A Multiple's Choice

Queen Mary Learning Center of Cainta Inc.

2011-04-01T06:23:00.002+08:00

Queen Mary Learning Center of Cainta Inc.
1566 Birmingham St. Brookside Hills Subd. Cainta
Contact Person Narissa M. Jaca: 655-2647

Nursery:
Annual: P26,200
Quarterly: P27,200 = P14,000 upon enrollment (1st week Aug, Oct, Dec) P4,400
Books – P3000
Uniform – approx P500 per set

3% discount for early enrollment until end of the April.
Free summer class for two weeks (9am to 11am)

Combination of traditional and progressive teaching technique
9 students last year in Nursery class. 3 Teachers 6 Subjects + 1 class adviser
Aircon room
Discount given to 4th enrolled child

Disclaimer: This info I got by calling the school. Rates applicable during the time of inquiry

God's Little Angels Development Center, Cainta

2011-04-01T06:21:00.002+08:00

God's Little Angels Development Center (GLAD)
Sunset Drive, Brookside Hills Cainta
6552517

Kinder 1 - 24k annual + 4k misc (books) + 925 (2 sets w/ PE uniform)
1pm to 4pm (3hrs) afternoon class only

Disclaimer: This info I got by calling the school. Rates applicable during the time of inquiry

Sacred Heart Catholic School Of Cainta

2011-04-01T06:20:00.006+08:00

Sacred Heart Catholic School Of Cainta

155 St. Louis St. Brookside, Cainta, Rizal
655-8006
Annual tuition P19,000 (5% discount for cash payments)
Aircon; 1 teacher for all subjects
15 student : teacher ratio

Disclaimer: This info I got by calling the school. Rates applicable during the time of inquiry

Marian School of Cainta

2011-04-01T06:20:00.005+08:00

Marian School of Cainta
1416 Belmont, Brookside Hills Cainta Rizal
6551367 - Ms. Nancy Cruz

Tuition: P12,000 inclusive of books and 2 weeks summer class in May (free for enrolled students)
Non-aircon classrooms; dustless chalk
15 : 1 student teacher ratio
10am-12nn schedule of classes for Nursery
Requirement: xerox of birth certificate

Disclaimer: This info I got by calling the school. Rates applicable during the time of inquiry

Colegio Sto. Domingo, Cainta

2011-04-01T06:20:00.004+08:00

Colegio Sto. Domingo
http://www.csd.edu.ph/about.html
6551235

Kinder 1: P41,478
Quarterly: P20,436 upon enrollment + 7,014 (Aug, Oct, Dec) inclusive of books
Sched of classes for Kinder 1: 8-11am or 1 to 4pm

Disclaimer: This info I got by calling the school. Rates applicable during the time of inquiry

Morning Dew Montessori, Cainta

2011-04-01T06:18:00.002+08:00

Morning Dew Montessori
6551557 - Girlie
http://www.preschoolchoices.com/home2/morning-dew-montessori/

Nursery - P47,000
Quarterly: P26,000 + 7000 (Aug,Nov,Feb - 1st of the month)
Monthly: P22,000 + 3200 monthly - 1st of the month
Tuition - excluded books (P2k+); uniform - P500/set

Disclaimer: This info I got by calling the school. Rates applicable during the time of inquiry

St Francis of Assisi Montessori, Cainta

2011-04-01T06:17:00.001+08:00

St Francis of Assisi Montessori
http://stfranciscainta.com/
45 Golf St. New Saint Francis Village, Cainta Rizal, Philippines
Tel. 6565238 / 09228421241 / 6558898
Look for Principal Annie Tejano or Teacher Gema

Annual: P27,555 inc of books school supplies except uniform (P300/set)
Quarterly: P8,957.33 upon enrollment + P6,507.33 (aug 5, oct 5 , dec 5)
Schedule of classes: 11am to 2pm
4 enrolled students : 1 teacher and 1 asst teacher
Aircon; dustless chalk

Requirements:
Junior case 2 = 3 yrs old to 4 yrs old
Xerox of birth certificate
Xerox of baptismal certificate
2x2 colored photo
Interview (no fee)

Disclaimer: This info I got by calling the school. Rates applicable during the time of inquiry

Greenland Academy, Cainta

2011-04-01T06:15:00.002+08:00

Greenland Academy
222 Mayfair St. Monte Vista, Cainta, Rizal
655-2591

Requirements:
Xerox of birth certificate
2 copies 1x1 colored photo
Play and Learn – P2,300 (May 16-27; 9am-11am) – as preparation for Nursery

Tuition & misc – P24,255 cash (no breakdown yet)

Enrollment – 1st week of May
Aircon; dustless chalk
14 : 1 teacher and 1 asst teacher

Disclaimer: This info I got by calling the school. Rates applicable during the time of inquiry

Toon Mater's Tall Tales

2011-01-19T18:41:00.001+08:00

I am sooo loving the Toon Mater's Tall Tales dvd. I think the stories are well thought out and it's super funny talaga. I especially love the Racing Mater and Tokyo Mater - im laughing now just thinking about it Hahaha!!!

5th Year

2011-01-17T18:44:00.000+08:00

This weekend, Keith and moi celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary.Wow, has it really been 5 years??

We had some family time at Action Station, which is a very cheap alternative to kidz republic and cosmic kids. Cost is P100/hour and free entrance for the adult companion. There were only a few kids so its like we had the place to ourselves mwehehe :)

The twins had a lot of fun! Vito overcame his fear of heights and went back and forth on the slide. Carlos was a natural in playing ball and shooting hoops.

On Sunday, Keith and I had dinner at Isabelo's Garden. I chose it because it was near our house, it was private and it was something new. Keith surprised me with the most beautiful, sweet-smelling flowers :)

Photo op with Portia Baluyut, chef and owner of Isabelo's Garden.

Will come back to try the lamb steak, hopefully in stock na by that time :)

After that, we went to Elbow Room to meet some friends. We played billiards, had some drinks then called it a night- a luvlee night :)

New Year's Resolution

2011-01-01T18:38:00.000+08:00

My new year's resolution -and im really typing it here- is to take the time to relax, to slow down, to be more patient, and to not make everything a big deal. I also want to spend more quality time with my family and bestfriends, afterall that's what really matters. :)

Goodbye 2010!

2010-12-31T18:35:00.001+08:00

It's finally time to say goodbye to 2010. I was sooo busy juggling work and household duties the entire year that some important family events were celebrated with very little preparation, like the twins' 3rd birthday and Keith's birthday. Babawi ako next year, pramis!

There were several plans that unfortunately didn't materialize: new home and new 2nd home. Oh well, it's those things that makes you stronger and wiser.

I got this laptop. Got a digicam. I was assigned to a new LOB with more direct reports. I signed up for a new account in a social networking site.. said goodbye to our Tanay farm.. said hello to a gray fortuner. Other than those things, everything's the same - same suking tindahan.. same grocery.. same doctors.. luckily, the same yayas.. same favorite mall and bars.. and same old cellphone, mwehehe.

What's good about 2010 is that the family had very few hospital confinements as compared to previous years. And of course the highlight of my 2010, and probably one of my most unforgettable experiences, is our impromptu roadtrip to Ilocos - to see the Pagudpod beach, Bangui windmills and Vigan cathedral. During that trip I realized that the Philippines is really beautiful. We have everything here - from the bright city lights of Ortigas to the pristine white beaches of Boracay and Palawan.. to the cool breeze of Baguio and Tanay.. to the natural wonder that is Chocolate Hills and man-made wonder Banaue Rice Terraces.

For 2011, I fervently pray for a prosperous year with hopefully no more disappointments. I pray for good health for me and all my loved ones. Let my heart's desires be fulfilled this coming new year! Amen.

2010 Xmas Shopping

2010-12-21T10:27:00.000+08:00

Every year, I try to beat my previous year's gifts in terms of value and cost. I think for this year I overspent bwahaha

I am always on the lookout for good quality items at low cost. Since I was busy with work, I didn't have the time to xmas shop. I decided to order online. I got Victoria Secret body spray from an online seller who sold it the cheapest. Later, I learned that 168 sells the same for less than P10/bottle.

I got a chance to go to Divi- only one time this year. I went to
Anding's to get the inaanak toys (around P100 each), and 168 for over 80pcs of trinkets as little gifts (around P7 each).

For the family members, I got them shirts from Folded and Hung warehouse store in Riverbanks (around P350 each). I also got RL polo shirts from Greenhills tiangge at P350 each.

For the twins, I got them a pair of Chuck Taylors during the Converse warehouse sale (P1,400 each). We also got them Lego (regular and Duplo) at 50% off from the Megamall sale (around P900 each).

I got two pairs of shoes from Greenhills tiangge at P290 each. To which I was told by a reliable source that it was also being sold at Pasig Palengke 3rd flr at P250 each. har har har.

I got corningware microwable ceramic dishes at less than P100 each in Makro. I have confirmed with my own eyes and wallet that Puregold sells milk the cheapest. We also got the wines from Puregold.

So that's xmas shopping for 2010. Hopefully, I will have more great finds next year :)

Happy Holidays everyone! :)

Down with English Measles

2010-11-14T10:41:00.003+08:00

It all started on Sunday- after Trick or Treat at Mega and Miguel's 1st birthday party at Valle Verde. We got home at around 8pm. I felt tired and I had chills. I checked my temp and was surprised to see 38.3 in the thermometer. I never ever get sick, you know. I took paracetamol and called it a night. Monday was Nov 1 so we went to the cemetery. I had on-and-off fever. Tuesday, I went to work and my officemates started to notice rashes on my face. I went to the clinic and the nurse said my temp was normal and that she couldn't see any rash (roll eyes). I went to see a doctor, and she said the same thing as the nurse- I was okay,no fever, no rash. Wednesday, I went to the ER of Medical City. I was getting worried because my fever was not going away. I also noticed many little sores inside my mouth, and suddenly I was sensitive to light, as in nasisilaw akech. My CBC came back as normal, so the doctors sent me home with paracetamol as medicine. As for the rash, they said it could just be bungang araw, okay fine. Thursday, I developed cough and colds. My throat was so painful. I felt I had sores all the way down to my throat. I had no appetite, and I really felt sick. I went to see a different doctor and had another CBC. My platelet count was okay so it was not dengue. After work, I went straight home, I thought I was going to collapse. I asked Keith to take me to the hospital. We went back to Medical City, and the doctors diagnosed me with measles. I had bloodshot eyes, vomiting episodes and LBM. I was confined in one of their isolation rooms and was discharged on Sunday. I was advised not to report to work for a week, and to continue my bedrest at home. We sent the twins and the yayas to my in-laws because measles is contagious. You'd think I was ecstatic to be home alone for a week? Naku, hindi noh! I felt so weak that I was just really in bed 24/7. It was pathetic. It has been a week now, and I am slowly getting my strength back. Yesterday, Keith took me out and brought me my birthday gift (ahihi!), then we watched Unstoppable at Promenade, had dinner at Tender Bob's, then met some friends at Jalapeno in Home Depot. It was so nice to be out of the house again! But I miss the twins terribly. We're picking them up after this Pacquiao-Margarito fight...

