Oh My Earth Angel

For Bryan

2012-01-28T22:07:00.000+08:00

Last Thursday, Bryan and I celebrated another wedding anniversary. Actually, we celebrate 3 wedding anniversaries, but I won't dwell on that now. Bryan and I have been together for 8 years, so this post will be all about him, but I'll be an extra. heehee..So here are some fast facts about him.

1. He looks like Jolo Revilla.

2. He does not wash his face, but he never had acne. Well, very seldom, like one pimple in one year. And that zit would last for only 5 hours.

3. He is techie and treats his gadgets like diamonds. He provides them with tender loving care.

4. While he is techie, he does not care much about clothes. As long as his shirt is clean, he's good to go.

5. He loves top siders!

6. He underwent appendectomy when he was 9. Mine was removed when I was 14. His stitches were perfect, like he never went under a knife, while mine looks like a centipede and often mistaken as a stretch mark.

7. He has a dimple, but it's only visible upon projecting a sour face.

8. He won a pageant when he was 17.

Ahmm, Edward Cullen, is that you? So white the fez!

9. His car's name is Big Steak, but I call it Beef Steak.

10. I was his first girlfriend. He was my first boyfriend too.

11. He knows how to handle finances. I'm learning from him.

12. He has a keen eye for photography.

13. His celebrity crushes include Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, Natalie Portman, Anne Curtis and Ethelyn Perlas..ahahahaha

14. He looks like a girl when he was a toddler.

15. He's a knight in white uniform.

16. He loves his family so much. So much is an understatement.

17. He has a generous heart!!!

18. When the time comes, he's going to be the best and coolest dad.

lots of love from your

Earth Angel

Red

2012-01-23T20:45:00.002+08:00

These are some things in red that I've had, I currently have and will have! :)

I promised myself that I will only wear red lipstick on my wedding. I even had my teeth braced to get that perfect smile! One thing I learned about red lipstick is not to wear it with braces because it will make the gums hypertrophied. I've experimented it, and it's true! I looked like a clown. The first photo by the way was taken last year for Jesy Alto's project. The lipstick, however was from the plum family, but it still looks red. heehee..I wore a Russian red lippie on the second photo. Both make-up done by Jesy. :)

I have 3 pairs of red shoes, and I want another pair! *sigh* There is something about red shoes. I feel empowered and more confident with these shoes on.

And lastly, I want to own a red car!!!

Bryan remembered me when he first saw this Fiat 500 car, which is endorsed by Jennifer Lopez. He knew how much I love Ferrari red cars! photo source

A red Suzuki Swift is also on my list! photo source

But a red Beetle will always be nice!!! I'm petite, so these cars are perfect. They look so quirky. Hmmm, let's see. But for now, I should learn how to drive first. hahaha (photo source)

Ethel

Two Years

2012-01-19T21:11:00.000+08:00

Two years ago, I believe I did the bravest thing in my life.

Twice I got married! You know our story. I'm a distant wife. With those 24 months, Bryan and I have been together physically for barely 5 months. Most people feel sorry for us. I feel otherwise. Yes, we feel lonely at times, we cry with no reason, we lived like singles, but we grew. We've matured! We became more responsible, we supported each other's endeavors, we got to know ourselves more. I cannot explain so much, but this temporary separation is helping us to prepare for our future, like a warm up for bigger responsibilities and commitment, let's say parenthood? And when the time comes that we'll be together again (for good), we are more than prepared!

Happy second wedding anniversary, my love! :)

Ethel

A day in a life of a nurse

2012-01-15T15:40:00.002+08:00

I would like to share you this heart warming photo.

These newborns were our patients last week. Both are baby girls. They were placed together in a radiant warmer. The baby on the right started crying. Upon stretching her arm, she felt the hand of the other baby girl, who held it tight right away. I would think it's because of the newborns's grasp reflex, but she stopped crying and slept peacefully, like the consoling baby was saying, "Don't cry, my new friend! I'm here, you're not alone." And they slept while holding each other's hands. It was a bliss! Although I am aware of the hospital regulations about not taking photos of patients, I cannot contain myself. Who could resist this rare sight? It's endearing! :)

Ethel

Get That Look: Blake Lively

2012-01-08T12:36:00.003+08:00

This is my first attempt of the Get That Look segment (ehem). The challenge here is to squeeze out all resources from my closet as I plan not to buy anything unnecessary for the next 2 months.

A red skirt and a white top. Easy! That's why I chose it. hahaha

source here

And here's my version...

I wanted to wear my hair extensions to compliment that of Blake's, but that would take time so I just settled with my growing (yey!) hair. This was what I wore this morning to the church. As some of you know, I'm not a bag person, but I love Long Champ's Le Pliage because I can put a lot of things (700ml water bottle, umbrella, notebooks and a huge bag organizer). Best of all, it's foldable so storing is so easy.

(tank top and vest from Folded and Hung; skirt and shoes from Mags; necklace from F21; ring: Jellybean)

PS: Can someone teach me how to put these 2 photos together? I can't find the software in my laptop.

Updated: Here's the edited photo. :)

Ethel

Big Bang for 2012--My Book!

