Showing posts with label Family & Friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family & Friends. Show all posts

Monday, March 23, 2026

7 Reasons Why You Should Get Pluto's Not a Planet - a book about a little robot that just won't quit!

Hi everybody! I’m so happy (and honestly a little emotional) to share that we have officially launched a children’s book that has been part of our family story for a long time. Everyone, meet Pluto's Not a Planet!


Pluto’s Not a Planet by Vincent C. Sales and Vito Sales. It makes my heart so happy to see those names on the cover of a real book! Because this was a story that was created years and years ago, when our son Vito was just a preschooler. 

As you know, in our house, we are big on storytelling, and my husband and I loved not just reading bedtime stories to our boys, we also made up stories practically every day! Vince, the novelist in this family, especially enjoyed building stories with our boys using toys, imagination, and a lot of heart. And that is how this story about a little robot with a very big dream and a whole lotta love and determination was made! 

But... it was a story that only our kids enjoyed. So when Vito needed a way to reach his own dream 10 years later, I figured, "Why not make Pluto a real book and share it with everyone to help make my boy's dream come true?"

And so here it is! And we’re excited to finally share it with you!

 
Please get this book by Vince and Vito! Here are seven good reasons to get Pluto's Not a Planet:
 
1. It was made with love (and a lot of imagination)!

This book didn’t start in a boardroom or a publishing meeting. It started on the floor, with toys, paints, laughter, lots of chatting... and a father and son building worlds together. Every page carries that sense of play and wonder.

So... Check out the pages! Vince and Vito built characters and rocketships out of LEGOs, planets out of molding clay, and all the background scenery with paint. I have happy memories of this time! Why? Because... 

2. It celebrates curiosity and big dreams.

Trivia: Did you know that Pluto the planetoid has a heart? And that's one of the inspirations of this book! Check out the red dot on Little Robot - he has a huge heart, just like Pluto! Because he's going to need a lot of love and courage to chase his dream.

The heart of Pluto’s Not a Planet is about curiosity and grit. It's about asking questions, thinking differently, and dreaming boldly—even when others say something isn’t possible. It’s a gentle reminder that curiosity is always worth it! 

And that's why... 

 
3. It’s perfect for STEM-loving kids (and kids who don’t know they love STEM yet).

Pluto's Not a Planet naturally appeals to young mathematicians, scientists, engineers, and builders. But I truly believe it’s just as lovely for children who simply enjoy space, robots, and imaginative stories. And stories about adventure! And never giving up! Which is why...

4. It makes a meaningful gift!

If you’re looking for a gift that’s thoughtful, a little different, and rooted in values like curiosity, perseverance, and creativity, this book is it! 

Plus, you and your family will see how... 

5. It shows kids that creating something matters!

As my husband loves to say, "In the age of AI, Pluto's Not a Planet is definitely not AI!" 

Yep, because this book was created in 2015-2016! 

But seriously, this is a story made by a Papa who wanted to show his son that no dream is too big and by a child who had fun making it... and then grew up. And that detail matters. This book quietly tells young kids: what you make today can mean something tomorrow. Their ideas are worth taking seriously.

And that idea can be turned into a money-making venture because... 


6. Every book sold helps a child chase a real-life dream.

This is the reason that pushed Pluto’s Not a Planet from a family project to a real book we want to share with everyone! Vito's really good in his academics, especially math and science. He was part of the Philippine delegation at the International STEM Olympiad at The Hague in 2024, where he brought home medals! 

And now he's been invited to the Asia Math Engineering Challenge in Malaysia this July. And we need your help to send him there. All the sales of Pluto’s Not a Planet help fund Vito’s participation in AMEC. Buying the book means supporting not just a story, but also a young person stepping into the world with courage and confidence... just like Little Robot! And every copy you buy is you helping Vito take one step closer to his dream. So please buy Pluto's Not a Planet! 

And the last reason is...

7. Because you love me—and you want to support a mama who loves her son very much!

Let’s be honest. If none of the reasons above convince you, dear Loyal Reader, this one might! This book exists because of love: a father’s, a child’s, and yes—a mother’s. My love. My belief. My unending support for the dreams of my family. 

If you’ve ever rooted for someone else’s child, believed in a young dreamer, or simply wanted to say “I see you” to a fellow Mama doing her best, buying this book is a beautiful way to do that.

Thank you for reading, for cheering us on, and for being part of this journey. We’re so excited to share Pluto’s Not a Planet with you. Please get a copy and help send Vito to Pluto, er, Malaysia! 

