try again. So, here's to Finally Friday, and may each week get a little easier. For all of us.

She's leaving The Roost

Well, not exactly. But it sure feels like it. Micron had her first day of pre-school today! It was both exciting and nerve-wracking. 

Last week, we attended a meetup at the school playground so that the kids could kind of get to know each other before entering the unknown world of "pre-school." Micron did amazingly well, considering she was extremely shy the first 5 minutes, but soon found a kindred spirit in a fellow girl that likes playing with blocks and the sort. It was a relief to see her get comfortable. 

Come this morning, after we dropped Micro off, we had some time to kill before Micron's school began. I rushed back home to pack extra clothes in case of any accidents (I'll be doing this at least for awhile til I feel she's been handling herself well). I gathered with other fellow proud parents who were just as eager to send their littles off for three hours. Once the doors opened and she recognized her teacher, she strolled in, hung her little backpack, put her name tag on, and wondered off to play. The first few minutes were so adorable as parents played paparazzi, shooting pictures of their wee ones in the classroom. Then the time came for me to hug my little girl and say "see you later." 

That was a total bust. As soon as I bent down to give her a hug, I saw the cry lines starting to form on her face, and before I could say, "Hi-Five me big girl," the tear ducts opened freely. Followed by wails of, "No Mommy, No!" I started to get up and move away, assuring her everything will be fine and I'll be back. That's when the teacher strolled over to me and said, "It's ok, I got this, you go ahead and leave. She'll be ok." And just like that, I left and closed the door behind me. Only to see it fling open as another little girl who was crying, raced to her Mom and hung onto her leg. Yes, I know all those kids, crying or not, will be fine. It's us, Parents, we never want our kid to be that kid. The one who can't let go, the one who cries everytime we drop off. But it won't be like that for everyone, because new routines take time getting used to. Going to school, takes time getting used to. I'm grateful to my friend who came over to see if I was ok and distracted me with conversation and support, recognizing that look on my face, of feeling bad I left my little girl crying. I knew I'd be fine, but still, she's my baby--and she's left my Roost.

Pre-school, it brings anxiety and excitement to all those involved. Parents, kids, teachers, and aides. 
Thankfully, I came back after 3 hours to a happy, smiling little girl. Micron entertained me with tales of her first day. We did it baby girl. We made it through today. I'm so VERY PROUD OF YOU.

 

 

There's ONLY ONE FIRST DAY.

School is upon us. Micro began his first day of TK (Transitional Kindergarten) two weeks ago. This school could possibly end up being where he'll go for elementary, but we are still entertaining the thought of another nearby school. Thankfully, both are walking distance.

It's been quite a road getting him here. Micro had 1.5 years of preschool from an outstanding teacher, with whom Micron will soon benefit from too. Despite the many new faces and unfamiliar surroundings, Micro handled his first day with maturity and enthusiasm. The night before he voiced his "anxiety and fear" about going to the new school. It reminded me of when I was a child and having the same exact fears about the first day of school. I hugged my little man and told him that it was ok to feel that way, but that in time, his feelings would change. I shared with him my own experiences as a kid, and we bonded over that. Mr. Fliz, Micron, and I, accompanied Miles to his first day in a new school with new friends and a new teacher.

When you become a parent, you automatically become part of this little club where you bond with other parents over shared experiences. A milestone such as this, is one of them. Along with other anxious parents whose children will start TK, I watched as Micro stepped out of the reach of my hand, walked over to hang his backpack, and entered his new classroom without so much as a glance back to see if I was near him. My littlest dude is quickly becoming a big boy.

It's quite exciting for Mr. Fliz and I to see how far Micro has come in the few short years since his birth. It's been an exciting ride so far, and we're looking forward to all the ups and downs that these next few years will bring, as I know it will provide learning and growth experiences for all of us.

To all fellow parents experiencing the milestone of their kids entering "big kid, real" school today, I congratulate you on a job well done for having them get to this point. It's a magnificent time in their young lives and an eye-opening experience for all of us. I hope you revel in all the new things your child will learn and discover this year. To all you kiddies, you are amazing little beings full of curiosity and eagerness, and I hope you put all this great energy to learning as much as you can about this thrilling world we live in with all these amazing people around you. 

I'm not sure who's more anxious, the kids or parents?

Saying "goodbye" again to her favorite playmate

The Terrific Three's

Happy Happy Birthday to the sunshine in our lives, our little curly-burly sweetheart, Micron. Today marks her becoming a "Big Girl," whose into big girl things...such as purses, dresses, and putting her hair up. Girly things she normally had no interest in before, but it's balanced healthily with a wild child curiosity about the world, playing soccer, watching basketball and football, and wrestling her brother, and somehow, tries to wrestle our dog, too.

