Raising a family, making a home.
We are definitely ending 2015 on a high note, and I’m so happy to have been able to share so many of this year’s great moments with you guys.
I hope that you have all had an amazing year, too. Happy holidays from our family to yours! See you in 2016!
Fact: Over the weekend, I did two things that I never thought I would ever do – Launch a crochet business and sponsor an event.
Anyone who has asked me over the last few years if I would ever consider selling the stuff I crochet would tell you that my default answer is “No, because this is my stress-reliever, and I don’t want it to turn into something stressful.”
Well, somewhere between moving houses, my brain being fried from writing, and the search for something more meaningful and enjoyable to do, I decided to just go ahead and give this whole Crochet by MrsC thing a try. The happiest business people are those who are able to turn their passions into profit after all, right? Plus, it gives me an excuse to buy more yarn! Hahaha!
Truth be told, I have been enjoying this business so far, ever since I launched it three days (LOL) ago. Of course it helps that in those three days, I have already received a couple of orders. Woohoo! Granted, my first customers are friends, but that’s the way it goes anyway.
My first “official” event sponsorship was for friends, too, when I made a few pairs of snowflake coasters to give to the lovely moms who attended the Holiday Potluck edition of Mothers Who Brunch.
This was by far the biggest project I have made for anyone, and it makes me happy that it was for an event I’ve attended and enjoyed, and for friends whom I love. Plus, it was a great way to get samples of my work out to the right people. Win-win!
I’m not sure how far I will end up going with this new venture. All I know is that I will keep doing it for as long as it make me, and other people, happy. And, of course, for as long as there are people out there who want me to make crocheted stuff for them.
Want me to make something for you? Send me a message if you do, okay? And please, please, support my little (and still pretty much empty) shop on Instagram. THANK YOU! 🙂
Question: When you were young, how often would you get asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
I noticed recently that Little MrC would get asked that question a lot. I think it could be because he is getting older. When he was younger he said that he wanted to become a fire fighter. Now he says he wants to teach.
When I was a kid, I’d get asked that quite often, too. I recently had a conversation about my childhood ambitions with my mom and cousin, and they reminded me about some funny things I said I wanted to become when I was a little girl.
I think that my earliest answer was that I wanted to be Little Miss Philippines. Like Aiza Seguerra. No kidding. That was in 1987 (yes, I Googled it,) which would have made me 4 years old at the time.
Honestly, I completely forgot about this until my mom brought it up. Looking back, I remember practicing my introduction using our bedroom doorknob as my microphone. I never joined Little Miss Philippines (thank goodness!) and I eventually stopped watching noon time shows. And with that, the dream thankfully died.
My cousin says that she remembers me saying that I wanted to become a Ginebra Super Angel like my mom. I’m not sure how to explain what the Super Angels were, but they were sort of a girl group that performed during Ginebra events, and on TV to promote the brand and the basketball team. You had to be able to sing and dance to join, and from my mom’s old photos I could see that they were all tall, slim and pretty.
I don’t remember actually saying that I wanted to be a Super Angel, but I remember wanting to be a dancer like my mom. After her stint with Ginebra, she worked for a while as a VIP dancer in Vilma Santos’ Vilma In Person TV show. Alas, I eventually learned that I have really bad stage fright, so that dream died, too.
When I was eight years old I fell in love with Sweet Valley Kids, and that was the moment that I decided I wanted to become I writer. I went on to read Sweet Valley Twins, High and University, Sweet Dreams, and Love Stories, as well as classics like Little Women and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
I grew up loving books, and writing letters and journal entries. I would exchange short stories with friends. Writing was something that came naturally to me. I knew that I had found an ambition that could actually work for me. So far, it has been working out well.
Truth: I still dream of writing fiction someday. I don’t know if I’m ready for it yet because, to me, writing fiction feels like baring your soul, except that you are using made up characters and scenarios. Then again, I guess all forms of writing requires some sort of soul-baring. Right?
I’m not giving up on that dream just yet. If someday I do complete a book, you guys buy it okay?
What did you want to be when you grew up? Is that what you are now?
Loli and Mama were my grandmothers. Fact: It still makes me sad to refer to them in the past tense. It really does feel like something is missing in life when you lose any of your grandparents. At least for me. That’s because I grew up in a really close-knit family, and my grandparents were always a big part of my life.
We lost Loli, my paternal grandmother, in 2008. I lived with her for a few years while I was in college. My class schedule back then allowed me to come home from just in time for The Bold and the Beautiful.
Sitting with Loli to watch her favorite soap became my funny afternoon ritual, at least for a few months before things got really busy in school. I know she enjoyed having someone to watch with, and I just enjoyed sitting in her room and keeping her company.
Mama’s passing was recent. As in, not even a month ago, recent. We have always lived near her, but a few years ago she moved to a house that was even easier to get to from our place. This was also around the time I left my corporate job.
After she and my grandfather (now, officially my last remaining grandparent) moved houses, the little boy and I started spending our birthdays with them. It was nothing fancy. We would just order food and have lunch with them, their treat of course! I’m glad that both the kiddo and I got the celebrate one more birthday each with Mama this year.