Lancer GLX 2002 - For Sale

2010-10-01T01:59:00.002+08:00

Mitsubishi Lancer GLX 2002 - 1.5L stock - engine, carb type w/ OEM skirts, momo corse steering wheel/momo corse shift knob/skunk lowering springs/ rota - slipstream mags - brown/ 55 series federal tires with 80-90% thread. w/ regular change oil (full synthetic). no major repair. 1st owner, 70th Kms.never flood victim.straight kenwood audio-speakers. will include stock springs. RFS-migrate abroad. Contact 09065106076.

Happy 2nd Birthday Maux!

2010-09-04T08:36:00.000+08:00

EMMA Philippines, 2nd Leg Regional Competitors Challenge for 2010

2010-08-29T23:40:00.005+08:00

Held at the Venice Piazza, Mckinley Hills in Fort Bonifacio. Keith joined the SQ competition category and won 2nd place. Congrats Hunny! :)

He tied with the 1st place for Over-All score, but the deciding factor was the SQ score, where he had a 4-point difference from the 1st place winner.

Special thanks to Rocky Gonzalez of Mach2Audio, and teammates Parc Cruz and Chris Berenguer. Not to mention Kuya Dodong of Dodong's Premium Auto Detailing Services for the detailing works where everybody got a perfect score in Cleanliness :P

Endless Susan Wong songs and Moonglow on repeat finally paid off! Congratulations to Hunny Bunny and to Mach2Audio. Mwahhugs! :)

Miss Universe 2010 Winners

2010-08-24T11:08:00.001+08:00

From my friend Dong who is vacationing in Macau. The results as follows:

4th runner up Philippines,
3rd Ukraine,
2nd Australia,
1st runner up Jamaica,
Miss Universe winner is Mexico.

Im gonna watch this tonight! :)

Cats, Now and Forever - Live in Manila

2010-08-14T11:12:00.002+08:00

It was girls night out when my mom treated me and SIL Mau to watch CATS at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP). OMG, I think the tickets were ridiculously expensive. Then my mom told me some of her amigas go abroad just to see the play. Ok, fine. Lea Salonga stars as Grizabella, leading an international cast.

I didn't know what to expect from this play. There were many surprises for me. The costumes were impressive, from wig to shoes. High-tech the stage props. They had magic tricks and acrobatics, which was very entertaining. The cast mingled with the audience during the play and intermission. One verse was sang in Filipino, which was quite funny because of the accent. Also because of the accent it was difficult for me to follow the story because I couldn't understand the words. Thank God Lea sang so clearly and it helped that her song was a familiar song. Overall, I would say the play was okay. I was surprised to see many kids watching, then a friend told me CATS is pambata. I also saw many dads sleeping, bwahaha.

Craving for some Craving's

2010-08-05T15:43:00.000+08:00

Wow, look at our eyes... It's a dead give away we've been working so hard, lol!

Moi, Mau and Inah at Craving's Shangri La. I had salmon, and buffet salad. Yummm! :)

Happy Birthday Dong!

2010-07-31T11:22:00.002+08:00

We had dinner at Kanin Club in Technohub, and had drinks in Mikedee's.

Keith, Moi, Dong, Peen and RJ. Si Peen lang po ang buntis dito.

Formal-formalan at Crowne Plaza

2010-07-24T22:48:00.002+08:00

Happy 3rd Birthday Vito and Carlos!

2010-06-27T13:30:00.001+08:00

We went to MOA for Cosmic Kidz, and had lunch at Burgoo. I got their birthday cake from Red Ribbon. It was very very tiring, but fun. Next year, I will prepare in advance. Today went by so fast...

Thank you Lord for blessing us with Vito and Carlos :)

Happy Birthday Justin!

2010-06-13T06:41:00.007+08:00

Today is Justin's birthday. We had dinner at Uncle Cheffy in Eastwood.

Bought him a shirt from F&H as a birthday gift. One of the store clerks thought Vito was Baby James Yap, Anuvaaah.

The twins are musically-inclined. Here they are, playing the piano.

Can you see the harang that means - "Bawal dito. No Trespassing." Hehehe.

Hey, it wasn't my idea! :)

Akala mo kung sinong mga behave, hehehe.

Photo op - Vito, Carlos and Moxi.

With Raki. He was pakitang gilas. People gathered around to watch his tricks. :)

Just another day in the park...

2010-06-08T07:32:00.000+08:00

Family day at Shangri La

2010-06-06T06:36:00.012+08:00

We went to Shang to hear the 11am mass. We want to expose them to many people so they don't get scared and/or shy. The plan: church-hop every weekend :)

Can you see how much they've grown??

Tried the carousel, and they loved it!

Hindi obvious sa pic, coz this is how they pose for cam - serious mode, lol. :P

We also had snacks at Cerealicious Cafe. Yummm! :)

Babysitting

2010-06-05T09:58:00.003+08:00

How do you get 3 toddlers to behave?

You give them crayons and a whole bunch of paper!

This will keep them busy for a while - like 10 mins, lol.

After that, you put on your best DVD and watch with them :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-02T14:13:00.000+08:00

Prince of Persia

2010-05-29T12:44:00.013+08:00

Sorry I have stopped blogging on the movies I've watched because I've been very busy lately with work and household duties. Some of the fabulous and not-so-fabulous movies we've seen on the big screen include 2010 (I like), Avatar (didn't like it), Sherlock Holmes (nice), The Book of Eli (also nice), Iron Man 2 (mas gusto ko yung 1; I couldn't understand Mickey Rourke when he speaks). So, anyway, today I am writing about the movie Keith and I watched this afternoon - Prince of Persia, The Sands of Time.

Well, at first, I didn't really want to watch it because I thought hindi bagay kay Jake Gyllenhaal ang long hair, c'mon. When I first saw the movie poster, I thought this was a spoof or comedy film and he reminded me so much of Adam Sandler in Bedtime Stories, mwahaha! But Keith said maganda toh, 10 out of 10 (daw accdg to Clickthecity, lol). So, I agreed and met him at Galleria, cinema 4.

The verdict: Okay, pwede na, hehehe. It was entertaining and had many twists. But I couldn't stop thinking that Orlando Bloom could be a better Prince Dastan, hehe. Pwede din si Tobey Maguire, Marc Wahlberg, or si Sasha Vujacic of the LA Lakers.. Augh! Kahit na sino wag lang si Jake Gyllenhaal! Pasensha na, hehehe

There are some movies you can watch on DVD like Shutter Island (nice), but Prince of Persia is recommended to be seen on the big screen. Enjoy! :)

Ask, and the Universe will conspire for you to get it

2010-05-28T14:23:00.003+08:00

I Secreted this my way... The Lenovo IdeaPad S9/S10e Netbook

Ahahaha I love it! :)

Twins' favorite pastime

2010-05-25T11:53:00.003+08:00

Swimming is the twins' favorite pastime. With today's hot hot weather, I can perfectly understand why! We don't even put warm water anymore...

They love to play in this inflatable pool, where they can be themselves, splashing all the way and throwing water at anyone who passes them.

Unfortunately, they do not like public pools and Vito does not like the beach. So, for their 3rd birthday, I am planning to host a swimming party for them. Oh my, that's just 33 days away! Perhaps, it will be a good idea to bring the inflatable pool, in case they decide not to swim in the swimming pool. :P

This kiddie pool has 3 rings which Keith likes to inflate by himself. He's the only one in the family who could inflate it using his own breath, amazing. Haha!

Happy Birthday Hunny Keith

2010-05-23T22:28:00.002+08:00

Hunny Bunny turned 29 today. There was inuman at his parent's house. His dad also celebrated his 50th birthday :)

Chocolate cake with yema filling from Shoppersville - only P300, winner!

Shoppersville Bakeshoppe
355 Katipunan Ave. Loyola Heights, QC
426-1247; 426-1246; 920-8050

Friends for life - LS Bros and Strike Team

I cooked spaghetti, beef with brocolli and this special lemonade. Recipe courtesy of Jalepeño :)

They consumed 25 cases of beer, watda ?? Keith was so drunk, mwehehe! Hope you had a great night! Happy Happy Birthday Hunny! :)

Hunn's Birthday 2010

2010-05-23T20:42:00.004+08:00

Keith finally took home the car after 2 weeks. He had sound system installed on it that costs - only God knows how much! Happy Birthday Hunny :)

When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he said, "I just want to hear mass". He is not the type who attends mass every Sunday so I welcomed the idea. I called the chapel in Megamall and asked how we could do the Offering. They informed me that there's no need to be scheduled. Anybody can just bring their offering, and line up during Offertory.

Chapel of the Eucharist Lord
SM Megamall Atrium, 5th level
638-8801

This is my first time to do Offering and I didnt know what to prepare. I thought fruits would be safe. Priests love papaya diba, hehe. So I prepared 2 baskets of fruits - one for me and one for Keith. I wrapped them with yellow cellophane - this is what I see during TV healing mass. Oh I forgot to take a pic!

Anyway, we decided to attend the 5PM mass so that we could have dinner after that. We reached Megamall at 5:15PM. The chapel was jam-packed! Vito didn't want to go inside, he got scared - we think he is claustrophobic (but why?). Poor Vito and his yaya just stayed outside, walking up and down the escalators. Later, Carlos got bored and wanted to go outside as well. After the homily, Carlos went to me and pulled me out and he kept saying "monkey! monkey!". I couldnt understand so I turned to his yaya who told me that Carlos was bugging her to play at Kidz Republic. Ah yun lang ba?? Okay! Hehe. I called Vito's yaya and asked them to follow. I said, "30 minutes lang ha kasi matatapos na yun mass" .

Kidz Republic
SM Megamall, 5th level
5560958

Rates:
30 minutes - P120
1 hour - P170
unlimited - P300
guardian - P70
socks - P25

When I went back to the chapel, I didnt see Keith. Oh no, the Offertory has started. Waaaah! So anupaba, I waited for him na lang. :)

After the mass, Keith and I waited for the bugoys outside Kidz Republic. They still had 11 minutes to play. When they went out, they were jumping and super happy but you can tell they were exhausted when they asked for water. We changed their sweaty shirts and gave them water/milk. They super enjoyed it! They love the slide, the ball pool, tubes, trampoline. I love that everything is covered in foam, and the place is really child-proof.

