Decluttering 101

I love things to be in order.

I remember when I was in high school - especially during exam week, I would make my own week-end schedule. Time and activities were listed and followed!! I forgot what time I'd start but I believe it was something like this:

7:30 Wake up

7:30-8:30 Eat, Take a bath

8:30-9:30 Math

9:30-10:00 Rest

10:00-11:00 English

11:00-12:00 Science

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-3:00 Sleep

3:00-4:00 Social Studies

4:00-5:00 Rest

5:00-6:00 Math

6:00-7:00 Dinner

7:00-8:00 Math

8:00-9:00 English

9:00 Sleep

As if I was in school, only more rigid! 

It was only half day of school during exam week (if I remembered right), so I followed my created weekday schedule too.

It has been a habit already. My study habits, and it sure did work!

Now, after, OMG, a very long time! I'm back to studying again. Only this time, I'm no longer 14 years old who depends upon my parents for food, shelter, clothing, everything! 

This time, I work full time, a full time wife and mom to two elementary kids and a student once again!

To make things easy, I've created my own schedule again, to help put my mind at peace and in order. I've written plans and things to do just so it won't clutter my mind anymore. I've set-up a nice bulletin where I could see my schedule and priorities and I've started to organize my stuffs again.

With two online courses and weekly homework, and facebook... Oh my! Lol!

NAMASTE.

-day 221

Wazzz up!!!

I have become a busy bee!

First, I am now baking! See my pandesal and banana bread! (click the link for proof, Lol!)

Second, I now plan a menu for the week. Yes, I cook and prepare the food. I have delegated some washing of dishes to Mymy, our eldest, and some cooking (like a meal or two) to my husband. Otherwise, we can just always eat my home-made bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Lol!

Third, I continue to blog. 

Fourth, I continue to browse and join threads in facebook.

Last but not the least - I registered two online courses this Fall! - Math for Teachers (Precalculus) and Chemistry!

It is overwhelming!!!

I have to give up something for sure OR I have to start budgeting and scheduling my time so I could do what needs to be done productively!!!

I am still not sure what is to give up. All seem important to me. 

First, cooking is not really my hubby's forte. It is not my forte too, but hey, we need to eat! Lol! (One thing we don't have here is household help; we have to do it all on our own!)

Second, I want to process my mind first, that's why I have to write it all down. (A must to keep me on track! BUT, it is eating my time!!!)

Third, to keep my blog in it's rank I need to join threads. (Either I forego this one but oh my!)

Fourth, I need a grade of  A or B in the online courses that I took, no excuses!

I've really have no where to go but make miracles with my schedule, my priorities and everything in between!

Oh, plus, I want to sleep by 11:30! Oh my! It's 1:00am already!!!! Wahhhhh

My life's exciting! Lol! :)

NAMASTE.

-day 220

Baking Banana Bread

Since I already bought my baking ingredients: all-purpose flour, bread flour, baking soda and baking powder; I also have packs of active yeast, bottle of vanilla essence and baking pans, measuring cups and spoons, I have decided to make use of it! Lol!

And here's my next output! - Banana Bread!

I just followed the recipe found in the net. It was gone an hour after baking! Maybe, it did taste good! Lol!

Here's what I did:

I combined the dry ingredients first. I used 2 cups of flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 1tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder (I think this should be baking soda, not powder! Lol) and I think I can manipulate the amount of flour and sugar in it. (right? Lol!)

Then I mixed all wet ingredients: 2 pcs of raw eggs, 1/2 cup oil (shortening or butter will work too, I think, hehe), 1 cup of mashed banana (I used 3 ripened bananas) and 1 tsp vanilla essence.

After that, I put it all together, until it felt like it will do! Lol!

Then I sprayed some oil in the baking pan and spread out the mixture.

I preheated the oven at 350 degrees and baked it for an hour.

... and Viola! Banana Bread!

-day 219

The Universe Conspired To Make Our Wishes Come True

The real story.  

Going Herbal!

The truth is we will all grow older, we will all become mature. The good news is there is always a solution to delay the process.

Solution?

Anti-aging creams! Well, search Google and you’ll see an abundance of anti-aging creams in the whole wide world!

Most are chemical based, unfortunately.

What’s interesting is this site in Herbal Chinese Medicine called Solstice Medicine blog, they offer anti-aging creams and anti-aging herbal supplements that uses Ginseng as one of its main ingredient!

Ginseng?

Ginseng has been used for medicinal purposes for over 5000 years in China.

It was actually originally used as a food, but people quickly recognized its reviving, healing qualities and started to use it in herbal remedies. 

Ginseng has a variety of effective medicinal uses; it can improve muscle tone, decrease blood sugar levels, and balance your metabolism. Ginseng can also help balance and maintain hormone levels. 

Chinese medicine has also recognized ginseng for its ability to improve memory and increase vitality. Ginseng can extend your endurance, combat fatigue, help remove stress, prevent headaches, fight insomnia, and boost your immune system so you can fight off illness. 

It has also been used to improve sexual dysfunction and generally strengthen the body. Ginseng has been proven an effective herbal remedy for thousand of years. 

