week 7

February 16, Monday

i wouldn't want to start my post with a not-so-good thing but that's just how my Monday started.

my BP is still high (but not as high) and i know i shouldn't be taking this in a stride. and for someone who is not a big fan of pills or meds for that matter, i went online and did some research on how to lower it down the natural way and preventive measures to avoid it from happening again. and sure enough, it's our diet that plays a big factor and exercise is only 20%.

well, i've been watching my food intake since Sunday and all i've been eating are greens that i smother with lots of garlic. i've also downed gazillion glasses of water just to flush out whatever's in my system and religiously took my supplements.

then in the evening, the eldest was sweet enough to give me a back massage when i told her that my back's been stiff like a wood since Saturday. and the massage helped a lot to relieve the stress and knots on my back.

i was able to get a good sleep. =)



February 17, Tuesday

finally! i felt much better when i woke up. and back to the old grind but this time with less stress from the house chores. i just did my usual mommy duties and i really appreciate my son for being such a good boy.

dinnertime, my friend R came over to check on me and brought roasted chicken from Costco. she knew that i've been eating greens since Sunday so she know that i was starving. i did eat a little just to satisfy my craving. then a little kwentuhan and she headed off. while igi and i watched American Idol then took a shower and off to bed.



February 18, Wednesday

i am still on greens and this is what i've been eating since Sunday.


i just add little zest to it - sometimes i add imitation crab with lots of tomatoes, onions and cilantro and a dressing of my choice, other days i just top it with lots of garlic sauteed in olive oil or pan-seared salmon and a little balsamic vinaigrette. i'm actually getting used to it and the best part is, i get full easily and i don't feel bloated.

hopefully, i win this battle that i've been having with my weight. i don't dream to get back to my 100lbs frame, just to be able to wear a simple light colored shirt without all my flabs bulging out is enough to make me feel good.

i can do it!!!!!!!!!!



February 19, Thursday

since i feel normal now, i took the opportunity to do all the errands i needed to do since last week. i did the grocery, bought igi's milk and fruits supply and then we went to marshall's to buy him some thomas trains toys i promised him for being a good boy while i was not feeling well. i also scored some cookbooks but after browsing through the pages i realized that the ingredients are just too complicated so i'm going to return them next week.

then we dropped by our YMCA and inquired about their various programs. i am thinking of joining so i can go to the gym while Igi can go to the daycare or maybe we can join some Mommy and Me activities. the weather's not been that cold so it's time to move our butts out and get some exercise. =)

then at dinner time, i decided to make pan-seared salmon for the girls since i haven't been cooking since i had that BP attack. i feel bad because they come home hungry from work or school and there's no food to eat.

at least they enjoyed the salmon.



February 20, Friday

ok i know this sounds boring now but unfortunately that's just how my week started and will end. not having Dell around plus my BP scare just made me want to take things slowly. so Friday is a slow day...TGIF! nothing much happened, just stayed home, cooked and watched TV.

boring huh?



February 21, Saturday

it's a ladies night out for me and my girlfriends. we celebrated all the Feb celebrants at R's place. we had filipino dishes since Tita Baby (Dette's mom) who's based in Michigan is in town. she seldoms get to taste flip dishes that's why we decided to make our handa all flip. it's potluck and we had pancit malabon, beef kaldereta, inihaw na baboy, fried chicken and fried tilapia. and for dessert, we had fruit salad and bibingka plus the birthday cake from Porto's.

the February celebrants

and we had to sing Happy Birthday to Igi because he was getting cranky

and he was very happy to blow all the candles

all girls plus 2 little boys

the food was so good but i was able to control myself. i only ate 1/2 cup of rice and was able to avoid the dessert. although i loved the sago't gulaman that Rea ordered and i think i downed 5 cups but followed it with lots of water. o diba, i justified it pa!

the party lasted till around 11pm. my gosh! we are really getting old. we cannot stay up late anymore. so Igi and I together with Michelle and Lizette headed home since they're spending the night in our place.



