The One With Praying For A Complete Healing

I am happy that my father in law is now home, albeit conditionally. He was hospitalized for prostate gland problems last week and the threat of an operation is still hanging over our heads till now. But we’re all praying for his complete healing and hoping that come next week, when he’ll be examined again for any improvement, he’ll be declared fit and as good as new by his doctors.

And now that he’s home, I hope the heat won’t get in the way of his full recovery. Because it’s really hot these days. I don’t think it’s ever been this hot in Manila before. And I can’t imagine it getting even hotter like the Weather Bureau said it will. And I hope that everything will come back to normal ‘coz it feels really weird these days. We weren’t able to celebrate Simon’s birthday in a swimming trip with the family and for years, it’s been a sort of tradition to go swimming on his birthday. So, it’s a no celebration and a worrisome summer for us this year (I know summer means more excuses for you to go on island vacation and coat yourself with Curacao jewelry and fancy beads). But I have great faith that it will be better next year. He hasn’t failed us yet.

The One With The Multiply Site

I think part of the success of Party Boosters, especially during the early days when I was still starting, came from all the networking advertisements I got from my website in Multiply. It gave me some of my first clients and continues to give me clients and referrals from satisfied clients to this day. The best part is, it’s all free! Ya, so I guess I can’t really complain when I’m having difficulty uploading pictures rather frequently lately. It’s annoying and makes me just wanna get a bluehost hosting sometimes. But, ya it’s free so what can I say?

Well, at least now you know why when you haven’t seen any new photos in my site for a while.

The One With The Warmest Congratulations

My warmest congratulations to the royal couple who were wed yesterday at Westminster Abbey, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine! The whole country watched their wedding live yesterday, and it’s still on the news today. Even their love story was aired earlier, showing Kate in a mount with an english riding boots and Prince William with her in one of the scenes.

It was a beautiful wedding and I know that my friends from the wedding industry are all having a field day drawing inspirations and ideas from the wedding of the century.  Don’t you just love weddings?

The one with missing this

Yes, I'am totally missing my blogs soo much! I've a lot of updates to share, happenings here and there, parties to blog about but i can't seem to collect my brain cells to write about everything.  I've often feel the "oh-i-want-to-blog-this-moment" and i just wish that once i think about wanting to blog about something, it will just magically type on its own...without me on the computer. seriously, i would want that. hahaha.

To start off my summer kwento, let me just share with you that i got myself a new summer hair! wohoo!  I used my beeconomic coupon at david's salon and got myself into something like this, taken at Tagaytay with the families :)

 

oopps, i realized i have'nt taken a pic of myself yet so just indulge yourself with this pic. haha. :)

I'am so loving my short hair. I thought i'd regret cutting my long, dry, damaged, brown hair (so not meant keeping it that long) but it turned out, i got my old waves and even if it's just wash and wear hairdo, the waves and curls stay in place. :) plus, it's soo much cooler and lighter. yey! my friends and family loved it too, said the hair made me more "modernized" and younger. ahehe. ;)

I'll try to post stories separately, according to how the days went by... how we spent holy week, our couple's vanity day (super enjoyed this one!), preparing for simon's bday, 40 days of love with friends, simone's preschooling hunt, my GM diet...and soo much more!!! Oh and there's the royal wedding of course that iam so looking forward to watching on tv.  i even wanted to collect stuff form their wedding, like the custom challenge coin, the mug, and the stamp. so want to have that stamp! ;)

very controversial stamp. haha.

Off to bed first, long day tomorrow for an out-of-town event. :) this week is loaded with events, even on weekdays! thank you Lord! :)

The one with hexagon water

My dad in law introduced hexagon water alkaline generator to us and we bought a pair of magnet first to try it on.  Simon put it in the kitchen sink faucet and there are really changes that are beneficial.  Here are some information about hexagon water:

Most people can prevent diseases only by drinking water correctly.
~ according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Our body is made up of 70% water.
• More than 80% of serious illnesses can be cured by water.
Hexagon Magnetic Water Generator at Home
Turn your ordinary water into hexagon water and use the water in:
• cooking
• in your kitchen
• bathroom
• laundry
• and more …
Features:
• KITCHEN Hexagon Water
• With hexagon water generator, you can wash dishes without using soap detergent. It will leave your utensils clean.
• Kitchen utensils will be free from residual soap detergent. Residual soap may give unhealthy effect to your body system.
• BATHROOM Hexagon Water
o You can wash your hair without using hair conditioner. It will leave your hair healthy and smooth.
o It can make your skin more smoother.
o It can improved skin conditions like eczema and other unhealthy skin conditions.
• LAUNDRY Hexagon Water
o By only using 1/3 the amount of water than usual, you can wash the laundry efficiently.
o The molecules of hexagon water can penetrate faster into clothes.
o It can soften your clothes and eliminates body odor.
• FOOD / COOKING Hexagon Water
• After washing with hexagon water, vegetables freshness will last longer.
• AND MORE
• Brush your teeth with hexagon water, it removes plaque.
Hexagon Magnetic Water Generator at the Water Refilling Station
• OUTLET
o Install after the series of filtration systems, at the final outlet faucet,
o The Magnetic Hexagon Water Generator will produce a consistent Pure, Ionized, Oxygenated, Magnetized, Alkaline (pH 7.96), Hexagonal Water
o Ideal for -
o cooking,
o drinking,
o cleansing and
o detoxification
o Added value to your business
o Added value for your valued customers
o And huge savings in overhead costs.
HEXAGON MAGNETIC GENERATOR’S FEATURES
By a single installation, it meets all needs of water:
• Scale removal,
• Disinfection,
• Steriliztion, and
• Purification.

So if you're interested, please leave a comment and i'll get back to you. thanks!

The one with shop talk : SM shoes

I went to SM the other day and got excited that their new collection of shoes are just great!!! The algeria shoes i wanted before was nothing to these comfortable and really chic shoes and because of this, i'm starting to love Parisian shoes again. :)  The zebra printed pumps that i saw (black and white is my favorite lately) is to die for. i'm just so sad they don't have my size. huhu. i was trying to convince myself that it's okay to wear shoes a size bigger than your actual size, just so i can buy the shoes. hahaha. And there's this floral printed wedge shoes that i saw.  they look so girly and perfect for the summer.

Hmm, blogging about it makes me want to go to SM taytay today. hahaha.  Oh and the best part is there's a sale today. 

Go check out Parisian shoes and let me know what you think alright? I took some pictures of the shoes i was referring to but for some reasons, i can't upload them now here. :(

The one with lesson 8

Lesson 8 of our CFA reading program and simone learned to read through sounds. I'am soooo proud!!! I got teary-eyed while hearing her read the words, "mass", "me", "mat", etc. Simone started reading at a young age but it's more through association method.  But now that she is really learning how to read on her own, i could'nt be more proud. 

I love that my March was not so erratic in schedule.  Simon was happier that I was able to spend even more time at home (although my work now entails more quality time rather than when i was an employee) and that he always reminds me that i'm in a better position because now, i always have a choice -- a choice to accept more clients or decline some when body says slow down. :) well, that's a different topic. haha.  He'd always tell me to delegate, make life easier.  If you have to hire a stay-out maid, do it.  If you have to get a Miele vacuum cleaner just so cleaning would cut me half the time, buy! So when I got to spend more time with simone just playing, reading, or whatever she likes to do, i'm so happy that she loves spending time with me too. :)

Thanks baby! More lessons to come! i just hope i'd be a good teacher. :)

The one with parenting

I've been thinking of how to put a title for this entry but i can't put my thought to my mouth.  I've been following several celebrity news lately and i was shocked to hear about katie holmes and suri's "unusual" gummy candies that brought such a big controversy.  They went to this super pricey ice cream restaurant (Serendipity)and Suri saw these weird-looking gummy candies (candies shaped to male private parts).  She grabbed the box and started opening it and some paparazzis just took pictures and made it to their headlines.  Katie Holmes explained it on Ellen's show but personally, i did'nt buy her excuse of it.  Her reason was that she did'nt want Suri to ask about it coz she's not ready to answer suri's questions.  I personally would have used a white lie as a method or "because-i-told-you-so excuse" of parents when we can't seem to answer their never ending questions.  i myself could'nt imagine eating a candy shaped into a male private part, moreso for my kid.

