The last few days have been B-U-S-Y! Last Tuesday, my parents-in-law arrived from Manila and we spent most of the day over at my sister-in-law's catching up with them. That night, my father-in-law wasn't feeling well so they rushed him to the hospital. It turns out he had a minor stroke. His blood pressure and sugar level were also very high so they decided he needed to be confined. The next day, all of my in-laws had to go to work or had their kids to bring to school and pick up, so I volunteered to stay with my father-in-law. My mother-in-law was with us but since she was suffering from jet-lag, she herself wasn't feeling too well. Luckily I have a lot of in-laws (Jojo has 3 sisters and two brothers who live here - and they are all married). So between the 12 of us, they were constantly dropping by and checking up on us throughout the day. Later that evening, it was almost like a party in my father-in-law's room with everyone there!
Today, I went back to stay with my father-in-law. I actually don't mind doing this. After so many months of taking care of my own dad, I feel pretty at ease with taking care of someone in the hospital. Of course, hospitals here and those back home are very different! And when I say "different" ... I mean "different"! But pretty much the procedures and terminology are the same. It was all too familiar to me somehow. After several tests, doctor visits, and therapy sessions, my father in-law was given the go ahead to check out. Luckily it was a very mild stroke and he can continue his recuperation at home. We are all very relieved that he is alright and there are no major side effects. Although of course he now has to completely change his lifestyle and start taking better care of himself. But that's another story!
As we were driving home from the hospital, my sister-in-law (Marik) calls me and tells me that my niece (MJ) is suffering from severe stomach pains. Her pre-school teacher called MJ's mom (Edel, another sister-in-law) and told her that they wanted to call 911 and have MJ sent to the hospital because she was in so much pain. MJ had curled up and was crying so hard. Since Edel does not drive, Marik and I went to pick up MJ from school. Afterwards Marik had to go back to work so I took MJ to their home. She was still in pain so Edel and I took her to the doctor. While at the doctor's, Marik calls me and asks if I can pick up my other niece and nephew from school. Marik can no longer leave from work because she left earlier to get MJ. So I leave Edel and MJ at the doctor's and pick up Meredith and Jeremy and drop them at my in-laws. Then I go back for Edel and MJ. I bring them back to their place then I go back to my in-laws since I couldn't leave them with 4 rowdy kids (my father-in-law just suffered from a stroke and my mother-in-law has jet-lag, was with my father-in-law all night at the hospital and has not slept in almost 48 hours). I make the kids some snacks and help them with homework before leaving for my own doctor's appointment. After that I have to go back to my in-laws since I forgot that my father-in-law's medication was still in my purse! Luckily he doesn't have to take them till before his bedtime.
Long story short, my father-in-law is much better. He just needs some physical therapy. My mother-in-law was able to get some sleep. MJ is okay (turns out she has stomach flu). All my in-laws are now home and their kids are now all safe and sound. I just got home and am T-I-R-E-D but luckily Jojo has called and said I don't need to make dinner since he's taking care of that for me. It's been a long day ... I am just glad that everyone is now okay =) Whew!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Fabulous Facials!
Today I had an appointment to get a facial. It was my first visit to the Natural Skin Care clinic in Torrance and my first time to meet Sunny. I was referred to her by my friend, Zuly. Anyway, I was early for my 12:30 appointment but Sunny graciously led me into a cozy waiting room. She told me to change into a robe and slippers. I found this strange since I was only there for a facial. After changing, she led me into a wide room with a very comfy looking bed (not the usual narrow cot in a dermatologist's office). This bed had fluffy pillows, crisp sheets and a down comforter. I got into bed and Sunny turned down the lights, closed the shades, played soft background music and lit scented candles. Then for the next hour she lathered a series of creams, oils and lotions on my face, neck, arms, back and legs. It was a pleasant surprise to get a massage along with my facial. She assured me that the oils and lotions were all natural and I would not have any allergic reactions. She described each one in her soothing voice. Things like aloe, seaweed, chamomile, etc. Each one had a different sensation. Some were cool and stimulating, others were warm and soothing, some were gritty (for exfoliating) and others were just mellow (to aid circulation). All of them smelled very clean and fresh.
