Hello Kitty Surprise =)

June has been good for me so far. Why, I already received two unexpected hello kitty gifts! And yeah, no occasion! Just pure thoughtfulness from a cousin-in-law and a friend!

June 3, 2015. I was surprised when Pod handed this to me after he checked our mail box. The package is from his cousin Marjo (the sweetest Marjo!) who lives in California. She got this for me when she went to Hello Kitty Cafe. Grabe, sobrang touched ako! Would you believe that I haven't met her in person yet?

The shirt fits perfectly! I love it! Thanks so muchie, Marjo! You always send me nice stuff!

June 18, 2015. Just tonight, Ford went to our friend Joy's house for some embutido. Joy experimented with embutido and asked me if I want some. Syempre, sino ba naman ang tatanggi sa libreng chibog? Hahaha!

But ayan, aside from embutido, may hello kitty na pamprito pa! Awww, sobrang happy ako! Joy is so sweet, she remembered me raw when she saw this. Super thank you talaga!

Again, I am the type of person who always appreciates kindness. That's why I want to post every goodness that I (and my family) receive to show my gratitude.

Thankful for the friendship

I miss my girls and I am so excited to be reunited with them again next month. You see, we've been friends since college and up until now, we consider our group as our "primary barkada." If I am to describe us, we are like the SATC (Sex and the City) girls - always talking/discussing, always eating lol!

It was so hard leaving them. I was already 34 when I immigrated here in Canada. I was skeptic kung makakahanap pa ako ng magiging malalapit na kaibigan. I prepared myself for a 'friendless existence.' I have to content myself with Ford, I convinced myself.

And then these ladies came into my life.

Joy, Mylene, and Cecil

I've actually known Cecil since college, She's my bestfriend Raxie's best cousin. Raxie lived with them (Cecil's family) for so many years so we would occasionally see each other. I was really happy na dito rin siya sa Edmonton napadpad dahil din sa asawa niya.

Through Cecil, I met Mylene. Cecil and Mylene's family temporarily share an apartment (Mylene and Cecil's husband Bal are relatives) so I would always see her whenever we would drop by their house. Mylene is super nice, pero syempre nagkakahiyaan pa.

And then one time, Mylene and her husband invited us to their baby's 7th month birthday. That's when I met Joy. She and Mylene are mag-kumares. All their husbands work in the same company in Fort McMurray nga pala.

Of course, closeness is a process. It took several get-togethers before we became really comfortable with each other.

But for me, the start of my meaningful friendship with them started when they visited us at the hospital a day after I gave birth to Nathan. Noon ko talaga sila na-appreciate. Noon ko na-realize na hindi na ako "mag-isa" sa Edmonton, na may karamay na ako. Cecil was already 8 months pregnant that time and Mylene just got back from Pinas. Joy took time to bake a banana cake for me (because she promised to do so after I commented on her FB that I'd love to taste that cake kaso may gestational diabetes ako). It was cold and snowing, yet they visited us.

I was really thankful. When you are in an alienating hospital at kayong dalawa lang ng asawa mo ang nandoon (and tired and exhausted because of the new baby), mata-touch ka talaga kapag may dumalaw sa inyo. I don't easily forget other people's kindness to me. Maaalala ko siguro iyon habambuhay.

Hay, enough of the drama! My point for this blog is: MAMI-MISS KO ANG TATLONG ITO!

I know na medyo sad din sila because I'll be away for four and a half months. Ngayon kasi mas masayang magkainan, magpicnic at gumala-gala kasi summer. Pagbalik namin, "winter" na. Medyo ma-stuck na naman kami sa bahay because of snow.

Di bale na, marami pa namang summer na susunod. Plus we'd probably be stuck with each other for as long as we're here in Edmonton hahaha!

I don't think these three girls will ever read this post (my family and friends are oblivious of this blog haha!) but someday if they do, I want them to know that I will treasure our friendship. Salamat talaga kasi pinasaya nila ang stay ko dito sa Canada. =)

#Grateful

I will be going home in the Philippines next month and I am taking Nathan with me (Ford only has two weeks vacation so he'll just follow us in November).  But I am glad that we're be taking him back with us when we return here in Canada.

Nasabi ko ito kasi may kakilala akong taga-dito (she's a receptionist in a clinic who eventually became my FB friend) na nasa Pilipinas ngayon dala ang dalawang anak (ages 3 and 11 months). I really thought umuwi lang sila para magbakasyon. But then I saw in FB this morning na nag-start ng mag-aral ang panganay niya sa daycare. She told me iiwan muna niya ang mga bata temporarily. Oo nga pala, kasi her one-year maternity leave is almost over and she has to go back to work. Walang mag-aalaga sa mga anak niya kasi may trabaho rin ang asawa niya.