Lesson:  Paparazzis, please please leave them alone. haha. i thought the katherine heigl smoking an ecig photo before or vanessa hudgens' nude photos would be enough, i was'nt prepared for this news. hahaha. Lesson 2: Serendipity restaurant, for the love of God, you're a wholesome restaurant where kids fascinate your ice creams and sweets. stop selling these candies!

The One With Badly Needed To Relax

With all the things that's happened in my life lately, taking a break never sounded so good! I'm so looking forward to some salon visits to loosen up, unwind and just get a breather. Being in a sick room -- even if I wasn't the one sick-- can be depressing at times, and I can't tell you enough how my parents getting sick has affected me so much.

But since it's Friday(oh no!) and the weekend is approaching, I just can't think about those right now. As they say, whatever you're feeling, you have to get up, dress up and show up. Life goes on and I have to think about my uber hectic weekend of executing successful birthday parties!

It's probably good that my sisters-in-law and I are up for another girls day out, because the way things are going, even a book with a subject as miserable as funeral planning could look really attractive to me. Anything to get some me-time! Hahaha!

If I sound desperate enough, Simon may even take pity and shower me with surprises. Right?!

The One With Hospital Hopping

It was one heck of a day that day my dad was hospitalized and diagnosed for a gallbladder operation. Would you believe I rushed my mom to a hospital before I had to go home and rush to another again, with my dad? I can't believe it either. What are the odds, huh?

It was an emotionally draining day and one that I would rather forget. I'd take the burden of directing simultaneous birthday parties any day than that kind of pressure. I'd take the pressure of any job, for that matter, even merchandising jobs with sales quota. I just hate it when my parents are sick.

My mom is better now, like my dad. I just hope I'll get over the fright they gave me very soon as well.

The One With Happy For God's Healing

I can't bear it when my parents are sick. I know it's normal for people to get sick every so often. And I know that aging is almost always synonymous with sickness knocking at the door more often, but I just don't understand how one in good physical shape, living a healthy lifestyle, could suddenly fall ill.

My dad recently got operated because of stones in his gallbladder. And everything came as a surprise for all of us, especially because my dad never had any vice, not alcohol nor cigarettes. He doesn't drink and he doesn't smoke, whether it's cheap backwoods cigars or not. The only vice he ever had, to the best of my knowledge, was eating to his heart's content. So now eating too much is off his list too.

I'm just so glad that he's better now and out of the hospital.

The one with machete

Scene: daddy comes home from work, takes off his pants and polo leaving his undies on while checking which to wear.

Simone in a shocking tone: "Nyeh! naka-machete ka na naman daddy...eto suot mo to!"

hahaha...as in LOL!

The one with reading program

I was able to get a hold of CFA reading program (thanks to my good friend, clarice) and we had our first day just today.  I must say Simone enjoyed it so far.  I really love that she's so into books and reading.  She just loves flashing her collection of books and would always pick one and give it to me or her dad so we can read it to her.  The CFA reading program comes with writing activity to coincide with the reading lessons.  But in one sitting, we were able to do four lessons from the writing activity.  It was only after the fourth lesson that i realized that the two should be learned one after the other. :)

Good luck to our reading program! :)

The One With A Happy Bithday!

Last Sunday, my mother in law celebrated her birthday at Mom and Tina's Bakery and Cafe. It was just an intimate, family celebration to thank the Lord for another year. It was a happy dinner celebration and we all had a good time, even though one of my sister in law, Mercy, was unable to attend. Life concerns are making her busy these days. She's looking into foodcart franchises. I just hope she finds the right business for her.

Anyway, there's nothing like spending quality time with your loved ones and being around the whole family. I'm happy that Simone knows her roots and gets to enjoy the feeling of belonging in a family she can call her own. I know it's good for her emotional development.

Simone definitely enjoyed being around her lola and popsy. I'll make a follow-up post and post some pictures too next time when I'm not so busy :)

Again, Happy Birthday Mommy!

The One With Ready For A Fun Run!

Maybe. Hehe. But now that I've decided to start running again, there's no reason why I shouldn't join a fun run if I can.

Anyway, there's an upcoming Family Fun Run happening on April 3, 2011 at the Manila Ocean Park. The event is being sponsored by the Good Housekeeping. If you aren't doing anything on that day, why not join and bring along your dog too? You can register at the R.O.X. Boni High Street until March 28.

Have fun! And remember to make sure you bring your family's emergency kit too, just in case you know. It's a shame we don't have SSDI here in the Philippines, 'coz that I think is "being responsible" in a higher level.

The one with yet another try

I stopped jogging/running for over a month now.  I started eating rice yet again.  But it does'nt mean that i'm giving up on losing weight and trimming the extra pounds.  It just means that i'm making another try to make this work again.  I just bought deals from ensogo.com.ph and cashcashpinoy.com of RF treatments for contouring waist and arms.  I just hope it will be effective and i'd be able to maintain it.  I've also decided to start running again.  Running makes me feel more alive.  It makes my body feel lighter and stronger.  So everything deserves a second chance.  I think the only thing i have'nt tried is taking adapexin-p tablets.  They say it's really safe and effective but i'm not yet on the verge...not yet so considering that option would have to park somewhere else.

Let's go! It's never too late...

The one with the Big reveal

Okay, let's park the stories of my life for a while and talk about someone else's.  The other day, Morning Rushers Chico and Del had a BIG reveal.  The big reveal started when they told on air, in passing, that they will make an announcement on the said date and that listeners have to stay tune at 9am.  Little did they know that everyone made speculations and created an internet buzz about the whole big reveal thing.  I can consider myself a morning rusher too but i missed this one.  I found out about it the day after (well, it not that late you know) and was shocked but happy to know that Del is finally boarding motherhood! This is one of the best reporting tools they did and it was very effective.  Chico, himself, got so affected he caught a fever the day before the announcement. hahaha.

Congratulations Del!!! (feeling close naman ako?!)

The one with a dip

Last monday, after our visit to jannet's, simon asked me if i wanted to swim at club manila east. well, of course, i would'nt want to miss it as it would be a fun way to jumpstart summer. :)  We hurriedly prepared our things and in a span of 30 minutes, we were good to go.  haha. we picked up justin and skokie so it would be doubly fun.

When we reached CME, we were shocked that the resort will close in an hour so we had to go somewhere else or we'd end up being disappointed that the much-awaited water experience will end up in a tub. haha.  Even if the weighing scales are telling me that i did'nt lose weight, i did'nt really care.  all i wanted was to swim.