2012-01-02T15:32:00.001+08:00

You know when they say we are swimming in a pool of blessings? We just have to take a dip or even dive sometimes. Three months ago, I received an email that looked like a spam message. I like to keep my email clean so I always delete unimportant/unwanted messages. Good thing I checked it. Turned out, it was a message from an editor in Lambert Academic Publishing in Germany. A colleague referred me since I just finished my thesis ~~this year~~ last year. They wanted to see and screen my manuscript, although it was also mentioned that my manuscript may be rejected if it did not pass their standards. I'm scared of rejections, but how will I know if I won't try, right? And besides, what will be the purpose of my study, my own sweat, blood and fats if it will just be stuck in the library as a gray literature? So without any hesitations, I sent them a PDF file of my paper. A little beyond 2 weeks later, the editor emailed me again, and announced the good news. My paper was accepted!! Woohooo!! I could not believe it, really. I felt my pits getting wet as I read the message more than ten times, at the same time feeling pressured since I still have to do some minor revisions. It was not until the second week of December when I finished the task. My husband was here then, so I was inspired to work on it. Ahhhh, the magic of love. hahaha..Corny!! By the way, unlike any other papers that are usually published in elite journals, mine was stand alone because it's a book. Yep, you read that right, a book! And as I type this entry, I could not help but giggle because besides winning a pageant, I also want to be an author, and this is a dream come true. The copy of my own book is on its way here. It could take some time. Meanwhile, I'd like to show you the cover of my book.

My adviser and mentor, Dr. Famadico is also my co-author. It's available online for 49 euros. It's cheaper in Amazon (click click) for only 41 euros. Curious? click here

I now have a book!! Yehey!!! But to be honest, this is not yet the book I wanted, so my goal for "I will be an author" is just slightly checked. This is a research-type, so it requires updates, which means 4 or 5 years from now, it may not be a good source anymore. I want another book that could be read by everyone, including kids, and something that could stay in the hearts of the readers, but I have yet to plan it. And if it happens, I will let you know. :) You want another secret? If your heart is filled with gratitude, more blessings will come your way. A blessed and fulfilling 2012 awaits all of us! :)

Ethel

Holiday Outfits! :)

2012-01-02T13:29:00.003+08:00

How was your 2011? Mine was fabulous! I had so many blessings, and best of all, I found the answer to my spiritual hunger, which I will share soon, and hopefully will be a blessing and transformation to you, too. The photo above was taken on Christmas Eve. After 2 years, we are finally complete in our family picture (My older sister, Ate Boom, worked for 2 years in Riyadh, that's why.)

The next photos were taken on New Year's Eve. My outfit was 60's inspired--again! This is the look, with all conviction, that I believe I could pull of so effortlessly. My eyes are quite different here. It's because of the make-up. Obviously, my younger sister, Bim, did it. I'd like to think I'm a chameleon as my looks are ever changing with make-up. The dress was from Kate Torralba for Paperdolls, her second collection. I always wanted to own one as I'm a huge fan of her. Oh, wait! Another Kate that I adore. Anyway, I got it on a huge sale! I had to hug Bim for finding it among the racks of clothes.

Next outfit was Nautical inspired. I wore this yesterday in our reunion. My family and I wore blue for distinction.

top: Folded and Hung, skirt: Tomato, shoes: Janilyn

Behind me is my grandaunt. Since my grandmother died, she replaced her role and became the most lovable and cutest grandma to all of us. We all love her! It was also her 88th birthday yesterday, the main reason why we had a family reunion.

Oh, and I have a guest!! Meet Chloe, our little fashionista. I blogged about her 2 years ago on her 1st birthday. She looks like a walking doll, literally, especially in this outfit.

It was a humid day. Everyone was perspiring, including her! She found her spot and took a rest from all the playing.

Happy birthday, lola!! Love yah! :)

Ethel

Cyma

2012-01-02T11:51:00.002+08:00

A blessed 2012 everyone!!!! My first post for the new year is a backlog. hehehe..Bryan and I spent the blissful 2 weeks of December shopping, eating and laughing and loving. And speaking of eating, Cyma became our favorite for 2011. You'll often find me here now, thanks to their healthiest, yummiest and freshest vegetable salad.

Cyma Chopped Salad. It's a combination of greens, sun-dried tomatoes, wallnuts, pears, arugula, tomatoes, parmesan and bleu cheese! I love blue cheese! It's served with their traditional Greek vinaigrette. Yummy!!!

Spinach and artichoke fondue..There's something about spinach artichoke that I so love. Could be the cheese, or the spices, or the breads? Bryan and I share this joke whenever we eat spinach artichoke (it rhymes!). We keep on telling each other to eat more artichokes because they're aphrodisiacs. hahaha

Bryan and I both ordered Gyros. His was lamb, mine was chicken. I couldn't distinguish the meats here, but both are equally gratifying to the tongue. They are served with potatoes, so even if you just order this, you'll be full, and satisfied. By the way, we did not order all of these at the same time.