It's a common situation actually sa mga nasa Canada. The cost of daycare or having a nanny is so high that only high-paying people could afford it. Kung average lang ang salary mo, better to just quit your job and personally take full time care of your children.

But then again, mahirap mabuhay sa Canada ang isang pamilya na isa lang ang nagtatrabaho. Kaya normal na na iniiwan muna sa Pilipinas ng ilang magulang ang mga anak nila para makapagtrabaho. Kukunin na lang uli kapag medyo malaki na at hindi na gaanong alagain.

Just after I gave birth, my brother in the Philippines suggested na iwanan na lang muna namin sa kanila si Nathan so that I can work here. They know me, they know that I am not domesticated (and motherly?) enough to survive here given na may anak na ako. They know that I want to work, na ayaw kong matali lang sa bahay.

Syempre hindi papayag si Ford. Kahit ako din naman. The moment I learned that I am pregnant, I began to condition myself na sa bahay lang ako in the next few years. No choice eh.

I admit that every now and then, nabuburyo rin ako. I never dreamt of being a stay-at-home wife and mom. Modesty aside, I was an academic achiever. I always saw myself working and earning.

But this day, I am choosing to be grateful. Grateful that I have a husband who provides well for us, na hindi na namin kailangan pang iuwi sa Pinas si Nathan.

I am thankful because I won't miss any milestone in my child's life. Just last Saturday, Nathan began sitting on his own. I wanted to cry. Kung nagtatrabaho ako, hindi ko maeexperience ang kakaibang saya na naramdaman ko nung araw na yun.

My cousin and her husband, who works in UAE, are also in the Philippines now. Umuwi sila para iwanan din ang dalawang anak nila. They reasoned that they want to save up and they couldn't do that when their children are with them. Sa taas ba naman ng cost of living. School age na yung panganay nila at sobrang mahal ng tuition fee. I am not sure kung makakayanan ng pinsan ko na mawalay sa mga anak niya. I myself couldn't imagine being away from my son. Ikamamatay ko yata.

We are living a very simple life here in Edmonton. Simple yet comfortable. Again, I want to thank my husband for giving us a good life. For giving me the chance to be always there for Nathan. Not every one is as privileged as me.

One month to go!

At around this time next month, nasa Pinas (hopefully) na kami ni Nathan!

Photo taken from the net (credits to the owner)

To be honest, I am having mixed feelings. Of course, what prevails is happiness and excitement. Yet there's a part of me that's sad. Nathan and I will be in the Philippines for 4 1/2 months so maiiwan si Daddy Pod nang matagal-tagal. He will just be following us on November 13 (for Nathan's binyag and first birthday) and then sabay na kaming babalik dito sa Canada.

Ford and I have been literally inseparable since November 2013 at parang di ko na yata alam ang buhay without him haha! So ironic actually because we've been in LDR for eleven years before we lived in together.

Also, I am specifically worried about Nathan. He's so attached to his dad, parang kawawa siya kung hindi niya makikita ang daddy niya for four months. Ford will also miss a lot of his milestones. Hay!

Oh well, I don't want to dwell on the negative anymore. I'd like to be fully happy kasi after 1 year at 8 months, makakasama ko na uli ang nanay ko. I miss her so much! Looking back, parang hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na nabuhay ako nang wala siya sa tabi ko. I am so excited din na makita at mayakap niya si Nathan.

Ahh! One more month!

Makikita ko na uli ang pamilya at mga kaibigan ko.
Matitikman ko na uli ang luto ng nanay ko.
Makakakain na ako nang hindi nagluluto at naghuhugas ng pinggan.
Makakatulog na uli ako sa kuwarto ko (miss na miss ko na ang walk-in closet ko!).
Makakapag-drive na uli ako.
Makakapag-motor na uli ako.
Makakatambay na uli ako sa SM Marilao.
Makakakain na uli ako ng Jollibee at sa iba pang favorite fast food restos ko.
Makakapagshopping na uli ako on my own.

But unlike before, may limitations na ako because of Nathan. When I left the Philippines last November 2013, I was literally a 'free gal.' Kaso ngayong may baby na, mahirap ng lumabas. Nathan is afraid of people eh, talagang kami lang ni Ford ang kilala niya. I can't just leave him to any one, iiyak talaga.