February 22, Sunday

i woke up at 8:30am since we all planned last night to go to Santee for some food tripping while Tita Baby shops. but Michelle has a bad headache so we ended up not going. and i went back to sleep.

then we all woke up at 11am and started to get ready so we could get some lunch. our first choice was A&W but there was a 45 minute wait so we ended up at LA Buffet. they have a wide range of choices and we actually enjoyed the food. well more like we pigged out. and after lunch, we headed to Topangan Mall to walk off the extra calories we gained from eating there.

first stop was Target's $ section. i got some cute tea light holders while Michelle and Lizette bought some St. Patrick's stuff. i asked them where are they going to use it and they said they're going make a video again wearing those silly accessories. well, it's something to watch out for...

second stop was Bibi's store and we checked out their latest stuff. and they're now carrying pink accessories just in time for spring.

third stop was Nordstrom's for some make ups. aaargh! we all ended up buying something for ourselves. i bought MAC's mineral blush in Dainty. well, i've been wanting to get one anyways.

and finally, we went back to Target since Lizette wants to purchase a new vacuum. geez,, she's one picky shopper. we actually spent a good 30 minutes just trying to figure out which vacuum to get. well, she ended getting her first choice. thank goodness!

then we all headed home for the OSCARS!

week 6

February 9, Monday

Dell was still on sick leave but his eyes got a little better. and it was still raining a bit so we were debating whether to do our never ending errands or just stay at home. but our ref is almost empty and we need to stock up on our food supply while he's gone. so off we go and our first stop was Costco and bought Igi's supply of yogurt, juice and snacks. and he grabbed a bag of coffee for his friend's wife as pasalubong and i got a box of gummy bears for my nephew. our second stop was Seafood City and bought almost 2 weeks supply of food.

and since there's a Chowking in the same area, we decided to get a quick bite without realizing that it's almost dinnertime. the beef wonton mami and siopao was just the perfect combination to cap off our day.

then we headed home.

and as we were about to retire for the night, Igi decided to play with his sisters and they tripped on him. they put face cream on him and made him wear a head band. so cute...

February 10, Tuesday

Dell finally went to work after 4 days of being absent due to his sinus allergy. well, he wanted to show his face at work before he takes off for his 3-week vacation in the Philippines.

And since he won't be here on Valentine's Day, i decided to cook something special for dinner - Balut ala Pobre. but i scooped the sisiw out to make it less sinful.

We enjoyed our dinner together then we watched American Idol.



February 11, Wednesday

it was kinda chaotic as i had to double check all of Dell's luggage and made sure that he brought everything he needs and still don't go over the 50 lbs limit. well, his hand carry is 5 lbs heavier but we'll see if he can get away with it when we get to the airport. and at around 2:30 pm, we started to get ready because we need to be out by 4:30 since 405 gets heavy in traffic during rush hour. but as we were getting ready, all the plans made a 180 degree turn and i felt bad because i couldn't drive him to LAX. good thing Bianca got home just in time and went with us.

and guess what? as he was checking in his luggage, the PAL lade informed us that his flight is 3 hours delayed. WTF?!?!?! but it was a good leeway to haggle with the excess weight on his hand carry. well, that's the least they could do for all the passengers who would be stuck in the airport for 6 hours and that is no joke. and yes he did!

then we proceeded to the restaurant on the 2nd floor to grab a quick bite. we ended up ordering at McDonald's since Igi wants some McNuggets. we stayed with him till 7:30pm. and as much as we want to keep him company, we don't want to be driving late at night so he let us go. we just talked on the phone until it was time to board his plane.

i wished him a safe flight and to take care of himself there.

i miss him already. =(



February 12, Thursday

i slept late so i woke up late. i'm not used to not having Dell around so i slept around 4am. i tried to get my mind off him by doing some chores. i did the laundry and vacuumed and mopped our bedroom.

but around 3 pm, i had nothing to do anymore so Igi and I went across the street. first i went to CVS to have some photos printed for the scrap LOs i intend to make, then went to the $ Store and checked out some of their stuff. we ended up buying some paper towels, a Valentine balloon and a bag of tootsie roll. next stop was Von's and grabbed some bananas, orange juice and cream cheese. then we headed back to CVS to pick up the photos.

when we got home, i worked on a Valentine LO for Igi and here's the result.

i showed it to my son and he actually said "Thank you Mommy" when i told him it's for him. such a sweetie...

