Friday, December 20, 2024

Happiness project 2024: 100 days


Day 1: 9/12/24. I love this art piece Gigi made maybe 4 years ago. And that's a pasalubong (travel gift) from Justin and his lovely wife. It is a fancy hot water bottle too pretty to use so I use it as decor in my office space at home :-)

My 30 day detox from social media has me doing more conscious work which has nicely activated my prefrontal cortex and quieted my amygdala.

As a quick recap the prefrontal cortex and amygdala are parts of our brains that work together and when the prefrontal cortex is in charge and the amygdala chills out, life is more peaceful, purposeful, and bustling at even, happy keel.

And this is exactly the feeling of what I was going for so that I can have a clean and clear mental palate. We are nearing the last quarter of 2024 and I want to greet 2025 with a clean slate energetically by cultivating healthy ways of navigating the world in real life rather than acting on easy and fast compulsions. 

For me, blogging is like going to the mental gym because it requires the activation of the prefrontal cortex and requires a steady state of focused attention. And how I feel when I am blogging is calm, focused, and purposeful. Not sure what chemicals my brain is producing right now, but I LOVE IT!!!

Anyhow, this post is going to be forerunner of the rest of the remaining posts for the remainder of the year.

My inspiration was an old post from 2014 here that invited my old self to post 1 photo that made me happy that day for 100 days…I lasted 13 days womp womp. So…10 years later, I am challenging my older, wiser, and fitter ;-) self to freakin do SOMETHING for 100 straight days. Can I do this? Will I fold? Will I delete this post once I’m bored of it? Will I be alive in 100 days? eeww morbid thought Delete.

New paragraph.

Now.

So I will do it because I want to cultivate discipline and prove to myself that I can do SOMETHING I set out to do for 100 straight days that will directly feed into my purpose of choosing happiness today and 99 days thereafter which will be Saturday, December 21, 2024. Woot woot!! That will put us almost at Christmas so I'm already there energetically lol ;-)

Day 2: 9/13/24. I love this photo because it shows feminine strength, nimbleness, and grace. All physical states I fully enjoy embodying. Happy Friday ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿป๐Ÿฉฐ๐ŸŒŸ

Day 3: 9/14/24. Out n’ about back to school shopping with my loves today. We had a good time even if I made them do unnecessary cardio making them walk around and carry their shopping bags by parking faaarrr at our fave outdoor shopping area ๐Ÿ›️๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ˜Š๐ŸŒŸ✌️


Day 4: 9/15/24. This pic made me the happiest because it is a very old one my Auntie Stephanie happened to send to me today (pretty lil girl in the pic.) It's a pic of my dad (tallest boy in a tie) and his family. And good golly my grama was a legit hottie! Gramps is good looking too but she definitely steals the show ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŒŸ✌️


Day 5: 9/16/24. Uncle Asian man over there is delightful and schooled me today. I’m like “Sir you look fantastic but maybe too early for Aloha Friday.” He smiled and said “It’s Aloha Every Day young lady.” I loooovvve that❣️Thank you Uncle ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐ŸŒบ๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŒท

Day 6: 9/17/24. I was just telling my kids I need to get back on a motorcycle or the skills I learned from a professional motorcycle rider will go to waste. Then, lo and behold, not one but three (3) motorcycles showed up at my gym this morning. I could be wrong but these bikes look like track racing bikes. Last week there was a beautiful red Ducati. Looks like Rider Nation is joining my gym. Funsies ๐Ÿคฉ

Day 7: 9/18/24. Been hearing Pickleball is all the rage! Young, teens, mid age and up are taking to it and loving it. While the kids and I were back to school shopping, we picked this up and and just learned today a new friend loves it and has a local court where they play. Scoooorre ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ’›✌️๐ŸŽ‰


Day 8: 9/19/24. I love sitting in my stylist's chair and getting taken cared of. Tanya is an amazing human, mom, very talented at her craft, and always connects with me authentically and enthusiastically. She's hella funny and is as real as it gets. Case in point, I walked in and she was flabbergasted because I was wearing PANTS lmaoooo. She was like, "All these years I think this is the first time I've seen you in pants." lmao. "I'm like its pants season. I gotta suck it up. Grrrrr. lol " ;-)



Day 9: 9/20/24. This is my workout journal that brings me joy because I can track my forward progress :-) I met up with Hang, a kind and adventurous mom friend who enjoys being active like me. We did a repeat upper body workout from 6:00 am - 6:50 am. Very early. Needed a nap after lol ;-) Lifting weights is great w/ a buddy because re-racking, setting up, and chatting in between sets makes the work feel more like play. Sidenote: I had been thinking of my friend Honey and been wanting to connect w/ her, and lo and behold, she gets my "mental text message" and texts me this afternoon! Very cool huh :-) YOUR people feel you!! Happy Friday! 



Day 10: 9/21/24. If you don't have a girlfriend who feels more like a sister and gab with enthusiastically for over an hour while she makes home made Hawaiaan & Filipino food for her kids, you need to meet Karina! She's the BEST. LYLAS Happy Saturday! 


Day 11: 9/22/24. Worked out early with Leti & Lance and we hit legs and abs; my fave! Gym goers at that time are friendly and consistent. We even had a nice breakfast after with Abe and Lee. Worked for a bit and after, took a very refreshing nature walk at Coyote Hills. I love it up there :-) Lots of open spaces and friendly nature goers today. There were young families crawfish catching, nature watchers with binoculars, elderly people on walkers, and lots of turkeys! 


Love open spaces


Walking on here is very grounding and serene


Love the reflection of the sun and the ripples on the water. It almost give the illusion of movement!


Turkeeeyyyss!



Light weight stalking the turkeys cuz they needed to be on the blog:-) 

Have a wonderful upcoming week everyone!

Day 12: 9/23/24. I had a cooking session Saturday night and made lobster butter and corn bread. Was super busy yesterday so didn't get to do anything with it until this morning. I did try the butter yesterday and thought it needed more seasoning and was bland. This morning, with a fresh set of eyes, I noticed the bottom of the glass container holding the lobster concoction was brown and gritty looking while 80% was light yellow/buttery. Turns out all I had to do was mix the brown gritty stuff into the yellowy stuff because that's where ALL the FLAVOR lives, in the grit. Duuuuuuuuddddeee!!! That stirred up butter warmed on corn bread + home brewed coffee (50% coconut caramel crunch + 50% blonde roast) was absolutely decadent, individually, and together. The best part is I can make a lot of savory dishes with that lobster butter alone as a base. Happy eating!

Taste tested Saturday night's cooking efforts this morning. Delicioso!

Day 13: 9/24/24. Got in a short sunset ๐ŸŒ… run at my fave running spot. Gotta get here earlier so I can run longer next time especially with our days with sunlight getting shorter over the fall season. Happpppyyy Running Everyone๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️!!

Day 14: 9/25/24. Looking forward to watching this basketball charity match up. The team rosters looks pretty good ๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿ€๐Ÿ‘Œ

Day 15: 9/26/24. My cuties growth and style progression over the years ๐Ÿ˜❤️๐Ÿ˜❤️


Stay golden, friends, and aim to be your own sunshine! 