So we tried village east clubhouse and was surprised that the pool is closed for cleaning. look at the chances?! we could'nt go home without chlorine-smelling hair so we tried again and we ended up with casanjo resort. haha. it's a small pool resort in a village in front of our parent's village. funny. We were so desperate, we'd settle with casanjo. hahaha. but it was a fun, instant water experience for us and the kids.  Simone had fun.  I told you, she has always been a water baby so even if it was a gloomy day and it even rained, she really did'nt mind. :)

swimming buddies -- simone and justin, moi and skokie :) (simon and jason not in pic)

The one with money sense

Ever since Simone learned the concept of money (i think she learned this from me), we taught her the value of saving and how fun and easy it is.  We gave her a teddy bear coin bank and everytime we come home, she'll check if we have coins in our pockets and if there is any, she'll put it right away in her coin bank.  after over a year of the saving habit, the coin bank is almost full.  At first, i was thinking of adding this to her bank account but a part of me wants to put it in to the "next destination trip" this June.  We are bracing ourselves for more expenses for this trip as we are travelling with both our parents (simon's and my folks).  Of course, travelling with them would mean that we don't intend to make them worry of their expenses...and that's the most challenging part. hahaha. But I'm sure everything will fall into place and the resources will come. :)

Since the first quarter too is finally closing, im being reminded of the car insurance and simon's health insurance that we need to settle too.  I read in an auto insurance blog that once i received my bill for the renewal of the car insurance, i have to settle it immediately so i won't be charged with penalties and stuff.  Well, we've set aside something for that already so i just hope it will be replenished soon. haha. 

I've always feared bills specially the ones in the form of credit cards.  At one point in our lives, we found ourselves wondering how our debts went that big without our knowledge and how paying for it took forever that it became so traumatic.  We still have our credit cards now but we vowed to settle full amount once the bill arrives our mail.  It's hard work to keep it that way but it's way, way better than we were when we can actually see our hard-earned money going to the drains of these credit cards.

It really amazes me how God works over our lives, specially in this aspect.  I did'nt bother to understand how He provides but He really does.  All our actions and plans are all leaps of faith and it feels more secured that way, knowing that someone Greater than any financial plan, investments and wealth, holds your future and that you don't have to worry about anything.  We're not rich people, but I know that God is paving our way for richness.  I know that He will be spoiling us with His richness, more than our heart's desires. :)

Thank you Lord :)

The One With Just For Fun!

When you're getting older, you get a different perspective in life. For instance, you think about your health and your lifestyle more than anything. You gained more wisdom and are more wiser. Anyways, I was just thinking about more ways to get fit and be healthy and how easy losing weight was when I was younger. And then I came up with other things that are different when one becomes older. Hope you'll all have a good laugh whether you're in the young or in the old group :)


THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE YOUNG AND THE OLD


The young ones watch Hannah Montana.
               The old watches Joe Montana.

The young thinks about shopping with their credit cards.
               The old thinks about short term health insuranc NC cards.

The young can't stand the old.
               The old can't stand the young.

The young likes kissing frogs.
               The old wishes they hadn't kissed that frog.

The young shaves their head off for fashion.
               The old goes bald without their consent.

The young plays hard till they pass out.
                The old pass out after playing hard.

The young can bust a move.
               The old ones often bust a hip.


You know any more difference? Feel free to leave them in the comments!

The One With More Benefits

True, I am so blessed with wonderful friends that I knew since childhood, but I'm also blessed with dependable and loyal staff of Party Boosters. They are there whenever I need them, albeit in exchange of money as compensation :D Still, I could rely on them to deliver, not just my own expectations of a good job, but also the expectations of a client.

As an employer, I do what I could to make them happy and pay them accordingly. Sometimes, I even think about giving them more benefits like emergency medical assistance. Two years ago, I started giving them Christmas Parties to give them something to look forward to every year. I know that in time, I'll be able to give them more perks to enjoy. All in good time :)

The One With Summer Is Here!

I wish there's winter in the Philippines. After our HK vacation, I felt like the heat was suffocating me, and it didn't help that summer was already approaching when we arrived. I must have gotten used to the cold in HK where even the biting wind was as sharp as a band saw blades. And I'm not alone, mind you. Simon, in fact, requested we spend one day in a swimming resort! And so we did :) [more kwentos and pictures to follow!]

So, March is here and Summer has arrived! I am so looking forward to more quality time with family and friends and adventures in the sea (or a pool, hehe!)! Welcome summer!

The one with blessing: friendship

If I have to enumerate God's greatest blessings in my life: one of those to make it to top 5 will be my friends.  I have been enormously blessed with such great friends. I don't have that many friends but according to my mom, i should feel blessed that i found treasures in them. 

I met up with one of my bestfriends, naan, yesterday and we just had coffee and talked for hours.  we never get tired of talking and updating our lives.  First, we talked about businesses and possible ventures.  I love that she's enjoying the small projects that we work on together. :) The hp printers she bought paid off as she can print her projects and earn extra income.  I'am soo happy and proud for her that she is now taking her first steps to her new journey in life and i'm just so excited for her.

Then last monday we visited jannet.  We've been missing her badly and i'm just glad we were able to spend more time with her.  I just hope we'd be able to see her more often. :)

And then there's Jill, whom i'll be forever thankful for being such a great travel buddy when we went to hk-macau.  Jon and Jill made our trip much easier and more fun, being extra hands to take care of everything else. Thank you so much!

Jill, Naan, and Jannet; -- thank you for the gift of friendship...from childhood to forever... :)

love you girls!

The one with the after shock

I did'nt bother to figure out how and where i got my strength the week we went on a vacation and the weekend after that.  I found myself fully booked the weekend after our trip, as in the day that we arrived, i found myself preparing logistics and making sure that everything was in place.  I did'nt have the "vacation after a vacation" time.  And then came sunday which was simone's party.  My mom was wondering how come i'm still energetic for everything, as if i don't run out of gas.

And when monday came, that's when everything hit me...the stress, lack of sleep, whole body pain, clogged nose, headache. I did'nt want to get out of bed.  I wanted to hire a home massage service that day but for some reasons which i dont know, we were'nt able to do so.  So my dear husband massaged me and it was a really good massage. did i ever tell you that he massages so good, it's like he enrolled himself to a massage therapy program after that massage, i really felt good and refreshed. I slept a little longer and when i woke up, i felt much, much better.

Thanks beh!

The one with turning 4

We threw her a party when she turned one, gave here a simple celebration with family and checked in at a hotel when she turned two, went to bohol with her grandparents when she turned three...and now that she turned four, we brought her to Disneyland on her birthday and when we got back from the trip, we threw a simple, intimate party for her with family and close friends.  All i could say is "anak, i hope you know how much we love you." hahaha

But seriously, I tipped my hat off to dear husband for agreeing with all my requests wishes kaluhuan in life. hahaha. Actually, I got excited when he still agreed to throw a simple party for simone.  He gave me a ceiling amount and any peso higher than that amount will not be accepted as a budget for the said party. hahaha. I made some computation and because my job (which i sooo love!) entails me to enjoy fringe benefits such as free cake, free entertainment, all i had to pay was the food and the prizes for the games. wohoo!

Venue: shakey's restaurant ortigas extension
thanks to my sister in law, jane, for discovering this venue.  for a minimum of 30 pax, we can get the venue (albeit small) exclusively for us.  this was the same venue we used when justin turned three and the same venue when we held our christmas party for partyboosters' team.

cake: emily uy of sugarbox
http://ilovesugarbox.com
what more can i say?! our cake supplier during our wedding turned to become a good friend and i love that we now share the same clients, events, and i really treasure our friendship. we may not see each other often but i'm so glad i found a friend in the party industry thru her form :) love you mare!

magician/balloon twister/ventriloquist: butch gonzales
butch has been my ever-reliable host/magician and i thank him so much for granting my requests (first, for the christmas party of seeds of hope and now, for simone's party) he keeps on spoiling me and everything is just probono. :) thanks so much dear!

butch with ate maru as chosen participant :)

cupcakes and candy buffet: jane of sweetbite and achie
http://sweetbite.multiply.com
I love my sisters-in-law. They are always supportive and very willing to help me out on anything.  And my sis in law has a new venture...the candy buffet! and i hope we'd be able to pull this off... thanks again sisses!

prizes: achie
I just gave her the amount to spend for the prizes and that's it, she bought everything already. thanks achie! muah!

simone waving to her grannies while the happy bday song was playing :)

the blancos with mommy rhea

cheska, simone's favorite doll

tito nap with andie. super thank you nap for the wonderful pics!

mommies with our kiddos... from brides to mommies

Happy 4th birthday Francesca Simone! we love you anak :)

The one with 4th bday trip -- 2nd part

Day 3

We transferred to Lee garden guest house at Cameron Road and 3rd day was more like a free day.  We strolled on the nearby streets.  The husbands got tired easily and stayed on the guest house for the rest of the evening.  Jill and I wanted to check out Mongkok's ladies night market.  So we went there by ourselves.  Mongkok is two train stations away from Tsim sha tsui.  But much to our dismay, prices and items found in the ladies' night market can also be found in greenhills "tiangges" (small stores) at much lower prices.  We were so disappointed.  We did'nt even find nice women's hats nor bonnets there.  but just to appease myself, i bought a bag and a couple of fans for my in-laws.

