Caroleen’s Treasures

Since Ella started going to SPED school, my fear of letting her eat her lunch without us has vanished so quickly when Donald explained to me that they have a teacher aide that assists them. Well, Ella can already eat alone. At two, she feeds herself and uses spoon and fork without problem so at 7 she is already pretty used to it. My fear is her going out of the classroom and running around the playground….bumping to another kid and hitting her head hard or getting her knees skinned. But I was also told not to worry about that thing because they are not allowed to get out of the classroom. They have their pillows with them for their nap after they eat lunch. That made me feel comfortable sending her everyday to school.

Then one day she told her Daddy not to accompany her to her classroom. Donald brings her huge school bag inside the campus to their classroom door because it is very heavy for a grade 1. With all her books, notebooks and her snacks, water and lunch on the smaller bag – I won’t let her do the carrying alone. But during the PTA meeting, parents were told that there will be no parents and guardians allowed inside the campus during the morning. We can only enter during the afternoon when the classes ended. At least it is a good training to the children to be independent but I think they should remember that these 1st graders are still so little to be pulling their trolley bags that weighs more than half of their body weight.

Anyhoo, what makes me feel sad again is that during Ella’s Nutrition Month Celebration parents were not allowed to stay. Donald asked if he can take some photos but the teacher told him that it’s an activity exclusively for the students. The teacher told Donald that she will just tag us after she upload photos on Facebook. So the photo above is the only reminder of Ella’s Nutrition Month Celebration in our camera (the picture of an apple serves as her props for their presentation which I missed. hayts!)….and also this one before they left for school that day :

Sorry photos are just too big. I am too lazy to resize so I am using the photo uploader in WordPress.

EDITED: Photos are not just too big….but way way toooooo big that it went past the widget. LOL So I resized it and hope it fits perfectly.

After much deliberation from Donald that we should get a new digital camera, I gave in and bought a new baby. But we cannot do that unless we sell one of our laptops. I told him to post an ad in Davaosale and see if someone responds. Well I am not really serious about selling it but I was so surprised that it was sold. Someone responded a few hours after the ad was posted and it was sold the next day. Well. since Donald was right about me needing a new camera for my little business, we spent the proceeds for a DSC-W360 from Sony and I am loving it. I still have to play a little more with it so I can get the photos I wanted. Our old but reliable DSC-W80 is still our baby. I am still carrying it in my purse whenever we go out so it won’t get jealous. LOL

Features:

• 14.1 megapixels – Captures very high quality images, allowing detail-packed enlargements
• 4x optical zoom/26mm wide angle – Vario-Tessar lens with 4x zoom range and 26mm wide angle to cover wide range of shooting situations
• 720p HD movie – Captures crisp, detail-packed HD video clips plus stereo sound at 30 frames per second: can be viewed on HD TV
• Sweep Panorama – Just press the shutter and sweep the camera: automatically combines a burst of images to create extra-wide panoramic pictures
• 7.5cm/3″ Clear Photo LCD – Clear Photo LCD screen (230k dot) offers excellent detail, high contrast and wide viewing angle
• BIONZ processor – Powerful image processing ensures clear, detailed, low-noise images and quick, responsive shooting
• Self-portrait mode – Detects correct composition when holding the camera at arm’s length, firing shutter automatically for properly-framed self portraits
• Double anti-blur – Optical SteadyShot and high sensitivity ISO 3200, with Clear RAW Noise Reduction for high quality handheld images with less blur, even in low light
• Intelligent Auto – Automatically adjusts exposure and other settings for optimum results in a wide range of shooting situations
• Face Detection – Automatically adjusts focus, exposure and white balance for clearer portraits: priority selectable between children and adults
• Smile Shutter – Automatically fires shutter when subject smiles: with adjustable smile threshold and priority selectable for children/adults
• D-Range Optimizer – Adjusts exposure and contrast for natural results in high-contrast scenes and backlit portraits
• HD output – View video and still images on HD TV (requires optional cable). PhotoTV HD enhances still image viewing on compatible BRAVIA
• HD Slideshow with music – Fun image display with effects and music on LCD or connected HD TV
• Easy Shooting mode – Fuss-free operation for beginners with simplified controls and easy-to-read on-screen instructions
• PMB Portable – Built-in transfer software allows quick, easy uploads to image sharing sites when camera is connected to any web-enabled PC
• In-camera retouching – Fun in-camera image retouching functions including trim, red-eye correction and unsharp mask

What made me choose this is the wide angle lense and the fact that I can take panoramic shots without me manually stitching several photos. When Donald bugs me about something, he really knows how to lure me into buying it. Of course not all. He cannot get me into buying gadgets and stuffs for hobbies like atv riding
. Maybe he could when we have all the money in the banks.