Visit our website for more details! 
https://plutosnotaplanet-book.my.canva.site/



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Monday, February 23, 2026

Good-bye, Blue

Blueberry "Blue-Blue" Sales

March 25, 2018 - February 16, 2026

Almost 8 years of pure fluffy gorgeousness and sass.

Loved by a little boy who misses her so much.

This week has been really tough for our family. We knew she didn't have long because Polish rabbits typically have a lifespan of just 5-6 years. So we were happily grateful for every day she was with us in the last couple of years.

But on Christmas Eve, we saw her weakened and old. She was just sitting and didn't want to leave her cage anymore. Sometimes, she didn't even get up for treats. That was when we knew she didn't have long. My youngest son, and the only one Blue loved, wrote a poem for her.

We told her, "Blue, don't leave us on Christmas!" Then it was, "Blue, don't leave us on New Year's Day!" And then, "Blue, don't leave us on Valentine's Day!" But the day before Chinese New Year, she quietly left us while we were at work and school. It hurts my heart so much that she died alone. 

I have been crying on and off, but when her ashes finally came back home on Saturday, my heart felt at peace. She's with us again, and my heart is glad. I could tell my youngest boy is happy his fur friend is back home, too. He said he's stopped crying na. 

First photo together

Last photo together

Appreciating this thoughtful presentation of Blue-Blue's ashes

Good-bye, Blue. Say hello to Galady, Matilda, Gandalfi, Alice, Sari, Waiter, and CC for us!

Thank you. We love you. We miss you forever.

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Sunday, February 01, 2026

The kids are all right

Hi, dear Loyal Readers! I shared these photos over Christmas, and a lot of you were shocked. Yes, malalaki na sila. They're 15, 13, and 11. How fast time flies! 


Many of you asked how the kids are. Lalo na kasi yung mga kasabayan kong mommy bloggers na actively sharing pa rin about their kids, nasusundan niyo talaga. Eh, yung mga anak ko very private kaya after 2016 or so, di na ako masyadong nagkwento about them. I archived their photos sa Instagram, too.


But since nagtanong kayo, eto ang pwede kong ma-share. They're very smart and talented. They go to an international school (kaya naging corporate slave ako haha). Malapit lang school nila sa bahay so the high schoolers commute a lot. I'm proud of the fact that they're independent, and I'm glad di sila kilala because I really don't want strangers to approach them and be all, "Hi! I follow your mom's blog/IG/FB!" This freaks them out actually, the rare times it happens. 

They're doing very well in school except for Filipino. They play instruments. They sing. They enjoy their friends. Ano pa ba? Oh, they eat a lot. Grabe.


You'll be seeing more of my eldest child soon because meron siyang big fund-raising project. I am so excited to tell you! And I'm counting on all of you na suportahan siya! Kasama siya sa delegation to the International STEM Olympiad in Netherlands. And kasali rin siya sa Asia Math Engineering Challenge in Malaysia. I'm very proud!

My second son naman is really into music. Obsessed. He plays the guitar, piano, and bass. He even played in Sunday worship service once. So that's really cool. I'm very proud!

Yung bunso naman is like the ringleader of his friends. Ang kulit ng batang yan! He likes reading books and baking brownies. And he's insightful and wise. I'm very proud!


But what I'm most proud of is how sweet and good they are. They're really such good kids. Wala kaming problema sa kanila at all. Well, I wish they'd do the dishes and clean their room more, but in the great scheme of things, they're pretty awesome. 

And I know you're curious about how they are, especially since many of you saw them born. You were there watching them grow and talk and eat and do all the cutesy things babies do. And suddenly, you stopped seeing them. For 10 years! 

Thank you for understanding and respecting their privacy. I really appreciate that, despite the radio silence, you still love my children. I still feel it. Thank you. And you'll probably see more of them soon, with their consent, but just so you know, the kids are all right. Happy, healthy, thriving, and absolutely wonderful!

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Sunday, August 24, 2025

Inevitable

Can I make kwento—a weird little story? But don’t get scared. Sa tanda kong ito, marami na akong napagdaanan. Recently, I realized something that makes me curious. It’s weird. But maybe it’s nothing. You decide.

People who have hurt me in the past ended up dying difficult, natural deaths—stroke, lingering illness, slow decline. I had nothing to do with it. Matagal ko na silang napatawad. And yet... how odd, right?

