The one with undecided

It's a week before the elections and i'm still not sure of who to vote. I want to vote Noynoy but i'm not sure if i've convinced myself to vote for him. To myself, i have yet to see him really talk about changing our country and what HE can do and not what his parents have done. I heard Gordon and man, he is really good. And i can say that he has changed Subic like a make-over will do to a woman. I think at the back of my mind, voting Gordon will not be a bad choice either but i'm bent on voting whoever might be the closest rival to Villar. Anyone but him, period. I don't want any testosterone booster to run the country.

God bless our country!

The one with chocomelts

I'm so proud of my sister in law, Chell. She just started her own choco fountain business and yesterday was her first "event" during simon's party. Unfortunately, she forgot the tools for the fountain so we settled with her choco fondue style and a customized dip station. :) But it tasted really good! i'm so proud of her. super yummy! even my friends love it. what i hated lang was the added pounds it brought. hahaha.

God bless sis on your business!

The one with a month

It's been a month on my weight loss diet program and the last week has been hard, filling half of the week with cheat days. :( huhuhu. I blamed it on the period of the month where you crave to eat more and of course, the parties and endless eating every weekend and my family's share of events (dad's birthday and simon's)

I hope i could get back into the action soon. :( But found my passion again in badminton! im so happy. It's been ages since i last played and i had so much fun playing again with hubby and two of my best friends. we promised to do this every week :)

Aja!

The one with simon's 30

Yes, my husband is 30 already! wohoo! welcome to the world of slower metabolism, faster work pace and upgraded level of maturity. :) I have'nt asked him how he felt turning 30 but it seems that he's embracing it with glee and excitement, although the excitement may also be because of his new gadget that he is so eagerly wanting to purchase as his birthday gift. I wanted him to be really happy on his birthday so i made him choose and gave him the liberty that if he decided to buy the "this is it" gadget aka iphone, he will have my permission to do so. apparently, the "reverse psychology" might be effective. He's more keen on buying another brand and model.

Simon always has grand celebrations. well, i mean not grand as in throwing big parties, giving out party invitations to 200 guests. I mean, we always see to it that it will be something all of us can enjoy, we can invite our families and kids will have a good time too. We usually hold swimming parties and this is one of those. It was a good day, albeit the rain in the evening.

We had so many food, great desserts, great company of our friends and families. It was a good time to relax and unwind, well not for me though. Since Maru was not around, had to take care of simone the whole time. But seeing her enjoy the water, as in to the point of me thinking to enroll her to swimming lessons, was worth it. She is really a water baby. soooo cute.

pictures to follow!!!

The one with coffee clap day

I had fun spending our first coffee clap day with my girls, Naan and Jill. Sad though, Jannet was'nt able to join us but there will always be a next time. The coffee clap day was more like a session to encourage each other with our goals, objectives and our journeys to our respective success paths. I've always felt blessed to have my childhood friends who can support me on whatever endeavor i want to venture in. I've always felt that God has poured me with blessings of friendships and that this alone, is a reason for a coffee clap for me :)

Of course there was coffee too prepared by Jill. we wanted to stay at the veranda but the garage flooring has not been furnished yet and dust kept coming thru the house. but other than that, their house is perfect for such gatherings.

Thanks girls. next time again! :)

The one with permission granted

While my husband and i were on our way home last night, we were chatting about how our each other's day went. and out of the blue, i asked him if ever i'd be able to save my paypal money, will i be allowed to buy a "luho" item for myself??? he thought about it and as long as we don't have a need for it yet, he answered yes. my guy is just so generous. he also wanted me to feel my hard-earned money. (well, it's not really hard-earned as i just blog and earn) these items are my no-questions-asked-wish-to-have-items. and i think i'm halfway done saving for either of this. yipee! i think i'll have one of this for my birthday. :)


LV speedy 30 damier - told you, no questions asked to ha. hahaha. if guys have gadgets, these are our gadgets...bags and bling-blings! i've always wanted a "this is it bag", something that's valuable that i can pass to my kid so an LV it is. a big part of me though still gets guilty of even thinking to buy one.. but i think, for my sanity, i should really get this. hahaha. Lord, give me more blog assignments!


Diamond earring and ring set. well, it does'nt have to be the big stones, just an illusion set is fine with me. i just want something that's genuine. believe me, i dont have a set of diamonds now. all i have is my engagement ring. and at my age, i think i deserve to have one of these too.

My mom always tells me, "anak, sa pagkakuripot mo naman nyan, buy something for yourself naman. walang masama dun, you deserve it" and im holding on to this statement. harharhar.


hahaha...motivation factors!!! good luck to me!

The one with almost two weeks

Day 13

Lost 5 lbs. i cant seem to notice but my parents and my husband do, so it makes me feel good that somehow, something's happening...finally.

Food intake: major sin last weekend since i ate beef and pasta from catered food in parties i attended. waah! i was so hungry, i forgot about my diet. grrrhh...but other than that, my sardines, lettuce, salmon and crackers keep me alive.(not to mention my supplements) i love the breaded eggplant topped with cheese that simon and i made. :) im not sure though if it's ok.

Activities: my bike run is up to 5km already or total of 30minutes. i have to improve on this aspect as i need to give more time to physical activities to make my metabolism faster.

Sweet intake: i ate 3 pieces of brownies, a bite of chocolate and a cup of iced tea for the last 13 days. impulsive eating moments. my bad!

I'm excited with the next months. I know this will take time because after losing weight, next thing i need to accomplish is to take care of the flabs. man, my tummy is sagging.

I hope the rapid detox that my nutritionist told me is as effective too. She told me that i'm expected to lose 10 more pounds if i only eat the food that she will prepare, nothing else. I personally like the idea and i know it will make me more healthy. I just hope it's as rapid as a click of a button. hahaha.

promise...when im done with this and my body is as good as my pre-preg frame, i'll wear a two-piece suit...whatever it takes! :)

Day 3

Food consumed:
Spanish sardines wrapped in lettuce, about 4 pcs. for breakfast
Fried tofu in vegetable oil and breaded eggplant with grated cheese (doctor said i can have dairy)
salmon fillet, grilled

watermelon fruit in between
calamansi juice with honey

activity: 20min biking or 3.5km equivalent
cleaned simone's playroom

observation: still the same, nothing out of the ordinary

The one with day 2

food consumed:
spanish sardines wrapped in lettuce
salmon fillet
watermelon fruit
ampalaya with egg

activity:
15 minute stationary bike or 3km equivalent
30-minute dance pad

observation:
not sleepy anymore
feels full or easily gets full

The one with day 1

Food consumed:
veggies and 2 strips of tilapia fillet in the morning
kangkong leaves (steamed) in the afternoon
1/2 cup brown rice and mackerel in the evening
watermelon fruit in between

Supplements: all 5 taken 3x a day

Activity: 10-minute bike or 2km equivalent

Observation: i always feel full, kinda sleepy too.