Thank God it’s Friday and Ella has no class. So I am back to blogging mode after a short hiatus. Thank God for the online tasks, that kicks me to blog. The last time I was trying to write a decent post, my blog has been displaying GoDaddy ads at my homepage. I cannot access my dashboard nor my homepage. They are selling my domain! LOL Thanks to my sister Crislyn for fixing it up. Yesterday we went downtown to buy something for my little jewelry business. We met MIL and SIL at SM before we proceeded to where we are going. SIL and Ella agreed earlier through their FB chat that they will be going around the mall together so we left Ella to their care and went about our business. It’s raining so we left the motorcycle there and hailed a taxi. After I found what I needed, we went back to SM on a jeepney and it took us almost forever to get there. When we did, it was dinner time so we just dined at Shakey’s. I love their garlic bread. I want to go back and order a bunch of it. I have eaten so much last night that I felt my blood pressure went high again. Got to write on another post about our pigging out with cousins (looks like we all needed best fat burners now) after we had dinner at SM.

Anyway, it’s Saturday again and later we will go out to meet my friend Steph so I got to do the rest of my tasks before it will disappear in my dashboard.

Guess I have some cute photos of the kids that I wanted to share. I actually have a LOT of it taken the previous week so be ready for future posts with lots of photos. This batch was taken last Sunday evening when we went to attend the worship service at Uyanguren congregation. It was the second Sunday that we attended the evening service. We had a short talk with our preacher at the lobby and I was able to take some photos of my two beautiful children.

The last two photos are taken inside the auditorium while waiting for the service to start. They are both wearing their birthday clothes although Ella wasn’t able to wear that dress on her party. We bought that for her birthday portrait at the studio which will still happen this week. More than a month late! Anyhoo, better late than never is my favorite motto lately.

That Sunday I didn’t get to hear the message because Eman was walking around the room and I have to bring him out. The preacher’s wife told me to just let him go around the room but he could distract others from listening.  He is really becoming a handful to me and I am just so glad Ella was there to help me look after him. He is such a good big sissy! She deserves a reward.

Today Ella wore her school uniform the very first time. We bought the fabric last week of June and it’s been almost a month before we were able to get it from the seamstress. It was a little hard to juggle the money that we are getting from our blogs and our little business after a couple of trips to our hometown last month and all of us getting sick. We have to get the most important things on top of the list (doctor’s check-up, laboratories and medicines) and so the uniforms were put on the bottom. Ella was so patient and understanding. She was actually the only one in her class who is not in school uniform and though she is not forced to wear one since uniforms are not compulsory for public school pupils it could still make a different impact to a child. To make her not feel odd, we dress her each day with decent clothes that were referred to as “nice malling clothes” by the teacher. We didn’t take it offensively but rather proudly that at least our daughter wears nice clothes. Those are not expensive ones and they are not new either.

Funny thing is that when Ella asked me one day when could we get her uniforms, I told her not anytime soon since the seamstress got sick. The other day the teacher asked her when could she wear a uniform and she told her the same thing. What’s more funny is that Donald approached the teacher and gave her the same reason. :lol: Poor seamstress!

Now she will never ran out of school uniform since she has 4 pairs of school uniforms and one PE uniform.

Ella still plays but not with her toys anymore. She usually play school taking down notes and such….writing down questions which she answers afterwards. Then she will let us check it. Last Sunday morning, she brought out the little table with rollers and started playing school again but to her dismay, Eman came to her side trying to join. Well they had a short fight. Ella was scolding her little brother of scattering her things and Eman seem to understand that he started mumbling like he’s answering back. I called a time out. Ella was really disappointed but Eman as innocent as he is, started playing all by himself. Minutes later Ella called her little brother and said, “Friends na tayo Eman…”. After they appeased (well Eman had no idea that they had misunderstanding LOL) , Ella brought out the little table again not to play school but to play doctor.