Anti-aging herbal supplement.

This anti-aging herbal supplement is called Ching Chun Bao Anti-aging Tablets - Herbal Supplement . It uses traditional Chinese medicine to promote organ health and strengthen immune system. So, it will actually make you feel younger from inside out!.

There are also offering face cream to prevent and treat wrinkles and provides a youthful appearance. They also have Chinese pearl cream to help shield your skin from the sun’s ray while it moisturizes for a smooth complexion Your skin will have a youthful, healthy glow.

But if you want a product that could help you feel younger from inside out, my best bet will be the taking the herbal supplement. It’s all FDA approved, by the way.

Cheers to a younger looking skin! Let’s go herbal!

This is a paid post.

Coffee Maker... Takers?

If there is one kitchen appliance that we don't have. It is a COFFEE MAKER. 

Back when I was still working in ASTI, in Makati, Philippines. I won in the raffle, it says coffee maker in the box. I never opened it. I am not a coffee lover and I will not need it. Weird me, huh? Well, my husband did open it, and it was not a coffee maker at all, but a mini electric fan!

But, things changed. Now, my husband and I have started experimenting on coffee, thanks to a friend who introduced what we are missing. Lol!

As a follow up on the becoming "new lovers of coffee", we’ve looked up Proctor Silex and found that they offer a variety of Proctor Silex Coffee Makers to our choosing.

A nice thing about their company is that they offer a lot of kitchen appliances! Here’s some:

• Blenders
• Can Openers
• Coffee Filters & Carafes
• Coffee Grinders
• Coffee Makers
• Deep Fryers
• Electric Kettles
• Fifth Burners
• Food Choppers
• Griddles
• Hand Blenders
• Hand Mixers
• Hot Pot
• Indoor Grills
• Juicers
• Knives
• Rice Cookers
• Roaster Ovens
• Sandwich Makers
• Skillets
• Slow Cookers
• Toaster Ovens
• Toasters
• Waffle Bakers

Another interesting this about the company too, is that they had many firsts: the first silent toaster, first electric glass coffeemaker, first cord-attached iron, first toaster oven/broiler, first pop-up toaster/toaster oven, first adjustable automatic iron, first snap-apart line of serviceable kitchen appliances, and first see-through steam iron water tank.

Plus they have a list of recipes in their website too!!! 

Recipes that are kitchen-tested and time savers! Now this is something I am interested in looking at too!

So, if affordability and durable performance are what you expect in an electric appliance, let’s look no further. Along with over 50 years of history in the appliance business, Proctor Silex has a long-standing commitment to quality. 

For the meantime, time to buy that coffee maker!

Shop with me?

This is a paid post.

Pandesal 101

Mimoi's 100 stars!

All in my mind!

I've read that whatever you focus your mind into, it will happen. Whatever it is! 

So, say you woke up late and domino effect, your mood, your actions got to be affected too! 

The more you focus on your fear of being late, more you attract all the mishaps.. phones would ring, your kids would bother you, you would forget your bag or lunch pack, you get stuck in a traffic jam.. as if the universe conspires to make you feel the pain!

The Other Side

 

What if I took a different path? What if I changed my decisions? What if I didn't choose? What would my life be?

Pretending Works

... so we have a lot of anxieties, fears, concerns, doubts, and worries.... like we seem to always have something to complain about.. or be scared of.

... and though we'd always have a lot of reasons to believe it is worth our time and that we have every right to be one...

still the fact remains that it is a burden, a trap and it will lead us nowhere.

What I learned that works, though, is the power of pretension.

Haircut Blues!

My mother (related post here) owned a parlor when I was young.

So, why go to other another parlor to have my haircut, right? I'd ask her to cut my hair, and she would. But guess, what would happen after?

I'd cry.

Cry out loud -  I would! Lol!

I'd tell her it was not supposed to be cut that way, it should have been this way, duh duh duh, lol!

and I'd cry again!

Then she'd swear never to cut my hair ever again!

Then after a few months, I'd ask her to cut my hair again, she would of course, and right after, I'd cry again! Lol!

Well, I got married and now I have a 10 year old daughter.

She just had her haircut in the salon. She fusses about the style, though she likes it. I like it too, but she's complaining it gets to her face so she'd put clips on one side and then it would look weird because it's not balanced anymore.

Solution: I cut her hair (the supposed-to-be front style)!

Result: She cried! Lol! and she cried some more!

Thus, this blog post. History seemed to repeat itself. One generation after another. Lol!

But then again, during my time, after some time... acceptance. It would take me like 3 days to accept my new face with my new haircut.

The development was, my daughter, seemed to have accepted her new face with her new haircut, after 45 minutes of crying, hiding, seeking solace from her dad and some more words of inspirations :)

Progress indeed! Lol!

-day 208/209

P.S. The haircut really fits her! Swear! I like it! :)

40,000 visitors!

10,000 visitors 

20,000 visitors

30,000 visitors 

and now 40,000 visitors in 8 months!!!!

credit

40,000 page views, in 8 months! 

Wow!

