Wanna Win a Shu Uemura Brush Set?

Wow! It's been ages since I had my last post here. Surely shows I'm too busy. :)

Anyway, I stumbled upon this beauty blog which gives out a limited edition Shu Uemura 'Mika Hearts Shu' Portable Brush Set for FREE! That's actually the first prize. And if you don't win it, you still have the chance to win the Jurlique Maintain Balance Introductory Set and a Shu Uemura Lipstick Holder as 2nd and 3rd prizes, respectively. All you have to do is blog about it and link it up. That easy! :) For more details, visit the Beauty For A Living.

I've always wanted a nice make-up brush set, especially now that I'm back to putting on make-up. :) It's always nice to look prettier than bare. :)

MIA

Been MIA for a long time. A lot of occasions have passed and I haven't posted any update about any one of those. Hehehe... Blame it on the cold weather that contributes to the laziness that struck me. :D

Anyway, here's a brief update of what has happened to us for the past 2 months:

*Christmas day was very tiring yet tummy-filled.

~ Our Christmas started with us hearing mass on the night of the 24th (with my MIL and SIL). When we got home, we (rather THEY) started opening their gifts. Then on the 25th, we woke up late in the morning and had lunch with my MIL. We then prepared and went to Cavite to spend a few hours with our relatives (Papa's side). By 4PM, we headed to Biñan, Laguna to meet my Ninong Gene whom I haven't met since I was a month old, I think. I just saw him in one of my baptismal pics but haven't seen him personally until Christmas '08. He lives in Australia with his family and just visited Manila 20 years later. They prepared good food and steaks for us. Yum! At 6PM, we then went to Sta. Rosa, Laguna for our relatives (Mama's side). It's our grandma's birthday so we shouldn't miss seeing her on that day. Again, lotsa food were served. :) At night, I treated the young girls (sis and cousins) to Starbucks. Christmas treat! :D

*New Year 2009

~ It was not as busy as Christmas. We just spent it at my parents' house. :)

*MariLaQue Ride

~We went to Tanay, Rizal - on top of Sierra Madre - with our ever-reliable S8! Woohoo! It was a great smooth ride! :)

*Sto. Niño Fiesta

~We celebrated the Sto. Niño fiesta last January 18. He's the patron in our area and it's always celebrated with a blast. I was not able to join the pilgrimage though. I came home from night duty at the office and I was dead tired during the parade. Relatives from Laguna, who seldom visit Tondo, came that weekend to celebrate with us. Of course, lotsa good food. :)

* 26th Birthday

~Yup, I just reached my 26th year of life last January. We did not celebrate it full blast, but hey, I was very happy. :) It was the first time I received flowers from my dear husband. *blush* We just had dinner at home on my special day. The weekend after, we went to Enchanted Kingdom. It was Nicole's first time to go there. She enjoyed running around such big place and trying out the kiddie rides.  We stayed at my aunt's house just near the theme park and spent the night there. That weekend was surely a blast! :)

*Valentine's Day

~DH is not the type who'd give flowers every occasion there is. But I think he changed a bit... Aside from my birthday, he again surprised me with a very nice bouquet of lovely pink roses and carnations - my favorite flower. V day was celebrated with Nicole's pedia, as we had to visit him for DD's check-up. She was having colds and cough which resulted to mild asthma attack. After the pedia visit, we went to Makati to pay for the flowers we had delivered to my SIL's in-laws. The shop attendant was very generous to give me one long-stemmed peach rose and 2 stems of carnations. Maybe she knew carnation's my favorite. :) Then we went to Blue Wave, Macapagal only to find out Steak MD was closed. So we headed to Tomas Morato to have the steaks we've been craving for. Yum! :)

WTH, I missed posting a lot! :) I hope I can cope up from what I missed and try blogging again as often as I can.

My Expression Number Is...

Your Expression Number is 9

An idealist and humanitarian, you strive to make the world a better place. You do your best when you follow your feelings and sense of compassion. Deep down, you dream of being loved by many. You are capable of much human understanding and have a lot to give to others. While you are very ambitious, you never lose site of perspective. You have an abundance of creative talents... you just need to tap into them. Although you are a giving person, you can become selfish if you are ignored. If you are not able to help people, you tend to shelf your talents. Without others, you become aloof and start to lack sensitivity.

What's Your Expression Number?

I Need To...

