A Day in the Life

Dreaming of an International Vacation

2012-02-11T16:35:00.003+08:00

When you have kids, you are always on the lookout for places that they would want to visit when you have the time and when you have the money. In our case, we’ve mostly been able to visit local places in the Philippines, but it’s nice to dream about SouthAfrica tours or going to Disneyland Hongkong which is nearby.

Thanks to the Internet, you can really find out a lot of educational information about travel places that can help you decide on where you want to go. It’s also a good source of information for things that you can do and events that you can expect when you travel, from the moment you step on a plane and all the way until you get to your travel destination.

One of the best ways that you can ease up on your stress is to connect with a good international travel agency that can create a customized package for your trip. For our local trips, we have had the luck to establish a good rapport with local agencies that can be reached anytime via the Internet. So far, we haven’t been disappointed and we’ve always managed to enjoy our trips. For international destinations, it doesn’t have to be too tricky but you do need to ask around, read up on reviews of people who have tried a particular agency’s services and be specific about what you want.

For sure, when we get a bit of a windfall, we may just use an international travel agency to book our trip.

Brian and Donna's Wedding

2012-02-04T23:40:00.000+08:00

I realized that at my age, there are three events that I will most likely be often invited to - weddings, baptisms and funerals. Last year, I made a promise to myself that if I get more invitations for get-togethers and chances for meet-ups with friends, I will not pass up on them. So, when I received a personal invitation from Brian regarding his wedding today, I immediately said yes.

It's nice being personally invited to a person's wedding because it means that this person really wants you to be a part of their celebration. It didn't matter that I would have to spend for it considering it was a strictly formal affair but it's a chance to really dress up and look good ;)

It also was a chance to meet up with other college buddies, Nancy and Grace, who shared the same table with Patrick and I. The wedding was held at the Manila Cathedral. That was also a good enough reason for me to attend the wedding ceremony. I have lived in Manila all my life and yet I haven't been inside the Manila Cathedral hahaha It was an impressive church - no one Brian wanted to get married here. After the wedding, we all trooped to One Esplanade near Mall of Asia in Pasay for cocktails and the reception.

There's one word that I can use to describe Brain's wedding - Bongga!! It's roughly the Filipino version for Extravagantly Fantastic! :) This was a dream wedding for most brides I think. Getting married in a very beautiful church. Having your family and friends surrounding you on this very special day (there were around 300 guests if you were to count the number of tables at the venue). Just the right dose of entertainment during the reception with Chico and Delamar hosting the program. Very tasty food at the buffet tables. Fireworks to cap the evening. :) It was truly a day and a night to remember for both the couple and their guests.

Here are pictures while at the Manila Cathedral:

Here are pictures while at the Sunken Garden at One Esplanade. We tasted different types of cheese!

We had fun having our pictures taken at the two photo booths there. The second picture was cut and attached to a guestbook for Brian and Donna. The rest of the pictures (the 3 small ones) were turned into refrigerator magnets. How cool is that?! :)

Here we are inside the venue, Coral B at One Esplanade. Grace and Fred arrived a little later but were still able to partake of the special buffet.

All Attendees received the small box which was full of chocolates and candy, while female attendees received the bigger box. Guess what was inside the bigger box? A jewelry box! :) Dana claimed it for herself :)

To Brian and Donna - Congratulations and Thank You for Inviting Us!

A day of pampering: Let's Face it & Laybare

2012-02-01T21:08:00.000+08:00

It's not often that I get days when I feel pampered. For today, Dana and I went to SM San Lazaro, for pampering with a purpose :) My college buddy, Brian, is getting married this Saturday and it's a good time as any to just look good for it :) So, I scheduled such a day specifically for a facial at Let's Face It and eyebrow threading and underarm waxing from LayBare Salon.

I have tried several facial treatments from different salons. I've tried Dermclinic (in SM Sta. Mesa) but wasn't satisfied with their Medical Facial. It wasn't very thorough and it felt like the one doing the process was a trainee. I've also been to White Beauty Face and Body Center in Ortigas. Patrick had access to several GC's offered by his office and I was able to take advantage of those. The GC's were worth P1500 and I used them (on 2 separate occasions) for a Facial with Mask. Their service seemed okay but I didn't think that the facial was worth P1500.

I was wary of Let's Face It because often times when I look into their area, there are almost always a whole bunch of women getting their faces cleaned and I didn't really like that at all. I much preferred a more private atmosphere which was the reason I went for DermClinic and White Beauty in the first place. But then, I was kinda short on cash at the moment so I timed my visit when the Mall opened so there will hardly be anyone in the salon which can give the illusion of being in a private setting. I was right, when Dana and I got there, there were only 3 other clients in the service area, so that was okay, and we were far from each other too. I only tried their basic facial which was worth P245 with laser and 2 free check-ups. I didn't really have any expectations at all so it was with an open-mind that I proceeded with my facial.

I was directed to their wash area to clean my face twice with their cleansing soap with a follow-through of a moisturizing soap. They helped me put on a hair net and a "bib" so you don't get water and soap on your clothes. Then I was directed to one of their beds, got relaxed and just waited for the process to start. After a relaxing facial massage and I assume, another cleaning to open the pores, steam was directed at my face for about 15 minutes. The atmosphere was relaxing since the attendants weren't really noisy and there weren't that many customers too. Then the "actual" cleaning began and I've never had so much pain in my life!! Honestly! My only thought at that time was that prisoners and criminals should be treated to such a "benefit" so they will hesitate the next time they want to commit a crime.