The next day was our trip to Ocean Park.  Personally, it was okay but i guess after disneyland, the trip's highlight ended already. hahaha. But Simone enjoyed it because she saw jellyfishes, sharks, dolphins, panda bears in person. :) we watched shows here too, and none of the rides. ahehe. But Simone played some arcade games there.

After our ocean park adventure, we rode back to tsim sha tsui station via shuttle bus of ocean park.  then, we went to harbour city while jill and jon went to tung chung to buy a bag for jacqui (jill's sister).  i enjoyed the harbour city stroll as it was a feast for the eyes seeing all the branded and designer stuff, all there! i even went inside louis vuitton store.  My eyes feasted on all the LV items inside the store. It was a big store and i loved everything there. hahaha. How i wish i could go out the store with a bag on my arm. haha. All in God's time...be patient...

When we went back to the guest house, Jill and Jon were there already so we got our bags and rode the ferry again back to macau.  We stayed another night at Kuya Obet's house.  The following day was more of our macau day which was our last day.  We went to San Malong (?), shopped for some clothes, went to buy pasalubongs for our families and visited Venetian.  I sooo love Venetian! too bad, an overnight stay there cost about 12k (off-peak). I hope next time we'd be able to stay there too. hahaha. But going there and strolling around was more than enough. 

On our plane ride back to Manila, Simone hugged and kissed me then said, "mommy thank you ha. enjoy ako" then she did the same thing to simon. everything was so worth it after that moment.  All the money we saved for it, the time we spent for the trip and the efforts were more than enough. Thank you Simone.

More stories and pictures to follow. :)

The one with 4th bday trip

I don't think i'd be able to finish blogging about our trip but i wanted to start right away as i might be able to forget some of the things i wanted to share.  While i was doing my own research about our trip, i could'nt find any blog about their travel experiences in hongkong-macau so i did'nt get much information about experiential posts.  I hope this will help out moms and other families plan their trip better.  I'll try to post pictures in between. :)

Date of trip: Feb 20, 2011 10pm to Feb 24, 2011 10:30pm
Destination: Manila to Macau
                  HK-Macau (via ferry)
                  Macau to Manila
Weather: Macau (11 deg celsius) and HK (15 to 16 deg celsius)
Travel buddies: Jon and Jill Ramos (our barkada); Simon and Simone (4yo)

Packing

I first bought a big luggage thinking that it will be more practical to just have one luggage for all of us three.  I bought a black and white polka dots luggage so i could easily find it.  And it was indeed easy to find.  It was only a medium luggage but when i tried putting everything inside, Simon could'nt carry it already.  Then i talked to Jill and she told me not to bring a big luggage that you can't carry as we will be travelling and transferring to places.  We divided our stuff and got a smaller luggage and kept the black and white polka dots luggage.  It's a good thing i listened.
TIP:  bring smaller luggages.  Something with 4 wheels is better.  Buy those printed ones or colored ones if you can.  Sometimes putting a ribbon or a tag is not enough.

Simone is a very good travel buddy.  We are blessed to have a very behaved kid traveler.  But before our flight, we brought a netbook, her favorite barbie doll and some chocolates -- all her favorite stuff so we'd get to distract her when she feels uncomfortable.  But thank goodness, we did'nt need to use any of those as she was so behaved, she felt she was a stewardess, walking to and fro.

TIP: bring a netbook.  it has been very useful during dull time.  simon uploaded simone's favorite movies there.  we were able to watch tangled three times. hahaha.

I only brought two feeding bottles, milk dispenser, and a bottle of water.  I did'nt bring a sterilizer.  I only used hot water to sterilize her bottles.  What i did was to wash the bottle with hot water right after her milk time and then put water that she'd drink right away.  That way, i dont have to wash it with soap.  



Our arrival in Macau was Feb 20 in the evening.  We took a cab going to our friend’s brother who was so gracious enough to accommodate us and offer their house for us to stay in. thank you kuya obet and ate irma! It was sooo cold with about 12 deg weather. We filled out the form of the immigration department.  It’s a blue form, carbonized.

TIP: always save your passport number, date of issue and place in your celphone so you don’t have to get your passports everytime you fill them out.  Once you’re done with immigration, NEVER lose the carbonized form as you will present it again when you leave the country J

TIP: my husband and simone easily get colds so I made sure I bought thermals for them.the ones I bought in greenhills at 450 per set (top and bottom) were maximized during our stay there. J

The following day, we rode a ferry at 1130am going to HK.  Since we had two destinations (macau and hk), we decided to just bring the ones we’re gonna use for hk.  So we settled with a smaller bag and our shoulder bags.  The ferry ride was more like 700 pesos each. We decided to book the macau flight since we wanted to hit two birds in one stone and maximize the trip and it still came out cheaper when we book it via macau plus ferry than booking straight to hongkong J the ferry ride was a good 1.5 hours. We then took a cab going straight to Hollywood hotel.  The cab cost about 250HKD. It’s costly I know but since we had a lot on our hands, we decided to take it…plus we don’t know anything about going there.

TIP:  the taxi cab drivers in hk and macau are fast drivers…as in! average is like 60kph. Haha. They also charge 5hkd for every bag that you put in their trunk. So if you can fit it inside the car, you can do so and you’ll save 5hkd more J

We booked the hotel online so we don’t have to pay anything at all.  We got the garden view room of Hollywood hotel for 1,486 hkd.  Apparently, upon checking in, the rates were subject to increase. When I asked the reason why I needed to pay addl 93 hkd, they could’nt give me a straight answer.  Since it’s almost 2 in the afternoon and we’re in a hurry to go to Disneyland, we just agreed to pay it already.  The stay comes in with 2 buffet breakfast at chef mickey. 

TIP:  If you want additional breakfast coupons, you can buy at the reception for 162hkd for adults and 80 hkd for kids.  The rates are cheaper when you buy it from the reception desk than when you buy it at chef mickey restaurant itself. J  about 10hkd difference J

We rode the shuttle going to Disneyland.  My friend, jill, bought tickets already online. We got two tickets free, as a gift from my sister-in-law’s friend. Super generous, it saved us about four thousand pesos! J thank you ate val! So we only had to pay for simone’s ticket.  Rates are 350hkd for adults and 250 hkd for kids. J we had to replace our Disneyland florida tickets (the one we got for free) to HK Disneyland tickets at Guest relations office.

TIP: BRING a stroller.  There’s a stroller for rent in Disneyland but believe me when I say that this thing will save your life. J my friend, kokie, lent us their umbroller. You know the thin one that you can fold easily.  We decided to buy another one for us when we got back so we can use it for our sg trip in june. Super lifesaver! If your stroller/umbroller is handy and light, it’s very advisable that you bring this.