๐ŸŒž✌️๐Ÿ’›

Day 16: 9/27/24. Super productive + positive Friyay. Killed it early at the gym. Went heavy on legs w/ my trainer + practiced combos on all six punching bags up and down for max burn + finished w/ dance choreography and across the floor drills. Caught up on life w/ Honey over lunch and discussed potentially bringing back our podcast, "More, please." Knocked out four in person back to back meetings in the afternoon and in the evening caught up on emails. Very little distraction today and stayed focused on my goals + responsibilities. **happy sigh** See you manana ๐Ÿ˜‰

Day 17: 9/28/24. The St. Anne Charity Basketball Event was a huge success and extremely entertaining. Gavin was the pink piggy lol ;-) Congratulations to the Dino who won!

Day 18: 9/29/24. Had a wonderful Sunday✌️ I may or may not elaborate tomorrow but need to get this post in before time slips away. Feeling blessed ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ✌️๐ŸŒท๐Ÿซถ

Day 19: 9/30/24. Bro has no shame at all ๐Ÿ˜†This is the chillest and sweetest German Shepherd you will ever meet. He recently won over the lead groomer at Petsmart and when she was done w/ services told me “they” (her whole team) loves ๐Ÿ˜ him and that she only wants to work on him, lol❣️He was super duper loved up on. She did all the extras like brush out his tangles, trimmed his foot pads down, and everything all on her own. She’s like “they” her team doesn’t know how to do those things because they’re not certified or trained. We now have a fairy dog auntie๐Ÿงš ๐Ÿงผ ๐Ÿถ ๐Ÿพ who fawns and takes care of him ๐Ÿ˜Š

Day 20: 10/1/24. September was a consistent gym month for me and looking to continue this trend this month ๐ŸŽฏ Hit legs w/ Hang at 6 am today and put in some double digit, 11.1 cycling ๐Ÿšด๐Ÿป‍♀️ miles today. Finished off w/ hydrotherapy spa & dry sauna ๐Ÿง–‍♀️

Day 21: 10/2/24. With the TeamBoom24 crew for Rudy’s birthday! ๐Ÿฅณ ๐ŸŽ‰๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸซถFrom L to R: Leti, Lance, Sharon, Millie, Rudy, Deanna, Tim ๐Ÿ’ฅ✌️๐Ÿซถ๐ŸฅŠ

Day 22: 10/3/24. Leg ๐Ÿฆต day errydayy lol May wobble a bit today ✌️๐ŸŽ‰๐ŸŒท๐Ÿฉฐ

Day 23: 10/4/24. So after the gym I hit up my local Filipino grocery store and what I observed was a very good thing. Some lady named Maureen that works for Kaiser left her work badge at the store and Kuya (big bro) in an apron that works there in Tagalog said, “I’m going to FaceBook her so she knows she left her work badge here.” And to Ate (big sis), who was ringing me up, I said “Wow, that is such a nice thing to do!” No putting in the lost and found, but Kuya busted out his phone, took care of business, and hit up Ms. Maureen on her social. THAT is the natural Filipino way. Helpful above and beyond the call of duty because it is the RIGHT thing to do✅ Super proud of my Kababayan (people) today and I told them so ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ‘Œ❤️✌️๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ Have a wonderful weekend all!! ๐ŸŒท๐ŸŒท๐ŸŒท

Day 24: 10/5/24. Gym. Target. In-n-Out ⬆️ ๐ŸŽฏ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿ˜ Gigi and I went hard today. She did a full leg workout and I did bag work / across the floor drills / and a full body HIIT. Very freaking tiring ๐Ÿฅตbut I needed to knock this off my list today ✅ ๐Ÿ’ฏ๐Ÿ‘Š๐Ÿ‘ 


Day 25: 10/6/24. Throwing ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿณdown in my kitchen today๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ„‍♀️๐ŸŒท๐Ÿ˜ Making the first Filipino dish I fell in love with when I moved out of home and had to learn and teach myself because my family did not know how to make this. It has a strong Spanish influence in that it is named "Chicken Pochero, Kapangpagan style" which translates to Chicken Stew made the Kapanpagan way (the best lol). I call it "Sexy Chicken" cuz the cooked veggies and sauce are the star of this show and the savory chicken is the cherry on top. I hope this is gonna be good ๐Ÿคž Have a charmed and blessed Sunday everyone ✨๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ’“

Sunday continued:

The Chicken Pochero turned out fiyaaahhh babbyyy! ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ‘Œ 

Gigi said it hit all the points and "fed her soul." Wow. Dropped some off to my mom's for her, Auntie Minnie, Elvis, and Niko and my mom said I passed! It's very Filipino kanu. She said I could put cabbage for more veggies but I elected to leave it out because my pot was not big enough and I prefer pechay (baby bok choy) over cabbage.

eat a lotta veggies and you'll get hella sexy lol ;-)
plantain bananas. gigi and i are bonkers for this ๐Ÿซถ
gimme some!



NOW!
(that's what gavin gets for ganking my phone and posting a story on my behalf.
break yo' self fool lol) 




sharing is caring. food delivery via millie door diva dasher. please give me 5 stars on yelp. i'm fancy, i know



made it to church w/ no adult / teenage meltdowns on this hot a$$ day. yeeee!!! ๐Ÿคธ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿคธ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿคธ๐Ÿป‍♀️ 

Day 26: 10/7/24. Gigi says the gym is my second home and she is right. I find that I am more consistent and can push myself harder when I have a trainer and am working out with friends. Word is that we will be getting some upgrades in our cardio room that are exciting: new kicking bags and a speed bag. I really, really, really want to spar and checked out a local boxing gym but was unsatisfied with their program. So, for now, its gamifying my experience, practicing, and having fun.

Day 27: 10/8/24. My vibe, this month, if it had a name would be "Manuel." Manuel Turizo to be exact. Love his music! ๐Ÿ”ฅ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿป❤️๐Ÿ•บ๐Ÿป๐Ÿชฉ✨๐Ÿ’“ Give it a listen and you'll be dancing too ;-) My jammy jam right now is VAGABUNDO. Thats a slappaaahh!!

Day 28: 10/9/24. Been waiting for the much needed cool down from the heat we have been getting hammered with the past week. Please don't come back๐Ÿ‘Š! Phew. Fall to me, is always about falling in love with your life and the things you have always enjoyed, like running! Starting ALWAYS sucks and is extremely humbling because all the body parts that are not as toned make themselves known by jiggling and its impossible to pretend they aren't there lol ;-) Whatevvs. So, I did 3.5 miles yesterday with flip flops because I have no breaks and might just go ham w/ little training and get hurt. The flip flops are natural stoppers for me and they stopped me for sure. I worked on my tan, meditated, prayed and got the mileage in. Right now building up my base because I have zero endurance. Running, like my brother Erle's wrestling coach friend says about fitness is, "perishable." We all had a lively conversation about that word and learned its application during Christyne & Marcus' baby shower in August. Right now is a good time to take up running. Why, you ask? CUZ. . . I . SAID. SO ๐Ÿ˜ LMAO. j/p peace out✌️๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ‘ฃ

Day 29:10/10/24. I’m gonna start Throwback Thursdays here on the blog. Check out my baby boy ๐Ÿฅฐ He’s been putting in miles even before he could walk via his mama. Gavin, today, at 14 years old is a natural runner ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♂️ who has both speed and stamina. Can’t wait to get back on the dirt track๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿ‘ฃ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ‘ฃ


Day 30:10/11/24. It's about the animals today for me. The goat farmers let their goats feast to help out the city's overgrown shrubbery ever year around this time. It's so peaceful I always have to stop by and say hello ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿฝ

