A blissful Life

News bits

2009-05-19T17:24:00.000-07:00

I like listening to news. I listen to AM radio when I drive just to keep myself updated on the current events since I couldn't always have time to watch the daily news shows. I am still on my way home by then.

It gets frustrating sometimes that news are not that interesting anymore. Or at least I have hoped to listen more to something positive and some good developments about our country. Sadly, it's not always the case.

These days, here's what's up:

Senator Bong Revilla was mad on Hayden Kho for all his private videos out in the public and still spreading like wildfire. He recommended Kho's medical license to be revoked.

My comment: Please! Although I am totally against the public display of private videos, I would at lest want my senators to focus on more important stuff. Else, we don't need smart senators if they are just to comment on these petty showbiz news. And Please! As what the Bible says, 'He who has no sin can throw the first stone'. Enough said.

A female Congressman (didn't catch her name) and Senator Bong Revilla being mad against Alec Baldwin for his comment on Filipina mail-order bride in the show with David Letterman.

My comment: Again, there are much more important things that our government officials can focus on. I'd rather they spend time looking and solving the fact that there is indeed a growing number of mail-order brides from our country instead of plainly asking an actor to retract his statement and apologize. Yes, it is offending but reality bites you know.

Ms. Dionisia doesn't want to be an actress anymore but will still welcome endorsements.

My comment: Hilarious! I do like her though for being real. Maybe she also has the charm similar to his super rich and super famous son! That's why she's now called Pacmom! Haha!

Depressing weather

2009-05-06T18:32:00.000-07:00

If it is just an ordinary day, I would have enjoyed the cool weather with a bowl of arroz caldo. It would have been a full day of just sleeping, eating and sleeping again.

However, this time is when I want the sun to shine! Tomorrow is our scheduled trip to Fontana Leisure Park - yet another outing with our closest friends. Our bags are not yet packed but I did some grocery shopping already for half of the food that we intend to bring. Yes, we plan to pig out! We rented a 3-bedroom villa and I'm very much excited to swim at the water theme park which I know the kids (especially Sophia) will surely enjoy. But sigh, Typhoon Emong is hitting Northern Luzon.

When I read what Fontana Leisure Park has to offer, it says this...

A place where one can play or go fishing and boating in lagoons with fountains and waterfalls, or simply stroll amidst manicures lawns, herbs and flower gardens, and acres of age-old trees. A place where one can enjoy country club amenities, such as, basketball and tennis court, restaurants, souvenir shop, spa, salons, gameroom and even a grand water theme park with a lazy river, a wave pool that stimulates the sea, a Buccaneer pirate ship with slides, a water factory, Olympic size pool and the thrilling challenge of a casino.

So you see, it's very enticing but the weather may restrict us from making use of the facilities available.

I just pray that there will be at least 1-3 hours of sunshine either tomorrow or Saturday morning for us to enjoy the water theme park. For the rest of the time, we can sleep, eat, watch dvds and sleep again.

My lash discovery

2009-05-04T18:08:00.000-07:00

These past few days, I have been itching to spend, even for petty stuff. I have been wanting to buy a new mascara since I misplaced my Lancome (which is almost empty anyways). I heard Maybelline is good. Few years back, I used to have the Lash Discovery. I frankly don't want to spend much since mascaras usually have a short lifespan (they say around 3 months). Besides, I naturally have long lashes although I actually felt it became shorter due to frequent curling. I frankly envy my daughter Sophia. She has wonderful eyelashes! Long and curly! Very lucky girl, 'mana sa nanay' :)

Yesterday, I just went straight to Watsons and got this. I never even tried scouting for other brands as I normally do.

I like what it did to my lashes today, of course equipped with my ever reliable Shu Uemura curler.Finally, my lashes are back!

I'm loving these bags

2009-04-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

I am not a fan of Coach (I don't own one in fact). But saw the new collection and I was instantly thrilled with the colorful prints. I'm loving these....

I like a big bag like this to carry all my stuff (especially when you travel with kids).. But at price tag of USD 1,000 it's worth thinking twice. Maybe an LV or Gucci can already fit the bill.

This one looks refreshing and cute! Good for summer/spring. But sigh, summer ended too early I guess.

I can envision this one looks good in jeans and a plain white top...

Of course, the classic can not be forgotten but I like this as it is lighter in tone...

I am not saying I'm gonna buy them :( I'm saving moolah for something else. Unless my dear friend Anne can find this at outlet price. Haha, cheapskate!

The news all over town

2009-04-16T22:12:00.000-07:00

I have been quite inactive in blogging. There are much to say and update with too little time - also since I have been busy with my new job.

The news about the death of Ted Failon's wife is currently a hype. It's all over the place- TV, radio and internet. It is quite puzzling indeed. The first time I heard the news, I was already quite doubtful about the involvement of Ted considering the tampering of the crime scene. Who in their right mind will actually consider cleaning the blood stains first over being at the hospital and overseeing the situation of the victim. As days passed, it became even chaotic. Paraffin tests showed negative result for Ted and his wife. The wife is left handed but the police said the gun shot came from the right side.

I somehow feel that PNP has been quite exaggerated in dealing with this issue. On the other hand, they might also just be doing their job.

Then again it might have been indeed a suicide but the situation got so complicated because family and household members were not in the situation to rightfully think what should have (or have not) been done. At the end of the day, I pity the children and the family who was left behind. If it was indeed suicide, Trina Etong have just gave her family a bigger burden to carry - more than the pain of losing her. Let's pray for her soul and peace for her family. I hope the case will be solved soon.

And our baby's gender is...

2009-04-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

...a boy!!!

Che and I doesn't have any gender preference. I thought it will be nice to have another girl to make use of Sophia's tons of clothes. On the other hand, Che and I was quite worried that Sean is surrounded by all girls - Sophia, our 3 yr old niece Sachi, and of course the yayas so having a younger brother to play with will be nice.

I had an unplanned ultrasound. Since this is my second pregnancy, I am not too keen on having ultrasounds unlike my first. Sort of 'been there, done that'. We also doesn't have any gender preference so I am not that giddy excited. However, my OB suggested an ultrasound to check whether I had enough amniotic fluid since I reported some occassional discharge the past few days. It was so far ok.

However, we discovered something unusual during the ultrasound. There was this rounded fluid (hole-like) in our baby's brain. Later on, the OB-Sonologist reported it to be something called Choroid Plexus Cyst. We instantly got worried. The doctor suggested another ultrasound or congenital anomaly scan in the next 6 weeks. I did my research last night and found this....

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The second trimester ultrasound examination (sonogram) will sometimes identify a cyst or cysts in the choroid plexus. The choroid plexus is a tissue in the brain that produces cerebrospinal fluid. Fluid-filled cysts, called choroid plexus cysts or CPCs, are identified by ultrasound in approximately 1-2% of all pregnancies scanned between 16 and 24 weeks gestation. In the majority of cases, CPCs disappear by the 28th week of pregnancy with no effect on the baby. However, a fetal CPC is considered a “marker”, indicating that the baby may have an increased risk for a chromosome abnormality. When observed as an isolated ultrasound finding in women under 35 years of age, the risk for trisomy 18 is increased, but remains low (less than 1%). The risk is higher for women age 35 or older. Additional abnormal ultrasound findings significantly increase the risk for trisomy 18 .

Trisomy 18 is a chromosome abnormality resulting from an extra copy of chromosome #18, thus three copies instead of two. Chromosomes are the inherited structures in the cells of the body. There should be 46 chromosomes in each cell, arranged into 23 pairs. Chromosome abnormalities involving an entire missing or extra chromosome are not inherited and are not caused by an exposure during pregnancy. Instead, they are caused by random mistakes in cell division at the time of conception and can occur in anyone’s pregnancy. Infants with trisomy 18 have severe mental retardation and multiple birth defects. Many pregnancies with trisomy 18 result in a miscarriage or infant death, although a small percentage can live for several years.

When a CPC is identified un ultrasound, there is the option for additional testing. Detailed ultrasound, to look for both major birth defects and minor findings associated with trisomy 18, may be recommended, depending upon the amount of detail that was obtained during previous ultrasounds. Amniocentesis, to test for chromosome abnormalities in the baby, is also an option.

It is important to remember that isolated CPCs are usually normal variants that have no negative effect on the baby.

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We are worried but we are also hopeful that this is an isolated case since everything seems normal. We know that with enough prayers, the cyst will go away. Please pray for our baby.

A new job and a new cam

2009-03-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

I got myself two new things last week.

First, a new job. Quite unexpected. Challenging. Che has enlightened me a lot in making a choice. I have been blessed to be given another promotion. It's amazing that God's blessing never stopped. In fact, it is so far overwhelming. Lord, thank you and may you guide me in succeeding in this new role.

Second, I have finally made a good excuse of buying a camera - that I deserve to reward myself. Hahaha. It's always such a good excuse, right?! I got myself my very own dslr! I've made a lot of research, asked friends, read reviews etc. I chose Nikon D60 since I am new at this. I don't want to spend P50k+ worth of camera for something I have no clue about yet. So far, it is too technical for me but I know in time, I will learn. I am really excited in exploring my cam and it can be quite frustrating when I already want to already capture beautiful photos. Talking about a girl already becoming impatient. Haha. I hope it's weekend again so I can use the cam outdoors!

Another car accident

2009-03-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

I have been careless. Really bad.

The day after my birthday, I was on my way to work. Roughly after around 10 minutes of driving and running at approximately 20km/hr, I momentarily checked my bag to see whether my phone was there. When I looked in front, I saw the cars ahead of me has already stopped. I hit the break fast but too late, I hit the Pajero. Damn!

I saw the instant damage on my car with the badly bended hood. The driver of the Pajero checked his rear and saw nothing was damaged. Thank God! I actually hit the hook (for towing cars and other stuff) which SUVs usually have.

Another confession I have to make. It was very fortunate that I didn't cause any damage to other cars. My license has expired on my birthday. I thought expiration was on the day after. If we will call the police due to the accident, my car could have been impounded and I may have been sent to prison.

I believe that I am good at multi-tasking. Apparently, that doesn't apply when driving. When will I ever learn?! Che is not mad. He was more concerned about my safety. I thank God for always protecting me. I promised myself I will be more careful not because of the inconvenience and additional costs these accidents bring, but for the sake of safety for myself and my family.

Lesson learned.

I want....

2009-03-22T18:21:00.002-07:00

I have always wanted to own a DSLR and learn photography. I somehow believe there's this creative side in me.

The passion was ignited a few weeks ago when I attended a birthday party of a friend's daughter. Friend J has convinced me to buy a DSLR especially that there are affordable DSLRs now starting at P20k. He convinced me that it was worth every penny. I have friends/colleagues who have plunged and bought their first DSLR as well. I still haven't. For the past two weeks at least, I couldn't get it off my head, to the point I am even dreaming about it. Darn!

What does this mean? That I have really learned to control my spending and not to always impulsely grant my own wishes? I would like to believe so. In fact, I believe I am really pushing myself to the limit. I have forced myself to save. This is mainly driven by the major wish to buy a house. I promised myself that the bonuses I am expecting this April and May will all go to my favorable bank. Also, from pushing 40% of my monthly income to my savings account, I have increased it to 60%. Che, however, still believe I am not pushing myself good enough and that I can do more. Haha! It could probably be true that I still buffered up for good lunches, shopping, weekend leisure etc. A girl still has to enjoy life, right? :)

A friend/colleague told me that my decision could have been easier/faster if it had been a bag. Dang! I then realized it was somehow true. Why is it that my past bag purchases and my recent purchases in Gucci that I never get to use anyways have been an easier choice when in fact the price tag is about the same? What does it say about my choices?

On the defensive side, I have actually not made any electronics purchase for quite some time. Last laptop purchase in 2003, last point and shoot camera bought in 2004, ipod in 2006. I couldn't even hardly remember when and what was my last mobile phone purchase. So see, I have been good at staying away from this arena. Hehe, excuses excuses.

I still believe that I will give up somehow. Not good. I hate this feeling of thinking about something and wishing that I should have just spared myself from thinking 'what if?'. For ego sake, I am just probably prolonging my agony.

Plans this summer..

2009-03-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

Don't you already feel the scorching summer heat? Only one thing comes to mind during this time of the year.... beach!

I wish we could go to Boracay or El Nido again and just lay on the finest sand while sipping a fruit shake or a cocktail drink (non-alcoholic of course)..

Che has thought of going to Boracay with just us and the kids (no yayas). But I could imagine how difficult that will be and I don't think it will really end up as a vacation. :)

So considering that it is imperative that we save, we opted to pursue the summer plans with friends...

On first week of April, we will go to LaLuz resort in San Juan, Batangas....
http://www.laluzresort.com/

No pools so not sure how kid-friendly this place is but I bet we will enjoy the day by just relaxing in one of the cabanas while we enjoy the view...

Then on first week of May, we booked a 3-bedroom villa in Fontana Leisure Park in Clark...

I bet the kids will enjoy here....

I actually asked Che whether we can go to Baguio as well. Hmm.. we'll see.

Those are just simple plans for the summer and I bet we will still enjoy it with the company of family and friends.

So where will you be this summer?

A well-spent weekend

2009-03-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

The weekend that just passed was quite a good one.

Mommy Melissa bought the kids to Shangri-la Plaza to buy them shoes and to stroll around. Sophia is quite a picky shopper. She refuses whatever Mommy wants for her. We ended up buying a pair for Sean.

