What Was I Thinking?♡

Afer our first speed puzzling event, my cousin and I knew we had to do it again. The only challenge was that the upcoming events required us to expand our team to 4-5 people. We contemplated waiting until the next competition but due to our availability, we wanted to make this one work. I reached out to one of my best friends who is also a big puzzler. She was in. And I reached out to my sorority sister. While she wasn't available, she recommended one of her co-workers to join us. That brought…

We were feeling spontaneous last week. I guess it might have been because of the long holiday weekend. My hubby shared the idea of a nice evening out just the two of us, and I'll likely never say no to that. We went to a local Mexican restaurant about 24 minutes from where we live 1. We've been meaning to visit this hidden gem for a while now. He ordered a burrito, and I ordered a torta which is essentially a Mexican sandwich with breaded chicken, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and jalapeños. So good.…

is this puzzle that I found at Five Below... Oh, and that's besides getting a pick-up truck, Luna. United States of American by hinkler 300 pieces / bought at Five Below / completed on july 4, 2026 / me I meant to post this yesterdayHappy Fourth of July! I used to skip celebrating. I thought I could only celebrate it when there's finally freedom and justice for all. But growing closer to my faith and witnessing grief, I've learned to accept duality and the importance of appreciating what we do…

A couple of weeks ago I wrote No Time, an entry jotting four topics that I wanted to expand on but didn't have time to before. Now, I'm ready to reply. My sister introduced me to pickleball earlier this year and it's been so much fun. I've really been enjoying it and I think when I play consistency, I'm really good. The $6 paddle I got from Walmart does the job. We usually get a court where her and her husband play vs. me and mine, and then we switch. Or we join open play slots which sometimes…

This past Monday, I had a doctor's appointment scheduled during the middle of the day. On my way there, despite seeing me coming on the main road, someone decided to cut me off. It was a close one; very very close. All I could instinctively think to do was beep the horn. It could've been bad. My husband on the car's bluetooth asked if I was ok and I muttered that I would be. You could tell I was angry. We could've gotten really hurt. "What is it that you usually tell me," he said. My husband…

I was really hoping for a promotion but I am not getting it. Not this year, at least. I kind of knew already but I was still devastated. It made me questions all the effort, time away from my family, and stress I've sacrified only to not be considered. A few days later, I found out that, at least, I got an exceeds 1. I was trying to make sense of it and wondered if I only received an excellent performance rating because they felt bad for me because of my manager's passing. I tried to reason and…

A couple of weeks ago I wrote No Time, an entry jotting four topics that I wanted to expand on but didn't have time to before. Now, I'm ready to reply. The nearest grocery store to us, in the woods, is 12 minutes away. The closest hispanic-anything is north of 20 minutes from us. Not complaining. But that's the reason why it was so easy for me to spot a group of teens practicing for a quince1 outside on their driveway. A quince, short "quinceañera," refers to a traditional 15th birthday…

As part of the Bear Blog Carnival this month, Juni asks "how do you stay connected while practicing digital minimalism, and how did you make the switch?" Good question. What if I'm still working on it?!?! As much as I say I want to practice digital minimalism, I feel like I'm still far from it. I've always been curious to explore different digital platforms and usually with more than one account. There's a lot of noiseHere's a list of social platforms I default to: Instagram (personal and…

I heard this on the radio the other day and it's such a feel-good song with relatable lyrics.

There's so much I want to write about but there's just no time...jotting it down, maybe I can expand on these topics soon: Quinceañera The Constant Fear of Death after Loss Parents Aging Now That Volleyball is Over

I'm the type of person who likes to keep up with the Most Recent tab of the Discover page and browse at least the titles of every new post. This past week, I've been feeling so behind on it. I've been a little m.i.a. mostly from adjusting back to the routine after being away for a week. I've also been procrastinating from completing my self-evalutation for my performance review. I think I've earned a promotion since I've taken over my boss' job but for some reason I don't think I'll get it.…

My husband got me two new puzzles for my birthday! Can't wait to build these! :) The storyteller in me couldn't help but make up the reasons why he picked these: Our future lakehouse when we retire with two chairs, a fishing rod, and canoe. Manifesting our next international trip just the two of us: Japan?!! ;)

This puzzle has traveled. Originally bought in the United States, I took it to Mexico last summer when I met up with my mom. I know she loves owls and I thought it would be a good bonding activity for us to complete during our time together. I wasn't doing puzzles frequently so this three hundred piece puzzle took longer than expected the first time around. And shortly after we put it together, we had to put it away because it was taking up too much space. My mom packed the puzzle to take it…

It's sad but among one of my first stops when I touchdown in Peru is to visit the cemetery. My grandma passed away in February 2024, and my grandpa in September 2024 -- only a couple months before my wedding. The following year, my uncle passed away unexpectedly in January 2025. In our culture, it's always said that deaths come in threes, and I can't believe we've become witnesses to that in our own family1. We weren't prepared when my grandma passed so she was actually burried in my…

In middle school, my Spanish teacher taught us that there are at least six ways to say pig in Spanish. I'm always sharing random facts with my family and friends. However, I never remember the full list. I'm jotting it down below1 so I don't forget anymore: Cerdo Puerco Chancho Cochino2 Marrano Lechón Taken on my iPhone 15.💌 Reply via email Previous Hopefully I have wifi.↩ This one matches the photo best since it's also used to describe filthy.↩

This morning my sister texted me to let me know that my nephew is being bullied at school. I had heard about a boy bothering him a few times in the past but when she said he came home crying, it truly broke my heart. I haven’t stopped thinking about it all day. My nephew is the cutest boy ever. He is silly, smart, thoughtful, compassionate, funny, and yes, he’s flamboyant. He is a social butterfly, friends with everyone, a great speaker, and just a precious boy overall. His bad habits are his…