Day 31: 10/12/24. I like having as many home made meals together. For me the perfection of the sunny side up eggs ๐Ÿณ and being together is what I want to remember ๐Ÿค“This hearty breakfast fueled a full, positive, and productive day for us

๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿง ๐Ÿซถ

Day 32: 10/13/24. My mom is finally open to learning how to write and send text messages. It’s been a hoot because we learned Siri can transcribe ๐Ÿ“ Kapangpagan & Tagalog if you enunciate properly. I was impressed because my Siri even spelled the “Putah” with an “h.” My mom’s Siri on the other hand has a sense of humor and transcribed the dictated text message to Auntie Beth as “Anak Buto” lol You can Google that and have fun with it #siritranscribestagalogslang #wetriedit 

๐Ÿซถ ๐Ÿ“Ÿ๐Ÿ’ฌ๐Ÿ—ฏ️


Day 33: 10/14/24. Big puppy ๐Ÿถ paws ๐Ÿพ gonna be a big dawg. I channel his need for physical activity by sparring playfully with him and tossing him around just like his furry mom would do. I love his breed so much ๐Ÿซถ




Day 34: 10/15/24. Sibling photo shoot time. Day 1 of Spirit Week at school ๐Ÿซ and it’s Disney Day themed ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿฅฐ❤️

Day 35. 10/16/24. I am very excited I have come to 35% of my ๐Ÿ’ฏday goal of this project and I am going strong ๐Ÿ’ช and still engaged lol. If you know me I am non committal by nature because I do not like being tethered to non essentials. This project must be important and enjoyable to me to keep going at this happy clip. Anyhoo. Here’s a pic from Day 2 of the kids Spirit Week and the theme today is “Bring anything but a backpack ๐ŸŽ’ day.” As you can see Gavin brought a red cooler which was Gigi’s idea lol ๐Ÿ˜‚ Yay to my kids teamwork ❣️

Day 36. 10/17/24. Helloooo❣️Happy Throwback Thursday again on the bloggie blog ❤️๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿ’›This pic was taken on July 14, 2009 on a run ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️ at Lake Elizabeth which makes Gigi 1 year and 1 + month old. She loved going on runs with me and making comments on the scenery. She spoke clearly at around 8 months and her little voice was super adorable. She melted everyone when she spoke cuz she was tiiiiinnyy and didn’t look like she should be talking lol ๐Ÿ˜‚ When she would nap I would find shade, read, and chill. When she woke up we would have a picnic ๐Ÿงบ because she would be in a good mood and ready to eat๐Ÿซถ She loved being outdoors as much as I did ⛰️ 



Day 37, 10/18/24, and going strooonngg ๐Ÿ’ช It’s the frickin weekend and happy aloha friyay everyone ๐ŸŒบ Killed it this week with workouts and motivation was high. Blogging right now at the gym and hopefully Blogger ๐Ÿคžwill post.Have a fun ๐Ÿคฉ & safe ๐Ÿซถweekend friends whatever you’ve got going ๐Ÿ’›


Day 38, 10/19/24 and got in an early full body workout with Sasha this morning. Strength, Cardio, and Partnered Boxing ๐ŸฅŠ Drills. We’re gonna start holding for each other because I bought holding boxing mitts from Amazon that should arrive this weekend. Very busy weekend of baking and driving faaar today for my Uncle Omar’s birthday. At least they have a jacuzzi so I am looking forward to that and Filipino party food. Yum ๐Ÿ˜‹

Day 39, 10/20/24, a busy and super fun weekend for us! We all kicked it with our respective crews and a special shout out to Gigi, Leah, and Noah for snagging 3rd place in their speech competition yesterday. Happy Sunday everyone and have a wonderful upcoming week๐ŸŒž

๐Ÿ…๐Ÿ…๐Ÿ…


Day 40, 10/21/24, Happy Birthday Uncle Omar! ๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿฅณ๐ŸŽŠ

Day 41, 10/22/24, 299 day puppy ๐Ÿถ progression. Seeing life and time unfold in a puppy's life is amazing and sweet ๐Ÿค—๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ˜˜๐Ÿ˜. 

8 weeks at 12/28/23


Hella weeks after at 10/18/24 ๐Ÿ˜† 

Day 42, 10/23/24, Super jam packed day but a very good one. Told Gigi during our Target run about this sweet man with a strong ๐Ÿ’ช & kind ๐Ÿ’›grampa vibe, Mr. Bharat. I chatted him up after his yoga class and he gave me home made Indian treats he brings to his students AND a proprietary essential oil blend for muscle rejuvenation. Who the heck does stuff like that!? Mr. Bharat does ๐Ÿ’Anyhow, I want to remember this today. There ARE kind people are out there ! ;-)




Day 43, 10/24/24, Happy Throwback Thursday ❣️My Uncle Virgil commented about missing my dad (his older brother) the last time we hung out for his birthday this past August. My dad, to me, was fully human, flawed, strong, open minded, and wise. He was able to transcend his own ancestral dysfunctions with his intellect and heart in his short 62 years with us. His legacy is an everyday inspiration to me and will be passed down to my bloodline. I super Love this pic of us at Disneyland because that doting father of mine forever lives in my mind and heart. Have a blessed day everyone ♥️๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ˜‡๐Ÿ’


Disneyland 1987 with my old man ๐Ÿ‘ด๐ŸฝThat Mickey Mouse watch was everythiiiing to me! lol ;-) ๐Ÿ•ฐ️



Day 44, 10/25/24, Happy Aloha Friyaay ❣️Jam packed day and weekend ๐Ÿฅณ Been chopping it up w/ peeps and everyone seems to be doing something they are excited about ๐Ÿคฉ Hope you have some funsies too and be safe. Killed it at the gym, per usual, today. Hit legs w/ my trainer then went hard with the w/ boxing drills and across the floor dance drills. Also, chatted it up with our delightful Zumba instructor Emily after class. Have a wonderful weekend everyone ;-)


Friday vibes sets the tone for the weekend ๐Ÿฆต๐ŸฅŠ ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿป ๐ŸŒž


Day 45, 10/26/24, so far our weekend has been golf for Gavin, speech competition for Gigi, and toy drive volunteer for me. Thankful for a good day and productive day ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ’









Day 46, 10/27/24, we all had a very good day especially this guy ๐Ÿ˜ lil bro ๐Ÿ˜Ž is one☝️today ๐Ÿถ


he was waiting for them to wake up so they could greet him ;-)



someone's loved ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿฅฐ❤️


Day 47, 10/28/24, I have outfits that are recycled seasonally and updated accordingly with accessories. This combination is a fall favorite because it is feminine, flowy, and free. The hat / long scarf combo / dress / boots is always a winner and I get stopped by nice passerby’s on the aesthetic of this fashion combination. For my lovely ladies, some fashion advice: flowy stuff in the right shape and combination for us is flattering. It’s like letting your hair down and feeling the majesty of your femininity come alive. Happy Monday ๐Ÿ’๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’๐Ÿ’›


Day 48, 10/29/24, Handling work thangs from la casa today and forever grateful I can (and have been for a looonng time now) can do this ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ ❤️๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿ’ปHope everyone is staying on the up and up✌️

have a blessed one ๐Ÿ’

