The Work Out That Works For Me

A few months ago I started getting serious w/ my fitness goal. I've tried pills, low-Atkins , Juice Diet..etch etch...none of them worked. Instead of losing weight , I gained more.

The problem is not only my weight but my mind set. I was trying to solve my weight issue the easy & the fast way but I should have known that it's not gonna work. I might lose a couple of pounds but it always comes back & w/ a vengeance. My mind set & my will power is what needed boosts. After looking at my clothes that wont fit any more & looking at the mirror & facing reality , I told myself ...." I can't let this happen to me, this is not what I want myself to be & I'm gonna do whatever it takes but this time I'm doing it the right way".

I kept looking for something that will motivate me like the GYM but I'm too cheap to pay for the monthly dues .How about swimming??? Yeah ,but then I would have to hire somebody to teach me coz I don't know how to swim( what a shame for a girl who was born in a country surrounded by oceans & seas and I wont be caught dead wearing swim suit w/ my gutt hanging out ).

I thought about getting an exercise bike after seeing it on FitTV & heard that you can burn enough calorie if you do it 30 mins to an hour. I thought "that's great , I can get on the bike & pedal away while watching my favorite show". Anything that can help me get in shape w/o having to drag my 2 kids or pay for a babysitter. The bike isn't cheap either but I figure it's a great investment . I made a deal w/ my husband that I will start using my work out DVD again everyday if he gets me the bike . I kept my end of the bargain & so tomorrow I'm getting my new exercise bike .

I am spending my money on this baby instead of new clothes & shoes so I'd better stick w/ it.

I highly recommend this work out dvd if you wanna tone your abs & thighs. The Accelerated Body Sculpting work out & the Pilates Fat Burning for cardio are what I use & it's guaranteed result if you do it regularly & w/ healthy diet.

~~Beauty Tips~~

I have discovered an amazing product that gave my skin great result.It's a little pricey but hey, it's totally worth it. After using this stuff , I didn't even need to wear foundation any more. Just a light press powder & I'm good to go. Skin is soft,supple,evenly toned & it almost feels like your skin was literally renewed. Once you tried them you will never go back to your old cream.

These 2 I use in the morning


And these 2 at night. Just make sure that you wash your face before applying this cream.
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My Little Angels

Buckle Up!!
He's Belting Out A Song.
Have a great weekend to everyone.