I told Keith I made reservations at Gotti's. We've never eaten here, but I heard very good feedback from my PIC Mau. Plus, when I checked Munchpunch for the rates, they are affordable.

Keith is a big Mafia fan, so this is the perfect place for his birthday dinner. We ordered The Godfather and Bugsy's Garlic Cheese pizzas.

Moi with The Goodfella Meatballs.

Gotti's
SM Megamall Atrium, 4th level
634-0348

Happy Birthday Hunny! May you have many, many more birthdays to come! Mwah mwah! :)

Elbow Room Lounge in Metrowalk

2010-05-14T21:31:00.001+08:00

Today, we had our teambuilding at Elbow Room Lounge in Metrowalk. We booked VIP 3 for the event. We feasted on pizza, chili chicken, nachos, calamares and sauteed beef with garlic.

After dinner, we didnt waste much time and started right away with the games. We had nice prizes up for grabs so everyone was excited and in high spirits. I had 2 games and 3 FGDs lined-up for the night. We played Bring Me and Charades. As for the FGDs, they were focused on Trust and Teamwork - Trust Walk, Build A House and Count The Beans.

We also awarded the top performers for Q1. After the programme, some played billiards...

and others went for the karaoke...

Others went home and called it a night. We stayed for a while to watch the live band.

It was truly a fun night! Too bad, I didnt win any prize - I was the host. So, until next time! :)

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-09T10:01:00.003+08:00

Keith surprised me by taking me to this spa in Wilson, Greenhills. The name is Ahavia Lounge Spa. For the longest time, I've been complaining of shoulder muscle pains - you know, the one that hurts when you're in so much stress? hehehe

Upon entering the spa, you are immediately greeted by the cool breeze of the aircon and the relaxing scent of peppermint oils. What a refreshing relief from the super hot Manila weather!

We tried the Western Blend. My massuese, Rochelle, was petite, but her hands were surprisingly strong. This is the first time I had someone crack my upper back. I was shocked at first, thinking that it was my spine! But, I felt really relaxed immediately after that...

Keith and I shared a couples room. Soft music with nature sounds filled the area, and it completed the whole experience. The massage lasted for an hour. I was also able to try their iced tea and chicken sandwich. Mejo matabang ung sandwich for me, but Keith was quick to say - this is a health-conscious spa, so low sodium. Ahem, ok. Hehe.

Thank you Hunny for this wonderful mother's day treat! :)

Ahavia Lounge Spa is located at 173 Wilson Street cor Barcelona St. Greenhills San Juan, Metro Manila. Call to reserve - 7440343.

Brazil Brazil in Metrowalk

2010-05-06T20:59:00.002+08:00

Today, Inah, Mau and I went to have dinner at Brazil Brazil in Metrowalk. Been wanting to eat here for the longest time to try their buffet.

For starters, I had macaroni salad. The pasta was good because it was al dente and chewy. I also love the salad with lettuce and different kinds of dressing. I think I went back to the salad bar for like five times, lol. I also order strawberry daquiri to quench my thirst, lav et. As for the roasted beef, I only tried square-inches of the different parts. For dessert, I think I had a gallon of Big Scoop avocado ice cream. OMG, this is the best!

We were the only people in the resto. Can you tell? Hehehe.

My bugoys I love

2010-05-04T07:31:00.001+08:00

Trying out mommy shades in SM...

With caps and socks

2010-04-26T06:52:00.004+08:00

Dont know what came over the two boys. Before sleeping, they went to their socks box and got a pair of socks and nagged me to wear it on them. Then they ran to their room and nagged their yaya to get Keith's caps. They went back to our room looking like this, hehe

Socks and caps styled by Vito and Carlos themselves :P

With Mcdo at the Fort

2010-04-25T07:00:00.001+08:00

Vito - 2 years and 10 months

Carlos - 2 years and 10 months

Sunday, family day

2010-04-11T07:09:00.001+08:00

Have you noticed? Lately, it's sooo freakin' hot! So today, we decided to go to the mall para mamashal and magpa-aircon, hehe. We went to Glorietta 5 coz we've never been here since its opening. Wala mashadong points of interest here, so we went to Glorietta 4 for the activity center. Half of it is under renovation, so we just played sa monkey bars and slide.

We went to Timezone, had sundae at Carl's Jr and bought popcorn from Chef Tony's. Then, we went to my in-laws in Taguig. It was fun! :)

The Quest for Bollinger

2010-03-12T18:38:00.008+08:00

I helped a friend who is in abroad buy a special champagne in the name of Bollinger, pronounced /Bo lan zhay/. I learned from my friend that this is the favorite champagne of James Bond. Naks.

This is the first time I heard of this champagne. I went to 5 different supermarkets with a printout in tow, and most of the store clerks gave me the "i do not know what that is" kind of look. I also went to 5 different specialty wine shops, but they do not carry the Bollinger. It is so rare, I was lucky to find the only shop in Manila that sells it. Thanks to my friend, Amanda, who referred me to them. :)

I had to ask my partner-in-crime, Mau, to accompany me to Yakal Street in San Antonio Makati because I am not familiar with the place. Our destination was Tita Nia Wine Cellars. They have several branches, but it is only their main office that carries the Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvee, and one bottle costs P6,000. Huwaw!

For that price, you would think it is packaged beautifully. But no. I was surprised to find out it does not have a box. So we had to get a wooden box, which costs P300, to carry the exquisite Bollinger.

Before leaving the shop, we authographed the signboard for the Miss Mouton Cadet 2010. Wala lang, echos lang, hehe. This signboard will be shipped to France.

I promised my friend I would wrap the present in silver and blue packaging. Mau and I went to a gift wrapping store, and decided to get a silver and blue ribbon instead. Here's the outcome:

Punta Fuego - Day 2

2010-03-07T17:59:00.003+08:00

I woke up, looked at the window and saw na maliwanag na sa labas. Ginising ko ang maid and asked her to cook breakfast. When I reached for the cellphone to check the time, it said 3:19. Huwat?? Hinawi ko ang blinds! OMG, sobrang liwanag ng outdoor lights ng kapitbahay.. madaling araw pa pala! I said -indaaay patawarin mko, mwehehe!

We had breakfast at 7AM. It was a beautiful morning!

We changed to our swimming outfits, and went back to Long Beach.

It was pahirapan to make takas sa twins coz iiyak pag nawala lang ako sa tabi. When they got busy making sand castles, tumakbo na ako to where the jetski was.

It was already lunchtime, so balik na kami lahat sa house to eat. The twins love Chef Tony's popcorn.

We packed our things. It was time to go.

Harhar moments:

when carlos was accidentally pushed by bitoy off the pavement and napayakap sha sa puno.. nagalit caloy and said "dahan dahan bitoooy!!" vito was playing with the doorbell. hindi nya abot so pag tip-toe nya nasanggi nya si caloy, mwehehe. ^_^

2pm, pagdating sa clubhouse. super-init!
justin: bibili lang ako ng souvenir t-shirt
papa: tara na kasi wala na akong gas. kelangan ko magpakarga
justin: ha? eh andito na tayo?!!
bwahahaha! ^_^

We had merienda at Pancake House in Tagaytay.

Then stop-over at Paseo De Santa Rosa. It was tiring but definitely, super worth-it!

Thanks everyone for this vacation, mwah! :)

Punta Fuego - Day 1

2010-03-06T17:59:00.007+08:00

Napansin nyo ba.. It's really hot lately? I got a taste of summer when the family went to Punta Fuego this weekend. Caloy's yaya was on day-off so ako ang yaya, who else? Hehe.

We started at 7:00AM. Reached Petron SLEX at around 8:30AM. Surprisingly, there was no traffic in SLEX.

Harhar moment: justin and leizl nka jacket and chaleko. may date ata sa alchemy. parang hindi pupunta sa beach, lol.

We arrived at Josephine's at around 9:30AM. We were here for the buffet breakfast. I feasted on bacon and egg and mostly left-overs ng twins - champorado and myam myam with dang dang (that's bread with strawberry jam). The twins loved the taho and arrozcaldo.

Photo op muna with Taal as background. Kahit scorching hot, todo pose pa rin, OMG! Hehehe

Then, we went to Mahogany market to buy beef, fish, rice, uling and spices. Punta Fuego was still one hour away. The twins slept through the byahe. We had pitstop at 7-11 in Nasugbu to buy drinks and chips.

Finally, we reached Punta Fuego.

After unpacking our things and settling down, we had lunch. There was karaoke, so anupaba? Hehe

The view from the balcony is breathtaking...

Usually, the twins take their siesta at 12NN. But today, no no no! Naloka sila sa playstation.

At 4pm, we all decided to go to Long Beach. Sinakay muna ang kayak, then off we went.

Weather was perfect and the beach was calm... saraaap!

Wrap-up time was 6pm. Carlos didnt want to leave. Iyakan blues. So we promised, tomorrow, we'll have "swimming time" again.

Pagbalik sa house, ligo then dinner. Pahinga, chikka time, karaoke and playstation. That was Day 1.

EMMA

2010-02-27T21:14:00.001+08:00

Like I have told yah Keith is going gaga with car audio set-ups, and today we went to Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill to watch the 2009 National Finals of EMMA (European Mobile Media Association). We were joined by RJ and Peen.

We let the boys enjoy the show, afterall Peen and I could not relate. Bwahaha. We decided to have some chikka time, so we went to Mcdo, our all-time fave fastfood chain. I was craving for their crispy fries and hot fudge sundae. Natapos na ang chikka and all, wala pa din text from the boys. 7pm na so we went back, and told them we want to change venue nah puhleeez.

We convoyed to Boni High Street and had dinner at Kabisera.

Keith and Don Vito Corleone

I cannot divulge the chikkas for that night. You just have to ask Peen yourself, hehe *wink!

It's confirmed

2010-02-19T08:53:00.002+08:00

Bennie is leaving.

As his parting words, he shared with us some strategies one can use to climb up the corporate ladder. Here they are in no particular order:

· C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-C-E
· Self-Motivation
· Accept Additional Tasks
· Know what your boss is doing
· Prove Your Worth: Get Some Attention
· Build Rapport
· Have a Vision

Bennie has a great character. He is kind and very approachable. He never lets you feel that he is the big boss. Bennie is intelligent and has a very good business sense. It is sad to see him go, but as you know, everything happens for the good. So as he goes, we continue to stay positive! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T07:45:00.003+08:00

So, what did you do on V-Day?