The one with really early

Cebu Pacific is celebrating with PAL's 70th year that they are giving away 70% discount to domestic and international flights! Promo period is until tomorrow, April 2 and travel period is from January to March next year.

My friends and I have been wanting to go to an out of the country trip and this is it!!! My good friend Jill, booked us for Manila-Macau-Manila from Feb. 20 to 25. we will ride the ferry to go to HK on Simone's 4th birthday! wow, exciting!!!

HK disneyland here we go...in 10 months more! hahaha

the plane fare by the way cost us about 2,800.00 per person, round trip. best deal!!! this may not be like a vacation in Orlando, a shopping spree to paris but this will sure be as exciting as ever! thank you Lord!

The one with it has begun

Okay...this is the first time i'll be talking about my weight as detailed as i need to be. I'm 30 lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight. yes, 5 lbs more and i'm in the same weight as i was when i was on my 9th month pregnancy with simone. I never felt lonely about it before until i realized that i cannot enter a store that does not have Large sizes, nor fit a free size blouse without the saleslady's ma'am-this-wont-fit-you look. I felt sad, really and tried to shoo away the feeling by dressing up and accessorizing but inside, i missed my old frame and my old self where i can just wear what i want to, and feel lighter.

So i consulted a nutritionist and she asked me about my blood type. My blood type is B+. And these are the things she told me about which i think can benefit those of you who would want to lose weight and have the same blood type as mine. believe me, some of the things she said shocked me.

~ CHICKEN is my worst enemy. as in. she specifically told me not to eat chicken for a month just so i can appreciate the weight loss. chicken apparently eats corn and this is the second in my list. Apparently, my blood type does not digest chicken well and transforms it to fats an eventually becomes toxins in my body...aka bulges.

~ CORN - did i mention that i loooovvveeee corn. as in in all forms, popcorn, sweet corn, buttered corn...hmmm, makes me drool now. but yes, this is my 2nd enemy. and the war has really begun

~ WHEAT - this gave me a big whoa?!-are-you-kidding-me look. my nutritionist even told me that i can eat rice, as long as it's brown rice but never wheat bread. huhuhu...so everything that i've been eating trying to lose weight is non-sense. no wonder i did'nt shed any pound at all.

So what are the things that i can eat...here is the list:
yogurt -- good thing i love this
flax seed - i dont even know what this is
onion
cabbage
broccoli
garlic
watermelon - my favorite!
grape juice
guava
jackfruit
cherry
lemon water - naks, sosyal
sardines - biglang naging j-lo. hehe
lamb - sosyal ulit. haha
salmon
mackerel

she also gave me a list of supplements that i can take. a total of 15 tablets, everything 3x a day. whew! but i have to do this if i want to slim down. i even hung notes in our door hangers reminding me no to eat sweets, drink iced tea nor eat chicken! hahaha...

so from this day up to my 30th day, i will give a detailed summary of how my day went so people who are interested with the same program can have a peek of what to expect.

And yes, the war has begun!!!

The one with challenges of being a sahm

Article posted from betterparenting.com. thanks mec for this. true, true, true!

I have always wanted to be a stay-at-home Mom, mostly because I grew up with a mother I seldom saw because she was a career woman. And though I have made my peace with my childhood and her parenting, I still chose to be a SAHM and absolutely looked for a man who will support this dream. Thankfully, he was also raised by one.

Parenting in itself is an everyday test of courage, creativity and patience. But being a SAHM has unique challenges that not everyone will get. Sometimes, not even the husband.

First, there is the lack of funds.

Aside from having to make do with one income and stretching it to accommodate a growing family, there is that sad fact that you will think twice about getting that massage or buying that nice pair of shoes. The massage money could buy more food treats for the family and you’re not really going anywhere nice to wear the nice shoes to. Plus, where do you get money to buy your husband a gift? From him?

What works: Agree early in the relationship how money will be spent and always allocate some, however little, for your own needs and some of your wants. It may not be practical to get a mani and pedi but the cost to the family of a depressed mother is higher. Be resourceful about finding good bargains so you can save more money. And consider things you can do to generate some income, even if it’s only selling things you’re going to throw out anyway on Ebay.

Then, there’s the low self-esteem from not earning and lack of titles.

We don’t really have grand titles. Even if we say we’re Operations Manager of Arevalo Industries, our rewards will still generally be intangible ones that not many can appreciate. Tied to this is the limited purchasing power. I think most SAHMs get depressed about this at least once a month. We’re only human enough to get jealous of friends getting promoted, awarded and paid ridiculously high especially if we know that we’re smarter than said friend.

What works: It’s hard work but SAHMs really have to submit to a paradigm shift where they learn to put value in other things. While other moms are rushing to finish presentations, we dawdle in bed, waking up to kisses from our tot. While other moms are making sales pitches, we get our child excited over vegetables. Celebrate milestones only you and your family can appreciate and you will remember better why you made the sacrifice.

And what of adult company?

Adult company and conversations were something I really, really missed when I first became a SAHM, especially since it took my child a year before he started talking. SAHMs do not stop being social animals just because they quit their job and having to stay at home all the time may grate on one’s nerves.

What works: Have regular date nights with the husband. And by all means, keep meeting with friends. If you can’t relate with them anymore, find other parents, especially mothers like you. Go on play dates, do volunteer work or take up short courses. You can also go online for adult conversations, even if it’s only exchanging bubble solution recipes.

And you do feel redundant.

It’s not that there aren’t enough challenges in a day for SAHMs but the routines and the same environment and company can make anyone feel redundant. You get scared that you will not be able to contribute to conversations anymore and that your brain will somehow lose connections because you’re not doing complex mathematical equations.

What works: Keep reading, not just for leisure but to be educated as well. Go back to University or pursue higher learning by getting a Master’s Degree. Take up a new hobby or pursue other passions. Keep abreast of the news and what’s new. Consider working from home as well. And learn along with your child because you will always learn something new. For instance, I can now name dinosaurs for each letter of the alphabet. Can you?

And everybody takes you for granted, even you!

Neighbors ask you for favors. Your children keep forgetting things which you then bring to them. The PTA delegates all the organizing to you. Your husband stops doing chores around the house. What’s worse, when you delegate storytelling time to him, he tells you he’s tired from working all day. He also insists on weekends off and nights out with the boys. And your mother assumes you can also accompany her to wherever because you don’t work. And you start feeling guilty about wanting to cuddle up with a good book when there are so many other things to be done. Makes you wonder why not enough SAHMs aren’t in asylums, yes?

