Everyday Life

Another trip around the sun. And now I’m 34.

Hey guys, it’s been a while since I last posted. There is no real reason for my absence, just that I didn’t feel like writing at all these past few months. But, as always, the hiatus has proven to be good for me. Here I am, back again, with a million and one stories swimming in my head, just waiting to be shared.

I figured this would be the perfect day to start posting again, after all it is my day.

 

Birthday weekend coming up, which means 🎂🎂🎂!!! #alittlebitolderalittlebitwiser

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Feb 23, 2017 at 2:20am PST

I guess the best place to start would be to bring you all up to speed on where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing since my last entry in December.

Basically, I’ve been at home. The whole of 2016 I felt really compelled to work on making our house a real home, from establishing routines to making sure that everything we have in it are things that we use or really, really love. I’ve continued to feel this way well into the new year, and so that’s what I’ve been up to in these first few weeks of 2017, too. 

Last year ended just the way I like it, surrounded by family and friends who truly matter. My MIL came home for the holidays last December, and it was the first time in 8 years that we got to spend Christmas with her. We also welcomed Little MrC’s first, first cousin on the Cuyugan side, baby Luna. And, of course, my loyal band of girlfriends were part of my holiday fun too, just has they’ve been for the last 20 years. 

So far in 2017, we’ve had a wedding (which, sadly, the boys and I missed) and a baptism, welcomed home several balikbayans, and celebrated a few birthdays and ordinary days with countless food-filled family gatherings.

The kiddo will soon say goodbye to the fifth grade, and has a newfound obsession with growing his hair. I have come to terms that I will have a teenager soon. One who asks that I not write about him so much, and that I stop posting photos of him with funny Snapchat filters. 

As a family, we’ve started cleaning out my Loli’s closets, which is a several-years-overdue project for the family. MrC and I have also been carefully removing things we no longer need from our house, and happily bringing in new things thanks to the generosity of our loved ones.

 

So here’s everything that we had to sort through today. And this is only part one. Lola ko hoarder na nung hindi pa uso ang #hoardersgonnahoard. 😂 #KonMari #decluttering #cleanupcrew

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Feb 3, 2017 at 7:31am PST

I’ve been cooking a lot for my family, and the feedback has been amazing. I baked my first loaf of gluten-free bread, and learned how to make champorado from scratch. I’ve managed to overhaul our fridge and pantry quite a bit to make room for my kiddo’s gluten-free needs, and it’s been a good change for all of us over here.

I’m lucky to have a husband who supports my quirks and goes with the endless changes I try to make at home. Lately I’ve been obsessing over my kitchen, from wanting to lessen our use of plastic to trying to go paperless as much as we can. I have this newfound love for cloth napkins, and I’m happy to say that my collection is growing thanks to our Loli closet cleanup.

 

Last week during our cleaning session at my Lola’s house, my aunts gave me a pile of old cloth napkins that were super discolored and stained. I wasn’t sure if I could save them, but after a week-long soak in Oxiclean I got this first batch looking good again. Yay! I hope I get all of my rescued napkins looking nice and usable again coz they really are so pretty. 😊 I’ll let you guys know in a few days how it goes. 😉 #clothnapkins #byebyepapernapkins #refusesingleuse #lesswaste #vintage #baulnilola

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Feb 8, 2017 at 10:59pm PST

Life over here has been hectic but good. I’m happy to report that I didn’t go through my usual birthday blues this year, likely because I am exactly where I want to be in life right now. I’m loving every moment, from the quiet ones to the very loud ones. If only I could get myself motivated enough to write about them all. Right? 

Hopefully, this is the start of that. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

So make me kwento, what’s been up with you guys so far this year? 🙂

School drop-off and pick-up can be a real pain in the butt. Us moms and dads who do it every day know this already. This being the case, it’s not usual to see drivers lose their cool. I’ve seen honkers and overly-aggressive drivers, drivers who cut in front of others, and also the occasional “roll down the window and scream at the other car” type of angry driver.

Yesterday, though, I witnessed an incident that I feel was a little extreme. I saw two drivers lose their cool so bad that they started to punch each other out on the street outside my son’s school. In front of everyone. In front of kids. And I mean little kids. Remember, I pick up my son from the grade school area.

Here’s the story. The driver of Car A (car in front) was a heavy-on-the-brakes kind of driver. Maybe he was doing it on purpose. Maybe he was texting or distracted. Maybe he really just isn’t the best driver. Whatever it is, the driver behind him (let’s call him Car B) was annoyed by Car A’s driving. I could tell by his constant honking. They were on the lane to my left. 