A Survey

Tell Everyone About Yourself
Time started::	5:00 pm
Basic About you:
Name::	Just Mel
Gender::	female
Height::	tall enough
Eye color::	Dark Brown
Hair Color::	Dark brown
Age::	Old enough
Birthday::	Sometime in May
Lefty/righty/ambidextrous::	righty
Piercings::	ears
Tatoos::	thinkin about it
Zodiac Sign::	gemini
Ring Size::	the size of my husband's thumb
Grade::	highly lols
More about you:
Are you named after anyone?:	No , but my gradpa gave me my name
Do you live in the moment?:	definitely
Do you consider yourself tolerent to others?:	yeah I guess so
Do you have any secrets?:	hhmmm,.....some
Do you hate yourself?:	when I get too nervous & acting like a kid
Do you like your handwriting?:	yeah, I try to write nice
Do you have any bad habits?:	not sure
If you were another person, would you be friends with you?:	hahhaaa....no
Any regrets?:	none that I could think of right now but I'm sure there's some.
Do you think life has been good so far?:	yes
Are you confident?:	not 100%
How long does it take you to shower?:	5 min minimum
What color is your room?:	beige
Where do you want to attend college?:	Western Culinary Institure or OHSU
Do you...?
Smoke?:	5 years ago
Do drugs?:	NEVER
Drink?:	yeah, on occasion
Go to church?:	not in a while :(
Sleep with stuffed animals?:	my honey is my big teddy bear
Take walks in the rain?:	In Oregon yeah.
Talk to people even if you hate them?:	Yeah but I can't hide my true feelings
Drive?:	yes
Believe in premarital sex?:	Nope
Want to get married?:	already did
Want to go to college?:	yes
Want to have children?:	already have kids & I'm so done
Sing in the shower?:	yupp
Get along with you parents?:	yupp
Get along with your sibling/s?:	yupp
Color/highlight your hair?:	yes,
Like coffee?:	a lot
Wear makeup everytime you go out?:	yes, ven when I'm not going out. I like looking nice
Love roller coasters?:	yes
Like to cook?:	very much
Have you ever...?
Hurt yourself? :	many times
Been out of the country?:	a few times
Been in love?:	everyday
Done drugs?:	never ever
Gone skinny dipping?:	I wish!!!
Had surgery?:	2x , C section
Played strip poker?:	not yet
Been on stage?:	many times
Pulled an all nighter?:	not yet
Gone one day without food?:	are you talking about suicide :)
Slept all day?:	I wish
Kissed a stranger?:	hhmmm does kiss on the cheek counts?
Had a dream that came true?:	yeah, a few
Broken the law?:	caught shop lifting when I was 13 :)
Stolen anything?:	nope
Been on radio/tv?:	yeah
Been in a mosh-pit?:	nope
Bungee jumped?:	not yet but I will definitely try someday
Had a dream that kept coming back?:	yeah
Gone out of state?:	yeah , love road trips
Live in other states?:	yeah , NY
Eaten an entire box of oreos?:	nope
Had a movie marathon?:	yup . That' what we like to do on a weekend
Spun until you were immensely dizzy?:	when I was a kid I did that
Been on a plane?:	a lot of times
Ran into a wall?:	nope
Been rejected by a crush?:	yeah, but only because I was only 10 that time
Cried in public?:	yes, I'm such a cry baby :)
Cried over a movie?:	you bet
Pranked called someone?:	nope, my husband tricked me one time coz he's very good in copying foreign accent.
Gotten a cavity?:	yeah ( blush)
Shopped at Abercrombie and Fitch?:	nope, but I did went there just to look around
Broken a bone?:	no
Fallen from a tree?:	no, but I did fell off a moving car
Passed out?:	yeah , the millenium party
Been to a theme park?:	yeah
Eaten sushi?:	I devour them
This or That
Pepsi or Coke::	Coke diet
McDonalds or BUrger King::	BK
Chocolate or Vanilla::	Chocolate
Black or White::	Both
Burgers or Hot dogs::	Burgers
Boxers or breifs::	boxers
Book or magazine::	both
TV or radio::	TV. Oregon has shitty FM radio
is the glass half empty or half full::	half full...always
sun or moon::	both
hot or cold::	cold
romantic comedy or thriller::	Both
waffles or pancakes::	Both
Florida or california::	Never been to either one
Black and white or color photos::	both
The city, the beach, OR the country::	all of them
Tennis shoes or sandals::	Sandals
Sweet or sour::	sweet
Private or publie school::	Private
Cappuccino or coffee::	coffee
English or history::	history
Science or math::	math
Do you believe ...?
in miracles?:	Yes
in magic?:	yes
in God?:	of course
in Satan?:	yeah
in ghosts?:	yeah
in luck?:	yes
in love at first sight?:	yes
in Santa?:	yes
in the Easter Bunny?:	not sure
in witches?:	yes, there are some in my family
that it's possible to remain faithful forever?:	yes most definitely
in wishing on shooting stars?:	yup
that cussing is a necessity in life?:	yes, it spice it up a bit
yourself?:	yes I do
Love and all that -
Do you consider love a mistake?:	No
If someone you had no interest in had interest in dating you how would you:	I wont give him falls hope
Do you prefer knowing someone before dating them?:	yes
What is worst about the opposite sex?:	It's hard for them to understand us female
Who and when was your first crush?:	Ralph Machio "the karate Kid"
First thing you notice about the opposite sex?:	eyes, the windows to their soul
Right this moment...
What are you wearing?:	my wrinkle free black buttton up shirt
What are you worried about?:	life in general....and my wieght
What book are you reading?:	none for now
What time is it?:	It's 5:45pm
Are you bored?:	yeah sometimes
Are you tired?:	most of the time
Are you talking to anyone online or on the phone?:	my husband. we talk all the time on YM or email or phone
Are you lonely or content?:	I'm content
Are you listening to music, if so then what?:	I'm listening to my kids screaming in the next room
The Last...
Dream you had::	can't remember my dream usually
Nightmare::	can't remember too
Time you cried::	The other day.
Movie you watched::	I saw Ocean's 11 for the umph x the other day
Movie you rented::	never rent
Book you read::	Kids book for my daughter
Word you said::	a lot...
Time you laughed::	last second ago.
Person to call you::	My husband , mother-in-law
CD you played::	The Frays
Song you listened to::	Listen by Beyonce
annoyance::	kids hihiiii but I love them to death
IM sent or recieved::	from my husband
Time you yelled::	10 mins ago
Person you yelled at::	my kids
time you were a skirt::	centuries ago. I never wear skirt
time you fought with your parents::	when I was 12-14
Time you wished on a shooting star::	just recently
Thing you ate::	rice & chicken teriyaki
Time you showered::	3 hours ago
Nail polish color worn::	Red by Revlon
Your favorite:
Type of gum::	trident
Restaurant::	Charter Restaurant, Portland
Season::	all four
Type of weather::	early summer
Emotion::	I am very emotional
Color::	Black,Red,Navy Blue
Perfume::	Happy Clinique
Candy::	Almond Roca
Pizza topping::	Pineapple pepperoni
Fruit::	mango
Veggie::	all of them
Type of cake::	Black Forest cake
Magazine::	Any fashion & fitness mag
TV Show::	House MD,Law & Order SVU & CI
Day of the week::	Saturday
Month::	May & December
Holiday::	Christmas
Number::	5
Sport to watch::	Baseball,Basketball
Flower::	Rose & white lily
Finally...
Time Finished::	5:58pm
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Northwest Summer