What works: Delegation of work and duties as well as expectation setting is a must for the setup to work. Husbands have to appreciate that you also work and therefore need to rest as well, or have your own ME time. Husbands also have to know that they do not stop being parents to your kids so activities with them have to be fairly divided as well. Fairly divided meaning, he will be unable to drive them to and fro during the day but he can take over bath and story time at night. Children also have to be taught that as members of the family, they have to contribute to the chores, either by helping clean up or by not adding to the messes. Make house rules your friend. And don’t feel guilty about putting age-appropriate responsibilities on your children’s shoulders. They will thank you when they grow up and you will not go insane. Also, learn to say NO to other people’s chores. Keep in mind that you stayed home to be a better parent to your growing kids, not to be the community’s errand girl. And if they keep on asking, bring up the possibility of getting paid. After all, time spent for them is time away from your kids and your chores.

Being a SAHM is not for every woman nor is a single-income setup not for every family. But if the decision was made with clear goals in mind and communication between everyone involved is kept open, cooperation is easier to come by and rewards of such a setup are more readily enjoyed.

The one with 3 years

When I posted simone's video of her playing the piano at the Twinkle, twinkle song, I've gotten a lot of comments about how "talented", promising and gifted she is. A friend of mine who is a principal of a school even mentioned that we should enroll her to a music school so her skills can be honed. we talked about it and decided to park the idea until maybe when she's five already. :) we love the idea that hey, my kiddo may be really good in music but we also want to balance things around as she is only 3. :)

Moving on, the other day, another amazement gave us a pretty good laugh knowing that simone, at age 3, can follow different pitches of a song. you see, all along, we thought she'd only sing the songs at the pitch we're accustomed of hearing. Simon tried to raise the pitch a note higher and was surprised to hear that simone was able to sing it in the right pitch and not missing a note. He then lowered it half-note (man, i have a hard time singing on half-notes lower or higher) and she was able to sing it well. we were in awe. haha. we plan to video it too as a remembrance.

When she is asked what instrument she wants to play, she will answer with, "yung shoot...eehh...fyut pala" (flute) haha. cute! love you anak!

The one with busy or holy???

Have you ever wondered why we tend to busy ourselves during the holy week? we wait for it with much glee only to find out that we'd take a long vacation going places, scheduling things that we can't do on other regular weeks, think of books to read, movies to marathon with, springclean the house, or declutter the closet. And before we even know it, the week has passed already. I realized about this just the other day while i was talking to the husband and made a comment of how i want to clean the house during the holy week and he shared how he'd clean the car spic and span too. then we suddenly realized that we have this tendency to busy ourselves with things on days that are supposed to be for remembering what Jesus did for us. What I did was freed my schedule from meetings, only delivered custom travel mugs yesterday for a client. I plan to do things until wednesday but clear our schedule from thursday until black saturday. I know that we can always remember about Jesus' sacrifice not only during holy week, but it would have been a better idea if we make sure that at least once a year, we have devoted more time for Him. :)

Have a blessed holy, not so busy week everyone!!!

The one with loving it

Ever since I left the corporate world and ventured the world of party planning, i've always felt blessed of having to benefit from what they say, "the best of both worlds". And i can only list down some of the things i love about my job:

~ i never have to wake up as early as 5am everyday!
~ i can always schedule my meetings at my most convenient time
~ i work on very flexible hours
~ i can work wearing just my PJs
~ no one would know that i have'nt taken a bath while working, taking calls, online meetings, etc
~ my monday is my saturday. what maybe the busiest day for most of employees is my sacred rest day. :)
~ malling days don't have to be just weekends
~ what best way to earn than by doing parties for others and going to parties every week!!!
~ i get to meet different people every week
~ i'm a proud hands-on mom!

Thank you Lord for answering my prayer. :)

The one with some rains

Lately, we've been having rainfalls and some gloomy days amidst the summer heat. the gloomy days added to the three consecutive events in our family: the passing away of simon's lola, my mom's tendonitis and simone's suspected chickenpox.

~ Nanay passed away last March 10. It was our thanksgiving day and we went to my in-laws' house. when i went there, i saw that she was struggling for breath already and they hurried her to the hospital. we were so sad but we still did'nt expect that it will be the last time we'd see of her. Simon is Nanay's favorite apo. and by favorite, preparing simon's school uniform when was he was a student and preparing his food was only some of the things she used to do for Simon. She was really expressive of how she always favored simon so her passing brought back many good memories to simon, of how he was loved by her grandmother. Thank you nanay for taking care of my husband and thank you for raising him to become who he is now. we will definitely see you again.

~ Last wednesday, two weeks after nanay's passing, my mom had a terrible pain on her arm and eventually went on to her back. i was alarmed. she asked that she'd be taken to the hospital already. at the emergency room, we waited and found out that it was tendonitis. we'd have to bring her to an ortho doctor after her medication and check if she needs therapy so it won't have to go back. seeing my mother in pain was hard. it was a realization that our parents are really growing old. My mom thanked me for taking her to the hospital, taking care of her. I told her it was nothing. I thought to myself, she took good care of me while i was growing up, it was the least i can do for my parents.

~ Just the other day, simone had rashes on her body. Simon feared it to be chickenpox but i shooed the idea right away, thinking later on that i was in denial. We had her checked that day and the pedia made an initial diagnosis that it might be chickenpox. i was so sad finding about it and prayed that i hope it goes away right away. the pedia admitted that she can't really diagnose it as chickenpox since the possibility of a heat rash is also evident. i, of course, leaned on the idea of a heat rash. until now, she only had about ten rashes (yes i counted one by one) but i really hope everything turns out better.

I know that there are some rainy and gloomy days, that days like these you'd just wish there's an instant cure for hair loss among cures for so many things. But more than anything, after a rainy day will always be a bright and sunny day. :)

The one with free pizza

I read a book about how to be financially free. and after reading the book, i cancelled all my credit cards and never thought i'd see it as a good influence to me. but i chanced upon another article about how you can maximize your credit card and be able to get good deals with it. i tried to read more about it and learned that it only takes a regular updating and checking of your account. we paid our balance payment of our bohol trip using simon's credit card. it was a good 12k and after receiving the bill just today, i saw a promo of greenwich that give you a free family pizza with an accumulated receipt of 10k. cool! i immediately remembered our bohol trip and told it to simon. luckily, we were on our way to the mall so we had a free pizza meal courtesy of our credit card. it's not bad after all. :)

other freebies when you use your metrobank card are the ff:
- free baked macaroni for a single receipt of 2k
- free double pizza for a single receipt of 5k.
- free family pizza for accumulated receipts worth 10k. the value of our pizza was 400 pesos.

cool! now all i have to do is to read all the promos offered by these credit cards. :)

The one with not another pound

I was so tired last night from a long day of parties that i bought a lot of "comfort food" on the way home. i bought ice cream, my favorite cheetos, and piknik. yummy! i know that i just spent a lot of money just to gain more pounds. Earlier that day, Lissa my former officemate, gave me pics she got from mama arlene and those pics were my pics before while i was in univet. man, was i sooo thin. i tried to go back to one of my first posts here in my 5-year old blog and this is what i found out.

http://simon-jacque.blogspot.com/2005/05/one-with-kuks-reyes-tmu.html

i took that picture before my first trial make up and i can't believe that at that time, i never thought that i was thin. look at the collar bone and the long neck. waah!!! will i ever have that kind of body again?! (wishful thinking) i need a quick trim. i hope to meet the nutritionist my dad in law was talking about. i'm so excited to lose all the weight and at least get my pre-pregnancy body back. :)

am i shooting for the stars here??? haha.

