Boredom and Cooking

I am looking for a new passion.

I have been a teacher for a decade now and I thought that it was my calling. Well, I think it still is. I know that I am good at it but at present, I have to still land a permanent or temporary full-time or part-time teaching position. I think it's still not in His immediate plans for me to be back in the teaching field, the way I want to and the way I used to.

Admittedly, I miss teaching.

It is actually the reason why I have been down the past few days.

Don't get me wrong, I still love and enjoy every minute spent with my growing kids. But since they are both growing up (so fast), their routine is quite predictable and I don't have to be tutok with them, unlike before. As a result, I have more time now ( as I would like to think). I still have plenty of things to-do at home, sometimes doing hubby's chores, when both kids are in daycare and I don't have substitution calls. I guess time- management is not really a problem for me. :)

I would have loved to spend the entire "free" days in front of the computer, but suprisingly, I have been able to avoid that. The last four days, I only sat in front of the computer for only an hour, an hour and a half at the most.

Needless to say, I am starting to get bored. I am not a TV fan, so watching TV is out of the list. I get a migraine if I watch too much TV.

What to do now? The past days I have been thinking and reflecting on what to do with my (extra?)free time. I considered home-schooling my children, but after reading a couple of articles about it and looking at the requirements at the NSW Board of Studies, I dropped the idea. LOL :) I'm not yet ready for that BIG challenge. And with the looks of it, I think I can't be an effective teacher with my kids because we just might end up arguing and getting mad with each other. I'll just continue to give Liam extra exercises at home, one step/level higher than his present level.

I also considered going back to school. Yep, another degree. I still have 4 years before I work on my Professional Competence accreditation with NSW Institute of Teachers, so I guess I can still squeeze it in. I did look for Open Universities here, but sadly, the course that I want is not available online. I have to attend to the classes in the campus, which I think is impossible as of the moment. Oh well. I was actually up for it.

My list is getting shorter.

Then it hit me. I'll just cook.

Yeah. Cook.

Hubby seems to be supportive and appreciates the meals (yummy meals according to him) I prepare for them. So, why not? :)

I have yet to experiment and create my own signature dish, but I have started cooking some meals I have been reading in magazines. I'm not focusing on desserts this time because I have a problem with design (LOL) or presentation. I am focusing on entrees and mains.

I already have a short list of mains that I plan to cook this week.

I know that hubby will be my critic, but I'm still excited to see his reaction and my kids' reaction when I start cooking new meals. Their reaction takes the blues away.

For the meantime, I am taking a break from the usual Pinoy ulam and start whipping up new dishes for my family.

Who knows, one day, I might take cooking really seriously :) Who knows, cooking might be my newest calling ;)

Just thankful that I found a new outlet for me to use my skills, creativity and energy :)

Hubby Cooks!

I have been actually down the past two days but I'm on the road to recovery.

Hubby was actually a big help, without him knowing it.

Last week and just last night, he commended me for my cooking :) Last week, he was telling our son, Liam, that "Mama has greatly improved on her cooking. Before, she only knew how to cook meatloaf, egg, or hotdog!" The nerve! Hahaha

I told him I knew how to cook even before we got married, it's just that I was not given the chance to practice it since my Mama or his Mom was just around, there were many good restos back in Manila, or he cooks more often than me, unlike here in Sydney. :)

Last night, he was looking at the Woolies catalogue and suddenly said: "Naiingit na ako kay Mama, ang dami mo ng specialties e! (I'm already jealous of Mama because you already have so many specialties) You have Roasted Pork, Pork Crackling, Spicy Mussels, Sukiyaki, Sizzling Tofu with Shitake Mushrooms, etc."

I was actually surprised with that comment. And I was a bit kilig :) It was actually one of the reasons why I'm feeling a lot better now :)

He is actually the better cook between the two of us. If I cook something new, he'll be my first and worst critic. I actually sometimes don't want to tell him how I cooked something because when he tries cooking it, it ends up tasting better hehehe :) And when I cook and he starts meddling, we end up arguing hehehe He knows that when he starts meddling when I'm the one cooking, I get mad and turnover the entire cooking to him! So it would be disastrous if we both join a cooking competition! LOL!

Seriously, we have different styles in the kitchen. I want my kitchen clean, while he on the other hand can cook even if there are a lot of clutter in the kitchen. I estimate, he follows the recipe and measurements by the book. He researches and is more serious when he cooks, while me, on the other hand, just goes with the flow. Get the picture?

I think hubby is just missing cooking. I think it is also an avenue for him to unwind and relax and serve us. He just got busy looking after the cars at home.