Cyma in Trinoma

And for the dessert, we had Skolatina! This was heaven! It looks plain, but there's choco lava inside. It was served hot, so we ate it together with the vanilla ice cream. This dessert caught my attention because it's the same as Zuzuni's Mati Chocolate Sin in Boracay. Cyma's original restaurant is located in Boracay and Cyma and Zuzuni are the only Greek restos in the exotic island (as far as I know), so that makes them rivals, right? heehee

Ethel

For the lovable duchess

2011-12-29T10:53:00.000+08:00

I'm a fan of the Duchess of Cambridge! And since 2011 is almost over, I'd like to share you my favorite looks of the lovable duchess since the royal wedding, in no particular order. :)

We all gasped with delight upon seeing Catherine Middleton's Alexander McQueen gown. I believed, some brides even patterned their gowns or even asked a replica of this. (sorry, I can't remember the source of this photo)

This look is particularly refreshing since the duchess opted for a sleek, updo hairstyle.

I love the maple leaf headdress!

Besides her smile, hair and shapely legs, I also adore her tiny waist. Look at that! She's absolutely gorgeous in this Jenny Packham gown. I read somewhere this gown is around $3200.

Again, I love the headdress and the military inspired outfit. It matched her husband's.

She looks so dainty and carefree in this outfit. All photos except the first and last were from Red Carpet Fashion.

Lilac gown by Alexander McQueen..There you go. :)

Earth Angel

Detachable Collar

2011-12-20T12:56:00.000+08:00

Another outfit post before the year ends. I wore this last night in our mini Christmas party with my colleagues. I'm wearing heels here, but I changed to flats. I always wear flats when I commute.

The star in this outfit is the detachable Peter Pan collar. Don't you just love Peter Pan collars? My college uniform has this kind of collar, so there's no way other people would peep at us. We're safely covered.

Nope, this was not the outfit. I'd just like to show you how the top originally looks like.

This was the outfit, with the detachable collar. :) For some reason, my face always look sunog on photos.

dress, worn as top: Pink Manila, skirt: thrifted, shoes: Jelly Bean, collar: Trunk Show

closer look

I got the black and the beige embellished collars. I love them! :)

Earth Angel

I'm ready for rain!

2011-12-20T11:38:00.001+08:00

I received my package from Ready for Rain when we got home after the party/pageant. It's a gift from Bryan! By the way, Bry's back in the U.S now. :'(

I decided many months ago that I should own a pair so my shoes will be saved. Our weather is so unpredictable now. One minute it's scorching hot, then moments later, it's pouring. I threw many pairs of shoes already because they soaked from the rain.huhuhu

So far, Ready for Rain is the only local brand I know that sells stylish rain boots. Their latest collection caught my attention (maybe because of the bows and plain colors). The Loeffler Randall rain boots are nice too, but my priority now is to protect my feet and shoes, so my new rain booties are perfect.

Tadaah! I chose Baby Doll. For details, click here.

This is how they look like when worn. So cute, they don't look like rain booties at all.

The booties come in a carry tote too, so bringing them everywhere will not be a problem. Well then, I'm ready for rain! But every time I attempt to wear these babies, the rain would stop.hahaha

Earth Angel

Pageant kuno

2011-12-11T03:34:00.004+08:00

Here's a little secret I want to share. Many months ago, I started writing all my goals in a 5-page intermediate paper (aka long pad). Every morning upon waking up, I recite my morning offerings then read my goals. Most of my goals are achievable (e.g: my wedding was featured in a magazine and I finished my master's degree this year and a lot more), but some are, err, out of this world. One of those out of this world goals is "I will win a pageant." Here's the catch. I was thinking that maybe when my husband and I get pregnant, our daughter will be a future beauty queen, or if it's a boy, then maybe he could follow his dad's footsteps. As crazy as that. Who would have thought I will personally join a pageant? Just to give you a background. The pageant started last year at the university. Each college/faculty will have 2 representatives (male and female). I was bullied this year, so you know where this story leads. It was not a major, major, pageant, but still, I have to face a huge crowd. Facing a crowd is my greatest fear, much more when asked an impromptu question. 95% of me wanted to say "NO, not in my wildest dreams will I join this.", but 5% of me says "Yes, join so you will conquer your fear." And so the 5% won. This year's theme was Filipiniana, and the titlists will be named Lakan at Lakambini. By the way, this was announced just two weeks ago. On the first week after the announcement, my partner, Eriq and I scouted for Filipiniana clothes. We opted for an ethnic, Muslim-inspired costumes. We even went to Camp Suki, but to no avail. I already have something in mind, so I immediately messaged Roy Anne Lee of Fabrichild. This lady has always been heaven's sent! I sent her my pegs and asked if she could make it in 3 days. She finished the costume before the required time and immediately shipped it at home. My partner, however, spent his weekend at the mall and was able to find one.

My belly was bare during the pictorial, but on the day itself, I wore a leotard. My Sathura hair extensions were once again used.

I was doomed the day before the event, although it helped that my husband is here for a 2-week vacation. I literally had bad dreams of making a fool out of myself in front of all the professors and priests and students and even St. Thomas Aquinas. I thought, after this event, only my real friends will stay. I wasn't able to eat on the day because I thought I'm going to puke on the stage. Really, there are not enough words for a pessimist! I was attracting all the bad vibes and it reflected on my face. I hated it.