After having lunch at Mongkok, the twins rode on the carousel. They enjoyed riding in their 'horsey-horsey'.

Then the twins took a different ride... cuties!

We were then supposed to go to Crocs MegaSale in Ortigas but there was a long queue and so we decided to forego and just went straight to Tiendesitas where we will meet up with Daddy Che. We strolled around the pet zone where the kids enjoyed looking at the cute puppies! We got tired, had merienda and took a short rest in one of these wooden swings...

We then headed off to Fun Ranch before calling it a day..

On Sunday, we went to hear mass and attended a Jollibee party.

They do recognize Jollibee already so it was quite fun that the twins met Jollibee in person... Scared? :)

Aahh.. life is indeed good. I wonder how we can manage all these 'play trips' when we have another baby in tow. We'll see how in 5 months time.

More pictures can be viewed here...

http://melissa23.multiply.com/photos/album/12/Pre-Birthday_Weekend

The Birthday Girl

2009-03-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

In a week from now, I will be a year older. 365 days for me to enjoy the fact that my age is still a number I can find in the calendar. I can say my age out loud, I don't have a problem with that. For now, I believe that age is just a number. Besides, I think I had my fair share of accomplishments at my age that I don't have anything to panic about. I have a happy (and growing) family, a stable career that I love and a few tangible and non-tangible things (e.g. belongings and experiences) that I can say I have worked my ass off and I have so far lived my life the best way I could. Hopefully I won't reach that stage when I'll brush-off someone for asking my age because when that time comes it might mean I have developed some insecurities along the way. Ouch if that happens.

Yesterday, I was arranging our photo album when I saw how we celebrated my birthday last year - the year when I hit the fabulous 30's bracket. I realized it was one of the best birthdays I had.

I celebrated my birthday with two families that mean so much to us here in this wonderful island...

I got a surprise birthday cake and blew the candle like I was a kiddo..

I dipped myself in the finest sand with these lovely babies (they hated it by the way!)...

And I had a wonderful dinner date with my dear husband...

We don't have grand plans of celebrating my birthday this time around except that I took a day off work to just enjoy the day and spend it with people that I love. Life is good. It sometimes feel selfish to ask for more.

Reunited

2009-03-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

I have lost touch with most of my barkada in HS except with a few whom I have kept in touch with over text (that's the joy of technology these days).

My friend R arranged for a get-together two Saturdays ago. We met at Coffee Bean in Promenade in Greenhills. It was an endless chat! Then we decided to meet up again 5 days after in Makati. G joined us this time around but we are still missing C and T.

It's funny how you get bonded so instantly despite years of non existence. We may all have taken different paths in terms of career but the bond was still truly there. It's also amazing that time flew so fast that we now talk a lot about husbands, children and family life - no more petty stuff you talk about in HS! I look forward to more gatherings! :)

A few things I have failed to blog about

2009-03-08T16:54:00.000-07:00

There have been quite a number of things that I realized I have not blogged about yet..

The First Hospital Stay
My twins were confined at Cardinal Santos last February due to viral infection. It was their first time to be admitted at the hospital. At the same time, their Kuya Sato was also sick and recovering at home. Poor kids, they were on IV almost in their entire stay at the hospital due to vomitting and diarrhea. It was heartbreaking as I see the needle being injected on their wrist. Sophia was really mad! She had a bandage on her left hand which she uses to thumbsuck. We had to double the pain and requested to transfer IV injection on the right so she can soothe herself with her magic thumb.

Poor Sean as he seems to have developed phobia with nurses and doctors and whenever something is placed on his body.

The last module in Denmark

I attended my last module for this course I am attending in SIMI. I am proud to say that I bagged both A's on my exams/groupwork! Whew! I am indeed quite pleased to have gotten a diploma with flying colors! :)

For some kwento... after finishing our class early, I went to the shopping street with my Thai and Chinese classmate together with our colleague Mark J. We went to Magasin, a high-end shopping mall like Rustan's. We decided to shop separately to save time since stores close early in Copenhagen. Since we didn't found anything we fancy, I texted my Thai and Chinese friends to meet up earlier than agreed time so we can have dinner already. Then came C, my chinese friend and told us that she passed by Gucci and saw a group of people queieng up outside the store. It seems there was a big sale at around 60% off. We decided to postpone our dinner plans and head off to the store to check some good buys. It was indeed on sale ('udsalg' in Danish). It was by invitation only but the owner welcomed us in anyways. It was a whooping 60-75% off on all items! We all had our share of impulse shopping! I got 2 leather wallets and a pair of sunglasses for myself, a moneyclip for Che, and a wallet for my sister. All these for less than P20k!

Another exciting thing is that we met a Filipina saleslady at Gucci and her name is Maria. She was born and raised in Denmark. We didn't noticed she was a Filipina until she replied to Mark J and I's conversation. She also gave us an additional discount! She's sooo dear!

On the last free day before I leave Copenhagen, I passed by Stroget, the shopping street, again to buy the bags that my friend N asked me to get for her. Before I headed back to the hotel, I took a glimpse of the ski rink. A couple, who appeared to be Eastern Europeans to me, looked at me from head to toe. A few seconds after, the guy handed over his camera and asked me to take a photo of them. I gladly obliged. It was indeed a great view. To return the favor, I asked them to take a photo of myself as well. Haha! I was indeed pleased that, finally, I had a photo souvenir of myself in a chilly Copenhagen.

The Boat Trip in Bangkok

I attended a week-long training in Bangkok just last month. After class on a Thursday, the group decided to have dinner at our company owned boat named Maersk Siam and see the beauty of Bangkok by the river. There have been plans of selling the boat which is used mainly for entertaining clients due to the high cost of maintenance. We had a lovely dinner and before we head back to the hotel, I had to take a photo souvenir of the boat before it even gets sold.

Finally, a facebook account!

2009-03-08T16:08:00.000-07:00

I know facebook has been a craze for several years now. I have received quite a number of invites from friends to join various networking site. I've frankly lost interest. I only have Friendster account which I never get to open and update regularly. With the exception of my Multiply site which I find value to maintain due to the blogging feature.

Some weeks ago, I have been asked by friends thru SMS and emails to join them on facebook. It still didn't trigger the interest. What prompted me to open an account is when I met up with HS friends last weekend. We were updating ourselves and I seem to have lost touch already on what is happening mainly with the fact that I don't have a facebook account. Mind you, I never even knew that we had this batch reunion last January. I thought they were talking about was the reunion last year or some years back. Pathetic! And so I opted not to be out in the social scene - See you in face book! :)

Look Alikes?

2009-03-05T16:09:00.000-08:00

Like Father Like Son?

Like Mother Like Daughter?

You will be the judge :)

Anyways, I couldn't help but post these photos that captured Sophia's smile transformation...

So from her ordinary smile...

na naging pacute....

na naging 'mukhasim'..

Anak, ano bang pakulo yan?! Hahaha..

The simple joy of being a mom

2009-03-02T02:16:00.000-08:00

I do admit that I regret not being able to be with my children most of the time. I leave the house early and go home in time for dinner which is about their bedtime. I regret that even if I don't have work on a weekend, I still can not give 100% of my time with them due to errands and other things I do to make me sane. And yes I know is not even an excuse. I feel guilty, I do. I get jealous at times when they run after their yayas instead of me. It breaks my heart. Deep inside I know they are still innocent and one day as they grow up they'll realize how much I love them.

When they are asleep, hugging them real tight makes the stress goes away. I whisper countless times daily how much I love them. I hope one day they'll understand what it means and I look forward to that day when they will whisper back 'I love you too, Mommy!'.

They mean the world to me. And that's the simple joy of being a mom.

We got robbed!

2009-02-27T00:40:00.000-08:00

Teka, before it appears to be an exaggeration - no, we were not harmed at all. Just the other day, Che was very surprised that we lost the side mirrors of our Sportivo. It seems petty di ba... but Che and I were really pissed when we got the repair estimate that it will cost P30,000 to replace the entire set of side mirrors! The guy probably was in a hurry so not only did he got the mirrors, he also destroyed the mechanism inside. Apparently, he can not sell it at that price tag but probably the value of the mirrors will only be P150 or something less than a thousand. If only he begged for money because he badly needed it, I would have probably have helped him whole-heartedly.

I have had my share of this kind of robbery before. In fact, even worse in a sense that I was inside the car when two guys were quickly disentangling my side mirrors. It was actually in a crowded place and at the intersection while the traffic light was still red.

I asked Che last night whether he would do such things or will there be an excuse for people to take possesion of something that is not theirs. I know it is against the ten commandments and there's really no excuse for such a thing. Maybe I would have understood when they are in dire need like when their child is at the hospital due to some serious ailment. BUT there are also other alternatives to get that money. They should trust that God will provide.

Anyways, talking about robbery, I was scared when we were told some weeks back that the house that we are staying in now (my parents-in-law's place) is one of the target of 'akyat-bahay'. Apparently, robbers are keeping a list and this was a tip given to us by the police after they have caught one of the suspects. Scary no? Apparently, they know the family names and must have based the 'list' on the size of the house as evidenced by the 'potential prospects' in our neighborhood.

Just a tip, we were told that they pretend to be some delivery boy (even in uniforms) and wait till someone opens the door. They will then suddenly push the person in and the gang (which are all inside a car) will quickly follow.

Makes me wonder - how safe are we now?

Celebrating our 3rd yr Wedding Anniversary

2009-02-26T16:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked the 3rd year of wedding bliss.

I initially had planned for an overnight stay in Tagaytay on Fri-Sat since I felt I needed to relax after all the recent travels. I did cancelled our reservation for One Tagaytay Place and opted to have dinner in a nice restaurant here in Manila instead.

The day didn't exactly started right. Sean fell of the bed around 3 am. We didn't had any bed frame anymore since Sophia fell off the bed a few months ago. We thought he's fine but in the morning, his eyelid is somehow sore and he had a lump/swell near the ears. With the fear that it might get complicated (heard of horror stories for babies falling off the bed), I rushed him to the hospital. After a thorough check, the doctor said he should be fine but we should observe him for any other signs like vomitting and blackening of the lump.

At around 1030am, I got an SMS from my colleague saying I got flowers. I was indeed surprised and thrilled. That's the reason why Che kept on calling me and asking me whether I will still report to work. I arrived office around noon and saw this...

I initially thought it will be peach roses which is what I have always wanted back in College. But this was just perfect as it reminded me of our wedding with pink and green motiff.

Che asked me to choose the restaurant. I was craving for a good salad, steak and anything with foie gras and so I had the following in mind:

Lolo Dad's - along Quirino hi-way which I pass by always and have heard this is really one of the best restaurants in town
Spiral at Sofitel - mainly because it is an easy choice and my favorite place for buffet
Highlands Steakhouse - because they serve really good steak!
Duo - at Serendra and heard good reviews about this place as well

Given that I wanted to try something new, Spiral and Highlands Steakhouse were taken out of the list. I called up Lolo Dad's and although I expected this to be an expensive place, I don't think I was prepared to dine with Php 2700++ price tag per person for a complete course meal. Maybe some other time! Haha.

And so Duo it is!

I went to pick-up Che in Makati so we can just use one car and then we headed off to The Fort. I heard good reviews about Duo and the price tag seems reasonable so I was pretty excited.

We got the following:

Tessie Tomas Salad (Large) - costs about P790 shared for 2

This is a bed of greens with salmon, roasted prawn, shitake mushroom with some balsamic dressing. It's yummy! I think some salad tastes the same but what makes it special are the combination of prawns, mushroom and salmon.

Then we had..

French Onion Soup - Didn't quite like it. Not the best French Onion Soup i've tried

For main course, we opted to go for Steak DUO combinations.

I had Steak and Duck Foie Gras while Che had Surf and Turf. I was too excited to eat it and thus failed to take a picture :)

The steak (around 120g) was good. The Foie Gras as usual is good but there is a guilt feeling every bite you take. I didn't really enjoy the potato gratin and the vegetable siding.

We were supposed to get dessert but we were quite full already. Maybe next time I'll try the DUO combination also which includes chocolate decadence, cheesecake, panacotta and tiramisu!

Overall, we did enjoyed it. Total price tag of P2700 which was not that bad.

Then we grabbed some take out desserts (French Apple Pie and Bananalicious) from Conti's which was right next to DUO. I will eat my Bananalicious today! :)

Yey!

2009-02-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

And so from Grrr... to Yey! :)

Indeed, there are still some positive developments happening in this world despite all the negative news we have been constantly hearing.

Yesterday, I gas up and I felt happy that prices of diesel is now at level of P25! I am currently driving a diesel - an Isuzu Sportivo. And although I was initially a bit hesitant on owning it since we paid for it using part of the money I have been saving for our 'dream house', it is so far serving its purpose. Our family is getting big so a sedan is too small for us during our weekend trips. Besides, Che and I can no longer manage to use the same car to/from office.

Anyways, I gas up for P500 worth and I was happy that it already reaches half of the fuel tank. This will usually cover for my 1 week travel to/from office plus some short trips during the weekend. Tipid no?! Also considering I am driving an Automatic which is generally cheaper than Manual transmission. Che is also using a 1.3 car which consumes less as well. So I can say that fuel is not really hurting our pockets these days!

So if you are intending on buying a family car, I strongly suggest Isuzu models e.g. Sportivo, Crosswind or Altera. Che can help you on that. :) Shameless plugging!

