My Not So Private Space In The Web

November & December Plans

2012-11-09T11:58:00.000+08:00

Hey bloggers, how are you? I missed posting on my blog here. I just got so busy updating my other blog which is about baking that I nearly forgot about my first blog which is this one.

A lot has happened since the last time I posted here. Went to a lot of places but I am so lazy to update here. If you want to check out the places I've been to, you can click My Travel Adventures and let me know what you think.

Well well, it's the time of the year that I'm most excited about, with all the holiday shopping and preparations that comes with it. Especially now that I'm into baking, I am so excited to bake maybe Christmas cupcakes or cookies in the shape of christmas trees, candy canes and gingerbread boy, that would be so awesome!

I am planning to go to Divisoria before November ends for my holiday shopping. I need to be practical and spend much less than I did before coz I have a budget that I need to STRICTLY follow. Besides, I will also shop for my baking needs at Divisoria coz it's much cheaper there.

I would be also very busy this December coz I plan to sell my baked goodies(at last!) to my co-workers or neighbors. I also plan to give free tastes as christmas gifts for my friends/co-workers so in that way they could probably transfer through word of mouth about my baked goodies for sale :)

So there, my holiday plans excluding places I want to go to with my daughter. I'll probably post about that if we already have concrete plans on where to go this holiday season! Ciao!

Hannah's First Day Of School

2012-06-18T15:04:00.001+08:00

Last Monday(June 13, 2012), Hannah started her first day of school as a Nursery student. I was so excited for her that I was the one who sent and pick her up from school regardless that I was to work that day. I just came late from work but before that I was able to inform my supervisor that I am in fact sending my daughter to school.

I also packed her cookies that I made the day before and prepared her bag and lunch bag to be brought to school. Her schedule is a 2 –hour class everyday from Monday-Friday just enough time for a first time student. See how cute she was on her first day of school with her matching lady bug umbrella and bag :)

Tagaytay Weekday Get-away

2012-04-16T12:39:00.000+08:00

We went on an overnight swimming trip at Keni Po, Tagaytay City last Wednesday together with the whole family. We originally wanted to do it on a weekend but Keni Po's rooms were all fully booked already. We called them last weekend and inquired about a family room and they suggested the Villa where the room accomodates 6 persons for P3500. Excess person's charge is P200 without matress, extra matress costs P100. The Villa's amenities were bathroom with hot/cold water, aircon room, an attic, sala, dining table, kitchen with ref, stove and utensils and 3 TV's with cable. We thought it sounded good so we already reserved for it without even sending a down payment!

Come Wednesday, my companions already prepared to go at Keni Po(I was about to follow them in the evening after I finished work). Upon arriving they were greeted by a good news that Keni Po management decided that for P3500 they will already increase the number of persons included from 6 to 8! Wow, that's really a terrific news! Now we only have to pay for the 3 extra persons on our group. My sister also said that the staff were very friendly and acommodating. They really felt they were welcome. I too felt that when I arrived. Whenever I saw a staff they greeted me with all smiles, you won't saw anyone from them with a frown face.

The only thing I did not like on our room was the TV's position in the attic. The cables were not secured properly and the outlet's plug was far, the children kept on hopping over that we constantly reminded them not to play on that area. The stairs were also kinda steep, not really for children who wish to go up and down coz they might trip over.

With regards to the swimming pool , I wish there were a small pool for the children coz they really cannot swim or play on the pool. The swimming pool's deep was only 4-6ft so children would really need a water float or else they would have to sit only on the sides with of course an adult supervision.

Try spending a quiet weekend at Keni Po, there are also rooms for smaller groups and rates are really cheap there!

