Kicking the Habit

I’ve been so moved to really do better this year 2010. I have so much to improve on, you know. On the topic of bad habits, I’m trying to get rid of some of my personal bad habits. So here’s another round of (New Year’s) resolutions which I thought I needed for myself:

1. I need to stop going to bed with makeup on. Sometimes (or all the time, I must say), I feel so dead tired at the end of the day that I head off to sleep as soon as I change into my sleep clothes. I hate having to wash my face with water (I feel that it causes my eyesight to get worse than how it already is) but I am all too lazy to grab a cotton and use my cleansing oil.

2. I also need to get out of the habit of going for seconds. Yup, I am an emotional eater and I talk a lot too while eating dinner. So when my talking isn’t finished yet, my eating isn’t finished either. LOL. Well, you can clearly see I’m a crazy girl.

3. I need to stop buying shoes…and more shoes! Maybe I should divert this addiction into bags this year. Hahahaha!

4. I have to be more on time in paying bills. Punctuality has to be in all areas of your life and that includes paying the monthly bills before it’s due.

5. I also resolve to brush my teeth a bit longer. Well, it’s a whole myriad of doing things longer actually. You see, I have a tendency to rush around my morning ritual and that includes hurrying to take a bath, dressing up, brushing my teeth and many other small things that I do without thinking much. Bottom line really is: WAKE UP EARLIER so I don’t need to RUSH anymore.

What do you guys think? Obviously, my list of bad habits is just about small things, thank God. Unlike others who cannot kick the habit of smoking or drug addiction, for example. Oh, that’s so much of a bigger struggle if you ask me. Addiction Treatment is no joke for someone who is in denial. Drug Treatment, even if it’s readily available, is something that is not yet an option for many who are hooked on drugs and need to go for drug rehab.

Anyway, I’m hoping I would make a follow through on these resolutions of mine. Wish me luck!!!

Partial New Year's Resolution List

Is making a new year’s resolution already passé? Well, I think not. It’s always great to resolve to do things better every now and then…well, at least not just every new year. The coming of the new year gives us another chance, a reminder, that we can strive to do better in many things.

So here’s my partial list of resolutions regarding order in little things:

1. Always bring my office bag straight to our bedroom: no more letting it lie around the dining table or the living room.

2. Try to make a tedious financial accounting of our family’s daily expenses (I’ve a new notebook for that already!!!).

3. Put away all pending paperwork in the office in a place where it isn’t an eyesore and where it won’t be forgotten the next day.

4. Make new 2010 folders for the bills, statement of accounts, etc. etc.

5. Throw away old receipts, print outs, used envelopes every day, if possible.

How are the above as for new year's resolutions?

Back to Work, Back to Blogging!

We just finished another 3-day vacation and I feel so refreshed! I finally got that much-needed rest, thank God! So what did else did we get to do?

*Hunny had another birthday party at home, this time with his officemates/staff

*I was able to buy a notebook (wink!) for myself after eons of waiting.

*We did the grocery with the little girl in tow (she's beginning to ask for stuff already, hmmm).

*We attended Zoe's last summer class of Kindermusik (we plan to enroll again next semester).

*We all went to Robinson's Galleria's Tom World and had loads of fun!

*I bought some clothes and had some repaired.

*I made a 9-day menu, hoping it'll be executed properly.

Anyway, I still have some knee problems which started mid last week. I really hope it will be gone soon. :-)

Tasks for The Weekend

As the workweek ends today, I want to list down the things that I plan to do this weekend and hope it'll be a very productive one. We originally had planned to go with my friend and her family to a trip to Zambales for the weekend but had to beg off.

Saturday:

1. Go to early mass at 6 am to have enough time to prepare Zoe for her class. We are perrenially late for school because of the traffic along P. Tuazon so I'm hoping we can leave earlier than usual tomorrow.

2. Install the hooks for Zoe's picture frames in the attic. I plan to hang 4 new frames on one side of the wall. I've reserved the other side for the new baby's pictures.

3. Be updated in my cultural reading ~~ I haven't done this for ages.

4. Cook something special ~ sort of to celebrate, in our own way, my Dad and sister's birthday.

5. Go visit the nearby ukay-ukay store and see if there's anything worthwhile there (I'm sure there'll be).

Sunday:

1. Attend a baptismal party of my friend Lucy's first-born.

2. Bring Zoe somewhere nice like Fun Ranch or the mall.

3. Take a nap. Hahaha.

4. Clean up our closets.

5. Find more of my pregnancy clothes from my old room.

I guess, that'll be enough. Have a happy weekend everyone!

