What I want

In no particular order, here's what I want:

• I want to find a stable job that is stress-free (is there such a thing?)
• I want to have enough savings that I don't have to worry about tomorrows (who doesn't?)
• I want to be hug all the time (we all need this)
• I want to be able to travel around the world (hopefully in this lifetime)
• I want to go on a cruise (with all the luxury included)
• I want to spend a day in a spa (never done it before)
• I want to learn how to make a quilt (like the quilt in the movie "Stepmom")
• I want to learn how to ski (hopefully by next winter)
• I want to try sky diving (at least before I die)
• I want to ride in the hot air balloon (which I almost did back in 1993 if not for the heavy fog)
• I want to have our own home in Canada

Of course, there's a big difference in what I want from what I really need!

Three Things

My 3 favorite vacation place
~ Orlando, Florida (2004)
~ Boracay, Philippines (1996)
~ Coron, Palawan, Philippines (1994)

My 3 most valuable possessions
~ My photo albums collections
~ My computer
~ Digital camera

3 things I love to do
~ Scrapbooking
~ Surfing the internet
~ Sleep

3 things in my wallet
~ Directions (so I don't get lost)
~ Contact numbers (in case I get lost)
~ Credit/bank cards

3 things in my bag
~ Wallet
~ Eyeglasses
~ Cellphone

My 3 most expensive purchase in the past 3 months
~ Prescription sunglasses ($200)
~ 9-piece stainless steel cookware ($100)
~ Jewelry Set ($100)

My 3 favorite movies
~ Somewhere in Time
~ Superman (movie series)
~ All of Jackie Chan movies

My 3 favorite reality TV shows
~ Amazing Race
~ American Idol
~ Canadian Idol

My 3 favorite TV shows
~ CSI
~ 24
~ Charmed

My 3 favorite TV show on reruns
~ McGyver
~ The Cosby Show
~ The Golden Girls

The last 3 movies I've seen on the big screen
~ The Polar Express
~ Shrek 2
~ Spiderman 2 and Bourne Supremacy (double feature)

And lastly, the 3 most important people in my life
~ My husband
~ My son
~ My daughter

3 places I wanted to visit
~ HolyLand, Israel
~ Rangali Island, Maldives
~ Legoland, California (for my kids)

3 things I wish I have right now
~ Winning lottery number!
~ A million dollars!
~ Lots and lots of patience in dealing with my kids

3 things I've been wanting to do but can't seem to do so
~ Give up coca cola drink
~ Make a quilt (blanket) using my kids' baby clothes and pictures
~ And close up the gap with someone very important in my life

3 things I hate about myself
~ I speak before I think
~ I am impatient all the time
~ I hate household chores!

My 3 most favorite dishes when we eat out
~ Steak (Applebee's/Friday's)
~ Seafood platters (Red Lobsters)
~ Baby back ribs (Tony Roma's)

And lastly, the 3 people I owe my life to
~ GOD
~ My parents
~ My husband

ADHD medications

Recently Health Canada has suspended the drug Adderall XR off the market, another stimulant for ADHD due to a very rare case of sudden deaths, internationally.

The pharmacist told me that there was only one case of Ritalin death in Canada, and that is due to the "wrong way" of using the medicine, it was injected. So should I stop worrying about my son taking Ritalin since Health Canada is there to protect the consumers? Should I trust the experts like the pharmacist and pediatricians on this? Or should I believe stories of moms and dads out there who may or may not be telling the whole truth?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today, my whole family is sick! So we didn't get the chance to celebrate V-Day... I'm having cough and colds, my husband has a broken ankle and limps when he walks, my son got cough, and my daughter has fever with cough and colds... :-(

It must be from the piling dust around the house... since I started working, the house is always a mess (I know I know... its not something new coz you all know how I hate household chores)... When I get home from work, I have to prepare dinner... and also prepare for our dinner for the following night. Get the kids ready for bed... And then I would be too tired to do anything else (except TV or surfing the net)!

But still, I am so thankful that I finally got a job! yehey! Can't wait for my first paycheck!

Hmmmm... can't remember the last time me and my husband went out on V-day for a romantic date... ahh, the price you have to pay when you have a growing family! But who needs V-day when everyday starts and ends with your love ones?

How do you deal with an ADHD child?

My 8-year old son is taking Ritalin for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) . He's been taking it for almost 2 months now and recently I notice some changes in him. The most major problem is that he never eats breakfast anymore and his lunch is always untouched at school... He eats one full meal a day, that is, dinner. On weekends, he is off his medication, yet I still have a hard time making him eat his breakfast, lunch and/or dinner even if its his favorite food. This is one of the side effect of taking Ritalin.

On the other hand, putting him on medication has improved his listening skills and attention span in school, he often finishes his school work on time now. His grade has improved a lot too (no more NIs in his report card). And he NEVER gets in trouble anymore. I was able to witness how this medicine works on my son's concentration and attentiveness. It's like a miracle drug.

At home, he is becoming unmanageable... he never listen to me nor to his dad anymore. Taking away his fave toys doesn't help too nor does "time outs". Getting dressed up in the morning is also a problem every now and then.

I'm thinking of taking him off his medication especially after reading an article about a child who died from the long-term use of Ritalin. This would mean that his education will definitely suffer.

Ritalin is a widely "abused" drugs in North America. It is given to school age kids, with or without ADHD (sad to say). But for my son, he really needs this stimulant to help him focus.

It's so hard to choose between the health OR the education of a child. Both are equally as important in building a bright future!

Lego Church

Received these pictures from email... just thought of sharing it...


It took about a year and a half of planning, building and photographing.
Size: 7 feet by 5 1/2 feet by 30 inches (2.2m x 1.7m x .76m)


It has 3976 windows!


Seat 1372 lego people


It features a balcony, a Narthex, stairs to the balcony, restrooms, coatrooms, several mosaics, a nave, a baptistery, an alter, a crucifix, a pulpit and an elaborate pipe organ.

More than 75,000 pieces of LEGO!

Amazing Race 6

Winner of the Best Reality Competition in the 2003 and 2004 Primetime Emmy Awards.

Just finished watching the season finale of Amazing Race 6... My team came in second - Kris and Jon. To me, Kris and Jon are the real winner -- they don't fight or get in each other throat like the other couples do. And just the thrill of spending time together and traveling around the world, is enough for them.

AR-7 starts on March 1, can't wait!

Updates

I am...

• currently too excited to report to my first job in Canada (2 days from now)
  
• currently looking forward to a weekend of tobogganing with my kids
  
• currently trying to figure out how to deal with an ADHD child (somebody help me please!)
  
• currently watching CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on Spike TV
  
• currently multi tasking - doing laundry, watching tv, and updating my blog
• continuously gaining weight, mostly due to my consumption of coke (not the drugs, just the coca cola drink)
  
• continuously learning new things about being a blogger (thanks to Junnie for introducing me to the world of blogging!)
  
• continuously craving for a new cellphone (even though I don't really need it right now)

I recently...

• just finished updating our family website
  
• just got frustrated with my son who used the shampoo as bubble bath (again! grrrr!)
  
• just recovered from a flu
  
• just finished watching the reruns of Friends on TV