Here's their website: Keni Po Rooms

Holy Thursday at San Juan Batangas

2012-04-16T12:31:00.001+08:00

Last Holy Thursday, we went at Ka Lolit's Beach Resort in San Juan, Batangas. We left our house at exactly 5:45AM but since we got lost along the way(I think we got lost somewhere at Ibaan town), we got to Laiya, San Juan at already 9AM! I thought when we got to the municipal hall of San Juan and turned right, the beach would be just a few minutes from the town, but I was wrong! We spent another 45 minutes finding Virgin Beach Resort, which was our original plan. However, when we got to the gate, the guard told us that they were fully booked since 3AM! We just asked the guard what would resort would he suggest and he then told us to go to Ka Lolit's which was about 1-2minutes from Virgin Resort. I don't know why he suggested the place, maybe bacause it's just near Virgin or maybe they were sister resorts?

Anyway, we got to Ka Lolit's and we were underwhelmed by the resort, besides the cottages made of bamboo, some rooms for bigger groups, the comfort/shower rooms were dirty and in a poor state. I really believe the management needs a major renovation of the comfort/shower rooms. But...

The beach itself was very beautiful! Compared to the Nasugbu beach that we went(Johndel Resort), this was waay better! The water's clean and clear, sand is off white, you won't get the yacky feeling of stepping barefoot, though you have to wear slippers coz it's extremely hot!

The kids really enjoyed frolicking on the sun and beach, I myself enjoyed a lot! I would want to go back there, not on a summer next time, maybe during the offpeak season so the weather wouldn't be as hot. Try the other beach resorts around San Juan, I believe this resorts are better than Ka Lolit's.

Entrance was P200 per person, children were free(our kids are 3,4 & 5 yrs old) and this including the cottage! We were counted as 7 adults so we only paid P1400 all in! The parking though was P150 for the duration of our stay(day tour).

Summer Getaway 2012

2012-03-26T08:30:00.000+08:00

I am thinking what resort has a nice and quiet beach with a not so dark sand that Hannah and I could go to this summer. Last year we went to John Del Resort at Nasugbu Batangas and Hannah enjoyed every minute of it! I thought that Hannah must have loved the beach so much so I would love for her to experience again playing in the sand and swimming on a clear water on a beach. But hey don’t get me wrong, John Del doesn’t have a clear water on their shoreline, we instead rented a motored banca to go to a nearby resort with a clean water and whiter sand(although not as white as the Boracay sand).
I hope we could be able to do that this summer because Hannah’s so excited to go to the beach. Anyway, we’ll be going somewhere(OTC trip) this 3rd week of April so I hope we could sample some beach there. Every summer it was not me that I’m looking forward to enjoy it, but my daughter. She’ll be going to school this coming school year so I hope before she starts schooling, she’ll have a very happy and memorable summer!

Happy Sunday

2012-03-11T09:33:00.002+08:00

Count your joys instead of your woes/Count your friends instead of your foes. ~ Irish Proverb

Have a great week ahead of you!

Seri Fantasy World

2012-03-05T13:55:00.004+08:00

Hannah and I went at Seri Fantasy World last week which was located inside Manila Ocean Park. I availed of the promo from Metro Deal since last year and it was only now that I got to use the voucher. The P250 voucher is for the entrance to 3 attractions which are Trick Art Museum, 3D Cinema Plus and Mirror Maze.

We enjoyed Trick Art Museum out of the 3 because the pictures looks so real when you get to see it! The gallery features 3D art paintings freehanded painted by famous Korean artists. Look at some of our pictures below. We reall had a good time there.

The second one was the 3D Cinema Plus that marvels and tickles your imagination with a 3D movie. The movie that we watched was Rilley’s Sky Adventure. It’s an ok movie but I guess Hannah did enjoy watching it. Basically it’s really for the kids the see.

Last but not the least was the Mirror Maze in which you were challenged to find the exit as you get lost in your own reflections as you get puzzled and dazzled by a labyrinth of multiple glass panes. I admit I got really lost and almost bumped my head on the glass panes if I were not told to stretch my arms forward so I could check if there was a mirror or not. Also enjoyed this one with the kiddo. I plan on coming back with my sister, nephew and niece coz I really enjoyed my time there. I also want them to experience the attractions Seri Fantasy World has to offer.

Seri Fantasy World is open everyday, Monday - Friday 10am to 7pm and Saturday - Sunday 10am to 8pm.