Three years ago she entered the world 14 days early and made Mama aware just how powerful her little legs were. Back labor, pre-term labor, and painful kicks in my belly, made it all worth it to meet my littlest angel. 

Micron, you have given Mr. Fliz and I endless laughter and joy. Your bright smile continues to inspire me to be a better Mama. We cannot ever imagine our lives without you, and Micro is so very proud that you are his sister. As you begin preschool, we realize how fast you're growing and how exciting new friends, new experiences, and new places will be for you. We hope you'll continue to be the sunshine girl everyone knows and loves. We love, love, love you sooo very much. Thanks for giving us the privilege to raise such a beautiful little gal. 

Goodbye Summer. SAD TO SEE YOU GO.

I know it seems I've been MIA. But August has really crept up on me and I can't wrap my head around that this Fall, both my babies will be going to school! Yay me!! Mr. Fliz and I have successfully raised our kids this far. Hi five's all around. Micro will be entering TK (Transitional Kindergarten-now officially a new grade in our state) this year, and Micron will be going to pre-school. She'll finally get to bring home and show-off her own crafts she makes ;)

I will be "kid-free" three days out of the week (Micron attends preschool 3 days/wk) and I'm hoping to find some work. I've been on and off looking for work since I've had Micron, but due to how young the kids were and with Micro's preschool schedule, finding time to commit and look for a job has been daunting. Not only that, any positions offered to me, I was unable to do because I had a hard time finding someone to care and help out with my kids before 6 a.m. My job options are a bit limiting because of these two guys and we simply cannot afford a live-in nanny, nor do we want one. With any luck, the next year God will bless me with some positive news on the employment front. 

Micro starts school next week, and this final week of "summer," has us doing lots of playdates and hitting up the pool, which has unofficially become our "second home" these past three months. It will still be summer here in the Bay Area, but I'm sure the weather will start cooling down and the days will become shorter. This has been an incredible summer. We started off with a "family race", then a trip to Disneyland/California Adventure, spent an endless amount of time at our pool with family and friends (that included several weeks of swim class/lessons for my two kids), a bit of camping, a trip to Tahoe, chalk-drawing outside, bike rides, and lots of bbq's. The kids both learned to swim and I'm so proud of all their accomplishments and improvements on that front. 

My baby girl will turn 3 in two weeks and before you know it, she'll start school by mid September. Where did the time go? Seriously. Below are snippets of our summer and here's to a crazy start to Fall and looking forward to our HI trip in a few months! 

Yeah Summer 2013 in full Effect!!

Aerial Assault!

Check out those tan lines! A true California girl!

Tahoe Time!!!

It's August, and the weather in the Bay Area is cooling down (well, not this week) as the East Coast is getting hammered with some rain! Two weekends ago we had our epic Lake Tahoe Family getaway. Epic, because it was 20 friends and family partying it up at Kings Beach in Lake Tahoe. We all survived. Thankfully.

My kids had plenty of cousins time and we hadn't had a family getaway like this in years. Forever, really. There was enough food to feed our neighbors next door, and then some. There was also plenty of beer, wine, and sangria to keep partying well into the wee hours of the morning. For some, it was like reliving their twenty-something days. Ahh. 

We spent one long day at the lake soaking in some major rays, and enjoying water sports. We rented two homes to accommodate everyone. While Mr. Fliz, Micron, and I stayed in the one house with friends and their kids, Micro was at the "main house" having a blast with his cousins. Basically, it was like we had one child with us most of the trip. Mr. Fliz and I managed to get plenty of one-on-one quality time with Micron when we weren't in the main house. It was really special since Micron is the youngest, she's never known much of being the sole receiver of our undivided attention. I think she lavished in all the attention we gave her. That's good, because come this September, she'll be entering pre-school. Can you believe it?

Below are pics from the trip. Summer, don't go away just yet. Hang on, just a bit longer, please.

Even Mochi, our dog, made the trek!

My crazy family. Love, love, love.

A new adventure each week

The past few weeks have been fun. Zoo trips, water balloon fights, PLENTY of pool time, excursions to the beach, our days are full of fun, it's like a dream summer so far.  I'm finally getting to spend more time with girlfriends and some "me" time since Mr. Fliz isn't studying. I'm thankful for all of this. It's been great. I'm doing my best to stay current with writing, but you'll find me playing with the kids or taking them somewhere new to explore with friends. We've got a big family trip that includes extended family up to Tahoe for a weekend full of water sports, picnicking, bbqs, and late nights full of sweet treats. We've still got an itch to go camping but just being a bit lazy about acquiring all the necessary items (hello! where's our tent honey?).  Our Hawaii trip in October is almost finalized. 

Below are some pictures of recent adventures:

A tiger and lion roaming free

Sometimes, a fast food picnic is what is needed

Cousins and friends off for a swim