Day 49, 10/30/24, Gigi snags 1st ๐Ÿฅ‡ place at her high school's annual poetry slam. Her poem entitled "Spare Change" was written and performed by the talented artist herself ๐Ÿคฉ Great work honey and congratulations ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŽ‰



Day 50, 10/31/24, Look at those cute + tough looking faces with their hardcore hydro squirt guns lol ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚ Happy Throwback Thursday everyone❣️Have fun and be safe out there ✌️๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿ’› 

Day 51, 11/1/24. It’s a new month and I am absolutely love struck ๐Ÿฅฐ with Mika’s music and made a playlist so I can learn a little French ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท❤️๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’™

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1dcwuvrfaZhl7lfztgTujA?si=vmRHF2yDSRut6t9w9r5ujA&pi=u-Cqxy2zmUTZml

Day 52, 11/2/24, at a workstaycation in Napa and having the best time. Please visit the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel ๐Ÿจ and Spa ๐Ÿง–‍♀️. It’s so quaint, unassuming, and fabulous ๐Ÿฅ‚L๐Ÿ’—VE it here so much ❣️

Day 53, 11/3/24, celebrated lots of things this week ๐Ÿซถ๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ’—๐ŸŽ‰ Taking steps toward a successful and productive month ๐Ÿ—“️๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ˜‡✅๐Ÿ‘ Sending hugs and lots of love from our neck of the woods ๐ŸŒฒ๐Ÿก๐ŸŒ…๐ŸŒป๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŒŸ

Day 54, 11/4/24, listening to all this French music is giving me a hankering for culture and museum going. My last birthday in 2018 I spent all day at the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, NY) and here are some fave photos of mine. ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿคฉ๐Ÿฅธ๐Ÿค“








Day 55, 11/5/24, puppies ๐Ÿถ are similar to human babies. They need to learn how to sleep in their own space, learn how to be away from mom, learn how to play and socialize, learn how to control and expel their bodily functions in designated places, and most importantly learn the skill of self soothing without the constant need for 24 hour supervision by a human. If a puppy learns this, and this is all he knows, he will grow into a well adjusted Big Dawwgg. So far this chill dude is doing great, acclimates to change, and is just super duper freaking easy to love and take care of ๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’•


Day 56, 11/6/24, had a great full body workout w/ Sharon today. She is a great workout partner because we push and motivate each other to give our workouts our best ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ’ฏ๐Ÿคธ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿ’— 


Day 57, 11/7/24, Happy Throwback Thursday ya’ll! I got some good ones to share from a trip we took and hosted my family at the Aulani when it was brand spanking new in 2012. It was so memorable and enjoyable for everyone ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’—Highly recommend this establishment far away from the city life of Honolulu and located in a quieter and quaint city of Kapolei. This is especially good for families who enjoy being and doing things together. This is our second home ๐Ÿก away from home ๐Ÿก


Day 58, 11/8/24, got excellent news to share ๐Ÿ—ž️ Gavin’s hard work is paying off and he is leveling ๐Ÿ†™ in his basketball ๐Ÿ€ by skipping the high school freshman team and made it to JV straightaways which was his goal ๐Ÿฅ… that he snagged ๐Ÿ’ช Get it son ๐ŸŽฏ He played for my middle school ๐Ÿซ as a Cougar๐Ÿˆ‍⬛ and now he will play for my high school ๐Ÿซ as a Mighty Colt๐Ÿด❤️So freaking cool ๐Ÿ˜Ž how life is playing out for us. Thank you God for all our blessings ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ€๐Ÿซ๐ŸŒŸ❤️

After a good and strong win with his middle school team mates on 10/23/23


 Currently featured on the Oakland Diocese CYO Website 11/8/24

Day 59, 11/9/24, weekend starting with an early basketball practice for Gavin and a substantial breakfast to fuel his workouts. The kids love their eggs sunny side up ๐ŸŒžI season w/ pink Himalayan sea salt, umami mushroom seasoning, and cracked bell pepper so the eggs ooze with flavor ๐Ÿ˜‹ Chocolate waffles toasted and cut up fruit whatever is on hand (persimmon) Happy weekend ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’“


Day 60, 11/10/24, Sunday Funday early gym session w/ the crew. Hit legs/abs/boxed ๐ŸฅŠAte at Flames ๐Ÿ”ฅ Their portions are ginormous. Their pork chop dish is easily shared with two people. There could be room for dessert ๐Ÿจ too ๐Ÿ‘Œ

Day 61, 11/11/24, I gave my brand new MMA training ๐ŸฅŠ gloves a whirl at the gym today. They feel substantial but they are stiff and need to be broken in. I’m getting bored with my boxing gloves because I really want to feel the bags while conditioning my hands to be strong ๐Ÿ’ช I also want to focus on being able to do precision and power striking. But…the real reason is I love ๐Ÿ˜doing throat chops and with super padded boxing gloves this is a muted experience. I also love using my elbows for calculated behind the neck blows.

Wapah๐Ÿ’ฅ

๐Ÿ’ฅ muthaFkah ๐Ÿฅท๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿป๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿป‍♀️

I did that lmao ๐Ÿ˜‚ lol

Day 62, 11/12/24, we had a very good family dinner with lively conversation with our GG’s (“Golden Girls”) my mom and aunt ๐Ÿ˜‚ Gigi gave my mom the poem she wrote and we framed it because that’s how much she loved it. After, we had a nice family dinner at a nearby Korean restaurant.


Day 63, 11/13/24, prepping lunches this morning and Gavin played a slapper that had us dancing in front of the mirror practicing our “dance solos” lol ๐Ÿ˜‚ Such a fun and happy habit of ours. Spontaneous dancing ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿป๐Ÿ•บ๐Ÿป๐Ÿฉฐ๐Ÿ‘ฏ‍♀️๐Ÿชฉ U know what’s up by Donnell Jones still slaps ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿฝ๐ŸŽถ๐Ÿ”Š๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿ’ป

6:40 pm- Gavin’s game highlight reel. Detoxing from social media again until Christmas. That dopamine fix is real lol ๐Ÿ˜† Staying here where it’s safe and I can still track moments I want to remember. Anyone important has my phone number and can reach me because they know I do this periodically, as needed.



Day 64, 11/14/24, old millie vs new millie. I’m putting my money ๐Ÿ’ฐ on the new one in a duel ๐Ÿคบ๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿป‍♀️๐ŸŒท๐Ÿ˜‚Happy Throwback Thursday ๐Ÿ•ฐ️๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿงš‍♀️๐Ÿ‘ฏ‍♀️๐Ÿฉฐ


old millie



new millie

Day 65, 11/15/24, waddup waddup and happy aloha friyay ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿป๐ŸŒบ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿงš‍♀️So today is shaping up to be quite a magically positive day. Not sure if it’s just me in my fob wear looking like I need help and don't belong and ppl just wanna be extra nice to me. No matter; I will take it and I’m very grateful ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ. So today’s pic is my haul over at HP (Hoarder’s Paradise ☀️๐Ÿ–️๐Ÿ‘™๐Ÿฉณ๐ŸŒŠ) Rhymes with “Mostco” starts with a “C.”