The one with playdate

I just got home from the mall and spent the day with my husband and daughter. we went to a playroom again and had a good playdate with the other kids there. it was fun playing with the other kids as in to the point that they'd be all over you just so you'd notice them. we played "shopping game" and then played hoops and balls, slides and play house. i'm a keen observer especially with kids. and by simply looking at how they behave, i come to semi-analyze how their personalities are as kids. I've noticed some kids who bully just so you'd notice them, i noticed some who seem to be the "ate" and the leader and the kid who is loved and "played with" the most because he/she is the youngest. in this case, it was my daughter who was their doll. haha. at first, no one wants to play with her. but eventually, all the other kids came to her and wanted to play with her. nalilito tuloy sya where to go and what to do. haha.

i just love playdates! You just need to have the best multivitamin so you'd be able to keep up with them :)

The one with a new hobby

Movie marathon has always been a favorite pasttime for us. we love watching movies. and when we bought the LCD tv for the living room, we knew we're gonna be in for so many lack-of-sleep-nights. haha. we start watching tv when simone has dozed off already and it's very seldom that we get to finish a movie but for weekends and during day time, we can finish about two movies straight as long as our daughter won't bug us to change the cd.

And just last week, my ever creative and techie husband found a way to watch movies without using DVDs at all. he just put about 30 movies in his ipod and viola! i thought he needed to buy memory of some sort or upgrade the ipod but he was able to maximize it. winner!

And just last sunday, we bought a 2-seater super soft leatherish sofa to go with our new hobby. i really wanted the 2-seater recliner chair but 20k for a piece of sofa (not even a set) is too much so we settled for a 2-seater "normal" chair but feels good to sit on. :)

The one with growing up

These past few weeks, my sister in law Chell and her son Neyo have been visiting my in-laws on a regular basis. I really felt happy that the kids get to spend more time together. And seeing them playing together, tickling each other and just taking care of each other, I know that they will all grow up loving and protecting each other.

Neyo is a big baby. It's like he was given a human growth hormone because at 8 months, he looks strong, big boned. i love it when i make him smile. he has the cutest smile.

Justin is the singer and the hotwheel among the kids. he's so restless he cannot sit for five seconds nor stand alone not doing anything. he'd always run, jump and literally dive wherever he can. The reason why his mother would always put a high-pitched tone when taking care of justin. haha

Simone is the achie and im just so proud that she's aware of being one. :) she loves her cousins so much.

we love you kids!

The one with thirtiesh

And i thought turning 30 was not that bad. well, it really was'nt if we're referring to how i felt on the actual day of my birthday. i really thought i embraced the 30-hood stage. but months have passed since i started/attempted to lose weight and it became doubly hard for me now compared to five years back. heck, i'd cut down the rice, id lose weight in one week. now, cutting down rice was nothing. and i also noticed that my face dries up easily. i dont know if it's because of the weather but the anti aging product tv commercials seem to be appealing to me lately. hahaha. and getting samples from beauty stores are worth a try.

oh yeah, let's always blame it on the hormones. haha.

The one with bohol 2010 day 2

Our second day was spent at the beach. And it was just soooo peaceful, serene, and anything relaxing that we can think of and feel. We felt so blessed that we were able to spend it with our parents and of course, our daughter.

the swimming pool. nice!

I booked three rooms for us. we got standard rooms at the hotel. But i felt that it would have been better if we booked a villa instead. although come to think of it, we had separate TVs, separate bathrooms, separate rooms, major privacy (read: honeymooning! haha) and separate doorbells that we'd use to dingdong each other when it's time for sun-bathing again. haha.

we had a good family time together. i spent some time in the water with my moms, and simone (aka girls' time)

just the girls

and of course, more private time with the husband. yihee!


i also love our mother-daughter bonding moments....

SOOOO much fun! i really hope we can do it again. Thank you Lord for the perfect trip! :)


and to you simone, we love you. thank you for your love, for making us feel how it is to be parents... and making it a little easier for us...at times. hahaha. God bless you anak :)

The one with bohol 2010 day 1

I'll try to post this in multiple entries so as not to crowd one entry with lotsa pictures.

I MISS BOHOL!

If there's only one thing that we think is the downside of having an out-of-town birthday celebration, it's that we were'nt able to bring the whole family (including titas, titos and cousins) im sure it would have been uber fun!!! but maybe on the next trip ;)

We left Manila at 530am and i was so proud i was able to pack just one, as in one and only luggage for the three of us. i felt so proud, i thought of myself as a very good and wise traveler. haha. i didnt even have to buy one Titan luggage for our things. so that's one big luggage, one bag for me, one backpack for simon (for all our techie stuff) and one portable plastic container for simone's milk bottles. cool!

Simone is the perfect travel buddy. Our prayer was answered and she was soooo behaved during the flight. i really felt that time that she'd grow up to be a stewardess after having to see her how she runs inside the airplane when the seatbelt sign is off, asking for water when the stewardess first time passed by our seat, as if knowing what to say. and i never even had to distract her with anything. when we were off to bohol, i actually tried to divert her attention to the airplanes outside so she would'nt feel the pressure in her ears while taking off. but man, i noticed she did'nt need to be diverted at all. she knew pretty well that we'd be flying off, "with the clouds" and that she even said goodbye to all airplanes still on land. haha. winner!

"i'm reading ma, dont disturb"

simone with all her grannies

I gotta say she was also so behaved since she was with all her grandparents. she felt secured and contented. :)

Landing...