2010-02-14T15:57:00.003+08:00

Last Saturday, Keith and I had dinner at my parents' house. It was potbless and we were in-charge of ice cream. We brought vanilla and avocado, which is now becoming a family fave.

After dinner, we met up with Keith's friends at Quattro in Timog. Sinalubong namin ang V-day here. Nkkaloka coz there was a dating game, lol.

On Valentines Sunday, the twins and I heard mass at the chapel; Keith was still asleep. After lunch we went to my in-laws'. Around 6pm, Keith and I made takas, and we went to Serendra. Super dami ng tao hanggang Boni High Street, nkka-lokah! Ikot ikot muna kame, finding a spot that's not crowded. Keith was hesitant to light his yosi which he bought from the waiter in Italianni's for P100 a pack, bwahaha. It was a rip-off, super mahal. And no, it was not blue seal noh. We had dinner at Cupcakes by Sonja. It was my first time here. Walang tao dito coz people usually just take out their goodies. It was masaya, bonding moment.

We also stopped by this mini-concert in the middle of High Street. Papano, Keith is going gaga with all this vroom vroom audio set-up thingie. Being the supportive wife that I am, I agreed to watch and listen. Well, to be honest, I didnt try to analyze the musical chords or what, I just enjoyed the music :)

So that was Valentine's for us. :)

Feast of Sto Niño

2010-01-31T07:22:00.003+08:00

Keith and I went to San Beda to attend the annual Pista ni Sto Niño. I didnt know what to expect, but I was happy to meet with my friends who promised to join the procession. Mendiola was closed, so we parked the car malapit sa Kambigan, and walked our way through the street that housed 5th street, 4th street, 3rd street - you know the rest. We met Peen and RJ at Mcdonald's. I just had lunch at home but I couldnt stop myself from eating those hot, crispy, golden french fries!

We heard the church bells of Our Lady of Montserrat. The procession has started. Weather was perfect - no sun, no rain. I watched in amazement as I saw girls in white and blue uniform (definitely not San Beda) wearing shoes with 2-in heels, anuvaaah! Kids were strutting their stuff. One would think you were in a fashion show and not in a procession. We waited for our queue coz alumni had to walk after the students. While waiting, I saw several people holding this odd-looking red stick. I was inggit so I told Keith I wanted one too and asked him how much. He said sandali lang, and after a few seconds he came back with a red stick in his hand, awww :)

We positioned ourselves right behind Sto. Nino. While walking, Keith said, tinataas ata yan - referring to my red stick. I looked at the people and yes, nka-taas nga. I said, huh? baka magkakulani ako dito?! Bwahaha. And so we walked, praying the rosary as we passed by the church of St. Jude, Malacañang, TIP, Teacher's College and back to San Beda.

Sto Niño.

Rj, Popeen and Moi (holding my flower stick).

Before leaving San Beda, we passed by The Abbey, otherwise known as Our Lady of Montserrat, constructed in 1926, it's really a sight to behold. We wanted to get married here, but during that time it was bawal, thanks to manila archbishop cardinal Rosales.

Keith and I had dinner at Gerry's in Tomas Morato. We met Dong there and made chikka until 10:30PM. Masaya the bonding moment... Until next time! :)

2010 Year of the Tiger: Chinese Zodiac Horoscope Forecast of Your Life, Love and Fortune

2010-01-26T07:40:00.001+08:00

The Rooster – Keith (1981)

The Rooster is always popular, extravagant and creative.. They can be brutally honest and generally like being showered with attention. They are wonderfully loyal friends and also give advice freely – whether they are asked for it or not! Family means the world to the Rooster and they are fiercely loyal to those they care about.

Forecast for 2010
The Year of the Tiger will have mixed fortunes for the Rooster, but by staying calm, observant and flexible, the Rooster will glide through 2010 coming out much wiser, stronger and with great success behind him. He will be in much demand for his sage advice and experience and, at work, this will come to the notice of his employer. Many will also decide to go back to college this year or completely change the direction of their career. Travel features quite strongly with the Rooster seeking out adventure, fun and new places to visit. A word of caution: all Roosters must ensure that they don’t overdo things – exhaustion and a depleted immune system will result if proper rest isn’t taken. Home life will bring many joys and will be seen as a cosy sanctuary throughout the year. The Spring months and November and December will be excellent for intimate romantic encounters.. March and July to October will be the optimum time for making career decisions or to change jobs.

Interesting Rooster Facts:
Zodiac Stone: Citrine
Special Flower: Aster
Best Hours: 5-7 pm
Season: Autumn
Horoscope Colors: Orange, Green

The Horse – Jovie (1978)

Fun, charming and attractive sums up the Horse’s traits perfectly. They love parties and crowds and being the centre of attention. They can also be egotistical, hotheaded and impatient. The Horse is a considerate and protective friend and partner and when in his company, there will always be excitement around the next corner.

Forecast for 2010
The Year of the Tiger will be an exciting and lively year for the Horse. On the home and family front, there may be some changes with family members moving in, moving out or relocating to another location altogether. On the social front, the Horse will be in much demand with invitations to parties and gatherings increasing as the year moves on. Health wise, with such a busy year and added pressures, the Horse must ensure that he looks after his diet and gets adequate rest. Otherwise, irritability and heated arguments could arise unnecessarily. Those born under this sign will do exceptionally well career-wise this year. However, they must follow up leads and career openings with vigor in order to take advantage of the fast paced energy of the Tiger year. A word of caution for the Horse – they need to keep a careful eye on their finances as overspending could happen very easily. August through September will bring fantastic opportunities for those looking for love. March through May will be lucky for changing jobs or careers while November and December will bring fun and lively social gatherings.

Interesting Horse Facts:
Zodiac Stone: Golden Topaz
Special Flower: Rose
Best Hours: 11am-1pm
Season: Summer
Horoscope Colors: Orange, White, Yellow

The Pig – Vito & Carlos (2007)

The Pig is an innocent, sweet and lovable personality. They can also be quite melancholy and over-sensitive. The Pig loves the company of others, and adores parties, gossip and chit chat. They are highly intelligent, but prefer to keep this side of their nature under wraps. The Pig does not care that much for money, but is one of the zodiac signs that is very lucky.

Forecast for 2010
The Pig loves activity and challenges and the Year of the Tiger will certainly provide this. There may be additional financial pressure on the Pig this year, but with prudent spending and consideration, this need not be a problem. The Pig is an open, friendly soul and very trusting, but this year he must be wary. It’s possible that gossip may prove too tempting or that he may listen to false advice, causing upset and trouble. Be guarded and careful this year! The Pig must ensure that he follows up all correspondence or financial dealings – to delay or overlook details will prove costly. Short, fun, unplanned trips will feature throughout the year and will be excellent for off-setting any stresses and pressure the Year of the Tiger may bring. Interest in spirituality and self-development will be to the fore and any opportunity to study and explore these should be taken. November to January will provide excellent opportunites for changing career direction or to find a new job. August to December will prove particularly social, with many fun occasions and opportunities to make new friends.

Interesting Pig Facts
Zodiac Stone: Ruby
Special Flower: Chrysanthemum
Best Hours: 9-11 pm
Season: Autumn
Horoscope Colors: Purple, Red, White

Taken from this.

4th Wedding Anniv

2010-01-17T14:23:00.008+08:00

Has it really been 4 years?? Hehehe..

Today, Keith and I celebrated our 4th anniversary. We went to Christ The King in Greenmeadows. It was jam-packed because of Sunday mass. I can still remember that 4 years ago, we were here to say "I do". Cheezee, haha. Anyway, this church will always give me happy memories. :)

After that, we went to Merkato Cuisine in QC to have dinner. We were hungry! I ordered vietnamese spring rolls, and grilled prawns pasta. He had a salad and fillet mignon. We ordered a bottle of red wine. Masarap the food and wine. Tapos, I had hazelnut icecream for dessert. The staff was very accomodating, and I love it here coz we were pampered, the best! :)

Hope we can have like this once a week, haha! :)

Sunday, family day

2010-01-03T12:56:00.002+08:00

We heard Sunday mass in Antipolo Church, otherwise known as the Natinal Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. We like to hear mass here because the twins can run and play inside the gated grounds of the church. They have good speakers and TV so that people outside can hear/see the mass.

After mass, we go to The Old Spaghetti House, also in Antipolo. They have mini-playground and the twins love to play here. This is our bonding time as a family :)

Family pic, from left to right: Vito, Keith, Carlos and Moi.

With Yaya Joan and Yaya Cathy.

Loyola for Tito Chito Uy

2010-01-02T19:30:00.006+08:00

Tito Chito died of heart and kidney complications on New Year's Day. He was 61.

Kabuki went to visit him at Loyola Guadalupe, chapel C. We brought snacks and exchanged stories. Ires tried her best to smile, but we all know how deeply saddened she is. She is one strong woman.

Note: before taking this pic, we said, ok no smiles ha!

Following the pamahiin, we cannot go straight home after coming from a wake, so we went to Bugsy's muna in Julia Vargas. We bought some drinks there and ordered pizza from Brooklyn. It was one of the best Kabuki bonding moments! We shared stories that went as far back as college, our crazy professors, and the unforgettable lunch restos we used to frequent. We also planned future gimiks like the pruseshon in Jan and Bora in Sept.

Dong, wish ko lang matuloy, hahaha!

My twins I love

2010-01-02T16:02:00.000+08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-02T15:55:00.000+08:00

Welcome 2010! :)

2010-01-01T19:49:00.005+08:00

May every day of the

new year glows with

good cheer & happiness

for you & your family

Happy New Year!!! :)

Christmas at Bahay ni Maria

2009-12-28T07:35:00.002+08:00

Keith and his friends organized a charity event this year. They chose Bahay ni Maria in Makati. This is my very first charity event. :)

Christmas at Jalapeño

2009-12-27T07:32:00.002+08:00

Merry Christmas! Here we are with Strike Team at Jalapeño Julia Vargas. Masarap the food, and I loved the lemonade!

We had exchange gift, and we got a starter set with bowls from Les. This will be useful in the kitchen and for our get-togethers, thanks! :)

Christmas 2009

2009-12-24T23:02:00.009+08:00

Divisoria 2009

2009-12-17T11:32:00.003+08:00

This Christmas season, I think I went to Divi for like six times, oh my god I cant believe it! I go to Divi to buy gifts for officemates, friends, inaanaks, aunts, cousins, and helpers.

