Well, aside from the fact that vanity is not just for women, men some times have this tendency to be obsessed about their figures too. Men, like women are conscious about their looks too and think about it – why do we see males more often in the gym than women? Men can be vain at times too and they might not just admit it but they, too have been working hard to keeping their forms and physique.

I have a brother who has been very well conscious about his figure. He rarely go to the gym because he is shy but he has some personalized training stuffs at home. And would you believe, even if he doesn’t go out of the house very often, he still wanted to look good! He does his daily bath with matching colognes and a good pair of clothes (not just the ordinary at home clothes) and even tried the 7-dfbx which he saw while I was browsing online.

It’s not just moms who are gaining weight after having a family, the dads too! Ever wondered about it? Metabolism is the reason. Most dads, being tired from daily job and responsibilities at work would just want to lie down and rest at home – they have less exercise and less time for themselves. Dads dedicate their time for their families and this is the reason why, even if they aren’t getting pregnant, they are prone to being stout too.

Last year, hubby came to discover a hobby – the Gundam Kits. I am opposing the idea at first because it was too expensive, I thought. To be honest, it is a bit expensive – for me. But he was able to convince me, well, i know for a fact that doesn’t go out that often. He is a home buddy and so I wanted to him to enjoy being at home too! And so, step by step, he learned how to build those kits from the tiniest details to the decals and everything! He failed at times, but he started over again and now, I can say he’s doing better. He has a couple of tools already and his paint collection increased relatively in number. Here’s a sample of his finished kit.

When he is already taking pictures of the Gundam models, he was frantic over the results taken from my old point and shoot camera. Then, came bonus time, he bought his Canon 1000D. Photography now became another hobby. I am happy because he had finally discovered a new life – well, apart from playing online games, PS2, Xbox.

I, on the other hand, discovered my craft early this year. I got hooked into digital scrapbooking with influences from Thea and Donna. Thea is a busy buddy and a doting mom to Mikee. She’s introduced me to several digiscrapping sites that offers free kits. Donna, on the other hand, has been into both digi and traditional scrapbooking. She’s now also into card making. Visit her site and you will surely love her creations. I got the inspiration from her to join the Pinoy Scrapbookers community. Here’s my sample digital layout.

“Love to Love You Baby”

Credits: Grandma’s Porch by Mad Scrapper Designs

I know how hard it is to become a parent. It is even harder to build your family, discipline your kids and maintain your career. But we have to exhale from time to time, to relieve ourselves and enjoy that we are also  individuals who need to find time and be ourselves. We do routine tasks everyday and I understand how most of them are really exhausting. If we are to do this without any pause, we will soon get tired and fed up and sick of all the things we are doing. We also need a breather. That’s what hobbies are for!

I’ve known a friend from my previous work. She’s a very active mom, a career woman and most of all, an athlete! She joins triathlon and she’s a very competitive mom. At her age (she’s older than me) she still looks very lovely! She doesn’t even look her age. And I admire her. For her passion about her work, her family and her hobby. She knows how to manage her time well.

There are a lot of hobbies to have! But here are some tips if you are looking out for one:

• A hobby must be something you want to do. It is good to be inspired by other people but make sure you are doing things for yourself
• Don’t be forced into doing something just because others are doing it. You need to have passion on what you do.
• Look for something you are good at so it won’t be hard on you.
• Discovering new hobbies are also good – so don’t be afraid to experiment.
• Make friends – most hobbies have community so join them and be yourself

Don’t get stucked on the home and office tasks. But I don’t mean you have to leave them. Just find some time to be alone, be creative, be yourself and enjoy being you.

Anyway, since it’s father’s day, let me talk about my husband as the father of the house.

I’ve known my husband for eight years before we got married. He is a short-tempered man and easily gets irritated over little things. His patience can be measured. We’ve been together for a long time and he changed….little by little….in his own way. I never really asked him to change his personality for my sake but yeah, I sometimes showed him I get tired and displeased with the attitude.

When we got married, he changed even more…he became more gentle and sensitive about my feelings. He always calls home when I got pregnant, making sure I am always OK. He’ll make sure I am listening to Mozart before leaving the house to make sure that the little princesses sleeping in my womb will hear that too. When the kids were born, he was so happy. He knew that this time…he’s no longer the same – he’s now a father to two little angels.

As the kids grow, they became to closer to him. And because we’re always in the office, they would always want to sleep by his side. They wouldn’t want me getting in between! Oh kids! Being a father made him more mature, more responsible. He’s no longer making impulsive decisions but would always consider my approval and the outcome.

Becoming a father is already a change but it can also change the person and his outlook in life since they play a very vital role in parenthood. I guess all fathers do.

Happy Father’s Day to all father’s visiting my blog