Welcome 2023... Thank You 2022!

 A few more hours and 2022 will be history.

As I sit down and think about how 2022 went by, I felt my struggles in work, my everyday life as a teacher, my simple joys as a Mom and the blessings I continuously receive. Life is much better in 2022 because majority of us are now vaccinated, We can now go out to enjoy a bit, dine out and even travel too. The mask is still part of our daily outfits, although there are times we are no longer conscious but COVID19 is still here!

And so life must go on...

Me and Myself

The first quarter of the year was both terrible and terrifying... I got the virus! It was my first batch of thesis research and defense in my department when I thought it was just fatigue. Good thing the defense was online, I was laying down most of the time with camera off to rest. I got fever for 24 hours and a terrible cough after 3 days. Luigi stayed with me in my house, so he also caught the virus. We were isolated for 14 days and the defense continued. The terrifying part was, you do not know what will happen to you everyday! There was an all around anxiety attack. Good thing, I was able to book an online checkup with my internist, Dra. Nancy Torres and we were diagnosed with the Omicron variant. I finally calmed down and was able to rest for a few more days to complete the quarantine period.

I finally had the time and courage to do my utmost plan of home renovation. I had 2 huge clothes cabinets in the second floor of the house, redone my dinning cabinets, painted the house interior, changed a few light fixtures, changed my main and side doors and changed all my windows into sliding ones. Plus a new all-solid acacia table from Ikea topped the renovation. All done in 3 weeks and this made me super happy!

My Lorenzo

He turned 18 this year and he is on his 12th Grade taking up Culinary Art in STI College Calamba. He wanted to become a real chef someday and the best decision to do is to start with a strong foundation as early as now.... then go, COOK! He has now experienced cooking in an industry based kitchen, learned a lot of basics and now can cook on his own. Oh he got the virus as well, he got it towards the end of January, where he was isolated alone in his big room and his computer. 

My Luis

Luigi turned 29 this year. He continuous to be the most responsible son and kuya to us. He can now drive to Manila, but of course with a good navigator on his side. I wish him the best this coming new year, maybe its time to think of family and marrying?

Our Family

My brother Louie and SIL Hayk visited us in April, this was after the 2 years lockdown. We had a short get away to Baguio City and a lot of strolling around in Laguna and Manila. While mommy flew to USA in September for a-2 month vacation with my youngest brother, Jay and her sister, Auntie Linda and Uncle Bill. Mommy celebrated her 83rd birthday with good health and plenty of prayer meetings.

My Spouse

Dodo will be remembered always! I received his retirement ring this year. It will be kept safely for the two boys to remember his hard work all his productive years. It has been 2 years since he left us, but all his memories are here to stay.

My Life

At 54, I have no idea of what is still in stored for me. All I know is I have two precious boys to take care and grow old with. I am looking forward to more experiences, more challenges, more discoveries and more happiness with them. I want to slow down in work, take it easy with stress and work problems, no more PhD plans and just be a regular teacher. I just want to walk, eat and just be happy with life.

I am grateful for 2022! There should be no room for unhappy thoughts, instead, find the good things out of those experiences. I wish for more ME time on self care, mental health, scrapping time, chat with friends, good relationship with Lord and more quality time with my kids and family. My wish for myself are good health, resolved anemia, more peaceful menopause transmission and more time to walk. My wishes for my family are good health, safety and another major trip to be together again.  

God bless us all as we 

welcome 2023!

Maligayang Pasko 2021

I love scrapping Christmas layouts! It gives me that excitement every time I create it anytime of the year. I love the Christmas colors of red, green, gold and the shimmery it gives that reflects the joyous and festive feeling. I used here assorted scraps of papers, MM 8x8, Scenic Route paper cut out of leaves, petaloo glittered flowers, DMC threads and Thickers' foam letters.

TFL.

2021 Project Life!

 

It has been 5 months since my last post.

I am done with 2021 PL but forgot to upload... Just like 2020, events and happenings were still limited because it was still Pandemic. This was the year when people were starting to get vaccinated and at the same time, trying to live normal. People were battling over mental and physical health, while trying to survive the new life. 

I have my own struggles and battles too... struggles of being alone a parent, struggles of facing the online teaching while going to work everyday, battles of keeping my balance over sanity and happiness, and a lot more. But hey, we made it to 2021!

And, I scrapped the year's happenings.

The lesson here is that we have survived with the help of family and prayers, I believe life will be okay after all.

Thanks for looking.

Boosted and Protected!

Hey, I'm back after 5 months!

Been blogging since 2007 and until now, I almost forgot how to open my blog to post. So many changes here but I can't get rid of blogging, second love after scrapping hahaha! Anyway, I'm back again.

Our little house was renovated for almost a month. Everything was moved and messed up, and it took me 2 weekends to settle things specially my scrap room. Just today, I was able to sit down and play once again. I had to finish some pages and journal them before I can proceed to more creations. Here's the latest page of Luigi.

Boosted... I was not able to document Luigi's 2 prior COVID19 vaccinations because I was not with him. This time, we were together but on different locations. I made him posed for a remembrance of his booster shot. I used here Bazzil white cardstock, Simple Stories scraps, assorted buttons, DMC threads and Tim Holtz's distress inks. Such a simple page!

I hope to be playing during the weekends because I need to create my life balance again. Work is so preoccupying and tiring. Rest is not enough to restore my sanity.

TFL... more creating soon!

More Finished Pages...

My aim in scrapbooking this year is to finish all my backlogs!

I have a few pages and my 2021 Project Life is sitting in my unfinished layout box. Everytime I open it and view the missing parts, I would just close the box and say, "I need to wait for the journal printing, a missing photo, etc." This weekend was a success, I'm done!

Grade 10... Lorenzo finished his 10th Grade in Morning Star Montessori School. He has been there since preschool and I got no complaints from him. He may not be that wise and active in school, but he is just happy with his close friends and going to school. Because of the Pandemic, he needed to homeschool. He got his complete gadget ready for school before his Dad left. The bonus part was, he finished Grade 10 with honors. I used here DCWV frosted cardstock, Simple Stories PPs, DMC thread, assorted scrap and paper flowers, Thickers chipboard letter stickers, metal brads and buttons.

Vaxxed! Our Lorenzo is fully vaccinated with Pfizer. I feel a sense of security and peace facing this terribled Pandemic with his complete vaccinations. I used here WRMK PPs, assorted scraps, DMC threads, assorted stickers for embellishments, assorted Thickers letter stickers, metal key brad, and buttons.

Can't wait for the coming weekends to scrap again... I'm still finishing my 2021 PL. Happy creating peeps!

TFL.

 

Ika 10

I'm back in my scraproom!

And I was just excited to finish a few hanging pages since last year. This page was almost done except for the 2021 photo, took me awhile to complete my graduation pictorial pictures here. 

I started with STI College in 2011. I worked as a part time instructor for four years as I completed my masters studies. Then in 2014 second semester, I experienced my 1st full time teaching position with 27 units load. After that, I became the General Education Program Head until this day. Teaching became  a passion since then, which I learned to love through the years...

Ika 10... This page shows my annual graduation pictorial in the college department. I may have transformed my looks through the years, but what is most important to me is what I have imparted as an educator and as a  leader. I used here Bazzill white cardstock, assorted PPS, Anchor calado embroidery thread, MM mini letter/number stickers, assorted paper flowers, pearls, Thickers glittered letters and WRMK metal ornaments.

I'm on my 11th year now... and still counting!

TFL.