~My Simple But Adorned Life~

The Twenty Firsts Meme

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Sun, 17 May 2009 23:50:00 +0000

I saw this from Alpha and I just want to answer it.

First Job: Working Scholar at Uste - Library Staff
First Real Job: Accounting Staff at Carworld
First Favorite Politician: None
First Car: Nissan
First Record/CD: Geneva Cruz - Anak ng Pasig (weheheh)
First Favorite Actress: Alice Dixon
First Girlfriend/Boyfriend: My husband
First Encounter with a Famous Person: Haydee Yorac (famous ba sya? at least non laman sya ng dyaryo) had a talk at our school and we usher her
First Brush With Death: None pa naman
First House/Condo Owned: Our house now
First Film Seen: Dyesebel ung kay Alice Dixon (first time to enter the movie house)
First Favorite Recording Artist: Smokey Mountain
First Favorite Radio Station: 89.9.
First Book I Remember Reading: Disney's Wonderful World of Knowledge and sa school Flickers
First Meme You Answered on Your Blog: Tamad na kong i-check

Charter Offers Free Gift Card Sweeptakes!

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:31:00 +0000

Charter, in line with the economic crisis, has offered free gift card sweeptakes to provide great savings to new and existing clients. The offer is good for the whole month of May and anyone can join Charter's Free Gift Card Sweepstakes. There is no need for you to purchase anything if you are a new customer.

But if you would buy or order online during the promo period, you would automatically be entitled to win. You will also receive gift cards of $75 up to $150 depending on the selected bundle. These bundled services would allow you to save more dollars and would give you the services you simply need. And by availing of Charter’s service, you might also win $1,000 gift card weekly or get $5,000 gift card for the grand prize!

Of course, you would not want to be left out with the wonderful deals being offered by Charter, so FollowCharter on Twitter now! There are a lot of great surprises waiting for those lucky customers. With Charter, you would get the Internet service that is the best in the country, without hurting your pockets with its bundled services. Check the site for the package right for you and win big, big prices!

What Happened?

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:43:00 +0000

So what is the reason behind the lack of updates on this blog? It's just so simple - I got so lazy! Heheh! Yup, I think this kind of thing happens to any blogger. It's just that there are so many things you want to blog but for some reasons, you just can't seem to blog about them.

And what made me blog again? I just checked on the triple P and surprisingly, there are opps that are available. So why pass the chance when I rarely get those opps at triple P? lol! Anyway, at least this is a good start!

There are so many things that happened from March to May and I would try to recall and put them all here in my blog - some not so good but there are still those good ones. So blogging world, here I am again!

I am Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:13:00 +0000

I know I have been ignoring this blog for sometime now. But not anymore since I am back! And since I just got from blog hiatus, I am now contemplating if I would get a multiple domain hosting for this blog. Would I need this kind of hosting now? Believe me, though I have been a blog addict, I am not that good when it comes to hosting your own site, page ranks and what have you's for maintaining your website.

And since I know I just have so much to learn, I visited this Web Hosting Geek Blog so that I would get familiarized with these stuffs. From this site, I have learned how to choose your own hosting platform for your business, the difference between Joomla and Wordpress, using reseller hosting and a lot more.

Another thing that is very helpful for us who are just starting to know more about hosting is that the site provides reviews for different web hosting providers. With this, you can do your own comparison. It makes choosing a lot easier since you have the features and benefits enumerated for each provider. You just have to read along their contents in the website so that you would be able to know more about hosting.

Nail Fetish

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:31:00 +0000

Gosh, I think I already run out of topics to write so here I am posting my nails, lol! It just amazed me that my friend, Vic loves to take a photo of my hands. And since they look okay in the photos, then I just have to post them here. :)

This one was taken during the farewell party of a friend. They made me hold this bottle of water. I was laughing since the pose for my hand looks awkward (for us, that is! wahaha!). Vic took this one and I simply love it! (nail polish was from Essie - forgot the shade)

We had coffee at Starbucks Clark and while I was enjoying my green tea frappe, Vic already got a paparazzi shot of my hand! Then I realized, I am no longer an effective model for photos (as if I have been one, duh) but my hands and nails are, heheh! (nail polish was the cheapo but ever reliable Caronia tahiti brown)

This last photo was taken by myself. I was about to text someone then I saw my hands - I know I just have to take a narcissistic photo of my hands right there and then. (nail polish was from Elianto, the shade is violet red).