I started xmas shopping in November, but later realized that the items being sold are old stocks from last year. I recognize the wood items and other stuff I bought the past year, hehe. So anyway, here are my top 10 Divi xmas shopping tips:

1. Make a list. Indicate the age and gender. I failed to do this this year, and I regret it. Pramis it will help you save if you buy in bulk.
2. For christmas decors, buy them in November. I frequent this stall along the street near Divi Mall. They are beside the stuff toys area. I got a plain wreath for P40.
3. For christmas gifts, I suppose its better if it was just a one-day shopping event. Take a leave around 2nd week of December, preferably a Monday. Start shopping at 8AM. Park car in Tutuban.
4. Get one of those sako bags, so you have everything in just one bag.
5. Cheapest items are found in Divisoria Mall.
6. Nice items not found in Divi Mall can be found in Meisic Mall.
7. I found great buys sa streets like big mugs at 6pcs for P50, Nike cap with tag for P50, black vest for P150, leggings for P80 each. Some vendors come out around 4pm, but some have pwesto.
8. Buy gift wrappers in bulk. There is this store between Meisic and Divi mall that sells them in bulk.
9. Bring alcohol or wet ones. You will need it, hehe.
10. Not everything in Divi is cheap. I was trying to find this class A rubber shoes. I ended up buying it in Greenhills because it is cheaper there and the craftsmanship is nice. Class A Lacoste shirts are also sold cheaper in Greenhills than Divi.

Every year, I get wiser and wiser in terms of shopping for christmas, and eye laaav et!! :)

Slumber Party

2009-11-13T12:48:00.003+08:00

NCAA Season 85

2009-10-24T18:41:00.000+08:00

Let's Count 1 to 10

2009-10-12T08:48:00.001+08:00

One = Wan
Two = Too
Three = Chwee
Four = Pohh
Five = Pie
Six = Chii
Seven = Eben
Eight = Et
Nine = Nayn
Ten = Ten

Ondoy

2009-09-29T08:17:00.004+08:00

Just want to make a quick shout-out that I am alive and well!! And here’s hoping that all of you are doing fine.

During the typhoon, we had poor cellphone signal, poor water, no electricity, no telephone, no internet, no nothing. At night, we couldn’t sleep, bcoz the twins were sweating to death despite our best efforts to fan them. Flood water was thigh-deep outside our apartment. And because we were beside a creek, we were praying real hard that the wall will protect us from the raging waters. And it did. Just past midnight on Saturday, we heard a crash. In the morning, we discovered that the wall collapsed just a few houses away from us.. thick mud and big rocks were everywhere, about three houses were severely damaged.

On Monday, Keith decided we needed to evacuate. All hotels were booked, except Lancaster Hotel in Shaw. Mau, Moxi and the yayas were with us so we booked a 2-bedroom loft-type suite with kitchen (utensils, pots included), a dining area, living room and laundry area. It was a good refuge to us typhoon-victims. Buying grocery from Megamall was a nightmare. The lines were crazy long! I overheard Sta Lucia was closed so people were doing their shopping in Mega.

Ondoy will never be forgotten. He has taken so many lives in Rizal. In fact, in De Castro Pasig, where we usually lived, the houses were submerged in flood water. I am so grateful that we have moved to Brookside and I am truly blessed that my entire family is safe. We were fortunate that flood was only in our street. Mom's house was not as lucky. Flood water was waist-deep on the first floor and all cars were submerged in water. My dad was rushed to the hospital on Sunday night because of cold sweating, tummy ache and headache. He was discharged today and is perfectly okay. Na-stress lang, hehe!

Lancaster Hotel, Shaw

2009-09-28T22:47:00.002+08:00

Lancaster Hotel is nice.

I didn't know the De Luxe Suite we checked into was loft-type. I was a little hesitant because we had three toddlers with us and the last thing we needed was a child falling from the stairs. But all other hotels are fully booked, so mag reklamo pa ba? The swimming pool was at the top of the building, and it was an open area, so that's definitely a no-no for the kids. I had strict orders for the yayas to be 200% careful.

Here we are, reading bedtime stories. This we cannot do at home because of brownout.

The staff were accommodating, but service was slow. I had to call them five times to send the additional pillows. There was only one TV and it was in the living room. No TVs in the bedroom. Over-all, the hotel was okay. We needed electricity, water and shelter, and we got it from Lancaster.

What's with the tongue??

2009-09-18T23:02:00.001+08:00

"Smile" for the camera is this:

Short hair again after 6 years!

2009-09-07T22:40:00.000+08:00

Moxi at 10 months

2009-07-13T12:06:00.004+08:00

This is my most beautiful pamangkin, Moxi, pronounced Mouksh by Vito and Carlos.

In this pic, I really think she resembles me when I was a baby, hehe. Lucky girl ;)

Isnt she adorable? :D

Hello from NYC

2009-07-12T17:36:00.006+08:00

Tito Ruben and Tita Chat came by to visit the Philippines for a short vacation. Since arriving 10 days ago, they have toured Nueva Ecija, Roxas, Dumaguete to visit relatives, and now Manila.

We had lunch together and food was sumptuous! Lumpiang ubod, Kare-Kare with bagoong, Pancit Bam-i, Chicken Teriyaki, fruits and ice cream. I gained another 10 lbs this weekend, mwahaha.

Pose for a family picture. Not included are Vito, Mau and Moxi coz they were taking a nap.

OMG!! I look so phat! este fat. The 10 lbs I gained are all in my cheeks! Bwahaha.

Vito and Carlos at 24 months

2009-07-04T12:13:00.005+08:00

Katrina's Tagaytay

2009-07-03T11:40:00.001+08:00

We met up with Mike and Botch coz we have planned to go to Tagaytay this evening for dinner, and some chillin' in cool weather. It was traffic in SLEX because of the Skyway extension, but we saw a lot of Decepticon trucks. That kept us amuzed, hehehe. In Laguna, we stopped by Paseo de Santa Rosa, where Keith was able to buy a gray cotton t-shirt (with a right-side pocket -his favorite shirt style) at Dockers with 50% discount. He also found a backpack in Nike which is strong enough to hold his laptop. It also has a thermal pocket for his tumbler. He got the bag at 50% off. You bet he was beaming with happiness.

We then headed to Katrina's, a resto-pub serving authentic Mediterranean cuisine, just a few meters away from Casino Filipino and Mcdonald's. We were met by the very accommodating owner and restaurateur, Trevor Roberts. That's him behind me.

He indulged us with stories and secrets of their restaurant, I am not sure if I can share them here though, hehe. Just pay him a visit, I'm sure he'll extend the same warmth and hospitality.

Our first order was a bottle of semi-sweet Infantes red wine. And since it was our first time, he suggested that we try some of their best-sellers - pizzas baked in an oven with volcanic stones, double cheese spaghetti, cottage pie, fish & chips, and apple pie. We ordered them all. For pizza, we ordered two - Chef's Special and Alfredo. Dinner was super! And cheap. For all that we only paid P2,500.

Currently, a part of the restaurant is under renovation. We will surely come back for the great food, affordable meals and cozy ambiance. BTW, they also have rooms for rent, very convenient if you've had too much to drink and cant drive. For inquiries, call 09053288425 or 09192756904.

Before heading home, we made a quick stop at Starbucks just to check out Taal and have more of that cool Tagaytay breeze. We were so full that we didnt even attempt to buy water, hahaha. Until next time... :)

On A Roadtrip

2009-07-03T11:33:00.019+08:00

Thank God It's Friday!

After work, Keith and I met at Megamall to check out the Adidas Nike Sale at the Megatrade Hall. He was looking for a backpack for his laptop. I said, "What! Another laptop bag??" He then tried to explain that he needed a sporty bag for his laptop "para naman hindi halata sa mga mandurukot".. Roll eyes. Okay fine. We browsed throught the items, but didn't find anything interesting, so I pulled him out and told him I was hungry. While we were trying to decide where to eat, we saw Dulcinea. Grabeh, I missed Dulcinea! Last year, they shutdown there branches in Megamall and Galleria, and I thought I would never see them again. I am so happy they are back in business! Keith ordered tuna sandwich and our favorite fruit shake. I ordered churros con chocolate, my favorite comfort food in the whole wide world! Hehehe.

Happy 2nd Birthday Vito and Carlos!

2009-06-27T11:58:00.010+08:00

It's the twins 2nd birthday and they woke up to their favorite things - balloons, CARS activity books, and breakfast delivery from Jollibee, hehe. They love Jollibee mascot and they call him Bobby. They also received a Red Ribbon cake from my parents.

We planned to make the most out of this day as a family, coz we rarely get to do that with our tight schedules. So, after taking their siesta, we left the house at 3PM and picked-up their Lightning Mcqueen cakes from Shoppersville in Katipunan.

Then, we went to Mega Plaza in Ortigas for their first dental check-up. I know, they should have taken this a long time ago, but its difficult to take the twins to the barber without putting up a fight, what more the dentist? Our dental appointment was at 4pm, and we were late. While we were walking through the corridors, the twins were already crying, and when I opened the clinic door, they were screaming. OMG! I had no other choice but to retreat. I told the secretary - sorry I have to cancel, they might get traumatized, next time na lang ha, hehe. So we went down and as soon as the elevator opened to the lobby, we heard the twins laugh in between sobs. As in sigh of relief, bwahaha. tsk tsk tsk.

We went to Galleria and had snacks in Cerealicious. I ordered robopop (cornflakes, banana, nestle pops and strawberry syrup), and we ordered chocolate oatmeal for the twins. They liked my food better, so we swapped.. sayang masarap pa naman, hahaha.

At this point, my in-laws arrived and we went to the department store because their lola wanted to buy them new clothes. She got them jackets and t-shirt/short sets from Mickey Mouse, another one of their favorites.

Then, we went to Tom's World at the 3rd floor for some vroom vroom action. We always go to this area because not so many kids play at this side of the mall. The twins love the yellow and red cars, and they always ride these whenever we are in Galleria. Today, they tried the mini-carousel, boat, drums and throwed hoops at the basketball shooting arcade. I was so proud when Carlos was able to shoot one ball, ring-less, hahaha.

After that one hour of playing, we went to Edsa Shrine to offer a prayer of thanks. Then, we headed to Congo Grille in El Pueblo Real de Manila for our family dinner.

The twins with their uncle Gelo, 3 years old.

Congo Grille was our first choice for the birthday dinner because of their location and affordability. We rented out the function room, which can accommodate 50 pax. We were only about 20 people, so we had a lot of space. Food was yummy, service was the best. Our over-all experience with them was good. We were happy to choose Congo Grille. At 9:30pm, we decided to call it a night.

