When Nature Cries

I was in San Diego with my DH and DD along with our friends, the Obligacions, when I saw the devastating images of Metro Manila brought about by the destructive Typhoon Ondoy. I couldn't believe my eyes as I went through pictures of floating cars, people swimming for their lives, people desperately clinging onto whatever they can reach just to avoid going onto the current that was caused by the overflowing bodies of water! And it's all happening in Metro Manila. It is the place I was born at, I grew up in, fell in love, had my heart broken, learned, gained friends, it is my hometown. My heart bleeds for the families who lost everything they had, the families who lost their loved ones, the people who are still stranded in their homes up to now, with no food nor water to drink, to the children who got soaked in the rain and who tremble after their lives. May the Lord be with them at this devastating time.

Marielle's 2nd Birthday

A week after Marielle's party I still feel a bit harrassed! Unlike her 1st birthday party which I planned for at least 6 months, her 2nd party was somewhat "photo-finished." First of all, we didn't really want a big party for her and secondly when we decided that we'll throw her one again this year, a lot of circumstances/occasions came in such as Kuya Arman's illness that led to his death :(, Mark and Geny's wedding which all 3 of us were part of, and little celebrations here and there. So pretty much, I only had 2 weeks to prepare for Marielle's party!! whew!!



I started off with the theme. Ever since last year, I've already thought of having Mickey Mouse Clubhouse as a theme for her party. Marielle loves Mickey and Minnie!!! In fact, Minnie Mouse is the very first character that she knew of!

Then we picked the venue. Originally we told ourselves that we'll just have it at my parents house but I realized that there's not much space for the kids to play at since the swimming pool occupies most of the backyard! So we ended up reserving a spot at the park specifically at the Casa Adobe de San Rafael Historic Park in Glendale. We've been eyeing this park for the longest time already because of the "exclusivity" that it gives. However, due to unfortunate circumstances such as the big fire that broke out in La Canada and La Crescenta, having the party at the park posted the risk of people inhaling the smoke that comes from the fire and not to mention the possibility of ashes falling down on our food!! Ugly ugly picture!! So in order to avoid this, we just decided to move the venue to the Brand Studios which is also in Glendale. Compared to Casa Adobe, Brand Studios is enclosed and is airconditioned which made the guests very happy :)

2 weeks before the party, I went to the Toy District in dowtown LA to shop for prizes, giveaways, pinata, and all the other stuff I can use for the party. I'm so happy with all the stuff I bought. The bakugan toys were a big hit with the little boys, the little girls loved the Minnie ears headband that light up as well as the Mickey head "wand" that also light up in different colors!! For giveaways, I bought little Minnie&Mickey gift bags and stuffed them with writing set, coloring book with crayons and blowing bubbles. Luckily, my mom in law sent me more Mickey&Minnie stuff from the Philippines. She sent little backpacks that the kids loved!! And more bag stuffers like the handfan, yoyo, cotton candy -- all of which are Mickey&Minnie!!

The food were mostly homemade. Except for the famouse OK Chinese Fried Chicken, Pork BBQ, Pancit Malabon, and Turon. My mom cooked Roast beef with mushroom sauce, Pinoy style spaghetti, leche flan, and almond jelly. Mama La cooked the Lumpiang Hubad and she also made a tray of the Peach float. I baked mini Red Velvet cupcakes and also made Rice kripies in the form of Mickey's head! We were so afraid we'd run out of food since we don't usually cook for that much people...thankfully we didn't instead there were a lot left for the others to take home.

Overall, the party was a success!! The kids had fun and Marielle has been recounting this special day and in fact she had been reenacting how she blew her birthday candle! That's all that matters to me...that Marielle was happy and that she felt very very special on her birthday.

Until next year! :)

Marielle Turns 2!!!

Marielle will turn 2 tomorrow!! How time flies!! To celebrate her birthday, she will have a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed party at the Brand Studios in Glendale. We were supposed to have it at the Casa Adobe Park but due to the poor air quality brought about by the huge fire going on at the neighboring cities of Glendale, we have decided to move it at an enclosed venue. After her first birthday party which was pretty big with over 150 guests, balloon arrangements, complete entertainment, and catered food, Marv and i agreed that we'll definitely have a small party this year, to cut the cost and the stress! Or so we thought!! We realized we can't really have a "small" party. This year we have invited 100 guests. Those people are really close to us...and have seen Marielle grow up. The cost may have been cut to half since this time around we'll be cooking most of the food, less entertainment and decors, but the stress is the same!! But it's really all worth it. Marielle has been like a phenomenon to the whole family, extended family included. Everyone was always eager to see her and witness her growing up. With this, I think it's not but proper to celebrate her birthday with all the people who love her.