Anyway, I did my assignment and checked some tips on how to take care of our nails. Check these out:

Make sure to file your nails in one direction. Never file your nails back and forth since this will damage or break your nails. Avoid also using the metal board file.
Apply cuticle oil to your nails to moisturize them and prevent them from being brittle. You can actually buy some cheap ones at Watsons - I have the Bobbie cuticle oil. But if you have the budget then you can get Essie's apricot cuticle oil or the Opi brush on cuticle oil.
To prevent brittle nails, you can also use calcium gel or if you want to do it the natural way, use garlic. Just rub the garlic on your nail and let it sit for an hour. You can then wash your hands and apply lemon or calamansi to remove the smell of garlic.
If you will apply nail polish, make sure that you first put a layer of base coat to prevent your nails from turning yellow. You can also apply lemon juice on the nails to remove the color. You can also combine whitening toothpaste to the lemon juice for better results.
And lastly, always wash your hands to prevent nail fungal infection. It also helps to take in vitamins or calcium supplements and the right food to maintain healthy nails.

Farewell Party

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:09:00 +0000

Last Friday, February 27, we had a farewell party (sortta, hehe) for Gero, a friend who is going to Singapore to work. Actually, he just flew there last night. Right after work, Minette and I went directly to SM to meet Gero. Then Jaja texted us that s|he is already at Xtremely Xpresso and that s|he is already hungry (nothing new, really!). So the moment we came, we ordered right away. We had...

Big Ben (a huge pizza) and..

Mango Cremo (yummy!)

While waiting for the others to come, we did nothing but chat, laugh and of course, eat! Here are some evidences:

Minette and I - laughing our hearts out

see, nakalahati na namin ang pizza!

Then, Allan and Vic Vic came to join us. And since Vic Vic is already there, while we are eating, chatting and laughing, she did not stop taking pictures. That is the advantage of having a friend who is experimenting with photography. All of these pictures that I am using in this post were actually from her camera (except the first one kasi wala pa sya non)- thanks Vic! Again nothing really changed - laugh, eat, chat and take pictures --the only difference I think was that we laughed harder and chatted louder!

tumatawa pa din kami ni Minette

kasama na si Allan this time

me, Gero, Allan, Jaja and Vic

what we love best - taking pictures

Jaja flirting with Gero and Allan?? hehe!!

Then we realized that there were only two slices of pizza left.

So who get to eat these? Of course, the last to come... Good thing Kong Bobot still made it!

It was one of those fun moments with very good friends. Too bad our other friends did not make it that night. But anyway, we just wish Gero good luck. He better get a good job that pays really well there so that he could finance another gimmick for us kahit di sya kasama, heheh!

Dream Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Aside from the bedroom, of course one of my favorite part of the house is the kitchen. But admittedly, our kitchen is not as good as these kitchens:

They are so nice, right? Probably, if I have a kitchen just like those, I won't stop cooking or baking or probably I would just work, relax (and sleep, lol) in my kitchen. Anyway, if you want to get modular kitchen just like those above, you can leave a comment on this post. Details would be provided for all those interested.

Yup, this is a shameless plug for Kitchen One and Cabinet Express... and I feel just like the commercial model, too. Look, hehehe!

Wishing to have a kitchen just like this one - so spacious!

Another Discovery

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:53:00 +0000

I admit I am not really easily attracted with virtual games online. I remember when I was a kid, we had those old gadgets such as the game and watch, Atari, brick games and many more. While almost everyone including my siblings are so engrossed with these games, I would rather play with my dolls in a corner. It was when I was already married that I got to enjoy online games.

Hubby and I even make use of our time when playing these virtual games online as our bonding session. Imagine us being glued on our monitors while we try different online games. And as we were trying to compete with each other, I got to try this one game that every kid will enjoy. You see since I did not enjoy these games when I was younger, now I am trying them. It’s never too late, you know!

You might want your kids to try and play MagNext Virtual. Your kids would really enjoy playing in this community where they can be just themselves. They can ride and race with the other players. They could also easily follow the rules of the game. Here is the simple way of how to play it:

Heart's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:15:00 +0000

Before I post this update, I checked first how we celebrated Valentine's Day last year. You may check it here if you want. As I mentioned there, I was never been a tradition on celebrating it on the same day.

But guess what? This year might be an exemption. We would have an overnight stay at Holiday Inn and we would be watching the Acoustic Night of the Sabado Boys at Mimosa. I would want to go check the Hot Air Balloon Festival too here in Clark but then hubby needs to go to work in the morning so that means slashing the Balloontine's Day for the to do list for this weekend.

Anyway, I just want to great everyone a...

Enjoy the day with all the people you love! It does not have to be a boyfriend, a husband or a fiance. You can share the love with all the people who love you (read: LOVE is the only keyword).