February 13, Friday

it's Friday the 13th! they say unfortunate events happen when the 13th month of the day falls on a Friday. i have been a witness to one during my youth. we were at a friend's house and the youngest sister of our friend was trying to get something from the cupboard. and since she couldn't reach it, she climbed the kitchen counter. and when she finally got it, she jumped from the counter and what happened next was baffling. she jumped towards us but for whatever reason it seemed like someone pulled her from the side. next thing we knew, she hit her head on the wall and it gave her a huge bukol. from then on, i refrained myself from doing anything crazy. i wouldn't want anything bad happening to me onfriday the 13th.

but mid-afternoon, my nape started to hurt and i was getting dizzy. i knew right there that it could me by BP shooting up. so i checked out the internet on how to prevent and lower your BP. i drank lots of water and didn't eat anything that could make my BP go higher. i stayed in bed and tried to rest a bit.

it didn't get better but it didn't get worse too!

i'm scared to death!



February 14, Saturday

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Dell is not here to celebrate it with me so my girlfriends and I (with Igi) decided to have dinner at where else??? Stonefire Grill. it was a fun outing because we enjoyed the girl talk and the laughter. But since I'm not feeling well, our plan to watch a movie was put off. instead, they brought me to CVS to have my BP checked and it was 155/92. i am in the "pre-hypertension boundary". so we decided to go home so i could rest and my girlfriends decided to stay for the night. we watched "the house bunny" and slept around 3am.

so much for taking a rest huh?

oh and here are some pics we took.

February 15, Sunday

i woke up at 11:30am since someone came to see the house (it's up for sale). and after they did their usual rounds, i decided to wake up my friends since it's almost lunch time. i served them lunch (we have a lot of leftovers) and did some bonding again. then before we knew it, it's time for them to head off to their next gimik.

and as soon as they left, i tried to rest and get some sleep since i was still feeling dizzy. yes, i could feel my BP's still high. =(

hopefully, tomorrow will be better...

Week 5

February 2, Monday

i woke up really tired from last night's party. my whole body was aching, especially my lower back. my arms were hurting from all the cleaning that i couldn't even lift them up. and Igi could sense that something was not right so he came up to me and ask if i was ok. i told him that i was tired and his reply to me was "ok mommy just rest!" aaawwww! seriously, little thoughtful gesture from my son really lifts my spirit up. and of course i still have mommy duties to do so i fixed his usual breakfast of cereals and milk.

in the afternoon, i was able to take a short nap because my body was just so tired. Igi was a very good boy and just laid down next to me while watching his Thomas dvd. he didn't wake me up at all. and the girls knew that i was not feeling well so they did most of the chores. good thing there were a lot of leftovers. that's what we had for dinner.

and Dell was sweet enough to give me a massage. i needed it very badly and it relieved the pain a little bit. i wish i could find a good and cheap massage place.

i want a massage....SOON!



February 3, Tuesday

Denny's offering FREE grand slam today from 6am to 2pm. the girls and Igi went to the nearest Denny's in our area to take advantage of the promo. my last word to them before they left - GOODLUCK! and i was right! the line was too long and they didn't have the patience to wait so they ate somewhere else. i asked them to bring the camera to take their photos and here's what they took - Igi feasting on catsup. and that's actually an improvement. Igi's been very picky and liking catsup is a major feat. hurray!!!!! i can't wait to see him experiment with his food and catsup and see what combination he likes best.

oh and i feel much better though my lower back still hurts. good thing we stock up on Thermacare so i wrapped my back with one and it relieved the pain.