Closet Queen?

2009-02-11T21:13:00.000-08:00

Well, obviously I am not a closet queen (i.e. a homosexual who keeps his true identity) haha! However, I would love to be the queen of closets! One of the top things I will greatly consider in building a house is a walk-in closet. It doesn't have to be as grand as Carrie's closet in SATC the movie (that's my dream closet though!). It can be a size of a small room where upon entering, you have rows of cabinets on both sides - one side will be mine and the other side will be Che's stuff. Facing the door is a huge mirror. In the middle will be a carpeted walk way where I can strut when I feel like without having any audience (probably with Che as an exception). Also, I would put in a stool in the middle that could be useful when I wear my shoes.

Also, I would love to have my shoes , bags and belts lined up by color and type. Not that I have plenty and expensive stuff to display, but it does makes choosing clothes and dressing up a lot easier when you can see all your stuff in one shelf.

The walk in closet should also be well-lighted. Then I should have uniformed clothes hangers - i prefer the wooden ones. I got Ikea wooden hangers that are good enough but I need more.

This is just a dream and it's free to dream anyways. First, we need a house! :)

Grrr...!

2009-02-11T16:40:00.000-08:00

You know that election is nearing when you see tv and radio commercials featuring politicians. I so hate this!

There are at least 3 politicians I can name with their commercials flashing on the screen on prime time tv. I also listen to AM radio every morning on my way to work and in the evening on my way home. This morning I turned off my radio momentarily just so I will not hear the politician's campaign. Kabwisit kasi!

One is saying that he will help lower the cost of medicines with tagline 'Kailangan pang kulitin ang gobyerno.. Magtulungan tayo'..

Then on the radio, he talks about a campaign on pre-need insurance. That he will provide legal assistance to those who are running for their pre-need insurance that were squanderred by certain insurance companies.

Then there's another one who talks about helping others with tagline something to this effect.. 'Ang galing sa mahirap puro tulong sa mahirap..'

I am ok if those are information campaign that will really help create awareness. But when you help others, you don't need to make it known to the world! Yes, politicians sometimes have to show they are doing something to avoid criticisms and make it known to the public that they are really worth to be public servants. But for me, true servants are those who will help others without the need to bring in media.

Those huge amount of money spent on advertisements (I actually wonder whether these are from personal or public funds? hmm.) could already help hundreds and maybe thousands of poor families in this country. Sigh.

Yummy!

2009-01-26T06:09:00.000-08:00

We always celebrate Mom's bday which falls on 1st of January at home with her home-cooked specialties. This year, we decided to celebrate her birthday outside home. Turns out, she likes it more since di sya napagod!

So we went to the best place in town to get buffet - Sofitel!

I like this place and it's one of the reasons why I also joined their Accor Advantage membership which offers up to 50% discount (if dining for two) on their buffet plus free 1 night accomodation. It's quite worth it, I think. For me, Sofitel is better than Circles in Makati Shangri-la and Heat in Edsa Shangri-la but both places also being quite good.

Here's the family photo taken with my Mom's best friend on evening of January 1st. The restaurant was surprisingly full (with capacity of around 500 i think). We were seated in one of these special dining area which offers privacy. I was told that they normally charge a minimum consumable if you prefer this dining area but since it was full, they didn't charge us any premium. Personally though I would recommend having a seat near the buffet :)

I didn't eat much (I think!) but the dessert was too hard to pass. So here's what I had....

Yummy!

What's in my grocery basket?

2009-01-15T17:27:00.000-08:00

Got some cute stuff...

*Not recommended unless with adult supervision

Welcoming 2009 with BIG NEWS!!!

2009-01-11T01:04:00.000-08:00

In my recent post, I have mentioned my expectations for 2009. As early as now, there have been changes to that - or should I say addition to what we should expect in 2009. Expecting in 2009 is not something I or we are expecting. Labo ba? Oh well, the news is that I am pregnant!!!

Kaloka! That's all I can say. It was unplanned and Che and I were both shocked. That means that before the twins reaches 2, there's a new addition to the family. Our family is really getting bigger. I promise, this will be the last! Hahahaha...

I had my ultrasound yesterday and the good news is that I am carrying a single baby. He/she is doing fine and at this early, at 7 weeks, already has heartbeat. So it's a start of healthy eating and being very extra careful in what I do. The last few days was quite difficult for me with occassional dizziness, restlessness and morning sickness.

Cheers to 2009 as we welcome it with a big bang (or should i say baby?!). Hehehe...

I am fatulous!

2009-01-08T17:53:00.000-08:00

Well, at least that is what I describe myself. I am fat and fabulous (at least in these pics, pasensya na buhatan na ng bangko ito!).

Since there is no single adjective to describe myself, I have invented a word to describe fabulous girls who are undergoing weight challenges (hahahaha!). It's not really a creative thought though, but I am sure you get it.

*Picture taken at company Christmas Party at Hyatt Hotel & Casino with 80's theme'

There might not be several comments left here in my blog but I am sure you are visiting. Maybe at this time, you are knodding your head in agreement. Don't worry, I have accepted this long time ago. Haha.

Stella, has Mickey come up with a danish word to describe fat and fabulous? hahahaha..

Remembering 2008 and Expectations for 2009

2009-01-07T01:06:00.000-08:00

I have read blogs that looked back on what happened and the learnings they had from 2008. Since I am a copycat, I'd do the same. Haha, kidding! Since I have a short memory, I would at least want to document the milestones for me and my family in 2008and keep the takeaways that could at least make my 2009 better.

2008 was NOT supposed to be a good year for me as per Chinese belief. I was born in the year of the Horse and with 2008 being the year of the Rat, luck is not on my plate for 2008. As such, I didn’t had high expectations of 2008 (not that I am a firm believer of these Chinese Horoscope). I thought 2008 was just fine but looking back, it was indeed a fantastic year despite some challenges.

2007 was quite a roller coaster year with erratic depression during pregnancy and after giving birth. There were a lot of restrictions on what I can do and not to mention bed rest for more than a month.

2008 was the year of happiness. Watching Sean and Sophia grow was indeed fantastic. My day is compete just to see them smile, giggle and demonstrate their new trick. It started with 'close-open' and now being Sophia's headbanging and Sean's hand jiggling when singing 'Happy Birthday' or 'Jingle Bells'. Towards the end of 2008, there's already a sign of tantrums that may signal that 2009 will be a difficult year :)

One of the challenges last year is the major organizational change we had to go thru at work. It meant me applying for my own job. They said that crisis also creates opportunities. Indeed, such application process has turned out to be favorable to me in a form of a promotion. I wouldn't want to say I am giddy happy because I hate to see some people go and get hurt. Maybe one of my learnings in 2008 is that there is nothing certain in this world. I'd like to say I am a positive thinker. I want to look at things in a different perspective. The major change in the organization for me was a good thing as it gives us one direction, makes us more result-oriented and made us believe that we can actually do more and be better at that. Personally, it made me realize quite a number of things. I have to keep going. In my entire career, I never had a job/position that lasted me more than 2 years. I have to keep up with that pace or at least not to be too comfortable with where I am now. We have to upgrade ourselves in a timely manner. Honestly, it's hard to do that when you have a family to consider so I hope I can balance both career and family plans. Then, it's also important to spread your options. Don't put your egg in one basket. That could be applicable not only in career but also in finances which I still has yet to learn how.

One of the best things that happened in 2008 is to be enrolled in this diploma course in Scandinavian International Management Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was such a great opportunity to have attended a course composed of highly intellectual, talented and experienced executives from various companies. Of course, visiting Europe again after several years is such an excitement. I have visited Copenhagen 3 times in 2008 from August to November.

Travelling-wise, 2008 was also a good year. We had our summer vacation with the family (my side and Che's too) in Boracay. We treat the entire family with accomodation instead of spending vacation somewhere else just the two of us. It was Sean and Sophia's first plane trip too. Apart from the several visits to Copenhagen, I have also visited Belgium (Brussels, Brugge, Antwerp) and Amsterdam second half of the year and it was such a great trip! Lastly, after several years of waiting, I visited Hong Kong with the family as a treat from my parents-in-law.

Financially, it was not a bad year. I had unplanned purchases, travels and the ever-growing expense for the kids but savings was not compromised (although I could have done better). We also bought a family car which was supposed to be sold also but it ended up being a necessity for us since Che and I couldn't share a car anymore since I moved office.

Of course, 2008 was a milestone for Sean and Sophia as we celebrated their 1st birthday. It was a blast and I look forward to more parties for them.

As we enter 2009, the question is whether this will surpass the year that has just passed. I am welcoming 2009 with positive vibes and high hopes. I have my wishes for 2009 which includes travelling to US with Che to use up my miles and visit a very good friend, Anne, in Los Angeles, visit Vegas and Grand Canyon. Che is just knodding his head on this plan of mine but the possibility is yet to be explored. Another 'wish' for 2009 is to have our own house. It is OUR big dream (and maybe so is other married couples). Just recently, Che opened up the idea of just opting for a condo but I'd like to test our luck and wait for that single-detached house. It will be nice to have a spacious garden where you can have breakfast while watching the kids play.

I don't want to put high expectations work-wise due to a lot of uncertainty in the business world. In fact, we should expect the worst. All I know is that I am welcoming 2009 with a positive attitude and belief that this is a good time to make a difference.

On the parenting side, I think 2009 will be a difficult year as the twins are now officially toddlers. I should probably expect more tantrums and more signs of independence. On the good note though, I am sure it will be another year of documenting 'smilestones' and look forward to hearing more words from them beyond 'dada', 'dadi', 'tata' etc.

Che's industry (automotive) might be hit big time this year. It could be an opportunity for us to explore on possible business venture (?).

Financially, my New Year's resolution is to save more and organize the way I do that and so I have started by getting the help from technology thru automatic scheduled transfer - that forces me to save as it automatically depletes my payroll ;)

I hope I don’t become too hopeful of 2009 as I don’t want to be disappointed but at least having some 'targets' this year will make me set my priorities straight. Thinking twice, most of these wishes are tangibles that I am willing to compromise. After all, my daily prayer includes good health and long life for my family and loved ones and those are still what I want to keep in 2009 and beyond.

This has been a long post but I did enjoyed writing it.

Happy New Year!!!

This makes my day complete...

2009-01-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

*Photo taken at my at my parent's abode. The bikes are Christmas presents from their lolo and lola. *

Being awakened by their cuteness and smile starts my day right. Unfortunately, today is not a good one. My twins are vacationing at my parent's house in QC with one of the yayas being on home leave. And so it will be a week of quiet nights and mornings with Che and although I am not complaining (hehe), I am looking forward to fetching them on Friday.

And although the entire houseld missed S+S badly, and the other helpers said that they could manage to take care of them while we are in the office, Che and I also would like to keep our promise to Mom and Dad for them to take care of their 'apo's and spend quality time with them.

My Crazy December

2008-12-26T07:31:00.000-08:00

Whew.. December passed by so swiftly. There's only a few days left and I am still catching my breath with how crazy the month of December is. I haven't blogged much. 16th was my last official working day in the office as I took my vacation early. All along I thought the last two weeks of the month will be a breeze, I was wrong.

The first two weeks of December was quite hectic for me work-wise and also in meeting deadlines for my course at SIMI which were due mid of the Dec. At the same time, our Regional Director was in town mid of the month. Of course, there were some preparations I needed to do. Glad things went really fine. Then came our Christmas Party which is worth another blog entry (only if I have time!). There were departmental meetings and workshops I also had to attend or facilitate and work dinners etc... In fact, I went home consistently late (earliest 11pm) during my last 5 working days!

Then came the vacation which in fact is not yet one. I was extemely busy with my last minute christmas shopping. I crammed again! And oh boy, I was shocked to have listed 75 on my gift list. Hmm.. so imagine the countless mall trips and gift wrapping days!

Today is yet another busy day. Che and I decided to repaint our room and the last 12 hours were spent removing the wall paper. Don't even attempt to visualize how messy our room is. It is just unbelievable. It is like 'moving-out day' again for us. I hope things will be in order before we welcome the new year.

I also had my hair rebonded last Monday at Tony and Jackey in Makati. It was my 4th time and 1st here in the country. However, I was disappointed. It didn't had an effect on me. What a waste of time and money!

One week more before we resume back to work and I am looking forward to a lot of things: Christmas Party with friends tomorrow, New Year's Eve celebration with my folks, Mom's bday on Jan1 which we intend to celebrate outside home for the first time, reunion with our relatives on the 3rd (which we normally celebrate on Mom's bday), and 2 weedings to attend on Jan 3 (morning and afternoon) and who knows there could even be spur of the moment out of town trip.

There's even a lot of things I have planned to do like go to the dentist to exhaust the dental benefit I have for this year and schedule my Executive Check-up. Health is a priority and I hope iIcan squeeze in all I needed to do before work bug hits me again.

Happy Holidays! Enjoy the long vacation with your family!

Random Thoughts

2008-12-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

The long weekend got me thinking....

...The only thing constant is change. In the corporate world, people do come and go. Not so long ago, you are a neophyte. Now, you become a senior of the bunch.

...Why is it that when you have finally embraced stability, it makes you think 'so what's next?'