I soothe myself at the Zoo by going there around lunch time and help myself to free food ๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿป‍♀️My haul at HP today are high quality health supplements. Man❣️ Nothing beats HP for carrying the heavy hitters like liquid glucosamine, liquid collagen, and immune enhancing super food blends. Also I’m not hoarding. I’m sharing with three different households with many people in them ok? lol ๐Ÿ˜† Have an amazing and magically positive weekend and holiday season ๐Ÿ’•


"HP" = Hoarder's Paradise aka the Zoo ✌️๐Ÿฆ’ ๐Ÿฆ ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿฆ… 
Click for a surprise

Day 66, 11/16/24, Gavin is progressing well in his sport that he loves๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿ€⛹๐Ÿป๐Ÿ’•. Very nice to see his team gelling and building that trust with each other ๐ŸŒŸ ๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿ˜Š ♥️


Day 67, 11/17/24, hung out with a special friend this weekend who is a planner just like me. We are definitely a rare breed because ppl always be hitting me up last minute like I don’t have plans. Hello?! ๐Ÿ™„ Not this girl ๐Ÿ™…๐Ÿป‍♀️

Be like the Grinch and don't give everyone and their mama your most precious commodity: YOUR TIME and YOUR ATTENTION. Bye bye ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿฝ

Day 68, 11/18/24, hello and Happy Monday! ๐Ÿ˜Š Popping in early because today will be jam packed. So, you know I've got the holidays on the brain and I want to share some creative gifting ideas that show people you actually gave their gift ๐ŸŽ some thought. 

What I like to offer up is to think of a "theme" around a family gift -or- special person's gift. For example I found some exotic spices that were put together optimally to represent a specific country๐ŸŒถ️ ๐ŸŒฟ ๐Ÿง‚ ๐Ÿซ‘ As someone who enjoys cooking and discovering new dishes, this would be a win for me. But, going back to the "theme" premise, I would create a gift basket surrounding that exotic spice blend. Let's say Morocco ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฆ. 

I've never had Moroccan food so I would have to research a dish ๐Ÿฅ˜ that looked appetizing to me, then buy the ingredients, and package them up prettily. This idea is pretty "extra" because if there is meat involved you'll have to get a cooler or do something where the presentation doesn't look like a Whole Foods haul and you're making the cook, cook something like right now๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿณlol ;-) 

You get my drift. For the record, I do not know how to shop for dudes. So you have to know the men in your life to get them something they will actually enjoy or use. I find this task to be challenging in addition to a mom that can buy herself anything and pretty much has everything x 5. **woosah**๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿป‍♀️


What's exciting to someone holds zero interest to another. I get it ๐Ÿฅธ


This contraption called the Dutch Oven I've never cared for because it is heavy and looks like my ancestors wouldn't have used it. We used clay pots etc that can travel well and this one I hear is highly effective and the price is right so maybe a good gift for someone (not me.)๐Ÿ”–


Day 69, 11/19/24, waiting for my meeting to start and quickly popping in to say hello ๐Ÿ˜Š Speaking of saying hello, Karina called me out the cuts yesterday and hearing her voice instantly put me in a good mood ๐Ÿ’•. Her friendship to me feels like fun-healthy-sister-vibes ๐Ÿ‘ฏ‍♀️with mutual respect, love, and boundaries . Plus, she is an amazing mother and my own children love her because she is fun like their own mama. lol ;-) Shout out to my fave Hawaiian๐ŸŒบ! Thank you for reminding me who I am and what I stand for just by being your beautiful self. See you on our little girl’s trip soon **hugs**๐ŸŒท




Sharon, Karina, Millie



Her voicemails are the best

Day 70, 11/20/24, Gigi introduced me to this cafe that is super cute and has very good special desserts ๐Ÿจ They describe themselves as “Ube nerds ๐Ÿค“” because a lot of their desserts have been Ube-fied. Ube, is a purple yam celebrated in the Philippines ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ for its many uses particularly in desserts. I’ve tried many of their desserts and they are VERY good so this tells me the proprietors really know what they’re doing. Also, all the times I’ve been there with Gigi the foot traffic are non Filipinos so this is a flex in that the Cafe is streamlining our cultural tastes nicely ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿค“๐Ÿง

Here are some pics:

Day 71, 11/21/24, Thursdays are my favorite blogging ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿ’ป day because I get to rummage through my archival photo files in order to make a post. Funsies ๐Ÿคฉ

In this pic, I couldn’t tell which one tooted in their diaper because no one said anything. Who was guilty? I think both of them ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿคจ๐Ÿง☺️

Here’s another one. This get up looks like it’s a drop off to grandma and grandpa’s because going to preschool in footed onesies and boots was not allowed lol ๐Ÿ˜† Footed onesies were the best during our cold months because socks didn’t have to be involved and the open boots are naturally wide enough to allow the onesie’d foot๐Ÿฆถto fit lmao ๐Ÿ˜‚ #momhacks

Day 72, 11/22/24, smacked that fat around and showed em who’s boss๐ŸฅŠ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿป๐Ÿฉฐ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿป‍♀️ Happy Aloha Friday, have a blessed one ☝️ ๐ŸŒบ๐Ÿ’•๐ŸŒž๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ

Day 73,11/23/24, Real love ๐Ÿ’• feels like. . .


๐ŸŽง: corded headphones. They never need to be charged, always reliable unless something breaks, and SIMPLE. More importantly it’s a direct connection; no other hardware, technology, or blue tooth necessary.


๐ŸŒˆ: a rainbow. Seeing them never gets old as they are always full of light, are from God, pure, and beautiful.


๐ŸŒด: a palm tree. Strong, sturdy, and it’s fruit is nourishing and life giving ๐Ÿฅฅ 

All pics were taken today so this post is as fresh-off-the-press as it gets ๐Ÿ“ฐ๐Ÿ’๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿฅฐ

Happy ๐Ÿ˜Š Saturday ๐Ÿ’•

Day 74, 11/24/24, I had a very nice mother and son day with Gavin. He had a lot to say regarding his place in the world as a 14 year old high school athlete. It always delights me when he wants to talk and off load whatever is on his mind. I did a good job listening and learning what’s important to him at this point in his life. I hope he continues to talk to me about things that matter to him and that I can listen and help him cultivate healthy ways of navigating his world ๐ŸŒŽ. As mothers, it's important to encourage our children, especially our sons, to express themselves in emotionally safe spaces as they are more sensitive in that they are not wired to communicate freely and openly as our daughters are. Happy blessed ๐Ÿ˜‡ Sunday all. I hope ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ all of our connections are positive and fruitful ๐Ÿ’๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’œ


We had a celebratory post game lunch at Dave's Hot Chicken. He loves it there :-) ๐Ÿงก


Then checked out another local gem of a cafe: Macs by Icky ๐Ÿจ
I love how they decorated for the holidays and I happen to match their Ube / purple theme ๐Ÿ’œ
This place feels very community friendly ๐Ÿ’
Loved the ube latte with almond milk. Sarap! (Delicious) ๐Ÿ˜‹

Speaking of ppl who love the color purple....

Breaking News ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿ“ฐ๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿ‘ from Glenview, Illinois at 4:06 pm PST today Sunday 11/24/24:

Gigi and her duo partner, Noah Martinez, place 3rd in their Duo Speech Competition! Congratulations you two! All that hard work paid off, enjoy the WIN and the rest of your time in Illinois :-)


Confetti is so needed for this !!!
"Hello? Guess what?!"
"We snagged 3rd!!!"
I'm very brand loyal to Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri nail polish ๐Ÿ’… My fave is actually this super happy pink vibe 333 "Peachy Breeze" but I ran out and the last bottle I have is all crusty and won't do the job.

