half way there

....half way there

God-willing, 5 years from now, Frank and I will finally take the BIG LEAP that we've been talking about since the days being babies with pacifiers-- aka the age of adolescence. It's all so surreal to me that after all this time, it's always been him.

It's a countdown to the inevitable, and is a matter of time, a matter of me.

I can't help but feel that I'm holding it all back- but then again, there's no rush.

5 years will fly by, and that's including planning time! hahaha...

This weekend of Niagara- a co-celebration of anniversaries, I bought a Bridal magazine while waiting for Frank in the casino lobby (I personally detest gambling, and see it more as a vice, than quote-on-quote entertainment.)

My Carvalli is still screaming at me, while my Di Santo breaks my heart...decisions, decisions.

I say swim like Ariel and do the mermaid! ;)

mirror mirror

on the wall...

will I stand or will I fall?

So, I've had a lot of time to take inventory of my life, things within it, and everything of the sort. I see all that I've accomplished and all that I've yet to accomplish and find that regardless of my end-point destination, at each step of the road, I have to face myself.

Failures, successes, obstacles and all-- you are always your worst critic.

My heart's still for it, but my mind is saying give it up.

...which will win?

Final Exam

Instructions: Competely fill-in the circle with
the most appropriate answer.

Good luck!



It's quarter after 11 and in a little over 4 hours
I will be writing my final exam
for my Ed. Psychology course.

I hate open books, but let's
see how this one pans out.

Pre-exam anxiety left me sleepless (-in Toronto, not Seattle)
and I'm functioning on less than 4 hours of sleep.

Hoping this doesn't thwart my concentration/attention-keeping
abilities for all of the
circle-filling to come, I'm gonna down a huge
triple-triple for a combination energy/sugar boost.

*although I did bring almond M&Ms with me...

**contemplating a quick nap: in my car...sounds like a plan!

Look on the Bright Side....

Here's some comic
relief for those
in situations that
they think couldn't get
any worse...

:)

Laughter is the
best medicine.

A Friendly Reminder

of my last employer,
and his jet-set ways...

LMFAO.

Mateo & Levi

My heart melts whenever I see dads with
their kids...

Mateo & his son Levi are a sight
for all to see and are probably
the most gorgeous

father-son pair.

Look how straight Levi sits!

ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE!

Jon and Kate Plus Fake

This article/blog post summarizes all of the research I've found
on Jon and Kate, post-decision to stop watching the show.

Sadly, Jon and Kate may soon be added to the list of
reality-tv couple obituaries, victims of the reality tv curse...
along with couples such as:

1. Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson
2. Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro
3. Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler

etc.

Soon to follow:

My thoughts on the JK+8 Season 5 Premiere.

Boardwalk- Toronto

Our li'l fam
takes a nice afternoon stroll
on Toronto's Boardwalk.

Complete with ice cream,
and a surprisingly
pleasant off-leash
walk with Rocky...

We couldn't have ended off the weekend
on a better note.
Xo

Interviewee

Let's hope this interview with 'Rose'
smells as sweet,
and isn't
a prickly rose bush.

Stay Tuned.

Rain on my parade

No matter what else is goin on in my life
this cloud always finds a way
to rain on my parade.

Push it aside, twist it positive, or
whatever,
it always puts me on the downer....
and lately, I've been down for the count.

Rain, rain, go away
come again another day...(which you do)

*sigh.

Get YOUR Happy Dance Ready!

The OLG asks, "What's YOUR Happy Dance?"
...and my dance is far from my mind, because statistically, I know what the odds are of winning, the current $49Million (CAD) Jackpot. The odds of you winning the Jackpot Prize are equivalent to you:

1. Being blindfolded
2. Walking across a football field
3. With a pin in your hand
4. & Stabbing an Ant.

BUT, given those odds, people still win, and with that in mind, what would I do with my Jackpot Prize of X amount of dollars???

1. Finally get myself out of York and pay for Teacher's College
2. Pay off my parent's mortgage, give them more than enough $ to retire and travel with AND buy them a nice, new, upgraded trailer at Pigeon Lake.
3. Buy Frank his SUV, spending money and hire him a professional masseuse
4. Give each of my sisters enough money to do whatever they wanted with (for eg. Joy can get her Altima and Jackie can finally have her Miami getaway)
5. Buy my grandparents a nice place and money to REALLY RETIRE
6. Send Frank and his fam on a trip to Italia (Rocky and I come with, of course!)
7. Buy my dream bungalow with all the perks.
8. Donate to the TCDSB, Toronto Catholic Archdiocese, and Sharelife.
9. Donate to Children's Wish Foundation in Pickering
10. Invest, Invest, Invest...!!
    

