The 3D's

No. This is not about 3D as in three-dimensional thingies.

I have decided to write about my own 3 D's, which I am experiencing while on vacation.

Dilemma

I suppose, being a mom and a wife requires so much: time, energy, wits and luck (anything you can add?). Anyway, here are the things that keep on nagging me about my first D:

1. My cooking skills is being challenged. Staying at home also means being responsible for the meals of the day. I really don't care about my breakfast (which I usually skip) or lunch. I am not too picky when I'm at home because I am naturally-born lazzzzzzzzy (I just felt the need to emphasize it with too much Z's). I usually eat what was left behind from the other night or just pop out some instant noodles. So the thing is, dinner is always a dilemma to me. I know I can cook but I'm losing the creativity in cooking. What I mean is, I can't think of any fresh idea to cook for dinner. It's always giving me a headache. I have searched the internet and the more it gives me options that are not viable due to limited variety of veggies and meat available here. I'm not sure if this is just me, making this whole thing as a pain to my own neck.
2. Having a nanny is good even while I'm on vacation because it gives me time to be all by myself. Some times I do what a good mom does when she's at home: taking care of her child. But this makes me think that the nanny is paid on full salary while I AM DOING HER JOB.  So I give her the full task on her hands: changing nappies, feeding, sleeping, playing, bathing etc. I, on the other hand, have the time of my life watching Glee marathons and Survivor Philippines re-runs. And that makes me feel GUILTY. I know that the presence of the nanny is of no-excuse because being a mom needs no day-off. I just realized that I need some time-outs just to reflect, refresh and re-energize. And that's the time my nanny comes in to help me out with KA.
3. I am super glad that hubby got a job and right now, he's really busy with work, work, work. But so much things have changed since he got the job. He works in Dubai, which is the neighboring emirate of our residence, Sharjah. Ideally, going to the other emirates takes only 15-20 minutes of your time. But since traffic jams have become a normal day-to-day thing on weekdays, travel time is up to 45 minutes, at the least. And that's just in the morning. Come evening time, traffic is heavier even until 11pm. I myself travel for one hour and 15 minutes, at the least, during the evening when going home from work. And here's the dilemma, hubby stays at the office until 9pm and gets home by around 10pm or past that. For hubby, this means less time for me and KA. Plus, he takes home some work too! By the time we are down at 12, we even haven't talked that much about our plans of moving out in a new flat. And this takes me to my fourth dilemma.
4. We can't move out until January. I just knew it! I know that one of the reasons why this is not pushing through is because of the lack of planning and communication in our small family. I plan all the time. As in, with most of my spare time, I keep a file of our budgets, expenses and income. I am an accountant and I just can't help being one even in our domestic premises. Hubby is also an accountant but he's a guy and I do understand that he's not into this kind of things, budgeting and all those things. I have to admit it. I do get disappointed in him sometimes because of his lack of interest. Whenever I bring out the subject of moving out, he'll always tell me that we are not yet ready financially. When I give him the option that we can take a bank loan, he'll tell me that with the loan money, instead of getting our own place, why not use it to partially pay out our property (which was purchased through the financing of a bank back home in the Philippines). And now, he's telling me that if I am really keen in moving out to a new place, why not search a cheap one in Dubai, and that is just impossible. Did I say that a 1-bedroom flat in Dubai will cost us at least forty grand in one year? Fact: A one-bedroom flat here in Sharjah will only cost us around twenty-five grand.

Disaster

I hope that my litany doesn't turn you off in reading my blog. This is just my second D but I'll keep it short and simple. Haha.

1. In the duration of my vacation, there were already two instances where dinner was a big DISASTER. The first one, if I remember it right, was about something I cooked which was matabang (means bland). Hubby and I have different taste buds and it freaks me out sometimes because when I cook the meal of the day, it tastes so salty for me already. But when hubby comes to taste it, it's still bland. What to do? The second one was when I bought some frozen tilapia. I was so excited in preparing it grilled-stuffed-style. I have minced onions, bell peppers and tomatoes and mixed them all up with soy sauce, some oyster sauce, pepper and salt. I stuffed them laboriously inside the tilapia bellies and fried them. The smell was just really nice and I thought that dinner will be a perfect one. Dinner time came and hubby got the taste of my masterpiece. I just can't forget the fact that he just tasted it once or twice, then never again. Hubby's Reason: frozen tilapia doesn't taste as good as the fresh ones. I gave the rest of the disaster-pieces (there were 3 tilapias) to our flatmates. I did not eat one because it just hurt me big time. (By the way, while I'm writing this, hubby gets a glimpse of this and he's just laughing it out. It's okay. That was already behind us. Although now, I really get anxious with what I am cooking for the next dinner meals since that last event gave me a phobia in cooking. Thanks for losing my confidence.)

