My Dreams...

photo from clipart.com

Do you day dream? I'm this weird kind of person who lives what I want to become in my daydreams. I just have to close my eyes and I see even the smallest detail like my outfit and the outfits of the rest of the people in my dream, dialogue, scenery, furniture, etc. Sometimes, I can't even sleep because of the never-ending, day after day happenings. And If I have enough time, I get to complete the best years in my life until such time that Ella goes to college and has little siblings! (Yeah, but please don't be scared of me...LOLz!)

That isn't surprising if you know me very well though. In fact, Ella's complete name: Soleil Isabella is a name I daydreamed for my baby girl since High School!

It gives me butterflies in the stomach everytime each detail on my daydream is unravelled in real life. You see, I dream of things that can logically be attained, I even specify a time frame indicated in my age in the dream.

I dream of:

...acquiring at least a second-hand car by the end of 2010
...graduating BS Psychology (hopefully still at UST) by 2012
...Drew graduating from his chosen degree (he can't decide whether to finish his last year of Nursing or pursue a course on computers)
...sending Ella to a good preschool by 2012
...Drew having his own legitimate computer-related business
...marrying Drew at the Manila Cathedral after graduation
...Ella studying ballet when she's 4 years old
...studying basic make up soon
...acquiring my own home by 2013 from both mine and Drew's Home Credit accounts
...having at least 2 more babies, at least 2 years apart and preferably boys
...starting a beauty and wellness business with my mom and aunt
...obtaining a master's degree on child psychology by 2015
...starting my own child care center and preschool
...Ella studying elementary at the UST
...Ella getting into figure skating when she's about 7 years old (The look on her eyes whenever she watches figure skaters tell us she likes this sport. Plus, she loves dancing soooo much!)
...Ella having a very beautiful singing voice
...acquiring a nice red car of my own
...getting a second home through PAGIBIG
...starting a restaurant business with my brother Eric
...seeing Ian become a successful engineer
...being able to save enough money for an early retirement when Drew and I are about 50 years old
...being able to travel at least around the Philippines and a couple of out of the country locations

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Baby Girls' Fashion

Do you have a baby girl at the moment? Don't you just love dressing them up?

I have previously posted some of my daughters OOTDs here. At the moment, my sense of style is displayed on her because my choices are too limited given the type of body I have. However, I never intended Ella to look entirely like a mini me. Have you seen kids wearing a smaller version of tube tops, minis and high heeled shoes? I personally think it steals the innocent look off the kids (-no offense meant). I want Ella to look her usual cute and baby self with style. Here are some of the staples in her wardrobe:

1. Empire Cut Dresses and Tops. Whether sleeved or sleeveless, they compliment babies physique given the big tummies they have (not the unhealthy big tummy kind...).

2. Baby Legs or Leggings. A multipurpose piece which I believe should be in any baby's closet! Even Suri Cruise wears them! They protect legs from wounds and insect bites during play while covering the nappy and accentuating the top. And, compared to denim pants which can sometimes be too stiff, these ones are stretchable and comfy enough for more movement.

3. Statement Tees. People love to look at cute little babies...More so if they're tshirts say something really catchy!

4. Shorts. I prefer cargo shorts with lots of pockets for Ella. It kind of balances the bulk of her waistline, plus, the pockets are convenient for her little somethings.

5. Spaghetti Strapped Tops. Ella was born with girly shoulders and I always like to see them.

6. Sweat shirts and long sleeved tops. Nice to keep handy for those airconditioned mall trips and late night outs.

7. Gold shoes or slippers. They always go with any color of outfit. We love one gold slippers from Snoopy. In fact, when Ella outgrew her first pair, we bought a larger 2nd pair. Too bad Snoopy said they've discontinued this model and only a few stores have stocks left. Second choice will be the peep toe gold shoes from Periwinkle.

8. Sneakers. Best for toddler play! Need I say more. You love sneakers on your feet!

9. Lastly, jewelry from my mom! Hehehe! So yeah, I' m adverstising in this bullet. But she's so fond of making little girls jewelry for my niece and daughter that they started to have a personality of their own! And they're being sold for your little girls too, so grab the chance!

Love lots,

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Are You Money Wise???

photo from Foto S.A.

I don't think I am, but I'd like to be. You guys probably have an idea of how much I take home from my pay being a technical support rep at a call center. And with a communications coach husband working for the same company, you may be thinking we're a large money making couple. But where does all our money go to? Here's a sample of a monthly budget:

Rent	7000
Electricity	3000
Phone and Internet	2000
Helper	3000
Market Expenses	3000
Grocery Expenses	3500
Milk and Diaper	5600
Water	300
Work Allowance	6000
Everyday Vegetables	500
TOTAL	33900

Extra money goes to Drew's speaker business and family bonding. And because Drew's speakers sell out one by one, then we usually get to spend it's earnings on extravagant unaccounted things! No wonder we find ourselves losing money as the next payday approaches!