After the massage, she turned on a machine that emits steam and directed it at my face. This was to soften my skin and open my pores. After about 5 minutes, she started the cleaning. She was extremely thorough. Like she had all the time in the world. She was very gentle though and I found myself to be thoroughly relaxed. After the cleaning, she brought a huge pot of boiling water with several herbs in it. The pot was placed infront of me and I was covered with a huge blanket. My body then started to absorb the vapors. It was kind of strange but I went along with it because I was feeling so relaxed and calm. After this she brought out super hot towels to wipe away the excess oils and sweat. Then super cold towels to close my pores. It was an extremely pleasurable experience.
After all this, she asked me if I wanted to take a nap. As much as I wanted to, I didn't feel that comfortable so I told her I would be going already. The whole thing took a little over 2 hours. After I got changed, she met me in the waiting area and told me she recommends I use more sunblock and moisturizers as my skin showed some sun damage and was also quite dry. She also recommends more regular facials since my pores are extremely clogged. Her bill was $90.00. I thought it was worth every penny. I totally felt relaxed and rejuvenated. It was a great experience. What was even better was she told me I could sign up for her "promo". If I paid for 10 sessions, she would only charge me $70.00 for each one. I thought that was a great deal. But I hesitated because I am in the process of looking for a job and have been "unemployed" and dependent on my husband for more than 18 months already! Haha. I don't want Jojo to think I am spending too much on "luxuries" when I am suppose to be job hunting! But I did tell him about my super good experience over dinner. And guess what? He was the one who suggested I should get the 10-session package. Am I married to the best guy in the world or what? =)
After the massage, she turned on a machine that emits steam and directed it at my face. This was to soften my skin and open my pores. After about 5 minutes, she started the cleaning. She was extremely thorough. Like she had all the time in the world. She was very gentle though and I found myself to be thoroughly relaxed. After the cleaning, she brought a huge pot of boiling water with several herbs in it. The pot was placed infront of me and I was covered with a huge blanket. My body then started to absorb the vapors. It was kind of strange but I went along with it because I was feeling so relaxed and calm. After this she brought out super hot towels to wipe away the excess oils and sweat. Then super cold towels to close my pores. It was an extremely pleasurable experience.
After all this, she asked me if I wanted to take a nap. As much as I wanted to, I didn't feel that comfortable so I told her I would be going already. The whole thing took a little over 2 hours. After I got changed, she met me in the waiting area and told me she recommends I use more sunblock and moisturizers as my skin showed some sun damage and was also quite dry. She also recommends more regular facials since my pores are extremely clogged. Her bill was $90.00. I thought it was worth every penny. I totally felt relaxed and rejuvenated. It was a great experience. What was even better was she told me I could sign up for her "promo". If I paid for 10 sessions, she would only charge me $70.00 for each one. I thought that was a great deal. But I hesitated because I am in the process of looking for a job and have been "unemployed" and dependent on my husband for more than 18 months already! Haha. I don't want Jojo to think I am spending too much on "luxuries" when I am suppose to be job hunting! But I did tell him about my super good experience over dinner. And guess what? He was the one who suggested I should get the 10-session package. Am I married to the best guy in the world or what? =)
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Lenten Sacrifice
Yesterday was the official start of the Lenten season. As Catholics, we are asked to observe some sacrifices during this season. I've been doing this for years. Typically it means abstaining from eating meat on all Fridays of lent, fasting on holy days (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday), Bisita Iglesia (visiting 7 churches during the holy week), and praying the stations of the cross during these visits. But this year, I want to do something more. Something a little bit more personal.
My mom always told us that a sacrifice means giving up something you really like. Otherwise, it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice to abstain from doing that something. But more than just giving up something for the sake of giving it up, it is also doing it with the intention of understanding what Christ has done for us as well as being aware of our limitations as humans. It's a tall order.