...Whenever I see Sean and Sophia play together and laugh at each other, it makes me feel how lucky we are to have twins. And especially since we have a girl and a boy which is a rarity (except in Hollywood these days), it makes me feel I have already won the lottery :)

...Whenever I see S&S giggle and make funny faces, it makes me think 'Why didn't I had baby sooner' or 'I want more babies!'. Hahaha..

...Why is it that we are concerned about what other people think about us when in fact we will not change for them. What we want is to be real.

...With the financial meltdown, the only thing certain is uncertainty. We have to hold on to our seats and avoid being a spender as we might be off to a bumpy ride in 2009. I often forget this so I admit I have to remind myself this once in a while :)

...Why is it that our wish list never seems to end? When we have finally achieved or have gotten what we want, there is always something else to add on the list. I guess being consistently contented is an impossibility.

...Sometimes when luck strikes you, it can be over the top. Take Pacquiao's case for instance, isn't he one lucky guy?! I wonder how he spends his millions or billion of pesos. I hope he saves enough for his kids.

...In the corporate world, you have to keep going - keep up with the pace. Otherwise, your career might end up being stagnant. Career is like a pc's storage capacity. You have to upgrade yourself continuously, otherwise you become obsolete.

1st Haircut

2008-11-26T18:50:00.000-08:00

We went to Cuts 4 Tots at Trinoma last Nov 9 for Sean and Sophia's 1st haircut. Syempre smilestones ito, so it has to be captured in camera and blogged about.

Here are the before and after pictures. They are so likot so wasn't able to capture it well.

Before

After

Sean definitely looked better without the flying hair (he's hair is curly kasi esp on the sides). Huhu, my son is really a toddler na!

Before

After

Naging boyish look si Sophia! :) Well, there's nothing much to cut anyways. Hehe...

Anyways, Christmas is around the corner. It's actually very chilly already in Copenhagen. It was already 5C last week. In fact, last Thursday, it snowed for the first time this year. I was having breakfast in our office when I saw it was raining snow. Cute :)

Here's a pic of myself with Sean and Sophia at Landmark in Trinoma before their trip to the kiddie salon :)

Bed of LoVe

2008-11-26T18:41:00.001-08:00

If your bed is full of roses, it's sweet....
If your bed is full of LVs, it's called LoVe....
Hahahaha!

Well, before you even think I am insane, that's not all mine. Pabili lang most of them. But this lady gotta have something too ;)

Back to the 80's

2008-11-12T16:52:00.000-08:00

In a month's time we will have our company Christmas Party. This event is usually fun with people really prepping up and coming in there 'theme inspired' outfit. Expect also several nights of preparation for the department dance competition.

Last year, the party was held at Jumbo Restaurant with Casino Royale as the theme (if I remember correctly). I was still on maternity leave then so I just visited. I came in my jeans with a glittery top and everyone else were beautiful in their evening dress.

This year, our party will be held at the Hyatt Hotel & Casino. The theme will be 80's! Ayayaya! :) There will be a chorale competition this time (ala 'Sister Act' daw). I am betting that my department will win! (Hahaha!)

I'm sure it's gonna be fun - as always. I can imagine the overflowing booze, dancing and singing all night and staff getting drunk and crazy (I'm always sober during these type of social events, pathetic?!) :)

Hmm... it's time to think what to wear!

After the Party

2008-11-07T02:31:00.000-08:00

Sean and Sophia had their 1st bday party last Sunday (Nov2). Their real bday was last Nov 1. It was a success! Many guests came and there were more than 50 kids who celebrated with us. I prepared 60 lootbags and only 3 were left. Many guests said their kids had a blast! I'll post pictures later because I still need to sort them.

Nataranta ako, ang daming gifts! I said nga talbog pa ata ang wedding namin :) While of course, most guests gave 2 gifts each for Sean and Sophia, it's still a lot! As in several dozens of clothes and overflowing toys! Imagine, we got 6 'ride and walk' (that's the rider you can also convert into a walker). So everyday bago rider nila?! Hahaha.. Clothes were also overflowing.

But truly, I thank the friends and relatives who came despite the weekend being a holiday. Even days after the party (until now!), we are still receiving gifts for those who weren't able to come. I'll definitely show these pictures to my twins when they grow up to make them realize how lucky and blessed they are. Surely, I will teach them also the value of sharing especially to those who are less fortunate...

Check this for the pictures... http://melissa23.multiply.com/photos/album/8/1st_Birthday_Gifts#

My problem now is the storage to keep all the stuff - and take note adding to the list are the Christmas presents. :)

Moving to new office

2008-11-04T17:49:00.000-08:00

It's been 4 months since we moved to our new office (so long overdue na tong post na ito haha!). From working on 51st floor in the tallest building here in the Philippines, we moved to an office building right next to the biggest mall in the country.

Here's the pictures we took on our last day in the old office...

Yes, my desk is unusually clean because I have packed all my stuff except for the laptop, phone, printer and an orange :)

Here's with a good friend/colleague Rowie in our conference room

Here's my new office. The room is a bit smaller in size and the view is not so great but it surely is good enough for me (at least, I am nearer my department and not in isolation hehe)

My old office has a stunning view of the metro that I probably won't be able to experience again but moving to our new office now has a lot of advantages. I can now leave past 7:30am and still be able to make it at 8:30am in the office (no Makati traffic jam!). There are tons of restaurants to choose from for lunch! I think there are more than 100+ restaurants and we've tried the following (I lost count I think and there's still a lot more to try):

Almon Marina (so far my favorite!)

Bacolod Chicken

Cafe Mediterranean

Chowking

David's Tea House

Healthy Shabu Shabu

Kalye Juan

Kenny Rogers

KFC

Mandarin Wok

Mann Hann

Mexicali (another favorite!)

Oki-Oki

Mongkok

Rack's

Sakae Sushi

Sbarro

Stars N Stripes

Superbowl

Tanabe

Teriyaki Boy

Wendy's

Lunch is definitely more expensive! No more P100/lunch budget! :) But having lunch is definitely not stressful now compared to Makati where there's traffic in the lift and waiting queue in restaurants. We can dine in at decent restaurants here without having to kill time waiting to be seated.

And most importantly, I can do my shopping everyday if I need to (lunch time or after office). I'm loving it! :)

A Meaningful Christmas

2008-10-21T20:05:00.000-07:00

We've been very blessed over the last couple of years so I had this idea proposed to Che in the past on how we can share our blessings and make Christmas or our Birthdays more meaningful. Unfortunately, I didn't push thru with it. This coming Christmas, I want to make it truly meaningful by pursuing this plan of mine. I hope in God's grace we can make it happen...

An Inspirational Mail

2008-10-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in my previous blog that I was teary eyed reading a story of a 30 yr old mom who was diagnosed of Breast Cancer. More of it here... http://eventseventstm.blogspot.com/

I was more touched when I received this email this morning...

/quote/

Hi Melissa!

This is Tessa, I'm a a member of N@W (but a lurker) and I happen to click the link of your blog in one of your messages in n@w.I was surprised to see the link of my brother's blog - you were able to read pala his post about his sister who was diagnosed with cancer. Well, that sister is me. I'm lucky to have a very supportive family, and friends who stood by me all throughout my journey to recovery. By God's grace I was able to finish my treatment and so far I'm doing very well.

Thank you for reading my brother's post, I know I have touched a lot of people with my experience, and it's my turn to pay it forward. I was able to talk to other cancer patients and their families during my check-ups with my docs, and it feels good to comfort them during this time of their lives - it's part of my healing. I was in their shoes once and I know how they feel. One thing I can assure them is that their lives will never be the same after cancer - it will be more meaningful and you will cherish every day and spend it more with your loved ones.

/unquote/

It was a truly inspring story for me. I may not know her personally but I do admire her for her strength - that strength that does not just come from within but also rooted from family and friends who stood by her in times of trial.

It's amazing how internet can help you draw inspiration from people you haven't actually met.

To Tessa who might read this blog: Congratulations on your recovery and may you continue to inspire others.

On Fairytale Weddings and Greatest Fears

2008-10-16T04:57:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in my previous blog that I love organizing parties. I LOVE weddings too! In fact, I think I am a sucker for stunning weddings! Stunning for me may not necessarily be lavish but something that is tasteful with well thought of and meticulous details consistent to the wedding theme. I think I have mentioned here in my blog a photographer couple who were our 2nd choice for our wedding. I deeply regret not getting them. Anyways, saw their blog once again and found out that they had a lovely wedding recently at Discovery Shores in Boracay. Link here.. http://www.mimiandkarl.com/?p=1453#more-1453

I still love looking at wedding pictures and I am still excited when I hear of someone getting married. I don't believe in zodiac sign really but one thing I remember that may probably be true to me (I am a Pisces) is my being 'hopeless romantic'. Geez, I am shy to admit it but yes I think it is true.

Another blog that I do check when I have time is the one who made my wedding gown. Check it out here... http://veluzreyes.blogspot.com/

It is just so lovely seeing the brides so radiant and sexy. I must admit, if I have the chance, I'd like to be a bride once again and put on a wedding gown. Haha. Dream on.

Ok moving on..

After reading the blog of M+K's wedding, I blog hopped to http://eventseventstm.blogspot.com/ . It is the blog of a wedding organizer.

I was teary eyed reading his last post. To cut it short, his 30-year old sister was diagnosed of having 2B breast cancer. She is still very young with a 2-yr old daughter. I immediately got scared. You see, cancer is one of my greatest fears. My aunt died of breast cancer and I've seen her suffered. My grandmother died of ovarian cancer and I was right beside her when she died. I am thus now considering having my executive check-up soon. I have seen some info campaign on breast cancer prevention and here's what I found:

By age 20, women must perform a monthly breast self exam (BSE) about a week after her period. By age 30, besides a BSE, women must have a clinical exam every year. By age 40, besides a BSE and a clinical exam, women must have an annual mammography.

Truly, life can both be lovely and tough. Like what my husband Che said last night, challenges are given to us because God knows that we are surrounded by people who will support and be strong for us no matter what.

Why I love parties

2008-10-14T22:15:00.000-07:00

I love attending parties but more so I love organizing one. Yes, it can be stressful but I love the fact that it makes you a little bit more creative than your usual self. It makes you think of crazy things and makes you go gaga over one particular theme. Here's my recent project....

I am glad to have friends and support group who can help me execute the ideas in a cost effective manner too :)

The venue:

The theme:

The balloons:

The celebrant's outfit:

Of course, the proud parents will come in theme-inspired attire too :)

In lieu of party hats:

The host/entertainment:

The cake:

The goodies:

I am officially back to being a child (at heart!). But take note, I have friends who are more OC than me when it comes to party planning. Right, Anne? ;)

Luxury of Time

2008-10-14T03:31:00.000-07:00

I hope I have the luxury of time to blog. I like reading blogs and writing too but I don't think I can keep up with it. I know a few who earn while blogging. Isn't it cool? I envy them for doing things they like at the same time earning some bucks for shopping online! :0

Anyway, I have random things in my mind right now - work, school related and family life. I hope I had the time to blog all about it but I promised myself to spend 10 minutes max to write this. Haha, I am not making sense at all here..

For a start, I am very excited for Sean and Sophia's birthday party in less than 3 weeks time! Here's the invite made by my sis in law. It's cool!

I haven't blog about this course I am attending at SIMI but it's been an amazing experience so far! It's very tiring and time consuming but it really is a good learning experience. The professors are really good! One is an American - a Harvard alumni and is a professor at Harvard Business School. The other one is French and is a professor at INSEAD in France. The average age of the class is 38, if i remember correctly, so you can only imagine I may be one of the youngest if not the youngest. I have classmates from different companies, from different locations and from different industries so it adds to the learning experience too.

Oh, I also didn't mention that my family went for a 4-day trip to Hong Kong last month! It was a sweet treat from my parents- in- law and it was a blast! Hong Kong has a special place in my heart since I have lived there for 2 years. But since I have been a way for years now (plus the fact that we stayed at Kowloon side and I have lived in Hong Kong side before), I really felt I was a tourist! We enjoyed Disneyland!!! Shopping was ok, not that great as I have expected. I was rather disappointed but got myself some must haves from Mac (something to at least upgrade my make up kit!)

Here's the group picture at Avenue of the Stars at Tsim Sha Tsui Harbour. I still Love Love Love Hong Kong! Gotta need to come back!

I did it! (In my last trip to Copenhagen last month... )

I think I am getting addicted and want another one! I should stop! Remember Melissa, you have kids, their needs first before yours. Haha!

Below are some pictures of my travel from August. I don't have time yet to upload. Hopefully I will have the patience next time including some travel stories too (before I forget them!)

Below pic in Brugges city center... I adore Brugge! It is really worth visiting! Belgium is really a nice city to go to! I actually did not expected it to be that good, but it really exceeded my expectations. We went to Brussels, Antwerp and Brugge - all of them are must places to visit!

Brugge is like a theme park where the buildings and the sights are so alike. Take note though, we noticed the tourist visiting Belgium are generally from higher age bracket, usually retired Americans or Europeans hehe. Food is also expensive. We spent EUR (Php 1500-1800) on average for a meal!

Below at Brussels. We were lucky to see this flower carpet at the center. Gosh, I forgot all the names of the places. I am bad at remembering those. It's in my tourist guide book though. Haha.

And when you go to Belgium, you'll definitely expect to see chocolate shops in every corner! Of course there are thse known brands like Godiva and Leonida's but I was introduced to this local brand which is equally good. It's called Cote'd'Ore (hopefully I got the spelling right!).