...update this blog. A lot has happened yet I haven't posted them on this blog. The season has been keeping me VERY busy, hence the update-less blog. Will blog about the past happenings when I have the time (hopefully after Christmas and before the New Year comes). :)

The Wrapping Paper Test

You Are Considerate and Mature

You approach the holidays with responsibility and cooperation. You'll do your part to make sure that everyone else has a happy holiday. You aren't particularly picky or high maintenance during the holidays. You're happy to be in the company of people you love, and you're willing to "go with the flow." Of all the types, you are the most likely to give someone exactly what they want. You're also the most likely to wrap all your presents well - to prevent peeking!

The Wrapping Paper Test

Safety Riding

Since the accident we met a couple of months ago, we always made sure to ride safely. Aside from driving not too fast now, we always wear our helmets. But due to low budget, we initially got those cheap helmets from Port Area, which are not actually that safe (just to keep ourselves away from the MMDA and traffic enforcers).

Not until last week that we have decided (and had the budget) to buy new helmets... the safer ones. :) We travelled down South to Festival Mall, Alabang just to get our new safety gears. We got them from RideGear, since they sell them at cheaper prices against other stores in Manila.

I actually didn't have the plan yet to buy my own helmet. But since it was a long travel and it's already dark (at 9 in the evening), I decided to buy one for myself too.

Why in different angles, you ask? Well, it's because I'm flaunting the stickers we had made just to personalize our helmets (hubby's has his name on the other side of the helmet and mine's so kikay). Hehehe...

Too Fast

She's growing up too fast. {sigh} I'm already missing her baby wails when she wants to be carried, fed, or when she needs a diaper change. Hehehe... But I'm happy she's growing up the way we have always wanted her to be.

Keep it up, girl! You'll always be our baby. :)

My First Coach

Yup, you read it right. I'll be having my first Coach bag in ~34hours. Yay!!!

My MIL's coming home tomorrow night from Tokyo. And since my SIL loves me so much (naks!), she's sending a Coach bag for me. She bought me a Signature Stripe Tote as her advance birthday gift. And the moment she told me that, I got sooooooo excited and happy! :)

Thanks so much Ate Beth for this wonderful gift. I soooo appreciate it and I looooove it! :)

And with it being my FIRST Coach bag, here's a sneak of what I'm having, except that mine isn't zip top:

Almost A Month

Wow... it's been almost a month since my last post. In my previous post, I was counting the days before my DD's second birthday. Now, I'll be counting the days before Christmas! :)

But before Christmas strikes this blog, I'll show you some pics from my baby's 2nd birthday.

The Star City plan did not push through. But we'll do it some other day... soon. :)

Only 9 Days To Go...

...and she'll be TWO! :)

I just hope she enjoys her 2nd birthday even without the party. :) One of hubby's uncle arrived from the US and an aunt will be arriving from Japan on the 20th, so we hope the lil girl will have bulging pockets on her birthday. :)

Anyway, even if there's none, I'm sure to make her very happy on her special day.

No Tricks, All Treats

As I mentioned in my previous post, DD had her first trick or treat at Fun Ranch last Saturday. Although it was sooooo HOT, she had fun fun fun!

Good thing she did not get sick after the event. She was wearing a furry costume yet the area was soooo hot, with no ventilation at all. It rained a few minutes before 2pm, so the program started 1 hour late. And since the area was not covered, everyone had to stay on both sides of the stage. It was actually a riot! Hahaha!

They also had games, but since my lil girl is too young for those, we stayed at Q Power Station at the 2nd floor. We played a few games until it was time for the distribution of loot bags. They started calling kids in ascending order from number 1, and since we're number 176, we still had enough time for the carousel ride. She was pointing at the carousel calling the horses. Hahaha!

To sum it all up, I think the best part for my lil girl was the loot bag filled with candies. She enjoyed running around Fun Ranch, looking for the next shop to visit, and fill her bag with candies! Hahaha! She's a certified sweet tooth, you know. :) Too bad, I was not able to take a shot of her loot bag, she didn't want to let go of it. Hahaha!

4 More Days To Go

before DD's first trick or treat. :) We registered for Fun Ranch's No Trick All Treats which will be held on Saturday, October 25. Since this will be her first time, I am very excited for her. She'll be wearing a costume! Hahaha!!!

My bro's girlfriend offered her niece's pink leopard costume which was used last year. And here's how she would look like:

DD wore it once and she looked soooo cute in it! Can't wait for the actual event! Hehehe!

