+ The week was weird even though I’ve been back for almost 2 weeks now, that day having to basically repeat Tuesday on my return – threw me off the whole week! Also, my tummy is still getting used to eating heavier and processed foods now that I am home. 🫤
+ I am catching up on reading but honestly, I’m not in a slump, but I also feel so relaxed from my trip that I’m taking my time reading. I feel like I’ll start reading and then take a nap after 10 minutes! 😅. So maybe I just need to get back into the reading rhythm again. I am working on July arcs though.
+ The Boy and the Heron (HBO MAX) – movie by Studio Ghibli, my son and I watched it and it was beautifully done, just some confusing parts about grief that my son and I discussed – ending was so abstract lol…like evil parakeets?! But I still enjoyed it.
+ Olivia Rodrigo – You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love – this is on REPEAT. Like I know almost all the lyrics and so now I need tour tickets! 😅
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
+ I was supposed to fly with my son, daughter and parents to the Philippines but the night before the flight my son came down with a bad cold. I thought okay…it’s just a cold, but then he was throwing up all night, and I couldn’t sleep worrying about him and knew I had to make a decision in the morning. My parents paid for this trip, so I couldn’t back all three of us out. Morning comes and my son has a fever so at least I had packed his bag separately the night before in case he wasn’t going to come. I was SO bummed, sad for him (he was sad) and me…but at least my hubby was already staying back to watch the dog – so I had to let go of my anxiety and prepare my daughter and I for the Philippines.
+ We landed in Manila after almost 11 hours and had to take a connecting flight to Laoag which is in the northern Philippines. It was hot, 91 degrees at night. At least the second flight was only 45 minutes. From there we were met with so much family and headed to the apartment we were renting out. For about 10 days we were in Laoag hanging out with so much family. I cannot understand or speak Tagalog (their national language), but in the north they speak Ilocano which I can understand but barely speak. It was HOT for most of the days but a week later we had nights of monsoon type rain, lightning and thunder! And some days there were scheduled power outages 🥵, but honestly it was just fun being with so much family. We went to Pagudpud, which is almost at the northern coast of the Philippines – gorgeous landscapes.
+ After time with family my cousins drove us down to Manila (an 8 hour drive). I was the one who wanted to spend some time in Manila but honestly once I was there, I was missing the cleaner air of the countryside! My mom and daughter caught something – my mom had a cold, my daughter I think was allergies because the air is so hazy in the city. And it was just so packed with people, I was trying not to get sick.
+ We didn’t realize another cousin of mine was visiting the Philippines also, so we visited her and she was about an hour outside of Manila in Laguna but she made us follow her to Tagaytay for lunch. There were gorgeous views from higher elevation – but it was traffic on those 2 lane roads. We then met more family who was in Manila! 😅
+ The day before our flight we planned to do a buffet lunch at the Okada which is basically like the Bellagio – they even have a fountain show! While we were exploring the resort my cousin said her son could get us an executive suite there for a really cheap price. She basically pressured my parents into doing it – but I wanted to do this before the trip even happened but I was overruled. Well they couldn’t overrule her haha, or felt bad doing it so we got to stay a night at the fancy hotel, which was lovely.
+ I was fine for the whole trip with some sinus issues here and there but of course, the hours right before the flight, my nose starts to drip and my throat starts to itch! I blame all the smoking in the casino at the resort. 😩. I felt like crap on the plane but it’s not like I haven’t been sick on a plane before. Thank god my daughter slept through almost the whole flight – she got to lay down since her brother’s seat was empty! But we made it back!
+ I’ve kinda been jet lagged, plus had to get over the cough which only lasted 2 nights – so it was definitely allergies. Now I’m catching up on my blog and social media accounts – I’ve been making a few mistakes here and there but I’m blaming the jet lag!!
+ Every Year After (Prime Video) – I’m watching this one but it’s kind of slow so I stopped at episode 3. Will continue when I have more time.