I take no pleasure in their horrible deaths. I never wished it. But I remembered that when I was struggling to forgive them—kasi ang sakit-sakit talaga ng ginawa nila sa akin—this Bible verse always gave me comfort: “Do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (Romans 12:19). Leaving it in God’s hands has allowed me to let go of the pain, forgive, and move on. 

And then… I started noticing the pattern.

My Lolo Manong, Lola Auring, Papa and Mama. They're gone now. But they made sure to warn me about gabâ.  

My parents and grandparents are from Leyte and Samar. They call it gabâ. 

“Ang gabâ dili magsaba.” 

Retribution doesn’t announce itself. It just comes. It is inevitable. 

My Lola used to say that even if you forgive, the universe still needs to balance the wrong. Kaya daw dapat maging mabait ako. Because even if I repent, the universe will demand justice. Scary, no?


Anyway! I don’t wish anyone harm. But I find myself watching, wondering, waiting—how the story of four more people who hurt me deeply will eventually unfold. Four more people I'm now looking at with trepidation. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: gabâ always comes.

*Ripples photo by Vitaly K. on Unsplash

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Monday, June 09, 2025

Bank account: Nearly empty. Heart and spirt: Very full!

I'm feeling happy today. 

Why? Because enrollment is done! Tuition is paid! Hallelujah!

New books and notebooks are piled high on the coffee table, smelling like a fresh start. I also just checked our bank account—the one devoted to just tuition—and it’s down to a grand total of… P5,702. Yes, mamas. Five thousand, seven hundred and two pesoses. And all I could think was: “Time to fill you up again, baby!”

Did I sound excited? Why yes, yes, I did! I’m not panicking. I’m pumped. Because we’ve done this before—and by God’s grace, we’ll do it again.


I think it's safe to say that all parents feel a little dizzy when we see the amounts of money we hand over to the bursar's office during enrollment. But weirdly enough, paying tuition gives me a kind of buzz. When we were newly married, Vince told me while we were collecting the mail, “You’re the only person I know who's happy to get bills.”

Well, I wouldn't say I'm happy. I dread getting my credit card bill huhu. So happy isn't the word. More on I feel... inspired.

Lemme explain. There was this one time someone interviewed me about writing, and when I was asked what inspires me to write, I replied honestly, "Deadlines!" Nothing gets me to write like a looming deadline! Bills kinda have the same effect on me. I swear, if I didn’t have bills to pay, I’d just veg out in front of the TV and Netflix until further notice. But thanks to tuition fees, association dues, utility bills, and yes, those dreaded credit card statements, I’m out every weekday, 10 hours a day, busting my butt being a functioning adult. 

Mamas, this calls for a poem!

Look at me!
I pay bills.
I earn money.
I do this all
And that makes me
A responsible member
Of society!

Okay, that was a bad poem haha

Anyway! Nobody likes bills (not even me). But I look at them differently, especially now. They remind me that I have sons—3 growing boys who eat like they have black holes for stomachs, who love going to school where they are now learning Korean from their Korean classmates, which means I’m paying for extra classes this summer… so  they can learn Filipino instead!

Ah kids. So illogical. So expensive. So very much the reason for me aging! 

But, jokes aside, as I was going home, I realized that we've been paying tuition since 2015. That's 10 years, mamas! And so far, so good.

I'm so proud of this achievement. And also so very grateful that for a decade, God has been providing for my family. And I'm reminded of His goodness when I see those tuition receipts stamped: PAID. PAID. PAID.

What. A. Rush!

So, yes, the tuition bank account may be near empty, but my heart is very full.

No fear. Just a giddy expectation of more blessings to come. Because my God is good. And my God always provides for my needs.

So enrollment is done!

And I’m feeling happy today. May you be just as blessed as I am!

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19 

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Sunday, May 18, 2025

What my weekends look like

All the illustrations in this post are by Sarenur Türk Koçak. I need to tell you about her! Sare is an architect based in Turkiye. She also makes puzzles! Follow her Instagram @sayu.go. 

Anyway, I feel like rambling today. Would you mind so very much if I go stream of consciousness today? Well, the great thing about blogs (and every kind of content) is you can just stop reading. But stick around if you want to get to know me more today.


So the title of this blog post should really be "What my weekends should look like all the time." The "all the time" part is important because my weekends do kinda look like this. It's not just the single and child-free women who enjoy this kind of soft life.

(Gosh, I am so ready for my soft life era.) 