Day 75, 11/25/24, Yo! ๐Ÿ‘‹๐ŸฝHappy Monday❣️Can’t say I’m a fan of the rain ☔️ but I AM a fan of anti rain tactics that trigger me to focus on what I can control: my body, thoughts, feelings, and actions. For me that’s adding pops of color every where, especially, especially my nails ๐Ÿ’… My fave ๐Ÿคฉ brand of all time is not OPI, but Sally Hansen’s InstaDri. They roll on nicely, are removed easily, and come in all shades of whatever pretty ๐Ÿคฉ you’re in the mood for ๐Ÿ˜

Sidebar: for my super nerdy ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿ’ป blog stats ๐Ÿ“ˆhere

Day 76, 11/26/24, slammed all day but made it and so did this shot ๐Ÿ€❤️

Thanksgiving prep starts now ⏰

I so love ๐Ÿ’— being a carnivore ๐Ÿฆ

(1) First the turkey ๐Ÿฆƒ prep:

9:50 pm: submerged the big bird ๐Ÿฆƒ in a specialized brine. See you in 10 - 11 hours

(2) Then the oxtail ๐Ÿ‚ . . .

10:50 pm: simple ingredients go a long way. Fresh ground Pink Himalayan sea salt + peppercorn medley massaged onto the oxtail then lightly roasted to get that meat browned and that initial fat deposit onto the pan to separate so the broth is even cleaner is what I am going for with this step.


Ox tail is an ethnic cut of beef. My Italian friend's mom loves making everything out of this. It is a patient cook's choice of meat because you can make everything...literally out of this.


Waiting for a light roast to happen here and watching it like a hawk.

While the oxtails gets lightly roasted the savory veggies get cut up: fresh onions ๐Ÿง… + garlic ๐Ÿง„ to sautee the meat in low and slow once this step is done ✅


This smells ahhmaazingg!! Follow your nose and keep sauteeing until its a happy looking brown thing. Then repeat. I have one more batch to go.


Soup is a labor of love. Just make sure there is enought water, tailgate, and wait. Long and slow is the key.




Day 77, 11/27/24, still prepping but Mr. Popular wanted to say hello blog ๐Ÿถ๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿฝ He’s excited because he’s nice and clean from getting groomed today. We even did a little stranger training and he made some friends outside of Trader Joe’s ๐Ÿถ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŒท

Back to food prepping:

3:57 pm Big Bird ๐Ÿฆƒ clocked in at 15.4 pounds and is ready to go in ✅

Progress pics before getting foiled ๐Ÿ†™


More details here: 

I have big plans for the non main dish items (non dark meat / white meat) that will make for a very substantial turkey soup ๐Ÿ˜‹ Been craving Italian Wedding Soup so maybe that or something else. Danupan na' ku (Kapangpagan / I. am hungry now ๐Ÿคค)


Ox tail soup update:

11:18 pm Big Bird ๐Ÿฆƒ is finally evenly tanned and done ✅ 

Only one turkey this year. Last year I made two. Easy peasy ๐Ÿ’› 

Day 78, 11/28/24, Happy Thanksgiving ๐Ÿฆƒ๐Ÿ’›⭐️๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐ŸŒป❤️


Day 79, 11/29/24, out n about and we all got our workouts in today ✅✅✅. Belated Throwback Thursday since Thanksgiving took precedence yesterday ๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—

Trying on a wet suit for a triathlon w/ the kiddos in tow. Was Gavin licking the mirror?lol ๐Ÿ˜‚ Boys ๐Ÿ™„ That blanket was his lovie and he had two because it was his comfort item.

Only the kids could get their grandpa out the house and watch a movie. I think we watched The Avengers ๐Ÿฆธ‍♂️๐Ÿ”จ๐ŸŒŠ๐Ÿ’ซ

Day 80, 11/30/24, the sleeper long distance shooter is back in business *pew* ๐Ÿ”ซ *pew* lol ๐Ÿ˜‚ Got lots going on this weekend. Have a great one everyone ๐Ÿ’ซ✨๐Ÿ’—๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿ’ซ

4:03 pm

It’s a dry / circular cloud rainbow ๐ŸŒˆ in the sky ๐Ÿคฉ

Day 81, 12/1/24, Happy 1st day of the last month of 2024❣️๐Ÿ—“️✨๐ŸŒŸ๐Ÿ’— Celebrated the beginning of the holiday season๐ŸŽ„ with some special friends today (Christina and Helen) ๐Ÿฅฐ๐ŸฅฐMore about this tomorrow but here’s a pic of our holiday Mickey ♥️ from store (Home Depot)๐Ÿฌ to home๐Ÿก

Day 82, 12/2/24, Need more time to write ✍️ about Day 81 but can you read the three letter word in cursive embedded in the neckline of this plastic cup? ๐Ÿค“

Day 83, 12/3/24, I went shopping ๐Ÿ›️ today and tried on a lot of expensive things I controlled myself from buying like this Dior bag I’ve been trying for years to get my mom to buy herself so I can “borrow” it lol ๐Ÿ˜† So far it’s a no-go. It’s too fashion avant garde for her tastes. I will keep trying, wish me luck ๐Ÿ€

Day 84, 12/4/24, my trainer said I did very well today and looked strong ๐Ÿ’ช That’s a compliment I take to the heart ♥️ Since muscle knows no age, the more we have the better off we are in order to stave off negative aspects of aging, gravity, and time. Happy ๐Ÿ˜Š Wednesday friends ✌️May we all live with continued vigor and strength all our days ๐Ÿ’—

Day 85, 12/5/24, mini croissants ๐Ÿฅ stuffed with scrambled eggs ๐Ÿณ , cut up sausage pieces, and lightly sprinkled cheese as a nice topper to pull it all together. Yum ๐Ÿ˜‹ Happy Thursday๐Ÿ’•

3:14 pm

My need for consistency compels me to continue what I started and I almost forgot it is Throwback Thursday here on the blog.

Here a few gems ๐Ÿ’Ž

Gavin can’t do this anymore because his height would exceed the ceiling lol ๐Ÿ˜‚

I’ve always liked this quote because it felt deep and I always have to search up the term “providence.”

To paraphrase the above quote in more action oriented language:

“Decide, commit, follow through, and God will do the same and more.”

Day 86, 12/6/24, Happy Friday ๐Ÿ’ Had lunch with my Honaayyee (Honey) yesterday. Caught up on life over South Indian cuisine. Yuummayyee ๐Ÿ˜‹ 

Malapore South Indian Cuisine



This table looks like it is some kind of treated decorated resin which is sturdy and very easy to clean. The ambiance here is colorful, clean, and inviting.
A doughy savory appetizer that I cannot name at the moment.
Love Dosas! They're South Indian's version of a savory crepe from France.
This filtered coffee was made by hand in similar fashion like an Italian barista bar. There was a large pot of hot milk with foam on top and the coffee was filtered. The coffee man asked how strong I liked it and I had it medium strong. He added the hot milk, foam, and a little sugar. It was divine!
Me and my Honaayee ;-)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿคฉ๐Ÿ’•

Day 87, 12/7/24, Happy Saturday ๐Ÿฉฐ Today is shaping up to be a nicely paced and active day for us. Love it when our plans fall like lined up dominos ✅ Gym for me and Gigi, substantial home made breakfast the three of us, and now tail gating / nap gating until Gavin’s game starts. Have a good one ☝️ everyone ๐Ÿ’—



Day 88, 12/8/24, Happy blessed ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ Sunday all! Had a super successful and fun toy ๐Ÿงธ drive for our non profit team, Believe Holy Spirit yesterday.

