Photos of the Day

I am not a morning person and I hate waking up early though and how much more on a weekend. But today, I have no other choice but had to wake up early for my sister and her hubby have planned to take the kids to the wildlife park nearby and they wanted to get there as early as possible (thanks to my sister and hubby by the way, for giving us a kids free day) Still sleepy and groggy from my sleep, I got up against my will and peeped out through the window to check out how's the weather like in the early hours of the morning. What I saw was the complete opposite to what I was expecting for I was greeted with a spectacular scene, a blazing rays of the morning sun just peeped out from the horizon. While watching the scene, i became suddenly aware of my surroundings and my nature-lover instinct drove me to where my camera was. Despite the morning chill and dews, it didn't stop me to go out and snap a few photos.

Madie, my niece

(my niece and me)

She is about 20 months old, sweet and a loving little girl. Our little angel who always makes our day more brighter with her beautiful smiles and laughs. She is the youngest among the grandchildren in both sides. At her age, she talks like a parrot, listens and copies to what you say. She talks a lot that sometimes you cannot understand what she says. She learns to count from 1 to 10 and even memorizes the ABC's now. If you are with her, she wants you to read a book for her until your throat is sore and dry. She never get tired listening to kids' stories, yet she listens it with big curiosity.
She goes to a playgroup twice a week since she turned 1 yr old, one is in the Catholic church and the other is in the nearby place, not far from where they live. It is good for her because it is her great chance to interact and meet friends at her age and a way of preparation for her pre-school. They do craft, coloring, painting, singing, dancing and most of all her favourite, the story telling time. Her mum is involve in a mum's group in their place and she goes with her too. It's another chance for them to meet friends socially.
This coming next month, she is going on her first trip overseas with her mum for about 2 months. She doesn't have a clue yet but I know she will be excited seeing again her nanay and tatay (our parents) and the rest of our relatives and friends back in the PI.

Bounty from the garden

Despite the series of hot days we had, we were still able to enjoy some tomatoes from my very own garden. It is not the size I was expecting though. The hot days affected the growth of my tomatoes and almost every plant in the garden. It is a bit unlucky this time that I grow them. Weather is not right for them. Even though, I watered them everyday but it didn't help much. Some of my tomato leaves burnt out, looking very sad, dying and some of the fruits became wrinkly and mouldy. I just threw the damage fruits away as they were not edible anymore. Maybe next time, I will have a good produce and will be able to preserve some for our future use. I hope.
Other than tomatoes, the other plant that did well in the hot days is my hot chili. It has a lot of fruit of which most of it are ready for picking now . I have to give them away as soon as possible for I cannot use all of them. My Thailander friend loves hot chilies in foods and I am sure she is gonna be happy if I will give her some.

Sam the Koala

(They dont normally drink water but instead, get water they need from the moisture of the gum leaves they eat everyday. )

"Sam" the koala has become the face of wildlife caught up in the Victorian bushfire tragedy. Volunteers are
co-ordinating a huge rescue operation to save those that survived the fateful inferno.

(source: ninemsn news )

Best Mommy Award

Thanks a bunch to Adin and Dhemz for this wonderful award. I feel honored again, guyzzz.. How sweet and thoughtful of you to include me in your list.

Being a mother is the most beautiful time of my life. It 's challenging yet so much more fulfilling than anything I've ever done. I am a stay at home mum and being with my kids everyday is a treasured moment to be cherished forever. I never feel bored being with them always, as I always find each day enjoyable, exciting and challenging. I've worked for a certain period of time here and had always exciting times. But nothing compares to the moments I spend with my kids.Enjoy the award guys.
The rules: 1. Show the award logo in your post. 2. Pick a picture you have with your kiddo(s). 3. Post should include your best experience as a Mom. 3. Nominate other blogger mom's out there that you consider the best mom, like yourself.

I am tagging all the moms in my bloggers list. Please do not hesitate to grab the award. You all deserve this wonderful award.

Dorothy goes to the District Swimming Carnival

She is chosen as one of the swimmers in their school to compete for the District Swimming Carnival which will be held in Mt Druitt Swimming Pool this 25th of February. Being part of the school swimming team is something to be proud of. She will swim for the 50m freestyle in the 11 yrs old category. She just turned 10 yrs old and this is a great achievement for her to compete in that category. She actually came out 3rd place in the freestyle during the school swimming carnival and her finish time qualifies to compete for the District. While in the backstroke and breaststroke, she came out first and second, respectively. However, her finish time didn't qualify to compete for the District.

I know this is gonna be a tough job for Dorothy as there are many good swimmers that will compete in the event as well . She said to me this morning that she starts to feel a bit nervous now..hehehe.. and I told her, there's nothing to worry about, whether you win or not, you are our champion, just do your best and most of all have fun. Good luck to her

Pregnancy Delivery Story Tag

I was tagged by my friend Clarissa. Thank you so much for this. How sweet of you to include me in your list. This is about Pregnancy and Delivery Story about my daughter, Dorothy. She was 3 days old in the picture above.

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? No, I never thought of getting pregnant right away while I was still processing my papers to come over to Australia.
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THAT TIME? Yes
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? Of course, I was happy, excited and a little bit nervous.
4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? Not in our wildest dream.
5. HOW OLD WERE YOU ? I was 33, my lucky number.
6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? Friends noticed it at first that my appearance looked like I was pregnant and they even guessed I was having a girl.
7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? My husband, of course and my Ate.
8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? I did actually because I can’t wait .
9. DUE DATE? December 17
10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Yes, and right through the nine months of my pregnancy .
11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? I craved for native chocolates (tableya) and water melon the most . It is quite strange though because Dorothy has birth marks, one is like the size of a coin with a dark chocolate color at the back of her neck and a red birth mark as red as the water melon before her right ear.
12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? Any dish washing liquid, shampoo and bath soap
13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD SEX? Girl
14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? Not really, as long as the baby is healthy, I could not ask for anything more.
15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? Oh, I forgot already but I think not much because I wasn’t that big when I was pregnant.
16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? I didn’t think about it.
17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? Xxx
18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY ? Thankfully, No.
19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Blacktown Hospital, Sydney
20. HOW MANY HOURS YOU WERE IN LABOR? More than 12 hrs.
21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? My husband
22. WHO WATCHED YOU WHEN YOU GIVE BIRTH? The doctor, nurses and few operating room staffs.
23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? C-Section.
24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? I was in general anesthetic during the operation and after the operation, yes, I took medicine to ease the pain.
25. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? She was 7 lbs
26. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? She was born right on the due date, December 17.
27. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Dorothy
28. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? She is 10 yrs old

Now, I am passing this tag to all mums in my bloggers list.

Sunshine at last...

I finally saw the glimpse of the sun late in the afternoon after days of rain since last week .Dark clouds covered the days making it dreary most of the time with on and off showers and some heavy downpours in some nights. I can finally hang the clothes outside as the forecast for the next two days is sunny while this coming weekend is back to wet again. I have to get ready with our raincoats and umbrellas again!

The Rose

I just love to relax and listen to this beautiful song. It makes me cry sometimes but I am fine.. lolz. My father used to sing this song here while he and my mother were on a holiday. It reminds me of our times with them here. Miss them so much now.

Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you, it's only seed

It's the heart, afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed
That with the sun's love, in the spring
Becomes the rose

At Nurragingy lake

Ohh..ohh.. I can't catch it!

come on, i'm waiting for my feed,

where's mine? i'm a bit hungry!

We come here very often to feed the ducks and geese, and take leisurely walk along the walking tracks surrounded by remnant bushland. Place: Nurragingy Reserve, Blacktown (West Sydney).