The pressing and the removal of the dirt on my face was so painful I can possibly compare it to having labor, I think worse even! LOL At one point, when I can predict the attendant's moves, I was mentally crying "Block!" "Block!" "Block!" when the attendant will press on my face and my skin. I can't fault her for being thorough though because, ultimately, that's the point of a facial - to get your face cleaned of yuck and dirt that you normally can't clean with regular soap and cleansers. I just wish it wasn't so painful! After all that, I felt like my face was swollen and indeed there were marks on my skin when I left the salon. Some people were looking at me funny while Dana and I got something to eat afterward. I just didn't mind them hehehe

About 30 minutes after Let's Face It, the swellling on my face has subsided and we headed next to LayBare. I've been to this branch three times. The first time and 3rd time, I felt really pampered and I felt good. I had both eyebrow threading and underarm waxing with MJ as my attendant. Her hands were supple and light and the threading wasn't painful. The underarm waxing was very relaxing, I loved it! The 2nd time I went there, I wasn't so satisfied because I felt that the attendant was rather hurried. The underarm waxing with her took about 5 minutes only. I felt kinda cheated. She must have been hurrying because she wanted to get on with her break because as soon as we left the salon, we saw her heading out. I will avoid her the next time I go back :)

I will have to think twice about going back to Let's Face It though. I don't think I can take that much pain the next time hehehe

Dana's Day Out

2012-01-23T20:41:00.000+08:00

Today is Chinese New Year and it's a holiday! yahoo!

Funny enough when we asked the kids if they wanted to come with us to go out, it was only Dana who wanted to come. Dylan wanted to remain at home to "use the computer" hahaha He doesn't get to use it once we're all home so since he knew that 3 of us will be gone, he has more time to use it hahahaha

Anyway, so this started a new tradition of sorts. We will take one child on a Day Out so that all the attention will be focused on him/her. In this case, Dana got first dibs :) She had already asked me before, you know, for just the two of us to go out and have fun together. Well, she's getting both parents this time so that's even better. The original point of going out was for me to look for a pair of shoes for my friend's upcoming wedding. We ended up having the first "Dana's Day Out" outing.

For starters, we went to Cubao where I knew there were a lot of shoe stores aside from the usual stuff they sell in the department stores. So, we went to Farmer's Plaza, where I was fortunate to find a pair that was just right for me. And it only cost P250!! I also bought Dana her own pair :) Love shopping with her :)

After all that walking around and looking for the right pair of shoes, naturally, we got tired. We ate some quesadilla, tacos, nachos and churros at Taco Bell. Dana had fun refilling his Dad's cup of coke :) Simple joys for a simple girl hahaha

Next, we went to Shopwise to buy some necessary groceries. What we didn't know was that they had an ongoing promo in line with Chinese New Year! People who are wearing red will automatically get a fortune cookie! Imagine that! And Dana was wearing an all-red outfit courtesy of her Tita Shawie LOL

She got one fortune cookie as we entered the grocery. But then we had to go out for a bathroom break. When we came back, through a different entrance this time, she got another fortune cookie! hahahaha It was great because then she had one and Dylan will have one too !!

After depositing our grocery items in the car, we went to Gateway for dinner. Dana wanted to eat at Teriyaki Boy because she loves Japanese food and she loves their Yogato dessert :)

So here they are, Daddy and Dana enjoying a cup of Yogato!

And here we are having a few moments together.. but the last picture looks a little creepy hehehe

Trip to UP Diliman and Rodic's

2012-01-21T20:04:00.000+08:00

One facet of Patrick's job as a writer for Top Gear Philippines is having his weekends devoted to car events and photo shoots. Well, during this weekend, the kids and I tagged along just to have the chance to breathe some fresh air among the trees and the gardens of UP Diliman.

The first order of the day was eating taho!

Then walking along the path and finding a creek and a log to sit on. There were plenty of butterflies - yellow, white and black - that were flitting around. Such a pretty sight. Too bad I only had a camera phone - too slow to catch one.

After much running around, we found a log to sit on. Dana had her thermos and they shared a cup or two to refresh themselves.

Dylan became very invigorated as you can see!

So while Patrick was busy working, we were busy playing and we weren't getting into each other's way. We ended our trip with tapsilog at Rodic's Diner. Yummy!! That was a good day out :)

Car: Renewing Patrick's Driver's License

2012-01-17T19:53:00.000+08:00

Along with the annual registration of our car, we also processed Patrick's renewal of driver's license on the same day just to optimize his leave. Although, technically, he is supposed to renew his driver's license on his birth month, we just decided to deal with it to save time.

Here are the steps that we followed when we processed Patrick's renewal of driver's license. I just need to point out that we went to the LTO Robinson's Galleria branch to apply for the renewal of his driver's license. The LTO Driver's License Renewal Office (DLRC) was located at the basement level of Robinson's Galleria. If you're at the Food Court Level, just head to your left until you reach the stairs or the escalator and go down one level. The NBI Branch Office is also on the same level.

We arrived there around 12 noon. We first headed to the Drug Test and Medical Clinic right beside the LTO DLRC Office because we knew that a drug test is necessary prior to the actual renewal of the driver's license.

Here are the steps as posted on the wall of the Clinic as soon as you enter through the door.