However, I'm still thinking of getting her a hula (Hawaiian) costume - bikini top and grass skirt - since I know she'll melt while roaming around Tiendesitas. The place is soooo hot! Anyway, with the very limited time I have - leaving the house for work at 6:30AM and arriving home at 8:00PM - I wonder how I can drop by Divi to get a cheap costume. Hehehe :)

One Month To Go

At exactly one month from now, our lil girl will be TWO. Yay!!! I just wish she won't be a terrible two! Hahaha!!! Well, I know her so well. She's one nice and sweet lil girl. ;)

Anyway, we're not planning a party for her but we're sure to give her a blast on her special day. We originally plan to bring her to Enchanted Kingdom, but were held back by the thought that the rides are more enjoyable for the adults than the kids.

Next idea is Manila Ocean Park. I know she would love to be surrounded by swimming fishes and sharks. But I thought the price is not worth the entertainment awaiting. You'll tire your legs and feet from walking inside the large aquarium seeing only the sea creatures as they dance in the water for PHP450?! And that would take you less than 1 hour to finish the adventure.

Our last option is Star City. Everytime we pass by CCP/Roxas Blvd./Gil Puyat, as long as she sees the the wizard's large hat and the lights flashing outside the park, she would scream "Tartity!" And when you tell her you'll go out with her, she would say either "Eshem" for SM, "Jajijee" for Jollibee, or "Tartity" for Star City. So we thought that's the cheapest option that she'd enjoy. For just PHP300 for RAYC ticket and PHP60 for entrance fee, it's worth enjoying the place! Hahaha!

Look Ma, One Hand!

That's how I am right now.

Since the start of this month, hubby would drop me off the Recto station of LRT2 at around 6:30 to 6:45 in the morning. But yesterday was different. Right in front of the station gate is a U-turn slot. We always take a U-turn there so we can easily get to the gate. But yesterday, our S8 slipped, leaving us front flat on the floor. We were both covered with dirt since it drizzled earlier that morning, leaving the road wet and slippery. Hubby stood up immediately as he heard me wail with hurt. I was crying of my aching left arm. He stood the S8 up, then reached for me and accompanied me as we aboard the S8 again. Then, we went home.

Though we both know that we were hurt, I was the one who asked him to go home first so we can change clothes and take a rest for a while as we were both dizzy from the fall. We rested for a few minutes at home, changed shirts, then went to the UST hospital for my examination. He was hurt too, with bruises on his left cheek, lower lip, chin, left arm, left knee and left leg, but nothing major. Mine was the one he insisted to have checked. We went straight to the ER and was attended by the doctor. They asked me questions, had me x-rayed, asked hubby to buy an arm sling for me, and then let me wear them.

At first sight, no fracture can be found on my x-ray. But since I could not turn/twist my arm, the Ortho-Surgeon suggested to leave my x-ray so they can further examine as it is not compatible that I don't have any fracture yet I could not move my arm. Though he already told me that it looks like my arm was a bit dislocated as the bone went a bit through my radial joint, thus I am unable to move it. :(

We'll come back on Thursday for the x-ray results and the medical certificate, which costs 50 Pesos, that I requested. Then hopefully, my arm gets better by next week. However, the Ortho-Surgeon already advised to keep my arm sling worn for 2 weeks. :(

Baby Girl At The Casino

It was last Saturday night, October 11, when a baby girl was spotted inside the Casino Filipino in Parañaque. Too young to be playing poker or even the slot machine, but yes, she was INSIDE THE CASINO.

We were there for the Wanders show. That afternoon, a friend of mom called to tell that she got us 5 tickets to the Wanders show. So at night, off we went. The show was spectacular! At first, I was expecting of just the usual circus show, less the big elephants and lions. Hahaha! Well, I was wrong. It was a musical show showcasing the different talents of Chinese acrobats and classically-trained Russian dancers. The production as a whole was very great! Kids and adults alike enjoyed the show, even my 2-year old daughter!

Since cameras are not allowed inside, we were not able to capture a few scenes. Hence, I got these from other sites just to share with you:

Wanders is a spectacular musical extravaganza that combines the elements of theater, concert, circus and dance in one exciting show. It is a sentimental journey of two “wanderers” who are brought into different magnificent acts by a tourist guide.

We were so lucky to witness the show for free! :)

Handbag For Free

I've always been a fan of handbags - be it formal, casual, classy, and even diaper bags. I'm not actually brand conscious. I just want my bags to have enough compartments 'cause I don't want my stuff getting mixed up inside the bag (it could be a total mess!). I also want it to be stylish as I don't want to walk around bringing a grandma handbag. Hehehe...

