so...

i know that everyone has been wondering what has happened and why have i decided to stop blogging for a while. i don't know if you can still remember the story about my boys, The Franciscan Quartet, going to Hollywood for that competition. well, here's an update --- they are NOT going anymore! aaaaaaaw.. i know how this could be disappointing but nobody else could be more disappointed than us, their moms. WHY AREN'T WE GOING? well, simply because we weren't able to pass the Visa interview. and we, the moms, were all refused of this visa for no known reason (i guess).. the officer who conducted our interview was an Asian guy who, i think, doesn't really know what he was doing right at that moment. he was asking the officer (an American guy) regarding our papers and what to do about it. and then he just said, "would you still allow your son to go without you?" i answered "yes, BUT!.." then he cut me right there and said "okay, you are being refused an American visa and you may now proceed to the courier service right at the pavilion." and i was like 0_0 "duh?" yes! yes! yes! it went just like that and then nothing! (pfffft!)

now, what was that?!

okay.. before we all went for the interview, i told myself that no matter what will happen, passed or not, i wouldn't mind. i'm kinda half-hearted about this whole thing because i know that i can't really afford to go... talk about the airfare and the hotel accommodation expenses and such?... i just can't afford it. the sponsors didn't really help a lot because of the election that took place last month. and most of our contacts were politicians who were just throwing off some of their wealth to win the election. and some of them even told us that if ever they have extra money to spend - well, they won't be spending it on us. :( well, that's life.

i don't hold any grudges for anybody... actually, i was kinda relieved. although i wanted so much to call that Asian officer in the embassy a name, like "inconsiderate asshole" but naaah! that wouldn't help either... and if we did passed, how are we going to handle everything?

now that the Hollywood dream is over, i can move on to the next step. it's almost school time here and my youngest daughter, hasn't enrolled yet. i haven't shopped for their school needs. and it's all because i'm short of funds. my online shop has to stop for a while because i am too busy processing our papers. and now i'm bringing back everything in order... it's barely 2 weeks but i'm keeping my fingers crossed.. i had to earn some more money so i can send my youngest one to school. all of my savings were spent to our passport and other necessary papers for the trip. it ain't easy! i'm left with nothing but empty pocket, little money in the bank and debts. all because of that trip. :(

all i can think of right now is to keep moving forward. it's useless to rant about them. i can't afford to waste my precious blog space, time and effort. but i'll tell you a story some other time about my adventures with the foreign affairs here. i just need a little more contemplating before i could write them all down. :) har har har!

i'll see you around again... very soon. ^___^ i missed everyone out here!

there and back again...

whoa! i'm here again! it felt like home sweet home! :)

okay... i know i have a lot of explaining to do but let me breathe first... i would be more than willing to tell you what happened and why i was MIA for like 2 months and 1 week. see?

so please... just bear with me and let me share where i've been and i've gone through. and everything else!

let me just take a shower... BRB! ^____^

5 AWARDS!!!

i got a new award from my very kind sister -- C! yes it's true and i'm saying this again, we are siblings, as in!!! why don't you try clicking the capital "c" and pay her a visit! i don't know for what reason/s why she's giving these 5 supah-dupah-awesome awards...

maybe she wants something from me... hahaha! just kidding, sissy! if you loved my blog, there's no doubt that you'll love hers. she's very witty and a much better writer than me. she loves blogging and fashion and everything else in between as much as i do... so to you, my dear C...

Thank You Very Much!



and as a tradition, i have to pass it on to other bloggers who deserve these awards. the first one is the WRITING AWARD 2009.

and i'm dying to give this to: MR. G.A.G. i am not sure if he's going to like it but i can't think of a much better blogger who deserves to have this award. i have always enjoyed reading his posts and forgive me but each time i'm in my dashboard, he'll definitely be my first stop. i love his writings and i love him. although he would never share James Mcavoy to me... :(( anyway, MR. G.A.G., i hope you'll come down here and claim this award. ^_^

the next award goes to the following people:
Misty - The Queen Of My House
Michele - Finding Trinity
Annette - Fairy Blog Mother

check out their blogs to find out why they deserve it more than i...

this third award will land on the their blogs:
Veronica Lee - Of Mice and raMEN
Sandy - Sandy's Space --Stories, Stitches, and sometimes Silliness!
Marisa - Mama Needs a Hobby
Angela - This is just Me and My Little Word
Peach - A Beaded-Crocheted Life

i follow their blogs and that explains why i want to give it to them.

the last 2 awards will be given to 2 of my dearest blogger friends:
Kyutie - A Cute Blog
TICKLEBEAR - My Everyday Life



i met Kyutie at MAF.. despite our age and status gap, we became friends and we're able to enjoy each other. thank you Kyutie for being nice (and generous) to me. ^_^
each time i visit MR. G.A.G.'s blog, i would see TICKLEBEAR's comments on each of his posts. i got curious and so i did visit his site once and got hooked since then. to you, my TICKLEBEAR, i soo love your blog (you know exactly which one ^_^) and i'd like to praise you for writing down you views bravely. this whole award idea may sound cheezy to you but i hope it'll make you smile. please come over and get this. thank you!