I Heart Mother Earth

Thanks to Jona for passing on this tag to me.

Here's the rule:
~Click the badge and get the code then put the logo on your blog sidebar and post.
~Tell us what is your contribution to our planet? You live here for sure you've got something to share!! Post any pictures or share some of your ideas on how to help and save out planet Earth.
~Post these rules.
~Share this meme-tag to as many bloggers as you can think.

Here are some of the little ways that my family does to protect Mother Earth:

1. We segregate our waste. Our trash are classified to non-biodegradable, biodegrable and other recylable materials. And ever since I was a kid, we always had a compost pit in our backyard. It's great for making compost that can serve as a wonderful fertilizer for our plants.

2. We have a schedule for doing the laundry. Having one limits the use of water, thus, avoiding wasting it.

3. To save on electricity, it has been good habit for all family members to unplug all appliances when not it use. It really works!

4. We also plant trees in our surroundings! Yes, some of the big old trees in our village were planted by our very own parents.

5. We always have a car checked to avoid smoke pollution. Seeing a smoke-emitting vehicle on the road really irritates my dear husband and so we don't try to commit the same mistake.

Dear Readers - do you have more ideas to share?

To Do's:

Just want to make a reminder to myself about the things that I need to do for the house:

1. Go to Mr. Quickie to duplicate some house keys for Hunny and have a bag repaired.
2. Bring out more old preggy clothes from my old room, have them washed and ironed.
3. Do a quick grocery trip for extra foodies for our house guests.
4. Buy bread for tomorrow's breakfast.
5. Pass by the drugstore for Zoe's vitamins.

Don't you agree that the more lists you make, the less complicated your life seems to be no matter how busy you are? Making lists for me is also such a stress-reliever. :-)

Regular To Do's in Cleaning the Kitchen

I was browsing through my Good Housekeeping Maid Manual and found this valuable piece of info:

Cheat Sheet for the Kitchen:

DAILY
1. Sweep kitchen floor.
2. Mop floor.
3. Wipe all regularly used/visible surfaces.
4. Take out trash.

WEEKLY
1. Wipe all surfaces - ventilation hood / appliances / inside of oven.
2. Pour boiling water down the drain to disinfect.
3. Wipe inside / outside of cabinets and cupboards.
4. Vacuum relevant places.
5. Wash and completely dry knife blocks.
6. Dust light fixtures.
7. Compile grocery list and make menu for the week.
8. Do grocery.
9. Do wet market.
10. Wide down doors / baseboards.

MONTHLY
1. Wash hood filters.
2. Check freezer fro expired items.
3. Clean kitchen ceiling.
4. Schedule days off for all staff members.
5. Defrost - 2x a month or when ice reaches 1/4 inch thick.

SEASONAL
1. Replace baking soda in freezer - every three months.
2. Clean ovens - all appliances.
3. General cleaning - every six months.
4. Refrigerator cleaning - 2x a month.
5. Check staff uniforms.
6. Check condition of staff uniforms and footwear.

Lenten Suggestions

With the ongoing season of Lent in the Catholic Liturgical Year, we should try to slow down and start thinking of ways to fulfill the Lenten acts to do prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

On the top of my head, here is a quick list of some Lenten sacrifices (the level of difficulty is always relative) which we can offer up this season:

1. Cut down on TV or better, give up TV altogether until Easter.
2. Try not to take afternoon snacks on certain days of the week.
3. Avoid the mega-sales and midnight madness in the malls this month.
4. Talk to one or two friends about God each day.
5. Don't complain - about the weather, the traffic or your boss.
6. Wash the dishes instead of delegating it to the helpers.
7. Pray the rosary on your way to work.
8. Find time to visit the Blessed Sacrament daily to say 'hi!' to Jesus who is perpetually present there.
9. Donate some clothes, housewares or food to the recent fire victims in San Andres, Manila.
10. Watch your words! Be extra nice to the people around you.

I hope you'll be able to get some ideas from here. :-)

My New Year's Resolution

Well, well, well. What do ya' know? January's almost over and I still haven't blogged about my New Year's resolution. Maybe it's because I still haven't taken it to heart up to now (and I tend to forget lots of things anyway).