When I was a teen, this had been the plan. And Sare's illustrations made me remember that. Work all week, then spend weekends cuddled up with a book in bed or sprawled on the sofa listening to music. Notice there is no man or children in my teen fantasies. My reality, meanwhile, has a man and 3 sons in it! 

What happened? Well, I fell in love. And he was able to convince me that my precious solitude and peace were worth giving up for his company and the chaos of our children. So far, so good. 

I won't lie: There are many, many times I feel wistful for my solitude. Marriage and motherhood can be overwhelming for any woman but especially to someone who likes to be alone. But I love my family very much, though they bewilder me at times. Why do they (husband included) have so many needs? Why do they need me so much? Why do they like talking to me? Why do I have to eat with them (I think one of life's greatest pleasures is eating alone)? Why must I give up reading my book for them (another great life pleasure)? 

The answer to that is because they love me. And so, it's okay. I love them, too.


I don't have many friends. My friends are my friends because we can go for long stretches of time not talking or seeing each other. That is what I prefer. The ones who needed nurturing fell away. I don't understand the constancy of friendship. If we really are friends, then there is no need to keep assuring ourselves of this friendship. Clinginess is a sign of insecurity. 

And then I went ahead and got married and had babies! Babies are so clingy! 

My husband isn't clingy, though. Thank the heavens. Whenever I see couples who are constantly together, I feel suffocated. I saw a celebrity couple before where he was in her space all the time. People swooned, "How romantic!" I just thought, "How invasive."

(Break na sila. Guy cheated and treated her badly. I am not surprised.) 

I guess that's one good reason our marriage works. I don't think I could stand to be with a man who desperately needed me. I respect a man who is whole on his own, who can be happy with his own company. A man who needs someone else to complete him is a dangerous man. They are fearful, insecure, jealous. They are not real men.

I cannot stand and will not suffer a person like that. As Astrid told her husband in Crazy Rich Asians, "It is not my job to make you feel like a man. I can't make you into something you're not." Literally the only good line in that movie. 

Ladies, when a man gets jealous or insecure, run. 


So what are my weekends like? I still wake up early. At 6, 6:30, 7, thereabouts. But I don't get up till 9. Or until my bladder tells me so. I don't prepare breakfast because I do that 5 days a week. The kids, who wake up late, rummage around the kitchen. Most Sundays, my husband and kids make pancakes. I'm the first one up, so I make myself a cup of coffee and then do the laundry. I handwash the kids' uniforms and our underwear. The rest of our clothes, sheets, and towels, I send off to the laundromat.

I clean a little. I ought to clean more, but I'm tired. I cook. And then after lunch is when I do everything illustrated by Sare here. I read Wattpad or a paperback. I make the rounds on Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and Instagram. Then I nap. If I have time, I do self-care. I spend an hour in the bathroom, washing and conditioning my hair, scrubbing my body raw, applying oil, lotion, and all my preservatives, like face masks, hair masks, acids, deep hydration stuff, foot scrub, buffing my nails or putting on polish, etc, etc. If all my weekends were like this, I think I'd be drop-dead gorgeous. As it is, I'm usually doing chores and then sleeping away the afternoons. Self-maintenance can wait.  

My favorite weekends are when I laze around like the women in these pictures and do absolutely nothing. Those soft-life weekends are rare.

During the school year, weekends are tough. The laundering of the uniforms. Buying stuff they need for school. Helping with homework. Managing all the clutter and chaos of schoolboys. During long breaks (Holy Week, sem break, Christmas break, and summer), everything slows down, and I'm happy.

That's why I miss quarantine. I don't miss COVID. But I sure miss when we were all just home. Life was perfect for me those years.     


My weekends are never quiet. With a full house, it's very noisy. There's always someone playing the guitar or the piano. There's always someone singing (that would be me and my middle boy). There's always music. And video games. And movies. It's a very noisy home, but I can nap through all that racket. I'm that tired.

My husband complains a lot when he's cleaning up. It stresses out the kids. It doesn't bother me so I assure the kids not to mind their father when he's cleaning. I think it's just his way of cleaning. My mother and father were the same. I think it helps them clean. I'm the same way, except I sing when I clean and cook. My Lola Auring told me not to do that because she said it attracts bad luck into the home. Or that I'd end up marrying an old man, and she gave herself as proof. My lolo was 14 years older than her. Well, I married a man just 3 years older, and since I sing really badly, I guess that's the bad luck there. 

My husband says he likes my playlists. I sing stream-of-consciousness, too, so if I started with an '80s song, then it's going to be an hour of me singing '80s songs! My kids must've gotten used to my singing because today I sang "American Pie" and they sang along. They already know the old songs I sing because that's how often I sing. Badly, yes, but I seem to still make them love music!
 