======================
NOTE: please leave a comment after claiming your award and pass it on to other bloggers.

endless super thanks to all of you! ^_^

retrospect

it's 2010... how time flies... oh yeah! welcoming the year is quite overwhelming. i can't tell exactly how it feels and what this means to me but there's one thing am sure of... i am positive in many ways that i'll survive this year just like the previous ones...

2009 has been kind to me. i am blessed with many good and bad things. yes, bad things are blessings, too. you learn from it and then you don't do it again. so, it still counts.

aside from the shower of shoes from my ever generous mom, i got many 'things' like new friends, new hobbies, new yarns and needles, new enemies and a whole lot more. for all of these, i am grateful to every person around me and to my Creator... truly, it has made my past year more meaningful and memorable.

one of the wonderful things that also happened to me is this blog. yes, yes and yes! through this small space in the internet world, my voice is heard. my thought counts. and those made me feel special. i used to say that i am not used to getting special attention. i am always the "unknown" in real life. but now, it's different. no words can truly express how i really feel.

once and for all, i thank all of you from the bottom of my heart! (it's sounds cheezy but i don't care... ^_^) i can't promise many good or better things here in my blog except for a bunch of photos and tons of rants and oh! oh yeah! a little giveaway... that sounds good, right? i think it's about time that i should give back a little to my fellow bloggers and readers. i'll post about it so you better watch out.

welcome 2010! and i hope we'll make wonderful memories together! and to all, let's keep it rolling! ^_^

wow! what happened?

oh yes! after a long hiatus... i'm back!!! long hiatus??? haha! my internet was busted! that's why i wasn't able to visit and reply to your comments... oh i'm really sorry... to those who have left comments and followed me through MBC, thanks a lot! i really appreciate it. i promise to post ASAP! i am still having a hard time dealing with my students and their over-supportive parents! things are really getting wild! anyway, i hope you can all still wait for my next post. and i'm really sorry for the delays of comment approval. i'll drop by again tonight and see what i can do.

million thanks to all of you, my dear 78 followers!!! ^_^ mmmuah!

new URL

i've changed my URL from bombsandnuts to saladbowlofthoughts.blogspot.com....
why? i just thought i should change it... :) it sounds more appropriate since my blog title is also the same. i wonder if it would affect my other profiles wherein i submitted my old URL? any thoughts? ^_^

aaaaaaaw....

to all those who are still walking with me...

Glitter Graphics Maker & MySpace Layouts

thank you sooo much! i owe you a post! ^_^

as i promised...

as promised, i am back for something useful (duh?)... i just finished editing my pics so that i can share some good news to all of you...

september has been so kind to me... since the first day, it brought nothing but goodness. yeah, i know that i whined just 3 days ago but after getting enough sleep and some contemplating, i realized that there are things that i have to be grateful of. my job needs a little getting used to. and i'm halfway there. (really?)

my mom sent a package full of lovely things for us, almost two weeks ago. i didn't blog about this because i wanted to take some pics before i could post. but i got so busy with my new job last week that's why i didn't find time to share it here.

she promised to send me a set of knitting looms and some knitting needles for my hobby and pairs of oh-oh shoes. shoes are God's gift to women! and i have been so in love with shoes ever since i can remember... me and my D have been in trying times but i have at least 3 pairs of good shoes back then. those were trying times, i tell you. pardon me, people! i'm a woman! (evil!)

thanks to my mom! she's so kind and generous and thoughtful and all! she gave me all these stuff to satisfy my voracious appetite for shoes and crafts!

i don't know how to knit but when i told her that i soo want to learn, she said: "i'll send you a starter kit. i saw one at Michael's" (see? she loves me! haha!)

(this is my old makeup case that i turned into knitting essentials keeper. also from mom...)

what's inside?


the not-so-excited attempt


some shoes she got from Payless
(i always feel ashamed whenever i take photos of my toes... they look like ginger!)

this pair's a little old fashioned. but i so like the heels...


oh my! my sister have one like this. i turned green with envy when i saw it! so my generous mom bought not just one pair/color, but two! wonderful!


lastly, my new blue shoes! i luuuurve it! rrrawr!!!