Joya Lofts & Towers

2012-01-30T15:42:00.002+08:00

Last Saturday, we checked-in at Joya Lofts and Towers at Rockwell to celebrate Adriel’s belated 5th Birthday. We were accommodated on a 1 Bedroom Executive with a living room with beautiful interiors; fully-equipped kitchen and also a balcony where the view boasts of the tall buildings surrounding the Makati area. We really liked the place because it has so much space(60sqm), good for family or friends. The Powerplant Mall was also just right in front of Joya, you just have to walk not very far to go to the mall if you want to relax, go shopping or eat out.

I bought an angry birds cake at Conching Sabale’s before we went there and I’m really glad that Adriel liked it a lot. Before we sang Adriel the customary Happy Birthday, we went to sample their swimming pool located at the 7th floor. There was 1 kiddie pool, a larger one for the adults and also 1 medium pool located at the back. All of us didn’t had the proper swimming attire when we got there, only the kids so what my companions did was strip on their underwears(ha ha) so that they would be allowed to swim! Niknok and I were the only ones who did not swam. We all had a great time there though the security guy kept on looking at us and checking us out because we tend to create some noise.

We also went at Powerplant Mall come evening time for some grocery shopping coz we run out of rice and drinking water. We went grocery shopping at Rustan’s to buy those that we need and also Tanduay Ice for us! We just bought one bottle for each and we drank it later that time. I think we slept at around 12 midnight after watching PBB.

The following day, the kids used the pool once again. We just let them be since it wasn’t everyday that they go swim on the pool. We finally checked out at 12nn with all of us having a smile on our faces, all happy how our weekend getaway went.

Sun Cruises' Manila Bay Cruise Review

2012-01-24T13:00:00.006+08:00

Yesterday evening we were able to use the voucher that my sister purchased September of last year from Sun Cruises through Pakyaw deal. The deal was a 66% off on a Manila Bay Cruise valid for 1 and half hour cruise with set dinner onboard M/V Spirit of Manila. From the regular P550 she only paid P188 each. She purchased 2 vouchers and the other voucher was for me. We took our 2 daughters with us(Hannah and Dana) and the kids are still free since we declared them as 2 year olds :) If you have more than a 2 year old kid, I think you have to pay already the regular price of P550.

We got to the docking area(behind Folk Arts Theater) at around 4:45PM so we waited till the registration started at 5:15PM. Once on the registration, we were told that the seats available for us were only on the lower deck, I thought maybe it was on a first to reserve, first to get to the upper deck kinda basis. After the registration, we waited to board for the 6:15PM-7:30PM schedule that we chose. During that time that we waited, Hannah and Dana are already so naughty, running around the waiting area and impatiently asking when will we board the cruise. After awhile, it was already 6:15PM so we were already told that boarding is now open. So we lined up and entered M/V Spirit of Manila.

My sister and I noticed that all those on the upper deck has a sticker on their chest while we, on the lower deck, has none. Apparently, the once on the upper deck paid the regular price of P550, while all those on the lower deck availed the Pakyaw deal and all the other deals from other sites. So that explains who gets to the upper and lower deck… hmm.We’re not complaining though since we’re on the airconditioned room while they’re on an open air area. Anyway, our set dinner included a sweet and sour fish, beef teriyaki(I think, not sure), 3 small cuts of potato and for dessert we had buko pandan. The dinner was ok, nothing spectacular, just enough to feed a hungry stomach, anyway I didn’t get the chance to eat the dessert since Hannah chowed it up to the last bite..haha! I was thinking, maybe it tasted so good!

After our dinner, we got out of the airconditioned room to enjoy the scene outside. It was chilly when we got out and there were already a couple of people outside also admiring the view from the sea such as the towering buildings from afar and also SM Mall of Asia. After some picture taking we got up and saw what it’s like on the upper deck. Well there was a band playing and it has more space than the lower deck. I can’t help but think maybe their food was also different from us, just thought so. Anyway, while outside, there were parts of the ship that we can’t go through so basically we just stayed in front of the lower and upper deck. After 45 minutes on the cruise you just wanna go out and leave since there’s nothing much to do anymore.