She played as doctor and he was her patient. The little table with rollers was used as a stretcher. Funny how Eman participated as if he knew what he was doing. When Ella says, “Oh no!!! Eman is not breathing!!!!!” Eman will make a funny sound like he’s gasping for air. LOL He learned that stunt when he was 10 months old.

I am happy that Ella can now adjust and learns to give way. She is also not selfish and smart to think of other things to do to keep them both entertained. I so love them both!!!!

These are my new friends, Lily on the left and Panda on the right. They are from China and are managing the store where I am getting Swarovski crystals and 10k gold filled metals for my budding jewelry business. They are very nice and they adore the little guy so much especially Panda. I asked them if I can take photos of their Swarovski crystals (the different colors and shapes) and they agreed. They are so kind to even help me arrange the crystals on my white fabric. In the background are glass crystals and other kind of beads. The Swarovski Crystals are kept inside the glass shelves and are neatly arranged like this:

These are the heart shaped Swarovski crystals in different colors.Unlike the beads in the background that are sold in strands, these are sold per piece and are way more expensive. I tried getting materials at their other branch in the other side of China Town but the Chinese lady there is not as nice as Lily and Panda. So I am back to getting stuffs from them and will be until I get bankrupt. hehehehehe

I was so lost in making pieces of jewelries that I have added to my collection of Handmade Jewelries. I just made myself a set of necklace, bracelet and pair of earrings. I was actually against of owning more than one piece because I want to sell all of them. But one told me I have to wear it so people can see. Well, after much thought….I brave the guilt of spending some money towards my own sample pieces. I still have to take photos tomorrow when the sun is up. I need all the sunlight I can get to get good photos. You know how a point-and-shoot can do compared to DSLR’s. I have an idea how to get great photos of my jewelries and I already told Donald to make it for me and buy two lamp shades. Will blog about how it went soon.

Last Saturday I met my high-school best buddies, Stephanie and Karen. Steph ordered several sets of my handmade jewelries that I made before meeting them at SM. She will be selling it at their store in Kabacan. I promised her we will be early so we can have a long chat over some food but I finished all her orders at 2pm.

Of course I tagged along my family. You know I cannot go out without Eman who is still breastfeeding. If I bring the little guy, Donald must come too. I cannot come up with the same energy level as Eman so Daddy is the one chasing him all over the place. Ella can come with us or be left with my sister Crislyn but we brought her too because Steph is with her daughter York.

Karen is a nurse who just came home from working in a hospital in Saudi Arabia so it was a pizza treat from her. We got to talk about a lot of things and Ella was really surprised to hear us call each other “bayot” (gay). Well we call each other that since highschool, it’s our endearment but Ella was like; “Mommy, why are they calling you gay? I thought you are a girl.” LOL

That afternoon was filled with so much laughter. We talked about so many things – a supposed to be “girl talk” was made even more fun because Donald was reacting from time to time. LOL They are comfortable with him around and Donald easily blends in and treats them as his own friends too. We had to end the conversation though at 5:oopm because Steph and her family are going back to our hometown. We spent another one hour at the terminal chatting and laughing our hearts out while waiting for all the seats to be filled. Then Karen and my family went upstairs at the World’s of Fun. It was a treat for Ella for getting good scores in their quizzes the previous week. I wish we could do it more often. Loving every minute that I am with these two crazy gays and of course with my family.

I feel so giddy about my new loot! My sister Crislyn purchased items from her online friend Faye and it arrived today. I actually read it and have seen the photos last night in her post. I fell in love with the old rose Aeropostale polo shirt and I am so glad it fit my frame. There is no other Large size and I am one lucky girl. Although it looks big on me, the Medium size is too snug on me too so I’d rather get the Large sized and hope to gain more weight. I am sleep deprived lately due to Eman’s overflowing of energy and I am afraid I would loose weight. Hated it. I feel ugly when I am this slender and the lack of sleep might lead to dark circles. Yaiks! I dreaded the day when I will be browsing http://www.eyecream.org for personal interest. I hope I could tame Eman down so I can sleep more. Food and sleep is the two factors that makes me beautiful so I am going to have those in big servings. LOL