......

mom. until now she never failed to make us the happiest and proudest daughters. she's a gift to me and my sister and our kids. i know you might say that i am too old to be spoiled by her. but what can i do? i didn't asked for these things. she gave these to me with all her love. even if it would drain her pocket. thanks mom! now i am smiling like the lady in the label of Provocraft knitting loom pack!

missing my blog..

if only i have a laptop and an internet connection that i can carry like the ones they advertise on tv, i would be blogging from work. !!! i missed everything like i feel when i'm not with D and the kids. two days at work and yet it felt like i'm gone for ages. AAAAAARGH!!!!!



sometimes life sucks.

(original photo)

thanks everyone!

i'm taking this chance to thank the members of linkreferral for reviewing and rating my page! high or low, i thank you from the bottom of my heart! you give life to my blog! and all of you inspires me to rant more! LOL! *hugs!*

Our Reviews "Wow, what a great blog. Truth be told, it's a bit girly for me but that's hardly a problem, is it? The only possible recommendation I could make would be a head shot for your profile. I mean, I know you have a personal photo but I think it's nicer to see what the author looks like. With a blog like this, there's nothing to be ashamed of :)" Patrick torontocitylife.com/ "The blog flowed well and was easy to navigate with the help of a great dirctory. Very fast to load with no broken links." bonuscode: ou812 fulltiltpoker.com/?key=MDAwMDU4MjgwMDAyNDREQTAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDA- "Like your blog, especially the latest post about to post or not to post and expectations of readers and followers. I understand what you mean. I face the same thing too at times. " Aries krazymonkeytale.blogspot.com "I love your site design. I also like to crochet, I've made many things, but it's been awhile since I've done it. I also knit a few sweaters and scarves. They are great as gifts. I think you have a great site, with awesome content!" Lexi lexiyoga.com "wow..nice..nice.yesterday I see it again.. I just love all..and the themplate are cute.. Congrats!" dyeve dyeve.blogspot.com "wow did you do all those things on your own the shoes and the ear rings ....is that your room with the barn rolls and all ...gosh your blog is very cool and i like the layout " deviki hellspectacles.blogspot.com/ "good site, will be back...." mike linkreferral.blogspot.com "Cool looking website with a lot of information." Daniel fusioncash.net/?ref=dmnelson13 "Good website with lots of information. I'll be visiting it again" brian baswireless.com "This blog has everything from art to fashion, and from clever writing to yarn! Great site by a talented person!" Richard divorcelawyerinaugustageorgia.blogspot.com Get your own reviews, free traffic at

to post or not to post?

blogging is not as easy as i thought it was. especially when you get a lot of visitors or if you're lucky, followers. it is as if you have to meet people's expectations, make your post interesting and catchy and give out honest opinions.

when i started this whole thing, i only thought about one single topic that could make a woman's heart melt... fashion and shopping. but after nosing around other peeps' blogs....... aaaaaaaaaw! i knew i'll never make it like they do! i mean, i've seen extravagance and glamour in their posts. they've showcased their fancy and expensive possessions making you feel **sluuurrrrp!** (drool)...

and me? what can i offer? cheap finds? thrift shopping tips? NOTHING! eeeer.... am i being so loud? LOL...

i know it's not a bad idea to post or blog about "ways-to-save-money-shopping-tips" but come on! get real. most of us yearn for nice things. the reason why we don't spend too much is (maybe) we don't have soo much to spend. and that is exactly my reason why i don't spend too much for a pair of shoes that has red soles or a bag that has a signature or a dress that can be custom made for me or even perfume that can be named after me. MOOHLA is always my problem. HA-HA! (it's as if i'm the only one...) and even if i do have enough, i can't ever spend that much of dough on something. why? I'M A MOTHER! i'm made to save and appreciate small things. and it's just fine with me. really! i shop only when i have extra and most of the time, i shop for things that my children needs. almost nothing for me or for D. their needs are our priority. and i don't mind if i can't have what i want. i can stay yearning like hell forever. so what?

so i decided not to blog about the things i don't have or never had or will never have. it's going to be useless if i don't own at least one designer piece that i can blog about. i would look ridiculous and trying hard to fit in if i'll do that and that is the most dreadful thing to me. (how can i give good reviews about a product if i don't really own one?) so i hope we're on the same page when it comes to that...

maybe someday, i'd be able to get myself these things... for now, i'm happy with what i do and what i have and whatever things that could be non-sense or unsuitable for somebody else's taste. i guess, the whole point in blogging is writing down what you feel like writing. no bragging. blogging is therapeutic. if only i was able to blog 10 years ago, Lord knows i would. it could've save me from PPD and panic and anxiety attacks. but that's another story .

xoxo,


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