Below is a shot I took in my trip to Copenhagen early this month. It's also the city center just right at the corner of the shopping strip.

Here's a gay parade we bumped into in my August visit in Copenhagen.

Amsterdam is also a nice place! It's an open city so you expect to see a lot of young tourists who go there to have some F-U-N! I find it so vibrant and I love the city life! We got a hop on hop off canal tour which was a nice way to tour around the city!

That's all folks. I hope I can put more 'meat' in my blog next time. But life, so far, has been all good. In fact, it still is blissful!

Homesick

2008-09-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

I am currently in Bangkok and I must say I am feeling homesick. I arrived last Sunday for a 5-day leadership training and the week passed by so quickly. I am now in my room at Sofitel Silom feeling bored and waiting for a few hours before my flight to Copenhagen (1am!).

Probably the fact that I'll be leaving for somewhere far from Manila (with a 6-hour time difference), made me feel homesick. I really miss hugging Sean and touching his super soft skin (yes, asset nya yun!). I miss Sophia chasing after me. Every night, she just want to be exclusively with me! She will cry if she will be carried by someone else or when she's awakened at night without me at her side!

These were taken end of August..

These were taken just last Sunday. We had mass and lunch at Philippine Columbian then headed straight to the airport..

Another cute pose from Sophia.. :)

Good Times

2008-09-08T02:22:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of things to blog about which unfortunately I do not have the time to do but hopefully I will be able to catch up even in bits and pieces.

But hey, here's really one blog-worthy! Hahaha...

Pardon the vanity and the obscene pictures you are about to see...

Last night, I was deleting some old files in my laptop when I saw this folder named 'xda'. It contains all the files and pictures I had with my xda some 2-3 years back. So here's the treasure I found...

Yes, I consider them my treasure because those were the good times! Good times when I was still maybe 15-20lbs lighter and look a lot younger. Seems like 5+ years ago when it was only taken around end 2005 prior our wedding.

So what now?? Ayokong maging matrona! Gash...

Point and shoot

2008-08-18T13:39:00.001-07:00

Sophia has this talent of smiling at the camera when you start pointing that little gadget on her. Since she still has a bunch of clothes she hasn't worn yet, I thought of just prepping her up for the camera. Her patience lasts for only 3 wardrobe change. But all these shots were taken the first time (no retakes!)

Next time, it's Sean's turn. He's a little bit shy on the camera though. He doesn't have that many clothes as Sophia (with all the hand me downs from her cousin) but I'm sure is building some wardrobe for him with my recent purchases (cute stuff at Terranova, H&M and some stalls in bkk!)

I blog a lot about my kids, I'm really a certified mama... hahahaha.

Missing the cute bunch

2008-08-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

I'm currently in Belgium and so far visited Brussels and Antwerp. Tomorrow, we are off to Brugges. While I am enjoying these amazing places, I can't help but think of Sean and Sophia. I am missing Che too, of course. :)

Who wouldn't miss this cute smile...

and the cute poses...

I seriously want to hug them real tight. Right here, right now!

1st Mc Donald's Party

2008-08-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

Last August 3, we attended a party at Mc Donald's. It's Sean and Sophia's first time to see a mascot. After the party, we (including my in laws) went to Rockwell for dinner.

Sean and Sophia are really growing up so fast! Huhuhu, I miss them badly now....

Ayaw ng picture ni Sean. Look at what we did sa hair ni Sophia! hihihi...

It's back!

2008-08-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

My luck is back! I will get my visa tomorrow and will leave this Saturday. Yahoo!

I also just booked my ticket to Brussels. Finally!

See you gals/guys in CPH!

Excited. Excited. Now I have to study and do my assignment...

How worst can it get?

2008-08-05T04:07:00.000-07:00

The bad luck stays and today was even worst than yesterday. I could not understand why this is happening. Sorry but could not get all the details out yet. I am just too crushed to even tell the story. But yes, it is related to the visa that I NEED to get that I couldn't. There's a workaround for me to still earn that diploma despite POSSIBLY missing a module. BUT flying now is the ideal solution. It's just a great and rare opportunity to miss.

I hope there's something positive that will happen tomorrow.

I badly need a cheesecake. Can someone serve me one?

My Mentos Moment

2008-08-04T02:21:00.000-07:00

"Sabi nga nila kapag minamalas ka talaga.... "

Last Saturday, I was driving along Paseo De Roxas. I received an SMS from 2 colleagues asking for an approval on something. I texted back giving my go ahead. Upon crossing Ayala Avenue, I got a business call which I know is related to the SMS I got minutes ago. I relentlessly answered it while driving. I think I lost focus than seconds after I am supposed to turn right. I then hit the car on my right (and actually dragged her) causing damage to her car and mine. The sad part is, I am driving with my twins and the yayas. It's a hard lesson learned that I should NOT use cellphone while driving. They are very safe though. But unfortunately, I am driving the Sportivo that we just bought a month or 2 ago for us to resell (we are having second thoughts though of getting it and sell our sedan instead since it's more practical to have a bigger car especially when we travel with the kids). The insurance has expired and since we initially intend to sell it, we didn't think of getting a car insurance. This means, I will pay for the repair of the car I hit and the repair for the scratches on the 2 door panel of the Sportivo. A very expensive lesson for me.

Then, there's this issue on my visa being released on time. I am leaving this Saturday and I just got the approval at 3pm today that my visa was approved. I was told that my visa won't be released even if I give my passport tomorrow. What?! I am sincerely hoping that the 3 days working days visa processing rule can be relaxed a bit so I could get my visa this Thursday (no releasing on Friday). Good luck to me!

Lastly, a classic Mentos moment...

I am wearing my new peep toe shoes I bought in one of the markets in Bangkok some weeks ago I got 3 pairs by the way. I don't know what's up with number 3 but I also got 3 pairs recently in Nine West and 3 pairs from Charles and Keith (my post earlier). It was a steal price of about Baht 200! I think that's around P300 only, if I am not mistaken. Since it it my first time to wear it, I never thought it could be that uncomfortable- plus the fact that it's a 3-inch heel which I am frankly not used to. The heels broke! That cheapo! I don't have a spare pair in the office but I have a pair of Havaianas in the car which I use for driving. There you go, it will probably help! I just have to manage to walk up to the car. I taped the heels and walked on my toe until I reached the lift! Thank goodness, our office is just located right next to the mall! I got a pair of gladiator stilleto from Maldita that I already fancy before. It may not match my corporate look today (although same color as my skirt) but at least it is something that I may still use next time. This mentos moment cost me almost 10x as the price I paid for the peep toe shoe that I thought was a steal!

So there...

I sincerely hope the bad luck will go away....

I am still breathing!

2008-07-31T04:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am still alive. Been inactive for a month. A lot of catching up to do. So what kept me busy? Work, and Work-related Travels (Jakarta/Bangkok- I'll blog about it more next time), some catching up to do with Sean and Sophia who runs after the yayas instead of me (sigh) and some quality time with Che too.

I still don't have my Schengen Visa and no approval received yet. Sigh. I am panicking since I'm leaving on the 9th (in a week's time!). I tried pulling some strings at our Danish Consulate (ours because our office manages the consulate here in Manila) and hopefully I'll get my visa just in time. I intend to extend my stay and visit Brussels, Bruges and Amsterdam (meeting up with my dear friend/lunch buddy Tina). But before i shout for joy, I need to secure that visa and purchase my ticket from Copenhagen to Brussels! :)

We've moved office after we came back from Jakarta. I love MOA! hahaha. I know, nagiba ihip ng hangin. I hate MOA before because of the crowd especially if you visit the mall on weekends/holidays. It is just soo iritating. BUT I love it now because of the convenience (shopping and running errands during lunch and after office), less traffic once you cross Roxas Blvd, more fresh air, more choices for food (although more expensive lunches!), no queue at the lifts (and no switching of lifts from parking to office), and no queue in restaurants. I'll try to post a separate entry on this when I have time.. :)

Sean and Sophia are growing up too fast. They are building a personality already (i think!). They grab things they see and takes extra effort to stand up and walk! I find them still very adorable (of course, I am the mom!). They're turning 9 months tomorrow and I'll take a day off to spend time with them and rest (I need it badly now). Here's their latest pics. Look at Sean's porma, cute! And look at Sophia, she already has a clip! :)

Morning Rush

2008-07-03T20:36:00.000-07:00

What does it take to be a busy working mom? Imagine these….

We wake up 5:30am to leave the house at 6:15-6:30am to drop off Sato to school which is also located in Makati.

Sean and Sophia wakes up early too so that means while we dress up, we have to watch over them play (especially when they start squeezing each other's face). When worst comes to worst, they cry for simple reason that they want to get out of bed. And that means we have to carry them while we are busy fixing ourselves and getting our things. I think we have perfected the art of multi-tasking here.

In the process, I do mistakenly pick-up things or often forget to handover stuff to the yayas. For several occassions, I have brought with me a tv remote control (you’re reading it right!), the twin’s new vitamins, bibs etc.

Today, what did I carried with me to work?

Hilarious! :)

One could never have enough

2008-07-03T19:39:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we transit via Singapore on our way to Jakarta. We only had 40 minutes for layover. We arrived just in time for boarding. We rushed to Charles & Keith to check out if there's anything nice. In 10 minutes, I got myself 3 pairs of shoes and a bag! So I had 7 pairs of shoes with me for a 3-day stay in Jakarta...

*the new ones are the brown snake skin shoe on upper left, pink in lower left and the white sandals in lower right.

I was feeling tired yesterday so I had to de-stress. Shopping is always a good theraphy (everyone should agree on this) and so I rejuvenated myself by purchasing these shoes at Nine West.com

I love it! It's so in! I like the black too and it fits perfectly in a pair of skinny jeans or on a dress. Good luck to me though since it is my first time to wear a 4 inch heel.

I tried below at NW in Glorietta and it fits perfectly.

I am not a fan of this type of heels but I like the white leather and gray suede combination.

I'm so excited to receive the package. Anne, holler when you receive it ok?!

I bagged this! Tina also got the same. It's a cheaper version of Chanel, I know, but we still love it!

I always have a hard time finding a shoe that fits here in Manila so I have a good excuse here. ;) I just have to close my eyes when I receive my credit card bill.

Europe Travel

2008-06-25T18:46:00.000-07:00

Since I will be travelling to CPH for the course I''ll be attending in SIMI, the thought of side trip within Europe after every module dawned into me. It has been one of my regrets that I didn't travel within Europe after the first 3 modules of my trips to Copenhagen back in 2000-20002. It's the thought of travelling alone the reason that I didn't pursue the side trips. And thus, Anne and I were only able to travel to Paris and London. It was not a bad choice after all! Paris and London are the two cities that I absolutely love! So moving ahead, I want to visit Italy! I have been convincing Che to go for a Euro trip and he doesn't seem to reciprocate. Hmp!

So I have been thinking, should I go even if it means leaving him behind? Will I enjoy it still?

I guess the CPH gang has been to different places that's why it is difficult to arrange a trip, also considering a schedule that will suit all. So hello, calling any travel companion (makonsensya kayo... ) ?! Females only please...

Here are the top places I'd like to visit... London and Paris already a check!
http://www.bestvacationrentalsonline.com/top-10-european-travel-destinations.html

Added on the wishlist are Florence and Stockholm!

Schedule: August 15, Oct 3, Nov 21 and Jan 30 onwards...

The morning after the storm

2008-06-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

A storm hit Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon yesterday so we were trapped at home. Sigh. We were supposed to meet up Ei, my brother Ryan's gf, in Shangri-La Mall for lunch. The entire Sunday was spent on sleeping and eating.

While we were dressing up, Che saw the twins looking at us. They were positioned right next to each other. It was so cute! I immediately grabbed the camera and took a photo of them... Upon seeing the camera pointed at them, Sophia smiled but the camera was not quick enough to capture it.

A few more clicks and Sophia was all so giggly. I wasn't able to capture though how innocently they looked at us. Si Sophia kasi when she sees the camera, nagiiba ng mood. Haha.

Oh, how lovely it is to have twins...

I was shaken

2008-06-19T18:27:00.001-07:00

I was feeling cranky yesterday (due to lack of sleep), so these things kept flasing on my head:

The stud diamond earring that I saw in a shop in VMall in Greenhills that I regret for not buying *bling, bling!*
Cartier Santos or Cartier Pasha (my new liking) *bling, bling again!!*
LV Monogram Speedy or Neverfull MM

I know, I know, we all deserve to reward ourselves for all our hardwork (I keep telling myself that). But being such a saver, I refuse to give in just yet. I always think of my dream house and my intent of building it from our savings or just a soft bank loan. Then afterwhich, there's the tuition to think about..

My desire continue on with an interesting conversation with Che:

M: How I wish we could be rich..

C: I thought you said you are already rich (I used to brag about our savings haha. Of course, it's just between us :) )

M: But not enough to buy all that I want like the designer bags, watch, jewelries, a beautiful car..

C: But we do have a beautiful car..

M: Yep but not THAT beautiful (referring to BMW and all)

C: Ako alam ko mayaman ako...

Then a pause. I'm waiting here for the punch line..

C: Alam ko marami akong natutulungan at alam ko pinagdadasal nila ako..

Gosh, what was I thinking??!