+ Olivia Rodrigo – You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love – this album is AMAZING. It’s on REPEAT and I need to get tickets to her tour. 😩 I need to hear it live and sing my heart out. I love EVERY song!!! My daughter who is 9 has loved her since GUTS (how did a 6 year old love All American Bitch? LOL…I don’t know but I think it’s the screaming she loves), I loved her since SOUR, my son also became more of a fan from GUTS. So yeah I need tickets…🙏🏽
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
May is coming to an end and this post will be going up a little early because I will be in the Philippines for two weeks. I’m not sure wh
***edited on 6/11/26*** I didn’t realize this posted – it was not correct!! lol…so sorry, things were crazy at the end of May because I was rushing to go to the Philippines. So here is the edited version!!
I read 12 books in May!
Books I Read – 12 books
This Book Made Me Think of You by. Libby Page 🎧
Shadow Reaper by. Lynette Noni (arc)
Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies by. Breanne Randall (arc)
When the Light Returns by. Joanna Ruth Meyer (arc)
+ Last weekend I was in Palo Alto, California to see BTS at Stanford Stadium. It was quite an experience! It was the first time for me flying into San Jose Airport and I like how small and not busy it was – not sure if that is usual, but it was such an easy place to fly into. Our hotel was a small vintage boutique hotel, built in 1924, called the Cardinal Hotel and it’s close by to the University. It’s vintage but renovated and I loved the room, even though it had no a/c – it did have a ceiling fan. I love how walkable it was – it is basically in Silicon Valley so it was interesting seeing Waymo driverless cars everywhere!
+ The concert was an experience! It’s my second stadium concert this year. This one being at a university stadium – there was a lot of walking involved since we didn’t rent a car. I had to pick up my pre-ordered army bomb light stick, which was easy, it’s for my daughter, since I was going to dance and take some video during the concert. We didn’t even try for merch. I was not about to stand all morning to try and get a shirt. 😅 We got to the stadium but I told my sister we didn’t need to stand in the lines, it will go down. Plus it was hot in the sun, and DUSTY – I didn’t anticipate the wind and it kicking up all the dry dirt around the stadium. So we stood in the shade across the street from the lines until the gates opened and the lines went down. My sister even got a chance to go to the merch lines to see what they had left…she got me a shirt that only had 2XL for sizes lol…I can sleep in it. We got in easy, found our seats and waited. What was fun about waiting is people passing out freebies. My sister made some freebies to pass out also.
+ BTS was amazing – my sister is ARMY, but my daughter and I are casual fans. Doesn’t matter, I was dancing my booty off and singing as best I could. I just love concerts in general, it’s my stress reliever. Expensive, I know! Also my bias (favorite) is Jungkook because his voice and that man is beautiful. I also love Jimin and Jin. So I was ecstatic that Jungkook came down the ramp on our side. 🥰 I saw lots of kids, families, elderly at the concert, which I thought was sweet!
+ I tried to post some videos but for some reason they are saying it’s “private” on wordpress. 🤷🏻♀️. So here are a few pics of Jungkook and V. Anyway, a time was had. I was EXHAUSTED after the walk back to the hotel, plus why was the street cleaning vehicle out in full force on our hotel street at 11:30PM?! Like…why?!…so I slept I think around 12:30am, a very restless sleep because my body/legs were aching, and I was winding down from the concert. We needed to get up at 5am to catch our flight, once again so happy there was no traffic and it was a Monday, airport was small and quiet – easy to get through. And I knocked out on the plane.
Here are some of the freebies we got at the concert from ARMY – they are so sweet and creative! Like, the time and energy to make these or buy them, pack it up, and carry them around then pass it out – I’m so grateful. Overall, it was a fun experience/concert – my sister hadn’t gone to a concert in 15 years…and now she’s even more addicted to BTS. I’m more addicted to Jung Kook after that concert 😅.
I told my daughter on the plane, I’m done with concerts this year but honestly I really want to go to Olivia Rodrigo. 😩 Me and my kids love her and I lost the Ticketmaster war for that one. But maybe that’s a good thing because I need to get my money back up after Bruno and BTS. 😅
+ My youngest nephew graduated from high school yesterday! We went to attend the ceremony and give him leis afterwards.