But few hours before the event (it was only yesterday, by the way), my husband and sister stayed with me and my partner, Eriq. They were armed with cameras, shooting every angle of us while encouraging me to shoo away all the pessimism. My colleagues were very supportive too. And I prayed, prayed and prayed.

practice muna kunware

Mandatory photo-op at the staircase of UST's Main Building.

My Dennis Trillo-Christian Bautista look-alike partner, Eriq. His tattooed face was done with an eye-liner by our own student.

There were 13 pairs of candidates. We introduced ourselves, then the judges picked 5 pairs. My partner and I were candidates #2. 2 seemed to be a sweet song in my ears last night. My partner was called for the Lakans. Then I was called too. Cool! haha..We were already very happy. Since it was a Filipiniana themed contest, we used our own language. I couldn't even remember my answer, seriously. Well, I remember the thought, but I couldn't put the words together anymore. But I was satisfied. I didn't stutter. I was surprised! My partner bagged 1st runner-up for the Lakans. But without any bias, he's the winner for me. For the Lakambinis, lo and behold, I won! I still couldn't believe it. hahaha...And that night, I believed God used my tongue. He is very clever.

So oily the fez! Congrats to us!

As for my husband, he's proud as a peacock.

I will win a pageant. Checked. Keep on dreaming, guys. Nothing is impossible when you believe. Thank you, Lord for another unexpected, sweet blessing. I conquered my fear! :)

Earth Angel

Bryan's here...

2011-12-04T01:52:00.000+08:00

In a few hours! Surprise! Just a brief fyi: My husband only goes home once a year, 3 weeks at the most. When he does, we plan it carefully so we'll have all the days together (e.g: before summer classes starts, or after). He had his blissful vacation last April, during my graduation. But few days ago, his 86 year-old grandaunt died, so they have to go home (including mama and his 2 other siblings). It's bittersweet, really. I cannot hide the fact that I am very happy because I'll see him again and we'll be together for 2 weeks, but the main reason why he has to go home makes me sad. This morning, I prearranged my schedule so someone could relieve my RLE group. My friends volunteered to take over my students for the next six days. I am that blessed! Thank you, friends! I am leaving work for days, but I cannot help but worry because I'm passing my responsibilities to other people. It upsets me. But then again, this is only for a few days. I need this break, because the next time I'm going to see my husband (gasps!) will be a year from now, or more. It makes me even sadder. I have a lot of "if only's" in my head, like if only we're millionaires, we won't have to work to be separated most of the time etc etc. But since I mentioned this, I will make that "if only" real. For now, I am happy. I will see Bryan in a few hours, so I am wide awake now, cleaning our room because my very special guest is coming.

Earth Angel

Married or not..guess what?

2011-11-22T19:29:00.001+08:00

Few days ago while I was in a long line of a hotdog stand, there was a teenage couple in front of me who were extra sweet to each other. I don't know if it was just the hormones (because I'll have my period anytime this week), but I was irritated and disgusted while they hug, kiss and gaze at each other's eyes. I was getting impatient with the long line so I observed them instead. The guy did an annoying dance (because there was background music) and the girl giggled and stared at her boyfriend's eyes with so much admiration. She looked at him like he did the most amazing thing in the world. I didn't have to verify if they were still boyfriend and girlfriend, because I know. When Bryan and I were not yet married, I used to giggle even at his corniest jokes, like everything about him was so significant. Then when we got married (I know it was only a year and 10 months, and we were only together for less than 5 months because he had to leave and work.), some things have changed. I still laugh at his silliest ways, like when he makes faces or dances in front of me, but when he repeats it over and over again, I throw him a sour face because it's annoying. Before, we were inseparable. We even send text messages at least 6 times per hour everyday (as long as we can). Now, we do our own stuff even if we are together. Sometimes, we don't talk for an hour or so, and note that we are together in our tiny room. Before, it always makes me giggle at the thought of him. Now, I feel nothing, like "okay, he's my husband". That's it. I can still jot down a lot of things. I know he feels the same way. But does it mean we're bored with each other, and worst, lost the love we had? NOPE! It's just that our relationship is maturing. That's how I see it. We love each other, but love does not mean we have to feel something (e.g: You love your parents or siblings or friends, but you don't experience blood rush or giggle at the thought of them, right? Except when they remind you of something really funny.) You don't have to agree with what I say. I am saying this based on my experience. I keep on mentioning here that my husband and I are in a long distance love affair. We skype everyday (yeah, skype is a verb now.haha), but sometimes, we don't talk much. We may be online, but we're doing other things. He watches a movie, I do my school work. Buuut, we do simple things that mean so much, and for a moment, that's all we need, and we're happy. :))

Earth Angel

Jellybean

2011-11-13T14:11:00.000+08:00

Wow! Three consecutive outfit posts. Today, I'll share my love for Jellybean. Years ago, I practically skipped this shop whenever I stroll the mall because I find it too cutesy, like it's only for elementary and high school girls. I can't remember the day it got my attention, but it's the first shop I visit now. Last month, my birthday month, I had my one-stop-shop here and went home with a huge paper bag (it's because of the shoe boxes). I was literally like a kid in a candy store. Note that I only do this shop-til-you-drop once a year, and I allot a budget for this.

polo, necklace and shoes: Jellybean, jumper: Archive Clothing, socks: S.M Dept

Years from now, I won't look good with these clothes anymore, so why not grab the opportunity NOW?

