As of Now

My sons are growing up nicely. Michael is 2 years and 8 months and Elijah is 4 months. I am enjoying how Elijah is being a happy baby and Michael is becoming such a “big boy”. My mother, Elijah, Michael and I went to a consultation yesterday regarding Michael’s cleft lip/palate. We met with two possible plastic surgeons, a speech therapist and several other specialists. I was advised by the speech therapist on a few exercises to use with Michael and so today I initiated an exercise or two. The major problem is Michael’s patience and his hyperactive nature. I remembered a set of alphabet flashcards that my mother and sister Felicia bought. The flashcards helped the situation some. I am thinking of making a chart of Michael’s progress (or digress however the situation may be) along with stickers to show. On the same subject but different matter, I am thinking on Michael’s 3rd birthday celebration. I don’t know if I want to do a traditional cake and ice cream, cupcakes or an ice cream cake. As for the food, I may do either wraps or croissant sandwiches. We already did barbeques for his first two birthdays. I know I want to do Disney’s Pixar Cars theme. The other choice was Thomas the Tank Engine or Tonka but Michael likes cars more so. I went with my mother and my two sons to look at model homes. They were nice, quaint homes for beginning families. I spoke with Christopher about them and so we may begin looking for a home for us. As of current, we live with my family. For now we all are just making it day by day.

September 17, 2008 Blog Prompt: How about words to live by...
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. - Proverbs 3:5

September 18, 2008 Blog Prompt: Memorable smells.
Sun-ripen raspberry scented anything. I bought a lotion at Bath & Body Works almost a decade ago and ever since then, that’s the scent I want when I buy feminine scented products.

September 19, 2008 Blog Prompt: Things I miss from childhood, teen years, young adult, or life as a single adult.
I miss my books, the Value Tale series, which I had as a child. Each book represents a value or moral element in life. Then there’s a person that represent that. For example, the value of imagination spoke of Charles Dickinson and Jim Henson. I found an online bookstore that sells the books but some of the books are quite expensive.

September 20-21, 2008 Blog Prompt: Post whatever you feel.
A very nice weekend.

September 22, 2008 Blog Prompt: A dream or goal you failed to achieve.
Hmm, can’t say I failed overall just that I have not attempted the major steps to achieve my dream. I wish to write children books and/or write children stories for a children magazine. I made a beginning attempt now I need to follow through.

September 23, 2008 Blog Prompt: What is the most difficult phone call you’ve ever had to make.
When I had did something terribly wrong and had to call my grandmother to speak to her about it. Not going to go into details but believe me when I tell you it was a very difficult call to make.

September 24, 2008 Blog Prompt: People who have touched your life.
My grandmother. I knew her since I was 6 or 7 years old. I was 21 when she passed away.

September 25, 2008 Blog Prompt: Your friendships and what they mean to you.
My friendships are with several. There is my mother, my husband and God. All are deep relationships. I cannot express in words what they mean to me fully.

Elijah's 4 Months Birthday

Today Elijah has turned 4 months old! Ahh my 2nd little man is growing up. *wipes tears*. Hard times for a mother (or a parent period). I am finally able to just rest and relax. I’ll have to start dinner soon but until then, I have a peace of mind.

September 16, 2008 Blog Prompt: Blast from the past. Pick a story from your past.
I was about 6 years old and my brother David was about 4 years old. We both were playing in front of our house when David saw a knot of web with a black spider inside. He went to poke at it. I said no furiously but David poked inside of it anyway. He thought the spider was dead. Immediately the spider scrambled onto David’s finger and I ran into our house to get my mother. “Mama, Mama, there’s a spider on David’s finger!” She ran outside and knocked it off with her slipper. It was a frightening moment for me which hatched my fear of spiders.

Time Is Fleeing

Ahhh summer is leaving and autumn/fall is coming. The weather is so much cooler and bearable. My sons are growing up. Michael is talking more in complete sentences. Elijah is learning how to hold his bottle on his own plus his smiles and laughter are infectious. In church service (the 14th), Michael sang 2 songs and then stood up to “testify”. It was wonderful. Christopher likes his new job since it’s a position where he’s in charge (which he likes, that man and authority, I tell ya). Both of my brothers are working now also. The house is so empty-like without 3 grown males here. The kitchen stays cleaner. *laughs* All in all, everything I going well. Life is good.

