WOW!!!! I haven’t been here in like forever!!! Sorry about that   I can’t believe it’s been a year since I moved out of NY. Since then I was able to finish working on the house with Shane… blood, sweat and tears later, we were able to move in in April and we’ve been living here ever since. It feels great to look around and think of all the hard work and money we put into it, it’s very rewarding! This month we are replacing our windows from WindoWizards. We had a salesperson come in and show us a window sample. And when he did a comparison/demonstration between our window and their window, we were SOLD! I think it’s gonna break Shane’s bank but it’s very worth it. We’re also going to replace the entry door with  Pella fiberglass entry door with 3/4 oval decorative glass, it’s gonna look BEAUTIFUL! Our job is not done though, we’re saving to have more work done on the house such as central air and a gas line. I also want to renovate the kitchen and get a gas stove. Below are some photos I’d like to share.

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The first photo is the entry door going to the livingroom. I thought that extra wall piece was a nice touch but it had to go because it made the livingroom small. Taking it down made it look bigger and airy.

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The recessed wall has gotta go! I think the previous owner used that to put shelves but we removed it. Even though it was about 6 inches off, it made a huge difference. Sometime in the near future, I’d like to cut half that wall down to create a window looking through the kitchen.

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The last pic shows the livingroom at a different angle towards the bedrooms (you can see the master bed on the second from the left shot). Notice that we also replaced the flooring with Horizontal Carbonized Bamboo flooring from Lumber Liquidators. It’s so much beautiful in person, these photos don’t do justice.

I’d show you more pix of how it looks now all furnished but I need to do a little bit of cleaning before I do… LOL… one thing I’m sorta bad at is decorating. I like that Moraccan look, but I also like Asian, or anything traditional. I like small little details on pieces and Shane doesn’t. So right now we have the basic furniture in the house. As far as decorative items, it’s non-existent.

 I also like to announce my neice, Maiya, ain’t she cute?!?! She shares the same birthday as my son, Ivan, who turned 11 on June 8.  I went to visit her in Bellingham, WA for a couple of days and I miss her terribly. 

I have to say, I still have a knack for being a mom. And the look on Shane’s face, I think he’s ready to be a dad and he’s going to be a great one as he is with my kids. And speaking of…

Now that Shane and I have a place to call our own, we are trying to conceive. You heard it right, we’re trying to have a baby! Actually, we’ve been “casually” trying for the past year since I got off the pill and I stopped smoking but not until June when I was REALLY serious about it. A friend of mine introduced me to a site where I can track my monthly menstrual cycle. I’m a VIP member at Fertility Friend, where I track my cycle everyday. If that wasn’t so gung-ho, I bought a basal thermometer that I use every morning, a shitload of ovulation test on eBay, Pre-seed “fertility friendly” personal lubricant (because KY Jelly and other lubes can harm sperm), prenatal vitamins, books on fertility and getting pregnant for $0.99 each @ alibris.com, all the way down to making myself a fertility bracelet. When I have a strong desire for something, I go all the way… LOL

Hey guys!!! Sorry for my long absence but work has been taking alot of my time away from my site, and renovating my house has been physically draining. I’m not saying I’m doing ALL the work. My boyfriend does most of the hard labor, but to be active around the house the way I am is very tiring. I just can’t wait to have everything done… the walls need spackling and paint, the floors needs to be done, the attic needs more work… seems like light work, but it’s going to take a while until the house is in living condition. It’s not easy especially if we’re doing all this on our own.

Since my last post four months ago, my kids came back from Indonesia safe and sound. They loved it there. My parents were thinking  about going back next year and I might join them this time, but I don’t know if my boss allows it; I can’t have a 2 week vacation back to back. I might just have a week of unpaid vacation. I dunno how it’ll work out. We’ll see.

Since then my kids and I moved in with my boyfriend in his current home in South Jersey while we work on the house. My sister moved too with her boyfriend on the West Coast. She came to visit for Thanksgiving with her boyfriend and they announced that they are expecting. I’m a mom, a daughter, a sister, now I’m gonna be an aunt!!! I’m so excited.

Oh… and I stopped smoking since October. I feel so much better and I smell good too. So whenever I smell smoke, I ask myself “Ewww… was that what I was breathing in? It smells GROSS!!! I can’t believe I used to smoke. Blegh!!!” I’m one step closer to being healthy. This coming year, I want to commit myself to lose weight, at least 5 pounds. I’m gonna need a plan. If I have one, I’ll post it hear.

So that basically sums it up. I have some hauling I want to post soon so I can’t wait for that. But before I go, I want to show you my new haircut. Let me know how you like.

I can’t believe it’s August already… where does the time go? It felt like yesterday we were celebrating Independence Day and I was out hanging with my girls. This month has been kinda tough so far. Just the thought of moving real soon, and my sister’s move to Washington State, me being alone in the house with the kids and parents on the other side of the world *sigh* It’s been driving me crazy.