It's Her Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:54:00 +0000

It's the birthday of the most important woman in our life! I called her first thing in the morning and she said that she cooked something for them (my father, my sis in law and pamangkins) to eat for mirienda. We would continue the simple celebration on Sunday.

To our ever dearest mother, happy birthday! Our respect and love for you reach the highest heavens above(that much!)!!!

The Sweet Life

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:29:00 +0000

One advantage of going to work at 7 in the morning is getting home earlier. And with that, I get the chance to catch the show of Lucy Torres and Wilma Doesn’t which is, The Sweet Life at QTV11. I am learning so many tips from this show – from home management, fashion, relationships and just about anything under the sun.

While watching it earlier, I just got struck with what Lucy Torres said. And suddenly, I just want to write about the line she mentioned – you know for future reference:) She was actually in the Project Time segment and she was sewing the details of a leaf on a felt cloth. She was doing a coaster, shaped like a leaf out of cork and felt cloth. She gave the options of sewing it using the sewing machine or just sewing it with your hands. Then she added up:

“But I prefer sewing it with your hands (the next line is what I love). It’s just that there is a certain character when it is not that perfect!”

I could not agree any other way - whether you are referring to a minor sewing of details on a coaster or much significant than that. You need not be perfect to get that distinction. Sometimes you need to lack a bit of that perfection to get to the surface.

Lousy Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:10:00 +0000

I admit, I am one! And there are just so many reasons why this blog was being ignored.

~ I am trying to study about affiliate marketing and it's really taking most of my time. I never thought that it can be so complicated pala.
~ I am maximizing my time with hubby. During weekends, we make sure that we take time to really rest. We love bumming around - watching, eating and eating some more. Going to the mall took a back seat for awhile. Mas masarap magrelax sa house. :)
~ And during weeknights, I mostly sit in front of the computer to finish some jobs. Good thing, I can still squeeze in a little bloghopping while waiting for some articles for editing.
~ Lastly, I am cooking "something". Will tell you all about it once it is finalized. Actually, I am getting so excited about it. :)

Cute Blogger Award

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:23:00 +0000

Thanks, Sharque for this tag. :)

1. Each blogger must post these rules.
2. Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves.
3. Bloggers that are tagged need to write ten facts about themselves. You need to choose ten people to tag and list their names.

So, here are my ten, weird, random, little known facts or habits about myself.

1.) I love my job/s but I still want to have my own business - home based specifically.

2.) I am married for 7 years now but no kids yet - still trying to conceive.

3.) I was born in the year of the monkey and as what I read, heavenly luck is upon us this year! lets wait and see :)

4.) When I want to hibernate and be re energize, I just have to go to my parents' place. That's what I did last Sunday.

5.) I have mild dextroscoliosis and it is the main culprit for my backaches.

6.) I am a weakling - I don't play any sports.

7.) I (and my husband) love food!

8.) When we're older, I want to live in a farm with a cute rest house, that is near a lake and with a view of mountain ridges in our bedroom window or balcony.

9.) I am hopeful that 2009 would be the year for us to get pregnant.

10.) I love watching romantic and funny Tagalog movies and prefer old songs.

I’m tagging Ads, Romely, Mich, Jody, Rocks, Jeanny, Rach, Melisse, Hannah and Mari.

I would die for that...

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:48:00 +0000

This is so touching! The first ever song about infertility that I heard.

Sometimes it's hard to conceive,
With all that I've got,
And all I've achieved,
What I want most
Before my time is gone,
Is to hear the words
"I love you, Mom."

I Would Die For That
By:Kellie Coffey

Jenny was my best friend.
Went away one summer.
Came back with a secret
She just couldn't keep.
A child inside her,
Was just too much for her
So she cried herself to sleep.

And she made a decision
Some find hard to accept.
Too young to know that one day
She might live to regret.

But I would die for that.
Just to have one chance
To hold in my hands
All that she had.
I would die for that.

I've been given so much,
A husband that I love.
So why do I feel incomplete?
With every test and checkup
We're told not to give up.
He wonders if it's him.
And I wonder if it's me.

All I want is a family,
Like everyone else I see.
And I won't understand it
If it's not meant to be.

Cause I would die for that.
Just to have one chance
To hold in my hands
All that they have.
I would die for that.

And I want to know what it's like
To bring a dream to life.
For that kind of love,
What I'd give up!
I would die for that.

Sometimes it's hard to conceive,
With all that I've got,
And all I've achieved,
What I want most
Before my time is gone,
Is to hear the words
"I love you, Mom."