My sacrifice this year is to give up eating two things I really like. Rice and Pasta - in all shapes and forms. For those that know me well, you know how hard this is for me! Although it may be a little self-serving since I could stand to lose some weight and giving up carbs would really help. It does not take away from the fact that giving up my favorite things to eat for 40 days will be tough! Of course it's not a sacrifice that can change the world. But it is my little way of sharing in the spirit of Lent.
I've publicly committed to this sacrifice by posting it on my Facebook page and now on my blog. Making such an announcement is by no means a cry for attention but more an attempt to make my resolve just a little bit stronger =)
My mom always told us that a sacrifice means giving up something you really like. Otherwise, it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice to abstain from doing that something. But more than just giving up something for the sake of giving it up, it is also doing it with the intention of understanding what Christ has done for us as well as being aware of our limitations as humans. It's a tall order.
My sacrifice this year is to give up eating two things I really like. Rice and Pasta - in all shapes and forms. For those that know me well, you know how hard this is for me! Although it may be a little self-serving since I could stand to lose some weight and giving up carbs would really help. It does not take away from the fact that giving up my favorite things to eat for 40 days will be tough! Of course it's not a sacrifice that can change the world. But it is my little way of sharing in the spirit of Lent.
I've publicly committed to this sacrifice by posting it on my Facebook page and now on my blog. Making such an announcement is by no means a cry for attention but more an attempt to make my resolve just a little bit stronger =)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sigh
Finally my patience is paying off ... after days and weeks of applying for jobs and not hearing back, I was starting to doubt my self. But these last couple of days, there has been a lot of feedback. Of course, no real job offer yet, but there has been a pretty positive response. I have a couple of second interviews and a number of first interviews. Am even hearing back from companies that have been silent for so long, I've practically crossed them off my list. Finally, the job-front horizon is starting to look more promising. I am still keeping my fingers crossed but am staring to breathe a little bit easier now. Of course that means I have start weighing my options and consider what my next steps will be.
I guess what makes me sad these days is not having my dad around. When I used to have concerns about work and needed to bounce my thoughts off someone, he was the one I would call. Whenever I was faced with a professional dilemma and needed an objective ear to help me weight the pros and cons, he would be the one I would turn to. And whenever I needed help making tough decisions, well, it was his guidance that saw me through. Despite my dad's super busy schedule, he would always make time to talk to me, whether it was our scheduled weekly chats or even when I made surprise calls to his office. I have never called my dad and have him say "not now" or "call back later". He always had time (even if it was 5-10 minutes) to listen to me. I really miss that. I really miss him. Some days it's not so bad but today, I really, really wish he were here.
I guess what makes me sad these days is not having my dad around. When I used to have concerns about work and needed to bounce my thoughts off someone, he was the one I would call. Whenever I was faced with a professional dilemma and needed an objective ear to help me weight the pros and cons, he would be the one I would turn to. And whenever I needed help making tough decisions, well, it was his guidance that saw me through. Despite my dad's super busy schedule, he would always make time to talk to me, whether it was our scheduled weekly chats or even when I made surprise calls to his office. I have never called my dad and have him say "not now" or "call back later". He always had time (even if it was 5-10 minutes) to listen to me. I really miss that. I really miss him. Some days it's not so bad but today, I really, really wish he were here.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
All We Did was Eat!
This weekend ... all we did was eat! On Saturday, we celebrated Chinese New Year's Eve at our friend, Zuly's, place. She lives in a really nice gated complex and her home was so bright and spacious. Also, she was a wonderful host, making us feel at home right away.
For dinner, Zuly made a steamed fish with ginger and scallions. It's been a while since I've had this dish and it reminds me of the steamed fish we usually have at lauriats back home. I liked the home-cooked taste of the dish and could tell the fish was very fresh. Zuly also made a stir-fried bok-choy dish that went very well with the fish.