Earth Angel

The Bun

2011-11-07T00:05:00.004+08:00

My limp hair is always in a ponytail ever since I cut it short. Short hair is high maintenance, if only I knew earlier. I can't keep up with that (blow dry, iron etc.) as I'm always on the go, and my job requires neat looking hair. So I vowed to myself not to chop it anymore, but for the meantime, I'll tie or bun it until it grows back to the desired length I want.

Remember my post about hair extensions? Besides the clip-on, I also have another one, but the artificial hair is attached to a huge clamp. The ends are wavy. I tried it again, hoping to give life to my oh-so-boring hair. This time, I twisted and wrapped the ends to form a bun. And....Tadah!! I'm a bun expert by the way. My college life revolved with a bun and a hair net. :)

Instant thick, glamorous do! I know, the extensions don't match my hair color, but it's not that obvious though. Let's take a closer look.

Me likey! It's heavy, but I can deal with it. And for the outfit: nude lace top: Archive Clothing, skirt and necklace: Forever 21(The skirt was a gift from my fasyon best friend.), shoes: Jelly Bean (It's my current favorite store, I feel so girlish), hair extensions: Sathura

Second semester will officially start on Tuesday. I love second semesters! It's shorter, faster and there are so many things to look forward to like Christmas, New Year and our second wedding anniversary. That's it for now. I may be in a hiatus again once classes begin. Have a blessed week!

Earth Angel

Black, Red and White Reminds Me Of.....

2011-11-06T01:37:00.000+08:00

Mickey Mouse!! He's one of my favorite cartoon characters, but real life mouse scares me to death.

Here's what I wore yesterday, took advantage of the cool weather.

I wore this shorts many times last month, so it was placed on the top most part of the closet. I just grabbed it yesterday morning without even thinking and instinctively looked for a black top. I added the tights for protection as I have poor tolerance to cold. I attended a seminar and the venue was air-conditioned.

top: Archive Clothing; shorts: Surplus S.M; tights: Mint; shoes: Candies; hat: Forever 21 (gift from the hubby)

Earth Angel

Forever 21 + Body Forms

2011-11-06T00:43:00.001+08:00

This morning, my cousin, Ren and I went somewhere in Ortigas to attend a seminar on finance, after which we dragged our feet off to Megamall and checked some shops. Oh, we were only able to explore one shop, the humongous Forever 21 (we stayed there for 3 hours!) Believe it or not, it was my first time there since its debut. Let's just say I am not comfortable in Ortigas area. I always get lost whenever I go there, especially when I was preparing for our wedding. Geez..

So I asked Ren to choose a piece of clothing that will be my Christmas gift to her. Boy, was she excited! I checked F21's website the night before and saw this beige chiffon pleated dress with black peter pan collar. It was love! Ren and I went separate ways to examine each rack. She found this and I gasped with delight.

It was the dress I wanted!

I looked for my size, tried it right away and adored the reflection on the mirror. I was ready to purchase it, but I stopped myself. Why? Because I just WANT it, and I don't really need it (but gifts are welcome, I'm size small..heeee). I'm proud of myself because I am finally surpassing the "Ohmigosh, this is soooo pretty, I need to have this, I can't live without this" stage. Well then, I guess it's true when they say you become wiser when you get older. But for me, it's more on prioritizing.

Anyway, I was able to try, like nine dresses. I didn't buy any. I'll tell you why.

These were some of the dresses I tried on (the others are not anymore available on F21's website). Most of them were body hugging (oo na, filingera ako). I particularly love the ones with mesh details like the first and the last photos below. I slid the bodycon dresses, they all fit well from shoulders to the waist, until they reached my butt and thighs. Boom! My butt couldn't breath! I wasn't moving in the dressing room for 5 seconds. And there was like a small life buoy pooching around my puson. I got bigger sizes, the butt part fit well, but the upper part, all loose.

This dress is also available in black and royal blue.

This dress fit me well, though it's not part of the top 3.

So that's the genes I inherited from my mom! Slender arms, small boobs, average waist but protruding lower abdomen, big thighs (although mine look normal). It's the main reason why I appear thin to others, and another reason why I abhor tight fitting jeans. I'm lucky enough though to be married to someone who eyes an angelic face with nice legs and butt. I happened to have those three. ahahaha

Earth Angel

Rio Joyze + Funky Feet

2011-10-28T14:09:00.003+08:00

After we explored Ma Mon Luk, my sister and I went to the mall to buy infant socks. No, I'm not nesting. I'm not even pregnant. The socks were for my new goddaughter, Rio Joyze, combined names of her genius parents, Romario and Joyzen. Her mom, Joyzen became my best friend ever since we worked as clinical instructors. I think I mentioned her here several times already. We were classmates in first year college, but got closer in 2008 when we were both hired as faculty members. She got married on 2009 and got pregnant February (or January) this year. And oh, we were also classmates at the Graduate School and took MCN (Maternal and Child Nursing) as our major course. One time during our class, she suggested there should be an 'ovulation leave' for couples who want to conceive, thus inventing "OL" (fyi: Ovulation is when a woman is fertile and capable of conceiving, but this only happens once a month, at least, for someone who has a regular menstrual cycle). So every time she absent herself, we joked that she declared another OL. And tadahhh!! It happened! She got pregnant! I am surrounded with preggies, actually. Some of them already popped their babies out.

