I Shop for Clothes at the Grocery! And other revealing facts about me

I can't hide it. I like shopping, and I like nice things. But I'm also afraid that one day, we might not have saved enough. And that one day might come soon.

So, now I have to find a balance in saving and buying. And my, it's one hard feat.

Until I discovered just how much more fun grocery shopping can be! That is where I found my answer.

See, I like new things, but they don't have to be expensive.

Grocery shopping has always been my stress reliever. I don't like carrying lists and besides, even if I buy a wee bit more than usual-- we still consume them eventually, right?

So one day, while going through the aisles one by one (I do this when I have time), I found something that made my heart skip!

Ladies tops from P100 to P299. One of my greatest finds to date were the Baby Gap rash guards for P150. So cute I want to get them all!

Below are some nice finds at MOA Hypermart. Pajama tops at P150 (although I've bought a pair with bottoms at one bazaar for P150), sports bras, the coral sleeveless F21 top is P199 and the kids dresses are I think Gap at P150 each.

Aside from SM, I've  enjoyed shopping at Shopwise for everyday undies and shirts for kids.

So now when I go to the grocery, it takes me twice the time to shop. The husband is not amused but the wife is so, so happy!

Playdates and why it's not just about play

My body is showing signs of aging. I almost can't keep up with our energetic boy. That plus the fact that I do have to work at home sometimes, or the fact I'm too tired, make me turn down a few of his requests to "come play with me mom. laro po tayo".

That is why I jump at opportunities to join playdates. The boy gets to have his fill of play, and mom gets to chat with like-minded mommies.

The setting of the playdate is the wonderful Tribeca Residences where they have this bigger-than-the-malls play area and the piece de resistance' : a football field!




Found his buddy (Mec's son) for the afternoon as they are the bigger kids in that batch.

Posing at the bleachers.

 After going through several shirts, it's time for the art activity.

 All geared up and waiting for instructions from Teacher Khrizzy.




 In full concentration.

And then this was unveiled and became an instant magnet for the kids.

Here are the kids with their artwork.

In between play, I managed to grab him to pose for a souvenir shot.

It was a riot getting the kids to pose properly. And we were looking in different directions.

Before said bye and thanks to our hosts for the day, Tita Mec obliged and showed Jared some knitting basics. Thanks, Mec!

Until the next play date!

Someday

On most days, I let Jared take the lead in choosing his books. Especially in mama's house where there are plenty lying around, he gets to choose whatever he feels like reading.

But when my friend Maqui wrote about this book, I was compelled to find a copy. I am always thankful and pray that they don;t close shop, that there is a Booksale at the ground floor of our ofifce building. I run there for emergency assignments and to look for certain books.

I succeeded on my first try.

So one weekend, I took out the book and let the boy sit beside me.

Curious about the content.

Even if he can read on his own, I wanted to read this to him. He was absorbed...

until  the middle of the book when his eyes got watery.

Here he is after we finished the book. My poor baby got so affected he cried and declared he never wanted to see that book again.

The book now rests inside a cabinet. I will take it out again when he's ready... someday.

Freezer Paper DIY Tshirt Stencil

There will be many more "I can't believe I haven't posted this yet!" as I really have bene remiss in blogging. Aside from not finding enough time, I seem to be to tired to even open the computer to start writing.


But this raining ( and flody) Monday, inspiration struck and here I am hoping to catch up on almost half a year of delinquent posts. Like this.

I believe we did this last January.


Prior to my Instagram addiction, I was quite hooked on Pinterest. Before Pinterest, I never even knew there was such a thing as freezer paper. I know foil, sure. But freezer paper? Until more and more DIY crafts appeared on Pinterest and it got me really intrigued in trying this out.



Thankfully, I got hold of a roll last December and here's our first project. Our first-ever freezer paper stenciled shirt.


You'll need:
- Paint
-brush
-your chosen design
-freezer paper
-cutter
-plain shirt

I chose a fairly simple one: a whale! Drew by free hand and cut it out quite easily. You should then iron the shiny side on the shirt and make sure it is fairly secure.

The next job is the easiest and most fun. Just start painting.

Before the paint fully dries, peel off the freezer paper. Let the paint dry completely.

And here's our tshirt made with love. You can iron over the print again to make sure it stays put. Ours did not fade or run even after several washings.

This post is really late because the boy has outgrown the shirt several months back. Won't fit him so maybe it's time for another DIY project.

Let's Talk About Weight

If I were a kid, I'd fail the marshmallow test. Big time.

I'm always excited, too excited. Thankfully, I also know when to keep my mouth shut so secrets are safe with me. =)

So even before this diet program comes to a full completion, I am already reporting my progress.


I'm average-sized ever since I can remember. I wear medium-sized clothes, wear sample size shoes. I'm of average height for a Filipina. I didn't care about what I eat, or how much I eat.

But it's true that as you age, your metabolism slows. More so if you get zero exercise (or if like me, exercise comes in bursts like 2 days straight in a month).

When I got married in 2006, I must have been 115 lbs. It quickly ballooned to 120 lbs, then to 130 lbs and my weight before giving birth was 160 lbs.

I lost all the baby weight and more through breastfeeding so by the time Jared celebrated his first birthday, I was 116 lbs again.

I've lessened my carb and calorie intake, but no matter how little I eat, my weight will only go down by 1-2 lbs.

Anyway, this post is really just to motivate me further. A little over a week into this diet, I can fit into a size 6 dress again!

I prepare my own food, bring my food with me everywhere. To work, when we go out malling, when we attend birthdays. I ignore the all too enticing smell of food and I brush my teeth when I get the cravings.

So far, I've lost 9 lbs in 10 days. And today, I will bring out all my old dresses which I thought I can never wear again. Despite of the rain, and the misgiving about not being able to enjoy champorado in this cool weather, I will carry on. =)

Will post about my diet in detail by September. Let's see if I can keep this weight off.