All in all, we did enjoy the Manila Bay Cruise. I wouldn’t mind going again this time with the sun still out. I just thought to try maybe the Prestige Cruises next time since they have a Cruise only rate of P250 and a Cruise with set dinner for only P450, much lower than Sun Cruises. Well, I am going to think about it for the upcoming Pyromusical Competition since I thought it would be nice to see all those beautiful fireworks onboard a cruise.

Kung Hei Fat Choi

2012-01-24T10:47:00.003+08:00

So the celebration of the Chinese New Year already started with lots of festivities on the different parts of the country. Since last Sunday, I already planned on watching the Lunar New Year Festival at Resorts World Manila like the Chinese Cultural Exhibition at 3PM but since we won’t be using a car and had to travel by public transportation, I nixed the plan because I can’t stand the heat that afternoon and I don’t wanna carry Hannah all the way from Cavite to Resorts World on a public transpo.

So anyway, just when I thought we won’t get to see any Chinese New Year festivities, luckily we were able to catch the Dragon Dance Parade at SM MOA yesterday afternoon. We went at SM MOA to drop Adriel and Len coz they won’t be joining us at Manila Bay Cruise that we’ve reserved later that afternoon. We noticed that there are throngs of people lining up on the middle part of the mall, so I thought maybe they’re waiting for the dance parade. And I was right! I few minutes later, we already heard drums beating and a group of people on poles, inside the image of the colorful dragon dancing. I immediately took a couple of pictures to capture the moment. Later, they were also outside the mall joined by a few smaller dragons dancing. After 10 minutes or so, the parade was over and I was really glad we were able to witness it as the kids really enjoyed the dance parade. Here are some of our pics:

Hello 2012!

2012-01-20T08:30:00.000+08:00

Hello bloggers out there! I really missed blogging a lot! I’m sure you’ve wondered why I haven’t updated my blog for a long time. You see a LOT has happened and I really got busy with work and family that blogging took a back seat for awhile but I really do hope that I’ll get to update as often as before.

Anyway, it’s already 2012, a new year and hopefully this year would be a better year than last year. I must admit that last year wasn’t a really good year for me so I ‘m looking forward to 2012 with a more positive attitude since this coming school year my Hannah will go to school for the first time! Yey! I am so excited! I’ve already checked a lot of preschools here in our neighborhood and I hope the school that I would choose would bring out the best on my daughter socially and academically . By the way, I enrolled Hannah about 3 months ago on a ballet class and her class was finished after 2 months so I am planning to re-enroll her again this summer so she could enjoy her summer before she starts schooling.

With regards to me, sadly my plan on enrolling again to continue my studies was not pushed through due to problems encountered on the school we’re supposed to enroll at. I am just sad that they did not treated us as professionals that they supposedly are. We did not got any feedback from them regarding the assessment that they’ll give after sending all those requirements that they asked from us! Anyway, my dream of going back to school were not through yet, I have still plans although I really don’t know when will I be able to get it done.

Hannah's 3rd Birthday

2011-06-25T09:12:00.002+08:00

This July 7 will mark Hannah's 3rd birthday and I am just so happy that my sister and brother will be here to celebrate her birthday with us. And two days after her birthday she will be a first time flower girl on the wedding of my cousin from mother side. She had her final fitting last week and I was completely awed by the beauty of her gown! It was really beautiful and I learned beforehand that it was designed by VJ Floresca, an up and coming avant garde fashion designer. I also plan to let Hannah wore it on her July 10 birthday celebration in our house. It would just be a simple birthday with no party this time. I thought I would make it simple this time because I plan to save up for her upcoming schooling next year. She would be a nursery when she enrolls next year.

Scrubs For My Aunt

2011-06-07T11:49:00.002+08:00

My Aunt Cleo whose been working in the US as a caregiver for three years already called me up to inform that she already received the scrubs that I bought for her about a month ago. She said that she loved the color and the design that I picked for her. I bought two womens scrub at the department store, a plain one with a pink color and another with a girly print which I thought will look lovely on her. And I was right! She absolutely adored it!