We were greeted at Bohol Beach Club with this...

simon did'nt want to leave the resort anymore. he just wanted to go to the beach, lie down under the sun and relax. i, of course, felt that a bohol trip ain't a bohol trip if we won't be going to places. so i got the ordinary tour from the hotel at 3,400.00 for a whole day trip with driver/tour guide, entrance fees excluded. i thought it was a good deal. we were able to visit chocolate hills, the tarsiers, souvenir shop, loboc river (but since we had to wait for an hour, we were'nt able to do the floating river thing coz we were all super hungry!)

grannies at choco hills...we had to transfer though. everyone's piled up at the good spot. hehe

enjoying the tour! simone walked up the steps for the first half, the other half time???i carried her! gosh!

posing on the rock...literally on the rick. hehe


we had to stop here...super nice kasi. the big, vertical trees had to be included in our album :)

only in bohol...



and since our first day fell on simone's exact bday, we had cake for her during dinner.

i think almost all the guests in BBC that night knew it was her bday. haha. we had to sing the song 4 times, she had to blow her candle four times too. kaloka!

simone just turned 3!

The one with eco-friendlier

The other day, while doing my grocery in SM, i used my eco-friendly bags instead of their plastic bags. It was a conscious effort to bring the bags instead of just using the plastic bags. I felt good having to "save the environment" the little way possible. We also shifted to using recycled papers and buying more organic stuff, organic vegetables, organic soaps, organic shampoos, etc. My dad's Amway products are better alternatives.

I also found out that there are more eco-friendly inks that we can try. i was actually surprised to read about Anilox roll cleaning which are ecologically safe products.

I think it's not an easy transition to be more responsible in taking our part in caring for mother nature. But i'm sure we need not be advocates or members of any eco-groups to do our part. we just have to know where we can contribute the best way we can. :)

The one with being an adult

I, as a mom, feel very democratic (if this is the better word) in raising simone. It is not in my system to tell her what she can't do, can't touch. after all, someone, if not me, is always around to watch her. that's why we do things together like i let her "wash" dishes. by wash it would mean soaking her bottles in water until her shirt is soaked in water as well. I let her cook and stir. I hold her hand while stirring and explain to her that she can only do it when mommy is around. When doing the grocery, I ask her to get the things we need and one time, the cashier even let her hold the ls2208 barcode reader. I let her water our plants, help me feed ross and other things that other kids her age are'nt allowed to do so.

My parenting skills may be a little more than the ordinary and I know that there are certain limitations with the "freedom" we give her. I know that we can't as in never leave her out of sight except when we know that she is totally in a kid-friendly environment. But come to think of it, it's every parent's golden rule to never leave their kid out of sight so i guess it's not really a limitation after all. :)

The one with the navigator

Whenever my husband tells me that i'am the better driver, I always feel blessed that i have a husband who can summon to accept the "feeling" that his wife is better in driving, which normally would not be the case for other couples.

But when he got his new license already (believe me, it took us years before he was able to get his license back...haha) he is able to drive Vin more often and feels more confident driving to places. He downloaded a gps system in his phone that would track where he's heading...it's really cool as it is as accurate as how you would remember the landmarks.

With this, I actually feel more blessed that he's the better driver now and that he navigates our family to a safe journey...literally and figuratively. :)

Simone's top 10 amusing answers

And they say kids say the darndest things...hahaha...

Simone Before turning three...

1. Mom in an almost angry tone: “Simone, ang likot-likot mo naman e. Grrrhhhh”

Simone: “Eh bakit may tiger pa?” (pertaining to the grhhh…haha)

2. Dad while driving: “simone, wag ka nga malikot”

Simone: “Eh happy ako e.”

3. Mom after taking a bath with simone: “Come on let’s go.”

Simone: “No, im doing something e. I’m soaping e.”

4. Simone to mom bidding goodbye: “Eh san ka punta?work? client? AGAIN???”
5. Simone to dad bidding goodbye: “Eh kaw, san ka punta? Office? Ingat ka”
6. Simone to mom when going to party: “Party? Ayoko dun, may clown dun e”
7. Simone to maru after she’s told to stop playing with water : “Ehhh…ate, dun ka sa labas…wash ka ng plate!”
8. Simone to Ross (our dog): “Ross, no! quiet!…galit si Jesus.”
9. Simone to Justin (her younger cousin: “Justin, stop that. Not good yan ha…galit si Jesus”
10. Mom: “simone, we’ll go to the mall later ha”

Simone: “Mall…again?!?!?”

The one with money sense

After our bohol trip, i can't help but give credit to simon and i for having to be able to treat our parents for a vacation. we've always wanted that and knowing that it will make them happy made us more motivated to save up for it. and with that, i'm also proud of the good deals that we were able to get that manages us to save a lot.

1. we got PAL's 777 promo. for a group of 6 adults and 1 kiddo, our 10k flight accommodations is a great catch.
2. i was able to book the hotel last year so i'd be able to avail of their old rates. ;) and i saved a couple of thousands with that.
3. i got the ordinary tour of hotel, renting out the van for the whole day with your driver/tour guide tagged along and we only chose the ones we wanted to go to since we're with older people and we know that they wont be able to stand long walks. so we went to the essentials: chocolate hills, loboc river, and tarsier areas and headed back to the hotel. had we gone with the complete tour, we'd have less time in the beach.
4. we brought light meals for breakfast and coffee packs. ;) our first day allowed us to splurge and indulge ourselves with food from the hotel since our first day is simone's birthday. on our second day, we settled for our "baon" and "ihaw" from restaurants nearby. and our third day, we ate again in the hotel's restaurant. :)
5. i know it's always nice to buy pasalubongs for relatives but we opted not to spend too much on this so we only bought peanut kisses for our siblings :)
6. we saved up for it and paid whatever we can pay so we don't have to cash out that big amount on the day of our vacation. it's like an rv financing, you make an installment so you don't get shocked that you spend a lot already for the trip.

Planning a trip is not easy but whatever it is that will make our parents happy is definitely worth it. So if you can afford or if you can save up for it, i'd advise you to go on a trip with your parents. Even if they are able to afford it on their own, it makes them proud and doubly happy that their children give an effort to do something for them :)

The one with alone time

I never complained that i don't spend much time for myself but i've always dreamed i'd have more time for myself. And God granted it today. I'm here in the mall since lunch time. I forgot my laptop so i could'nt set a meeting with a client. Simon told me, "baka gusto ni Lord mag-spend ka time for yourself". and it struck me that yes, that might be the reason as i'm always, always in front of the computer (like what im doing now..haha) So i asked him to drop me off at Robinson's galleria, decided to get a haircut and a cellophane treatment and then a scalp treatment, then strolled and bought myself a nice top, had my eyebrows trimmed and just had a great time by myself. sarap! It's like i was in a home theater seating, that's how relaxing it was. there'd be times i'll think of calling simone at her grandma's place but decided not to. i really have to learn how to have that "me time" as in not even thinking about my kiddo as i know that she is safe naman.

thank you Lord for this time. seriously, it is the littlest of things that gives life more meaning. :)

Oh by the way, the reason why i had to sit inside an internet shop...coz it's cheaper than me doing shopping! hahaha.

