married-with-children multiplication 2

I talked about how things multiply when you get married and have children here. Another one of these things are Christmas lists. When you get married, your Christmas list multiplies to include everyone in his family. Add to that the neighbors, utility & phone bill deliverymen, garbage collectors and village guards when you have your own home. Then, when you have kids, the Christmas list multiplies by the number of teachers, classmates or friends, school guards & schoolbus drivers.

It's no wonder your once well-thought-of and personalized gift list evolves into a generic gift list. One type of gift for every homogenous group (like classmates or cousins).

Eventually, you realize that gift certificates also avoid the multiplication of gifts to wrap, lug and deliver.

And so I hope you don't take it against me if you receive a gift card from me or your mom-friends this Christmas. 

Photos from sothat'swhat and sparklesandpretending. 

dear Inday



I wish you were Superwoman-strong (or had these magical strong rods) so you could lift my bed and entertainment center when you clean my room. Noah and I were searching for some of his Mighty Beanz that got away and found Mighty Bunnies instead: dustbunnies! The clumps of dust were mighty big so I really wish you were mighty enough to lift our furniture.

Photo from sparklesandpretending.

Click here for previous posts from the Dear... series. 

ack, i forgot!

When I saw these pretty wildflower ice cubes on acupofjo last week, I realized I completely forgot to prepare the gummy worm ice cubes I had planned to make this Halloween!

I had planned to creep Noah out with worms in a glass of Sprite. Though plastic spider ice cubes would have been fun too!

Sigh... How could I forget? :(

Photos from acupofjo, here and here. 

married-with-children multiplication



When you get married and have children, many things get multiplied. Like the packing you need to do when you go on a family vacation. It becomes extra hard when the destination is somewhere cold.

I remember one family trip in December where I needed to plan for a top, top layer, bottoms, bottom layer (tights or socks or thermals), a jacket, cold accessories (gloves & scarf) and shoes for each of the 17 days of our trip x 3 people (me, Isabella and Noah - thank God the hubby can do his own packing!). I had a mighty excel file detailing the day, our itinerary and the different clothing categories (top, layer, bottom, jacket). 1 excel table x 3 people = 3 worksheets = my mighty excel file. Add to that the exponential amount of underwear plus pajama sets, toiletries, vitamins & emergency meds you also need to pack. Not to mention the fun pack of toys & games for the plane and road trips.

So this is what you're busy with days before you leave for the trip AND AGAIN, days before you head home.

The great thing is that you're allowed 2 big bags for each small kid. That's shopping-loot space multiplied!

Photos from Chance and fromainsleywithlove.

that kind of day

As awful as it may be, I have to admit I draw a bit of comfort that even models have that kind of day.

That kind of day always makes me late for work. I end up trying on many different outfits before I find one that doesn't make it look so much like that kind of day.

But when that kind of day goes on for weeks, it's either time to hop on the treadmill or go shopping for bigger clothes! I prefer the latter. After all, as Carrie Bradshaw once said, "Shopping is [my] cardio." :D 

Photos from harpersbazaar and here.

Click here and here for previous posts on that kind of day.

just a thought

I don't remember ever being spun around like this as a child. I wonder... Could this be why I have motion sickness?

Click here for a previous post on my motion sickness.

Photo from i'mjustsaying.

oops, my neurosis is showing...

This is the original image. When I first published this post here, I initially used this photo. But its color palette just didn't go with the colors of the Rudolph image. And I was obsessing about it... All day at work on the day I posted it... And the day after... So as I drove home on night #2, I decided to re-create it in white background.

... even if I had no idea how to use photoshop. So I made layers of rectangles and circles and eventually made a copy.

... of that beautiful & amusing minimalist poster that deserves to be featured. It was my favorite among this fairytale set from Christian Jackson.

I agree with Jo, the wolf's paw is pretty creepy. Just as creepy as my neurotic obsession with color palettes that have to go together.

Photos from acupofjo.