Before I went to buy her scrubs, my aunt told me to check http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/ so I could have an idea what does scrubs look like and what particular design will look good on her. Will all those cute and beautiful scrubs I saw, I had a clear idea what she might like so in the end I didn’t had a hard time picking scrubs that she would wear. She now told me that she plans to buy more colorful scrubs in the future since she knows it really looks good on her.

Batangas Summer Getaway

2011-05-19T07:50:00.003+08:00

Thank God our much awaited summer outing was already finished! We’ve enjoyed every minute of it especially Hannah who soaked her little body on every part of the beach. This was also the first time that Hannah went on a beach so I took pictures a lot so I could make a photobook of it in the future.

We stayed at JohnDel Resort at Nasugbu Batangas. I really didn’t know how much is the entrance fee and the accommodations coz it was my co-workers who took care of it. We just paid P500 each and showed up and that was it. There was all night singing courtesy of the very popular videoke, games and we also went on a boat going to “White Sand”(rent of the boat is P1500 rountrip for 15 persons and you just have to tell the boatman the time to pick you up) which by the way is not that white at all and the sand is not that fine. So don’t expect a Boracay like beach when you decide to go there. But the beach is way better than the ones at JohnDel Resort. Hannah can’t even swim there because of the yucky factor, but on “White Sand” she enjoyed it so much and me too!

At last, Hannah get to spend her summer on a beach which was my plan for the longest time. I hope it was not the last coz I still want her to go to Boracay with me in the future if if have the budget already 

Summer & Travel

2011-05-06T08:52:00.001+08:00

Our department will be having a summer outing next Saturday and I plan to bring Hannah so she could enjoy the pool as well as the beach. There are various summer activities I’ve been planning for me and Hannah but I just couldn’t make time for it due to work related issues. I wish I’d be able to enjoy some extra curricular activities and travel like this guy, because let’s face it too much work can be stressful especially if you work 5 times a week! Wow, I really need some time off to just enjoy nature, my kid without worrying too much about work.

So it’s been such a relief when we went to Baguio City last Holy Week with my sister and the kids. We really enjoyed our 3 day stay so much that we’ve been planning ahead of time to spend our holiday vacation there again! Travelling is one of my greatest passion so it makes me all excited when there’s planning and travel that I really can’t wait to make it happen! Our Baguio Trip was truly memorable and I wish me and my family could be able to do this annually.

What My Name Means

2011-03-16T10:04:00.000+08:00

You Are Original and Innovative

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.

You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.

A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.

You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.

At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing.

You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long.

You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.

You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.

Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Blogthings: Quizzes and Tests and Memes, Oh My!

Baking & Pastry Production

2011-03-12T22:01:00.003+08:00

Me and my co-workers enrolled on a baking class called Baking & Pastry Production at Dasmarinas Cavite and the first day of class started this day. Our class is schedule to last for 12 weeks or 3 months and will cover the making of breads, cakes and all types of pastries. I am so excited to learn all this things and can't wait to learn baking cakes and cupcakes.

Anyway, we learned how to bake choco chip and butter cookies as well as crinkles earlier today an I wanna show you the finished product that we proudly did on our first day of class. Take a look! It was really delicious..not bad for first timers :)

Where's The Summer?

2011-03-11T22:04:00.002+08:00

I am really confused because during this time, I am very sure that summer has indeed arrived here in the Philippines. Well you know for sure that it's summer already if you're constantly sweating because of the intense heat even during the night. But, no not this time. It is still cold especially in the evening, it still rains once in awhile and I have yet to take a shower for 2 to 3 times a day. Not that I'm complaining, I love the cold weather especially in the night, but I also want to have my summer vacation in the beach or the swimming pool hoping that it won't rain. Well, one thing's sure though, summer will still come most probably this April and we will definitely have a summer outing in our company and I plan to bring Hannah there.. so excited!

Dana's 2nd Birthday

2011-03-06T22:28:00.000+08:00

Happy 2nd Birthday to my dear niece Dana... I Love You!