 Delight

Oh, how I long to be on this subject since my headstart gave me a flashback of the not-so-good things in my life. But this third D is just as simple and short because that's just how I relish the delight I have in them.

1. I did say that having a nanny while I am on vacation is a good thing. That delights me, a lot! Else, I won't be able to handle KA all on my own. Who will do the laundry, the dishes, the cooking? The nanny just takes care of KA and that's it. I'm afraid that if I ask her to do all the above, she'll ask for an increment. And I just can't.
2. Glee marathons. I just love Glee. I enjoy the singing and all the drama behind it. I'm a frustrated singer but I love music. I need Glee to update me with my interests in life which is music. Ever since I have come in this country, got a job, got pregnant and gave birth, I have had no extra time to update our songlist in our laptop. Did you know that I don't even have an MP3? I know that Glee may not update me with all the music trends going on around the globe but it's enough for me now.
3. Survivor Philippines Celebrity Showdown. I'm rooting for Aubrey Miles because I think that she plays it well. When I can't watch the live telecast through this site or this site, I look for the uploaded ones and watch them on my time-outs with KA.
4. And lastly, but certainly not the least, what most delights me is spending time with KA. He has grown taller and heavier but I still carry him when I lull him to sleep. It's hardwork but I just take it as a regular exercise: dancing him in my arms till he falls asleep. It's bliss when I look on his face, innocently beautiful in his slumber.

Ooopppssss! It's past 1am already. I'm still wide awake. So is KA. Hubby is already sleepy and we still need to wake up early for KA's Friday morning walk in the park. Wish us goodluck there.

Happy weekend everyone!

The Good and The Bad

The Good: Officially, it's my first day of my 2-week vacation. Actually, it already started last Friday, which is the first day of the weekend.

The Bad: I did not have enough sleep, which is explained below. I forgot to wash my face this morning and apply that Rejuvinating Day Cream. Horrible, right? Another horrible thing is having more prominent dark circles around my eyes. I'm officially a zombie.

The Good: It's actually really really nice spending time with KA, even if he was a bit more cranky than usual, a bit more cry-baby than usual, a bit more clingy than usual. He's sick and he needs constant assurance that someone is always out there to comfort him, love him and give him kisses. If I am not on vacation, I am not so sure if I can take an absence of work. That would certainly break my heart. So this is a good thing. Am I being redundant? Haha.

The Bad: Our KA is not feeling well. He's having colds. For the duration of the night, KA and I were like zombies, we both feel very sleepy, and yet, we can't. I spent the night carrying him in my arms, lulling him to sleep, sitting him and myself in a lounge chair (to prevent me from knocking myself out while standing). So all is okay for the next five minutes when suddenly, KA would burst into tears plus some loud howling because he realizes that we are sitting and NOT standing. HE JUST KNOWS even without opening an eyelid. We ended up sleeping for just two hours, tops!

The Good: The babysitter arrived to help me out with KA. I decided that even if I am on my vacation, the babysitter stays regularly during the day. For one, KA has grown so much that my frail little body won't be able to sustain carrying his weight all the time or controlling him when I wash him when he's pooped. Well, a lot of mommies might frown upon this. You see, I've tried doing these things alone when hubby is at work on Saturdays (which is also the sitter's off). And if I remember it too well, it was a total chaos when KA pooped. I was wiping away the slimy smelly creamy thing on his behind and KA doesn't mind what I'm doing because even if I give him all his toys or anything that can entertain him, he would still turn on his side, right or left, then tries to crawl out away from me. Good thing that we do it on the floor, else, if he's on a changing table, he must have fell. Anyways, so he crawls away from me and there, the poop stains his shirt, the floor, the changing mat, his toys. And the worst thing has to come when we are on the tub to clean and wash because we ended up all wet. So really, the babysitter and I will be helping hand in hand in taking care of KA.

The Bad: Tonight might be a repeat of last night. Not having enough sleep and KA being cranky because his nose are clogged. Goodluck for tonight!

The Good: Of course, I'd like to end this with something that made me smile. Here's a picture of KA last Saturday when he woke up from his afternoon nap (just before the onset of his colds). He's just adorably cute.

The Halloween Party Pictures

Here's a glimpse of what happened at the office.

Lots of interesting costumes.

Thanks Florence for the pictures!

Oh no! All the pizzas gone?!

The Treats (at the reception area)

One of the witches

The Office?






Lots of people at the poolroom



Of course, I need someone to take a picture of me as souvenir.
Sorry for the hair. It's just baaaaddd!