I am thinking about material stuff and here's my husband thinking about always helping others He regularly contributes to Unicef and he has become the person to run to by his friends, officemates, guards etc for financial help and admiringly, he never expects to be paid back especially for those who badly need it.

I am fortunate to have a husband who shakes me once in a while when I am lost..

Father's Day

2008-06-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

We went to mass at Philippine Columbian and had lunch at Dampa in Macapagal Ave. Goodness, there was so much food (we had enough left for dinner)! The seafoods were fresh and really yummy!

I bought Sean and Sophia matching shirts several months ago and I realized they haven't worn it. It's a good time to wear it on Father's day..

Sean's shirt reads 'I love my mommy'

Sophia's shirt reads 'I love my daddy'

Unfortunately I didn't had the time to have a picture of both of them together. It was a hot noon so they changed wardrobe upon arriving at the restaurant.

Sophia is obviously tanner now (i think she's getting my skin tone, poor her!)

Sean is 'tipid' with his smile as ever..

Upon reaching home, I was in bed with Sophia and this is one of her pose that I adore! Haha!

Last Weekend Update

2008-06-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

Last June 7-8, we went to the clinic for their immunization. Then we went straight to Robinson's Otis to hear mass and have lunch at Shuzhou. Here are some pics:

A swing was on display at Ace Hardware. Aba feeling comfortable akala mo asa bahay lang... Haha.

Sticking their tongue out

Imeldific!

2008-06-10T03:49:00.000-07:00

I arranged their shoes in a glass cabinet and I was surprised to see there's limited space na to store more... I should be scared, they might get used to collecting shoes when they grow up!

Copenhagen, here I come!

2008-05-29T23:16:00.000-07:00

Oops, No, we are not gonna be relocated to Copenhagen (not now at least). The GREAT opportunity I am talking about is this...

http://www.simi.dk/article.aspx?articleid=+78+78

Yes, I have been selected to attend this diploma programme in Scandinavian International Management Institute stretching from August to January. Four modules in total with 4 days per module. So I will be flying frequently to CPH in the next couple of months!

It's exciting to come back to CPH after 5 long years. For those who do not know, I travelled to CPH 2000-2002 for an education spanning 4 modules in 2 years. More in here http://www.mise.edu/careersMiseFrontpage.asp It will be nice to reminisce the good old moments. And what is even more exciting is that I will have a chance to meet some good friends who are currently assigned in our Headquarters office. Stella, Van, Alma, Mark etc... it's a date!

I am thrilled and really challenged with this new opportunity. I know it's gonna be tough (levelling na ito! haha) and I want to put my heart into it. With the trust and the investment that the company has given me, I hope I won't disappoint them.

The reason I hold it a bit is because even if I was already confirmed internally, I had to go for a phone interview from the Institute to ensure I meet the prerequisite of the course. Whew! I had the interview today and it went smoothly. 15 minutes later, I got an email confirming my admission to the program.

What's sweeter is that after the interview, I got a call from our reception telling me that the cake I ordered has arrived. Well, it was a surprise from Che, my dear husband, probably wishing me good luck. Sweet!

This day couldn't be more perfect.

Counting the blessings Part II

2008-05-29T22:01:00.000-07:00

When all along I thought that everything is running perfect for us (I blogged about counting my blessings recently), another good news came 2 nights ago. I want to jump for joy! A really GREAT opportunity came unexpectedly. I have never imagined it will one day occur to me.

Maybe it's a fruit of your hardwork. Maybe it's luck. Maybe it's the right time. You will never know. Just maybe. Indeed, life is full of excitement!

No doubt, my twins are my lucky charms!

I'll blog about it more when it's firmed up.

My Marimar and My Serio

2008-05-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

Here's my own version of Marimar and Serio...

My bubbly Marimar...

She's loving it! She really poses for the camera...

My handsome Serio...

Weekend update

2008-05-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we stayed at my parents house in QC. Here are some pics of my twins at home after we played with them.

Sophia here wanting to have a picture ata all by herself. Sean looks sad tuloy for Sophia stealing his spot..

Sean looking very serious here but as usual si Sophia pacute (she seems to love the camera)...

Oh, and if you can look closely, they have long and curly eye lashes. Mana sa mommy. hahaha.

Photography

2008-05-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

Probably one thing that I did regret in our wedding in 2006 was to hire Mimi and Karl as our wedding photographers. They were our 2nd choice (actually Che's first choice). But I went for someone who is also good because he has been in the industry longer. Mimi and Karl were still starting then and they even do not have an office at that time (we only met in Starbucks). But oh boy, they are really good! And with due credit to them, they have grown so much from 2-3 years ago. At that time, we could have gotten a better deal from them at the same price we paid our official photographer! I am sure they are now one of the best wedding photographers in town. Uh, can I have another wedding again? Hehe.

Mimi and Karl is a young couple (both from UP) and their shots are really so vibrant!

For those who likes photography, check this out...

http://www.fotogra.ph/

http://www.mimiandkarl.com/

Boracay wedding = i like! http://www.mimiandkarl.com/?p=1123#more-1123

I am truly mesmerized every time I blog hop their site. Awesome!

One photographer I chance upon recently is Ging Lorenzo. She is affordable and takes wonderful photos especially of parties (weddings, kiddie parties and baptism). Check out her blog http://www.photosbyging.blogspot.com/

I am just a fan!

Archuleta or Cook?

2008-05-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

Just finished watching the season finale of American Idol. I couldn't help but blog about it.

Round 1

Cook - Very good. I thought he was handsome! I heard a lot are already saying this but I just couldn't see that until tonight.

Archuleta - It's more like a winning song! Superb! Too early though to declare victory.

Round 2

Cook - Good but very forgettable.

Archuleta - Good. Slightly better than Cook.

Couldn't wait further for Round 3.

Round 3

Cook - I could feel his emotions while singing the song but just so-so for me. I think a bad choice of song for a finale.

Archuleta - I'm blown away! Really. I never thought that song could be that touching.

Verdict: Archuleta for the win!

I feel like Simon Cowell here. Haha. Well, Archuleta has always been my bet. His voice is very powerful for a 17 year old kid. And I really think he pulled it off tonight! Crossing fingers the voters will agree with me.

I may sound cheesy here. Haha. Forgive me, this is the only show that I watch frequently (not even consistently though). Can't wait for the results!

Season Finale

2008-05-21T02:46:00.000-07:00

They're grown-ups?!

2008-05-14T04:21:00.004-07:00

Time flies so fast. At 6 months, they look like grown-ups! They look and act like teenagers ready to party! Haha! Yeah, I am guilty for dressing them up like teenies - with longsleeves, maong mini skirt and the converse shoes! :)

They're still my precious little babies. I hope they wouldn't grow up too fast!

Che's 31st Birthday

2008-05-14T02:28:00.000-07:00

It was Che's birthday yesterday so I took a leave since Monday. Last year, I was guilty for not doing something special for him and so I tried to make it up to him this year. I initially planned a surprise party at a function room in my friend's condo in Greenbelt but the thought of having to prepare for many guests scared me. You see, I am not a cooking expert so I should better start with a simple celebration at home! Che also doesn't want too many guests as that means entertaining and drinking until late at night.

So with the help of my mom (haha, yeah, mom is someone you first call during emergency, right?!), we prepared for a dinner with the following menu:

Maja Blanca
Kare-Kare (mom's specialty)
Bangus Sisig
Chicken Kebab
Siomai
Lumpiang Shanghai
Pasta Puttanesca
Banofee Pie
Mango Bravo from Conti's

Well, well. Mom did the cooking but hey, I wrapped the siomai and fillet the chicken breasts! Talk about efforts, right? I am also very proud to have done a delicious Banofee Pie and the Puttanesca! Ok, I have to be honest here. For the puttanesca, I did asked mom to taste it and add some salt and pepper. I was scared to fail considering it's my first attempt to do puttanesca. But boy, it was easy!

Here's the recipe in case you may want to try. Promise, it's yummy. The Banofee pie tastes better than the Mango Bravo from Conti's. Both the Banofee and the Puttanesca were smashed!

Banofee Pie

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of crushed Graham Crackers (equivalent to a pack of crushed crackers available in grocery stores)
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup melted butter
3 tsp ground ginger (optional- i didn't include this)
1 can of condensed milk
3 pieces of bananas (i suggest you add more)
4 tetra pack of Nestle All Purpose Cream

Mix graham, sugar, butter until well blended. Press in a pan. Cool in ref. In saucepan, boil the unopened can of condensed milk for 3 hrs. Make sure you check if the water is enough (should fill the top of the can or at least up to 3/4 level). Set aside and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Open the can and spread it on top of the crust. Layer with bananas and add the whipped cream. Put chocolate syrup and spread with grated chocolate. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

Pasta Puttanesca

This is Rachel Ray's recipe in Food Network.com. But more or less I used the following:

Ingredients:
500g spaghetti
1 can (28oz) Hunt's Crushed Tomatoes
1 can (28oz) Hunt's Diced Tomatoes
1 small jar of flat anchovy fillets
1 1/2 small jar of black sliced olives (the more the better)
3 tbsp of capers (i used up about half the small jar)
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic (in recipe, it's 4-6 cloves, so up to you)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
grated parmesan

Cook the spaghetti until al dente. Set aside. Saute oil, garlic and anchovies until anchovies melt and garlic is tender. Add olives, capers, tomatoes, black peper and parsley. Put some black pepper and salt. Bring sauce to bubble and simmer. Toss the pasta into sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan. Serve with buttered slice of bagette.

It's fun being a girl!

2008-05-14T02:24:00.000-07:00

Counting the blessings

2008-05-11T19:38:00.000-07:00

Something good happened last Friday. It started not so good and an unexpected happened just after COB (close of business).

I promise myself not to blog about anything work-related so I'll skip the details (of course!)

But key learnings for the day were:

Don't be afraid to speak up
Prepare for a good argument
Speak passionately always - a key to persuading!
Fight for what you believe in
Blessings come when you least expect it
God is always good!

I am truly happy that I've been blessed at work. Whenever something good comes up in my personal life, something good also comes up at work. 2006: I got married and at the day of the wedding, our Managing Director told me I'm gonnna be promoted. Isn't it the best wedding gift? 2007: A month before I got pregnant, I was offered a position which is another promotion (just 8months after I was last promoted). 2008: A radical change did happened in the organization but an unexpected luck still came my way due to another promotion (just a year after the last). And something good came with it too.

Yes, I am counting our blessings and I thank the Lord for all of them!

This is a blissful life

2008-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sean and Sophia turned 6months

Hala! Sean enjoying chocolate cake!

Eating Gerber

Photo session with Sophia

Pano ang mga dress di naman nasusuot, kahit sa pictures na lang! Promise next time Sean naman. This was supposed to be a fashion show para mapicture-an sya sa lahat ng mga damit nya na di pa nasuot (ang dami!) kaso napagod na!

He's like this when he sleeps. Gusto ng kasunod? Nyah!

Wala lang, terno eh!

More pics pa sana kaso tagal upload. Next time if I have more patience, I'll upload them.

If I were still single

2008-04-29T02:09:00.002-07:00

If i were still single, I could have spent my bonus for these things I fancy:

and this...

and this...

and this...

or probably just get the Cartier Santos I have long been wanting
http://melissasangabriel.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-top-3-wish-list.html

But since I’m already married and with kids, practicality (a.k.a. as kakuriputan) comes to play over my fascination for these items. So bank is happier than me.

But don’t get me wrong, I would still love to get these someday (not today but maybe next week or next month… haha). I love these for my own satisfaction that I’ve worked hard and rightfully deserve the fine things in life. But sigh, I'd love to own a house first. ;)

Cuties

2008-04-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

Finally!

2008-04-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

I had long been wanting to pamper myself or have at least some time off to make me feel good/better. Finally, Saturday was a good time to do that.

10am - Headed off to Makati Med for an appointment with a new Dermatologist

I was impressed! The doctor had at least 4 assistants, they take a picture of each patient for their online patient record and the doctor is using a tablet pc! She's nice and she's also a mom of twins! Probably the only thing I don't like about her is that she doesn't have stretchmarks after pregnancy. Hmp, that lucky gal!

1pm - Pampered myself at Jesi Mendez

It's my first time in Jesi Mendez and I was also satisfied with the services. I had a trim, hair spa and pedicure. The salon was crispy clean and with nice interiors. I love the black chandelier. Very baroque. The price is also cheaper than Salon de Manila - half the price for cut and pedicure. The only bad thing is that my nails were murdered again. But I'd definitely come back there again for some

4pm - Had late lunch with a friend in Teriyaki Boy
Yummy kani salad and kani furai!

7pm - Attended Ian (Che's cousin) thanksgiving party at Henry's Grill in QC for passing the bar exam. He's finally a lawyer just like his dad!

11pm - Since Ian's thanksgiving party was sort of like a family reunion and Crikette is now in town, we (with my girl cousins -in-law) continued the night at TGIF in Bonifacio High Street.

Shedding the pounds

2008-04-25T02:50:00.000-07:00

I was at Watson's last Wednesday while waiting for Che and I was at the verge of buying Xenical to shed off some unwanted fats. Taking it is nothing new since I consumed two boxes before I got married. I was successful! But now, I had some hesitations. My mind was rolling like 'Should I?! Should I?'

Guess what?

I gave in.... hihihi.

So we'll see how it goes.

You know when you are mom when....