I'm at the gate about to board my flight. Hopefully by midight, I'll already be on my way to Peru to celebrate my 31st birthday with a hug from my mom after a long time. Duality is real though and I feel a little sad for leaving my husband behind... and my sister, my brother-in law, and nephews. I usually always spend it with them, and my dad. My dad is also in Peru right now though. It's going to be so nostalgic spending my birthday with both my parents. I'm grateful to have them alive and to…

My husband blocked off our calendar this weekend so that we can spend some quality time together since I'm going away on Wednesday. Even though it'll be the first birthday I don't spend with him since we've been together, it's still going to be special because after eight years I finally get a hug from my mom on my special day. We had a wonderful weekend, some moments not pictured, but a few below:

At least once a year, my sister and brother in-law go on a weekly getaway and assuredly leave my nephews behind with me. What a privilege it is to be trusted with the boys. We usually plan this way in advance so that I can mentally, physically, and emotionally prepare. These weekends truly give me a glimpse into what life with kids would be like. And ever since I got married, it's also become good experience for how my husband and I would manage and handle parenting. Unlike me, who has been…

So far in my puzzling hobby, this one has taken me the longest to complete. We've had to roll it up and put it away a few times to make space in the clutter or because we had visitors coming over. It's long overdue at the library with another extended renewal scheduled for this Saturday. I guess it's time to make my way over and get another set. Or maybe I'll just hold on picking new ones up since I'll be away next week anyway. Wonder & Bloom by Galison 500 pieces / borrowed from the library /…

I've been trying to get back into photography and it actually pairs nicely with my new bird watching hobby. My husband took a "sick day" mental health day yesterday to run some errands and avoid the heat wave in his A/C-less work van. He wanted to spend the evening with me after I clocked out so we decided to go fishing at our local park. It was a peaceful evening maybe because we were individually practicing some of our new favorite outdoor hobbies, together. All photos taken on my Sony a6300.

Last Thursday, my grandpa had a heart attack. As soon as I got the news, my heart sank1. I immediately dropped what I was doing and made my way to the hospital. This news comes less than 24 hours after he returned to the U.S. from spending a few months in Peru. I went into panic mode because coincidently my friend's dad recently passed away unexpectedly from a heartattack at the airport. His Primary CaretakerMy cousins and my sister were already at the hospital when I got there. Only two people…

Yesterday, I competed in my first speed puzzling event with my prima. It's one of those things I never knew I always wanted to do. My cousin is an avid puzzler and as of recent, so am I. Hosted by a new small business in town, we paid $22 each and it was so worth the money. Not only did we get access to play, but we also got a choice of a drink (Pinot Grigio) and snack (chips & guac) which were both pretty good. Teams could consist of 2-4 people, and the three teams who complete the puzzle…

Mother's Day is always bittersweet. I used to get a lot more emotional leading up to the day because I knew I wasn't going to be spending it with my mom since she's in Peru. Now, it's become a day where I admire moms around the world who are simply trying to figure it out while they raise their kids through whatever phase of life they're in. I also try to make it a special day for my sister who I know feels the absense of spending it with our mom, too. Here's a sweet text I sent my sister…

Hot dogs are acceptable in this house. It's even better with the works -- chili, sauerkraut, mustard....yum! This was the perfect puzzle to reminisce on carnival and food truck summers. We used to go to them a lot more. Now, we avoid places with too many people. Instead, we've bookmarked a few local glizzy spots we want to try. Looking forward to the summer and making new memories. Food Truck by CEACO 500 pieces / borrowed from the library / completed on april 18, 2026 / me & hubby1. P.S. An…

Every couple of months, I get a wave of emotions where I feel incompatible with my husband. Nothing I like, he enjoys. I don’t think he finds me interesting, and frankly I don’t find him interesting in those moments either. It’s usually when he’s busy and overwhelmed with work or when I'm in the middle of my cycle. I feel like he has less patience towards my very needy personality. It's like I’m asking for too much but in those moments, I just really want to be heard and comforted. I don’t know…

Not so much anymore but growing up I was a huge nail biter. It's disgusting, I know. Some people bite their nails when they're nervous, anxious, or bored. I mostly did it because my nails are very fragile, and any split makes me worry they might rip off painfully. I guess anxiety does play a part. It also grosses me out to see other people bite or pick at their nails. That's kind of why I've stopped and been doing really good especially in recent years. Cuticles are a different story, not…

The first week after we bought our house last year really set the tone on what home ownership would look like for us. We were still staying at my parent's house for the first couple of weeks. Our plan was to start moving in slowly in the middle of May since there was no rush. We were 35 minutes away but still making a point to stop by a few times a week to check on the new house. Weekends were mostly when we could actually spend full days there and start moving our stuff. I remember it so…

Besides translating to moon in Spanish, my parent's have also used Luna to refer to the car glass pane or windshield. And our Toyota Tacoma is also named Luna. Over the weekend the most ironic thing happened: A crack on Luna's luna. We were driving on the way to my sister's pickleball birthday social and it was raining very heavy. There was a loud sound like a pebble striking somewhere on the car. We drove for about six more miles until we noticed the crack on the windshield. Ugh, it was so…

Today, I am holding back the tears as I reflect on the email I sent my husband a year ago when we closed on our first home together. Subject line: Our new chapter! Date/Time: Wed, Apr 23, 2025, 6:18 AM I can’t believe today will be the start of another new beginning and chapter together. It feels like just yesterday in 2022 we were laying on the corduroy thinking about our future and future goals… starting to save some money each month so that one day we can reach our goal of becoming…