We are leaving for the Philippines on Tuesday, and will be gone for 2 weeks! Can’t wait to see family and do a trip where it’s not a concert, standing in lines, being with thousands of people, and buying expensive merch. 😂 So this will be our real vacation – time to relax, chill and see family! Can’t wait!
+ I can’t wait for Olivia Rodrigo’s new album – and her single The Cure just came out. I LOVE it – it feels nostalgic and reminds me of the alternative/rock music I used to listen to as a teen in the 90’s.
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
+ I hope everyone who celebrated had a good Mother’s Day last weekend – I totally forgot to do a post for that day! 🤦🏻♀️ I’ve just been so consumed with my trips – right now I’m in Palo Alto, California to see BTS perform at Stanford Stadium tonight! But my Philippines trip is right after and I’ve been stressed trying to figure out packing, etc….also not knowing what to expect because my parents have planned this trip. I’m excited to see so many family I haven’t seen in decades, plus my grandmother who is 103 years old. It will be nice to see her and have her meet my kids!
+ So this week I’ll just be packing and probably not get a lot of reading done. I guess this means I’ll be gone from this blog for 2 weeks. I’ll have things pre-posted like reviews and Top Ten Tuesdays, I think. But essentially won’t be answering comments. I’ll do that when I get back.
+ Off Campus (Prime) – I read the books 10 years ago when they came out so all I remember is Hannah and Garrett because he was the hotshot, popular hockey guy. Also remember Dean because he was the naughty one always sleeping around. Other than that I’m glad I don’t remember everyone and everything so I wasn’t comparing details to the books! Overall I enjoyed it – but I did find myself drawn to John Logan’s character and I love Dean and Allie’s chemistry.
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
+ Happy May everyone! It’s the first Sunday in May and nothing special happened this past week. We are just trying to get to the end of this month and get everything done with kids and their last month of school which will be cut short since we are leaving on a trip to the Philippines during their last week of school.
Curses, Keys and Secret Societies by. Breanna Randall
When the Light Returns by. Joanna Ruth Meyer
Shadow Reaper by. Lynette Noni
This Book Made Me Think of You by. Libby Page
Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:
+ Running Point (Netflix) – Season 2 – this show makes me laugh so much! Love it!
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
Is April really over? I had a stressful first week of April – the weather was so bad, my hubby’s car died and he had to get a new one, 3 friends who were supposed to go to see Bruno Mars with me cancelled last minute, but things turned around when my kids and I went to Vegas for Bruno and I had to force myself to literally count any and every blessing coming my way. It helped me get over the high stress I was under. 🙏🏽. It forced me to look for positive things and honestly, I made a promise to adopt this positive thinking for the whole year. And when I get stressed I tell myself I can do HARD things. 😅
May is going to be jam-packed! I have the BTS trip to go to, my nephew’s graduation and then a 2 week trips to the Philippines. I don’t know if I’m ready but I have to be right? Again, trying to stay positive!
I read 24 books.
Books I Read – 24 books
The Becket Effect (arc)
Dhampira by. Amy Pennza (arc)
Between Tides & Thunder by. Leeza Kazak
Verity Guild by. Mai Corland (arc)
The Shadows That Listen by. Louisa Carmody
Crown Me Yours by. Liv Zander
Crown Me Dead by. Liv Zander
Change of Plans by. Sarah Dessern (arc)
The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by. Katrina Kwan (audiobook)
+ We have been back in the school routine. I thought I was going to do a jury summons on Monday, but the case was settled so yay, I didn’t have to drive into morning traffic for that.
+ It is back to being HOT in Hawaii, we are hovering in the high 80’s so it feels like summer again.
