Grateful

Just being given another day is already enough to be Thankful for...  

The rest of the day - added bonus!🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Terrific Thursday All!

💙💚💛💜❤️💖

Keeping It Real!

Need not walk on eggshells on my account..  I can take it... Say what you want, what you will, about me...   Attacks and Innuendos I take with a grain of salt...  In in one ear, out the other....  

Truly just let it all roll off my sleeves...   

None of it makes me any less the person I am...

Am really just one less friend that I Thought I had...  

#OverIt #KeepingItReal #Positivites

Another Year Older

Yes, that's right...  Am a year older once more...  

As always, One can only hope that am wiser, too...

So much has happened the last year...  Some setbacks, dramas, and heartaches....  But Am Thankful that for the most part, the good and the Blessings outweighs all the negativities and bad things.  

I think the two biggest things that I am happy I have learned this past year are, to quote Elsa, "to just "Let It Go!"  This past year, i have learned to 1) just ignore all the negative people...  To still be polite but keep away from their  dramas.... To not be dragged...    

And 2)  I have learned that there is no helping some...  It is best to let them be, to let them find their own way...  As helping makes matters worse - makes them worse as people.

It seems the older I get, the more accepting I am of things and of people's attitudes.  I just keep doing what I do best...  And that's living my own life..  Loving those whom I love...   Helping and doing what I can... Accepting those I cannot change...  Ignoring the Haters and the Gossip Mongers...  And most of all, never letting anyone take away my SMILE or change the way I want to see the world.

Thank you to my family, friends, and acquaintances for being a part of my life...  For inspiring me..,,  and for keeping me Real and Smiling!  Here's to more years of togetherness, sharing Positivities and Good Vibes...  And spreading Kindness and Smiles around - and just Be Happy....  After all, "The Best Things In Life Are Free!!!"

Swimming with Juju!

"Am Just A Little Girl!"

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Conversations with Juju

2nd June 2015

Swimming with Juju is getting a lot more fun now...  Little by little, she is getting braver and braver...  The last few times, am able to get her to swim with her paddle board in the longer pool - where people really do laps... Longer and deeper...

We compromise, 10 laps - a snack break  - then another 10 laps.  One way I swim back float pulling her...  the  other way she kicks with the board on her own...  10Xs laps, then break to eat her cookies n drink then 10 laps again!!!  

She did not complain at all or pretend to be scared and ask me to hold her...  So i kept telling her she is doing good - to which she replies: "I am Supergirl".  

In the last few laps though she was getting slower.  So I was telling her: "OMG, what happened Supergirl, why are you getting slow?"  She stopped kicking, looked me straight in the eyes and said without blinking: " Am just a little girl, you know!"  Then continued on with her lap.

I laughed so much...  I was so elated with our swim, i forgot that she IS just a little girl!😜😜😜

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Yep..  We try to make everyday and everything FUN!!!

June Again!!!

It's s June once again... Almost half a year over..  And it means  I will be a yeal older again...  Ouuuuuch!!!  

But such is life...  I can only hope am getting wiser with time... Last moth was a bit trying..  Too many dramas - family n work.... I hope June will be a better month - and if not, will just do what I always do, GO WITH THE FLOW!!!

Starting off the wek, the month with what 

I like Best - burning off the Monday Blues ( and a few calories too, I hope..) at the Gym.

Have a great month of June all!!!

Keep Smiling

 

As I see it, Life as it is with Selfies, you gotta take a lot of shots to get that one shot you like... (Mind you am not talking about the super photoshopped ones that you do not even recognize your own self.)  It's the one or two  shots you are truly happy with...  The one that  you post and hope your friends and contacts will like, too...  

 

But in case they do not, you just have "Keep Smiling" anyway...  What really matters is that you can  look at the photo (or your life for that matter) and know that it is the real you, the best of you,...  the one where your True Personality comes through...  

Still, we all know that we cannot possibly be liked by everyone,  nor can we possibly like everyone...  What matters is that we can look at ourselves in the mirror and genuinely like what we see..  That we can be happy with what we put out there...  To know that we are not there to harm, stir troubles, or  spread negativity...  Instead,  to actually spread happiness and hope that we make others smile in our own little ways...  

And to have one or two friends (as well as other FB friends) like that selfie shot is just an added bonus.

Mother's Day 2015

The Month of May.. Used to be it just signifies the freshness of Spring Blooms and Summer Rains...  Of Celebrating Moms all over the world...  All of it equals Love Love Love!!!

But for me, May, now also marks the Anniversary of Mom's passing...  When she finally lost her battle with Breast Cancer...  This year will be the 3rd Anniversary of her passing. So for me, each year, May will be forever bittersweet...

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Wishing you a Happy Mother's Day, Mom! 

There are times when I wish I could see you again- even for just a day..  Even in my dreams...  You are surely missed, and am happy to keep you in my thoughts and heart everyday.

Green Day

Wow.. Feb sure went by fast...  Not only because it is the shortest month but with all the Holidays thrown in (VDay, Chinese NY...) things were just too busy to even know the days flying by...

So here we are ..  The month of March upon us..  Almost time to welcome the First Day of spring with the flowers blooming - and the smell of refreshing days in the air.   