I would die for that.
Just to have one chance
To hold in my hands
What so many have
I would die for that.

And I want to know what it's like
To bring a dream to life.
How I would love
What some give up.
I would die ...
I would die for that.

What I Miss in Manila

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:16:00 +0000

Definitely, I am NOT missing the traffic, the pollution, the gimmicks (ok sometimes I miss those night outs but I can live without them - really!) and the so fast paced life in Manila. But what I missed the most is the food. Yes, there might be the same food here in the province but there is nothing compares to the food that I got to love when we were in Manila. Let me try to enumerate a few of my favorites:

yogurt shake, ox brain, kebab, shawarma of Mr. Kebab (I heard the store in QC is now closed - not sure though)
kwek kwek, fish balls, kikiam and squid balls in Retiro, Dapitan and Makati (di ko alam kung anong meron sa street foods na to pero bastat iba pag sa mga places na yan)
pares and bulalo in Jonah's
tapsilog, chixsilog, mixsilog and any other silogs in Tayuman
pancit in Food Corner
mango shakes and cheese waffles along Asturias
cream puffs and other breads of Tinapayan in Dapitan
authentic Indian food in Gil Puyat (I forgot the name of the resto - it's like a carinderia lang but the food is the best)
goodies at Becky's Kitchen in Bautista
hopia of Engbeetin in Binondo and hopia in Quiapo
authentic Chinese food in Estero in Binondo
and many more that I could not remember as of this writing :)

That is why when hubby bought home two of these items above last Saturday, I can't help but get soooo happy! Babaw ko no?

I miss Tinapayan's cream puffs (been craving for them since Christmas) and
Becky's Kitchen goodies such as the food for the gods and lemon squares.

I Need A Breaaaak!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Can you hear me screaming? Yes, sometimes, we need to take a break from our usual routine of being a career woman, a wife, a part time freelancer and what have you’s. So what is the best way to do this? Shopping? Nope, I am out of budget this time. I can’t hurt my pocket again with another shopping spree.

So right now, I found something to keep my mind away from work and other household chores and which would not require you to spend. Thanks to MagNext ! I have never been a fan of these online games but this cool virtual game got me engrossed. I tried to sign up for free on their great game interface and suddenly I found myself hooked. I think this is already an addiction!

This is the mini tutorial of how to play the game.

Mind you, I am really an illiterate when it comes to these online games and I am just so thankful that this site provided a great mini tutorial. I even got to choose any username - go Pink Panther! :) Then while trying to play in this game interface, suddenly another player challenged me. Now, the game is getting more exciting. So whatever happens, I think I would really love to escape reality for a while and play MagNext over and over again.

Even kids would enjoy this. And for the peace of mind of all parents out there, the site offers a secured and safe environment for both kids and adults. You too can try signing in or just try logging in as a guest to have a feel of this virtual game.

What's Keeping me Busy Nowadays...

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 03:23:00 +0000

... is ebay! It is my first time to really bid and purchase from ebay and I think I like it. Probably because I had great experiences from the sellers. Another seller even gave me free shipping for buying 2 items in a day. Isn't that great?! I got myself 3 bags that I can use alternately.

The exciting part in buying online is waiting for the goods to be delivered. Believe me, one Saturday I was just waiting for the sound of the doorbell because I know that the bags will arrive on that day.

I bought the Nine West All Weather bag (black-grey) and the Liz Claiborne Drawstring from the seller who gave free shipping. Then the XOXO Edie bag was the very first item that I won in the bidding. The last bag was actually not an ebay transaction but it completed the collection for the month - it's a large Tommy Hilfiger bag perfect for the laptop.

Some Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:25:00 +0000

I've been bad since I was ignoring this blog for awhile. Anyway, let me give some updates on what happened from January 1 to present.

~ We already have a house helper - yipeee! She arrived last Tuesday, January 13. Lola also went back to our place - she now has a companion every time we go to work. Awesome!

~ Went back to try the other dishes of UCC Cafe last Sunday but unfortunately, we failed to take photos of the food. Anyway, the food, as expected - was great! I had salmon and spinach gratin (penne) and hubby had seafood casserole. We also tried their white chocolate cheesecake latte. Yummy!

~ We bought a Priority Privilege Club membership here in Holiday Inn. I think we would be able to maximize the discounts that we would get from the membership. The 65% discount on the hotel rates and Mimosa Villa rates (perfect this summer) is tempting as well as the unlimited 20% to 50% discount for dining in at Holiday Inn and other participating hotels (Intercontinental Hotel Group). I think it also includes a one day free accomodation for a 2 days stay. Truly fantastic!