Well this weekend, we're trying out something new. We'll try quails and I'll give him that chance to again show his cooking skills :)

Looking forward to my big burp this weekend! :)

Gold Coast Holidays Update

The kids unusually slept early, really early, yesterday.

I guess they got tired from our Sunday funday at Westfield Parramatta.

Since by 7pm both kids were already asleep, hubby and I had the leisure of doing whatever we liked.

I, of course, tried to catch up on my e-mails and checked on the new websites I wanted to check for the longest time.

I chanced upon travelzoo by accident the other day, it was one website I wanted to check, if I had extra time. And so I did, last night.

What do you know, through that website, I saw that the myfun website is currently having a promo for the Gold Coast theme parks entrance. Yipee! I was supposed to get the ticket next month, but because of this promo, we had to buy it this early :)

We initially planned to just get the Combo pass for two venues, which costs $100/person. But the promo was offering just $100/person (Super Pass -- unlimited entry) for all three venues already, which we think was a better deal :)If you buy at the gate for the all-day pass, it would cost $80/person, so we aborted that option. The Super Pass is valid unitl 30th June, so (knock on wood) if the weather does not cooperate, and we really can't push thru with the flight and all, we can still re-book it and still use it.


We have to adjust our schedule though, since we now have to add a third theme park in our itinerary and we will only be there from Friday morning until Monday morning.

One more pending to-do: book the car we will be renting during our stay there.

Yup, we already have our tickets! Yipee!

Back to Yogies

Today I am writing my blog in peace.

Liam is back to daycare. The big difference is, Sam is now with him.

I have no substitution call today so I am alone in the house.

The past three days, Liam has been hinting every now and then how he will miss me when he goes back to Yogies.

Sam last night was a bit uneasy in her sleep. I don't know what time it was but she kept on waking up calling out for either me or her Papa. She even woke up as soon as I finished taking a bath (around 6am).

I don't know if they can feel the uneasiness inside me. The fear and the worry inside me.

It's really very hard leaving your kids to somebocy else's care. Part of me feels guilty, but another part says I shouldn't. Why would I when there are millions of moms out there who either leave their kids in childcare or with nannies, right? Sundays to Wednesdays I am a full-time mum to them. When they are not in daycare, I am the one who personally takes care of them. And it hasn't reached that point when they prefer their teachers/carers over me!

I also think I need this break every now and then. It recharges me and I am pretty sure it will make me less (or not at all!) grumpy to my kids and my hubby when they get home. I can take care of them better, right?

We have prayed for this so I know that we are on the right path. I should not worry because it is now that FAITH comes in.

I can only pray and hope that my kids are ok (with the trained childcare workers); that their carers/teachers will help us, help them hone their God-given talent and skills,and lastly, won't have any bad effects on their development. I know they are in a good centre. They did a good job with Liam so I am less worried about how they are going to take care of Sam. In addition to the old and veteran teachers who took care of Liam before, a new carer in the centre happens to be a kababayan.

So I really shouldn't worry, right?

Am I convincing you or myself?

Probably just convincing myself. :)

P.S.

I have called their daycare twice and good to hear that Liam is doing well and Sam is too.

It was funny because when I left them Sam didn't cry! (I was the one who cried back in the car!) :)

A mum will always be a mum.

I Just Had to Write It

I am pressed for time. It has been two days now since it happened. If I am not going to write it now, I might miss out the details.

There was no videocam that could have recorded that moment. All I have is that precious 30 seconds in my mind and in my heart.

Pardon me, but I just needed to write it. I just had to write it, to preserve that memory.

Tuesday night, my son prayed for me. His exact words were:

"Thank You. Pray for Mama, that she will drive safely all the time. That she will not get tired doing many things. Pray that when Mama gets sick, Papa, Liam and Sam will take care of her. That she will not get angry with us. Your turn Mama."

I felt like crying as I listened to the prayer of my son, as he was praying for me. I can't find the exact words that can describe how I felt at that moment. Hubby was there beside us to witness and hear everything.

He ended with: "I love you thousand times, mama. That is bigger than one hundred!" :-)

Oh God, I love my son! (sniff, sniff!)

Now, that feels good :)

My Blog to A Book

February of last year, I remember writing my plans of printing my blogs to a book, so just in case something happens with my account with blogger, I already (and still) have a copy of everything I have written. Like some projects, it was one of those to-dos which is the first to go when a more urgent matter arises. I kept on postponing it until last week. I finally pushed myself to doing it, especially after a friend, qtbelle, had an incident with blogger. The horror stories I have heard before came back to me and I shared it with hubby. He was actually surprised that I haven't done it yet. So hubby was actually the one who reminded me and pushed me to do it.