Car B guy was obviously in a hurry because he kept trying to accelerate quickly. Then, he’d be forced to brake hard whenever Car A would stop, which happened often. The road was pretty packed, and movement was slow. You know what it’s like at dismissal time.

Eventually Car B guy’s patience wore off. He got out of his car, angrily approached Car A (as in sugod levels ha), and started pointing, screaming, and hitting Car A’s window. Car B guy called out to the traffic guards, saying loudly that the driver in Car A was (insert a bunch of insults and curse words here.)

Mature. Very mature. Remember, there were kids in the area. Gosh. Me flipping out is not something I would want my kid, or any kid, to see. Not at all.

Eventually, Car A guy lost his cool, too, and stepped out of his car. That’s when they started to punch each other out. Two guards came over and pulled them apart.

At this point, Little MrC had exited school, and gotten into our car. He saw the fight from the sidewalk and asked me what happened. So I explained. I told him that the two drivers lost their cool, and decided to act on it in a not-so-smart manner.

You guys should have seen the faces of the kids standing on the sidewalk. Some of them looked scared. This was the perfect way to set a bad example.

Wala lang, I’m just pretty bothered by what I saw, and I’m a little upset that my son had to see that, too. It’s a good thing that he’s old enough to understand what happened and why, and to know that it’s not right. But to be honest, he isn’t over what he saw. He brought it up again at breakfast today. He’s still bothered. That’s not a good thing.

Sigh. A little extra patience can really go a long way. Sana nalang people on the road remember this. Yes, the traffic problem we face daily is awful, but still. It’s no reason to let go of decency, respect for others, common courtesy, and poise. 

As parents, we always need to be aware that our kids learn from the things we do. Sure, we can’t all be perfect role models all the time, but we also need to keep ourselves in check. Ultimately, we are the adults and we are supposed to know better. That is all.

Some days, I wonder if anyone still reads my blog. I know I don’t write as  regularly as I used to, so, realistically, I imagine I’ve lost quite a few readers. Ganun talaga, right? Why should I expect anyone to visit my site when even I don’t log on so much?

Something has to change. And it’s a good time for change because my blog turns 5 years old this month. Woohoo to half a decade of existing on this space. 

I know for sure that I’m not the same person, nor the same blogger that I was when I started writing here. My lifestyle has changed so much, and with it, my interests, too. Five years ago, I was newly married, and had just quit life as a corporate slave. When I started this blog, being a wife and hands-on mom was all so new to me, and now I can no longer imagine life as anything else. 

The themes and topics of my posts have evolved, too, over the years. I have gone from writing about blogging and working at home to learning how to make baon  everyday while still maintaining my sanity. There were a lot of reviews, food and restaurant posts, events, staycations, and the occasional giveaway. And then my posts became about moving out and nesting in my own space, caring for my family, and thriving as a homemaker. 

It's been a little over a year since we moved in, and I can definitely say that this is my most used space at home. My kitchen. This is where the magic happens. It's often very messy, and there are still so many changes I want to make. More shelves, more counter space, a bigger fridge… The list goes on. But really, right now I just feel so fortunate to have a kusina of my own. Best gift ever talaga, @polcuyugs. ?? #homesweethome

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Aug 17, 2016 at 9:14pm PDT

As I read through my archives, I can clearly see that I’ve succeeded in turning this space into a time capsule of the amazing and also the challenging moments of the last 5 years. And now it’s time to move on. 

No, I’m not quitting this blog. Just making some changes.

First, I think I’m gonna stop posting meal plans. Obviously, I can’t get myself to share those regularly, and the desire to do so just gives me unnecessary, self-imposed stress. Lol. I tried. Instead, I will focus on sharing more recipes, especially those that I’ve been trying out for my #100homecookedmeals and #theglutenfreeproject experiments. 

16. Chicken curry with potatoes for dinner tonight. ? #100homecookedmeals

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Sep 5, 2016 at 4:16am PDT

I also plan on writing more about are my little home decorating attempts, and the fun DIY projects that the boys and take on. I hope to share more of my journey towards becoming a true domestic goddess / marvelous homemaker, too, because that’s my life now and I love it. 

I want to cut back on restaurant reviews, so unless a place really made me say ohmygoshbestfoodeverguys, chances are I won’t be writing about it. Same goes for product reviews. After all, why would I waste my time and brain cells posting about something that I don’t absolutely love?

So basically this blog, my blog, will be more of a reflection of life as I live it, than anything else. It’s gonna be me giving you the chance to spend time at home with me, MrsC, (see what I did there?) from wherever it is that you may be reading from. And who knows, someday, you may just find yourself sitting with me in my living room for real. What an exciting thought!