As a young couple with a beautiful and bouncy baby girl, we really find it hard to save. We find ourselves spending like there's no tomorrow! Having a *relatively high salary at our age is just too overwhelming ! (*Relative to how much generations before us could be earning when they were the same age). But we do have plans for the future and if we keep spending the way we do, we might never come close to our dream life. So how do I go about it? Here's what I have done so far:

1. I joined Home Credit. Home Credit is a subsidiary of the Insular Life which aims to provide a savings plan for the working class with a future goal of getting their own homes. A certain amount will be deducted from your salary every payday and goes to your Home Credit fund. It functions the same as PAG-IBIG, but you have the option to withdraw your money with an 8% interest at the end of your term.

2. I increased my PAG-IBIG contribution to the highest possible member contribution. I just recently found out that PAG-IBIG can finance a house up to 3M provided you are paying an increased amount of contribution. Imagine living in your own dream home after 24 monthly contributions! Check this file for more information.

3. I applied for a passbook savings account without an ATM card. One will always have the urge to spend, especially if money is on ATM or a piggy bank at home. Saved money documented on a passbook can only be withdrawn in the bank branch you applied the account from. It would also help if the branch you applied from is not easily accessible from your home. Moreover, because passbook withdrawal would, more often than not, require your personal appearance, you would shy away from frequent withdrawing because the tellers would most likely remember you. (Works for me!) You can also enroll such bank account on an auto-debit function from your payroll account to ensure regular savings!

4. I applied for all the loans I'm eligible for. I am guilty of promising myself to save a certain amount every payday and break that promise. If you're looking into saving a target amount until a specific time frame, why not loan that amount and pay by salary deduction?! If the purpose of the loan is for a material thing, then you get the thing right away. If it's for saving purposes only, then your money is already earning interest in the bank. Even though such loans have interest, with the kind of spending we do monthly, would I be able to save such amount when my projected time comes? I don't think so. I just applied for loans with little interests though, such as SSS and my company's employee loans program.

Think: If a large amount of my pay goes to salary deduction, then there would be just enough to spend for important things and only little will be left for unimportant things.

I know, I may not be successful enough to provide proof that what I've done so far works. But at least you have an idea of the principles I thought of on each bullet and study if it would suit the kind of financial manager you are. Happy saving!

How about you? Especially those who can consider themselves financially stable...How did you become money wise?

Love lots,

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To Let Go of An Angel

One of the most hurtful things a parent can experience in his/her lifetime is to outlive his/her children. Can you imagine being born, growing up, learning, finding and loving someone enough to bear kids, and live to see the day your kid or kids pass away before you do?!

I have. And I can only wish it's just my imagination because I am actually remembering my son's passing on it's 4th year today: November 10, 2009. In line with this, I'd like to share a tribute I made for him years ago...

I've been with him for 1 month and 5 days while seeing him suffer like that. You can see how it hurt then, but it was all calm and peace when he left until present.

Before, I thought that it could've been easier for me to send him back to the Father if I we were able to at least spend more quality time together. Others thought it was easier the way it did because I don't have too many happy memories of him. But when death takes place, we realize it's not how long we've been our kids, it's not how many memories we've shared with them...it's the love us, parents, feel for our young that makes it difficult to let go.

With that in mind, I'd like to extend my condolences to Dii's parents and loved ones. Remember Drew's friend from this post? She passed away on November 8 and it was then that I knew how bright her future was supposed to be sans what happened. I feel for her parents' loss so much. May the Lord open His loving arms wide to welcome Dii home.

For any of you who has experienced or have been experiencing such loss or know of anyone who has or have been, you can try referring them to support groups such as The Compassionate Friends. Other people can never force parents to talk about their feelings and what happened at these times... But if these parents get their own initiative to talk about what happened and indulge in the grief, then letting go and moving on will come in place.

On a lighter note, it's Sesame Street's 40th anniversary today! Happy Birthday Sesame Street Gang! :)

Love lots,

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Recipe of the Day: Beef Samba

Ingredients:

1/2 kg beef, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 heaping tbsp cornstarch
1 whole garlic, minced
1 whole onion, chopped into bits
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp pepper
1 cup sugar
1/4 kg tomatoes, cut into small pieces
spring onions cut into very small bits


1.Place beef in a sauce pan with enough water to cover the meat. Add 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp pepper. Let boil, then cook under low fire for 1 hour. (This is if you don't have a pressure cooker like I do.)

2. When the beef is tender, drain it and allow stock to cool. By this time, much of the water have evaporated, leaving around 2 cups amount of stock. Mix cornstarch with cool stock.

3. Saute beef on a very small portion of the minced garlic and onions. Add the cornstarch-stock mixture, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and sugar. Stir until sauce is very thick.

4. Fry the minced garlic and drain from oil when brown.

5. Serve saucy beef with tomatoes, fried garlic and spring onions on top.



Now I have to really work on my presentation because this one doesn't look too delicious even though it really is (I swear!!! Haha!). It's just that it was my first time to cook this since regularly eating it at one of the little cafe's near UST back in my college days. I just tried as hard as I can to remember the flavors I tasted back then and came up with this recipe!

You see, I'm not good with measurements, because I cook by palate...Meaning, I taste the food every once in a while and find out what's missing. I tasted the saucy beef and it didn't quite taste the way it did at UST. Fearing I failed, I had to mix all the toppings in procedure #5 with my saucy beef before serving so I can test if I got the flavor I was looking for. And I got it! I was right all along! So for a better presentation, you can just follow procedure #5 and let your tasters do the mixing.

Love lots,

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