At this point, I left Patrick to roam around the mall because there were around 10 people lined up along the wall of the clinic. Patrick, of course, filled out the required forms, paid the Cashier P400 and waited to be called for Urine Collection. Pay attention to the phrase in red, "Proceed to the small table". I found that rather funny because for a second there I thought that they will be collecting the urine at the small table. When I got closer to where Patrick was sitting, I found that there really was a small table with a nurse manning it. It couldn't be any bigger than 3 feet across hehehe Behind it were two bathrooms, one for males and one for females, with the note that you have to keep the doors open while urinating ;) I guess it's easier for guys ;)

After the urine collection, Patrick skipped Step 4 because the doctor was still out and to save time, they did the picture and finger scanning first. It wasn't such a long wait when Patrick's number was called for the Medical Doctor portion. He got his results and then we just moved next door to file for his driver's license renewal. The drug testing process was completed in roughly 40 minutes.

There were about 7 people waiting for their turn by the time we went into the LTO Office. THis is what it looked like. There were bench seats for waiting and it was cool and comfortable. The picture taking area was to the right, and you can see where the blue screen was set up and where you'll have to sit in front of.

To make it easier for other applicants, here is a picture of what you should expect to do when you get there.

Step 1: Accomplish and submit Application for Driver's License and supporting documents at Window 2.
Step 2: Proceed to photo taking/signature area when your name is called.
Step 3: Proceed to Cashier at Window 1 to pay for the corresponding fees (License Fee - P350, Computer Fee - P67.63 = P417.63). You may have to pay more if your license has expired.
Step 4: Wait for your name to be called to claim your OR and the card type driver's license at Window 3. (Window 3 is at the corner of the picture)

It took about 10 minutes for the whole process to be completed. We were fortunate that there weren't that many people applying.

If you need further information, LTO has a Facebook page dedicated to Driver's License Renewal Centers. You can find it here. The LTO DLRC Robinsons Galleria branch is open from Monday to Friday, 9AM-6PM.

Car: Renewing our Car Registration

2012-01-17T18:43:00.000+08:00

It's January again and it's time for Stanley's annual car registration. Normally, we'd cringe from the thought of having to process such a tedious requirement because of the notorious lines at the Land Transportation Office (LTO). But it's thanks to the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) of which we're a member, that we just breeze through Stanley's annual car registration.

Here are the things that we needed to prepare before we went to the AAP Office at 682 Aurora Boulevard, San Juan, Metro Manila.

1. The Smoke Emission Test with passing result and Original Receipt of Payment. We went through our Smoke Emission Test at one of the smoke emission testing centers near the LTO along Aurora Boulevard. As an AAP member, we got a discount of 15% since we went to an authorized testing center. I think we paid only less than P400 for the test.

2. Photocopy of Certificate of Registration

3. Original Copy of the Previous Year's Official Receipt of the LTO Registration (we got this from AAP too)

4. Original and Photocopy of the Certificate of Cover

So since we had all these documents before hand, the only thing we needed to do was get the Smoke Emission Test results (which only took about 5 minutes) and then proceeded to the AAP which was about 15 minutes away.

There was no one else in the office so the process took less than 15 minutes. We just submitted the documents and paid our annual car registration fee, which amounted to almost P6000 (we have a Subaru Legacy station wagon), including the insurance. We had to wait for about 5 days to get our new Official Receipt of Registration and the registration sticker.

*** UPDATE:

We got our registration stickers on January 28th. It was available about a week after we registered Stanley but it was the only time Patrick was able to go on leave.

If you want to know more about LTO Car registration services of AAP, check out their page: http://www.aaphilippines.org/products.aspx?pages=lto-registration-assistance

Movie: Ghost Protocol

2012-01-15T22:30:00.000+08:00

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is the fourth installment in the Mission Impossible series starring Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt), Jeremy Renner (William Brandt), Simon Pegg (Benji Dunn), Paula Patton (Jane Carter), Michael Nyqvist (Kurt Hendricks), Lea Seydoux (Sabine Moreau) and Josh Holloway (Trevor Hanaway).

Here's the synopsis as taken from the IMDB website.

"The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name."

Honestly, I'm not a fan of Tom Cruise but Patrick's got a man-crush on him that's why we watched this movie. However, we have watched, repeatedly too, all the earlier Mission Impossible movies and I think this is the best of the bunch.

Of course, in any Mission Impossible movie, you can expect awesome action scenes and eye-popping special effects. There are also a bunch of high-tech gadgets to rival those of James Bond :) With all this in mind, Ghost Protocol doesn't disappoint. As I write this, I keep hearing Dora the Explorer saying "What's your favorite part of the trip?" hahaha and for me, for this movie, I enjoyed watching Tom Cruise climbing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It's just astounding climbing the tallest building in the world with just gloves (yeah, yeah of course he's got cables, he's not crazy!) but he didn't have stunt doubles for the scene so that's a definite plus! :)

Oh and there's a scene in the Kremlin with Simon Pegg and Tom Cruise and a really cool "gadget" for lack of a better word. It's like creating a mirage with mirrors hehehe For those who have seen the movie, you probably know what I'm talking about, right? ;)

The script, too is great. It's got a lot of humor without sounding too forced. I guess you can say that Simon Pegg is the comic relief here but he pulls it off well. :)

Before, I forget, there's also that scene with the multi-level parking garage in India that's really something else! :)

Ghost Protocol really went and delivered what we all want in a good movie - a good enough plot, great locations, hard and fast action scenes (not the kind that everything's a blur - I hate those!), and just the right amount of tension to keep you gripping the arm rests and making you tense in your seat :) I really enjoyed this movie! :D

Book: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

2012-01-09T08:42:00.000+08:00

Inheritance is the 4th and Final book in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. This is the synopsis taken from the Inheritance site.

"Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances."

I first started with the series when my mom included the book "Eragon" in a package she sent us. I'm a sucker for fantasy books and dragons so it wasn't hard for me to get into it. I really got hooked and just ate up both Eldest and Brisingr when they became available. I really thought it would end with Brisingr and I was so frustrated when it didn't. I'm just glad that I didn't have to wait that long for Inheritance to come out.

It's been a while between books. That was my fear - that I would have forgotten some of the details in the books that would be important when it came to reading Inheritance. It's a good thing that a summary was included in the book to at least help you get caught up with the story even if you haven't read the first three books.

Before I started to read, I tried to recall all that I could from the first three books. Personally, I wasn't satisfied with the summary but then I'm a stickler for details and I knew I would have to read the books again from the start to really immerse myself in the world of Alagaesia. But, since I had the book already I needed to know what happened next and so I began reading. Naturally, the book will have the same cast of characters - Eragon, Sapphira, Arya, Roran, Nasuada, Murtagh and Thorn. Other characters that we've heard of in the previous books will now play a pivotal role in this one - Queen Islanzadi (Leader of the Elves), Angela (the herbalist), Solembum (the Werecat) and of course, Galbatorix himself.

By this time, you know that they're headed to face Galbatorix and you know it's not going to be a walk in the park. There are several battles and a lot of interesting discoveries. You can also understand how hard it is for them, how seemingly hopeless things appear in the face of Galbatorix' strength. Without divulging too much, you know that there will be something that happens to give them the hope and strength that they need to defeat Galbatorix ;)

I am still ambivalent about this book.. I need more time to read it again maybe after I've read the other three books too. That will give me the depth that was missing from my initial read. I'll let you know as soon as I finish :D those books are really thick you know hehehe

Movie Marathon: The Underworld Series

2012-01-06T10:44:00.000+08:00

There are just days when you're bored of Facebook (yes, it happens!) and you're not in the mood to read (good gracious!) but you have the time to spare so you search in your DVD Collection until you find a suitable boredom buster. This time, I was surprised to find myself drawn to the Underworld Series, starring Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Bill Nighy and Michael Sheen.

I have to admit that in our family we all have a proclivity for supernatural themes - vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches and warlocks. So, it's only natural that we would like the themes of the Underworld series. I enjoyed the first one when it was first shown. The concept about a hybrid (played by Scott Speedman) was refreshing. The fight scenes were worth watching although you may have to tone down your volume level hehehehe

I didn't fancy the dark and gloomy color, although I understand that it adds drama and sets the mood. I have busted vision making it hard for me to see much when it's dark.

Underworld Evolution is the continuation of the climactic scene from the first movie with Elder Vampire, Viktor, played by Bill Nighy. It was easy to follow the storyline although I don't understand why Marcus (played by Tony Curran) was referred to as the original hybrid.. hmm.. must watch it again, me thinks..

As they say, the plot thickens, in this movie, with more background story on Selene and her part in the battle between vampires and werewolves.

Undeworld: Rise of the Lycans, is the third installment in the series, released in 2009. You may say that it's the prequel to the series (I actually hate prequels). It tells the story of the origins of the centuries-old feud between Vampires and Lycans and the parts the central characters had to play - Viktor, Lucian, Sonja (Rhona Mitra). It's a nice background story for Lucian and Sonja. Its nice to see Raze there too :)

Now, there has been a 4th installment, called Underworld: Awakening which will be shown in theaters in the coming weeks. I hope I get to see it and what timing that I just recently watched the series in order :)

College friends get-together

2012-01-05T09:29:00.000+08:00

I ended my 2011 with a get together with my high school buddies. I thought it was also a great idea to start the new year with a get together with my college buddies hahaha It's not often that we get around to just having dinner and drinks and enjoy each other's company because, let's face it, work gets in the way and we all lead busy lives. But when a friend or two comes home for the holidays, you really do need to make a point to have a reunion for old times' sake.

This year, Marlon was home and that was the reason why we all met at Congo Grille in El, Pueblo, Ortigas. If I remember correctly, the last time we met like this was when Marlon also came home in 2004?? Who has pictures of those?? hmm.. must remember to ask :)

Anyway, the first to arrive at Congo Grille was George, here sporting his very long hair (although I guess you can't see from the picture haha).

Marlon, Cathy and I met up at the SM Megamall and just walked to the venue where we met up with George.

Pepe arrived soon after, obviously coming from work too. :) Idy arrived a little later because he came from Shopwise after a round of grocery shopping. He said he can't miss the double points rewards every Wednesdays! haha spoken like a true family man! LOL

There was a lot of reminiscing from college days about classmates, professors, crushes, embarrassing moments and catching up with what we've basically been doing after college :) We ordered crispy pata, sisig and grilled squid. The boys had beer, of course!