2008-04-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

I was reading Smart Parenting magazine last night when I saw an article regarding above subject. I thought of creating my own list. For me, you know when you are a mom when:

You go to the mall and end up shopping for your kids more than for yourself. You still feel ecstatic like what a normal shopaholic feels.
You have horrible stretch marks
You not only know the top brands in fashion but also the top brands for baby stuff
Cocoa Butter lotion is a staple item in your toiletries cabinet (for sake of those who don't know, cocoa butter has been proven to be effective in preventing and lessening the appearance of stretch marks)
You prefer buying/reading Smart Parenting magazine over Cosmopolitan. You go to the book stores and also visit the parenting and children's books section
You are also excited to attend kiddie parties. You are even more excited in planning for your kid's party
You find tips on organizing closet very useful
You have a long list of the things you need and want to do but end up delaying it for weeks/months
You find the hug and kiss of a baby the best stress buster!
You get awakened at wee hours of the morning but could not and will not complain
You know exactly the prices of diapers, a can of milk and a gallon of water
You talk and blog more about your kids or anything about parenthood

So gash, yes, I am a certified mom.

Tagaytay Highlands Part1

2008-04-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, my Dad texted me that he might already leave the country for work today or tomorrow so we decided to spend the weekend with the family and so we went to Tagaytay Highlands.

Ever since, I love Tagaytay Highlands. Every visit, I am fascinated by the facilities and the ambiance. Che has always wanted to build a house in Tagaytay. I of course disagree since he wants to settle down there without having a house in Manila. Yes, he doesn't want his Tagaytay home to be just a vacation house, he wanted it to be our permanent abode. But yesterday, I told him that if we are to buy a house inside Tagaytay Highlands, then he will get my buy-in. :)

So how about the trip?

We left QC at 7am and arrived the Highlands before 9am. I didn't brought any jacket for myself and the twins. In fact, I was even wearing shorts. We arrived Tagaytay feeling cold due to some showers and the air is filled with fog. Good thing is that after few hours, we felt the summer heat.

Our Tagaytay trip of course wouldn't be complete without a visit at the Pink Sisters and buying pasalubong at Good Shepherd (for ube of course!) and at Rowena's (yummy apple and buko tarts!). On the way back, we also had a stopover at Paseo de Santa Rosa for a visit at the Nike Outlet and Speedo shop.

So bon voyage to my dad and I'm happy to know that he'll be back in time for Sean and Sophia's birthday party. I was kidding him when I told him if he could be the sponsor for the type of party that I already have in mind. Hahaha.

I'll post more pictures in my next post.

Who is more shameful?

2008-04-18T02:25:00.000-07:00

Spreading out in local news today is a video taken during an operation of a gay patient from Cebu to extract a perfume canister stuck in his rectum during a sexual encounter with a gay prostitute on new year’s eve. It really did arouses my interest. Gash, this already sounds very awkward. And yes, I do not get why some people see the pleasure in inserting a foreign object into your body and much more in your genitalia. Do I disgrace it? Maybe yes but not greater than my disgrace for the medical practitioners in the video (I have not seen the actual video but just screenshots of some scenes). I read that the video did not show the face of the patient but still making the video public is indeed a pity and totally against the patient’s privacy. How perfect are they to make childish jeers over someone and making the matter worst humiliating the patient by bringing the video in public?

Just my two cents.

Photos gone

2008-04-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

Poor me. Some months ago, my personal laptop was reformatted by my brother-in-law. It was infected with some virus and it has to be cleaned so Che can use it for some of his office stuff. Che asked me to copy the files but slipped my mind and so I gave the laptop without backing up the files. All the files were gone except for some pictures but apparently were still corrupted so I am unable to copy them. So poor me, all my travel pictures were gone. I don't have prints of them too. Sigh.

My in-laws are in Shanghai now and before they left, I wanted to show them my pictures when I went there some years back (twice actually) but all the memories are just on my head to remember.

I am glad though that my brother seems to have the pictures of our US trip in a cd. I've asked a friend also in Singapore whom I was with in a trip to Beijing to give me a copy of all our Beijing adventure.

I am just so bad at keeping records so I do hope I won't lose all the important pictures of Sean and Sophia. But lazy me though, I haven't printed any of their pictures yet. Time to do that soon...

I wish

2008-04-08T17:00:00.000-07:00

I wish I had more time to do household chores (yes, you read it right!)
I wish I had more time to play with my twins
I wish I had more time to sleep
I wish I had more time for myself to take a long bath, shop and go to the parlor
I wish I had more time to work to finish all in one day without having to leave some tasks in the pending tray.

But unfortunately, a day lasts only 24 hours. Tsk.

Anyway, the weekend that was is just what I wanted. A 3-day weekend that is. So what did we do?

Sunday brunch at Conti's in Trinoma

Attended a Class at Gymboree (they just slept cried)

Played with our adoring twins

Gear them up

Spend more time with cousins/relatives (at home on Mickey and Cyril's Graduation/Thanksgiving Party)

*with my cousins. I don't look like I am a decade older no? haha!*

The pretty girl in skirt and the boy who just woke up...

My office space

2008-04-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

In around 2-3 months, we are due to transfer office so from being in the heart of Makati and staying in the tallest building in the Philippines in particular, we will now transfer to an office building right next to the biggest mall in Asia. I am now trying to cherish the remaining months in my office so I took the liberty of taking some photos.

I'm lucky to have a great view of the metro from my room. The corner room is facing the north area so even St. Francis Square can easily be seen. The drawback though is that I am situated a few steps away from my staff.

So what's in my space?

Share your space too - be it home or office!

I'm catching up...

2008-04-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

Yeah, catching up on blogging...

Extremely busy at work lately and my twins are more than a handful so blogging became last of the priority. But now that my dearest husband and kids are asleep, I can spend a little more time to update my blog.

Here are some updates:

March: The Birthday Month/ Bora Trip
Spent my birthday in Boracay with my family and my in-laws! We were close to 20. It was fun and yet so 'bitin'. It's Sean and Sophia's first time on the beach. They were at 4.5 months then. We were surprised since they hate the beach. We wonder why given that Che and I are both beach lovers. Anyway, here are some pics.

More bora pics to follow.

The Graduation
Attended 2 graduation rites - Sato graduating from High School and Mickey graduating from College. Cyril has also recently graduated. I'm proud to say that my sister Mickey graduated Cum Laude! Congrats! Mana sa ate hehe!

Celebrating Easter
We heard mass at Mount Carmel Church and then had lunch at C2 restaurant in Shangri-la Place. Oh boy, Sean and Sophia love malling! They never cried and was just happy sight-seeing. I didn't had a solo picture of Sean here... love Sophia's outfit hehe.

The Ear Piercing
It was their scheduled visit to the pedia (we switched to Che's cousin Ate Ruchie) for Sean and Sophia's scheduled immunization. I had to double the pain for Sophia wth her ears pierced. Well, just for the sake of vanity. Look at the picture though, she seems to enjoy it..

First Solid Feeding
Exactly on their 5th month bday, Sean and Sophia had their first solid food - Cerelac 1. Sean really liked it and can really munch and swallow. Sophia pushed the cereal out using her tongue. It was a milestone that of course had to be recorded.

Daddy Mito's Bday at Market! Market!
It was Daddy Mito's bday today and we had buffet lunch at Kamayan in Market! Market! Love all the pics of Sean and Sophia. Check more in my friendster account..

Proud Mommy

Love to Laugh

Bulaga!

Bulagta!

gosh, the look! *like mother, like daughter*

Whew! That was quite a plenty. Well those are the highlights since March!

I love my job!

2008-03-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

Yes, I do!

I like it that i primarily do business/strategic planning
I find doing organizational development very interesting
Strangely enough, I like it that I am swamped with work!
I love that my office is located at the 2nd to the top most floor of the tallest building in the Philippines and the room from my office provides a great view of the metro.
I like that I am always challenged
I like that I am working with smart people
I like the global opportunities that the company provides

I am proud to say that I have a star on my forehead!

2nd Wedding Anniversary

2008-02-26T16:25:00.001-08:00

It was Che and I's wedding anniversary yesterday. Since we are both busy, we just had dinner at Chelsea in Serendra. I've had dinner there before with my boss and my supervisors. Food was good so I taught it was a good choice.

We had the following for our menu:

Summer Squash Soup

Cheese Fondue (combination of two kinds of cheese with dips like nachos, croutons, olives, bell peppers, potatoes etc)

Salmon Sandwich (an uncooked salmon with mangoes, onions and herbs on top of a sandwhich served with fries)

Herb Marinated Chicken (this one was good except that the veggies were overcooked)

Our refreshing drinks were Frozen Lemon Iced Tea and Peach Iced Tea. Funny we didn't go for white wine which we originally intend to drink to match the cheese. :)

The food was too much. The guests next to our table look in awe whenever the food is served and probably wondering how hungry we were. Hahaha. Well, every serving from soup to main course is always good to share. But probably since it's our wedding anniversary, an excuse to skip our diet, we ordered items of our liking in the menu. So it turned out that we have leftovers today for breakfast.

As usual, the restaurant was full even it's a raining weekday. We even saw Ogie and Regine and they actually look good together in person. I am not a fan of them though. And I was thrilled to also saw an old colleague, Angelie. She used to work in my department and was a MISE trainee (like me). She resigned few months back and is now currently studying at AIM. She was with the other MISE trainees from Belgium who came here to visit them.

Sean & Sophia

2008-02-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

Sean and Sophia sleeping. Sean likes to sleep on the side so couldn't really get a good glimpse of him. Sean is awake here but not looking at Mommy ;( Sophia on the verge of crying...

Hooked

2008-02-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

I was lately hooked aka addicted to shopping for bras and underwear. It started when I went to the mall last week and saw the undergarments section being on sale (must be related to valentine's day hehe). Triumph is the first place I go to whenever I need to buy undergarments and I can always find something to buy. Majority (that is more than half) of what I wear is from Triumph. Anyways, I was surprised to see there were nice items on sale. And so I bought half a dozen pairs. 2 day after, I bought another pair. And last Tuesday, I went to the mall again after work and told Che that I'll be passing by the mall to buy something. He texted back 'Siguro bibili ka na naman ng bra, addict ka na ata sa bra, loves!' And I replied, 'No, I'll buy the panty to pair it with'. Haha, then it sinked in to me that I am probably already hooked..

Bunch of Updates!

2008-01-28T03:27:00.000-08:00

So many updates and yet very limited time to blog. Anyway, just a very short recap of what kept me going for a month. I promise to post a longer entry when i do have time...

- Sean and Sophia had their baptism last January 5. I was pleased with everything that I planned. Pictures and supplier's ratings to follow.

- I resumed work since January 18. It's been 2 weeks now. I love working and there are just so many things to do! A challenging change did happen in our organization globally that kept us busy and hanging for a month or two. I am positive of things still though.

- My boss from Singapore visited last week. It was a hectic 2 days though.

- A week before resuming work, I had to call up an agency to recruit 2 yayas (one was experienced and the other one to help out with other chores). We were glad we got them the same day I called the agency. They are still with us though. ;)

- We will be going to Boracay on Mar15-18. Che and I decided to treat our families (of both side) with free accomodation in Bora instead of spending a holiday just the two of us. Another great excuse is that I'll be celebrating my 30th big day on the 18th. Whew! Of course, we couldn't leave without tagging the twins along. They will be 4.5months by then. Will they enjoy the beach? We'll see... We have our tickets already and booked the accomodation also. Every trip to Bora is exciting for us (at least for me) since for the last 3 visits, I came with different group of people. And now, could have not imagined we will be going there with our kids. It's pretty exciting since we will be enjoying the holiday with the entire family (we are about close to 20pax now).

Adobe Photoshop

2007-12-27T10:09:00.000-08:00

It's now 2am and I just finished the layout for the mug and the tarpaulin for Sean and Sophia's baptism. Whew! I never thought I could learn Adobe Photoshop that fast thru self-learning and a little help from my sis-in-law. I was very pleased to have discovered how to replace image color. Cool!

Here's the mug and tarp design that I made. It's nothing fancy but I like it... simply because this is pure labor of love. :)

I am hoping that no one from our guests lists will see this before the baptismal party. Di na surprise. Hehe. I am just excited to post them kasi I basically did it from scratch. And oh, I love our invites too - kahit na nalagay ko sa date eh 2007... I'll post the picture na lang after the party.

Plugging na lang - thanks Mec for all the help! :)

It's extremely difficult to plan a party at this time since I can not simply leave my twins behind. I am glad that (finally!) I was able to pay the church and rental fee sa Montgomery Clubhouse as well as ordered balloon centerpieces. Pending will be the caterer, ordering of mugs, having the tarpaulin printed and ordering of cake. Whew. Need to complete them by tomorrow sana since Che and I will be going to Tagaytay for a stress-free weekend. :)

Chiao!

This is the season of.....

2007-12-25T16:37:00.000-08:00

... giving

... receiving

and simply pure happiness...

We didn't expect to receive plenty of gifts for Sean and Sophia. Their wardrobe is full already for the next few weeks/months and we haven't opened most of the gifts yet. I'll post pictures later when we have finally taken our family picture beside the Christmas tree. :) This Christmas season, we experience a lot of firsts... first trip to tha mass, lunch out and malling with Sean and Sophia and first time I saw Sophia holding her bottle tightly.

This holiday season, everyday is pure bliss albeit the hardship and the sacrifices. We received the best gift of all... our adoring twins, Sean and Sophia!