~ I plunge into online shopping and it is the one thing that kept me busy for weeks now. I never thought that I would be able to enjoy online shopping as much as the real one. The waiting and anticipation for the goods to be delivered is really getting into me. It really makes me look forward for every doorbell in our house. I simply luvettt!

Happy 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 14:11:00 +0000

Believe it or not, we are now starting another very good year ahead of us. New predictions (good and bad) are all over the news but we all need to put everything in God's hands. He alone knows what is best for us!

From our family to yours, we are wishing you a ....

Hope you have started the first chapter of your book with meaningful memories together with your family and friends. :)

Lifted the picture from here.

The Christmas Gift

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:29:00 +0000

The major Christmas gift came a day after Christmas. But that is not important - at all! Remember my wishes here? I got the perfume, the sandals/shoes and lastly this...

Happy, happy, happy! Merry Christmas everyone and have a very fruitful New Year!!!! :-)

The Retro Christmas Party

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:16:00 +0000

Last December 19, 2008, we had our Christmas Party at Wishing Well Videoke here in Balibago, Pampanga. The theme is retro and we need to try our best to wear something close to the 70's fashion. For a change the party organizers had encouraged us to dress up (lam nyo na minsan umiiral ang pag ka KJ, but not that day). We all enjoyed the party since almost all of us participated in the games and dance. We even had 2 mascots - the Jackson 5 with their afro.

I won in the raffle but only the minor prize. Anyway, that does not really matter - it was the fun that we had throughout the party. Sharing some pictures with you.

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:00:00 +0000

Two days delayed but of course, it is never too late to greet you all a Merry Christmas! I hope you had a great celebration with your family and friends. We had a blast and it was one of the happiest Christmas ever, though of course we miss my brothers, Nyong and Boboy.

I have so much to blog actually. Let me enumerate them here.

Our Retro theme Christmas Party (it was really fun!)
Hons's birthday celebrations at Duyan ni Maria and at Mequeni Restaurant (again)
The Christmas gift (I am really happy with this)

I'll try to start now before they get to be included in the year 2009 posts, heheh! Again....

Happy Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:41:00 +0000

It's the birthday of the most important man in my life...

Though we are missing "something" in this life, you never made me feel that...
It was always you who push me to go on...
And with that, I am positive that spending my whole life with you
is the ONLY perfect thing in this world...

Buffet Dinner at Mequeni Restaurant (Holiday Inn)

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:41:00 +0000

Warning: Picture overload; will make your mouth water :)

December 11 is Pampanga Day so it was a holiday here last Thursday. And what is the perfect thing to do on this day? Have a sumptuous dinner with girlfriends! We were surprised that the restaurant has a large selection of foods - from Japanese, Italian, Chinese, sea foods, desserts and other appetizers.

We started with sushi, maki and sea foods. We got so giddy when we saw the relatives of Ariel and Sebastian. :)

Then we got to taste the different salads and cheeses for appetizers.
We then decided to start with the main courses since we feel that we are already getting full with the appetizers and other side dishes. These were our plates with a little of baked pork rib, baked potatoes, vegetable penne, a fish viand, roasted beef and a chicken dish that has a lot of green and black olives (forgot the name together with the fish).

We were also eyeing on the dimsums, fried rice, peking duck and noodles. But we got really full with tasting a little of everything. Minette tried their create your own noodles - you can request the chef whatever you want on your noodles.

And lastly, we could not resist their desserts - ice cream, crepes, cakes, chocolate fondue, fruits, brownies, ube halaya and many more. But we got quite disappointed with the desserts - alright, they appeal great on our eyes but not quite on our taste buds. It is one thing they need to improve on, I think.

But overall, we enjoyed the food. We love their buffet and guess what? I might return there on December 22 but of course, I would be with the birthday boy (Vox). Look, we were so happy because our tummies were full :)

Arlene, Minette and Vic

With one of the Chefs (we love his baked pork ribs)

New Eyeglasses for the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Len) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:25:00 +0000

It is during these holidays that we get to buy ourselves something new - new shoes, new clothes, new gadgets or new jewelry. Of course, with the bonuses and the 13th month that were credited on our account, it is just but right to splurge for yourself. So for a change, I am now thinking of getting myself Holiday Glass Frames From Zenni Optical aside from those stuffs.

This decision is just right since the popular online eyeglasses shop is now on sale! They have cheap pieces for as low as $ 8 Complete Rx Eyeglasses.

Don't you think this eyeglasses look so cool? I'll go grab one for myself, now. :)