 



What's Happening on the 31st of October?

It’s the last day of the month.

And unlike in the Philippines, this side of the world is more concerned with Halloween parties and Trick or Treats than on remembering our loved ones who had gone to heaven. Well, I’m not even sure if they’ve got cemeteries here coz if there are, I wouldn’t know where. Maybe out on the desert?

Here in the Middle East, I think that Halloween is really not a national or regional festivity not like in Europe or in the US. But since most of the population is of expatriates, through the years, some companies, families and communities have also started to partake on the celebration.

Last weekend, we went to Spinneys to buy some stuff. Even at supermarkets, the festivity is very obvious. On the veggie stands, you can see the different sizes of pumpkins and also different textures and shapes, made into Jack-o’-lantern. I even saw this odd-looking pumpkin with so many bumps and lumps on its skin. It’s already “kadiri” (yucky) just looking at it.

Anyway, here in the office, the media division of the company will have a “pizza lunch party” later in the afternoon PLUS a costume party. Of course, no one will dare to let themselves look stupid with scary Halloween costumes unless there’s a prize. A top management official is giving away cash prizes for those brave enough to shame themselves. Even I can’t wait to see them. A colleague sitting next to me is wearing an all-black ensemble. She showed us this morning her tall witchy-pointy hat which she’ll put on later. She told us she wants to look scary but “No”, we told her, “you look cute”.

Most of the accounts/finance people are not participating since this is a really busy month-end-closing-week. I haven’t seen the other guys and gals on the other side of the building (also part of the media division) but I hope there will be lots to see of them (costumes).

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In the Philippines, I remember visiting our departed loved ones on this day, as we try to avoid the crowd and the horrendous traffic on the day itself (November 1). Now this reminds me to light our candles tomorrow evening. Plus a little prayer for their souls.

How about you? How do you remember your departed loved ones?

Happy Halloween!



Jack-o'-lantern [Source]

Pick Your Price (Tag)

Most moms like me, who are busy with work, baby and household chores, often ignore tag prices when shopping for groceries. Especially if at the expense of comfort. Like preferring to shop at Spinneys which is just some thirty meters away compared to Carrefour which is a cab and a ten-dirham-drive away from our home.

For instance, I buy baby milk every one or two weeks. We usually go to Carrefour which has cheaper commodities but there are times when we forgot that our supply has gone and that Spinneys is the next best thing. I would say that a big difference is coming out when buying at Spinneys. Promil Gold is higher by 5 dirhams compared to Carrefour, which is quite a lot.

This morning I saw in the Xpress online news feature about a survey held on top supermarkets in the UAE.

Six supermarkets were compared: Carrefour, Lulu Hypermarket, Geant, Hyperpanda, Spinneys and Choithrams. And in that order, the first one is of course the cheapest on most products of groceries, fruits, vegetables, dairy, toiletries, cleaning agents and other common household items. [Source: Xpress Gulfnews]

What really surprised me is, I never thought that Choithrams will come out as the most expensive one, because we also do some of our shopping there. It’s a block farther than Spinneys in King Faisal Road. Hubby would sometimes prefer shopping at Choithrams since some grocery items are cheaper than in Spinneys. I like Spinneys better because of the ambiance and the fresh fruits and veggies and it’s nearer (blame it on the tired feet), although I do admit that the price tags are almost the priciest. But if you ask me and hubby for what we will vote for as the best, it would be Carrefour. There is a very wide variety including books, electronics, household equipments, clothes. It’s like a mini-mall inside the mall. And they always go on sale.

I haven’t gone to Lulu, Geant or Hyperpanda but I’ve heard mixed reviews from my friends and officemates.

And thanks to the survey. I should put it into good use so I can save more.

Weekend is just a few hours away on this side of the world.

Happy weekend!

Juana Change - RH Bill: WHICH SIDE ARE YOU?

PRAYER FOR FAMILY

Heavenly Father, most Gracious, and Loving God, I pray to you that you abundantly bless my family and me. I know that you recognize, that a family is more than just a mother, father, sister, brother, husband and wife, but all who believe and trust in You. And that the power of joined prayer by those who believe and trust in You is more powerful than anything. I thank You in advance for Your blessings.

Father God, deliver the person reading this right now from debt and debt's burdens. Release Your Godly wisdom that I may be a good steward over all that You have given me Father, for I know how wonderful and mighty You are and how if we just obey You and walk in Your Word and have the faith of a mustard seed that You will pour out blessings. I thank You now Lord for the recent blessings I have received and for the blessings yet to come because I know You are not done with me yet.

In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

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Thanks to Leni for this wonderful prayer she sent me yesterday.