I re-read some of my past blogs every now and then and I just can't imagine the horror and the anguish I will be feeling when one day I wake up and realize everything is gone! So before that day even comes and that event happens, I played it safe!

Now, I have a copy of everything I have written! Yipee!

Reading them all now, gives me a certain thrill and excitement and awe! Still can't believe I have written sooo much already. Sometimes I can't believe and I still need some convincing that I was the one who actually wrote all of it! LOL :)

Writing has been very helpful for me. It has been my friend and my outlet. It helped me in my adjustment here in Sydney and it continues to help me. It is my avenue for sharing what I'm going through, an avenue to share my blessings, adventures and misadventures.

I am just glad I did it, before it was too late :)

Happy Disposition

Yesterday, we went to the shops and Sam was wearing the Sailor dress I bought from Manila. Everytime she wears it she gets sooooo many compliments from people around us -- family, friends and even total strangers!

Getting compliments from family and friends is one thing, but from total strangers? That is another thing ;) It makes me and hubby just happy to hear them :)

Aside from:"Oh, she's so cute! She's super cute! She's adorable! She's so round!" her happy disposition also attracts compliments -- "She really is one happy baby!"

It's the last compliment that really makes me happy. Both and Sam and Liam have been happy babies, so Liam also had his share of those compliments.

I hope that they can keep that happy disposition until they grow up, especially when life is being tough on them :)

Achieving Goals

Last Thursday, my son, Liam, had his first soccer goal and I was there to witness it!

Nothing beats that experience! Of that moment when he finally kicked the ball and the ball went it! As soon as the ball went in, he looked where I was, checking if I saw it, and when he saw that I did, he smiled and had that "yes!" moment!

Too bad I wasn't able to record it :( But, like what I told my friends and family, the experience of seeing him achieve a goal he has set for himself is more than enough! I am proud of my little boy!

A little background: Liam started with this swimming lessons when he was two and with his soccer lessons when he was three.

Thursday morning, while preparing for his soccer lessons, he has been telling me that he was doing good with his soccer lessons, but he is yet to make a goal. He wants to make a goal. I was telling him that it's alright if he still doesn't make a goal since he's only 4 and what matters is that he is doing his best. I was preparing him just in case he still does not make one at the end of his lessons that day. He was being cool with my advice, but I felt deep inside, he was really serious in acheving that goal.

I was just so happy when he finally achieved it!

I guess it's the same with his swimming lessons. He is yet to move to the next level because everytime he gets assessed every term, his skills are still not acceptable (for the next level). He is determined to get to the next level and I see him work hard for it. Again, this is another goal he has set for himself, and I see him still working on it.

I thought enrolling them to these classes was just to let them learn a new skill or to just make them healthier. I guess, it really pays to enroll your kids to sports programmes. There are really much more in there than just learning the sport. They are helping us prepare our kids by teaching them life skills, one very important life skill -- setting and achieving goals. I really didn't realize that until last Thursday.

Time to Write Again

Next week, my two kids will starting going to childcare, twice a week, since I will be back to work thrice a week (still on-call though).

Part of my preparation was to write the routine of my youngest. That list included her likes and dislikes. I really had to spend time to sit down in peace so I won't miss anything. I felt with everything I have written, it's time to write a letter for my daughtet. It was a wonderful time to recall everything with her. Her milestones and her developing personality. And what a coincidence, one e-group I am a member of, had a new message thread about letters of parents to kids.

It has been more than 6 months since I wrote a letter to Liam and I really haven't had a letter for my sweetie, Sam.

I write to them so I have something to remind them of how they were as kids. I don't know how they will be in the future, but I'm loving what they are now. I will forever cherish these times and if writing is the only way I can preserve those memories, then I will take the time to do it.

When hubby and I are much older, these are the things that I'm pretty sure, we will not get tired of doing. Reading and watching (our videos of kids, which hubby thinks he'll be able to edit, arrange, file properly when he is retired na!) anything about our kids :)

Sam and Liam, Mama will write to you both soon :)

Sunday School

"Why do we go to Church? Church is boring!"

These are just some of the not-so-nice questions and comments hubby and I hear from our son, Liam. He has been saying that since I can remember! He is only 4 years old.

Don't get my son wrong. He knows his prayers. He prays everyday and his prayers are very personal, but going to Church is another story.

Well, it doesn't help that the masses here are not as "alive" like that in Manila. Seldom do we get to have a high mass where all the songs are sung! So I really can't blame him if he finds going to Church and attending mass, boring.

