So I'm turning a year older in less than 24 hours.
Blessed.
Grateful.
Excited.
Are the words that can aptly describe the feelings of turning 36.
I got inspired here and hope to live it. Soon.
Happy Birthday to me.

The hands that painted these were little ones way back.

In fact they used to wiggle inside me.

Now they have grown and would soon be same sizes as mine.

How time flies...

And yes, one canvass is a reused material. That's a bonus, right?

It is not easy - to love others as myself. This means not less than and not more than, but as.

If I cannot even fully love myself, how can that love trickle to others?

Grace.

That is the saving grace.

Hope to be back.

I have not blogged for ten million years.
Busy is the four-letter word that can always be reasoned, so let it be.

So here are some pics from my little Picassos first attempt on canvas! Team effort from my three girls.
If this sells millions years from now... that would be the day!

I bake at home.
Most of the time I sell what I bake.
Small time earning but it makes me do what I love to do.
Guess how it brings out my kids' creative juices?
See the pics?
My kids looovvvee to do arts.

Just a quarter kilo of meat sauteed in garlic and onions then the vegetables (string beans and squash) came next, our family of 5 had two meals with this healthy and frugal recipe. After a cup of water, a dash of salt with pepper, few minutes of boiling in freshly-squeezed coconut milk...

Voila! Fresh, inexpensive food on our table.

Lesson number 1. It's always enough. It's the "want" that's never enough.

Since I took my one year leave of absence from work, our income dwindled. Worse, the business my husband has been into since 2007, has not taken off that well. To put it simply: the income can put food on our table but never sufficient to send our kids to school. To make matters complicated, my blogging earning was slapped tremendously . Good thing my family/siblings always trickle down their blessings to us. However grateful, we know we have to work and really earn on our own because dependency is not an option.

Meticulous menu planning, basic goods buying, no impulse buys, our car never used, very rare eat-outs, all fancy things buying gone - we are still alive!!

Simple living can be done. It's difficult but it can be done. Doubly painful when I hear my kids comment: "why can't we be like this or buy this or get this?" There are however, explanations to everything. The trade of the simplicity: they all eat vegetables now, the older kids were never sick the entire year and they seldom ask for anything fancy. They know they won't be succesful, that's why.

Simple life is difficult in this material-driven world. Others will always have better life compared to ours, but isn't that a fact of life? Now, I always ask myself: is it a need or a want?
Hopefully, I will be better in money management later. That is one lesson I was taught by our situation.
More details to follow.

I was the photographer of these people who matter most. Love this.

Poised to receive another new year, I have been into a lot of introspection. Deep thoughts scoured my usual passive state. This is quite off-track because I have never been into this reflective mode before. Is this a sign of mid-life crisis? Or is it for the reason that I am leveling-up in life learning? Whatever, it was a never a walk in the park. But hey, nothing worth having is ever easy to attain, right?

Looking back the past year, I just learned the one of the greatest theories in Physics - for real, on my face kind of deal, that is: for every action there is an equal or opposite reaction. Translated: decisions I make affect other decisions thereafter - good or bad.

Seriously, it was a year of uncertainties and "standing still". Except for my kids' tremendous growth -physically and in wisdom, the year that passed was unexplainable beyond words or belief. I felt I was always walking on eggshells, on tiptoes...hands up and going to unknown destination blindfolded! It may sound hilarious to some or illogical to many, but I have no idea how our family carried it through. 2008 passed by, with so much that happened that can be summed up as tremendous, humongous life-changing lessons.

Watch out for the details.

photo from: scienceportal-one.org

Kcee, thanks! She tagged me with this fun meme. It lets you get to know the person who tagged you more, and you get to share something about yourself as well.

1. Have you ever been on TV?
Yes, locally though.

2. Have you ever sung in public?
Nooo. Would you like tsunamis to come ashore? Not singing please....
3. Have you ever dyed your hair blond?
Nah. I am mighty proud to be Asian - and with long black hair.

4. Have you ever eaten frogs' legs?
Yes. I have eaten twice. Once was in the Exotik Resto in Laguna. Tasted like chicken.

5. Have you ever received a present that you really hated?
No, i love opening gifts.

6. Have you ever walked into a lamp post?
Not yet!

7. Have you ever cooked a meal by yourself for more than 15 people?
Yes, I have cooked for a party!

8. Have you ever fallen or stumbled in front of others?
Yes. More than twice, i guess.

9. Have you ever done volunteer work?
Definitely. Reading to indigent children and visiting orphanages to give away gifts, working for a non-profit with many outreaches for twelve years.

Arlene and Rose, will you be willing to do this fun meme?