So anyway. It's Sunday night. I'm finally alone. I'm blogging. The clothes are drying. The husband and kids are quiet, either reading or sleeping. It's the last week of school tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to their summer break. I can finally enjoy the soft life drawn here. I can't wait!
 


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Sunday, May 11, 2025

Soak it all in


They're all big boys now. These love piles can never happen again (I would be suffocated!). 


So I sometimes wish at night that when I fall asleep, I would be whisked off to the days when they were small. And I get to experience it all again. 


But this second time, I'd not be so overwhelmed and exhausted, and finding my way. 


In my dreams, I'd be just simply happy. 
In my dreams, the mama me would know everything would turn out right. 


Everything would be perfect actually so there would be no need for my anxiety and fear. 


I had been amazing all along. 


I had been so amazing all along. 


And I would just relax and soak it all in. 


I would just soak it all in.



Happy Mother's Day, mamas. You're doing a great job! Let's pause and breathe sometimes, okay? It goes by so very fast. So very fast. Let's just soak it in.

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Sunday, April 27, 2025

Ferris Wheel

Six and twenty
years. That's plenty!
And still so much a fun ride. 
Like the Ferris wheel
where we fell in love
'neath a starlit, satin sky.

Rising and falling,
and always returning
to each with a kiss and a sigh.
We left behind 
the worlds we knew
and climbed to dizzying heights!

The years flew past,
we spun so fast—
a blur of words and youth.
The heat, the glow,
the dreams of books,
the vows, the dress, the suit!

The perfect home.
The world we roamed!
Then came the wondrous years:
our darling sons
(an astonishment!)
and so we changed our gears.

And still we turn
and still we burn. 
We spin 'to sweet old age. 
Some dreams have rust.
Some dreams still shine. 
We'll always turn the page.

And we gasp at the top,
stare down that steep drop
but still the most breathtaking view
is the love in your eyes
after all this time --- 
oh, darling, there's still me and you.


Happiness at Enchanted Kingdom with our boys

Happy anniversary, Vince! 


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Sunday, April 20, 2025

Our After-School Game Plan

In our family, we do presentations. For example, our sons presented their report cards, how they got their grades, their goals for the last quarter of the school year, and their proposal on how we (parents, brothers) can help them reach their goals. 

Here's another one, which I'm sharing with my mommy readers! This is my presentation - an after-school game plan. The boys are aware of this, but since we've never talked about it (just me and their father nagging them forever), the boys don't really follow. So we all gathered round for a quick pow-wow, I made my presentation, and got everyone to agree with me!

Let's go over it: 




My sons always forget to unpack! This really upset me because we forget to wash their lunchboxes and water bottles, we trip over their shoes, and their uniforms and socks are strewn all over their bedroom! I swear they were better at unpacking when they were preschoolers (yes, I'm grumbling).


My sons know how to cook so they can really take over dinner prep. I get home at around 6:50 to 7:15 so I'm usually too tired to cook. My husband usually cooks, but sometimes he has work meetings that go on till 7 so the boys must take over this task. 



My sons bring their gadgets to the bathroom to sing. They love to sing musicals in the shower! They protested this slide haha so I said they need to find a compromise. Their Papa suggested Bluetooth speakers. I really don't like it when they have gadgets in the bathroom. Aside from accidentally getting their gadgets wet, I'm also paranoid about people hacking their cameras, and one of my singing sons will be in the shower and... I shudder to think about it. 




For this part, we discussed (1st quote) how these tasks don't actually take a lot of time. Just minutes every day saves us time and resentment. And to avoid feeling resentful, (2nd quote) we just need to focus on ourselves and our tasks. We shouldn't look at what the others are not doing, or we shouldn't think, "Hey, I'm washing more dishes than him," and neither should we assume that someone is intentionally not doing their chores. We can only control our actions, our thoughts, and our feelings. And that's what matters (3rd quote) - self-discipline! Doing our individual parts helps the whole!  

That's it! Just a 5-minute presentation and a little discussion, and we were all in agreement. No nagging, no arguing. Just a peaceful way to remind my sons of their duties, and a way for me and their Papa to let them know that we have goals, too, and we need their help because if all our time is spent on cooking and cleaning, then we won't have time and energy to make our dreams come true! When they realized we needed their help, they were willing to do their part. So hooray!

I hope this helps you, mamas! 

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