Memorial Weekend & Orlando Bloom

photo credits: www.movies.yahoo.com 

After a fun filled Memorial Day weekend, DH and I decided to surprise the boys to “Pirates of the Caribbean (At World’s End)”. We bought the tickets as soon as we got home from Virginia Beach and told the boys that we are indeed watching the movie. They were elated! We were supposed to watch it on opening day but due to C’s asthma, we decided to wait until he feels better. Hence the trip to Virginia Beach where he can breathe in the salty air and play in the sand with his brother. DH of course went fishing.

Gone were the days when DH and I can watch whatever movies we wanted. Those were the good old days. When we were still dating, we watched almost all movies that came out. He’s into war movies and I’m into romantic comedies but we managed to compromise. And then we got married and then came the kids. Since then we can only watch in the movie theater when it’s a movie for everyone. Harry Potter, Pirates.., Wallace and Gromit, etc. Other than that, we just wait until it’s on DVD. And the boys also share their Dad’s love for war pictures. They can name all the aircraft, ammos, fighter planes, war vehicles and all that. Me? I just cross my fingers that they intersperse a love story amidst all the chaos.

We LOVED the movie and we’re glad the theatre wasn’t as packed. But that’s only because we bought tickets ahead of time and went in the theater about 30 minutes early. Even then seats were scarce but we managed to score 4 spaces beside each other. Others weren’t so lucky, they had to separate ways as the vacant seats were sporadic. There were a group of teenage girls swooning everytime Orlando Bloom appears onscreen (and I secretly swooned with them). On the way home, older son C remarked: “how come a lot of girls find Orlando Bloom attractive?” Me: “That’s ’cause he is”. C: “I don’t get it. Even the girls in school say he’s hot”. Me: “He is. And dreamy too”. C (rolling his eyes): “Mom!”

My Kids – on TV and Food

On TV:

When the kids were younger I didn’t let them watch regular TV shows. I was very careful with what they see on TV fearing negative influences. And so during their first 3 or 4 years they can only watch the Discovery channel, Sesame Street, Barney, Teletubbies and some other learning shows. We had a complete Walt Disney movie collection which started my eBay addiction then (more about my eBay addiction in another post). I bought tapes of ABC’s and Math and every learning shows I can get my hands on. I bought them learning books, encouraged them to doodle and write and draw and tinker on the computer with learning cd’s. I read to them all the time and syllabicated every word.  I think it all paid off because they were able to read early on and they are voracious readers. They’re very good artists too so I’m glad all those reams of paper didn’t go to waste. And then they went to school. They heard about these TV shows that they can’t relate to when other kids will talk about it. They watched these TV shows with commercials peddling everything from toys to sugary junk food. That’s when they started to be aware of these things. And so when we went to groceries they begged to have them because they want to know what it tastes like. Being the kind of Mom that I am (read:gullible), I bought them these food because I reasoned with my husband, you don’t want them to feel left out. DH disagreed but I eventually won (as I most often do). Then at least they were able to decide for themselves if they liked it or not. At least, I told DH, they won’t be wondering forever what it is and how it tastes like. Now that they’re bigger they watch regular shows but I would like to think the first few years made a difference.

On Food: 

My husband and I taught them to eat whatever’s on the table. Adobo, sinigang, pancit canton and pork chop are their most favorite foods next to mac and cheese. They also love sardines. On our recent trip to the Philippines, DH’s relatives laughed when they asked my son G what he wanted to eat and he said, matter-of-factly: “sardines is fine with me”. It was a hoot! To this day both of my boys eat rice with meat or fish. They love fish! Especially fried tilapia with soy sauce, onions and vinegar as “sawsawan”. And they know how to eat with their hands too! My older son C eats most of his food with Mang Tomas all-around sarsa. And speaking of Mang Tomas, one day when we went to the Filipino store he got all excited. “G, come here!” he called his brother. G came on the other aisle and I heard them both let out an audible sigh. I came round the corner, checking to see what caught their attention. There in front of the both of them were bottles and bottles of Mang Tomas. C (with eyes as big as golf balls): “Whoa! This is the most number of bottles of Mang Tomas I’ve ever seen in my entire life!”.  G (with mouth agape): “Yeah”.

Now if only I can get them to eat their veggies like purplegirl

It’s a Miracle!

My boys were practicing my 10 year old’s Romeo and Juliet play yesterday. It was interesting to see their dynamic. For a change they were not teasing each other or fighting. They were actually cooperating. Hallelujah! I feel like a miracle has occurred. Could it be? They were actually getting along for more than 5 minutes! I pretended to be reading something while the boys were doing their thing. Younger son G prodded his brother gently whenever he misses some words. Older son C doesn’t seem to mind whenever G does it. Normally C would be scolding G but yesterday he actually listened to his brother. Maybe C needs to appear in more plays. And then maybe I get my share of world peace. If only for a while.

Nine

The lifetime I have left
I open up to you
to tread upon
and travel through.

You pave the road
       I’ll follow
You build the bridge
       I’ll test it first.

Rod McKuen
Caught in the Quiet

Seventeen

Often I wonder

why we go on running

There are

so few things pretty

left in life to see.