Will post photos of the party. :)

Off We Go to Disneyland!!!!

We're going on a 2-night Disneyland weekend to celebrate Aidan's birthday!! Aidan is like Marielle's "closest" friend here in LA. Aidan was born 3 weeks ahead of Marielle and she is just so fond of him. This is going to be Marielle's first trip to the Happiest Place on Earth!! :) I'm so excited for her considering that her favorite character is Mickey Mouse. Will surely post pictures!!!

p.s.
It's 100+ degrees everywhere in LA!! I hope tomorrow's weather wouldn't be so bad. Please, Lord. :)

My Little Flower Girl

I am such a proud mommy!

At 23-months, Marielle walked down the aisle as Mark & Geny's flower girl on Sunday. Prior the wedding I'd have Marielle try on her gown every now and then but she never really wanted to wear it. She would run just by the sight of it and would really cry if I force her to wear it! But surprisingly on the day itself, she wore it from the ceremony at the church to the reception at the hotel -- with no complaints at all!

I'm such a stage mother! Haha!

:(

Ate E just called me. Crying. Kuya A is not responding to her anymore. He's getting weaker by the hour and his vitals are low. How do you comfort someone whose husband is about to pass away before her very eyes? They met in the Philippines. Ate E lived with us and Kuya A was our neighbor. They got married and got pregnant. Kuya A had to leave the country for the US. They were in a long distance relationship for 7 years. Now with 2 little boys and with almost 2 years of being reunited in the States they are faced with the hardest circumstance of all - Death. Kuya A was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer in April of this year. After a series of confinement at the hospital he now finds himself in the hospice. It's like a waiting room for death. He's just 43 with so many dreams and plans for his family. Why is he in that place? I couldn't find the words to make Ate E feel better. There are no words really. No one is ever ready in losing a loved one. I just told her that God has plans for us and that we should just leave it all up to him. But deep inside of me I am crying. Kuya A doesn't have a bad bone in him. They loved each other so much. They looked like high school sweethearts showering each other with affection all the time. Everytime I picture Kuya A's predicament, I shake my head. Why?? God has the answer and it's always a good one. I trust him and I guess that's what Ate E just needs to do too. God will never let us down.

Devoted Wife. When her husband, Senator Ninoy Aquino, was assasinated she took the courage to continue the battle that he has started. From a simple housewife she then took the role to be the country's next president.

Symbol of Philippine Democracy. She led a peaceful revolution which is more popularly known as the People Power/EDSA Revolution that resulted in the ousting of former president Ferdinand Marcos. It was the end of dictatorship and the beginning of democracy.

True Catholic. Her strong faith in the Lord was evident as she inspired the Filipino people to resort to prayers instead of violence. People held on to rosaries instead of guns.

Simple Woman. Corazon Aquino was an epitome of Simplicity. Despite the fact that she came from a wealthy family and was married to an influential person she maintained her modesty. She shied away from the luxuries that were just a hand's reach from her. The things she valued were the ones that didn't have a price tag on them such as her principles, her faith, her friends, her countrymen, and her family.

A Caring Mother. She never really exposed her personal life to the public but with the words and actions her children have for her, one can really tell how loving and caring their mother was. She wasn't only a mother to her 5 children but she was also like a mother to the Filipinos.

May her soul rest in peace and may her spirit be with the Filipinos.

Kuya A

It amazes me how one can find inspiration when and where we least expect it.

A relative is battling the Big C for a few months now. It's pretty hard to accept the fact that he's at the last stages of it already. His body is already rejecting the medications needed to at least lengthen his life and his organs are already showing signs of "giving up." His body is clearly about to say goodbye but not his mind, heart, and soul. It's ironic and sad that now that his doctors are already making him realize that there's really nothing else that they can do but give him comfort, it is now that he appears to be "full of life." His sense of humor is at its best, he even has beautiful plans for the holidays to come, for the birthdays of his two little boys, and for their very young family. On his "healthier" days he did nothing but work hard to give his family a bright future, made them feel loved and cared for, and showed the people around him that anything and everything is possible. Times like these one can't help but question, why him?? Why does God let such a thing happen to people with kind hearts and to people who still has a lot of dreams to pursue. But who are we to question Him? He works in mysterious ways and physical burdens or even loss don't always have to be bad. Somehow He manages to make us realize that there's always something good to it. That is why our family leaves it all up to Him.