It’s my second time in HK Disneyland, first for my two babies so it’s such a delight to see twinkle in their eyes when they saw the castle and how it is inside.  I felt like crying and tried to stop it until Jill mentioned that the place is overwhelming, she wanted to cry. And then that’s when I cried. Hahaha. Such a tear-jerker.  But I don’t know, there’s something about Disneyland that I will never get tired of.  I seriously thought of a job that I could do there. Hahaha.

The weather that day was perfect.  A friend of mine who went there two weeks before us gave me a tip to bring an umbrella.  It rained on the day they went there so she had to buy an umbrella worth 200hkd or 1 thousand pesos. Haha.

TIP: bring a foldable umbrella or pray hard for a good weather J we opted for the second one J

TIP: food and drinks bought outside are not allowed.  We did’nt eat much here in Disneyland as we know that it’s pricey.  A waffle cost about 40hkd. We just bought drinks and brought our chocolates with us (for the sugar rush, haha) I brought simone her milk and some crackers to munch on for the day (for some reasons, they did allow simone’s crackers inside or they might not have seen it?)

TIP: immediately get a map and a schedule of the shows.  First, ride the train that will tour you of the whole Disneyland and while you’re there, you can plan where you’d go.  Disneyland is divided into four adventure lands: fantasyland, adventure land, tomorrow land and _____________.  We based our itinerary on the time slots of the shows. We were able to maximize the shows more than the rides as simone was small for the rides, she wont appreciate it that much and we, adults, were not so much fond of the rides. Haha.  We watched lion king, philharmagic (which simone loved the most!), it’s a small world (very very nice!).  we missed watching the golden mickeys and stitch encounter because we chose to take photos with Disney characters.  There are designated gazebos for the photo opps.  You can just give your camera to their staff and they’d gladly take a photo of you and they’ll also take a photo of you using their camera and give you a blue coupon just when you wanted to purchase your picture taken by them. The photo cost about 50hkd. J

TIP: start with the shortest line for photo opp. We started with Minnie mouse, then, goofy, Pluto, and then mickey mouse. J unfortunately donald and daisy were not there.  L

We did’nt see other princesses roaming around but we did see Rapunzel and we had a good 3 to 5 minute talk with her. As in! when it was our turn, Rapunzel complimented simone’s dress and then simone talked back and they started chatting. I did’nt care about the others next in line.  All I cared about was “man, she was really talking to my daughter and they’re having a great time!” I also told rapunzel that it’s her bday that day (so the talk led to another minute longer, hahaha) sooo funny! Jill took a video and my husband some pictures of course.

No matter what you’re doing, go to the circle at 3:30pm. That’s when the Parade of the stars is. Being early is better so you can choose where to stay.  Super enjoy! Facing the castle, we were at the left side which was the same view as I had when I first came here.  It was a nice view according to my husband as the music playing was in sync with what is currently parading in front of us.  I don’t know if it will be different if we were somewhere else.  Woody shook hands with simone. Hehe. And simone kept on calling “Justin, Justin” at woody (Justin wore a woody costume last Halloween and simone was jesse)

TIP:  I personally think the part just right in front of the castle is the best part.  There’s also a smaller circle (inner circle) that I think is another great view. J

TIP: take a video of the parade. So nice!

TIP on the side:  when taking pics of you in Disneyland, there are suggested “Kodak points” where you can see a nice angle and you can do it on your own. J

We rode the casrousel, and strolled and waited until 8pm for the fireworks.  While waiting, we bought souvenirs and gift items.  There are a lot of gift items there but our best buys were two mugs (mickey and Minnie) with designs of their bottom parts. We first wanted the face of mickey and Minnie but had second thoughts as this can easily be imitated by the ones selling in divisoria. Haha. So we bought something that’s hard to be copied at the same price. We also got key chains (as part of our souvenir), mallow lollipops at only 15hkd, (we can give for the kids) and toys for my two nephews.

During the fireworks, we stayed at the street where the gift shops are located.  It’s a little far from the castle but it’s still a nice view as we were able to get a wide shot of the fireworks.  I think something nearer there is a better view but not too near from the castle as you might strain your neck looking up.

TIP: I regret to inform that simone was asleep during the whole fireworks show. So if you can, don’t let your kid sleep minutes before the show. Hehe…if you can…

We got back to the hotel at around 930pm and found a restaurant near chef mickey.  It’s like an upgraded fastfood restaurant.  The food here cost a lot cheaper. For a 40hkd to 70hkd, you get a full meal already.  We went to our hotel rooms with full stomach.  The room has complimentary bottled water, coffee and creamer.  The room can accommodate a maximum of 4 adults. Since we were 4 adults and one kid, I asked if this is ok and the reception officer readily said yes. 

TIP: when asking for bubble bath, they use the term “bath gel”.  I ordered for bubble bath and they sent me shampoos. Hehe J

The room is simple but with complete amenities.  The bed is queen-sized but the tv channels were limited to Disney channels and Chinese movies.  No cable. Haha.

The next day, we had breakfast and took the opportunity to take photos at the back of the hotel.  There was also a playground where simone played and a very good picturesque of the Hollywood Hotel signage.  We requested for a late check out of 12 noon instead of 11am. 

TIP:  The 2-day ticket of Disneyland now made sense to me.  For a difference of 40Hkd, you can maximize Disneyland for 2 days.  So first day would be your check in date and second day would be your check out date where you can leave your luggage at the concierge so you can enjoy another day in Disneyland.  You don’t have to finish the 2^nd day until closing as you’d still have to travel to your next destination or check in to another hotel, if you’re not staying for another night at Hollywood hotel.  We did’nt consider this as we had our two tickets for free and thought that it was’nt upgradeable to a 2-day ticket but it would have been better if we were able to have the 2-day ticket. J

After our stay there, we took a cab going to Cameron Road of tsim sha tsui.  Our friend, naan, recommended a guest house that they’ve tried.  Lee Garden Guest House, Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui station.  And true enough, the rooms are clean, a very good location.  But after staying at Hollywood hotel, set your expectations very low for this room as this is really for the purpose of a place to put your luggage and to sleep on.  It’s not a place where you’d like to rest and stay and just unwind. Haha. But in terms of location and cleanliness, we loved it.  The house staff were Filipinos too so we were able to ask for directions and other inquiries with better accommodations.

To be continued...this is soo long already...

The One With An E-Course

I don't have to wonder how it's like without email and cellphones at best, to communicate and conduct business, since I lived an era where snail mail was as good as it's gonna get (just don't ask me how old I am), so believe me when I say I appreciate the new way of communicating that technology has brought us. It's helped me tremendously in my business, and it's really the way I first make contact with my clients.

I am mentioning this now because recently, I read from an e-course that I'm taking that e-mail and web is the new trend in marketing in the sense that prospecting through phones is no longer as popular as it used to be. That's true, although I can say that cellphones still work for me, in fact I have two phones to prove it! Ya, that's because I need two. Which reminds me, I have to get Simon unique fathers day presents since he was the one who got me my newest touch-screen phone! He's sweet that way, so I'm trying to return the sweetness :D

The One With Busy Days

Like I mentioned, we threw an intimate party for Simone following a busy weekend full of parties and a tiring but enjoyable trip to HK. I feel so tired I feel like taking health supplements and reading some lipozene reviews for instant remedy. hehe.

I'm just so glad it's Monday again and I can have some quiet time with my family. I just love Mondays! Don't you? hahaha! My week always starts on Tuesdays :)

So, I'll leave you now to enjoy my day. Hope you had a happy, busy, tiring but fun weekend too!