Merry Christmas to all!

An early christmas present

2007-12-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

I asked a friend who had a vacation in HKG to buy me a Technomarine watch. She got me already! Yipee.

It's a different model than what I earlier wanted.

When I told Che I wanted this watch, he said he will pay for it na lang and that's his Christmas and thank you gift to me (his way of thanking me for giving him daw our twins). He gave me the money but I said I will just shoulder it from my own money. I suggested kasi that instead of giving each other Christmas gift, we just pledge a donation or simply help others in need. But he still insisted that it is his Christmas present to me. Aww!

Reviving my wardrobe

2007-12-19T00:40:00.000-08:00

Before I gave birth, I was too excited to use my old clothes and shoes (with heels). I was surprised that my shoes still fits me well albeit my size probably increased by a cm or less. I thought I won't be able to wear them as most people say. During pregnancy, some of my shoes were too tight but that could probably due to slight edema.

My total weight gain during pregnancy was 29lbs. I am proud of that considering I carried two babies (of 5lbs each), I lost 23 lbs exactly a week after I gave birth. During my next check-up last Dec 8, 40 days after I gave birth, I lost another 5lbs, that is, 1 lb short of my total pregnancy weight. I was utterly surprised with this considering I felt I gained significantly last few days. I eat about the same as during pregnancy and I am not breastfeeding anymore.

I tried on some of my clothes and I was very disappointed on how unpleasant I look with it. I hate the bulge on my tummy. My jeans also can not fit except for one pair! My hip increased in size! And so, for some weeks, I am using the skinny jeans from Gingersnaps I used during my first trimester pregnancy. My long sleeves I oftenly use in the office were too tight. I expect I would have to buy a few office clothes before I resume work. Good thing I still have P10k GC from IORA our company gave away as clothing allowance.

And so for last few days, I find myself happily shopping for new sets of clothes. At least for now, a new pair of jeans, a few blouses will do... until next shopping spree ;)

Creativity 101

2007-12-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

I don't consider myself creative but I'd like to be one. In my attempt to create the baptism invitation for my twins, I did a very simple template using Power Point. Yes, because I don't know anything about Adobe Photoshop. :(

Well, it's basic. it's bland. It needs something to spice it up. Of course, it has to be done in Adobe Photoshop so print quality will be good and size will be just right.

At least I know the basics, right? :)

Kodak Moments

2007-12-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

This morning, I was in the mood for some photo session with my 2 adoring babies. The purpose is actually for the invitation and tarpaulin that I, with the help of my sister-in-law, intend to diy for Sean and Sophia's baptism on January 5. Yes, I am cramming again! May God help me on this project. Anyway, here are some good shots that i captured.

SOPHIA

SEAN

I think I need to buy a better camera (digital SLR like Canon EOS 400D or Nikon D80) to capture better pictures hehehe... and of course learn basic (or I must say, advanced) photography. :)

Goodies for Sean and Sophia

2007-12-05T22:52:00.000-08:00

We got another bag full of clothes and shoes for Sean and Sophia. Our 'super' ninang (we call her 'super' because she's SUPER generous!) came from the US and was kind enough to bring Sean and Sophia pasalubong. Among them were: 2 dresses for Sophia (one was super cute that she can wear for Christmas or her 2nd wardrobe at their Baptism reception), a pair of knit wear for Sophia and a Santa suit for Sean (yet too big for him and may fit only by next year's Christmas). And lastly, our uber favorite are the Converse shoes. We got a pair of Converse newborn socks which looks like a cute hi-cut Converse when worn and these pair of shoes they could wear in a few months.. Cute!

We texted our ninang to say 'thank you' and she replied there are still more to follow. Aww!

We are indeed very lucky with all the gifts we have received even without any occassion yet. We actually don't need to buy stuff for Sophia as her wardrobe is full already until she reaches 2yrs. No kidding. We just need to buy for Sean but have to admit that there are very limited choices for boys. I went to Greenhills last weekend and there are soooo many cute clothes for girls that I am controlling myself from buying.

First Trip

2007-11-27T02:03:00.000-08:00

Some parents prefer to keep their newborns inside the comfort of their homes for a few months and allow only a trip to the hospital or to the relatives' houses. I know that will not be the case for our twins since their cousins have travelled to different places, even out-of-town, when they were still few months old. That's the reason why baptism at 1 month is a must for the San Gabriel clan.

At 3 weeks old, Sean and Sophia already attended the 1st birthday party of their 2nd cousin, JB, at the clubhouse of Urdaneta Village. I had them wear the red and blue onesies which was a gift to us by our friend who had a vacation in the US last September. Daddy Che was unfortunately not with us but kept on texting me what the twins will wear. :) We arrived the venue and some people look kinda amazed seeing a girl and boy twin. Although my kids wouldn't get to enjoy this kind of event, it was still nice bringing them along. Aheheh. The theme was Pirates of the Carribean and kids and some adults came in looking like pirates. They served japanese food (Sai Bachi Catering) with different food carts for kids to enjoy. The host, lootbags, balloon decoration etc all were in tune with the theme.

Even at 1 year old, a kid won't enjoy this kind of 'surprisingly expensive' party. But it is such a milestone that parents will not hesitate to spend money on. I believe the party is more for the parents instead of the kids. And I have to admit I am one of those parents. I am already counting the next 11 months till I plan their 1st birthday party (maybe with a Trick or Treat theme since party will be held at Nov1? haha). But before that, I am looking forward to the next trip of Sean and Sophia. The doctor recommended we go ahead and visit Tagaytay... :)

Grandma vs Mommy

2007-11-27T01:47:00.001-08:00

It is really exhausting to take care of a newborn and for our case, it's double the effort. I am not a supermom though. I am in charge of night shift while my mom, her best friend, and our new yaya (thank god we hired one!) takes care of Sean and Sophia at daytime. When we are at my in-law's place, my mom-in-law and other househelp assist in overseeing our twins. We are indeed lucky to have all the help we need now.

There are some things I noticed about the difference of Grandma (my mom and mom-in-law)and Mommy (myself of course!):

- Grandma doesn't seem to get tired of taking care of the newborn. Mommy get super exhausted and can not afford to rise up in bed at around 5-6am.

- Grandma seems to have a magical power of keeping the baby asleep and quiet. I often don't know how to pacifying them especially when they are like screaming as if someone is spanking them non-stop. The only effective thing I do is to sing the Alphabet Song they seem to enjoy my singing prowess.

- Grandma tends to spoil the babies or should i say, their generosity can not be questioned when it is for the twins. My mom-in-law already bought 2 pairs of earrings for Sophia and other baby stuff even before they were born. My mom bought a Graco Pack n' Play worth P10k plus comforter of P1k plus which I will not consider buying. I am not saying I won't be generous for our kids. It may be a different priority - like me buying Medela PIS which I have not maximized the worth.

- Grandma is not a worrier while Mommy cries over little stuff like when Sophia got a smelly earwax. I almost could not forgive myself for allowing that to happen.

- Lastly, Grandma masters the art of bathing while I have never tried it myself. *wink*

The Twins in Bed

2007-11-15T02:09:00.000-08:00

Home at Last!

Sleep Mode 1 (to the left! to the left!)

Sleep Mode 2 (face to face)

Sleep Mode 3 (Sophia covering her face)

Sleep Mode 4 (Sophia on her side and Sean on her back with legs wide open)

Day 6 Pics

2007-11-06T17:45:00.000-08:00

We visited Sean and Sophia last night. They are still at the hospital due to continuous antibiotic injection and awaiting final result of blood culture test tonight. Hopefully they will be discharged na by tomorrow.

Here are more pics of our adorable twins taken yesterday. Mahimbing tulog ni Sophia. She's still pretty as ever. It's now Sean's time to make pacute. He's becoming more like her ate Sophia. Akala ng iba si Sophia mas cute ha. Mas maputi lang daw ng konti si Sophia. :)

Sean: Antok pa ako eh, nanggigising kayo!

Sean: eyes wide open/ Sophia: still mahimbing tulog

Sean's time to make pacute

Sean: Is that you Mommy?

My November 1 Babies

2007-11-04T16:49:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have finally given birth last November 1. It was unexpected. I had a weird feeling the night before as I had a dark yellow discharge which I was still figuring out if it is the typical brownish discharge which can be a sign of false labor. The morning of November 1 at 7:30am, we woke up because our househelp delivered my daily breakfast supply. I went to the restroom and saw a bloodish discharge. It has increased less than an hour after. I had my breakfast, took a bath and went straight to Lourdes hospital after. I was very calm and excited. We waited for this day but have been trying to avoid (as much as possible) on giving birth on November 1 and 2. But we need not worry because this is the time that God has chosen for us.

We arrived at the hospital and I underwent various tests and confirmed I was 2 cm dilated. They put me on non-stress test and I was told that I will be scheduled for a delivery at 4pm. Never did we thought that delivery could only start 8 hrs after the last meal/fluid intake. Should I have not taken my breakfast, I would have been scheduled for delivery earlier. They are already close to 37 weeks of gestation and delivery is inevitable.

It waited at the labor room from 11am till 330pm. No pain whatsoever. I was just so inip. I was not scared at all.

I passed thru the corridor where Che is waiting. He seems very excited. He kissed me good luck.

I went inside the Operating Room which looked new - a far cry from the delivery room I saw in Makati Medical City. I was conscious during the operation and only few minutes after, I saw my babies. Sophia came in first then followed by Sean. They were so cute. Ang puti and kinis. It's like they never came straight from my womb.

I then woke up at the Recovery Room and few minutes after, the nurse brought me to my room where guests/family were waiting. Everyone was at awe at how cute and tisay/tisoy our twins were. They said it was all worth it.

A day and two after, I am in deep pain that I can't help but cry. I was discharged yesterday and Sean and Sophia stayed at the hospital under observation for risk of infection.

More stories to follow on their condition and my breastfeeding/pumping experiences.

Here are the pictures for your viewing pleasure...

Straight from the delivery room (Sophia on the left and Sean on the right)
2 hrs after they were born
Sophia (sleeping like an angel) at day2
Sean (mukhang brusko) at day2

Sophia and Sean at day3

Fear over Excitement

2007-10-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

Before going to bed last night, Che and I were chatting during our cuddling and 'harutan' session. It started with some cheesy questions like 'Why did you fall in love with me?'. This is one of the questions that we normally ask each other because we basically do not have a consistent or straight answer. We usually answer back with a joke instead like 'Di naman talaga eh, pinikot mo lang ako' or 'Mahilig talaga ako sa mga maasim na pagkain'. That's how often we use humor in our relationship.

One thing that led to a serious talk was when Che asked me, 'Are you excited?' (referring to the birth of our twins). I immediately answered back ,'I am actually scared'. There's a fear that I won't be able to take care of the twins. Could I manage breastfeeding two babies? Who will take care of them when I return to work?

I asked him back 'And you?'. He replied saying the same thing. But Che's fear was more on not being able to sell (he is in car sales) and unable to provide to the needs of the twins/our family. He said this is the reason why he is working his ass off. He even work during weekends and holidays. I asked him to take it easy as we are fortunate to both have work that compensate well enough for our needs and wants. But he's never like that. He would never depend on anyone, even on me. Ever since, Che has always been a VERY responsible person. He is a good provider and never misses out on his obligation. He made quite a lot of sacrifces and you won't hear him complain. He return his blessings thru helping out other people that he never dare brag about. And that, I could honestly say, was one of the reasons why I do fell in love with him.

As parents, will this fear fade away? Maybe not. But I do hope that this fear will be one of the greatest motivator for us to be good parents.

Dealing with Remarks from Friends and Aquaintances

2007-10-26T01:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some more remarks that I get during pregnancy and how I normally react. Let me correct that, I normally react by just smiling or saying 'oo nga'. Below are my silent reactions. :)

'In fairness, hindi ka mukhang buntis pag nakatalikod.'

Buti na lang. In fairness, may korte pa rin ako pag nakatalikod. Wag mo lang ako tignan sa harap! hahaha.

'Ma'am, ang laki ng tyan nyo!'

Natural kambal itong dinadala ko! (di naman ako galit, defensive lang)

'Grabe, bilog na bilog tyan mo'

Oo, parang bola ng basketball! (I actually like showing people that I looked like I swallowed a watermelon or a basketball) hehe.

'Ang tulis ng tyan mo'

Akala ko ba bilog? Nalilito na ako ha.

'Ang baba na ng tyan mo oh. Malapit na yan.' (sabay hawak sa tyan take note sa ibaba ng boobs)

Oh no touch, baka iba na mahawakan mo nyan. :) Ay, sabi na nga ba eh!

'Buti di ka tumaba'

Buti naman talaga at ang dami kong tiniis na hindi kainin. Pero pag nanganak ako, sa hospital pa lang, kakainin ko ung mga namiss ko!

'Uy, ung pusod mo nakaumbok na' or 'Wala ka na tlgang pusod'

Oo, nastretch sya ng sobra! At please, wag mo na tignan! Ang swangit!

'Pakita ng tyan mo'

Wag na! Baka matakot ka rin. :)

Will I miss those remarks when I give birth? Nah, maybe not! Ang gusto ko marinig na remark eh: 'Uy, sexy mom!'. Wahahaha. Sana nga!

Changing the Skin

2007-10-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

I find my blog's skin already boring. I want to add a personal touch to it. But I don't know how...