Happy Birthday Kuya Vito! :)

Happy Birthday Carlos! :)

Welcome to the terrible twos, hehe.

More pictures here.

Transformers 2 at Trinoma

2009-06-26T11:23:00.004+08:00

Our team watched the Transformers on its third day of screening. Hindi naman kame excited, hahaha! We picked the 8pm show at Trinoma, cinema 6. We sure had a blast!

This Transformers had hardcore action. I like the first one better :P

There was something different about Megan Fox in this movie. I think her lips were stung by a bee or something. She had puckered lips the entire film, and it was not flattering at all. How true she's the next Tomb Raider??

More of our pictures here: http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/573298572nwOpwl

Pasto at El Pueblo Real de Manila

2009-06-10T09:53:00.005+08:00

Keith and I met up with his friends for some drinks in El Pueblo. We were supposed to go to our favorite hangout Sidebar, but when we had dinner at Pasto we decided to just stay there -where it is more quiet, and since there were only a few patrons because of closign time, we had the place all to ourselves, literally, hehe. The restaurant closes at 11pm, but we stayed until 2am. Before they closed, we ordered panini, pizza, a bottle of red wine, some zombie cocktails and five buckets of beer. We were just 6 - mike and botch, lester and marc. At around 12mn, botch and I went to mcdonalds to buy some french fries and ice cream for me, hehe. It sure was a fun and relaxing night. I love to chill :)

Notice anything different? I decided to dye my hair brown this morning. I love it. :)

Boracay ~ Day 3

2009-05-25T13:27:00.009+08:00

I woke up, still sleepy, and checked my wristwatch. It said 6:07am. What! It was our last day in Boracay and we were leaving at 9am to catch our 1pm flight in Kalibo. So I jumped out of bed, hurriedly packed all our things and ran to D'Mall for that last minute pasalubong shopping. Good thing, some stores were already open, and I was able to grab souvenirs at 8pcs for P100. When I went back to our room, Keith was still asleep. I woke him up and said we needed to take our breakfast if he still wanted to tour White Beach one last time.

As expected, breakfast was yummy. I had the usual cornflakes and milk, scrambled egg, bacon and rice. I also had coffee and some oranges. After breakfast, we went to the concierge to ask if we can leave at 10am, instead of 9am. While they were calling Southwest Tours to ask, a man approached us and said he was there to pick us up. What!! He said the bus was leaving at 9am because there are many people in Kalibo airport that day. So we said okay and asked if we can just pack our things and that we'll come back right away.

So, we went back to our room, and instead of getting our things, we grabbed the camera and ran to White Beach. We took our final dive and swam and took photos of the beach, the island, the boats, etc. Then, we went back to the hotel, took a quick shower and said goodbye to the staff at Grand Boracay. We will definitely stay here again! Definitely!

And so off we went to Cagban port, to Caticlan, then Kalibo airport, and back to Manila. The plane trip back home was a breeze. After my parasailing experience, I was no longer scared of flying, hehe. We had lunch at Miggy's Place near the airport, and while waiting, we took pics of the ricefields beside the resto.

So long Boracay, until next time! :)

Check our Boracay pictures here: http://travel.webshots.com/album/572420732OjMhNP

Boracay ~ Day 2

2009-05-24T16:37:00.014+08:00

It was 6am. I woke up Keith to take some sunrise photos. He reluctantly agreed, hehe. We went to White Beach and we were surprised to see some dark clouds over the island. But, God is really good, coz after breakfast, the sun was out again.

Our complimentary buffet breakfast was super sarap and there were plenty of food to choose from. I had cornflakes with milk, my fave. I also had pansit, fried bangus and omelette which is prepared as you order. I also had coffee, pineapple juice and some orange slices. Ang takaw talaga, hehe!

At 9am, we went reef walking. We went to station 1, where the pick up and drop off station for all water activities is located. We hopped a speedboat, which dropped us off Angol. After the orientation from our dive master Eric, Keith was first to go. When it was my turn, I suddenly became nervous and I totally forgot what our dive master just taught us. I had three attempts going down coz I couldnt equalize. I was at the point of backing out, but the thought of an angry Keith made me decide otherwise, hahaha! With the dive master's help, I was finally able to reach the bottom, to join Keith who was waiting anxiously. I gave him a thumbs-up sign to say I was okay. :) Here's a tip: chew gum. I think it will help you equalize.

I didn't know fish love pandesal, hehehe! We fed them three times. And while we were feeding them, the dive master was taking our pictures. Feeding the fish was a relaxing feeling. Our dive master even caught a fish by his hand and asked us to hold it. I didnt have the courage, so I just rubbed the tail. It was an awesome experience! This has got to be the best water activity ever! And at P500 each, it's a bargain. For the digital underwater pics, we paid P500. For reef walking inquiries, contact JayR 09238308162.

After reef walking, we were shuttled by a speedboat back to station 1. The weather was starting to get really hot, so we decided to have some fruitshakes at Jonah's (station 1). Keith had avocado shake, while I had mocha shake. There was also a tattoo booth inside Jonah's. We decided to get one. Keith had "three stars and a sun", while I had the tattoo artist do a freehand design on my back. We paid P200 for both.

It was already lunchtime, but we were still full. We decided to do Parasailing - not for the faint at heart, hehe. We passed by Diamond Water Sports (station 1), and inquired. They charge P1,000 each for 15 minutes. We said okay. We hopped on a speedboat to bring us to the parasailing dock. There, we rode a two-engine (bigger) speedboat. The crew gave us a waiver to sign, I didnt even read it. Then, they asked us to join them on the deck and strapped us in place. There's no backing out now. One of the crew said, wave your hand like this if you want to go down. That was the only orientation we had and the next minute I knew the big parachute was already pulling us up up in the air. I screamed, "Hunny kung hindi lang kita mahal hindi ko to gagawin, aaaah!"

Parasailing suspends you 500 meters above sea level, and that is super high! So high you can see Bulabog Beach, which is on the other side of Boracay. You can also see Mt Luho; practically the entire Boracay island. You can also see how green the ocean is, and you'll know the black spots are coral reefs. Actually, once settled, it gets a little boring. Hahaha. It only gets exciting when the wind pulls you up/down, left/right. After a few minutes, we were being pulled down. Parasailing is an extreme sport that I am willing to do only once, haha. Try it!

After getting off the speedboat, we didnt have the appetite for lunch. We went back to the hotel to swim at the pool.

At 2pm, we went back to White Beach to find a restaurant where we can have a light meal. Keith required a beachfront location coz he wanted to swim afterwards. I wanted to eat some crabs, so I suggested the Crab House at Escondido. It was located near the Church so I said great because it was Sunday. We took a tricycle and the driver said Escondido was walking-distance from the Church. Upon reacing the Church, there was no mass, so we offered our prayer of thanks. After that, we headed for Escondido. However, the street going there looked rural, and Keith didnt want to pursue. He wanted beachfront, remember!?

We walked back to station 2 and it was difficult to decide where to stop. We ended up at Red Coconut. Keith had burger and mango shake, while I had banana split. Keith and I needed to get that tan. We used their benches to sunbathe. I was thankful we stayed at Red Coconut because most of the guests were foreigners and I wasnt so conscious of my stretch marks and big belly because I know they do not care, ahehe.

After swimming for I think 30 minutes, we decided to go back to the hotel. I asked Keith to go ahead while I do some pasalubong shopping. When I went back to our room, I caught Keith watching showbiz balita, the Katrina-Hayden scandal, ahahay.

It's dinnertime once again, and we have decided to eat at Aria (station 2). We had some red wine and quattro stagioni - pizza with a selection of four different toppings (aria, boscaiola, napoli and frutti di mare). Super sarap, and the spicy olive oil was perfect with our pizza. After consuming our 8-slice pizza, we transferred to the tables along the beach and sat on these big pillows. For dessert, I had belgian waffle from Cafe del Sol, which is Aria's sister company.

Just a few steps from where we were seated, was a group of kids, asking donation for their sand sculptures. When one kid approached me, I said okay but on one condition - please write our names. He did, and charged me P5 for each letter, hehe. I didnt know if he was serious, afterall he only asked for donation. So I obliged and gave him P50. He was super happy.

We decided to do some bar hopping. We strolled along White Beach but didnt find any good spots, so we decided to stay at Hey Jude. I ordered frozen pineapple margarita, while Keith had a mojito. Man, my margarita sucked! After 30 minutes, we transferred to Bom-Bom and Pat's, where there was a man with a reggae hat, singing Tagalog love songs. He kept saying, "thank you all you beautiful people" and was laughing to himself in between songs. I think he was high on drugs or something. So as soon as Keith finished his tequila sunrise and as soon as I finished my mango shake, we left.

That was Day 2, and boy, we were exhausted!

Boracay ~ Day 1

2009-05-23T15:54:00.015+08:00

I wasn't able to sleep, I woke up 4am and ate breakfast. No, I was not excited! Hehehe. Since our last vacation two years ago (honeymoon in Pangloa), Keith and I have been busy with work, the twins and managing the household, so this Boracay trip is really something to be excited about. We left the twins and the yayas with my in-laws, to make sure we get that much needed R and R. Oh, did I mention it's Keith's birthday today? :)

At 6am, we left for the airport. We got to PAL terminal 2 after 30 minutes. We checked-in our baggages and went inside the terminal. Our flight was 8:30am. We bought some coffee at The Tinder Box, and waited- in anticipation, LOL.

Finally, we boarded the plane but waited atleast 15 minutes on the runway, to give way for the other planes. Weather was perfect and you could clearly see the islands below. I had biscuit and tea for snacks. Overall the flight was smooth and touchdown was perfect.

We reached Kalibo at around 10am. We boarded a bus serviced by Southwest Tours. The bus was new and we sat comfortably, looking at the sceneries outside. We reached Caticlan at around 12nn. We boarded an outrigger boat headed for Cagban Port in Boracay island. From there, a service van took us to our hotel. We checked in at Grand Boracay Resort, received our welcome drinks and went to Room 104.

Grand Boracay Resort is located at station 2, and one of their gates lead you to D'Mall, making White Beach very accessible. Since it is non-beachfront, we had the privacy that we wanted. The place was also very peaceful and quiet. Staff were accommodating and hospitable. Just perfect!

So after securing our things, we went to Gasthof (station 2) for lunch. We had baby back ribs, calamari and rice. We were careful not to order tap water bcoz of the water problem in Boracay, so we asked for Sprite and bottled water. Lunch was yum yum yum!