i made spaghetti for dinner and while waiting for the food to get cooked, the boys and Trisha decided to workout. Igi joined them and was actually good in following the instructions. it was so cute watching him exercise. next week, i will go check out our local YMCA for some kids' activities that Igi can join.

and here's Igi right after the workout. he couldn't wait for the spaghetti so he finished the left over rice straight from the rice cooker. mukhang yagit =)

February 4, Wednesday

now i know why my back was hurting so badly. i got my period this morning. Honestly, I never really monitored my period since i had my tubes tied. i have no reason to worry anyways. all i know is i get it every month. and since i was in pain (this time back pain and cramps) Dell told me to just stay in bed and not worry about anything. how sweet! well, he was on sick leave too because of his sinus allergy but he took good care of me. he and the girls did all the chores while i stayed in bed and rested. but by mid-afternoon, i couldn't take the pain anymore so i took pain relievers and it helped a bit.

so i didn't really do anything much today - i have an excuse!



February 5, Thursday

i feel much better now and just did the usual mommy duties in the morning. then in the afternoon, Dell, Igi and I went to the mall to buy some last minute pasalubongs for his trip to the PI. first stop was Macy's to buy my brother's Levi's. then off to Bath & Body Works to buy more colognes for his inaanak. BBW is still on sale and we got some really good deals. then last stop was Target and bought some retro shirts for Pat. dinner was at Vanny's place which is just a block away from where we live. Vanny is Dell's ex CIL (she's the first cousin of his ex-wife). she made some baked chicken legs and pasta with white sauce (forgot what it's called).

and Igi got his hand on my digicam and actually took these photos.

o diba may talent? and this is our dessert - cheesecake smothered with whip cream and fresh strawberries & kiwis.

thanks Vanny! dinner was superb!

February 6, Friday

we were supposed to spend the weekend in San Diego but it'll be raining over the weekend so we postponed our plans. we're stuck in the house and couldn't think of anything to do. we finished watching all our new movies. so what do you do when your bored????? we decided to do the laundry so that i have nothing to worry when Dell leaves. it was raining really hard so we didn't take Igi with us anymore. we passed by jack in the box first to buy their 99c tacos so we have something to eat while waiting for our clothes to dry. we go to this laundromat since we don't have a dryer in the house. we were done in 2 hours.

our next stop was Marshall's for some last minute shopping (again). well, Dell ended up buying more clothes for himself than for pasalubongs! darn it!



February 7, Saturday

we woke up late and i wanted to eat at Denny's but when we were on our way, we changed our mind and decided to check out Rosie's BBQ Grill. and the best part is they have an eat-all-you-can salad & sandwich, ribs and chicken wings. we didn't really try the sandwiches but we feasted on the salad, ribs and chicken.

my plate

Dell's plate

and after lunch, we checked out Golf Etc. since they have a banner that says "grand openng". while Dell was busy checking out some golf stuff, Igi played on their putting green with some kids older than him.

he made 3 consecutive shots...too bad i wasn't able to record it.do we see a prodigy?

and since it's their grand opening, they had a raffle to all who were in the store and Dell won a hybrid club that is equivalent to 4 iron. and since he has that already, he used his charm to make an exchange. he wanted the golf cart so badly and after some prodding, the owner gave in and exchanged his club to a golf cart.

i guess it's his lucky day. =)



February 8, Sunday

it's church day so we were up early and was at WBC at 11:30am. today's sermon was about the Stress of Lust and how to avoid it. and what Pastor D shared with us was very informative. after the church service, free lunch was served again. and after some catching up with the church members, we headed off to Tujunga to get the golf case from Dell's friend. he's taking his old golf set in Pinas so he could play golf daw. hay naku! once a gold addict always a golf addict. and we were supposed to do our grocery shopping but Igi needed to do #2 so we headed home. and after that, nagkatamaran na. so we just chilled at home and ordered pizza and buffalo wings at pizza hut for dinner.

that's how our week went and next week would be less stressful since D would be leaving for Pinas for a short vacation.

i'm gonna miss him!