Rod Mckuen

Caught in the Quiet

Music and Lyrics

photo credits: msnbc.msn.com 

People wait their whole lives to see an ex when things are going really good. it NEVER happens. You could make relationship history!
-Alex Fletcher

 A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. Sex. But then, as you get to know the person, that’s the lyrics. Their story. Who they are underneath. It’s the combination of the two that makes it magic.
-Alex Fletcher

I watched this the other night and it was okay. I had low expectations to start with because my sister said she didn’t like it. So I was pleasantly surprise when I liked it. Well, what’s not to like? I LOVE Drew Barrymore. She’s so adorable. She’s been through a lot in her childhood from her E.T. years as Gertie to being the poster girl for romantic comedies. I watched all her movies and she seems like a genuine person. Watch “My Date with Drew” and you’ll see. And Hugh Grant, sure he’s been involved with that scandal with a hooker who looks nothing like his then girlfriend Liz Hurley. But people in Hollywood do crazy stuff and still end up making movies. Anwyays, I love the british accent so it’s okay. LOVE the song “Way back to Love” too. I don’t know if I want to buy the whole soundtrack though, maybe just that song downloaded from iTunes. Loved Drew’s wardrobe! Well, except for the lace black dress. Too much lace for me.

I’m a sucker for romantic comedies. This one wasn’t particularly great but it was okay.

Season 3 Finale (episode 24)

 you do not get unlimited chances to have the things we want. And this I know. Nothing is worse than missing an opportunity that could change your life.

- Addison Montgomery

Cristina, I could promise to hold you, and to cherish you. I could promise to be there, in sickness and in health. I could say till death do us part. But I won’t. Those vows are for optimistic couples, the ones full of hope. I do not stand here on my wedding day optimistic or full of hope. I am not optimistic. I am not hopeful. I am sure. I am steady. I’m a heart man. Take ‘em apart, put ‘em back together, hold them in my hands. I am a heart man. So this, I am sure. You are my partner. My lover. My very best friend. My heart. MY HEART beats for you. And on this day, the day of our wedding, I promise you this. I promise you to lay my heart in the palm of your hands, I promise you, me.  – Preston Burke’s Wedding Vows to Cristina

Those were the most memorable quotes from the season finale of Grey’s. I’m not sure if I liked the episode or not. I feel like I am on the fence on this. For the past 2 seasons the cliffhanger would be whether or not Meredith and Derek will get together. For this season finale though, all the characters are on the brink of something. So much drama, and way more twists than I can handle at this point. I’m glad it’ll be reruns for a while. Maybe then everything will sink in. For now, it’s a little overwheming how the characters are going in different directions. Who will come back, who’s going to stay? Who’s going to be together? Who’s going to hook up? I’ll write more as I watch the re-runs for the next few weeks. Then and only then will I be able to decide whether or not it makes sense or if I liked it or not.

Girlfriends

I had lunch yesterday with 2 of my friends. We go out as much as our schedule permits, which is about once every two months. Other than that we see each other at the gym. Since I don’t go as much as they do, I see them two times a week at the most. I know, I’m bad. Sometimes I feel like the money goes to waste but I have a lot of excuses really, believe me!

Anywho, yesterday we opted to eat somewhere close as D had an appointment later in the day. We went to the Thai restaurant nearby. Meeting time was at 12 noon. I was late because I had to circle the parking lot 3 times before finally getting a spot. When I came in, they were both having drinks and a salad. We proceeded to order and C was showing D a catalog of short hairstyles. She also brought along a scrapbook that her DIL gave her for Mother’s Day showing her evolving hairstyles throughout the years.

BTW, D is French and we used to work together. She’s basically my work-out buddy. She never fails to call me on my cel whenever I don’t show up at the gym. She’s petite and in great shape. She’s the wine connoiseur and being French, finds American food bland. C, on the other hand is a former senator’s ex-wife. She’s the typical All-American girl with ash blond hair. She’s very pretty and she does so much stuff and involved with almost everything there is, she makes me and D look bad. She’s a college professor, volunteers for the food bank, reads to the blind, belongs to book clubs, well you get the picture. Last Fall she went to Maine for 6 weeks just so she can take pictures and spend some time alone. The things these two women have in common is that they’re both divorcees. And me? The thing that we all have in common is that we work out in the same gym and we’re all mothers.  D and I used to work together so we know each other. When we saw C, we decided to invite her to lunch and that’s where it all started. Oh and it’s not just working out where we have stuff in common. We all love to read and we’re all opinionated. We talk about politics, the war, current events, motherhood and a lot more stuff. All of our lunches are packed with a lot of discussion and exchanging of ideas. Being the younger of the 2 women though sometimes I feel juvenile especially when they discuss opera and a lot more stuff you can only gain through years of experience. They don’t make me feel inferior at all and I appreciate that. We all just genuinely like each other. Sure we disagree on a lot of stuff but we somehow manage to debate, argue and shout at each other and still end of being friends.

Moms need this. A little alone time when we get together with other people. This is one of the things I look forward to – my lunchdates with my friends. DH is happy too and makes it a point to ask how my lunchdate went and what we ate. Gotta love him for that.

D is going to France for the summer and C is going to South Dakota. I complained that I will be left alone but they reminded me that I’ll be in Florida. Right. They get to jetset to exotic locales where they can sip wine in patios, get to hike or do whatever they do in South Dakota and I will babysit my nieces and the 2 boys in Florida. LOL