We strolled along White Beach and enjoyed the spectacular view of the ocean. I asked Keith if he wanted to go to the Dead Forest (station 3) to take some pictures. He said "ok, lets give it a try". Since we didnt know where it was, we decided to take a tricycle. When I told the driver where we were headed, he didnt know the place. He hollered to his driver-mate who said "ahhh Bella Flores! sa station 1!". Teka, artista yun diba, hehehe. So we scrapped that idea and went back to the hotel.

At 4pm, we took a stroll along White Beach. The sun was up and it was really really hot! We took a dip at station 3, Angol area, where there were only a handful of people swimming.

At 5pm, we went to the Red Pirates Pub (station 3) for our scheduled 1-hour sunset cruise. There, we met Raymond and Arthur, the coolest paraw sailers in Boracay, who sailed us through White Beach, passing by Manny Pacquio's mansion, Shangrila and Puka Beach. We exceeded 1 hour, but they only charged us P500. I really recommend the Red Pirates for island hopping or sunset cruise. Don't forget to bring some beer, it will make your paraw sailing much more enjoyable! For inquiries, contact Jen at 09152030790.

It was already 6:30pm. We went back to the hotel to change and prepare for dinner. I decided to bring Keith to station 1 for some seafood buffet. On our way there, we passed by Willy's Rock and posed for pictures at the Grotto. We had dinner at Seawind, where their buffet offered oysters, grilled seafood like prawns, tuna, blue marlin, squid. They also have a pasta and dessert bar. OMG, I ate a lot!

Happy Birthday Hunny! :)

On the way back, we stopped by Bamboo Lounge, who had two fire dancers performing for the crowd. We also took a pic by a sandcastle, which I think is a required souvenir shot if you are going to Boracay, hehehe.

After that, we called it a night. :)

Angels and Demons

2009-05-16T07:21:00.000+08:00

We watched Angels & Demons today, with four of our friends Mike & Botch and Mark & Dianne. The movie was awesome and I loved Ewan Mcgregor's character- the chamarlengo, hehe.

After the movie, we went to Macapagal Ave to have dinner. We were craving for chinese food so we stopped by this chinese restaurant in Blue Wave. Then, went to Bagaberde, where Fat Session and Freestyle where playing. It sure was a fun night! :)

Happy 80th Birthday Lola Nena!

2009-04-22T10:52:00.005+08:00

My lola celebrated her 80th birthday today and my mom and my cousins gave her a surprise party at the Bethel Hotel in Dumaguete.

We really wanted to be there but Keith and I had work, and I also had a teambuilding to attend to. Anyway, the party was a success and my lola loved everything, esp the AVP presentation. There were also special (impromptu) dance numbers from each family. We watched the videos and they were hilarious, hehe!

My lola in blue, with her amigas.

Here is Lola Nena and Lolo Pancho. Aren't they cute? :)

My lola is a strong woman, with a very big heart. She is thoughtful, sweet, funny and very loving. She is very special to us, and we pray that God will continue to bless her with good health so she has more years to play with her great grand children. Happy Birthday Lola Nena! We love you very much! :)

Porta Verde Teambuilding

2009-04-20T08:49:00.019+08:00

April 18-19, we had our teambuilding at Porta Verde Resort in Cavinti Laguna. We left Manila at 6am, taking the Rizal route to avoid traffic in SLEX. I got dizzy with the bituka ng manok (think Initial D), but our travel was smooth in general. We reached Laguna at 9:30am, and stopped by a convenience store to buy booze and ice.

Porta Verde was refreshing and nice. The lake was very serene. Our villa was perfect for us, and the view from our windows was awesome. We made a quick prayer before having lunch.

We had a cookfest challenge, with P1500 budget for each team. Here is Team Hajie with their dishes:

They served chowfan, chicken barbeque, spaghetti, one Thai dish, sago & gulaman and fruit salad. Just from the presentation of their food, you will be enticed to eat!

After lunch, we had some activities. I prepared two FGDs on Communication and Teamwork. It was fun!

Then, we prepared merienda. Here is Team Mau with our tacos and pizza breads. Of course everybody loved our food, especially the mango shake with tapioca. :)

After merienda, the girls went to swim, while the boys tried kayak. It sure was fun, and everybody was in high spirits.

Dinner was prepared by Team Rick. Even if we were all still very full from breakfast and merienda, we didn't pass dinner because food was great!

Then, we had some videoke and the classic one-two-three-pass. Losers got powered on the face, hehehe.

The following day, we had our boat ride by the lake. We saw a small island and decided to have some pictures. Cheers!

Thank you everyone! Until next time! :)

PORTA VERDE RESORT
Cavinti, Laguna
Contact Person: Anthony Nacion - 09075564214

More pictures here: http://good-times.webshots.com/myphotos?action=refreshPhotos&albumID=571220948&security=WgvSlf

Say – John Mayer

2009-04-17T11:17:00.000+08:00

Take all of your wasted honor
Every little past frustration
Take all of your so called problems
Better put them in quotations

Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say

Walking like a one man army
Fighting with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you'd be better off instead
If you could only

Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say

Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You better know that in the end
It's better to say too much
Than never to say what you need to say

Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as your eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open

Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say

The Bucket List, Soundtrack

Knowing

2009-04-12T07:36:00.000+08:00

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2009-04-05T07:31:00.000+08:00

First Drawing Book

2009-04-04T17:28:00.001+08:00

Twins at Club Manila East

2009-03-29T08:08:00.002+08:00

Vito and Carlos at 20 months

2009-03-09T15:56:00.005+08:00

Vito (in blue) and Carlos (in white) visiting my mom in her office.

Lunch at Pancake House, Galleria.

Twins and Tito Roy

2009-02-21T07:42:00.000+08:00

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

2009-02-14T06:24:00.003+08:00

Today is Vday, Valentine's Day. Keith invited me to watch Underworld. Mejo hesitant si ako kse hindi na si Kate Bekinsale ang bida. Kaya lng, the other day I saw the making and I got intrigued, so I said yes. Punta kame Galleria, and shopped muna kse maaga pa kame sa movie. I bought him leather shoes as Vday gift. We dined at Sushiya, my fave Jap fastfood store. Tapos, we watched na at cinema 3.

For Vday, wala mashadong tao sa mall. Ok nga kse I really hate crowded places, hehe. Birthday din ng lola ko today (my dad's mom). Happy Birthday Lola Tina! :)

Maganda the movie.. kahawig naman ni Rhona Mitra si Kate Bekinsale so ok na din :) Sakto din ang story sa Valentine's Day kse forbidden love ito, hahaha. Yes I would recommend it, esp to Underworld fans. :)

Happy Hearts Day everyone! :)

Luck Garden

2009-02-12T09:24:00.004+08:00

My officemates and I had dinner get-together at Luck Garden (pronounced Luk Garden) in West Ave. Super sarap the food which includes spinach soup, pancit canton, dried scallops and brocolli, pata tim, yang chow fried rice, fried pork (with edible bones, what do you call that?, sweet and sour king fish and almond jelly. Super dami ko nakaen because I skipped lunch to finish all my ARs.

It's Friday, the last day of the week and I had to finish a lot of workload this entire week. In fact, during our 4pm meeting wala na akong maisagot kundi faint smile. Well, hindi naman mashadong halata sa ichura ko na stressed out akech divahhh?

Manic Monday

2009-02-02T07:46:00.001+08:00

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-01T06:01:00.001+08:00

Kabuki's Garage Sale

2009-01-31T08:08:00.001+08:00

My friends and I joined our village’s “community garage sale”. Joining fee is P100 for a spot in the park with two monoblock chairs. We are four, so P25 each. We planned to sell our old clothes, shoes and accessories. Based from last week’s kwento, the best time to sell your items is at 6am because there’s an aerobics class every weekend morning.

Today, I woke up 8am coz we arrived late last night after attending a friend’s wedding. I was frantically looking for my cellphone and was expecting to see atleast 3 text messages and missed calls. As I reached for my phone which I strategically put in the sala (poor signal in the bedroom), aba wala ni isang text/call. So I started my phone barrage. “hey were are you?”, “tuloy ba today?” it seems that --tulog pa ang mga tindera, my geds. Well, what’s new, haha!

Inayos ko na lng my old stuff and put them all in one plastic bag. I don’t usually call the landlines of my friends coz they have cellphones naman but this time I had to call their house na talaga coz they were not replying. Ayan nakausap ko si polly and umaga na pla sha natulog after bringing jayson to the airport. He is on a business trip to Ohio, and will come back after three months. I decided to go to market first since tanghali na rin and wala ng customers sa park.

Lunchtime na, and of course wala pa rin the friends. Gyp is in school but left the cupcakes with polly, kame daw muna ang magtinda. Finally 1pm michelle and polly arrived. I didn’t know how much to sell my blouses, so I settled for “P25 each na lng”. They said, benta mo ng P50 kse ttawad pa sila then you say P25. sabi ko “No na kse luma na itech and P25 na para mabilis ma-dispose”. Okay. So lakad na kme towards the park. Michelle was excited and said she will checkout all the other stalls and buy this and that and kakain daw sha dun and all, sabi ko – teka! Pupunta tayo para mag tinda hindi para bumili noh, haha!

Pag dating na pag dating namin sa park, dami na nagtitinda.. meron cute dresses and blouses. Nilapag muna namin gamit namin then michelle and I went to check out the other stalls. Sabi ni polly, oi, ilatag muna nten paninda naten hahaha. So inayos namin our stuff, then nilagay the price tags. Hindi namin matanggal ung cupcakes from the tupperware kse mag-melt ang icing. But the best part of it all, nakalimutan ni polly how much ang price na binigay ni gyp and cant be reached na sha, so hindi din namin mabenta ang goodies kse hindi namin alam ang price, bwahaha.

Nakakagutom pala magtinda! sakto naman dumating si mang danny – our suki sa fishballs and kwekkwek. Punta kme agad ni michelle, bwahaha. Grabeh ang dami nka-pila to buy fishballs. Meron din sha banana con yelo and mais con yelo. Maya maya, padating na si polly, hahaha. So habang kumakaen kameng tatlo, dumating si keith. Aba aba aba akala ko ba nagtitinda kayo? Bwahaha! patay, caught in the act! :)

So 5pm dumating na rin si gyp sa wakas! At this time, nka benta na ako and earned P65 (ayus). si michelle naman sold 1 blouse, tama ba? si polly, wala. Naku mahina ang benta, kelangan ng tulong. I got my cellphone and dialed – mommy, punta kayo dito! hahaha so after 10 mins dumating sila mudra. etong tatay ko bumili ng mga cupcakes at binigay sa amin bwahaha ang saya saya talaga hehehe. So nagligpitan na ang ibang stalls kase gumagabi na, kami na ang last nag ligpit, hoping na may bibili pa rin bwahaha. binigay ko na ang P25 na hatian kay polly while saying “it was nice doing business with you (pwe!) hahaha”.

