Sorry.

Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been uber busy at work because it's OPB time once again. (I think I've mentioned this so many times already!) Anyway, apart from that, there are also some developments in the home-front and in the career-front.

We just got a Nintendo Wii last weekend and we all woke up Monday morning feeling so sored from all the tennis and bowling and baseball that we played. It's a great feeling! Plus, I realized that I never gotten the chance to play bowling or tennis with my hubby until now. It's a wonderful bonding (and competitive) moment for us. :-) I would love to do it again and again (or until I win!!!). Hehehe.

At work, there's the annual individual performance review going on now. Many feel uneasy when rating time comes along. It can be exciting, crazy and sometimes humbling (plus frustrating). At any rate, I find it LIBERATING! ^"^

Will keep all posted!

Random Update

Hello there! I've been busy lately and never really get to do as many catch-up posts as I can. First, it's because work has been busy. What I do to cope is to maximize and enjoy my short lunch breaks to go to mass and do some research on Golf Platzreife for my friend who's dad is taking a trip to Germany soon. I looked up http://www.golfakademie.com/ and got envious to go to Germany too. Well, it's actually a longtime dream of mine to find the time (and the money) to go and visit our relatives there. There we can make a tour of the castles and roam around the stores, buying nice stuff at the local golfshop and do a roadtrip using GSP!

Anyway, let me stop daydreaming now and just share with you random personal updates.

As for Zoe, she already got accepted in the preschool near our place. She will be in the Senior Nursery class this June. We will to send her there for the meantime because we think that Zoe's still so small to travel a significant distance just to go to a big preschool. We decided to just transfer her to a big Catholic school in a couple of years and when she's a little bit older.

Anyway, this preschool is sort of an international school (they've got lots of foreigners as students). The teacher we talked to was very nice. Actually, this school was highly recommended to us our wedding godparents since their grandchildren are currently enrolled there. So now, we're in the process of completing the documents required and by next week would have made the reservation. Can't wait for Zoe to start "real" school! Yay!

As for baby Luigi, it's a bit sad that we're already mix-feeding him (almost 20% breast milk and 80% formula). Somehow, my body got tired of all the night-time feedings and the pumping in the office so my milk supply has significantly been reduced. I'm still hoping to revive my milk supply (give me all the malunggay in town please!!!) so wish me luck!

Around the house, our balikbayan relatives are still with us so we're trying to maintain the ideal set-up: healthy food and clean household. The house seems more alive now with my uncle and auntie helping out in taking care of the babies in the house. Zoe is very comfortable with having them around and I think that they adore Zoe and Luigi just the same.

That's it for now. More updates soon!

Pangarap Kong Jackpot

For the third time around, we again rented out our house to the producers from Channel 4. I think the show now will be called Pangarap Kong Jackpot (previously Count Your Blessings). The title's like that because this is a show funded mainly by PCSO ata. Anyway, the main characters for this week-long episode are Dimples Romana and Baron Geisler. Oh di va!

I actually stopped myself from asking for a photo with the artistas. Besides, I couldn't find the perfect timing. Anyway, just a short anecdote...I was watching them do a take from the living room and B.G. was holding a cig. I looked at him and when he saw me and greeted me with "Hello Ate". Hehehe. Then he saw the suman that we have in the kitchen and asked me if we have Muscovado (which we didn't coz I gave away the Muscovado that I bought directly from Bacolod to my boss). I said "No, sorry!" and he said "Ang sarap kasi ng itsura nung suman ninyo (pointing at the plateful of suman on the table)." Hahaha. Yun lang. :-)

Surprisingly, the crew packed up earlier than before for which I was super glad. :-) At least we needn't lose sleep because of the taping at home. :-) Anyway, we sometimes hear neighbors questioning our decision to allow these people to rent out our house for TV. They say that the money being paid to us is so small and it's not worth the disturbance and the probable-damage that the crew may cause. Well, for us, it's really no hassle. The TV crew are all very friendly. We even get to see artistas right in our very own living/bed room and get paid for it (enough to pay for our monthly electric bill). So why not? :-)

Christmas Get-together with Good Friends

Last Sunday, January 04, 2009, our family trooped all the way to Sta. Rosa, Laguna to attend the annual Christmas Party we have with our friends from way back. We got to know each other around 9-10 years ago when most of us were young, single and unattached. I was (still is) the youngest among the group and they all treated me like their young sister.

This group consists of Pat, Fred, Owi, Tin-tin, Gina, Stella, Teng and myself. The other people who used to tag along but are now out of touch are Mandy, Hector, Pin and Dave. I still remember when we would go on out of town pilgrimages (we still do actually) and summer outings with our families. Our last get-together was during Pat and Fred's daughter's birthday party. Prior to that, we celebrated Christmas at Owi and Tin-tin's brand new house in Merville.