DE-CLUTTER. That's my resolution.

It means:

• throwing out unnecessary papers - receipts, lists, stubs, tickets, and what-not
• file those important papers IMMEDIATELY and not wait for all of it to pile up (and get ready with all those labeled folders)
• weed out clothes which have never been or seldom worn, don't fit, damaged or are plain ugly
• use only one calendar/notebook so no more sticky notes
• clean out bedroom cabinet which still has unopened presents and even wedding gifts
• get rid of left-overs in the fridge which have not been touched for a week
• declutter office supplies (I have too much of this really)
• clean up the china cabinet
• fix baby's toys
• sell or give away CDs and VCDs which are no longer wanted
• no to junk bags and junk drawers --- just put them straight to where each one belongs
• A LOT OF HARD WORK AND PATIENCE

Wish me luck!

My Small Things List - November 01

Our family will be flocking to the cemetery tomorrow to pray for and visit our dearly beloved family members who have gone ahead. In the morning, we will be going to visit my mom. I plan to bring a picnic basket and some chairs so we can at least a good hour or so there to be with my mom. In the afternoon, we will be going to my husband's family and give candles and flowers for my FIL and other in-laws. I'm not sure if my husband would want us to go to the place where my FIL rests because for sure there will be a lot of people towards the end of the day.

Anyway, here's my small things list of this to bring for this trip:

1. Responsory for the Dead prayers
2. Rosaries
3. Flowers
4. Candles
5. Holy Water
6. Banig
7. Picnic umbrella
8. Food - siomai and siopao
9. Drinks - bottled water
10. Zoe's milk and biscuits
11. Chairs
12. Zoe's Maclaren

Hmmm....I guess I need to prep all the stuff to bring tomorrow ASAP. I hope it doesn't rain!

Cut Yourself from Time Slack

So busy at work right now that it hurts (my head aches, my back aches, my eyes ache, my feet ache, hahaha). Do you feel that way sometimes?

Here are some time-saving tips to cut yourself from some time slack:

1. Live close to places you go regularly such as your work, church, dentist, doctor, school, hairdresser, and the like.

>>>A major issue now for me is the "work" part - my daily 2-hour travel back and forth has become so stressful since unlike when I was still single, I now have mommy duties round the clock.

2. Use technology to save on time falling in line in stores and banks.

>>>I've been so blessed to discover the good things about online banking - I don't have to fall in line ever to pay for my bills.

3. Make early appointments and start on errands early.

>>>>For the past weeks, we have been going to the supermarket exactly at 9am, just as the store opens. There are less people, no lines and fresher produce (more picks for me).

4. Group errands to accomplish more things in one trip.

>>>My officemates and I always try to book a service to bring us to Glorietta or Landmark so that we can do our knick-knack shopping during the lunch break.

5. Take advantage of personalized services and restaurant deliveries.

>>>Whenever I need to bring home a cake or some pastries, I just call Red Ribbon or Goldilocks to deliver me the cake at the office. Easy as 1-2-3.

More on My Christmas List

I made use of the time going to the office to come up with several lists about several things that I needed to remember. These lists are very random and ranges from baby names, dinner ideas, recipes, shopping lists, etc.

Well, I also thought of my Christmas list. This is not necessarily just for myself but for the whole family and some friends. I see the need to really budget our Christmas bonus well so that it does not go to unnecessary purchases just like what has been happening in the past.

Anyway, here's my list:

1. new 14-inch TV for the helpers (our 20-year old TV broke down last week).

2. eyeglasses for me. I have been browsing through the different eyeglasses available at Zenni Optical and I am surprised at how cheap their eyeglasses are compared to the local eyewear stores here. My old pair is already worn out. It has been my pair for a good three years. I also broke the ear tips last month while I was cleaning it. I thought that it could be repaired so I brought it to one of the stores in the mall. They said that I had to order specially-made tips which would probably cost more than a new pair. Actually, when I bought this pair, it would probably be equal to 4 pairs of eyeglasses if I buy at Zenni Optical. The quality that you get is as high plus there are more styles to choose from compared to the local store. It's even found in a Chicago Tribune article (http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/chi-ym-spending-0722jul22,0,2050256.story) that high quality at a cheap price can be purchased none other than in Zenni Optical. Therefore, getting a new pair at Zenni Optical is surely one of the wise things that I could do this Christmas.