Here’s another complete team photo of board members that will be going out as a thank you card for all the generous support we have been receiving in terms of time, money, services, and good will that allows us to serve local families in need, our youth, and unhoused members of our community.

From left to right, we have Millie, Marco, Sharon, Paula, and Manuel (our organization’s founder.) Here we are photographed working on the RV that will serve as a community mobile closet.

This time of year is our favorite because we get to put on events that directly and positively impact our local Hayward/East Bay communities.

My ultimate favorite was our holiday toy giveaway. It was organized in such a way where families with children showed up and picked up new toys and even Christmas trees.


The pure joy from these children and families really left a lasting and positive impression on me. And to be apart of such a giving and generous mission is something simply money cannot buy.

Wishing you and yours, a charmed and blessed holiday season, whatever you are doing. God bless ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ✨๐Ÿ’—๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿ’

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***Breaking news** hot off the press on the home front ๐Ÿก ๐Ÿ“ฐ ๐Ÿ…๐ŸŽ„ at 9:04 pm 

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Gigi got home today from a looonnnnggggg day of speech competition from a dark o'clock wake up time of 5:30 am / leave time for competition at 6:30 am / to competing all day and having dinner and being home at a dark o'clock 9:04 pm! 

Phew, I'm tired just writing all that ๐Ÿ˜…

Good job Atching Gigi says Milo!!!
Welcome to the winner's circle freshman (Jillian & Nikki) that were coached / peer mentored by Gigi and Cordell. From left to right we have Jillian, Gigi, Cordell, and Nikki! They all happened to place 2nd in their events !!!
Gigi and Leah! Love these two rockstars 

Gigi has extremely long days and is very committed to her craft. It is admirable to me the effort she gives, from staying late, being a competent and loving Speech Captain, and a wonderful team mate.

Today she came home and shared the good news of snagging 2nd place in the Golden Gate Speech Association in the Varsity Program Oral Interpretation. I shared the news immediately with family and Uncle Virgil said congratulations and that she is so gorgeous๐Ÿคฉ! I totally agree and I am **totally** NOT biased just because I did birth her, lol ๐Ÿ˜‰  

Say Congratulations to your Winnnaaahhhhhh ๐Ÿ…๐Ÿซถ❤️๐Ÿ™Œ
Winning is a mindset and a heart set ๐Ÿง ♥️


Blogging, like food, is better fresh! That's all for today ๐Ÿ’•

Day 89, 12/9/24, Happy Monday❣️This late post is because I killed it today ๐Ÿ”ฅ I experienced lots of focused productivity, effortless flow, and felt emotionally buoyant all day even handling not so pleasant business matters. Not everything is a bed of crushed roses ๐ŸŒน and that’s ok ๐Ÿ‘

I hope everyone smashes their goals ๐ŸŽฏ, responsibilities ๐Ÿ“, and learn how to say no ๐Ÿ™…๐Ÿป‍♀️ to the things that do not move you forward ๐Ÿ“ˆ Act like you own your time ⏰ + choices ๐Ÿ’— and don’t give yourself away willy nilly. Check y’all out maรฑana ✌️

Day 90, 12/10/24, I love my kids and have made a point not to be that controlling, over the top mom, that shields ๐Ÿ›ก️ them from every unpleasant or hard experience in life. At the same token, I also don’t want them to grow up too fast. They already act and think like mini adults due to their accumulated life experiences that they had zero control over๐ŸฅฒThis morning was a nice surprise in that Gavin did something that was adorably boyish ๐Ÿ’™He took down this stuffed animal from his room and said it was Milo ๐Ÿถ And it really was him. German Shepard coloring and everything but the distinguishing mark was the red collar Milo had when we got him. Funny thing is according to Gavin, that stuffed animal was stuffed in his closet and had been there for years. And now, voila❣️We have a real, life size, Milo ๐Ÿถ๐Ÿก ๐Ÿ’— ๐Ÿซถ 

That’s a little natural magic๐Ÿงšfor ya this fine Tuesday ๐Ÿ—“️ I am planning on continuing yesterday’s slaying and whooping some more a$$ (mine) and wanted to get this post gone and done ✅ I hope you go out and get ittttttt ๐ŸŽฏWhatever that is for you today ๐Ÿ’ช

Day 91, 12/11/24, I love ๐Ÿ’• messing with pushy & bossy people thinking it’s their job to boss people around ๐Ÿ™„I just pretend I’m not annoyed, push back harder, fake them out, NOT give them what they want, and allow them to fall on their face by their own accord ✌️๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿ’—๐ŸŽ Oh yah and they will never forget my name and it’s proper spelling ๐Ÿ˜˜๐Ÿ”ฅ Go get em’ sweeties ๐Ÿ’ฅ ๐ŸฅŠ And make them remember ya and how you roll ๐Ÿฃ ๐Ÿฑ ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿงš

Day 92, 12/12/24, writing ✍️ has always been something I love doing ๐Ÿฅฐ just for the purity of it all. It’s a means for self expression and a tool in school, work, and life in general. The ability to write well, quickly, succinctly, and in good style says a lot about how a person thinks and sees the world. Writing for fun ๐Ÿคฉ like what I do here about the important day to day happenings I want to remember and pass down to my kids and their kids kids will be a part of my living and loving legacy ๐Ÿ’— Enough yapping, here are some Throwback Thursday pics in line with this theme:

Last night was a hoot as me and Gigi helped Gavin memorize his lines for his Tagalog class presentation. It was hilarious ๐Ÿ˜‚ and tiring on the brain ๐Ÿง  at the same time. No wonder I never formally taught them our language lol. That’s why I put them in a Mandarin immersion program their early elementary years so their neuro plasticity would be strong early on learning a foreign language. Since I only understand Kapangpagan and Tagalog fluently my speaking is at an elementary level and it’s kinda stressful speaking let alone writing. Oh. Well. I did my best now it’s up to them where they want to take their new language acquisition skills.

Here are some pics from last night’s Tagalog session at home ๐Ÿก;


“I have a contagious exuberance for life.” Said the Panda ๐Ÿผ๐Ÿฅ 

Yes I do Panda ๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ’—

Have a wonderful day friends๐Ÿงš๐Ÿ’›

Day 93, 12/13/24, Happy Friday ๐Ÿค— We had a very nice family day yesterday and Gavin and his team played very well this week and yesterday. Lost my voice a bit but it was worth it. Very exciting to root for a winning team ๐Ÿ‘ and one of the players ⛹๐Ÿปhappens to be your kid ๐Ÿ‘ฆ๐Ÿป๐Ÿ€❤️๐Ÿค Our golden girls✨✨(my mom & aunt) also came out and watched and that was the sweetest.

Have a wonderful weekend all ๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’•

Gavin's game highlight clip

Day 94, 12/14/24, oh my snap ๐Ÿซฐ Happy Saturday ๐Ÿงš๐Ÿ’›๐ŸŽ„๐ŸŒธ I am a short six days away from my 100 day goal and I’m getting that feeling of getting to the finish line on race day ๐Ÿ๐ŸŽ️ I literally have been zooming day by day since I started this writing ✍️ project in September and now, just like that, it’s December๐Ÿ—“️This little project of mine reignited my love ๐Ÿ˜ of blogging, writing and being mindful to the beautiful unbuyable experiences that make me feel alive ๐Ÿ’—

We had a very nice evening at home after Gavin’s basketball team bonding and Gigi’s Christmas caroling at a Senior Center. As teens, I love the wholesome activities they are being drawn to on their own. Makes this mamas heart happy knowing this.