It's too bad that some of our classmates weren't able to make it because of prior engagements but I'm hoping that there'll be more get-togethers in the coming months :)

New Year at the Mall

2012-01-02T09:20:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year!! It's 2012 and I'm not going to be the first one to say that time really flies... When I look back at 2011, I hope that it isn't going to be the same for 2012 hahaha So here's me hoping that 2012 brings better tidings for my family :)

We didn't go anywhere for the first day of New Year. The smog was just too thick and so "chokingly" bad that you'd risk your health just to go out. We did head for the mall on January 2 just to get out of the house :)

There was a Christmas set in the atrium of SM San Lazaro where these pictures where taken.

Dana's shirt caption fits her to a tee!

Would've been a great shot
if the "extra" hadn't gotten in and messed it up

All three sporting new shoes for the new year ;)

HS Get Together

2011-12-31T08:11:00.000+08:00

When there are talks of get-togethers and/or reunions, I mostly shy away from them. It's because my closest friends aren't going to be there and I think that it'd be awkward getting to know other people. But then, I started thinking...Why should that stop me from going. At this point in my life, I don't think I'll ever get to see my closest friends anyway, not in this fashion, so I may as well make new friends or even just get in touch with older ones... who knows what the day will bring, right? :)

So when there was an announcement on Facebook (gotta love FB!) that there'll be a get together on December 30, I made up my mind to go. It was a good way to end the year, I thought.

The meet-up was at Seattle's Best Coffee at the Mall of Asia at 4:30PM. I got there around 7pm (late, I know) because there was so much to do at the house. Here we are! Thanks to Rains for the pictures :)

(L-R) Me, Gicel, Jun, Webster & Aries' friend

(L-R)Webster, Aries' friend, Aries, me, Gicel, Jun

More People: (L-R) Webster, Aries' friend, Jojo and wife,
Aries, Jesse, Me, Gicel, Rains, Jun, Nelson

Nelson and me

From Seattle's Best, we all decided to have dinner and drinks at Gerry's Grill. It was at this point that we were joined by Cecille and Pamela.

Gicel, me, Cecille, Pam

Pam, Cecille, Me

serious chika!

Over the course of dinner, the guys just naturally grouped together but still took the time to smile for the camera :)

Ike arrived around 11pm from a wedding in Intramuros.
Got the chance to see his god-daughter, Dana too :)

All in all, it was a great night! I'm sure some of us didn't want it to end seeing as it was only like almost 12MN when we parted ways. It was an enjoyable night - great conversations with equally cool friends :) Happy New Year! :)

2011 Christmas

2011-12-26T00:12:00.000+08:00

Merry Christmas to one and all!

Christmas is such a great holiday because of all the wonderful things that happen during this time. Yes, you may spend an enormous amount of money buying gifts for all the people you love but you kinda forget about it once you see that the gifts you bought really brought happiness and actual tears to the people who are receiving them.

Patrick and I are fortunate that our kids are understanding about our financial situation and don't complain that they only have less gifts this year compared to last year. They still were very happy about the gifts that they received this year and couldn't wait to play with them.

We're also very fortunate that though we have lost people we love like my mom and Patrick's parents, we still have a lot of people in our lives that care about us and love us just the same. Special shout outs to Tita Gigi Escalante and Tito Nino who have really welcomed us in their lives and love us and our kids with equal fervor like their own. It was such a pleasure spending Christmas eve with you guys and we owe you a debt of gratitude for making our holiday so special because of the warmth that you envelop us in.

I miss my mom so much and I miss my brother just as much that sometimes it seems pathetic that I have to seek out people from whom to get the love and comfort and that feeling of security that you have a place in this world that you belong to and with. It's still very fortunate that there are people in my life like those - Lan, my brother, you may be far away in geography but you are never far from my mind and heart. I always wish the best for you and I'm proud that you're doing well on your own. Kat you are still the bestest friend anyone can have and I'm proud to have you in our lives. Sharon, my sister, you are such a crazy girl but I'm still glad that you've matured enough to handle yourself in the way you see fit.

We have had such a hard year this time and as much as we will never forget the people who have helped us get through it - Chie Cosay and Rey Maribao special thanks to both of you for you know what - we will also never forget the people who have brought us such pain and suffering. It is because of you that we have become stronger. It is because of you that we have faced much hardship and yet we're still surviving. Though we no longer want you in our lives, you have been a major part of it and for that we can't and we won't forget.

May the New Year bring us better circumstances....

In the meantime, I'm sharing my kids' and our own happiness this Christmas and hope that you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making the movie.

Ruth and JV's wedding

2011-12-22T23:14:00.000+08:00

Another special event that we were lucky enough to be invited to was the wedding of my cousin, Ruth, to her longtime boyfriend JV Royo. It was held at the Most Holy Trinity Parish in Sampaloc and reception was at Betty's Sansrival and Catering Services in Quezon City.

What I love about weddings is that it gives people a chance to catch up with relatives and friends whom you haven't seen in a long time. Plus, there's always free food hahaha Another plus is getting a chance to dress up in fancy clothes too :)

Nandy and Ronnie in
this Once-in-A-Lifetime Dressing Up Moment

Zeny and Ella

Jeng looking lovely as the Maid of Honor

Ces and Zeny

Den and myself

Dana looking lovely in her dress

The food was delicious especially the sansrival (of course!) and the baked goodies :) Dana kept going back to the dessert table (by herself even!). Dylan loved the lechon (roasted pig)!

There was a photo booth from Clickart Photo Booth where you can have your pictures taken as a souvenir. We had fun taking our photos! :)

Congratulations to Ruth and JV! Thanks for inviting us and having us share in your wonderful ceremony :)

Dylan's 2011 Christmas Party

2011-12-21T23:03:00.000+08:00

This year, the Little Sofie Learning and Development Center held their Christmas Party at Shakey's Espana. It's quite a bittersweet moment for us because we remember Teacher Dory and her presence from last year's Christmas party which was also held in the same venue.