Can't Leave Him Behind

We couldn't leave this little guy
for the long weekend..

Frank wanted a little getaway to Niagara, to relax and unwind.
We decided that the prices were ridiculous- and despite us paying
that much for our Anni, twice a year is just too much.

Add to that the miserable weather, and it was a for sure
no-go.

I reminded him that I had the keys to the trailer, he looked at Rocky
and said,

"Rocky, you're coming!!"


It was an easy decision.

Off we went to Food Basics, and $111 dollars later, we made our trek
up to Peterborough.

We reached P-Town and unloaded our stuff.

Weekend Notes:

• Frank's mis-readings: Sippin' Dip = Spinach Dip, Finer Diner = Finer Dinner
• Frank and I are BOTH piggies; we ate all the food
• Rocky has a new toy that's 'indestructible'
• Christanelle and Ron stayed over :)
• I make a good breakfast (minus the eggs lol!)

It's good to know that he still likes spending time with just Us 3.

Jon & Kate: Trouble in Paradise?

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2009/05/exclusive-interview-jon-and-kate-shocker-her-brother-says-their-marriage-over

Please see link above for video

Somewhat relative to this article, about Kate's former relationship with her brother & sister-in-law, they are now speaking out about the recent tabloids grasp of the 'reality' of their situation; and how it all isn't tabloid fodder.

Not at all shocking, if you follow the series, you'd know that the relationship could only take so much strain, for so long...and I think the rope's about to snap.

For my opinion on the whole Jon & Kate Plus 8 series (spoken from a former fan of the show/family) read my previous blog post here.

Give me a Break

Let me set up the scene:

1. I'm at work- people are coming in and out- and it's peak gym-goer time.
   
2. I'm filling out an admin.form for a credit card payment just completed.
3. Charlie's at my side helping me with the come-rs and go-ers
4. Next thing I hear him say, "Hey, how ya doin'? How can I help ya?"
5. ..."Oh no worries, I'm here to talk to her."

*The voice registers, I continue to fill out the form...
He approaches closer to the desk, I look up, and smile!

HE SURPRISED ME with an AFTER-WORK VISIT!

My mouth drops, I go AWW! OMG and Charlie figures it out-- they introduce themselves to each other, and I ask him if I can go on my break.

~* I entitle this day, 'The Best Break Ever!"

SUSHI-ME (sashimi)

A note of appreciation
to my Bestie
who SUSH-ME-D me
on a date at Makimono.

XOX.

You know that my stomach is the way to my heart.
<3

Kiss Me Thru the Phone

Since working at PF, my shift has been conflicting with Frank and I's ability to talk with each other T-Th evenings. It's either when he calls, I can't talk, or when I call, he can't talk (he's in LaLa Land)

So whenever I hear this song (often on my way to work) I think of him. *cue the AWWs.

Thx.


Baby you know that I miss you, I wanna get with you tonight
But I cannot baby girl and that's the issue
Girl you know I miss you, I just wanna kiss you
But I can't right now so baby kiss me thru the phone, I'll see you later on
Kiss me thru the phone, see you when I get home

Baby I know that you like me, you my future wifey
You can be my Bonnie, I can be your Clyde
You could be my wife, text me, call me
......

Acer Aspire(s) to be Famous: Li'l Kim

HAHA :) My Acer Aspire is FAMOUS! lol.

Just showing my love for the li'l laptop, now infamous thx to li'l kim (& product placement execs. at Acer!)

It's NOT YET ABSOLUT: Jason Lewis

According to this article in OK! Magazine, Jason Lewis AKA the Abolut Hunk, Smith Jerrod, The-hot-blonde-guy-with-the-amazing-body, may return for the sequel!

Although, Gilles Marini AKA The Hot Neighbour Dante- who had the most-obvious of sex scenes in the first movie, is in talks to return also....see this article

Thoughts?

• I love Smith for Samantha, they're like Yin & Yang
• Most people are probably drooling for Dante's return-- hence his break-out into mainstream US/Worldwide notoriety
  
• A fight to the death for Sam's hand, or bed should I say??
• Samantha's just beyond her Golden Birthday- why not have the options when available?!
  