This past Saturday I sent my kids off to Indonesia with my parents. We left for the airport pretty early in the morning and I think I held myself pretty well trying not to cry because I didn’t want to upset my kids and I wanted them to feel they’re going to have a safe flight. We had Mickey D’s for breakfast and we were sitting together for one last time before I send them off. Once we were done, we headed to security check-point and that’s when I lost it. As we were saying our goodbyes, I gave my kids the longest hug in their life, I almost couldn’t let go. I was standing there along with my sister and bf, crying my ass off, just to make sure they go through the metal detectors ok. We waved at them until we can’t see them anymore. I cried so bad, I couldn’t breathe. I’m choking now as I type this post

I got the chance to speak to them tonight and they are having a great time. Everyone and the people in the village loves them. It’s a surprise to me that they’re not complaining about not having video games and computer access. I think they adjusted very well to a different kind of lifestyle. I miss them terribly.

For almost 2 months of waiting, this past weekend we’ve finally closed on the house and it’s now OURS!!! This is one of the biggest things that has ever happened to me and I’m so excited! A place to call my own, do whatever I want, however I want, without anyone telling me what to do. I already know how to decorate and furnish my home, it’s gonna be gorgeous! I won’t be moving in just yet though. Shane will be fixing up the place while I stay in NY so the kids can finish school and enjoy their vacay in Indonesia. So hopefully things will be done by the end of August.

Even though it felt like forever, my kids were very well behaved!

Shane hard at work signing the final papers

I FINALLY got the keys to our house

 
Home Sweet Home

As I sit here waiting for words from Shane to his realtor to the owners and their realtor to close the deal on the house, I’ve added some home furnishings for my living room to my Kaboodle list.

Living Room by virtualbabe

Ugh!!! Sorry for the lack of updates! Gosh… where do I start? Lemme start from where I left off. So much has happened since my last blog. One of the things I had mentioned back in January was that I’m done with experimenting with hair products. It was costing me so much money and my bathroom cabinet was filled with so many conditioners and hair products. One look and I thought I was insane. All that money I spent on products could’ve went straight to my nest egg. There are a couple of products I still want to try out, but here’s a list of hair products that has worked for me so far:

1. L’Oreal Out of Bed Texturizer – enhances the curls
2. Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Gel – great if you’re looking to do soft curls, great hold
3. Biosilk Rock Hard Gel – a more stronger hold but it doesn’t weigh your hair down
4. Giovanni Direct Leave-In
5. Suave Conditioner in Tropical Coconut is by far my fave for co-washing
6. Pantene Moisture Renewal Conditioner
7. Diva Dryer
8. Denman brush (7-row) I use this in the shower to detangle my hair and also for product distribution

Back in January, I had chopped off 9 inches of my hair!!! I feel so light I felt like I lost a pound off my head… LOL. Of course I went to a salon to touch it up, but I didn’t go to the salon I have been going to for the past 15 years. I needed a new place to go and found one that’s gotten great reviews online. It’s called Spectrym Salon located in Forest Hills, NY. I went with my sister cuz she needed a new look too. They were great and did what we asked for. My sister left the salon feeling good about her hair and so did I. And as for my 9 inch hair, I’ll be donating it to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths.

I recently got a new bling. I had lost the other half of my earrings during the time I had my hair done. I took it off at one point but I swear I had put both back on. Then I came back from the salon to find that one of my earrings was missing. So I spent the $50 that my dad gave me for my birthday and got me a new pair of earrings from Sparkles Forever.

I LOVE the casting on this. Makes me feel like a princess

Off to another topic… I’ve been taking one of my sons to the doctor and I was told that he’s on the verge of becoming diabetic and that he’s overweight So I have to change his diet a bit, it’s not like I’m feeding him junk food and fatty meals, I think I cook up some healthy meals, but I have to serve him smaller portions, whole wheat everything, only egg whites and I have him exercise with me. I did this for him for 2 weeks from his first doctor visit and lost 1 pound. This is a good chance to encourage the rest of my family to eat healthy. I take their bag of chips and throw them in the cabinet, hide their cookies and other unhealthy snacks, so this way I don’t have the urge to grab a bite, or two, or three. And when I go shopping, I’ll continue to skip the snack aisle and stock up on produce items. I’m still learning about diabetes so if you have any input, I appreciate any comments. I’ll definitely update on him in weeks to come.

Since working full time and an increase on my paycheck, I was able to put more money in my savings. I’ve been wanting to buy a house and now I have enough saved for a down payment. And this morning I got great news from my boyfriend that we were approved for a loan so we could buy a house together! We’ve been eyeing on this one house, it needs a little work on the inside but the exterior looks great! The front yard is nothing but grass so I have the option to add bushes and flowers. Can’t wait to see it. I hope it works out.