Anyway, the party was filled with gifts, prizes and activities which the kids loved. There were prizes for the parents who did such an amazing job with their Christmas parol. There were also appreciation prizes for all parents for their support of their kids and of the school. The kids also had their exchange gift as well as gift giving from their teachers. There was also a "Bring Me" game which Dylan participated in but was not fortunate enough to win in hahaha Parents also participated in the games which were a lot of fun.

Pictures with his teachers:

Teachers Kaye and She

Teachers Karen, Kaye, She, Cath and Ma'am Sheila

Dylan with Teachers and Classmates

Dylan and Rhian

Dylan also participated in their song and dance number:

Finally, it was eating time! Pizza, Spaghetti, mojos and chicken

Teacher Dory's special kids (Shiela May)

A special dance number by Captain Shakey's to end the celebration!

Dana's 2011 Christmas Presentation

2011-12-20T22:54:00.000+08:00

Every Christmas season, kids usually become part of their school's Christmas presentation. Dana is no different but for a while there, we really didn't think she will be able to participate in it this time because we had some financial difficulties and couldn't yet buy the costume needed for the program.

At the last minute, we were able to find the resources and the three of us, Patrick, Dana and I, went to
Quiapo at the store where we bought Dylan's Germany costume and were able to buy the last piece of Santa Claus costume for Dana. It was also perfect timing since it was the last piece we got a hefty discount which really helped us out :) After completing that errand we went home so we can see how it looked on Dana when paired off with the black socks/stockings and hat :)

Come Monday afternoon, Dana was ready to go to school with her costume. Dana, Dylan, Den and I went to school at 330PM as was their call time. They were performing a dance number to the tune of Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is You".

What the school did this time was made the college and HS students perform first to ensure that the parents will stick it out until the end hehehe so even though we came to school so early, the kids only performed around 630PM. I still have to edit the video but I'll update as soon as it's up.

Here are some of the pictures after the show. Dylan fell asleep even before the program started but he woke up just in time to watch his Ate Dana perform.

While waiting for the doors to open

Hiding from the camera

The Stage

Waiting to start

Sleeping in the theater

Photo Op

Dana (far right) with her classmates

How to make a Christmas Parol

2011-12-09T22:07:00.000+08:00

Let's face it, I'm not really talented with arts and crafts nor do I have any interest in making them. But sometimes, for the sake of your children you have to do things that you just gotta do hehehe One of these things include making a Christmas Parol for Dylan's project in school. It's supposed to be a bonding moment type of project, which I adamantly opposed during a PTA meeting because I knew Dylan wouldn't be participating in it (really!), but I was overruled hehehe So, I was wracking my brains figuring out how to make one and even resorted to searching through youtube for instructional videos on how to make it.

The first step is finding the materials before you can even begin. For this project, we were told to use native materials like coconut and corn husks and not recyclable materials (which we used last year). I really had no idea how to begin so I asked my aunt for suggestions. She told me to head over to Quiapo's Quinta Market and maybe I'll find inspiration there. It just so happened that I had a lot of work to finish so I asked Den and Erghie to just buy the materials which they think may be suitable and we'll go from there. When they got back, they were able to buy a Christmas parol frame (let's be honest, I can never make that one by myself hehehe) and some native materials. It took us a week to really think about how to put the materials together LOL

Step 1: We covered the inner frame with some red ribbon so it won't stand out. Obviously, Dylan is more interested in playing with the ribbons rather than looping them around the frame :)

Step 2: We used a glue gun to stick the "abaca" (I'm not really sure what the material is but it looked native) onto the "triangle" portions of the frame. Dylan tried his hand with the glue gun. At first, he was skeptical when he learned that it was a glue "gun". He said, Mama don't kill me with that gun LOL

Untrimmed frame

Trimmed Frame

Step 3: We put in a green native material to contrast with the brown, right in the middle of the frame just to keep things simple. Then lined the edges with glittery red ribbon. At first, we even ran out of the ribbon so we had to continue the next day. We also ran out of glue sticks which meant another delay.

Step 4: We glued some shells on strings and attached them to the bottom of the frame so that they'll swing. We didn't know how to make the usual fringes in the regular Filipino Christmas parol so we "innovated" hehehe We also wrapped some gold ribbon around the "points" of the star to conceal the points of the frame.

Almost finished product

Step 5: The kids then proceeded to stick the sea shells onto the outline of the center of the star. They each took turns and we finished in no time :) The parol is now hanging from the middle of our living room hahaha Dylan has also gone territorial on it and keeps calling it His Star :)

Finished product

Of Toys and Willy Wonka (Part 2)

2011-12-05T21:44:00.000+08:00

So the previous post mentioned that we went to the Richwell Warehouse sale where we bought a lot of stuff. Well, we had to go back the next day because the shoes we bought for Dana were a tad small so we wanted to exchange them for a pair that fit better.

When we got there, this time we brought the kids with us so that we're sure the shoes will really fit right, the shoes we bought yesterday were sold out! LOL We had to find another pair for the same price! It was okay because now, there were new stocks as well and we were able to buy a newer pair than the one we originally bought. ;) This time, I was also astounded at the way the mommies were behaving. I have never seen a "human feeding frenzy" before and this was the place where I saw it first hand.