The one with 3-year realizations

Simone just turned three. Feels like it was only months ago when i gave birth to her (yeah, i still carry those pregnancy weight you know, haha) and felt like for me, she will never grow old. I find it fascinating that every year, just weeks before she turns a year older, she will always show signs of developments that will really mark her birthday. Like when she turned two, i remember her memorizing the alphabets by singing it, being able to count 1 to 10. Now that she turned three, she speaks in sentences that drops our jaws and at the same time, makes us emotional once again. she reasons in logic and in sensible ones mind you. One time, she was just so hyper, she kept on moving inside the car and her dad told her in an annoying composed tone "simone, wag ka nga malikot". we were shocked that she answered back with "eh happy ako e." we looked at each other (simon and i) and felt teary-eyed with her answer. it was like, "oh man, she really knows things around her" the common sentence that "kids say the darndest things" what she answered was not darn, it was pure joy. :) and we cant help but wonder how a 3-year old kiddo can know this already and express it.

We love you anak. im not yet ready for you to turn 18, moreso of getting married (i'd need hemorrhoids treatments when that time comes) but one thing is for sure, you are ready to grow up so we'll take it one year at a time. :)

The one with wish it was five years back

When we went to bohol and i saw these women wearing their 2-pc swimsuits, i thought to myself that wish i had the same guts as they have now five years back. haha. I had a slimmer tummy when i was single. as in my waistline was like 27 and had hips like that of a spanish woman (read: big hips) thus more emphasis on the waist. but the weird thing was that i did'nt feel i was "slimmer" at that time. I'd always compare myself with my slim, bone and skin friends and would think that i'd wish i have their bods.

But then, time passed and fast forward, i can only attempt to wear swimsuits with boyleg design. harhar. i still felt sexy but i'd wish my tummy five years ago will be back and that i wont have to drool over sites such as www.topfatburner.net. haha.

The one with just one party

I planned on not accepting parties on the weekend of simone's birthday but i accepted alma's knowing that she's very easy to work with. I'm so glad that her party was a day before simone's and i was able to be there the whole time. I had a great time doing her jungle theme. and as a last party before our bohol trip, this one was a party i enjoyed attending. Flooch had a great show, Queensland caterer served the best food, some of the older people there might need a cholesterol treatment from all the guilt food we all indulged with. haha. there was no party in the morning giving us more time to prepare. love it!

thank you Lord for a wonderful send off thing so i don't have to think of anything else but simone's birthday ;)

The one with bohol birthday

Our trip was perfect! It was everything i prayed for. Great weather, Simone being a perfect travel buddy, our parents who had a fabulous time and kept on wishing we'd come back, great food, white sand, great hotel, good people. We kept on eating to our hearts' content. it's good that the benefits of colon cleansing took place and the dads did'nt feel any pain as effect of possible gout, arthritis or even high blood. haha.

will post a separate entry for this trip. really, really had a great time. thank you Lord!

The one with thinking about it

Now that simone is nearing to her 3rd birthday, i can't help but think at times when we will try for a second baby. As of now, actually, we're planning on starting to try before she turns five but honestly, im not so sure if i'm ready for it. But i know that no one will be ever ready for it. A second surprise is a big blessing but the process of having ot go thru everything, the prenatal vitamins, the check-ups, the leg cramps, the contractions is just the peak of the iceberg. haha.

But im sure when that times comes, God will prepare us for it and I'm sure our family will be doubly happier too :-)

The one with this weekend na

Celebrating birthday out of town is an unusual thing for us but we want to travel more than we used to, we also want to travel with our parents and since we're not throwing a party for simone, this is the best way we can celebrate her birthday. we'll hold a post-birthday celebration when we get back so we can celebrate it with her aunts and uncles too. :)

I have a lot to do's. Check our tickets (im not sure how online ticket works when you get to the airport, do you just use the one you printed from the pc? hehe) i have to call them for that. and i also need to buy new swimsuits for simone, new shorts for daddy and a swimsuit for me too. I also need to strategically think how we would pack simone's bottles, clothes, diapers. i really don't want to carry a lot of stuff for this trip you know.

When going out of town, one must not forget these:
~ camera
~ sunblock
~ to pack light (i wont bring jeans. shorts, leggings, lightweight shirts will do)
~ celphone and chargers
~ hat
~ vitamins (i always notice almost everyone i know who go to outings get sick after the trip, so pack yourself with vitamins, hehe)


Happy 3rd birthday simone! a few days more and you're a year older again. love you!

The one with flying colors

Last night, we hosted our monthly thanksgiving day at our house. Normally, i would order food from shakey's (for pizza) or buy chicken from Andok's. hehe. but i felt like cooking for our family and wanted to show my cooking prowess, if there's any. Later that i realized after buying breakfast steak and lamb chops from rustan's that i found out i don't know what to cook! bwahaha. i immediately texted concon to help me but alas, my limited-sized brain could'nt afford to understand what she was saying. so my menu for the evening were these:

Lamb stew with young corn and quail eggs
bacon and pepperoni lyoner carbonara
beef steak (read: beef tapa)

the first one was my highlight for the dinner. haha. it was music to my ears hearing my mom in law saying that it was delicious and sauce is just perfect. wow. and to my ever critic sisters in law, haha, all of them just cook really good so there was an added pressure. Imagine, I made them eat lamb! im soo happy! they loved it. actually, it's supposed to be adodo-style but i overused the white vinegar, hence, had to add more water and soy sauce and sugar. haha. but the meat is so tender. :) my husband loved it more. he kept on saying how much he appreciated my cooking.

the second one was easy and i had to give credit to my pasta cooking. i can't miss pasta in my menu. but the sauce was creamy i must say and i put loads of bacon into it, that's why they loved it. yey!

the third one was my not so well-done "steak". but they still ate it so i was still happy. simon told me nga, "para may konting flaws naman". hahaha. yeah right!

my mom in law brought chicken curry and that's the one i ate. :) it feels good seeing people appreciate your cooking and eating to their hearts' content. so much better to have you being commented for it. now this is how chefs feel when they are requested to come out of the kitchen so a guest can thank them for a very great meal they just had. haha.

i seldom cook, as in very seldom but this one made its flying colors. :) til my next cooking adventure!

The one with finally

Yeah, i just posted that patience is my waterloo and now that i remember, today is the first payment we made for our baby Vin. gosh, we have him for a month already and this is the first payment we just made. we are actually planning to pay a lump sum amount but our agent advised us that since we're on a loan already, might as well maximize it. im not big in loans, i wanted it to be done as soon as possible so i won't think about it every now and then. that's why we're saving for a house also so we won't have to loan that big amount too and the mortgage insurance rates won't be as high.