“It is the month of June,The month of leaves and roses,When pleasant sights salute the eyes,And pleasant scents the noses.” ~Nathaniel Parker Willis


.......actually we are half-way thru June . Kids are on vacation now & I'm left w/ the wonder of how am I gonna keep them busy. I thought of taking them to the district recreational pool center & let them waddle in the water till they turn like prune. It's indoor ,water is warm enough so you don't have to worry about catching cold,it's open till late so you can avoid the rush of people ( too many people=too many germs) & most of all it's cheap!!! Only 2$ per person if you belong w/ the district. How cool is that!!! Tualatin Recreational Center has everything from leisure,sports,educational ,social or even if yo just want to take a walk in the trail area.

Shopping.........who doesn't love to shop??!!! Even if I don't have the dough , I'm perfectly happy just to window shop & spot something nice & tell myself " I'm gonna get you later!" lols
Well, this month is my lucky month coz I made full use of the gift cards that I got from my birthday to the max. Macy's had a huge discount blowout sale on June 12-13 . I was one of the earliest shoppers & I thought I was early enough till I saw one lady already had both her arms full of clothes to take to the fitting room. I took my sweet time coz I know dear husband is watching the kids & I gotta make sure that I wont go home empty handed & teary eyed again.
Two hours later I got myself enough outfits to last me till next summer plus a nice little purse from DKNY for a fraction of a cost. I couldn't believe my eyes (& the cashier) , a nice paor of dress pants for $11.99 & a beautiful scooped neck red blouse for $9.99 hahahhaaa..I was smiling from ear to ear. That was a very rare moment & I guess it's because I finally accepted the fact that I am no longer size 2 anymore . It made it easier for me to pick the right size of clothes & the right style. But don't get me wrong...accepting doesn't mean I am surrendering.
The battle of the bulge isn't over yet. But in the mean time , I'll try to enjoy my new sets of outfit :)

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Their Recent Pictures

Time To Get Serious

I have been too comfortable lately. All those motivation that I had last summer to keep in shape just vanished .Winter came & along with it brought me extreme laziness and a total lost of focus with my fitness goals. It's hard for me to believe that just last October I was so into working out & eating healthy. I was working out everyday sometime for 2 hours or more. I was watching my calorie intake & making sure that I didn't go over my limit of 1200 cal/day.