I started this blog last December 12, 2011 and just decided to write everyday for 365 days. 

It's some kind of an adventure and am loving it!

Thank you for joining me in this journey!

Happiness! :))

-day 207

Playing Chess!

I once asked my hubby to answer an abstract IQ test. This was like after 3 years of being married. Guess what? He aced it!

Mmmm, I wouldn't say we have the best relationship ever.. we fight, more on I fight, Lol! Being the eldest, I see myself as a leader, even during school days. - and then MARRIAGE. That's a different ball game altogether!

I fight because I need to submit to his ways of doing things (which makes sense actually) but I'm just too stubborn to admit and to proud to bow down.

So we fight. But through the years, I guessed I've changed - which is good. Because now, I just appreciate God for him.

Coming here in the US with me and the kids means that he'd simply serve us.

Well, when we get our permanent residency then he'll be permitted to work. 

But until then, he's not legally allowed to work, so he works for us. 

He cleans the house, the toilet, the kitchen, the car;  he launders the clothes, hangs it dry, folds it too!; he sews ripped shirts, pants, pillows, makes car seat covers, bags, drapes and curtains; he fixes things, he creates from scratch, he drives, he arranges the living room, the bedroom; the clothes in the closet; the bags; he washes the dishes; cleans the oven; he recycles; he gardens; he sweeps falling leaves and shovels snow; he carries all the heavy bags and stuffs; he carries the water while we walk, lol!....

He's really too good to be true! but he is, well, he's got his moments and pet peeves too like we can't eat in the car nor in the living and bedroom and he doesn't like it if we are LATE for mass- among others! :) .. but mostly I think he's really one-of-a-kind. (Related post here Dennis, the Great and here Dennis and Gardening)

... and then he asked me to play CHESS with him.

I lost.

Grrrrrrr! 

-day 206

P.S. I cook, Lol!

Make it or Break it!

I guess this is a first for me to ever have this much of a backlog since starting my 365 day project! As in real hibernation!!!

We've only 7 days to go then we'll be back to work again.

I did enjoy my summer, still enjoying it! I was blessed to have taught summer class for 3 weeks, then off our family went to Socorro, New Mexico (3 hours away from Gallup, NM) for a Survey of Physics class; a weekend spent with friends in Farmington, NM; 10 day camping trip all over New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona; another week long stay at Socorro for the Computer class.

Needless to say, my color changed! Lol!    

Yes, we continue to walk every morning too! My husband, a friend and I would walk for like 45 minutes starting at around 8am and we would play volleyball at around 6pm until about 9pm!

My goal is to be able to run without panting! Lol! and hopefully join a marathon! Big dream! Lol!

For the mean time, what keeps me busy is cooking for the family hehe. Well, this is the 4th day now that we'd have baked muffins, cookies and ice candies. I've also tried some Filipino dish like tinola, embutido and well, some Mexican food, like burritos and fajitas.

This time, unlike before at this post Constant Fried, I now look at the refrigerator and can now decide what food to prepare than just frying it! Lol!

Just as I'm not scared of hitting the volleyball and aiming it to go to the other court is the NO FEAR on cooking experimentation! I'm now actually thinking of creating another blog site for it - just to remind me that I can always do the recipes again!

I'm also busy watching Make it or Break it in Netflix. It's a drama series (2009) about teen gymnasts who dreams and strives to be part of the Olympic games.

It was recommended by a friend so I watched it and it's interesting and I'm engrossed once more!

My goals though are to finish reading a book, and be done with all my blog backlogs!

Not sure how I'll be able to write 14 articles though. I guess I'll Make it or Break it! Lol!

-day  205

Accountables

After 5 days of blogging hibernation, here I am again!

I've been in the spaghetti-brain mode and, I think I still am, but fighting my mind off it!!!

It's just that there are plenty of things in my mind and I need to start doing something about it, to free the spaces they occupy!

Sometimes the "do-it-at-once-I-don't-have-patience-habit" will just get in to me and that hinders me from doing more!

Just like this week. Well, the good news is I started walking and played volleyball again! - I'm no longer afraid of the ball, and gained some confidence unlike before. Related post here Soccer, Volleyball and Badminton- Err- ERRORS!

Food and Cooking! Maybe it was the lessons learned from the camping trip I had this summer, (related post here No Rice Diet) I can now officially say, I'm learning! I can now cook. I look at the refrigerator and is excited to experiment. Not all fried foods anymore! Yay! Related post here Constant Fried!

The book Secret is placed in the comfort room. It is good to come out of it, learning something new. Just today, I read again, for the nth time, how I should be focusing on the things I want, rather that the opposite- and I will do just that! Related post here The Real SECRET.

I may enroll in an online class this fall semester too! More work, but best to just spend my time wisely, than spend time facebooking the whole night through! Lol!

8 more days and it's back to school. Back to office for me! I am excited to run in the loop again. Special Education forms, 3 schools, teachers, IEP compliance. It'll be all good this year! Related post here Believing is Seeing.

.. and I have plenty of backlogs 14 blogs I think! Good luck to me! 

-day 204