MAXImize the Maxi Dress

My first encounter with Maxi- as we will call her- was in 2003, for multicultural day at Cardinal Newman; where I wore my mother's Philippine-ethnic-print maxi (now aged 29yo & in pristine condition).

>>> Fast forward to 2009 and my love for Maxi is evident, if not obsessive. *a little background info, most of my formal dresses I've opted to wear long gowns versus anything shorter because I think I have 'chicken legs' (goes back to my childhood) anyway, as I digress, Maxi is a MUST and my ultimate fave summer fashion-piece.

I just bought one like #3 below, but in purple!
If you're unsure of the "trend"
and want to get your feet wet without the full dive,
I got mine at Winners for $24.99! Another place to check out
- if you've been living under a rock-
is Forever21
(for a much wider selection of styles/prints/colours)

MAXIMIZE your summer experience with a
Maxi Dress!

Christian The Lion

OMG - I got all teary-eyed watching this video! UNBELIEVABLE!
It just goes to show that animals are much more than just animals, they're affectionate, emotion-feeling beings.

To Rocky.
My little Lion.

For additional info, *click the links below!

1. Interview with John Rendall and Ace Bourke, 35 years later
2. Christian The Lion, George Adamson
   

Nancy Grace & Caylee Marie Anthony

Thanks in part to the Caylee Marie Anthony Homicide Case, I am a NIGHTLY viewer of
Nancy Grace. Frank often comments on my followership saying things like, "You and this- Nancy Grace Show!"

I watched her even prior to Caylee's disappearance, following for example, her coverage of the Natalee Holloway Case.

This post is in dedication to and a realization of my appreciation for Nancy, often misunderstood with regards to her on-tv demeanor
&
Caylee Marie Anthony, in hopes that
justice will be served for the little girl that
made such a big impact on
the hearts of so many.

To familiarize yourself with her case, view
the timeline below (please wait til it loads):

One Whacky Ending: Tony Soprano

With HBO recently catching up with the rest of the world, airing the finale
of probably one of the best-written dramas of our time, Frank's brother Luigi and I discussed our thoughts on the 'meaning' of
THE END.

I Highly Concur with the following, highly publicized, and well-detailed article about the finalement to the series.

If you're not an avid Sopranos Fan, or are a Recent Viewer, the article above is a HUGE SPOILER to the ending, but will definitely give you a glimpse of the sheer intelligence of writing that has been written throughout the entirety of the series.

Little did I know in 2000 when I bought Frank his 'Bada Bing' shirt, that I would find myself enthrawled in The Sopranos, much like a reader who can't put down a book.

I won't bore you with my synopsis/opinion on the ending, cause it's all said above, but one thing I will leave you with is this:

If you haven't somehow found your way to
The Sopranos,
it's never too late for your
initiation ;)

*Mob Mentality
at its finest.

The Butterflies & The Bees

I don't know how other couples manage their frustrations with each other, but Frank and I 'box' each other/wrestle. To explain, Frank can be annoying, and I can be annoying to Frank. For example, sometimes I purposely do this thing where I'll put my pinky finger increasing closer to his ear, trying to see how much I can get in 'in' without touching it...and before Frank moves my finger away. I do this repeatedly, almost instantaneously after the first little bit, and with each additional try, he gets progressively annoyed.

Frank on the other hand, can do things that irritate me, like mock me, make fun of me or make comments that make me wanna kick him.

So how we settle these petty disputes are my mock-fighting. This ranges from him pulling his cop-maneuvres and me finding a way to get out, wrestling, pinching/tickling each other with Rocky as the mediator, or a healthy combination of the above.

It's all in good fun, and would make for a great PPV event- a David (me) versus Goliath (him) kind of battle.

In almost all instances, I'm the one left standing :)

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!!

Job Hunt

School is practically out -for summer- and I'm really in dire need of a second job.... money crunching is determining that its gonna be a tight squeeze for 2009-10 therefore I'm gonna need a second job- hopefully even one that carries only 20 hours will suffice (in addition to PF).

The image above gave me some comic-relief.

Current Activity: In the process of planting my money tree....

Bon Voyage!

So, for my parent's 30th anniversary, my sister's and I treated them to
a boat cruise with a stop to the Bahamas.

We were at a roadblock for ideas, my mom proposed this and we said, "done deal!"
They left yesterday morning to Buffalo Airport and then they're off! This is the longest we'll be apart from mommy and daddy.

