Easter Quail Egg Hunt 2013

Our yearly Easter Egg Hunt around the rooms upstairs is in full swing, even Milkshake is excited to go on hunting for what's in store for her!  :)

   

 

For I remember it is Easter morn,
And life and love and peace are all new born. 
Alice Freeman Palmer



The Study Room

We finally finished renovating the spare room in the first floor, and converted it into a study room.  It turned out nicely, and it will also be used for tutorials for children who need help in the neighborhood.  Will keep you posted on this new baby soon.  :)

 

  We are all geniuses and the world needs our contribution! Author Unknown  

Dancing Queen's New Smile

Finally!  After a total of 3 years, our Dancing Queen's orthodontic appliance can be put to rest  :)  We came from a scheduled check-up with her Ortho two weeks ago, and she gave us the green light to remove DD's mouthpiece.  Her jaw has moved to the right place, and her teeth have moved to its desired position too. 

 

I can still clearly remember, when DD first had to wear a FACEMASK -- to correct what is called a Class III Malocclusion -- something that we were not all aware of then.  Thanks to our practitioner, her highly skilled and trained eye spotted DD's jaw which grew "abnormally" at the very start. 

 

It was a hard thing for our DD to endure discomfort, and at times, pain, in wearing her mouth appliance, but years of perseverance, and patience in wearing her Facemask paid off.

 

And soon after the Facemask wearing came her RETAINERS, which she wore everyday, day in and day out -- taken off only during meal times, but had to be worn again, especially when sleeping.

 

It is quite an adventure for us to have undergone this, as we were also brought to the fact that we even had to HOMESCHOOL our DD to sort of "fast track" everything with regards to her jaw bone.

 

The results are favorable, and we thank God for helping us all in our journey.

 

To read all about our DD's Class III Malocclusia adventure, please click all labels marked as "Facemask".  We would be glad to be friends with you and lend some encouragement if you are experiencing what we have undergone.  :)

 

 Patience and perseverance have a magical effect

before which difficulties disappear

and obstacles vanish. 

John Quincy Adams

 

DS's First Ever Soiree

What an exciting day this was!  Our DS and his all-male classmates are had their first ever soiree with another all-girls' exclusive school somewhere near our home city. 

All parents are excited, and we are glad that another co-parent has opened her home to host this fun event in the lives of our dear 1st Yr. highschoolers.

 

 

While our boys went partying together, some parents, including yours truly (with the Hubs), gathered and met for dinner and coffee nearby.  It was equally fun exchanging notes and thoughts about our young men, and how this soiree will turn out to be. (It was a huge success, by the way.) :)

 

 

 On with the dance! let joy be unconfined;
No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meet
To chase the glowing hours with flying feet.
George Gordon Byron, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage
 

Kitty, Our New Molter

This is Kitty, one of our four Hermit Crabs, who buried herself over a month ago in substrate, and finally re-surfaced again this evening. She emerged from her old exoskeleton, and has grown a new left limb! The wonders of stressful regeneration after months of patience and waiting in darkness. :)

 

Hello again, world!

 

Kitty's antennae grew longer too!

 

Time to buy a bigger and prettier shell for this new molter.

 

Kitty's spanking new left limb just after her big pincher.

  

Any glimpse into the life of an animal

quickens our own and makes it so much

the larger and better in every way.

John Muir

 

Post-Valentine's Day Dinner

Dining out is one of our favorite ways to celeberate any month's special occasion!

 

 



 

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Valentine's Day 2013

I received a number of food gifts from my Grades 6, 4, and 3 students. 

After work, DH and I headed to DS's school, to have a chance meeting/counseling with the campus chaplain.  It was an "ambush" appointment, as we didn't expect to be accommodated right on the spot. 

 

He is a kind priest, and listened to us, as DH recounted our "story" to him, and what we wanted to happen by the end of this year.  He will re-wed us in Catholic rites on the 27th of December, and baptize DS and DD too.  I told him about my fervent prayer to Mother Mary (Nov. 6, 2011), and the bouquet of yellow roses in my dream just before waking up that particular morning of Nov. 8th -- only two days after my prayer.  And then, the truckload of live, long-stemmed, and potted roses that greeted me along our village's main street later that same day, which served as my answer and confirmation for the things I prayed about.

 

It was a nice, and great day for DH and I. 

 

As evening approached, I received a book of Stephenie Meyer's 'The Host' from DH.  The kids also got their favorite, Baby Ruth chocolate bars from him. 

What a memorable Valentine's Day this is for DH and I.  It wasn't lavishly celebrated, but great and promising things happened today.

 

Loving is not just looking at each other,

it's looking in the same direction.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939

 

Milkshake Welcomes February

Our 3-year old diva, Milkshake shows us how to welcome the summer love month ---  

1.) Sleep beside your favorite sister...

 

2.) Savor the cool a/c breeze hitting your tummy...

 

3.) Laze on top of your human's pillow on a hot, boring day...

 

4.) Stay cute even without getting your regular haircut and bath...

 

My little dog -

a heartbeat at my feet. 

Edith Wharton

 

AHS Father and Son Day

DH and DS's bonding time at the school grounds!

 

 

 

It's a father's duty to give his sons a fine chance.   George Eliot, Middlemarch: A Study of Provincial Life

   

DD's New Sneaks are Here

Dancing Queen joined an online contest about her fave artist, Taylor Swift.  Who woulda thunk she'd win???!!!  Well, you bet, she DID!  And so the long wait is overrrrrrrrr ---  she finally received the shoes she so admires!  Fresh and hot from 10,000 miles away!

 

Happiness is all about RED KEDS

 

DD's ready-to-go feet

 

My KEDS are RED.

Taylor Swift

 



Lorax, Smurfette, Superman, & Kitty's New Crabitat Set-Up

Just a preview of our Hermies' newly arranged Crabopolis!  

 Front View

 

Top View

 

Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet. 

Colette

AHS Section 1-O Moms Night-Out

Yours truly and the Friday Moms' Club... (aka bonding time with my co-moms in DS's semi-honors section class)

 

 

Hoping there will be more of these mommy date nights to follow!

 

By and large, mothers and housewives

are the only workers who do not have regular time off.

They are the great vacationless class.
  Anne Morrow Lindbergh

 

AHS PRADA Chess Champions

DS and his teammates -- from the official school website!  

Chess is the gymnasium of the mind.
Lenin

 

DS is AHS 1-O 2nd Honor Again

DS once again, received a certificate from his school, for garnering a GPA equivalent to being 2nd honor in his semi-honors class section, the second time around this schoolyear. 

But not only that; he is also a consistent honor student in character (Kostka Award).  How grateful we all are for this blessing. 

  

 

We are truly proud of him, and thankful that despite his very busy schedule and involvement in many school activities, he can still manage to juggle his time wisely and well.

 

  You are my sonshine. 

Author Unknown

 

Another Bestie Meet-Up

Another night-out of endless chat and updates with long-time bestie, Teena...

 

 It is truly a blessing that old friends like her still manage to have time to see me every year, even though we are almost 10,000 miles apart.  :)
 

 

 There are big ships and small ships. 
But the best ship of all is friendship.
Author Unknown