For my post on World Moms Blog this month, I wrote about my grandmothers and the life lessons that they taught me. It’s my way of remembering them, of paying tribute, and saying thank you to these two amazing women who have helped shape me.
I’d super love it if you can go check the post out here.
What life lessons did you guys learn from your grandparents?
Fact: I have been too busy to blog. In a good way, of course. It only means that I’ve been making and collecting memories to write about.
What an April this has been. While it’s been a quiet month on the blog, my Instagram and Facebook feeds have been buzzing with activity, from birthdays to homecomings, to super fun trips.
No-school days only means that the little boy comes with me most everywhere I go, and since the summer break started at the end of March, he’s come along to a few meetings, an event, and meetings turned play dates (where the mommies talk and the kids play.)
He has also had his share of fun with friends – Hours of play at his classmates’ and cousins’ houses, and his surprise birthday swimming party, which the whole family successfully managed to keep a secret until the very last moment. Yay!
Holy week for us meant quiet time to prepare for the storm that was to come. By storm I mean the homecoming of MrC’s dad, aka Lolo Bandel. My in-laws live in California, so it isn’t often that they get to spend time with the kiddo. Lolo Bandel decided that he didn’t want to miss out on another summer vacation with his one and only grandson (yes, he is the only one on both sides,) so he flew 16 hours, halfway around the world to spend April with us.
A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on
Because our home sweet home isn’t ready yet, spending time with the Cuyugan side of the family means sleeping over in Far Far Away, otherwise known as Cainta, where my sister-in-law lives. When we’re there, I am basically unable to drive anywhere because drivers beyond Makati scare the bejesus out of me. On the upside, it gives me the chance to spend time in places that I normally find too far away to go to, like Eastwood Mall. When in Eastwood Mall, I go shopping at Scribe Writing Essentials, and that’s always a happy thing. Hello, Cocoiro!
As a treat to Lolo Bandel, MrC booked a staycation for us at Hotel H2O, which is still one of the little boy’s favorite places. It’s always fun watching the fish swim by in he Aqua Room’s aquarium wall, and this was something that the mag-lolo got to do a lot in their shared room.
Lolo, on the other hand, surprised us all with a trip to Hong Kong, complete with Disneyland and Ocean Park tours. Oh the joy! As we were looking at our trip photos, MrC told me that I looked the most excited in happy in all of them.
It’s been years since the one and only time I’ve traveled abroad, so this vacation is long overdue and much appreciated. The funny thing is, that one trip I went on before was also to Hong Kong, back when I was 9.
This week, we are all catching up on rest and work, and luckily I’ve managed to squeeze in a few minutes to blog. More stories coming soon, but for now, please follow my IG page if you’re interested to see what else we will be up to in the next few weeks.
Now tell me how your summer has been so far. I’d love to hear your stories!
This is Gelli. I haven’t known her very long, but already she has touched my heart.
I met her at a birthday party, where her mom and I were sharing a table. I remember that she danced all afternoon, and I’m pretty sure that she enjoyed the music so much. That, and being around all the hyperactive kids at the party.
I saw her again a few weeks later at her house. Turns out that she and I are neighbors! My mom was with me, and Gelli looked at us, waved hello and smiled a shy smile.
I think that the first time Gelli and I really bonded was during the Bento Mommas workshop I attended at their house. After the class, while everyone was shopping for bento tools and having snacks, she and I sat under the table in her mom’s yoga room, playing and eating Oreos. I think I had more fun than she did that afternoon.
My playmate this morning! #Gellibean A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on
After that day, I’d really look forward to seeing her whenever I’d come to visit. I brought her some of Little MrC’s old Sesame Street board and popup books once because I know she loves Elmo. Right away, she ripped Oscar the Grouch off a page, looked at me and said, “Uh-oh”. I couldn’t stop laughing.
I was so excited for MrC to finally meet her last month during our Valentine’s game night. He spent a good half hour sitting on the floor with her, playing with plastic bottles. He loves kids, and we don’t have a daughter (yet?), so he has extra extra fun whenever he gets to hang out with a baby girl. I loved watching him make Gelli laugh, and boy did she laugh at all of his antics!
She does this thing when anyone’s about to leave her, where she says “Bye” then “Wait!” with her hand straight out, stopping you in your tracks. It’s a fun game we’ve played many times, and I not-so-secretly look forward to her asking me not to go, each and every time.
One of the most important things I have learned from Gelli is to think before I open my mouth. Imagine that, 30 years her senior, and I’m the one who’s learning from this little kiddo.
Once upon a time, I would use words like the R word, and its siblings, two A words, as an insult to others. Then, a few weeks ago I was tasked to write an article about things you shouldn’t say to a special needs parent.
While doing my research, I found on this post on Momma ‘N Manila, and I just ended up in tears after reading. It made me feel both sad and guilty about those bad names I’d called people in the past.
Becoming friends with Michelle, Gelli and their entire family has really put things into perspective for me. I don’t know why it took me so long to do this, but today I pledged my support to help spread the word to end the R-word. I think owe it to Gelli.
So, Mish, can I be on #TeamGellibean now? And I’m sorry I didn’t ask for your permission to borrow Gelli’s photo. I wanted this post to be a surprise. 🙂
If you guys want to pledge to spread the word to end the R word too, just click here. Every person counts!