3. a pair of black flats - something that's sturdy, stylish and comfortable

4. a new watch for Hunny. The strap of his sports watch broke the other month and he has no choice but to wear is Swiss watch all the time.

Anyway, the list goes on and on but I think this is all I really want for now. I'm really feeling budget-conscious nowadays.

On My Christmas List...

Do you agree that living frugality and true virtue of poverty does not exactly mean not buying anything but planning ahead, buying superior goods that will last a longer time (so you need not keep on buying) and also religiously taking care of your stuff (weekly cleaning if needed)? Well, I believe in this philosophy and this is what I plan to do this Christmas.

For starters, no more ukay-ukay (which I just tend to give away), no more cheap shoes (they "smile" way before I get my ROI) and no more inferior make-up (they just don't do the trick compared to those better brands).

If you know how to read between the lines, I'm actually airing out what I want for Christmas. Hahaha. Hunny, are you reading this?

My Small Things List

Here's just to remind myself to buy the following for our house:

1. Plastic socket protectors
2. Chain locks for the back door
3. Padlock replacements for the front gates
4. Additional rags
5. Liquid handsoap
6. Gardening scissors

...I think there are more but I can't remember anymore. Gosh.

Time Management

Here are some tips on time management:

1. Each evening, try to list approximately 10 items to accomplish for the next day.

2. Rank each item on the list (1, 2, 3, ...) depending on its importance or stress level.

3. Enter the To Do tasks in your calendat so that they correspond with your biological rhythms.

4. Cross each item off the list as you complete it and transfer unfinished items to the next day's list.

Source: Getting Organized by Stephanie Winston

Checklist - Meal Preps

Evaluate yourselves out there (especially for wives and moms out there):

1. I consistently give importance to daily meal as a family.
2. I prepare good meals as a regular thing.
3. I plan a menu for each week.
4. I start meals ahead when necessary.
5. I ask for the assistance of others in the family in food preparation.
6. I have favorite recipes available for use.
7. I have an efficient system for shopping for groceries.

Can you count how many yes and no answers you have for the whole list?

Weekly Round-up

Here's my week's round-up for my house-related projects:

1. Weeded out old clothes, shoes and bags for my rummage sale next week.

2. Checked out ref inventory for the menu next week -- still have enough supplies!

3. Cooked chicken and mushroom spaghetti (with the help of Ate Nilda).

4. Bought 3 magazines for some updates on housekeeping.

5. Pulled out my Filipino recipe book and housekeeping management book from the bodega (will read it again and I hope it helps!)

6. Changed Zoe's crib mattresses.

7. Bought some household supplies from SM Hypermart.

8. Pulled out some plastic wrap supplies from the storage - I plan to wrap my new books with plastic soon!

9. Bought a book about having your 2nd pregnancy (wow, only in preparation lang naman).

10. Arranged the pantry (found out the we still have 2 months supply of coffee and creamer!!!)

Planning Is Key

As I have learned in business, planning is one of the major functions that a manager should know about. Without proper planning, things will be in chaos. I learned that lesson lately, from my being the manager of the family budget, that is.

I'm just glad that our financial woes are more or less over. Somehow, we have managed to surpass our difficulties. But of course, the problems don't end just yet because we still have several obligations that are still due. We still have a payday loan and some credit card dues. But I guess everything is already manageable compared to last month.

Anyway, I also think part of planning is making lists. For example, it would be good to be listing all our regular monthly financial obligations so that we won't end up surprised and unprepared for the things we need to pay for. And in case we don't measure up to our obligations, it's good to know about other alternatives we can take. I think we just underwent a period of adjustment last month since we had to take on the other expenses which my Dad would shoulder before. In short, I guess I wasn't ready for the change and was caught off-guard that's why we had such a hard time.

Writing about this makes me feel so much better now. I'm feeling more positive now and that's good for starters.

Forgotten...

Before I forget, lemme also list down the following in my household list:

1. We also have 5 stray cats.
2. We have one dog named Kikay.
3. We have a back lot garden and a couple of orchids in our front garden.

And just in case you're wondering why we're a lot at home...

I have a brother also (just a cousin really but he grew up with us). He's turning 14 this June. Plus our maid also has a young son who lives with us.

I will blog about my first house project soon!