fall boots

We're flying back to Minneapolis in a couple of hours. Just checked the weather forecast and temperatures are down to the 60s. It's official, summer is over! One of the very few things that's got me excited about the change in season is the excuse to get some new boots. I'm very optimistic about my chances of getting the right pair what with stacked heels and rubber soles being in fashion this fall. As you know, comfort and practicality are key considerations when you have a toddler in tow (all the time). Here are a few pairs that I've been lusting over.





I'm really embracing the utilitarian style. It's the look best suited for active, hands-on moms like me. I know these booties will go well with the pieces in my closet; cargos, boyfriend pants and skinny jeans.

What do you think?

latest obsession

You want to know what I've been obsessing over lately? Halloween costumes! Aren't these just the cutest?

photos courtesy of marthastewart.com

weekend in dallas

Hi y'all! How was your weekend? Ours was spent getting to know Dallas. We started with a visit to the Dallas Museum of Art. Lucky for us it was Museum District Day last Saturday so admission was free! After spending time appreciating art, we drove to Galleria Dallas, the so-called fashion epicenter of the Southwest. It was impressive but I was not in awe as it looked very much the same as the high-end fashion malls you would find in Bangkok or Singapore. For dinner, we tried Blue Mesa Grill for some Southwestern cuisine which proved to be a good choice. As it turns out, Blue Mesa is one of the top 5 Southwestern Restaurants in the DFW Zagat survey. We capped the night with some gelato from Paciugo, a quaint cafe down the street from Blue Mesa. I wasn't really planning on having any dessert after chowing down a plate of Mixed Grill Churrascaritas but the gelato display was just too enticing to resist.

at the kid's room of the Dallas Art Museum

I got myself a small cup with Amaretto Chocolate Chip, Mediterranean Sea Salt Caramel and Pistachio

Sunday afternoon was spent at the Texas State Fair sampling all sorts of Texas-style food. We were surprised at how they can deep fry any kind of food, even drinks!

fried food paradise

enjoying every bite of the Fried Peanut Butter and Jelly and Banana Sandwich

Have a great week everyone!

nothing plain about being a housewife

One of my very best friends just updated me that she might be joining the workforce again after 3 years of being a stay at home mom. It got me thinking whether or not I would like to go back to work when the opportunity comes. It has been 4 years since I left the corporate world in exchange for a life of domesticated bliss, motherhood and travel.

When I was still single and working I thought that work was my life. I didn’t have any real hobbies other than shopping and eating out. I let my work define who I was. Until the time came when I had to make a decision to leave my job and travel with P to where his work took him. It was quite an adjustment at first. It took me a while to realize that life would be as plain or extraordinary as I make it to be.

My mom would always worry about me being in a foreign country with no family (except for P), no job, and no friends. She also worries that I might become a dull person because I was just a housewife. On the contrary, becoming a housewife opened my eyes to endless possibilities and helped me discover my different passions.

I shed my insecurities and go out of my way to make friends with women of different race and age. I dabble in arts and crafts. I devour books one after another. I attempt to create gastronomic delights in the kitchen. I have been keeping an active lifestyle. At one point, I tried my hand at teaching and writing as a part-time job. I immerse myself in the local culture of every city we live in.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t need to have a full-time corporate job to feel good about myself and have a sense of accomplishment. I already have a great sense of self worth just from making the most of the situation I am in. Maybe when the right opportunity comes then I will consider but for now I am just grateful for my charmed life.

transient life

We’ve been living a transient lifestyle again but this time around with a toddler in tow.

The week after we got back from Dallas, we packed our bags again for a road trip to Chicago to visit my MIL who just flew in from Manila to stay with my SIL. Thankfully the 14-hour roundtrip drive was as comfortable and relaxed as it could possibly be! I would even go as far as saying that I would choose a long drive over a plane ride any day (except of course if we were going home to Manila). Our strategy, time the first leg of the drive with the little boy’s nap so we could cover a long distance without having to worry about entertaining him.

We spent a couple of days with my SIL to catch up and let the kids do some quality bonding. It was my first time in Chicago and so we spent a whole afternoon to see and experience the city on foot. By the end of the day we were all convinced that we walked the distance of a half marathon only to find out that we just covered 8kms! So much for justifying buying a Chicago Dog at every stand we passed by.

Nana with the little ones

Chicago cityscape

The Cloud Gate better known as "the bean"

Bud was in awe with everything his big cousin was doing

It would have been great if we could have stayed in Chicago longer but we had to head home in time for P's flight back to Dallas. Bud and I stayed behind in Minnesota so Bud could catch up on his play classes and weekly home visits from his teachers.