I know I wasn't eating like crazy but the absence of physical activities & being cooped at home all winter are the reasons why I can't fit into my petite size4 jeans anymore. August of last year I could even squeezed in size 2 . It may not seems that much if you look at the numbers , 1-2 size bigger...but for my height , it is VERY BIG of a difference.

Memorial Day weekend & those ubiquitous ads about sales & discounts at the malls lured me into braving the flood of shoppers trying to get good finds & bargains. Husband being supportive (or maybe he's also thinking of the discounts ) he went w/ me & watched Shinjo while Princess & me went elbow-to-elbow w/ hundreds of women's at two of my favorite store White House Black Market and Calvin Klein . I really thought it's gonna be a fun shopping experience but turned out the exact opposite. I was trying on a nice shirt & pants but I was so out of shape I nearly cried because it felt like I was looking at a different person in the mirror. That wasn't me.....I used to look good w/ this kind of outfit :( Frustrated ,disappointed & devastated...I stormed out of the store empty handed. Grant couldn't believe his eyes . He wasn't quite sure whether to feel bad thinking he didn't give me enough time or to be glad knowing I didn't spend a single penny that day. I was heart broken...."What did I do to myself?" " Why did I let myself go?".....but of course I already know the answers to that .

So today , I begin. I want my old self back & 'Dagnammit I'm getting it.I begin w/ a more realistic goal & a better open mind.No more diet pills or crash diets. Just good old fashioned healthy & balanced mind & body.I don't want to be super skinny like Lindsey Lohan.. I just want to see myself in the mirror & feel good again. To look good again wearing my favorite clothes.

May 29,2007 I weigh in at 130 ( gosh I've never gone this heavy before ...not when I am not pregnant)Back to counting calories but not to the point of starving myself. I need the energy to play w/ my kids. Back to working out even at least 45 mins a day and since summer is here maybe I will add a little bit of outdoor activities.

Every week I will post my progress. Hopefully this will help me get more motivated to continue & not procrastinate.

To be fit & feel good again ...that's my goal & my gift to myself.

True Joy & Happiness

Feeling a little blue ……It must be that time of the month….but no…not till next week…maybe just a little tired. It’s Wednesday and I’m already longing for the weekend. I guess I’ve been pretty much productive this week so I gave myself a little treat….2 scoops of ice cream ..ahhh…..that does the trick. Then watched my recorded episode of HOUSE MD ( thanks to DVR…such a life saver. Now I don’t have to miss any episode of my favorite shows)…Kids were watching cartoon show in their room so I had the living room all to myself . Didn’t have to worry if there are obscene dialogue that the kids might hear…you know how they are now….so quick to pick up new vocabulary esp Shinjo. He is at the stage were he is starting to discover the vast universe of language . One day while his teacher was saying goodbye to him , he was so distracted w/ something else so I prompted him so say goodbye back & I swear I almost fell to the floor when I though I heard him say “ What the f^*@!!! “ We all thought we heard the same thing & I was so embarrassed but I didn’t realize that the teacher & I share the same feeling & he immediately said “ Oh I’m sure he didn’t hear that from us”. But I know my son & we never curse in front of them so I look around the room trying to find if he is referring to something else & not really cussing & sure enough , he was in fact looking at a toy frog. I gave up a big sigh & gave him a tight hug. I know my sweet little angle cannot be uttering those awful words!!

My daughter is also broadening her language & vocabulary ( I thought about writing this after reading Geri’s new posting about teaching kids tagalog). Princess is very proud to tell everyone that she can speak Spanish that you’d think she can be a translator for me whenever I am mistaken as Hispanic ( gracias) . The truth is , she only knows a few words in Spanish but I don’t have the heart to embarrassed her ( worrying that one Hispanic kid might take her up for it ) so I would just gingerly tell her “ yes sweetie , you know quite a few Spanish words BUT you still have to learn more so you must study even harder”.