Here's what I gave my goddaughter. Socks from Funky Feet, not quite shoes. There was a time when I started liking some pages of baby stuff on Facebook and these socks were one of those. They look like shoes from afar, perfect for non-walking babies. The design I chose is "Bows on my Toes".

Each box has 5 pairs of fasyon socks.

Click this link to Funky Feet's Multiply store to see how the socks look like when worn.

Hello everyone! I'm Rio Joyze and I'm the bida and the guest for today at my Ninang Beng's blog. I'm only 3 weeks old, but I look bigger than my age. I looked like my mom when I was born, but now, they say I have a better resemblance of my dad. It flatters him! hihi..Ninang Beng said I will be smart when I grow up because I got my mom's forehead. I sleep most of the time and just wakes up when I'm hungry, that's why I'm this big already. I don't even cry when I poop. I suck better on the right breast of mommy because I get a better grip there. Mommy knows when I suckle right because she feels a vacuum-like motion in there. I still don't have photos in Funky Feet socks, but I'm excited to wear them. Mommy needs to wash them first. I'll flaunt them soon as my folks are now busy preparing for my Christening.

I'm happy to see you, Ninang Beng! Mommy just fed me, so I'm sleeping again. Ninang Beng looks pregnant here. hihi..She's still full from the Chinese food she devoured. Bye!

~~Earth Angel~~
Rio Joyze

Ma Mon Luk

2011-10-25T20:37:00.002+08:00

Three weeks ago, I had my nursery orientation/training (I am now back where I belong because Nursery is closest to my heart.) at a certain government hospital in Binondo, and since then, I am always craving with Chinese food. There was even a time when I ate siopao (although the ones I bought were only from a 7-Eleven store) and hopia (Eng Bee Tin is a new favorite) as my afternoon snacks for a week. I still salivate up to this moment with that thought. So in search for an authentic Chinese food, my sister and I headed to Ma Mon Luk yesterday. Although the restaurant is only a few blocks away from home and passes by it almost everyday, I neglected it for years. We sort of starved ourselves so we could order a lot. I know, it's bad. Don't do it. We giggled as we entered the low profile restaurant. It's not air-conditioned, but it's huge and you could really tell it's old. Most customers were old folks too. Here's what we ordered.

Original Mami at Php105/large bowl. This was my order.

Siomai Php45 for 2 huge pieces. This looks oily, but it's yummy! Don't forget the calamansi and soy sauce.

Ate Boom ordered beef mami at Php115/large bowl.

Beef mami at Php115

Special siopao asado at Php60. The special siopao has asado, chicken and salted egg. This is quite big. Hindi kami gutom, no? It was our first time, so we ordered this much, hehe..And we're coming back again and again until our cravings are satisfied. It's by the way located at Banawe, Quezon Avenue, near Sto. Domingo Church. :)

Earth Angel

The Ginger Test

2011-10-18T00:54:00.000+08:00

Remember my fitness story? Click here if you missed it. I wrote there about the supplements I take to stay away from free radicals. Looks like I'm going to give a brief lecture here, so bear with me. And note that I didn't review my Chemistry, so I'm going to explain this as layman as possible.

Our cells are composed of smaller particles called atoms. A healthy/normal atom has two electrons. A free radical only has one electron. Now, when we are exposed to free radicals, let's say stress (any kind, including a fight with your boyfriend or girlfriend..hehe), pollution, consuming junk food or high fat meal, the free radical steals the electron from the normal cell, which then converts the normal cell to another free radical. But when we eat foods that are high in antioxidants, more electrons are added to each atom (could be 3 or more), so even if a free radical abducts one electron, the antioxidant-rich-cell has spare. Get it? I still take supplements because I am not able to eat enough fruits and veggies everyday and I (and my family) only trust Usana (this is not paid, I just want to share).

I made an experiment of how effective the supplement is.

The ingredients for tinolang manok are...hihi, kidding! I chopped 3 slices of ginger (because it's the only available in the kitchen). Let's pretend the gingers are our cells.

plain water!

The gingers are put to each container. The left most (Ginger A) didn't have any water or supplement. It was just plain ginger, exposed on air for days. The middle container (Ginger B) is where I put Usana antioxidant. The right most (Ginger C) is where I put another vitamin supplement. I won't mention the name, but don't worry, it's not available in the Philippine market. The tablets are starting to dissolve here.

After 24 hours, Ginger A, obviously withered due to lack of water.

Usana had an orange color while the other was amber. This was 24 hours after. I waited for another 2 days. I was not able to take photos on the 48th hour.

After 72 hours, here's how the gingers looked like. Gingers B and C looked the same, right (except the color of course because they absorbed the supplements' natural color)? Let's look at another angle.

Ginger B looks the same in all angles. Ginger C became like this.