The one with abrupt

In almost five days that we spent on our vacay, i was surprised that i started eating rice again.  I had this thinking of eating a lot so i'd make it for the whole day.  And to add to that, the cool weather pushed our appetite up since it always feels good to eat when it's cold. hahaha.  i think it's just a pinoy culture.  So even if it has always been two days since we got back, i can feel myself bloating already.  I just hope i can buy one of those mens fat burner so it would somehow help shed some pounds away...i hope. :) 

The one with simple party

We just got home from simone's 4th birthday celebration.  We really did'nt plan on throwing a party for her as the trip was costly enough.  But she requested specifically for a Hannah Montana party with pink, purple motiff. haha. how can we turn down such request.  So we decided to give her a simple party with our family and close friends.  Simone was so happy to see balloons and a big, big cake made by emily uy.  Of course, it was her gift for simone.  Butch did a magic show, balloon twisting and ventriloquism act that he also gave as a birthday gift for simone.  I love my job! hahaha. we only paid for the food and the lootbags we gave out for the kids.  Jane, my sister in law, prepared a candy buffet (which i love by the way) and cupcakes too!  we had a lot of cupcakes that all our guests were able to take home about two to three each. hahaha.  I thought they'd need to buy food storage for the goodies they took home. :)

thank you so much for those who came. :) happy birthday again simone! we love you! pictures will follow...promise! :)

The one with beauty day

I badly need one.  After our trip in hongkong and macau, my face kinda got dry because of the cool weather there.  My face started peeling and i think a blackhead removal is just one of the things to do aside from going back to controlling food intake and having a good manicure and pedicure. hahaha. Right after our trip, i had five events the weekend after so i had no time to rest nor have the things i mentioned above.  But i hope i'll have it tomorrow since it's our family day, we'd have more time to relax.  :)

The one with finally home :)

First of all, I will post a separate entry on how our trip went. But it was indeed a very memorable one.  I thanked God that He healed simone from her flu and fever before our flight.  We are so happy that we can't believe that we were able to send her to hongkong to celebrate her 4th birthday.  I was even teary-eyed cried when we got there, the feeling is overwhelming :)  All in all, our trip was a very happy and "sulit" trip.  The efforts, money spent for the trip and the time we gave were all worth it.  Now that we're back home, the only thing i need to do is learn how to remove dark circles. haha. i need to catch up on sleep. :)

More posts about the trip. I know Abi you need to read the post before you leave for hk. :) haha.

The one with fear factor

I only had two hours sleep, its 3am now and i can't go back to sleep again thinking of the party i have to dress up today.  But in my sub-conscious state, i can't find sleep because i'm observing simone's temperature.  yes, she got fever two days ago and she was only fever free yesterday afternoon.  right now, she's 12 hours fever free.  I cried again.  I thought we won't be able to go to our trip because of her fever.  You see, we saved up for it.  The Filipino phrase (dugo't pawis) stands true to how we saved the money for the trip and I'm just so excited coz i know she'll love it there so the thought of the possibility of cancelling everything and money down the drain just makes me more sad.  I know, the health comes first and you can always save again and do it again...but it's just so depressing if we won't be able to spend it the way we thought we'd do it.

But God is really good.  I asked for forgiveness for not believing enough but He knows my heart's desires and what i'm sure is that He has better plans.

Thank you Lord. Simone is now 12 hours fever free.

The one with conversations: Simone

As i've mentioned before, my daughter seemed to have grasped a pretty great deal of understanding as to how to be witty and a bit naughty at times. hahaha.  Sometimes, i'd just shake my head after hearing her answers that would drop one's jaw.  And it is with this that i thought of documenting our conversations with the little kiddo.

Sometime before christmas:

simone: mommy pwde na open my gifts?
mommy: it's not yet christmas
s: hindi pa bday ni jesus?
m: hindi pa po
s: san party ni jesus?
...m: ah..eh..at our house
s: how old na sya?
m: ah...eh.. He's ageless (how do i explain ageless to a 3yo?!)
s: e asan na sya now?
m: ah...eh...in our hearts anak (pano naman?!)
s: pano magpaparty sa hearts? (with matching point sa heart)
m: sleep na anak, tom na lang ulit

~0~

Scene: malling and simone is tired of walking... carry daw...

Mom: anak, ang bigat bigat mo na e...tapos nagpapabigat ka pa. kargahin mo din sarili mo
Simone: karga ko ako??? (then she puts her hands on her face trying to lift her face up) sabay sabi: "pano ko kakargahin??? di ko kaya oh..tingnan mo...nakadikit face ko sa neck ko e.di pwede yun mommy..."
Mom: LOL

~0~

Scene: Mommy and Simone watering the plants...Simone was trying to pull the hose...
Mommy: Anak, stop pulling the hose. lalo kasi nagbubuhol-buhol e.
Simoe: Eh pano po, gusto mo kuha ako suklay? suklayin ko para di na buhol...
Mommy: *rolls eyes* and *laughs*

The one with February

I'm counting down til Simone's 4th bday. I've got a lot of plans but im not sure if some are even feasible. haha. And i have a lot of things to do in prep for our trip.

~ i have to buy a big travel luggage for us three. i dont want us bringing a lot of bags, just one will be enough but im not really sure if everything will fit. i dont even know how we'd bring the milk and the bottles. got to ask my n@w sisters for it.
~ good thing, kokie mentioned that i need to bring a stroller.  Simone's stroller is big and heavy so kokie volunteered that she'll lend me her daughter's stroller that looks like an umbrella when folded. cool. at least, it's one thing off my "to buy" things but another thing added to my "for pick up" list :P
~ i need to secure the budget we have for the trip
~ i need to double check the budget we allocated
~ i need to buy layers and thermals. it's still cold there in HK.

i think that's it for now. im so excited! it's 19 days to go before our trip! :D

The one with new look again

I decided to change the look of my blog. What do you guys think? Is it still readable? i personally like a customized design but i dont know how to and i certainly do not know the right person to talk to regarding HTML codes. (maybe i can just pay for the services...)

On another note,Every year, we have the tradition of meeting every christmas season and everyone will take turns as to who will host the event.  It's Rona's turn and  I had dinner with my college friends and everyone has a new look.  I mean, we all changed.  We used to look soo innocent and angelic, now we look like certified moms (physically and physically, haha) and i can't believe that Cha is the only one who did'nt gain weight...grrrhh...

Thanks rona for the treat! ako na next in line! Hopefully, we'd be able to have it in our new house by then. *cross fingers*

That's it for now...im off to bed...got a long day tomorrow! :)

The one with be back soon

A very good host/magician popularly known as Wizzo shocked me this morning.  I got a text message from him saying that he had to retire soon.  I called him and asked the reason why it's so sudden.  I thought he'd migrate but it turns out that he has to undergo treatments. I was speechless for a while and was stuttering coz i could'nt find the words to answer back.  I just could'nt believe that i'd hear that word. He shared to me the story and the history and the worse part is that he's the only breadwinner. how can he support his family, moreso his treatments. I can only imagine how much those CT scans, MRI, therapies, and other cautery-needed procedures would cost.  I just hope we can soon plan something, a fund-raising event will be a good idea.

My prayers are with you Wizzo. Hang in there! Be back soon...

The one with perfect fit

I'm so happy my engagement ring can fit into my finger again. wohoo!  I have'nt reached my ideal weight but it's just so exciting that i can now wear my e-ring again.  I have'nt worn it for a time and i feel bad whenever my husband asks about it.  You see, he really saved up worked hard for it. :) And i know that it does'nt have to be real (but im glad it is! hahaha), the cubic zirconia engagement rings would pass for a genuine one so it would'nt really matter, the gesture is the more important thing.  But then again, I'm glad it's real. hahaha. So it's a shame when i can't wear it everytime. :) So thank you Lord that i can now flash simon's first bling-bling for me. :)

love you beh!