The one with a lot to wait for

Patience is not my cup of tea...and they say it's a virtue. hahaha. I just can't wait for a lot of things this month and January felt like forever. seriously, did't you feel like january took off really slow and that it has almost five weeks in the calendar?! hahaha, impatient i know.

so now that february is here already, here's what we are all been waiting for:

~ Simone's 3rd bday - yes we don't have a party for her this year but we'll make sure that she will remember this birthday with our bohol trip. our parents are sooo excited that it makes me excited too. actually, im the type who does'nt want to expect too much so i wont get disappointed too bad as well. but i really hope the grannies will have a great time, if not the best. :) we'll also have a birthday dinner celebration with our families once we get back. isn't it exciting?! :)

~ David Benoit's concert - "david who?" this was my first reaction when simon told me he wanted to watch his concert. and then i learned that he is a great jazz player. the concert is at PICC and we bought tickets already. jun, simon's friend, bought it for us and we'll be on a double date. haha.

~ our 11th anniversary as a couple - i cannot believe that the day after simone's bday will be our 11th anniversary as a couple. yeah, college pa lang kme na. hehe. wow, it's that long already huh? i love you beh! we have'nt anything planned yet for that day since that's our trip back to manila but a nice dinner date will be sweet. hehe. hindi pa napagod sa mga lakwatsa!

here's to february and i hope everyone will have a sweet and fun love month!

The one with Win a Free Boracay package

Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package by WOW Philippines Travel Agency

WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc. is celebrating it's 5th year in business during July of 2010, and we would like you to have a chance to celebrate with us, so we have decided to give-away a FREE Boracay Package complete with 5 Star accommodations at the luxurious Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel on Boracay Island. The lucky winner will win the following Boracay vacation package.

Vacation Package Inclusions:
- 5 Days / 4 Nights Luxury 5 Star Accommodations at the Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel
- Flights to Boracay from Manila to Caticlan Airport on Philippine Airlines
- Island Transfers - Door-to-Door from Manila to the resort and back to Manila
- Three (3) Meals each day, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Boracay Activities - Horseback Riding, Island Hopping, Glass Bottom Boat
- PLUS - 5,000 peso Spending Cash

Read More Information: http://www.boracay-packages.com

The one with making some progress

So yeah, i stopped eating rice, i lessened my iced tea intakes, i do my dance pad routines everyday...i think it's starting to work. bwahaha!

I dont expect that i'd be perfect bod in time for our bohol trip but at least a more decent body would be nicer to have. My mom in law noticed that im starting to have a shape again. hahaha. and i giggled. I think i should continue with my biguerlai tea and really stopped on the sweets.

Hmmm...some muscle milk review can also help daw in losing weight...

The one with how my day went

Yesterday was a pretty usual day. I got off early, dropped off simone to her lola's house and off to my meetings. My first stop was at A.Venue Hall. When i was at the restroom, I saw a group of high school students in their uniform all giggling while they were telling stories of sorts. I instantly remembered how we were also like them, all loud and giggly. While washing hands, I noticed that a girl was pulling the tissue paper from the dispenser endlessly and then throwing it in the trash without even using it. I was with my "what are you doing?! look" and she just stared back and did it again. I could'nt argue anymore, i don't know how many they are outside and they just might get revenge on me or something and i thought to myself..."we were never like that in high school."

After my meetings, I went on with my grocery. I decided to buy some seafood and vegetables since im trying to you know...cut back on the meat. ahehe. while loading the bags to our car, i noticed that it's starting to smell (the seafood) so i tied the plastic bags hoping that it would'nt smell anymore. i even thought of buying a humidifier filter for that one. geez...OA. haha.

The one with a wedding

We have another wedding in the family this year! We're getting more excited even if the wedding is still 11 months away. haha. my sister in law, kookie, found a venue already. such an enchanting garden and last night, she was "presenting" the options they have since they don't want to go overboard with the budget. sooo exciting! im gonna do the styling of the venue for reception and ceremony. my other SIL jane will do the invitation and give-aways. can't wait. actually, jane and i talked about their budget and secretly planned that in case their budget wont suffice, we will pitch in for them. ;) so need to work, work, work! hahaha. i might have to buy some acne products so i wont get all zitty that day. ahehe.

The one with avatar

Hands down...this is one of the best movies i've seen. It's been a long time since i watched a great movie. and by great, i mean a movie that you would'nt mind watching over and over on the big screen. I wanted to watch it again. I wanted to make up for the 2-minute restroom break i had the first time i watched it. i wanted to feel the 3d experience again. Waah, really worth every cent!

The only thing that kept running my mind while watching the movie was "how the heck did they think of this?" i mean, what was running in their minds while making this movie? it's not your usual storyboard, not your usual setting and definitely not your usual characters specially the body frames of the navis that no diet supplement can promise to give you. haha.

I love how the story unfolded. The trailer was simply an understatement of what the movie could offer. And watching it was made me said this... " ahhh..." or "oh that can be possible" or "oh my gosh". Every scene is worth every cent. :) simply the best.

The one with 3rd bday

We won't be throwing a party for simone on her 3rd birthday. hihi. the bohol trip with her grandparents will be our treat for her and we hope to have a good time there. we're packing ourselves with vitamins so we won't get sick. we're trying to "condition" simone with planes and going to places so we won't have a hard time during the trip. I just pray that she won't throw any "flight tantrums". hehe.

The one with match

I've always been fond of matching outfits. I was actually influenced by my good friend, Rhea when she and andie wear matching outfits. I became engrossed with it that even our shoes had to match. There's this "cute" feel that i get when i see a mini me in my daughter and by mini me, i mean literally. :)

My mom in law makes our party outfits that we offer to our clients. And i've been drooling to have her make me lots and lots of matching outfits. So i thought, "why not make this to a business?" Oh yes, we're leveling up our outfits and expanding to a casual line of clothing for moms and daughter/son and dads and son/daughter! wohoo! What actually will set up apart from others (although there are just a few who do this) is that we'll have more variety of choices and that we won't limit our lines to same gender matching outfits. we'll have something for dads and their daughters and moms and their sons. We'd also be RTW for this one but we can also customize, but on a different rate. I'm just so excited for this that i've started my weight loss exercise program so i'd pass for a model, together with simone. :)

Please support us with this one! We'll update you soon of our progress. :)

The one with a month to go

We're all excited for our bohol trip next month. I've been looking for some bath suits that i can bravely wear for that trip but everything seems to look odd on me. haha. I really need to find diets that work for me. I actually started on biguerlai last week but can't drink it regularly since i have to consider my going out and meet ups the following day each time i take biguerlai. but it's promising, in fairness. i never miss my number 2s 12 hours after i drink the tea. :) i just hope it's as effective. :)

The one with hating motorcycles

They really get to my nerves. Either they drive and pass thru needle-like lanes and speed up when they think they've swerved so bad, they almost hit the cars. And worse is you can't run after them since you can't do what they can do. One time, a motorcyle driver swerved on our lane and i knew he was so close to getting hit from our car. My husband honked furiously and you know what? the guy stopped right in front of us...just like that. he stopped for no reason at all. he just wants to piss off my husband and we can't do anything coz we cant speed up as much as he did when he drove again. grrrhh...