Here are pics from last night ๐ŸŽ„

We got rice bowls ๐Ÿš ๐Ÿฑ at Mr. Green bubble and boba ๐Ÿง‹
Chillin at home ๐Ÿก set up our new Disney Christmas Village Set. So cute it lights up and plays Christmas songs. Very festive and fun ๐Ÿคฉ
This braised pork rice ๐Ÿš bowl with veggies and egg was the Winner ๐Ÿฅ‡
Gavin fresh from getting a haircut looks super sharp, athletic, and handsome ๐Ÿ‘Œ

Got lots on the chopping block today ๐Ÿ”ช so gotta get this post gone and done ✅ Have a wonderful Saturday guys❣️

Day 95, 12/15/24, Happy blessed ๐Ÿ˜‡ Sunday. Working today at a happy clip but I want to offer up my favorite movies of all time.These are the ones that live in my imagination and keep me coming back every few years or so:

#1 The Time Traveler’s Wife: I love anything that is time traveling / time hopping etc. I’ve forgotten the jist of this movie but I fully remember just being enthralled every time I watch it. Quick summary, it’s about a man leaving his physical state to travel in time and he has zero control of when this happens. He kinda just disintegrates then reappears in another time realm, naked ๐Ÿ˜‚Lmao. He’s constantly figuring out his clothing situation and this alone scores high in the entertainment factor plus the plot line is beautiful and the acting is superb.


#2 Me Before You: If you are emotionally vulnerable this one may not be for you ๐Ÿ™ˆ I actually enjoy it from a cerebral ๐Ÿง  standpoint because in the span of one movie, it shows all the different kinds of love from 1) parental love 2) friendship love 3) love for humanity 4) romantic love 5) sacrificial love 6) self love. The acting is superb and the characters come alive and have beautiful chemistry. This one I just discovered this year and I’ve watched it three times already๐Ÿฃ


#3 A League of Their Own๐Ÿ‘—๐Ÿงข⚾️๐Ÿฉฐ: This is the oldest movie I’ve loved and continue to do so. It’s a timeless tale of camaraderie, top down leadership, sisterly bonds, men / women dynamics, and generational bonds that transcend time. The way they depicted women in baseball and the actors / character development is A+. I absolutely love the style, beauty, grace, competence, strength, and wit of this movie about women in baseball ⚾️๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿ’›

Day 96, 12/16/24, Happy hit the ground running ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️ Monday everyone❣️We want to give a shout out to the generous proprietors at SP2 in San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose for hosting another successful toy ๐Ÿงธ drive for the constituents we serve through our non profit team, Believe Holy Spirit.

Salamat Po ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ Grazie ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น 

Merci beaucoup ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท 


Please give this swanky, fun, and lively establishment a visit. We thoroughly enjoy it here and walking around this area is especially fun ๐Ÿคฉ

Hope everyone is doing well and getting stuff done๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️✅๐Ÿ“ฅ๐ŸŒ ✌️๐Ÿ’•

Day 97, 12/17/24, Happy kick your own a$$ Tuesday so no one else has to๐Ÿ‘ Was greeted at the gym with good music and dancing ๐Ÿ•บ๐Ÿป which trickled down to a great training session today. Its almost Christmas ๐ŸŽ„ and I ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ hope love, happiness, and lots of light surround you and your lovies this whole holiday season and in the upcoming new year๐Ÿ’•๐ŸŽ†๐Ÿ’•๐ŸŽ†

1:07 pm

Mr. Green bubble has this rice bowl ๐Ÿš dish on point.

The braised pork over rice w/ sautรฉed veggies and egg is very good and this is a second location I’ve tried at Pacific Commons in Fremont. This location gives heavier portions for the same price as the Union City one.

Substantial and tasty๐Ÿ‘Œ

Practicing “Hara hachi bu” Japanese ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต for “Eat until 80% full.” In my case today 60% because I need to be extra fast and sharp today ๐Ÿ‘

Day 98, 12/18/24, Good day ๐Ÿค  mates ๐Ÿฆ˜ Look what I found ๐Ÿ‘€ Never seen hand chairs ๐Ÿช‘ before so I had to sit on them and try them out. They are super comfy and sturdy. This would be a good statement pair / piece somewhere art deco loving where they could be photographed a lot and people would come and sit and have tea ☕️ while getting “cupped” lol ๐Ÿ˜‚ Have a good one ☝️

In more noteworthy ๐Ÿ“ news:

Yesterday, Gavin’s JV team was the only Logan men’s basketball ๐Ÿ€ team to win against a friendly but long held rivalry against Moreau Catholic. Whatttaaa fantastic showmanship of athleticism on both teams. Our boys outplayed Moreau’s JV team by playing smart, cohesive, strong, and accurate enough to win. Gabbed ecstatically with some good basketball moms about how our boys are gelling and we are all so proud❣️

Gigi also got some good licks in her competition in speech and forensics. She has been putting maximum effort at her craft and I am sooooo proud of her ๐Ÿคฉ She is not one to shy away from hard work and I can see the work ethic she is building for what she loves to do. As fate would have it, this week she snagged 1st ๐Ÿฅ‡ place in her most recent speech competition for POI and 2nd ๐Ÿฅˆ place for duo. Congratulations to the dynamic duo Gigi & Noah ๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿ‘

My babies wins are completely their own but what matters to me the most is that they are happy, well connected, surrounded by great adult role models, have cultivated meaningful friendships, and are thriving at Logan just like their mom did๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ❣️๐Ÿ˜๐ŸฅฐLet’s go Colts ๐Ÿด❤️๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿค

Day 99,12/19/24, Fasted training at the gym then ran/jogged to the tool store and back for an easy 2.5 miler. Ready to tackle the day, Happy Wednesday Thursday❣️๐Ÿ‹๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿ‘Ÿ๐Ÿ“๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿป‍๐Ÿ’ป๐Ÿ’•

9:51 pm Almost forgot about Throwback Thursday but I remembered so here’s a good one of the kids and “Uncle” at the Aulani over the years. “Uncle” is a master storyteller and tells the best ones when the sun sets over the fire pit and leads the art tours as of last visit. The coolest fact is that he’s the same guy after all these years.

Check it:

๐ŸŒŸDay 100๐ŸŒŸ, 12/20/24

8:20 am

I. Frickin. DID IT❣️I did not lose focus, get bored, or die. I started something, did something with love, excitement, and joy for one hundred frickin days without losing a beat ๐ŸŽถ Woot woot ๐Ÿฅณ๐Ÿคธ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿ„๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿป‍♀️๐Ÿ’ƒ๐ŸปThis pic made the happiest today because I slapped it together real quick for this post. It’s a real framed one ๐Ÿ–ผ️ with a young girl cropped in pasted next to Gigi. And that young girl, is still is alive, and thriving in my heart of hearts๐Ÿ’—Love her and her kids ๐Ÿ’•Have a magnificent and magical ๐Ÿงš‍♀️Friday friends ๐ŸŒŸ