Most weird for me, the baby.

Bon Voyage mami and papi!

Batista & Pacquiao

Pacquiao’s killer punch a jaw-dropping finisher like ‘Batista bomb’

05/05/2009 | 03:51 PM

MANILA, Philippines – If it were professional wrestling it would have been the spinebuster, tombstone, chokelift or the famous Batista bomb.

WWE superstar Batista couldn’t help but get awestruck by the killer left hook to the jaw that his favorite prizefighter Manny “Pacman" Pacquiao unleashed to finish off Ricky “Hitman" Hatton in their recent “Battle of East and West" bout.

“Unbelievable! It was right on the button," Batista exclaimed in an interview with sportscaster Chino Trinidad after the Pacquiao-Hatton fight.

Known as “The Animal" for his ferocious wrestling persona, Batista accompanied the Filipino superstar as he entered the ring from the dugout and back, fulfilling a dream that took two years to finally materialize.

“I was so proud (to join the Pacquiao entourage during the fight). It was worth every second of waiting," said the popular wrestler, who described Pacquiao as a “good guy who is like a thoroughbred ready to race."

Making the experience even more electrifying for Batista is that it enabled him to connect with his Filipino roots. David Michael Bautista Jr in real life, Batista has a Filipino father and a Greek mother.

“Seeing the (Philippine) flag waved and the people cheering, that’s what really felt good," said Batista, who famously sports a twin Philippines-Greece flag tattooed on his arm.

He said he got a different high when he marched behind Pacquiao.

“This (boxing) is a competitive sports, ours (wrestling) is entertainment. But I can feel the electricity. I have goose bumps walking (into the ring with Pacquiao) and I’m not even the one fighting," he said. Wrestlers are not exactly a rare sight in major boxing matches as Batista’s fellow WWE superstars The Undertaker and Rey Mysterio, among others, have previously accompanied big-time fighters like Pacquiao. –GMANews.TV

Piscean Thinking

A reflection of my reflection
Horoscope: Friday, May 8, 2009

Today you may feel a little down about aspects of your life which you do not think are in line with your dreams. Don`t be afraid to daydream today, but at the end of the day assess how to make those dreams into reality. You do not have to assume that your dreams are out of reach. If you work methodically and strive always for greatness there is nothing that can stop you.

Small Town Girl

Here's your glimpse of some of Frank and I's
everyday-convo :)

JC: I always thought she was a simple girl...not high maintenance at all. I always thought she was a simpleton.
FS: Did you just make that word up?
JC: Yes and No.
FS: *gives her the eyebrow*
JC: The word exists, but I made up my own definition based on my own interpretation...
FS: *remains silent, but still looking for an explanation*
JC: By simple-ton I mean a person who is of simple means....ya know? Like a person from a small town or something? Ever notice that the names of many outskirt-cities end in -ton-??
FS: *still silent*
JC: Umm....like Milton for example!
: And Hamilton!
FS: Brampton!
JC: *with a orange lollipop in her mouth* "I'm gonna put this on my blog!"
FS: What?
JC: I said!.....I'M GONNA PUT THIS ON MY BLOG!
FS: You're gay.
JC: Thank you. I'll take that as a compliment!

Brownie Points

Out for a coffee sunday night, with Corey & Ana, I was having a discussion with Corey about the gym that I work at. After he expressed his interest in checking it out, he asked my schedule, and Frank interjected,
" Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 4-11. Doesn't change!"

To my amazement, *with jaw-dropped and all* all I could say was,"AWW- YOU ACTUALLY REMEMBER!" If you know something about Frank, you'll know that him and details are like water and oil- they just don't mix.

That is why I was so surprised that he knew my schedule.
His reply, "There's a first time for everything" and gave me a wink.

XOX.
Love comes in all forms lol

Way Back Play Back

One weekend in April, my mom and I were downstairs, and the doorbell rang. It was Frank and he had just arrived at my house-- I asked him if he could check my oil before he lit up, and he did, with my mom peering out the window, like she does whenever my dad is outside (for eg. cutting the grass, washing the cars...)

Then she turns to me and says,

"Frank reminds me of your dad..."

"What do you mean," I say.

"...that's the way your dad was with me when we were dating back then. He takes care of you, like how your dad always takes care of things for me."

I didn't reply, but I smiled, and joined her in peering out the front door window. That's the best compliment I could ever be given...* I thought to myself

...May flowers?