So next week, maaga na daw tlaga kame. DAW. At, magtitinda daw sha ng fishballs kse malakas ang benta, bwahahaha!

Abangan…

:)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2009-01-26T06:16:00.002+08:00

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American drama film, inspired by the 1921 short story of the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film was directed by David Fincher, written by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, and stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.

My favorite lines:

You never know what’s coming for you.

Our lives are defined by opportunities, even the ones we miss.

We’re meant to lose the people we love. How else would we know how important they are to us?

Will you love me when I get old and wrinkly?... Will you still love me when I get acne, and get scared of what's under my bed?

Along the way you bump into people who make a dent on your life. Some people get struck by lightning. Some are born to sit by a river. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim the English Channel. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people can dance.

For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

2009 Year of the ox

2009-01-25T08:00:00.000+08:00

Rat
As the Year of the Rat ends and the Year of the Ox kicks off, rodents will be glad to hear that the frantic pace of the last year should slowly start to ease. That said, it’s not quite time to drop out of the rat race and retire to the sewers yet. There is plenty of opportunity for advancement in the coming months, both professionally and personally, for rodents who plan carefully and focus on one goal at a time. 2009 may be a bumpy year for friendships, and, as your life continues to move on, you may leave some of your furry friends behind.

Ox
You may have been disappointed by a relatively modest 2008, but as your sign enters the heaven, the groundwork you laid should start paying off in 2009. Don’t expect fireworks, but success should arrive both in your family life and in business. This is a great year to achieve personal ambitions as well as take action on major decisions. You’ll find both family and friends supportive of new plans.

Tiger
Tigers spent most of 2008 having stripes torn off and out of them, and while 2009 won’t be a walk in the savannah, it will be much better. Lone tigers will be glad to hear their time in the wilderness is over, and the chance for finding a mate is high. Friendships will also fare better than 2008, but you should be wary of people taking advantage of you, especially in business, as you may find yourself being swindled.

Rabbit
If 2008 was a warren of problems for rabbits, 2009 is going to be even less carrot and more stick. Expect bumps in the relationship road, as well as financial strains, while you’ll also find some of your friends hopping away for greener pastures. Some good news comes from your professional life, where, if you’re conscientious and shrewd, you may find yourself climbing the career ladder.

Dragon
Dragons had a fiery 2008, and although the Year of the Ox won’t quite extinguish the flame, things should be quieter for better and worse. Dragons should steer clear of heated disputes in both their home and work life, or they’re likely to slayed by some knight in shining armour. Conversely, a cool head will be rewarded with steady progress. Those looking to share their cave with someone special in 2009 will find love is in the air, and even if the perfect mate can’t be found, you’ll find yourself surrounded by friends.

Snake
Snakes should enjoy a fantastic 2009, and for those with big plans this is the time to put them into action. Snakes can expect to slither up the career ladder, make new friends and, if you’re planning to tie the knot, now is the time to pop the question. All of this success won’t come without effort, but any hard work you put into the year will be richly rewarded.

Horse
Horses will have many fences to jump in the Year of the Ox, but the year should bring much more happiness than 2008. There is success to be had, both in your home life and in business, but you will have to be careful not to gallop off down the wrong track, as the potential for a tumble is also lurking. You should look to old friends and family for advice, and be wary of counsel from those who may not have your best interests at heart.

Goat
Goats did not enjoy a favourable 2008, and, while the Year of the Ox offers a slight improvement, the Goat is still going to have a difficult twelve months in the farmyard. Goats will find themselves butting heads with family and friends, unless they stay cool and approach tricky situations diplomatically. You might be inclined to try and force some success at work or in money, but, again, you should bide your time until your luck starts to change in the final quarter of the year.

Monkey
The lion may be called the King of The Jungle, but in 2009 Monkeys are set to knock Leo from his throne with a blockbuster of a year. Relationships and friendships are set to blossom and your efforts at work will be well rewarded, in fact, with some many opportunities you may feel a little overwhelmed; don’t be, swing into each one while you can. If primates can steer clear of monkey business then this could be one their best years in memory.

Rooster
After a somewhat mixed 2008 in the coop, Roosters can once again look forward to spreading their wings and crowing about their success in the Year of the Ox. Hard work in all areas of your life over the past year will start to pay dividends, and you should make great bounds in your professional life. If you have plans for your finances or a business plan, now is the time to put them into action.

Dog
Canines will need to work like a dog to get the best out of the Year of the Ox, but those that do will find themselves with more than a bone to show for their efforts. Hard work will win rewards at work, and is the best place to focus your efforts. Relationships may be less rewarding, and while you may find yourself out in the dog house, you should find plenty of friends to share your kennel with.

Pig
The Year of the Ox can be a good one for the Pig, but ambitious swines need to climb out of the pigsty and put their energy into what is most important to them, if they are to gain success. There will also be challenges to come, particularly in your personal life, and you should avoid spreading yourself to thin. Make the bacon by focussing on one goal at a time.

Ha ha ha happy day!

2009-01-24T20:42:00.000+08:00

2009 - The Year That Was

2009-01-23T17:54:00.001+08:00

2009 was a great year in a sense that it protected us from unfortunate events. All family members were kept safe and healthy.

For the first quarter of the year, I was basically busy with what else ? work. Augh! One of my New Year's Resolution for 2010 is to make sure to do something non-work related per month, just to have a sanity check, lol.

In April, I got busy organizing our teambuiling event. I was able to score cheap accommodations in Porta Verde, Laguna. I was really happy with the venue. :)

In May, Keith and I celebrated his birthday in Bora. Eventhough it was just 3D2N, we were happy to have some time off from work and household duties. I think this is the higlight of my two oh oh nine. :)

June was the month when the twins turned 2. After that I got busy with work again. I dont even remember what happened in July and August, sad.

September came with Ondoy and I think that was Depression era all over again. For me, that was the most scary thing that has happened to me and my family. But the good thing is all of us were safe, and it was a blessing that none of our things were damaged. In October, I was busy with work.

In November, I celebrated my 31st birthday. Alas, its my last year in the calendar. On my birthday, we went to get a student's driving license for me because Keith got us a green '97 mazda 323, manual mt. After that we went for a massage in The Spa, Podium. This same month, we celebrated my dad's 65th birthday with a surprise dinner party. It was memorable. :)

Soon December came, and I got busy juggling work and christmas shopping. We had several reunions, with family and bestfriends. There should be an award for best multi-tasker. I can be a contender, hehehe.

Bedtime Stories

2009-01-18T06:21:00.002+08:00

I like this movie coz it has a magical touch to it. As I kid, I enjoy watching fantasy movies. Perfect to watch this on a Sunday afternoon coz light lng ang story. It was funny and had moral lessons to share. Favorite scene ko was the gumball scene :)

I would recommend this to kids and kids at heart. Nice din na date movie :)

Photos taken from MSN Movies.

One Hand, One Heart

2009-01-17T06:44:00.000+08:00

Make of our hands one hand,
Make of our hearts one heart,
Make of our vows one last vow:
Only death will part us now.

Now it begins, now we start
One hand, one heart;
Even death won't part us now.

Make of our lives one life,
Day after day, one life.
Now it begins, now we start
One hand, one heart,
Even death won't part us now.

♥ A to Z tag from Jean ♥

2009-01-16T06:45:00.004+08:00

I got this tag from my blogfriend Jean...♥♥♥

A - Attached or Single? - Attached
B - Best Friend? - Kabuki, Jenny, Bing, Apple, Marvs, Yas, Minay
C - Cake or pie? - Ahh pwede both? hehe
D - Day of choice? - Sunday family day
E - Essential item? - Wedding ring - never leave home w/o it hehe
F - Favorite Color? - Teal, Blue, Purple
G - Gummy Bears or Worms? - Gummy Worms. I like the green/yellow
H - Hometown? - Cainta
I - Indulgence? - Chocolate
J - June or July? - June, it's the bday of my twins, yehey! :)
K - Kids ? yah, hopefully another one in 2010 (year of the dragon)
L - Life is not complete w/o - keith, vito and carlos
M - Marriage date? - tomorrow! hehehe january 17, 2006
N - Number of magazine subscriptions - None
O - Orange or apple? - Both
P - Phobias? - Heights and super fast cars. I hate roller coasters
Q - Quotes? - When the student is ready, the master will appear. ;)
R - Reason to smile? - Oh, to attract positive vibes :)
S - Season of choice? - yes, Christmas Season, everyone is generous hehe
T - Tag 5 people - Divine, Sheryll, Jacque, Con, and Mec.
U - Unknown fact about me - I sleep on my tummy
V - Vegetable? - chopseuy is the best
W - Worst habit? - Perfectionist akech haha
X - Xray or ultrasound? - Uhm i dunno
Y - Your favorite foods? - chicken ala kiev, seafood
Z - Zodiac sign - Sagittarius

Thanks Jean, i had fun doing this tag! :)

Worlds of Fun, Sta Lu

2009-01-11T20:12:00.011+08:00

Today is Sunday Family Day. Keith and I brought the twins to the mall to play vroom vroom at the arcade. We decided to go to SM Marikina coz we havent been there yet. Super lamig ng aircon sa mall! Of course I didnt want us to get colds so I immediately checked the baby bag but unfortunately we forgot to bring the twins' sweaters. So we hurriedly looked for the arcade, but sadly, didnt found it. Sabi ko na lng, o tara, pa-picture na lng para souvenir, then Keith gave me this look - o cge ikaw na lng hehehe nakaka-hiya naman coz kame lang ata ang nagpp-picture dun hehehe.

Sabi nya, lipat na tayo (ng mall). I suggested World's of Fun in Sta Lucia (coz I wasnt sure if there was an arcade in Robinsons Metro East). We got to Sta Lu and sakto coz we entered the baby section dept store. I quickly bought two white t-shirts to put on the twins kse malamig din ang aircon. Then we went to WOF.

At first, Vito was scared to enter the arcade. So I brought him to the bicycle section and let him play on the scooters and little bikes on display. Then we went back to WOF. Super dami ng tao. Keith had to line up for 10 mins just to get tokens.

Here is Carlos with Dumbo the elephant:

And here is Vito, taking a spin on this taxi cab.

This is the only ride he wanted to try.

The twins are all grown-up!

Carlos drove the cab as well, with his yaya at the backseat.

Their yayas tried the mini roller-coaster, hehe. Sayang, we failed to take pics.

ROCK ON!