Hay, saka ko na nga iisipin. Basta ang importante, makakauwi na ako. I badly need to recharge na talaga eh.

See you next month, Pilipinas kong mahal!

Free baby food at Ikea

Ford and I are self-confessed Ikea addicts and we are not ashamed to admit that most of our house stuff came from this Swedish furniture retailer. We like that their items are "modern" and perfectly fit for our small town home. We also love to eat there as their meals are relatively cheap.

Now that we have a son, we are now experiencing and enjoying Ikea's "love for families" mantra (which we used to take for granted pre-Nathan times). Aside from the family parking spots and play area, I also noticed that they give free meals to children.

And then last week, we saw these Heinz baby food. Yebaah, we have another reason to visit Ikea often!

We were so thrilled! Ford and I are such shallow people (in short, mababaw lang ang kaligayahan), happy na talaga kami sa freebie na ito. We specifically like it when we get something for our baby, nakakatuwa lang talaga. We really appreciate it.

To avail of the free baby food, you just have to show them that you have a baby haha! Kailangan talaga kasama siya sa pagpila.

And then my husband thought of something:

FORD -- Next time, dalawang pila ang gawin natin. Una muna ikaw, dalin mo si Nathan. Tapos ako naman. Para dalawang baby food ang makuha natin.

CES -- Kaloka, dahil sa Heinz manggagantso tayo? Pinoy na pinoy ang diskarte ha! Haha!

Of course, the husband was just kidding.

I hope this free baby food is a permanent Ikea Restaurant offering. Nathan love the Heinz brand so masusulit namin ito. Sayang din noh, $0.80 ang worth niyan sa Walmart haha!

My first Mother's Day Pandora charm

Oh, I can't believe May is almost over! Time flies so fast!

I have to admit something. I am so tempted to abandon this blog already. I am now very busy taking care of my 6-month-old makulit na baby and I feel na ang dami ko ng na-miss isulat. Ang mga recent events ng buhay namin, sa Instagram ko na lang nado-document. To be honest, finding time to write is so difficult now.

But I realized that I was sad the past weeks that I am not blogging. Feeling ko kasi ito na lang ang private space ko talaga, iyong akin talaga. I don't care if nobody reads my entries. Masaya lang talaga ako na may "online journal" ako.

Anyway, I promise to write more for myself. Para marami akong balikan later on.

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Oops, I have a new Pandora charm nga pala. I now love the month of May -- kasi may another occasion na na dedicated for me. MOTHER'S DAY!

To commemorate my first ever Mother's Day, my husband told me to get a new charm. My husband is not the type who will personally go to the store and choose something for me. He'll ask me exactly what I want then he'll buy it. He's so afraid na ma-okray ko, wala raw kasi siyang taste. Medyo totoo naman haha! Now that we're living together (we used to be in LDR), he would just tell me to buy whatever I want (using his money, of course). Ang praktikal noh? Where did romance go? Hahaha!

I wanted a different "mom" charm pero hindi available sa Pandora West Edmonton Mall. I just settled for this one. Thank you, dear husband!

This is my 7th Pandora charm. I wonder kung kelan kaya mapupuno ang bracelet ko.

The New Empanada Convenience Store

I have to admit that we don't frequently shop at Filipino stores here in Edmonton. We get most of our Pinoy products stash in either Lucky Supermarket or T&T Supermarket because it's a lot cheaper there. Ang usual na binibili lang namin sa Filipino stores ay yung mga wala doon. But if budget is not an issue, I of course will patronize Filipino stores all the time.

I was actually surprised when I learned late last year that Empanada Convenience Store had temporarily closed down and would relocate. Sayang, I wanted to buy leche flan pa naman for media noche. Someone told me that they left their previous location because of the higher rent being imposed on them, I am just not sure how true it is.

But anyway, Empanada re-opened this year and we got to visit it again two weeks ago. Sa "likod" lang pala ng dating store nila ang bago nilang puwesto (just across McDonald's).

Business Hours

The first thing I noticed was mas maaliwalas siya than the previous store. I liked it.

I was so happy being surrounded by familiar Filipino grocery items. I've been to several Filipino stores here in Edmonton and Empanada so far is the "biggest."

Glad to have found this chicken sopas! First time kong makakita nito dito sa Edmonton. Perfect because Ford and I (and Nathan) were stricken with cough and cold.

They have lutong ulam and other pastries/desserts, too. 

I heard though that they don't sell empanada yet because they still don't have a kitchen.

Oh well, with or without empanada, I am glad that Empanada Convenience Store is back!