In my daughters' old school where the annual parents' orientation is mandatory (former co-parents know what I'm talking about) there was one session when the nuns asked us, what were our hopes and our fears for our daughters. And I thought long and hard about that. I remember standing up to share that I hope my daughters grow up to be good, and ( Read more... )

Every day I am tired. I complain that I am tired. My feet hurt. My brain stops working. My back kriks. I've only been working full time for less than a year and a half but every day I am tired.

Every day I am also thankful. Thankful that I live and work in a place where there is no traffic and lots of nature. Thankful that my children are growing up ( Read more... )

This wasn't the plan.

The original plan was, live in Merville forever, the girls will study in Assumption San Lorenzo, the boy will study in Xavier. Mike will be the primary breadwinner, and I will stay home as long as we don't need the extra income or until I find work that I really want to do. And I mean really really want to do.

Then we heard of ( Read more... )

Once upon a time, about 20 years ago, there was an ancient Mantaring Family tradition of having a costume party on the Sunday closest to Halloween. It wasn't a Halloween party per se, since everyone in the party gets together every Sunday of the year, regardless. There's no trick or treating and you don't have to be scary.  It was just an annual ( Read more... )

Desi started school this week. Yes, at two years old. I sat in at her first day, just like I did for Lia, three times last year. And as I saw her play with the other kids her age, I felt my misgivings go away, and that I made the right decision in putting her in school a year earlier than planned. Even if it's an added expense. Even if everything ( Read more... )

Today was Lia's third first day of school ( Read more... )

This was the fifth and final day of Lia's free week of trial preschool and I'm kind of sad it's over. I drove Lia to school everyday since Monday and even if it meant getting up before 8AM and sitting in the heat just outside the school, waiting with the other yayas, I was happy I got to read books again, happy to spend one on one time with Lia in ( Read more... )

This past week, Lia and I visited a grand total of 6 preschools. The first time we went out to visit a preschool, it was just the two of us, no yaya, no driver, and she cried a little while we were in the car. "Mommy! You forgot Desi!" I had to explain that only big girls go to school, and since Desi was still a baby, she had to stay home. She ( Read more... )