When before we were mostly single, many of us now are happily married with kids of our own. Pat and Fred already have two kids while Owi and Tin have 1 cute boy who is almost as old as our very own Zoe. Stella and Gina are still both very much single. All of these friends of ours are highly successful in their jobs. They are that successful that I could include their names as reference persons when I do my Resume Writing.

Anyway, for this year, Pat and Fred hosted the Christmas Party at their newly-furnished home in Ayala Westgrove Heights. Their house is huge! Zoe enjoyed every single minute playing with the other kids. We also enjoyed all the interesting stories of what happened to each one during the past year.

One of the biggest news there is the decision of Pat to resign from her highly prestigious HR job in Ayala Group of Companies in order to be a full-time mother to her two kids, ages 7 and 4. She was fortunate enough to avail of a special retirement package that gave her a huge amount of money that can cover the full payment of their house/lot and their new car plus also buy her enough time to be just at home until she decides what she wants to do next. I think she's very lucky indeed!

Pat has climbed the corporate ladder in the field of HR for the past years. Prior to her resignation, she was a HR Business Partner already. So the moment that news leaked that she has decided to retire, many executive search companies already got in touch with her for possible hiring in some other big company. I am sure she has a very nicely written Professional Resume that can attract any good company. But she told us that even if many companies are now trying to get her, her priorities for now are her husband and children. So even if she has a fantastic Professional CV format to submit to her future employer, she prefers to take this time off first to de-stress and concentrate on settling down the kids in their new home and new school environment.

We really enjoyed our little get-together with them. On the way home, inspired by Pat, I told one of our friends, Gina, who hitched with us, to help me find job possibilities in her company. Her office is only in IBM Eastwood which is so near our house. I confided with her that if only I cut back on my travel time to go to work, then maybe I don't need to be so stressed with work that I want give up my career altogether. Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that something great will happen to my career this year.

Leaving you with a picture of our group:

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Have a blessed and fruitful Christmas everyone!

From the Pineda Family

America's Got a New President

I was busy looking up www.reportphonenumbers.com this morning before lunch because there is this particular number I wanted to check. You see, my friend has asked me to help her check out this number because it has been hounding their telephone since early last week. This was immediately before I browsed through news about Obama already winning the elections. This may be good news for some, bad news for some. Nevertheless, the fact is, with a new president, things don't change overnight. It would still take a whole nation to bring it out from the ruins.

My Cousin's Wedding

My favorite cousin Joefa (aka Net-net) got hitched to Edward last October 10, 2008 in Chicago. Too bad, we missed it! Anyway, best wishes and congratulations to you both! We love you!

Above: Nina, Net and Jay ~ You all look fab here girls!

Sad News.

I heard my mobile phone ringing at 1:00 a.m. earlier today and saw that my Dad was calling. I was kinda half-awake when I answered the phone and ended up wide-wake upon hearing him say that my Ninang's mother just passed away (after having a heart attack) a few minutes before that.

It's really sad to hear about this especially when we just saw "Inay" a few weeks ago when my Dad and Ninang brought her to our house to visit us. I even remember that we all had to help her out to get inside the house since she sports an artificial leg (yes, she lost her leg due to diabetes a few years back). We all tried to make her laugh so that she will not get scared going up to our house.

Now she now walks with God.

For the readers out there, kindly say a li'l prayer for Inay (her full name is Magdalena Perez). Thank you.

My Cousin's Getting Married!

It's now only a few weeks left before my favorite cousin Net will get married to her long-time boyfriend Edward. I wish you both congratulations and best wishes! We really want to be there with you to celebrate this special event of your lives but it's just not possible for us to fly to the US now.

Anyway, for my other cousins there in Wisconsin and Illinois, I had been wanting to tell them about this online help to Locate Wisconsin Sex Offenders. Knowing about this site would greatly help them be more aware and more careful in their surroundings.

US, Here They Come!

Just received the good news that my Tatay and Ninang finally went to their interview at the US embassy today and were approved to travel with 10-years multiple entry visas.

Isn't that great? I'm so happy for them, especially for my Dad.

Now, I guess we're next! I hope we get approved too. I'm still not so confident to apply since my major foreign travel was still when I was fully-dependent on my parents. Maybe we can try by mid next year. But first, on to our more important "family project" first. ;-)

Half Way Thru the Long Weekend

Well, it's Aug. 17 and we're already past half-way thru the long weekend. It's just been too busy around here to really be able to sleep more and rest more. Among other things, my mother in law has not been well and had to be confined in the cardiovascular unit in UST hospital. We're really praying very hard for her quick recovery. Help on prayers pls!

We also have an ongoing rummage sale at home till Monday. My two friends and I merged our goods together. All those shoes, bags and clothes which we used to drool over and use are now being let go and put away for a good cause. :-) Pics to follow!