To explain, the sales clerks would bring in these huge boxes filled with new stocks of shoes. They'd dump these into the boxes in the shoes section of the warehouse. Mommies will immediately dive in (literally!) and come up with mismatched pairs of shoes and then sort them out later when they've determined that these shoes are not the ones they want LOL It's really fun and fascinating to watch LOL I probably would do the same since these pairs were going for P100 and that's really cheap, mind you! :)

Once we got the pair of shoes for Dana, Patrick and I decided to bring Dana and Dylan to the Willy Wonka Imaginarium at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall. Knowing how much they love Willy Wonka from the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we thought this was a good way to end the day. With a P100 purchase of any Willy Wonka candy from the Candy Corner store in the exhibit, you earn a Golden Ticket which serves as your key to entering the magical place. The kids got crazy with all the candy, like Nerds, Laffy Taffy and the Pixy Stix :) Once we got our tickets, we went in :)

A Giant Bug

The Magical Door

The Giant Tree

Giant Mushrooms

Giant Ant and the Ant Bully

They were both amazed and excited and the couldn't stop talking about what went on when they went inside. It was worth the trip! :)

Of Toys and Willy Wonka (Part 1)

2011-12-05T15:42:00.000+08:00

Like most working couples, you can only schedule a trip for toy hunting, bargains and sales when you have received part of all of your Christmas bonus and your salary and hope to God that there are sales scheduled when you do. We were fortunate enough that during the weekend that we got some windfall of sorts, there were great bargains that we took part in.

On Saturday, December 3, Patrick and I headed to the Toy Warehouse Sale in Sct. Torillo, Quezon City. It is actually the warehouse for the Mattel brand of toys and they're selling off their excess inventory at prices up to 80% off! So, it's really a great deal considering you're getting branded toys for less than what you would pay in the malls :) I didn't really know what to expect since this was the first time I was headed there so I was keeping an open mind.

The place wasn't really huge, around 1000 square meters but it's air conditioned so it's pretty comfortable. There were toys for infants, toys for the big kids, some baby stuff like sterilizers and bottles, some MyScene and Ollie shoes for the bigger kids, Barbie, Hot Wheels and Pokemon shoes for the smaller kids, bikes Disney toys (both stock and new arrivals) and a whole lot more.

We were able to pick out great finds during our first day and Patrick went ga-ga over the Lightning McQueen series of die cast toys and was able to purchase 4 of them - Lightning McQueen, Franco Bernoulli, Holly Shiftwell and Mater! I went crazy over the shoes that were selling for P100/pair!! and some school shoes, they were selling for 3 for P100!! I was stupefied to say the least! LOL We really had to stop at some point when we reached our quota for the kids' Christmas gifts hahahaha

We then went to the Mall of Asia to see if we can check out great finds at the Mega Shoes and Bags sale at the SMX Convention hall. OMG! That's all I can say hahaha

I was already super excited even before we entered but when I got in woohoo! Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!! It was like an Imelda Marcos moment hahaha If I had that feeling, make that a hundred times more for Patrick who was crazier for shoes than I.

It wasn't difficult to go around even though it was jam-packed with crowds. The shoes were sorted according to brand and then by size so you can immediately go to your favorite brands and see what models they have that are available in your size. It saves on having to ask the sales clerks repeatedly for your size. The sad thing is if you've got an average shoe size, there's a high possibility that the style that you want may be out of stock especially if you haven't gotten there at the earliest opportunity. But since there were so many shoe styles to look at, I'm sure there will be at least one pair that you'll end up with. Here, Patrick and I were able to buy much needed shoes for ourselves. When you have kids, you usually have to sacrifice your own wants to provide for your kids first. So, this opportunity was heaven sent. I got a pair of Keds (my fave!) and Patrick was able to buy his Asics rubber shoes. :)

At the same venue, just next door was the Toy Kingdom Christmas sale. We couldn't resist so we took a peek. Fortunately (for us) the lines were too long which served as a deterrent for us to purchase any more stuff LOL

We ended our day with dinner at Mexicali :>) We purposely went home late so we can sneak the gifts in and store them where the kids can't find them hehehe

Tasting "The Real Thing"

2011-12-01T15:34:00.000+08:00

We're always happy when there are holidays when Patrick also has no work. This time, because there's no work on November 30, we scheduled a day of pampering for us girls so Dana, Den and I went out and got our haircuts :) Patrick also got his and Dylan felt kinda left out because he's the only one who didn't get a hair cut because his hair was still short LOL

Here's a picture of Dana with her hair all straightened out because of blowdrying :) I really like it when she has her hair this short :)

After the salon and the barber shop, we were scouting around for a place to have dinner at. Patrick suggested that we try out "The Real Thing Diner" along Tomas Morato in Quezon City. It's a restaurant with most of their food products made with Coca-Cola :) There are also a lot of Coca-Cola memorabilia displayed on the walls and on stands :)

Check out these mugs and collectibles:

Check out their cool ambience!

There's Den sporting her new hairdo!