September 10, 2008 Blog Prompt: What I feel a married/single life brings...
Hmm a pro and con situation. In my opinion marriage isn’t for everyone as well as living single isn’t for everyone. In marriage you have your companion, that person who’s supposed to be there through thick and thin. Then at times you just want to hit him/her over the head! Hey it’s love right? Then there’s living single. You may want someone to grow with, then you start to think about it and realize being alone also gives you a piece of mind. We have enough in this world to make us go insane. Don’t need extra help! LOL

September 11, 2008 Blog Prompt: If a parent: Reasons I’m a stay at home mom or Reasons I’m a working mom. If not: Reasons I'm a student or Reasons I work.
I am a mother with 2 boys, ages 2 ½ years (will be 3 on the 22nd of January) and 3 ½ months (will be 4 months old on the 16th of September). I stay at home because it’s easier and works out better for my household. If I didn’t have any children, I would be working outside of home. As of now, I would like to work from home.

September 12, 2008 Blog Prompt: Family traditions, new or old.
One thing my family has is what we call “Poor Man’s Meals”. It can be jack mackerel with scrambled eggs over rice, corn beef and cabbage over rice, ground beef and brown gravy over mashed potatoes or pork and beans with polish sausages (we used to use hotdogs) over rice just to name a few. It comes in handy for quick fix meals.

September 13-14, 2008 Blog Prompt: If you post anything on your blog this weekend, let it be known.
Ahh just enjoying the weekend. Sunday church service was delightful.

September 15, 2008 Blog Prompt: I feel safe when...
I pray.

Current Happenings

Basically what has been happening are church services, hot weathers and just everyday activities. On Sunday I believe, my sister Felicia started hitting on Michael (the boy loves to roughhouse but then again what 2 ½ years old doesn’t?) Anyway I guess Michael wasn’t in the mood. He turned to Felicia and asked her: “Why did you hit me?” She was shocked because it was unexpected and so she just jumbled some answer. As I have said before due to Michael’s cleft lip/palate, for him to speak well and clear is a miracle. I am looking for more miracles. Yesterday and today has been significantly cooler. Maybe it’s Hurricane Gustav or the fact that fall/autumn is coming but I am grateful.

September 4, 2008 Blog Prompt: Let's take a stroll down a more recent memory lane. How many e-groups to you belong to that you actively participate in? What kind are they?
E-groups, hmmm let's see. There's Google, MSN, Yahoo and AOL that I used to be a member of but now, no.

September 5, 2008 Blog Prompt: Where has the week gone? But now let's take a break; think about our parents and what we have learned from them.
Oooh… good one. What I have learned from both my father and mother is how to be bold. Now what I have learned (and still learning) from my mother are endless. Let me name a few: self sacrifice, endurance, consideration, to be unselfish, to appreciate whatever I have no matter how small or large, learn from own mistakes (also mistakes of others) and just being happy.

September 6-7, 2008 Blog Prompt: If you blog this weekend, let us know in this thread.
Read above.

September 8, 2008 Blog Prompt: Last week we covered fears and things we would attempt if we had the courage so let's start this week by going over a day when we did have courage.
Well, I did mention about my fear of water/drowning. What I did was fill my bathtub as if I was to take a bath. I got in and slowly but surely put my head underwater and held it there until I needed air. It helped a little. What really scares me is being but into a scary situation I can’t control. I am sure all can relate.

September 9, 2008 Blog Prompt: What I would do if I had only one more day...
Clean up and also scrap.

Scrapping Today

Today is cooler but still a little warm. I plan on scrapping a lot of layouts. On DSP (Digital Scrapbook Place), there are several challenges/contests to participate in and I am doing a huge amount this month. I have all of my items organized and I am ready to go!

September 3, 2008 Blog Prompt: Feats I'd attempt if I had the courage.
Martial arts, I really like martial arts. My father did Korean taekwondo during the Vietnam War. He quit around 1975.

Weather Change

Due to Hurricane Gustav, the weather has changed. Today is actually cool. Sad that a tragedy elsewhere can bring good cheer to another location…

September 2, 2008 Blog Prompt: Back on track with our journey of self-discovery. Spend time writing about your phobias/things you are afraid of.
Oooh nice one. I am afraid of spiders (arachnophobia), water or rather the fear of drowning (aquaphobia), heights (acrophobia) and being in close quarters (claustrophobia). How do I get by in life with all these phobias? I couldn’t tell you but somehow I am surviving. For the aquaphobia though, when I go to the beach, I stay very close to the shore. In all honesty, I am trying to overcome my phobias.

Labor Day

Today is Labor Day and like I said earlier, it’s a day of relaxation. Family is off from work and it’s wonderful.

September 1, 2008 Blog Prompt: Happy Labor Day to those in the U.S. today. And in response to that how about telling us what Labor Day means to you. If you live outside the U.S., do you have a holiday that is similar and how do you celebrate it?
Most people either goes to parades have a barbeque or both. I just want to sleep, LOL.