A closer look

Be the judge. To see is to believe. Originally, I planned to do this experiment for 7 days, but I was more scared of Dengue (stagnant water..haha). And the water was evaporating so quickly so I stopped on the third day. That's it! Everyday, I feel like my cells are becoming healthier. My mom and dad started taking Usana last year. Before that, my dad (he's 62) hates to look at his pictures because he looks so old daw. Whenever he looks at his photos, he would mumble, "Ang tanda ko na (with a sad face)." Then months after, all of us noticed that his face was glowing, like he had a botox treatment. It was visible on photos. Seriously, he looks younger on his recent photos compared from 2 years ago.

This photo was taken on 2009 Christmas Eve

Photo taken at my renewal of vows, 2010

This is his latest photo, taken last May at my cousin's wedding. If I didn't know the dates and was asked to arrange the photos from remotest to latest, I will no doubt choose this last photo as the remotest because he looks much younger than the 2 photos. I don't know if you noticed, but I (we) did. :)

Earth Angel

Bullies!

2011-10-15T13:52:00.001+08:00

My 80-hour orientation at the nursery is finally over! But I just want to rant something. Days ago while having our benign duty at the Delivery Room-Nursery (for non-nursing, we use the word benign when there are no delivery cases), some students, a colleague and I stayed at the spacious Recovery Room of the D.R. There was one post-partum mom with her first born son and one student asked if she already has a name for him. The mom replied, Lucas. I love the name Lucas. There are only few male names I like. There's Miguel, Ethan, Jacob, Gavin, Antonio and Lucas. When the time comes that I conceive a male baby, we'll choose from these names. So there, I got excited with the name Lucas that I blurted out Lucas Perlas. Then one student said casually, "Ma'am, if you name him that, he will be bullied." At first, I thought he said "He will be a bully." so I replied "No, he won't be a bully. He will be as gentle as his dad." But with his words, "HE WILL BE BULLIED", I got upset, at some point, I wanted to slap him. Of course I didn't do it. I hid my reaction. Maybe he said that because "Lucas Perlas" is rhyming, which means it will be a good medium for pesterers. Still, he does not have any right to predict that my future child will be bullied. Frankly, Bryan and I laughed at how the name sounds so we said we should put a second name. Anyway, I became upset because I know how it feels like to be bullied. When I was in third grade, I had notorious male classmates. So notorious that they even made our class adviser cry. They would punch my female classmates and provoke fights with other male classmates. It was the worst class I attended. Then in fourth grade, two of my male classmates called me names. I can't remember anymore but I think it was "siopao" (now I'm craving for siopao again). They made fun at how I pronounced the word because I sounded lisped. I ignored them, but one time while having a lecture class, one of them called me siopao and tears started to form my eyes. The cry was real but I had to get even with them, so I didn't stop crying until our teacher saw me and asked what happened. In the end, our teacher made them stand in front of the class and said sorry. Or back in college, when Bryan and I started dating, I heard some comments like "Bryan's girlfriend is ugly!" etcetera ectetera. But I think this is more of envy, not bullying.

Bryan was also bullied before. You see, he was fat in elementary and he didn't know how to groom himself. He had thick, sky-high hair like an Afro and his uniform buttons almost gave up because his tummy was protuberant especially when full. He showed me his elementary photos. The descriptions were accurate, but I had a glimpse of a cute, kind-looking, lovable boy. His classmates perceived otherwise. They called him "Nanay" because they thought he looked like a haggard mom with 7 children. Then earlier in high school, they called him "bading" (gay). He knew how to handle those things, so he got over with those eventually.

Bullying is normal for schoolers, but should we tolerate this? I don't have a kid yet but it breaks my heart when I hear stories like this. On the contrary, most bullies I know have family problems. Like there was one who gets the food of his classmates but it turned out he was actually deprived of food at home. Things like that. But if ever it happens to my kid, I'll ask him/her to invite the bully in our home, have snacks and play with whatever games will be in at that time. Then I'll butt in and assess the kid. I don't know, I'll keep this entry hanging.

source here

Earth Angel

I am 27 today

2011-10-09T21:41:00.000+08:00

I turned 27 today, but I'm feeling younger! Since I felt special and loved today, I'd like to share what happened 27 years ago. I sort of consider myself a miracle baby. You see, my parents got married on 1982 and had my older sister the year after. During the first course of 1984, my mom had an ectopic pregnancy that one of her ovaries and fallopian tubes had to be removed. A month after the surgery, she found out she was pregnant with me. How fast was that? hahahaha..So that was the start of my beautiful and blessed life.

The original plan today was postponed because of Pedring's aftermath, so I stayed here in the city and had a little celebration with my sisters and my brother-in-law and his family. We had pasta, pizza, fried chicken and cheesecake. Just that simple. And then my sisters surprised me with a video birthday greetings from loved ones around the globe (Singapore, China, California, Las Vegas, Qatar, Venezuela-which turned out to be Valenzuela, Rizal, Pampanga, Sampaloc Manila.haha..It was so funny, and heart warming). Wow, I'm speechless! Truth is, I don't like surprises, because I don't know what to react, but this one is an exception. Thank you, thank you!! There are a lot of things I want to blog right now, but I'm struggling with different ideas so I'll leave you with this for the meantime.