The crispy duck was delicious. I liked how it was still juicy inside but very crispy on the outside.
We also had a kung-pao chicken dish. It was also really good.
Here I am posing with Zuly our wonderful host and a marvelous cook!
Jojo is getting ready to dig in!
It was a great evening. We had good food and lots of good stories to tell. Thanks again to our super wonderful host! Next time dinner will be at our place and hopefully I can impress Zuly with some of my cooking too =)
Then on Sunday we celebrated Chinese New Year and Valentines Day with a potluck lunch, that turned into merienda, that turned into an early dinner at home.
Let me start with pictures of the food. We had sotanghon (glass noodles.
We also had another noodle dish (chow mein). I suppose having a lot of noodles is not a bad thing since it's suppose to bring you long life!
We also had a lot of "round" food which is supposed to be good luck. We had buchi filled with sweet red bean paste.
Siomai (pork dumplings) which is always a crowd favorite!
And hakaw (shrimp dumplings). We also had another shrimp dish this one with caramelized walnuts (but I didn't get to take a picture of it).
We had two kinds of siopao (meat buns). Some were filled with asado (barbecued pork) while others were filled with bola-bola (meatballs).
It was a surprisingly sunny day today and we got the chance to eat outside. This is one of the reasons why people love living in Southern California, while so many states are experiencing record snowfall, we are having outdoor parties in the middle of winter! Of course as the weather got cooler, we had to move back inside.
My nieces did several song and dance numbers. They are super duper entertaining to watch. All of them are extremely talented and none of them are shy!
Then more dancing in the garage where there is more space - this time with the adults too.
We ended the day by getting the whole group to pose for pictures by our front porch. This is no easy feat because we are a big group and there are a lot of kids running around. It's kind of like herding cats =) We did manage to take some good pictures ... but unfortunately not with my camera cause all I have are shots like this one.
For dinner, Zuly made a steamed fish with ginger and scallions. It's been a while since I've had this dish and it reminds me of the steamed fish we usually have at lauriats back home. I liked the home-cooked taste of the dish and could tell the fish was very fresh. Zuly also made a stir-fried bok-choy dish that went very well with the fish.
The crispy duck was delicious. I liked how it was still juicy inside but very crispy on the outside.
We also had a kung-pao chicken dish. It was also really good.
Here I am posing with Zuly our wonderful host and a marvelous cook!
Jojo is getting ready to dig in!
It was a great evening. We had good food and lots of good stories to tell. Thanks again to our super wonderful host! Next time dinner will be at our place and hopefully I can impress Zuly with some of my cooking too =)
Then on Sunday we celebrated Chinese New Year and Valentines Day with a potluck lunch, that turned into merienda, that turned into an early dinner at home.
Let me start with pictures of the food. We had sotanghon (glass noodles.
We also had another noodle dish (chow mein). I suppose having a lot of noodles is not a bad thing since it's suppose to bring you long life!
We also had a lot of "round" food which is supposed to be good luck. We had buchi filled with sweet red bean paste.
Siomai (pork dumplings) which is always a crowd favorite!
And hakaw (shrimp dumplings). We also had another shrimp dish this one with caramelized walnuts (but I didn't get to take a picture of it).
We had two kinds of siopao (meat buns). Some were filled with asado (barbecued pork) while others were filled with bola-bola (meatballs).
It was a surprisingly sunny day today and we got the chance to eat outside. This is one of the reasons why people love living in Southern California, while so many states are experiencing record snowfall, we are having outdoor parties in the middle of winter! Of course as the weather got cooler, we had to move back inside.
My nieces did several song and dance numbers. They are super duper entertaining to watch. All of them are extremely talented and none of them are shy!
Then more dancing in the garage where there is more space - this time with the adults too.
We ended the day by getting the whole group to pose for pictures by our front porch. This is no easy feat because we are a big group and there are a lot of kids running around. It's kind of like herding cats =) We did manage to take some good pictures ... but unfortunately not with my camera cause all I have are shots like this one.
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