+ My sister, my daughter and I are going to Stanford, California for the BTS concert in 3 weeks, and then a week after that I’m going to the Philippines with my parents and my kids…so I am traveling in the next few weeks. It’s going to be…a lot! I’m excited but also like…a little overwhelmed? Most of the Philippines trip my parents are planning and they have their way of traveling and I have my way…SO…I am giving up control to them I suppose? 😅 I’m kinda scared BUT…I have learned in my travels the past 3 years…just have to go with the flow.
The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by. Katrina Kwan
Change of Plans by. Sarah Dessen
Weavingshaw by. Heba Al-Wasity
Double Happiness by. Heather Eng
The Last Page by. Katie Holt
Currently Reading:
Heir of Twisted Lies by. L.J. Andrews
Verity Guild by. Mai Corland
Soon By You by. Dahlia Adler
Rites of the Starling by. Devney Perry
Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:
MUSIC:
+ Drop Dead by Olivia Rodrigo – obsessed with it, love the regular and acoustic version!
+ BTS Arirang album so I can know the lyrics for the concert.
+ Still rocking Bruno Mars The Romantic because I am still on the concert high from his show.
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
+ My kids and I went to Las Vegas to see Bruno Mars in concert on April 11, 2026. Let me just tell you what a crazy weekend it was. First, the weather called for HEAVY rain – thank you God it didn’t affect us. And I was worried about TSA lines, but that went smoothly and quick. 🙏🏽. Through security I run into someone I went to college with in California…and she’s my ex-high school boyfriend’s wife now. 😅. She’s a great girl, and we keep in touch – but it’s always kind of been awkward between my ex and me, if I saw him in public he never said hi to me. WELL…with me and my kids there and his wife calling out my name, he had no choice but to finally say hi to me. 😂 We even hugged! Anyway, they were going to the same Bruno Mars show as we were but they were on a different flight that was delayed.
Our flight was stopping over on Maui to switch planes, which we did on time…then the pilot comes on and says they need more fuel to make the trip to Vegas. SAY WHAT? And that they were trying to get clearance to fuel up in Maui…well they were denied, so we had to fly to the Big Island next door, to refuel there. So now we were delayed for 2 hours…kids were hungry. Good thing I loaded up on snacks but we reached Vegas at almost 9:30pm, checked into the Excalibur and got to our room by 10pm. They have a 24/7 food court, thank goodness…but yeah it was a LONG, tiring, day.
Since it was my kids’ first time in Vegas I did want them to see it in the day time, so we slept in, got breakfast, then decided to walk to Park Mgm and take the free tram to the Bellagio so I could show them the flower garden.
The hotels are so big you don’t know you’ve walked 8,000 steps until you’ve felt it! After checking out Caesar’s Palace my daughter said her feet hurt and it was time to rest before the concert. We spied the line for the Hello Kitty/Bruno Mars merch which I wanted so badly but my kids didn’t want to stand in line (I don’t blame them – it was a long line). We were supposed to check out the arcade at the hotel but I needed to nap and the kids wanted to go back to the room. So I napped, kids were on their ipads and we got at least 4 hours of resting our feet before taking the free tram from Excalibur to Mandalay Bay and walking it over the bridge to Allegiant Stadium. It wasn’t bad at all! The weather was nice too.
The stadium was nice, entry was easy – if you are ever going there for a concert, make sure you read the bag policy – clear bags only of a certain size!!! I’m glad I read it beforehand. Overall, we had such an amazing time! My daughter was a bit tired from all day walking (next time I’ll book one more day to rest), but once Bruno came on, both my kids were so hype. My son is a teen and always so self-conscious about singing…oh boy did he sing his heart out! Bruno was fantastic, such a showman, such a performer and that voice…I’m so glad my kids got to see him with me! ♥️. It’s my 4th time seeing him in concert and each time has been so amazing.
After the concert, we walked back with the massive crowd back over the bridge and to our hotel. When I looked at my steps counted it was 23,000 for the day! I felt it! We got back to our room at 11:45pm and I told the kids to go to sleep because we had to wake up in 4 hours to catch a 7am flight! UGH. I could do these quick trips when I was younger or just traveling with a friend but with kids, it’s a little hard, so next time I know to book one more day. Flight was on time, and who was on my flight? My ex and his wife again LOL….good times! What a weekend.