We ordered the Onion Rings Tower P149

Dana ordered the Carbonara P179

Cheesy Backyard Burger P189

Coca-Cola Salpicao P199

Cheesy Backyard Burger (to show the cheese)

Over-all, we enjoyed the food. I especially like the Coca-cola salpicao and am actually wondering about the recipe :) The service was fast and efficient and our server was pleasant and enthusiastic :)

17th Anniversary spent with Chevrolet haha

2011-11-13T14:44:00.000+08:00

I've always been a simple person. So when Patrick tells me that we're just going to the Mall of Asia for our 17th Anniversary, that's fine by me. Any excuse to get out of the house will do hahaha As long as the kids are with us and we're happy to be together then all is fine with life :)

So that Sunday, Patrick said he had to go to MOA to check out the Chevrolet exhibit there. So, off we went.

Lots of opportunities for picture taking with the kids. For instance, here they are with "Bumblebee"

Here they are with the Chevrolet Spark :)

Bumblebee's mags are cool!

Check out these cool Chevrolet furniture hehehehe

Dylan's UN Day

2011-10-29T12:16:00.000+08:00

In celebration of United Nations Day, most schools in the country hold extra-curricular activities for the kids to enjoy. One such example is dressing up in costumes for UN Day. This time, Dylan was assigned "Germany" as his country.

It is at this point that I appreciate living in Sampaloc haha because our house is so near Quiapo where you can get the costumes for most countries in a snap. I never thought of looking for costumes at the malls because they simply would be too expensive and not all countries are represented anyway.

Patrick and I dropped by Echague Street, now Carlos Palanca in Quiapo, very near the Quinta Market and just before the famous Excelente Ham store :) There were a lot of parents and kids trying on their respective costumes too. It was a madhouse! :)

It was hot. It was tight. But we persevere because we needed to! In the end, we were able to buy Dylan his Germany costume. I was thinking it would be like a lederhosen or something hehhe The store also had flags to complement the outfit but we got Dylan's Germany flag when we went to the Philippine-Germany expo in Bonifacio High Street a week before hahaha nice timing, actually!

They held a parade around the streets of Sampaloc, sporting their costumes and waving their flags!

When they reached the venue for their program, the kids were tired and sweaty but still had a lot of enthusiasm! There were some dance numbers and other activities, but for me, the highlight of the program was when Dylan went on stage and recited his spiel. We practiced it for a long time and I'm so proud of him!

Another baby on the way --->

2011-10-26T11:56:00.000+08:00

And no, it's not mine! hahaha No, it's going to be Den's.

October 25 is that landmark day when I found out that my 20-year old niece is going to have a baby. I was so busy with another person's kid that I totally neglected to observe that my very own niece, who's living in the same house as I, is pregnant. Imagine my surprise and consternation when I noticed that her tummy was kinda big that you can't mistake it for simply being full from food.

Not wanting to confront her immediately, I just made a joke hoping that she'll bite. But she just made a noncommittal shrug which inflamed my suspicions even more. Then I started counting back and checking how fast we ran out of sanitary pads as I kept racking my brain for signs of pregnancy that I didn't see. See, if her tummy was already showing then that meant that it was in the 2nd trimester already and I totally missed the first trimester! And that's when I realized that I must have been so preoccupied with the Boy Who Will Not Be Named that I didn't notice her pregnancy signs.

So, that night, Patrick and I asked her straight on. Her answer was, "Kailangan pa bang itanong yan?" which roughly translates to "Do you even need to ask?" I was really pissed at the answer. Here we were, asking politely and nicely and that's the reply we got. I think she was being an ass to cover her real feelings as teenagers are wont to do. But then the truth was out. She was pregnant and going on 5 months.

Needless to say, my world collapsed. I wanted her to finish college (she had a semester to go for crying out loud!). I wanted her to enjoy her life as a single person. I wanted her to travel. I wanted her to make more out of herself before she even had to THINK about having a baby...

What was the point of our talks about pills and condoms and all those irresponsible parents littering the streets with their offspring?! They're becoming one of them! I was so frustrated that they didn't use their heads. I was so frustrated that they didn't protect themselves. I wanted to strangle the boyfriend for not using birth control. I wanted to strangle Den for not insisting that the boyfriend use protection!

Naturally, the first reaction would be surprise, then shock, then anger, then acceptance. For both my sister (her mother) and I, it was rather easy because of the maternal instincts for the baby kicking in. We had to make sure that the baby was safe and healthy. For the men in our lives, it was really anger that's the reigning emotion. Saying they were pissed off was an understatement. They wanted to meet with the boyfriend and his family ASAP. At the time of writing, that hasn't happened yet.

I don't think I will truly get over the regret and the frustration but all I can do right now is provide the support she needs because stress is not good for the baby. I have told her that she needs to finish her last semester so she'll have a better opportunity even after the baby is born.

Dana's School Halloween Party

2011-10-21T09:00:00.000+08:00

On the 20th of October, Dana had her first school Halloween Party. I was worried when they announced it and notified parents via letter because it only meant that more expenses will have to be set aside to accommodate the budget for her costume. Trust me, when you're in dire straits when it comes to finances, like we have been for the past months, you really begin to question all these school parties hehehe

But I'm very lucky that my HS friend, Gicel, was able to lend me her daughter's Princess Jasmine costume for Dana to wear :) Thanks a lot, Gicel! :)

So here she is, together with Dylan who just put on his Spiderman clothes and mask :))

They had a costume contest and as you can see Dana was #60! all the kids who came in costume registered for the contest so that took a while to judge. It was funny because there were a lot of witches which I thought would be banned haha but even the parents were wearing costumes!! She liked the one like 3D art in the last row of pictures :) Her teacher was dressed like Jang-Geum of a Koreanovela :D