I’m gonna try to work on updating my blog. I’ve been working too hard and not enough time for myself. This weekend will be gorgeous, so I might be doing things off the computer. You can catch me micro-blogging at Plurk.com. Why don’t you join and see what I’m up to when I’m not blogging here. Thank you for reading! Have a great weekend!!!

Whoa! I haven’t blogged in like months!!! Anyway, just wanted to say Happy New Year! Not much has happened since my last blog, but here’s a small rundown of what’s been going on… I voted in November and I’m proud to have Barak Obama as our next president… I’ve been added as part of a team full time at my work’s company… and with my raise, I’ve been shopping like there’s no tomorrow! With Victoria’s Secret semi-annual sale and other stores, how can I turn down a sale? I’m done experimenting with hair products trying to get the perfect curls and I’m back to using my flat iron… and I just turned 31 a few days ago :D

I have some things planned for the new year. One of them is to get a haircut. I feel that my hair is ready for a new, updated look. But before I do that, I want to cut 8 inches off and donate it to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths. I didn’t purposely grow my hair out for the cause, but since my hair is long enough, I figured why not donate it. I’m sure in the end, I’d feel real good that I’ve done something nice!

There are a few other things that I’m planning on doing from my 101 Things in 1001 Days list. I’m not neglecting it, I just haven’t updated it when it needs to be updated. I do need to add more goals to the list. I welcome any suggestions. Quit smoking is my top priority, along with losing a few pounds and saving money for my future.

Thank you for reading and here’s to the new year!!! I hope it brings nothing but good things coming your way! ;)

I was bored so I decided to join the tag party I’ve seen this going around alot, especially my blog roll: Christiana, Aubrey, and Tao.

Here are the Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

1. I’m a self-taught webdeveloper/designer. Well, not really. I was taught by my sister who was self-taught herself. I never went to school for what I do. I started out designing my own personal website until I was contacted by a wrestling promoter who loved my work and was asked to join the team as a webmistress. And from then on, I was contacted by various company who needed a website done. This allowed me to play around with web apps and understand their functions; e.g: php, css, etc. I’m currently working at home *in my PJs* as a webdeveloper.

2. I’m the only one in the world with the middle name Roswitantika. I know, how embaressing… LOL. Blame it on my Dad! He wanted it to be a unique middle name.

3. Most people don’t believe that I have 2 kids because I look like I’m 18 y/o I was shopping at Walmart one time with my son who’s 12, big and tall. I asked him to go and get me a shopping cart, and this lady who was standing next to me said what a nice boyfriend I have. I looked at her and told her that he was my son. She laughed with embaressment and said I looked too young to have a kid like that. Also, I’ve had a few people come up to me and said what nice brothers I have.

4. I met my boyfriend on MySpace. No, it wasn’t one of those random people that we contacted we thought was hot. Actually I saw him listed under the same school and under the same year. I contacted him initially just to say hi. Then we found out that we knew the same people who we were really close with. Being that he lived in Jersey, he came up during X-mas week for his vacation to visit and spend the holidays with me and we’ve been together ever since. This year marks our 3rd anniversary.

5. I can’t drive. I lived in NYC that I depend on mass transportation. Soon, I’ll be going for my driver’s license though, just to have.

6. The Exorcist… I’m traumatized for life! ‘Nuff said!

This tag has been going around that most people who are on my daily blog roll has been tagged already… So not sure who to tag, but if you’re interested in doing this… TAG!!! You’re it!!!

I love my kids. Both of them. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make them feel safe and secure in this world. That’s what mom’s supposed to do, right?

Today, I was heartbroken when my 9 y/o son came home asking me if there was anything to eat cuz he was hungry. ”Hungry? Did you eat anything in school?” “No, cuz I accidently hit someone and they made me stand against the wall.” I didn’t think anything of it besides him being punished for something he did by accident. Bitch!!!… whoever that was. He should’ve eaten!

During the course of the day, the more I thought about it, the angier I got. So I asked him a few more questions. “So, did you go out for recess?” “yes” “Who else were with you standing against the wall?” “A few others” “Where were you standing?” “In front of the other kids who were eating”…. Maaaaan, I was heated. When I’m angry, I’M ANGRY. Anyone who knows me well knows that I don’t get angry that easily. I’m very neutral with everything. And it takes alot to piss me off, especially when it’s regarding my kids. So that’s all I needed to know, they made him skip lunch and have him stand there, starving!

Who made these rules?!?! I’m so furious!!! I even wrote a letter to the school to inform them about this practice. I don’t mind if they took away his recess time, but LUNCH??!! Who goes through the day without eating for 6 hours? I find it VERY cruel and insulting. Whether he misbehaved or not, he shouldn’t be missing out on lunch. They will hear it from me, if not the Board of Ed. I think I have every right to be upset. What kind of a world are we living in anyway?