The One With Losing Weight

For me, it's no small wonder why celebrities lose their weight fast. Or celebrity mothers who've given birth have no problems getting rid of all extra fat they've gained during pregnancy. After all, they could afford all that Science has to offer and there's no reason why they shouldn't if they could, right? There are some who are using appetite suppressant, but although that makes sense, I don't think I'll have those until I've heard and read all facts about it.  Of course, there are a lot of places offering phentermine reviews, and people should take advantage of that, but right now I'm still so enjoying my routine jogging and diet that I'll probably read those later on -- hopefully when it's not too late, hahaha!-- seriously, I love all the health benefits that jogging is giving me, not to mention the energy that I really really need right now, what with no helper, an active toddler and a business to manage!

Speaking of which, I had better get back to it before Simone wakes up and I'll have no time for either growing my empire and keeping to my single-mindedness decision to lose weight!

The One With Excited For Simone's Birthday!

In a few days time, Simone will be having her birthday and I'm so excited! As a birthday treat, we're taking her to Hong Kong Disneyland and celebrate her birthday there :)

I always tend to reminisce about the days when Simone was younger and smaller, especially so when her birthday is approaching. I think all mothers can relate to that. I still remember when Simone was born, everybody was telling us how fair her skin was. Everybody kept teasing us about our difference in skin tone. I don't have a light skin tone but I don't have a dark skin either. I do think I have a good skin, in fact, I never had problems with pimples and often sympathize with some of my peers who always need benzaclin reviews or some such kind to treat their skin. Simon wasn't as fair as Simone too. So that when we all stand together for a picture, except for her features Simone doesn't look like our daughter :) And she's one pretty kid (if I may say so!).

And we're so blessed to have her in our lives. We'll treat her to Disneyland every month if we could! Happy Birthday Simone!

The One With The Comforting Presence

A few days ago, my sister in law who took her son for check-up in the hospital, sat next to a woman in the hospital's laboratory waiting lounge. The woman was quite friendly and dropped that she was sick, and mysister in law just didn't know what to say that will sound neither too sympathetic nor too blunt. I thought about it hard and came up with a few things that we should try not to say to a person with cancer. Hopefully, this will help all of us in those awkward moments.

• "I know what you're feeling". This is probably the biggest mistake we could say. We don't know what they're feeling. So, instead of saying pretentious words that could lead to us hurting the feelings of the patient, just don't say anything. Silence is sometimes more comforting than words. 

• "It's OK, everything is going to be all right". Now that's another empty promise, and the patient knows it. Instead of offering false promises, just verbalize that you will always be there with the patient to offer your support and strength.

• "You can make it". While that's raising determination in the patient, that could also encourage hope that may lead to disappointment. Maybe it would be better to ask the patient what he is feeling instead and what you can do to make him feel comfortable.

I believe that we don't always have to have the right words. In fact, we don't always have to say anything. Our presence is enough to let them know that we care and support them, and sometimes we don't have to say anything at all but just be right there beside them.

The one with promo: Celine sale

I love inventory and clearance sales! This week, my best buy were Celine shoes! i had to buy unplanned (well, almost all my shopping sprees are unplanned, haha) coz the straps of my wedge shoes broke and i can't walk properly.  anyway, upon entering the store and seeing the counter displays, i did'nt notice right away the Extra 50% off. i was thinking that it's the normal discount you give during promos.  But apparently, when you buy a pair which is 50% off, you get the second pair with further 50% off more, giving you a total of 75% off.. Isn't it a good deal or what?! So even if i did'nt think i need another pair, i walked out of the store with two new pairs of shoes and i'm a happy mom :)

I plan to bring my mom there too so she can choose her shoes. :) til my next best buy kwento :)

The one with seventh day

After three weeks, the new househelp left us. :( and i'm all alone again carrying all the load of maintaining the house, taking care of simone and managing the business.  I was caught offhand when she left but it seemed that she's not up for the work as she has a very thin body frame, she looks anemic too so we did'nt ask too many questions if she'd come back or whatever. :(

I just feel sad coz  i just started getting adjusted with having a househelp again and now, we're back to zero.  I'd have to put on my supermom hat again but just thinking about it makes me tired.  Even God had His seventh day to rest.  I was praying that patience be my virtue, strength be my guide and a calm heart be my soul. :) First day of yayaless and my face looked like i needed to treat acne.  I just hope this won't take a while and sooner or later, we'd find a new help. :)

The One With The Journey

In the Philippines, when you're losing weight, people get nosy and ask you how you lost your weight. I must admit that I get curious too and ask so maybe I could try it. I guess, it's natural for people to get curious so it's probably not just here in the Philippines after all.

I've been losing a lot of weight and have been getting the same questions lately. Some think I'm using an all natural diet pills, some think I'm onto some diet fad, but really it's just a lot of getting up in the wee hours of the morning and jogging in some trails near our house. And of course, food dieting plays a big role too :)

It's a continuous and long journey and I can't say I've reached the end already where I am totally happy with what I've achieved. One of these days, I'll make a longer post on how I'm doing it nowadays. In the meantime, wish me luck! -- or do I mean determination, to get my sleepy self out of the bed every time :)

The One With The Job Application

Recently, I was talking to my sister in law who's been working in a call center company for years. She's been forever complaining about the many disadvantages of working in such a company, but like most responsible employees, she just couldn't leave the job just like that, what with the kind of economy that we have today.

She's got a supervisory position and her schedule is more predictable, but now that she's married, I just can't blame her for wanting to have a new post with a different, "normal" kind of schedule. Her biggest concern before was that her schedule was making her fat. Really, if I could just give her some diet energy pills so she'll have the energy without gaining a lot of weight, I'd have done so before now.

Well, she's got a lot to think about now, not least of those is maintaining her health to be ready for when she becomes pregnant.

I hope that she gets the job with the ideal job schedule soon. Good luck sis! You can do it!

The One With Dress Season

You remember I mentioned how I love wearing dresses nowadays? I still do. In fact, I've been kicking myself for not wearing them earlier ever since my mirror says "you look sexy in it!" I lost some weight. Not that I'd pass for a model who doesn't need any ab workouts, but dresses are just so easy on the stomach I don't worry about mommy fats showing somewhere anymore! Ya, believe me, that would be a disaster.

I don't know about you but I find it less of a trouble too, to wear a dress than to wear a separate top and jeans bottom because it requires less decisions as compared to deciding what shirt, what pants, what bag, what will tie the look together, blah blah blah. Get my point? Hehe. Do I sound like I'm just looking for more reasons to wear dresses?

Well, it's definitely a "dress" season for me, friends! Who knows, if you ask me hard enough, I might even post some pictures of me in a dress *wink*

The One With The Make-Up Fascination

I probably should just take some classes, but the problem with being a full-time mom with an active kid and a demanding business is that, more often than not, time is a luxury. So, I was browsing the net looking for tips on make-ups and found a really interesting site that teaches you step by step application of make-up it's like you're sitting in a class!

Don't ask me why I'm interested in make-ups. I have to attend parties all the time! right? :) Besides, it's a basic human right to feel good about yourself sometimes. Anyways, the girl on the demo video was wearing a pair of cheap glasses but her eye make-up was still something that catches one's attention. I would love to know more about make-up applications because I sure could use a fab make-up myself. I mean, who doesn't? I just hope I'll have the time to visit the site again.

The one with hk soon

I'm excited with our HK-macau trip this february that i almost forgot to book our hotel.  Jill and I have yet to talk it over and I have to book first the Hollywood hotel that we so wanted for simone.  an overnight stay will be good.  We were also given free tickets to disneyland courtesy of the brother of achie's friend.  We are sooo grateful! Yey! While discussing last night about our trip, we kept on asking ourselves what it would feel like to be working at disneyland.  THere are a lot as in a lot of filipinos there.  I could get one of those merchandiser jobs, or as a performer during one of mickey's shows. hahaha. i can be one of the princesses too. bwahaha...