Cheap Medical Scrubs

2011-03-04T22:58:00.004+08:00

I have a friend who worked as a nurse on a government hospital for 2 years already until he resigned to work as private nurse to an elderly. He will start first week of April so I accompanied him about 2 weeks ago to find some medical scrubs that he can use for his new work .

Because he has a budget to spend, it took us long hours looking to find cheap mens scrub at scrub stores and it’s not an easy task. Luckily, we found what we’re looking for, affordable but with good quality to boot. The owner of the scrubs store even gave him a discount because he bought 5 pieces of scrubs! I told him our patience definitely paid off and he completely agreed with me. After that, he treated me to a nice resto since we’re very hungry and tired from our trip.

God Gave Me You

2011-03-01T21:04:00.000+08:00

I did this by using Windows Moviemaker. This is my first time, nothing fancy, just dedicated for my daughter, Hannah. Hope you like it!

A Sure Investment

2011-03-01T20:32:00.002+08:00

I visited a friend last Saturday which I was not able to see for a long time now, imagine 15 years of not seeing each other? Wow that's a long time ago! So I asked her how she was doing and she proudly told me that she already retired from working 9-5 jobs and now thinking of a good investment to start the money that she got from working all her life, rolling. She told me that she's seriously thinking of investing on gold bullion because gold has been the most trusted and most popular form of investment that you could think of. Generally, buying gold bullion has been the safest way to invest which can withstand any economic, political and social crisis.

She also added that she already talked to a trusted and professional gold trading dealer to help her about the ropes on buying and selling gold bullion. According to her, it is really a must to research, learn and ask questions before anyone wishes to buy gold bullion. That is exactly what she's doing now, carefully planning and strategizing before she buy bullion so she would not make a mistake by losing money instead of earning more. Well, I wish she would become successful on this kind of business, that is gold trading.

The 2nd Phil. Intl Pyromusical Competition

2011-02-28T21:25:00.005+08:00

Last Feb.19, we went at SM Mall of Asia to witness two of the countries that are competing at the 2nd Phil. Intl Pyromusical Competition. Those countries are Portugal and UK. The show was supposed to start at 7 and 8PM respectively but ended up starting at 8PM for Portugal and 8:45PM for UK.

We were not disappointed with what we saw, we all enjoyed the fireworks especially Hannah who can't stop clapping and saying "wow" everytime she sees different fireworks display in the clouds.

We were able to go home at about 10PM, tired but happy and also hoping we get to watch again the next week for the other competitors. Sad to say, we were not able to watch again last Saturday(June26) because we went at my friend's house to visit her. Hope we could watch again, this Saturday that would showcase the fireworks displays of Japan and Canada.

No Blogging For One Month

2011-02-28T21:09:00.002+08:00

I've missed blogging a lot! I've been gone on the blogging world for almost a month due to several reasons. One of which is because of work. I was transferred to another task which required lots of adjustments and patience to learn. Another reason is that I was also planning to go back to school so I processed all the requirements needed. One of the good news is that I was approved of my scholarship from the company that I worked for so it would really help me lessen the expenses I would incur while studying.

Anyway, now that I'm back, I would really hope to get more tasks because I must admit that there were less and less tasks that I got for the past 2 months to the point that I got none at all! Thank God that there's a task waiting for me(again) which I hope would be the start of many assignments soon.

How Do I Look?

2011-01-31T20:52:00.002+08:00

So how do you like the new look of my blog? I spent hours trying to find a simple layout to go with my blog. I think this is just perfect for me. Nothing too fancy and too much design. I hope it would attract more readers and visitors alike.

Anyway, tomorrow would be the first day of February. Hmm, how a month flies so fast! Fourteen days to go till Valentines Day. And yes, I would definitely spend it with the love of my life which is no other than Hannah! My daughter's still too young to know what Valentines Day is and hopefully she wouldn't hurry spending it with somebody other than me... :( One thing's for sure, we will spend the day before Hearts Day hearing the word of God at New Creation Ministries then who knows we can stroll later at the mall with my family...