It is also the month we get to celebrate St Patrick's Day - so time to color the days Green! Starting with dressing Green the first day of the month!

Have a Marvelous Month of March Everyone!!!

It's that Old Devil Called Love!

Here we go again...   way into the LOVE MONTH ....  actually in just one more day (Taiwan Time) it will be Valentine's Day once more....  A day of Flowers, Chocolates and other Love Gifts - Big or Small - all to profess Love to our significant others, or those we wish would be our significant others.  As Christmas and Thanksgiving is a time for all loved ones - family and friends, Valentine's Day gets a bit more exclusive and personal - mainly meant for partners, lovers, significant others!

 

I for one, just like any other Holiday, get excited over this....  not so much anymore about flowers or chocolates I used to expect - but more now, about that something in the air that makes most people smile a bit more....  be loving a bit more....  and we all know, we could always use a bit more loving in this world!  So enjoy the Special Day Lovers....   it matters not what you do, what you get, what words are uttered or not uttered....  what matters is that you are with someone you love.... and God willing , someone that Loves you, too!!! 

 

And if so happen that you find yourself single on this day - go and enjoy the day still....  share it with a good friend, with family, or even just by yourself doing something you absolutely Love!!!

 

HAPPY VALENTINE's DAY ALL!!!

 

1st of the many, I Hope!

So we are off to a hood start in the Travel department, as I was Blessed enough to have been able to Travel this past January...  For over two weeks!!!

It matters not that it was just in the Philippines - Again!!! - as this time around I got to:

-Visit 2 new Destinations: Baler and La Union..  

-Wander about and see some old historical and marvelous churches....  

-And got to visit the island of Puerto Galera once more!!!

 

Yep, Yep... you read that right....  we hit a total of  3 BEACHES!!!   Just in time too as it was the perfect getaway from the cold and dreary winter of Taipei.....   First stop was Baler....  a looong drive from Manila but soooooo worth it....  they call themselves the Surfing Capital of the Philippines and judging by the folks surfing - locals and tourists alike - it surely looks like it!

The second beach town was La Union... used to be surfing Haven before it all moved to Baler...  I requested this place as I really wanted to stay at Thunderbird Resorts....  The Greek decor inspired resort that I first got to see in the movie, "The Other Woman", a few years back... and have been admiring posts by other on Facebook and Instagram....  It was A OK....  not as IMPRESSIVE as it looks in photos....  pricey for what it had to offer... but it helped that there were not many people staying at the time we were there... got to enjoy the pool very much...  especially since no one can really swim on their private beach...

a few days break back in Manila and we headed back to Puerto Galera in Mindoro....  it has been many years since we were there last, about 2008, and it was great to be back... has changed... has grown... and just have so much more to offer - young and adults alike...  the waters were so calm... not too cold....   even Juju did not scared and swam every chance she got....   The nightlife is soooo much fun - even if you do not drink....   lively entertainment right along the beach... one after another....  our last nite, we even went from venue to venue to venue... not wanting to miss out on anything...

I truly had a WONDERFUL TIME this trip....  it was a promising start to a brand new year of travels - and I hope that it will be just like that - full of firsts, fun times, unforgettable memories....  Here's Hoping and Praying!!!  

 

You can see more photos of the trip by CLICKING HERE!

 

 

 

 

Travels 2014

Travels 2014

So Thankful for all the opportunities to travel last year... Besides the numerous trips to see family in the Philippines , was able to fit in Nagoya, Okinawa. Thailand , Myanmar & Hong Kong.

Loved seeing the snow - in the Nagoya region of Japan - again, having not seen it for a long time; spending Holy Week in the Philippines for the first time - such an emotional experience; Disneyland through Juju's eyes; and being able to add another country, Myanmar/Burma, to the list of countries visited.  Revisiting Okinawa was a lot of Fun, and this time around, a tastier treat as we ate sooooo much!!!   And seeing the awesome Holiday displays in Manila and Bangkok are always a FAVE of mine.  So many first time experiences in 2014 - and I love them all!

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After all these years, I finally got to see Mayon Volcano in my Mom's Province Region of Bicol!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Nagoya, Japan

Hong Kong Disneyland with Juju n GioGio!

Foodies in Okinawa, Japan!!!

Goofing about at Terminal 21

Bangkok, Thailand

Travel Anyway You Can!!!

Rockwell XMas

Manila, Philippines

Awesome fishermen of Myanmar!

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Thanks to my families (The Palmas, The Teruels, The Wus),

and friends along the way, for making it all much more FUN!😚😚😚

Here's hoping 2015 will be just as Good to me!!!😃😃😃

#FlasbackFridays  #Happiness #Travels

16 Years!!!!

16 years ago yesterday, January 9th,  I arrived in Taipei, Taiwan to make a go of a new life...  And what a life it has been...  Would not change any part of it. Okay maybe one or two - but truly, for the most part it has been filled with adventures & happiness...  Got to spend more time with my family in The Philippines....  Got to spend tine with Mom and Dad before their passing.., see my nephews and nieces grow into adulthood...  and have been Blessed to be a part of another family, The Wus!!! 

To You, Thanks for being my Best Friend, Biz Partner, and my Family all these years...  Through the Ups and Downs we have managed to stick it out...  Here's to more years of adventures, more countries to explore, and more of everything to come...