Surprise! This photo was taken this afternoon. Remember when I chopped my hair? I had it chopped again last May, only much shorter. Unfortunately, I can't maintain it so I always tied my hair up until it grows back again. I miss my long hair. Then I came across this hair extensions from Sathura (care of S.M Department Store), but I want to explore Tokyo Posh soon. The extensions made me feel so ladylike. My sisters tried it too and they loved it. This is what you need when you have thin and limp hair like mine. So there you go. Our students are happy now because it's their semestral break. I'll have mine next week because I still have to finish an orientation in the nursery (back where I belong).

Earth Angel

What I learned during typhoon and the past days

2011-10-02T09:16:00.000+08:00

I was in a brief (brief only, because I slept right away) state of euphoria last Monday evening when I received a text message from a colleague that classes are suspended the next day due to stormy weather (it was extended until Wednesday). Ever since September started, I substituted a friend's work schedule because she gave birth to her first son, (Congrats, Anne!) which made Sunday my only off. I was happy and thankful for the 2-day rest (daig ko pa nanalo ng lotto). But every time a typhoon hits the country, I always pray for everyone's safety, especially my family in Pampanga. You see, our town is known for flood. Most of the houses there are bungalows but were constructed high above the ground to get rid of the flood. Ours was built around 1.5 meters from the ground, but the elevation wasn't good enough this year. The flood reached the insides of our home (first time in 15 years!). Time for general cleaning. Consolation is, we will get rid of a lot of things and our house, hopefully will be spacious. It's been 5 days, yet the flood has not subsided. My parents and older sister evacuated our place and are staying at our grandmother's house.

Here are some of my discoveries (and things I learned) during the past days.

1. There was no electricity for 2 1/2 days. Good thing there's water. I can survive without electricity and live like a monk as long as there's water...and fresh air.

2. My sister, Bim gave me a youth bible weeks ago. I vowed to myself to read the bible more often and this youth bible made it a lot easier for me to understand the stories. I was curious about the story of Tamar but ended up reading Noah's Ark, which was apparently a coincidence since our place in Pampanga is already flooding at that time. :/

4. I still can't believe people used to live almost a millennium before and were active making sons and daughters at the age of 100 and above. I told you, I don't read the bible (unless there was an assignment in school), although one thing I knew by heart was the age of Noah when he entered the ark, a whooping age of 600.

3. Our offertory wedding candle holders were a big help during the 2 1/2-no electricity-day. The small and stout candles are better, sturdier and safer than the long ones.

4. The day seemed longer without electricity. I was able to do a lot of things. I read 3 books, watched 2 movies (viva Toshiba for a 5-hour battery life), cleaned the room, worked out.

5. I appreciated my cell phone and it was handled with so much care. It was my only way to communicate and I had to spare the battery.

6. I slept early and felt rested.

7. I had my upper teeth braces back last April. The rubber, colored or not still stains. I used to only choose white rubbers so my braces won't be obvious until my older sister commented, "Oh, why did you choose yellow rubbers? They look like teeth stains." I answered, "Hmmm, yellow? But these are white (grabbed a mirror to check, to my horror, they became pale yellow). I ate mangoes the whole week and it's the culprit. Then just last month, I chose a bright blue rubber and yesterday, it turned green because of curry. Even brushing won't help.

8. Even newborns already have personalities. In the area where I was assigned, we bathe newborns every morning, an average of 10 per day. Some cry, some don't. Some sleep, yes even during bathing. Some smile. Some pee and shit. Some make their moms nervous because they pause and seemed to hold their breaths for more than 5 seconds before they burst out wailing. They're so funny and interesting.

9. I have to eat salty foods (aka junk food! the saltier, the better) days before my period or I will collapse. Seriously.

Earth Angel

Closet Resolution

2011-09-25T22:09:00.001+08:00

Weeks from now, I will turn 27. Part of my resolution is to keep things simple or low maintenance. I don't know if it's a sign of aging, but I realized I don't need too many things to be happy and I'm glad and proud to say that my impulsiveness is under control. I will get rid of the clutter and will start off with my disorganized closet.

This is where I keep my vintage inspired dresses and other dresses. My closet is full of dresses! haha..Enough of the word dress, but there is still another section below.

Closet etiquette 101: hangers should all be the same. Obviously, I don't follow this. I have plenty of reasons though, but I'll work on it.hehe..These were already sorted and gave away the unnecessary, the ones I don't wear anymore but still in very good condition, but I'm planning to go through them again. Most of my clothes are dresses. They are divided into 3: work, casual, formal/semi-formal. The oldest I own here is the blue checkered at the lower middle. Never mind if you can't see it. I bought it in my high school years.

This part is organized already. It's the top/shorts/skirt area. FYI: I buy shirts and polo at the male section because they're more comfortable.

Since I discarded plenty of shirts, I plan to buy more of these. Ultimately a no-brainer. So if you see me often with a plain black or white shirt, get used to it, they're my errand uniform. Shop here!

So that's it for this week.

P.S: I spent half of the afternoon today sobbing because I thought my blog was hacked! I still can't believe it's a very painful experience. My eyes are still swelling and I feel so tired. Apparently, Aisa's blog was injected with a virus or a malware (sorry, I don't know the terms) because her blog's stats are high (I smell envy here) and my blog was affected too. It will be fixed sooner. For the meantime, I am using Mozilla Firefox. :)

Update: Our blogs are fixed! Yey!!! :)

Earth Angel