Handbag Planet is an angel to all handbag lovers. Their bags are just my type. Aside from the great styles, I think the sizes are also good - not too big and not too small. They're having a contest wherein you can win a handbag every hour. They're having this before their launch on October 15, and that's only 5 days away. So hurry, sign up now so you can join their raffle. :)

Another Year To Celebrate

Our lil princess is already 22 months and 2 weeks old. That means, only less than 2 months til she celebrates her 2nd year. Being the smart, cheerful, and playful toddler that she is, I know she deserves a party this year. However, hubby and I were not able to prepare for that. So, we decided to give her a blast on her 3rd birthday.

For this year, we plan to let her enjoy her day either at Gymboree or at Enchanted Kingdom. I know, she cannot experience the rides yet, but she can experience the magic, as their tagline goes "The magic is here." Hahaha! Well, she enjoyed Star City so we're sure that she'll enjoy EK more.

Looking forward to giving her one of the best days she can have. :)

MIA

I know, I've been missing-in-action for a while. Well, days have been very busy for me, both at work and at home. Today is our boss' (team supervisor) last day with the company, so we've been settling things before she leaves. Also, we've been working on a long overdue project but everything's dependent on the vendor. Oh well, our big boss has given them a deadline already. They should finish it by October 20, otherwise, we'll return the equipment to them. And we're talking of millions here.

On another note, SIL had her first ultrasound last week. It was very nice to know that everyone's fine, she and especially the baby. We were very excited when we knew she's pregnant again, yet very worried as she is diabetic. So we never get tired of reminding her to take care of her health as the baby will be affected. So far, so good. Prayers are really very powerful. :)

As for our lil girl, she loves singing now! Hahaha! Your day won't end without hearing her sing her heart out. :D She loves Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Barney's I Love You Song, Old MacDonald Had A Farm, and a lot more. Though I haven't recorded her singing yet. That's my assignment for the weekend. :)

It's Friday and it's raining... I think it's our bed calling me. Hahaha! Unfortunately, I can't spend much time sleeping over the weekend, lotsa things to do. :)

I'm Glad We're Alike

You Are Totally Like Your Mom

You and your mom are practically clones. You think alike, and you even seem to read each other's minds. And while you get along well now, you probably fought when you were a teenager. You're definitely you're mother's child... and that's just fine with you.

Are You Like Your Mom?

Great Weekend That Was

Yay for my weekend!!! :) We had a blast! Hahaha!!!

Saturday - we went to Tagaytay. As I've mentioned on my previous post, we went to Tagaytay riding our S8. :) At 5AM, DH and I were already at the Caltex C-5. We met up with the other MCP members and then we went straight to Caltex Alabang to meet the other participants. We took the East Service Road going to Alabang. We were there at around 7AM. Then, we left Alabang at around 8AM.

From there, we passed by Daang-Hari, Molino, GMA Cavite, out to Aguinaldo Hi-way, straight to Tagaytay. The fastest we did was 100kph, which was not bad as there were 2 of us riding. One of the participants was actually complaining 'cause he couldn't reach 100kph the fact that he's alone on his bike. Hahaha!!! :)

The ride was smooth and cheap. We only spent around Php250 for the entire trip (Manila-Eastwood-C-5-Alabang-Tagaytay-Manila). Not to mention the food was free. Hahaha! Although tiring especially for my back (lucky are those who have the GIVI), it was so much fun! :) DH promised we'll do it again.

Sunday - We woke up at around 8AM and immediately prepared for the 9AM mass. I gave DD a nice bath, dressed her up, had myself and hubby prepare afterwards. We had mass at Binondo Church (Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz), went to 168, had breakfast at McDo, played a little at Timezone (one of DD's favorite play place) and went shopping. Although we didn't have much to shop, we just got 2 rain gears for DH and me, a belt bag for him, a pair of shoes for me, and a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD for DD. She had so much fun running around the place! Hahaha! Oh, and she even called one of the mannequins Mu-mu. She thought the mannequin was scary. Hahaha!

We had lunch at home - pork binagoongan was superb! Then had an afternoon nap. Although at 2PM, we were up already. We dropped the lil girl to my parents' place, then hubby and I went to buy diapers and to the salon for his haircut.

Back to my parents' place, everyone craved for some inihaw. We went out to buy a lot of inihaw. Hahaha! Then at night, we had halo-halo and bibingka. Yum!