I was a single parent for 4 whole days. It was not as tough as I thought it would be. My days were spent creating stimulating activities for the little boy, making arrangements for our upcoming Las Vegas vacation (to celebrate my upcoming birthday and our 4^th wedding anniversary), preparing documents for our visa extension, and trying to accomplish a whole long list of to-dos. The week went by so fast, before I knew it P was back home and I was packing again for our trip back to Dallas. Here I am now, typing away from our hotel room.

Mommy's little helper off to the mailbox to collect our mail

Little helper got tired and rode in the cart on the way back

That about sums up what I’ve been up to the last couple of weeks that I’ve been out of touch.

Dynamite

Driving to our doctor's appointment this morning, this song greeted me when I turned on the radio. It really put me in a chirpy mood despite only having 6 hours of sleep and a long day ahead.

I know it's a bit outdated but, hey, it made me wanna dance, dance, dance, dance!

Hope everyone is having a dynamite day!

home improvement wish list

Since I'm still hung over from all the shopping we've done this weekend, allow me to share with you some of the items on my wish list that I would love to have in our home....

to organize toys, books and gadgets in our living room

woven utility baskets from pottery barn

to hang on our bare white wall

bullfinch bird vintage print from etsy

to add some character to our couch

vintage french linen pillow covers from restoration hardware

for our entryway

heirloom chest console from restoration hardware

weekend highlights

Last Saturday, while we were shopping at Marshall's, I was looking at a box of rice cracker trail mix and Bud kept signing that he wanted to eat it. I was surprised at how excited he was when I finally opened the pack and gave him some. Happy snacking baby = more shopping time for mommy, yipee!

busy reading and snacking while mom and dad were shopping

Sunday afternoon we attended P's office family day/sportsfest. While the daddies were playing sports, the kids were busy playing and snacking at the playground. I don't let Bud eat chips and cookies at home but that day was an exception. He saw the big kids eating chips and was asking them for some so I just let him eat. I believe it's better that he try some now rather than depriving him and run the risk of him binging on junk food when he's older. I know some moms will be raising their eyebrows at me. Hey, I'm an advocate of the saying everything in moderation.

the kids' insatiable appetites were unbelievable!

P and his team won best overall and brought home the gold medals by the way.

mommy's little champ

Today, we started the day planning to go to the last day of the Minnesota State Fair but because of the lousy weather we decided to just head over to the outlet mall and join in on the Labor Day Sale shopping madness. My favorite purchase of the day was a pair of olive green skinny cargo pants from Charlotte Russe. I won't deny that I have succumbed to the latest fall fashion trend. The pair I got was really comfortable, flattering and dirt cheap! I can imagine wearing it long and slouchy at the ankle or i can fold it and sport it cropped. I know P will think it's silly to post a photo of my pants but I couldn't find an available image online so here it is.


Long weekend is over.... back to regular programming tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a great start of the week!

on being a SAHM

We're home! My self-proclaimed vacation is over. I was relieved to see that our house was still in one piece when we got back except for a few dead wasps along our sliding door and on kitchen floor. I wonder how they died. From starvation, maybe? The exterminator is coming next week to check where they came from. I haven't mentioned this yet but one of the downsides of living in the suburbs and being close to nature is having to live with all sorts of insects and spiders.

So, I'm back to doing chores and running errands. Not that I'm complaining, it's the opposite actually. I very much enjoy cleaning and doing the laundry. Cooking, though, is another question. It's not really my strong suit so P does most of the cooking around here. The few successful dishes I whipped up are well documented in this blog, haha!

My family and friends back home are asking how I'm able to manage doing everything without a nanny or cleaning lady. I know the idea of running a household and taking care of a kid without help is overwhelming (for us Pinoys, at least) but with practice it gets easy. My strategy is to create a routine and stick to the schedule. Establishing regular nap times and sleep time for the little one are especially important. We plan everything around Bud's sleep schedules. Remember, a well-rested toddler is a happy toddler; no whining, no worries.


The thing with planning around Bud's sleep schedule though is that I miss out on a lot of get-togethers and other night-time social activities. Just like tonight, while P and our other friends are dining and drinking at a wedding reception, I'm here at home blogging. Since Bud is still recovering from his ear infection, we didn't want to disrupt his sleep schedule by bringing him to the party.

Despite the sacrifices, I am grateful that I can afford to be a SAHM. I love that I get to witness all of Bud's "firsts". I'm savoring every minute of being his best gal in his (small) world.