We're soo excited, i hope this trip will be an unforgettable and exciting one :)

The one with cold weather

Brrrhhh....it's really cold lately.  I can't go out to run/jog because a 6am looks like an hour darker.  The sun has'nt peeked just yet, there are still stars for crying out loud and I don't want to jog at dark.  Nah, im just rationalizing the fact that the bed is cooler to sleep on these days. hahaha.  I wanted to be back on my toes, really.  Soon.  I'm sure i'll come around. ;)

The cool breeze has given our garden a greener color though.  Our Simon's potted plants grew flowers in it.  He likes to water them more now because he just bought a new hose. haha. He might buy the hydroponics system soon if he gets to turn our garden to an enchanted one. :) He's also trying to "revive" the three potted plants that were pestered with ants and insects.  In the morning, while enjoying the sun and the breeze, he trims the branches to make way for new ones. :) He really has a green thumb :)

I hope the cool breeze will be longer this year. Although i dont want to be bugged with a flu again :(

The one with he or a she?

Our new nanny is a tomboy.

Picture this: thin body, spiky hair, loose clothes. but her name is Cory. :)  I did'nt expect our former housekeeper to recommend a lesbian as our nanny.  But then again, i don't want to fire her just because she is.  It does'nt seem right that way.  Simon and I talked about it and decided that we give the kid a break.  And after a week, we like her so far.  She cleans really well.  She washes our clothes really well, man, she even uses one of those green cleaning products and even handwashes some of our clothes.  She can easily follow my rules at home and does'nt complain.  I just hope we made the right decision of keeping her.  Sometimes though, i still get awkward by the fact that she does'nt prefer men. haha. we'll never know...she might get to her senses soon :)

The one with medicine struggle

Simone does'nt want to drink her antibiotic for her cough.  She has three medicines and the only medicine that she does'nt want to take is Klaz.  How come they put "taste right" in the label and it does'nt even taste good for adults, moreso for kids. :(  I should have asked for a replacement when i put the med in the medical carts.  It really does'nt taste good.  It even has granules that look like sugar. i mean, what's up with that?! how can a toddler drink a liquid that has granules that won't dissolve? haha. blame it all on the medicine.

The one with dress fever

Ever since my sister in law, Merci, commented on how much dresses look good on me, I got two or three more comments from my other friends.  So the effect??? I found myself browsing stores for dresses i could wear. hahaha.  and it's so much fun to shop now coz it's clearance sale everywhere!!! Almost all stores i go to have dereon sale, inventory sale, up to 70% off! wow!

My latest good buy is a Bayo dress which i bought at 50% off.  i was originally eyeing a blouse at the same price but thought the dress would have been a better deal.  And it is! :)

I also love the black dress i bought at apple and eve but could'nt find the right occasion to wear it. :)

I love inventory sales!!! happy shopping!

The one with cough for a week

Our household has been bugged down with cough and colds for a week now.  I'm on the recovery stage but Simone seemed to be taking it longer than I'am.  Just this morning, her cough is more like a dry one, like a sound of a rough metal on your throat. she does'nt seem to mind but i want to bring her to the doctor already to have her check-up.  It's supposed to be on the recovery stage already but i don't think that won't take place soon. 

She's gonna see men in nursing scrubs again.  she does'nt like clinics but she loves her pedia.  She's the only pedia that makes her laugh (maybe it's because of the lollipops after the check-ups, haha).  But seriously, nurses should have a better way to put on their uniform.  Maybe a bandeau or a more fashionista style will do it.  Just so the kids won't be scared.  It's hard enough that they're sick, moreso that they associate their clothing to a trip to a nightmare.

I actually thought of buying a scrubs top for her new nanny but i'm still contemplating about it and see if she's also up for it.  I just don't like how she dresses up so i thought giving her a uniform will make up for it.

Get well soon my baby. :)

The one with best day ever

"Is this the best day or what?!"  I remember how Monica of Friends (tv series) shouted this line when she got a lambhorgini (is this how you spell it?) from her dad and found out that Chandler's lazy boy chair is gone for good (apparently, she hated it).  I said the same words last January 4. :)

Funny how the day started with me as a couch potato.  I was'nt even at my wedding mood that day and it's Omel's wedding.  I know, I felt so bad thinking about not attending.  But shame on me if i raincheck on omel's wedding.  He invited all of us and i haven't seen the guy in years.  Omel, by the way, is a childhood friend.  We grew up together, we're HOMETOWN friends (as omel coined it).  Anyway, i still attended the wedding...reception (bad jacque!) I hitched on jon's car (jill's husband) and we were early at the reception. hahaha.  It was one of the best weddings i attended and here are some of the reasons which also caps off why it's one of the best days so far :)

~ Omel was so hands-on with the wedding and I really think he did a very good job.  Their suppliers were awesome.! Threelogy, K Cunanan, Baicapture, Sound salad, Blue Leaf as their reception venue :)
~ It's one of those weddings that you know is fancy and all those stuff but laid back at the same time.  Not laid back like you can lie on one of Blue Leaf's lanays or something but it's not as formal as other weddings are.  The crowd was great.  Everyone was just enjoying the food and the program.
~ Yeah the program was simple but entertaining.  Hats off to Atom
~ Love, as always, was in the air.  I super love Boots' gown.  And it's funny how Omel and Boots, different from each other, complete each other at the same time.  :) Amazing :)
~ I had a wonderful time with my childhood friends aka HOMETOWN friends. (hahaha) I did'nt realize i missed them until that day.  When Omel saw me during the pictorials, he hugged me tight. as in really tight while hug-bending me left and right.  Hug-bending is when you hug someone and while hugging them you move your bodies left and right, bending them sideways.  You do this because of glee and excitement. hahaha.  It was a long hug and we got to chat a little during that short pictorial moment. :)  I told my girlfriends (naan and jill) about that moment.  Omel may not have noticed or realized it but i was deeply touched with the gesture and naan told me that he must have missed me because it's been a long time since the last time we saw each other.  And then i just realized how much i miss all of them.  Ejay, the ever comic guy in the group; Egay, the corny one but his being corny makes it fun; and Omel. 
~ After the wedding, we had some pictorials using Egay's camera.  We abused his gadget and asked for more pictures. hahaha. Funny how Ejay kept on teasing all of us using the HOMETOWN friends line.  You see, Omel in his thank you speech, included us and addressed us as his hometown friends.  Well technically there's no better way to put it than that. It's just so funny since we never used that word. :P
~ And to cap off the evening, we met Herman Zapp of sparkyourdream.net.  After meeting him, all i could say was "thank you Lord for that opportunity".  Herman and Omel have a common friend who was there at the wedding.  To give you a short descrption, Herman Zapp and his family are from Argentina.  They (Herman and his wife) had a lifelong dream of being able to travel.  So when they married, they decided to pack and travel where the roads will lead them...literally.  Using their 1928 vehicle, they have been travelling on the road for 11 years.  They already have four children and are still travelling.  Their next stop...Philippines! They've been staying here for three months already.  Will post a separate entry on one of the most inspiring conversations i had. :)
~ You'd think that ends my day but no. :) When we got home, Simon gave me a gift and it's wrapped! I don't have the slightest idea that he's bought me a surprise. It's heavy and it's boxed.  So i thought, "this cant be my LV. hahaha" when i saw the name Samsung in the box, i knew it's a new laptop and i'm sooo happy!  Did'nt expect i'd upgrade right away.  Thank you so much beh.  It was a good surprise. love you!

Here are some pictures :)

 Hometown friends

Herman Zapp, Jill, Jacque, Naan

Now do you agree with me?! It's the best day right??? :) thank you Lord!