Another incident, our friend who is a motorcycle driver met an accident too. He was hospitalized for days and seeing his pictures in FB, he was gravely affected. Im not sure if there's a motorcycle accident attorney who could help him file a case against the one who hit him. I actually dont know the whole story. I don't even know if our friend is a fast driver and someone like those whom i hate. ahehe. but one thing is for sure, i really dont like motorcycles.

The one with a lot to blog

It's 1am in the morning. I don't want to sleep yet as my mind feels like documenting a lot of things and is commanding my fingers to type whatever i think of. I have a list of my to-do blog articles and here's a rundown of some:

~ our life in 2009 - what basically transpired and a summary of what happened during the year that passed

~ our disney on ice pics - first time to watch it. simone's experience of it and many realizations related to us watching it

~ plans for partyboosters and dresscode businesses (sooo excited!)

~ our travel plans for this year (yipee!)

~ simone's 3rd bday :)


which of this will i blog about first??? let's see...

The one with a new member

I'am bursting your bubble if you're thinking that a bun is on its way...hahaha...

We got our first blessing last December 28, just right after christmas and before new year. what a way to welcome the year. we are so thankful that God gave us this blessing for us to be able to expand our business and be able to learn how to be good stewards of His blessings too. :)

We prayed about this for quite some time, had some doubts, anxieties and all other mixed emotions. But we ended up feeling more excited and confident that this new step is a good one for our family. It may be just a material blessing but it holds true that this is a step of faith.

Thank you Lord. Welcome to the family, Vin! :)

On the other hand, we had to bid goodbye to our old car. When we handed him over to his new boss, i really felt sad but keeping him will be really impractical for us. I even talked to him while i was driving him for the last time and i thanked him for the service he provided for us. i know that it sounds crazy but Excellent was our car when we started partyboosters and he drove me to all my parties and carried all our party items, despite of his old age and sedan make. i thought i'd get those online life insurance already since we'd drive him anywhere and everywhere without making sure that the car is ready for long trips. but he never failed me so he was still the best :)

The one with the 36-second headshots

When i get to bloghop, i always see my balloon set-ups and other party items availed from us from my clients' blogs, sites, etc. But seeing my own picture taken during a client's party takes it to a whole new level. hahaha. got so psyched seeing the pics posted by Ging Lorenzo (one of my favorite photographers) in her blog. thanks ging! super nice pics talaga. a teaser for everyone...hihi...

more pics in her site. this will really go to my FB. haha. im just waiting for her email.

The one with just her

no matter how i try to be in denial that you are becoming of a little girl and leaving your babyish life, i simply won't be able to stop it. and here are some proofs of why not stopping it is something to always look forward to. i love you simone!

Christmas 2009

I still can't believe that christmas is over. i wish everyday is christmas. hehe. as simone grows older, she's enjoying the holidays more than the previous years. she appreciates more the gifts that she got, she sings christmas songs now, she gives food and/or money to christmas carolers, and she's just as excited to spend more time with mommy and daddy. we got more pictures this year and here are some:

first stop: the fermins. since we live near to both our families (which we really prefer), it's easy for us to spend the christmas eve with both of them. we decided to forego with our own set of full christmas meal and prepared just a simple menu this year since we'd always pig ourselves out when we come over to our parents' houses.

simone's hands were at the back of her grannies. man, she really knows her way to the camera?! as in she hugged her grannies para nga naman maganda sa pic. hahaha. i wish there were Dolan designs light to make this picture more clear.

sa amin naman sya hindi tumingin. hahaha.

strutting her fingers on the piano. cool.

and then clapping to her own performance...

next stop: the tans. :) my sisters in law paraded their own specialties and i'm so proud of them, they're all good cooks!

achie always gives the best gifts for simone. it will always be something that simone does'nt have yet and turns out that simone will really like it. this magnetic board, simple but simone loooves this so much. and napaisip nga ako why i did'nt buy one like this way before pa. hehehe.

we were'nt able to take more family pics where we were at the Tans but nonetheless, we had so much fun. :) we had a christmas party, as in with games, raffle and exchange gifts. so much fun having to see justin and simone played "stop-dance". cuteness!

Merry christmas everyone!

The one with row 4

Time flies so fast...yeah we all say that all the time but you know, it really does fly so fast. We celebrated our 4th anniversary last december 22 and can't help but be amazed that we are on our 4th year. Feeling ko lang kasi talaga newlyweds pa rin kami eh. haha. seriously!

We also wondered and realized that as we get to celebrate our anniversary every year, we receive lesser greetings each year. haha. not that we have less friends than before but i guess christmas season is so near that you'd forget any event "not related" to you and/or people just forget. haha. but what's more important is that we never forget to spend it together. :)

We spent our day with Simone. It's my first official holiday break and we headed to the mall to have family bonding time. we spent the day shopping! hahaha. we bought gifts for our families, ate and just had some good christmas-anniversary date :)

I got another LC bag this year. Well, our gifts for each other would always make a christmas/anniv gift. actually, i was teasing simon to buy me matching bag and wallet this time. he was the one who chose the design which was good and at the same time made me a little worried that i might not like the design. hahaha. im sorry, guys are guys! what do they know about bags?! but it came as a surprise that he picked a very good one. nice beh!

thank you for all those four years of marital bliss. and when i say bliss...it really does feel like it.

thank you for always making me feel like i'm still holding my wedding bouquet. i love you...

The one with a new year

Happy new year!!!

I've got lots of great stories to share and pictures to post. i hope to get to update you guys with everything. It's a good 2010 and let's declare that this year will be a prosperous, healthy, and joyous year for all of us. :)

I plan to give a quick 2009 summary of our family. it would be nice to reminisce what transpired over the year: how simone has grown a year older, how i turned the big 3-0, how our families get together every month, and so much more. will post something about that later.

in the meantime, im working on compiling the pictures i'd like to post here and share with you. i was browsing over some picture albums and can't help but wonder why my pics five years ago looked like i just availed a college student loan or scholarship and that i looked so innocently angelic. hahha, that's an over-statement. and now, im so fat, i look older than my age. well, that's what i think...hmmm...