Like what I wrote on my outputs in my Cert course, kids nowadays are very intelligent. They are very critical. You can't expect them to just embrace everything and believe what you ask them to. They have to understand what they are going into. I think my son, already belongs to this generation.

It is actually easier for us to just say:" we go to Church because we have to" or "because we said so." I have read a book which explained that using that excuse will do more harm than good. I don't want to impose or force on him as well, I think this aspect -- spirituality, comes with age, BUT, we don't want him growing up not getting used to the practices of our faith. I think exposing him to the practices will help him better understand what it is we believe. So what to do?

We usually have our mass every Saturday evenings but two weeks ago, hubby encouraged me to try the Sunday 9am mass. I really don't want attending the early morning mass on Sundays because the crying room, where we usually stay is filled with noisy, no, make that super noisy kids, and it adds up to my distraction. I really can't focus on the mass when kids are running around or crying or wailing! This is in addition to my distraction of minding my own kids, ok? And besides, we usually go out on Sundays -- trip to the City and the like (I know, NOT a valid excuse!)

Why the Sunday mass? Well, during the Sunday morning masses, the church has Children's liturgy. Before the 1st reading is read, the kids are asked to go up in front, the priest blesses them and someone takes care of the kids in another room. In that room, they have their Cathecism. The kids stay there until Offertory. Liam didn't go before because he was still too young, whenever we had mass on a Sunday due to an appointment on Saturday evenings.

Back to my story. Even if I was very hesitant, I agreed with hubby to try out the Sunday morning mass. Our first attempt, it was still the school holidays. We were not aware that during school holidays there was no Children's liturgy, in short, Liam was very disappointed because he was really looking forward to it!

Last Sunday, hubby wanted to ring the Parish office first to really make sure that there is a Children's liturgy. I told him, there was. I was pretty sure I heard that once school starts, Children's liturgy will re-commence.

So off we went. And guess what, Liam, didn't need any assistance going in front. He was really looking forward to it. He enjoyed the Children's liturgy and he even had an output! In addition, I was able to concentrate more especially during the Homily.

I asked him after the mass if he still felt that Church was boring. Your guess is as good as mine! He shook his head with a smile on his face. Hubby's idea paid off! "At least he gets entertained now and he learns pa, kesa naman puro -- Church is boring ang sinasabi niya," hubby commented.

Two days after, I was feeling under the weather. I was lying on the bed with his sister when he told me this: "Mama, the teacher in the church said when Mama or Papa are sick we should take care of them. So I will take care of you."

Oh well, I think Sunday school does work! :)

Another Perspective

My cousin's daughter was baptized last Sunday.

I liked what the priest shared during the Homily.

"Your babies play with your stuff because they want to become like Mommy or Daddy. They play with Mom's bag or shoes even if they have their own shoes, because they like to become like Mama. The same thing with little boys. They play with Daddy's belt, shoes or act like Daddy because he wants to become like Daddy. So you should be role models for your children."

I really never looked it that way when I see Sam or Liam playing with our stuff. I always thought it was just "cute" when they play with those things, not thinking that they are actually playing with it because they want to be US.

What a challenge! Now I am challenged!

Small Sweet Boy

Yesterday was a school day for Liam. After school, I dropped him off at his cousins' home so they can play.

It was a crazy day for me yesterday. Aside from the usual grind in the morning I did the following-- Gymbaroo class for Sam --> did some errands like buying stuff for the home and a smaller pram that would fit at the back of Mickie--> went home for a bit to do some chores, rest a bit --> went to Plumpton to have Mickie blessed by our friend priest --> went home and cooked dinner --> picked up the kids from school --> dropped them off at Acacia Gardens.

Night time, was still multi-tasking, putting the folded clothes to our respective cabinets (after ironing ok?). Liam who at that time was playing with his Papa, went up.

He told me this: "Mama, you know when I am in school, I really, really missed you."

I replied and told him I missed him too.

Then he told me something I wasn't really paying attention to. All I heard was "really very sorry."

After two minutes and I finally finshed everything I sat down and asked him.

"Why were you saying sorry to Mama?"

Looking very sorry again, he answered me:

"Mama, I'm really very sorry because you might be getting really tired doing everything."

My heart melted. All the tiredness gone in a flash! All I could do was hug him.

I told him I was ok doing everything for him, Sam and his Papa.

I felt guilty and remebered the times I ranted because of doing so many things at home. For being tired.

Liam is such a sweet boy. He knows how to show and say his appreciation. I hope he grows up with it.

I love you Kuya Liam!