+ After our concert weekend it was back to our regular schedule but also I am planning my son’s bar mitzvah which is in July. He’s not having a major party because he said he didn’t want one. But I’m trying to at least make it a little special for people attending the ceremony. So now I’m stressed with that. 😅. At least I’ll be better at planning my daughter’s bat mitzvah in 4 years.
Blog Posts:
Books I Finished
The Summer of Second Chances by. K.L. Walther
Us Dark Few by. Alexis Patton
A Merry Life by. Sarah Branson
Miracles in Mercy by. Briony J. Shutt
The Verdant Cage by. Jess Lourey
Heart of the Wolf Queen by. Sarah Gallego
Currently Reading:
For Whom the Belle Tolls by. Jaysea Lynn
The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by. Katrina Kwan
Change of Plans by. Sarah Dessen
Heir of Twisted Lies by. L.J. Andrews
Weavingshaw by. Heba Al-Wasity
Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:
MUSIC:
+ I cannot wait for Olivia Rodrigo’s album and by the way I promised my kids I’d take them to her concert. 😩 Mama is broke! But I’m going…someway, somehow. I love her new single Drop Dead!
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
+ It was a stressful weekend. My hubby’s car broke down on Friday which left us stressed out all weekend, it was broken Friday, but drivable but Goodyear said they couldn’t fix it, it was the transmission, then he chanced it and took it to Lexus which is in town (I told him to tow it) but they said the same the transmission is shot, so he attempted to drive it home and got stuck on the freeway. 🤦🏻♀️ So he had to tow it home and now we gotta figure out money to get a new car. Lovely. I feel like 2026 is the year where it’s a “lose money” kind of year. I feel like concerts tickets were so damn expensive this year (and I’m trying to sell 5 of them, thank BTS for not opening up Ticketmaster resale – it’s frustrating). Prices went up for gas, groceries, EVERYTHING. And now we might have to cancel our Philippines trip next month because we don’t want to be there while there is an energy crisis and resources are low (and we might have to pay a cancellation fee for that). So because of prices – I’m also back on my book buying ban! 😅.
+ My kids and I are going to Las Vegas on Friday – we are seeing Bruno Mar’s on Saturday! It’s very exciting. A friend of mine from college and her hubby will be joining us. But I’m bummed my friend who was supposed to fly with us from Hawaii to Vegas, might have to cancel because of her mom’s health problems. So this will be my first time flying with my two kids alone, and their first time in Vegas. It’s going to be a very short trip though, we are in and out of there.
+ Why do we have another weather alert for this week? I am tired of heavy rain and flooding in our state. I hope it passes quickly over our islands. 😩
Blog Posts:
Books I Finished
Japanese Gothic by. Kylie Lee Baker
Bloody Black by. Rhiannon Hargadon
Your Soulmail is Attached by. Joan F. Smith
Blood & Roses by. Callie Hart
Runebreaker by. Mila Finch
Currently Reading:
The Summer of Second Chances by. K.L. Walther
Starside by. Alex Aster
For Whom the Belle Tolls by. Jaysea Lynn
Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:
MUSIC:
+ RAYE – This Music May Contain Joy – what a creative album! It’s such a mix of different genres but the theme of being uplifting and staying strong, is heard throughout the whole album.
TV SHOWS & MOVIES:
+ Super Mario Galaxy Movie – had to watch this one because my kids were asking. We enjoyed it! I love the Super Mario music, the graphics, and all the surprise cameos of characters like my kids LOVE Pikmin. So they had a blast watching it and again, like the first movie, it tugged my nostalgia strings!
+ XO, Kitty (Season 3, Netflix) – so much dating drama! I was watching to see if Min Ho and Kitty end up together. Do you think there will be a season 4 to properly conclude this show?
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
Past Midnight Book Reviews & More 