Recently she is also getting interested in learning tagalog. To my surprise she asked me how to say “ Thank You” in tagalog. I smiled secretly in my heart. What a smart kid. I thought that I would have to bribe her one day to learn my language . I didn’t think she’d be interested this early . It’s funny coz she would even ask me to sing a Filipino song so with much gusto I sang to her the very first song that my mother taught me when I was her age “ Bato sa Buhangin” I would have sang to her another tagalog song till she asked me to translate it in English ( sigh!! I don’t think I have enough patience for that. Maybe someday).

Shinjo is now 3 & he goes to pre-school 3x a week. He loves it I can tell & it’s been so beneficial to him esp. the interactions w/ kids of his age level. Being a new immigrant to this country , it’s been always & almost very rare for my kids to have an opportunity to play & be around other kids. Now he is so much sociable & just blossoming into toddler hood.

When I was 6 I remember that my favorite toys are dolls or tea sets, but not my little girl.
Her fascinations are dinosaurs & portable game ( Leapfrog game computer but she just found out that Nintendo is so much cooler..) . We go to the community library & she would get nothing but books about dinosaur & I have to deal w/ reading to her & struggling w/ the difficult pronunciations of these prehistoric animals. One time, I didn’t notice that one of the books we got was about Dino Dung (a book about all kinds of dino poop) .

Kids, sometimes I can’t wait for them to have their own drivers license but then again , who would mommy read dino poops book to or would Shinjo still gives me hugs infront of other people. I don’t think so….so for now I’ll just enjoy their youth & dependency. They are mommy’s true joy & happiness. They are all I need to cure my blues away.

Went Nuts W/ The color Pen

He Loves Books Too

With her classmate Maxine.She's half Japanese half Pinoy.

New Hair Cut. Mommy is getting better w/ the clippers

It's May

Time to celebrate Mother's Day .

The things that mother's do...we deserve not only a celebration once a year but every day.
I got 2 kids but it's feels like one football team.
I have nothing but admiration to those women who were able to raise more than 2 kids...coz frankly , it's more than I could handle. I can't remember when's the last time I finished a book , a novel or even the Sunday newspaper. But ask me how many children's book I've read coz I got a long list for yah.

Motherhood.....exhausting .....but even so....it's the most rewarding. Just wait till you hear your little kiddo call you in their most sweetest voice ( even though at most times, they did something bad & they are tryin to get your symphaty) . Waking up in ungodly hour to just a slight cry or weird noise in the kids' room. Heck , when I was a teenager my mom would almost spalsh cold water on me just to wake me up hahhahaa..and she said to me " there will be earthquake, fire, war..& you still wont wake up". Kinda miss those days sometimes. Hmmm.... children.....they are a full time job...but also your most valuable & life changing experience.

To all the mothers , Salute!!!



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May is also our Wedding Anniversary.

It's been 5 years and it's been good, can't complain really.
Lots of things happened , some good , some bad , but mostly good
and the bads only made our marriage stronger & deeper.
Along w/ the kids...our relationship has s also grown into maturity & more understanding.
Like we don't have to explain to each other anymore why the dinner isn't ready yet, or if we forgot certain appoinments.....just w/ one look & we know why....mutual understanding...I think it's very important. Saves you time arguing & who should sleep in the couch..lols.
All I wish for our wedding anniversary is........more....more of our love , more of our trust , more of our understanding........just a little bit more & every year.....and I think we will last....for a lifetime.

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and May is the month I was born.

At 30 something...I'm thankful how my life turned out.
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.
I don't have anything to wish for ...'cept for a brand new BMW suv, a nice house in Skyline next to those.hhhmmmm...what do they cll them now???? ahh,....luxury homes...hhaaahaaa...,maybe a vacation , on a caribbean cruise or Europe in autum wont be too bad.....nothing too glamourous.....just that....hahahhahaha...hey I was told that if you dream, aim high.

Seriously , my birthday wish is to always be healthy & strong for my kids , in good shape & good mood for my husband *wink* and just peace to all man kind ...,that's all.


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If I Had My Life To Live Over

If I Had My Life To Live Over
by Erma Bombeck

If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more.I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy,

I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."There would have been more "I love you's".. More "I'm sorrys" ...But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute... look at it and really see it ... live it...and never give it back