Kuya A is a fighter from beginning 'til the end. His strength never waivers. Each time I see him, he always has a smile glued on his face. I never heard him complain of his illness rather he always tells us that he's doing okay, that will overcome it. His courage is truly inspiring and indeed one of a kind. I really pray that God gives him a chance to be with us for some more time. I know God sees how hard he tries to fight this battle, please let him win this time.

The Ultimate Mancini

Last night, the hubby took me out on a unique date. We took the bus from Chatsworth to the Hollywood Bowl to witness the performance of the LA Philharmonic Orchestra led by Bill Conti in paying tribute to the award-winning composer, conductor, and arranger Henry Mancini. Mancini's great works include Moon River, The Pink Panther, Charade, and Peter Gunn. His daughter Monica Mancini was also there to sing some of his hits. It was such an experience! 

We brought with us a cooler packed with some turkey wraps, shrimp pasta, rice krispies, chocolates, and of course a bottle of sweet red wine.

 Despite the fact that we were in the middle of Hollywood, it didn't seem like we were in LA! The beautiful music, the stars above us, the loving couples made the night very romantic! Towards the end of the night they displayed a fireworks show that seemed to dance with the music of the orchestra. It was such a moment to behold. 

Little Businesswoman

I feel like a walking zombie right now. Slept relatively late last night baking a cake somebody ordered from me. It's called "Death by Chocolate," a recipe my bff shared with me. It became an instant hit at home and at my sister-in-law's workplace too. I've always known that I have an entrepreneurial side in me, selling little trinkets bought from DiVi in 4th grade, making and selling chocolates in High School, and some accessories & RTWs once in a while. But with my latest passion which is baking it has given me another opportunity to earn extra $$$...or so I thought. Upon finishing up my cake last night, both my mom and sister think that I charged my customer so much lower than how the cake's supposed to cost (considering the time, effort, and gas consumed) . I realized it's so much more difficult to price something that you've given so much of your time and effort to (since it's something we don't really put a price tag on). Well, I'm a newbie at the baking department...hopefully I'll get the hang of selling my baked goodies at the "right price" real soon. And I'd love to hear from you if you have any tips/suggestions on how to price cakes and cupcakes too. But in any way, I'm just so grateful that people love what I do...and that I am on my way of earning from what I love to do. :)

By the way, today is Friday!!! Thank God for Fridays!!! (and for all the days as well) Tonight, the hubby and I are going on a date!! I can't wait! Have a nice weekend guys!!

toot toot toot toot

It's Wednesday morning. Midweek. My mind is very very busy. I hope my thoughts materialize. Main thing on my head now: to help the impoverish children in the Philippines in my own litle way. I'm thinking of collecting stuff, old or new, and share them with our less fortunate kababayans. As they say, a garbage to one could be a gold to another. I hope this plan will really become a reality. I would love to see smiles especially on children's faces.

Mourning

I watched Michael Jackson's Memorial at work. It made me teary eyed...ok, it made me cry. Good thing my boss was running after a deadline he didn't notice me. I cry in almost all funerals I go to. I won't forget that one time I went with my hubby in one of his piano gigs at a funeral. I cried a bucket!! And I didn't even know that person who passed away. Since then I told my husband I won't go with him anymore. But today, it was Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, the icon behind the music I sang with, danced with. Listening to his friends and family who revealed his beautiful side really moved me...Brookeshield's eulogy was heartfelt and so was Magic Johnson's but the most striking one was Paris Michael's. You can see the sincerity...the grief...the feeling of tremendous loss.  More than anything else, as a mother, I pray that these kids would grow up in a good and healthy environment, with loving and caring people. Every parent wishes that of their children, I'm sure that's what MJ wanted too. 

Jennifer Behr

I want this so bad! For someone like me who always loves to accessorize, this headband is a gem!! Literally and figuratively! Priced at $625.00, how in the world can this precious thing land on my waiting head?! Will I be able to post photos of myself wearing this gorgeous find?!

So Sad

                                                                                    

I grew up with his songs.

I danced with his music. 

He's always been larger than life. 

Now he's gone and I still couldn't believe it.

He will always be alive through his music. 

R.I.P. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett too.

What a sad day this has been.  

Naot

I've come to know this shoe brand when the hubby and I were (window)shopping in NY! I was about to get myself another pair of Birkenstock Madrid sandals in patent leather...I am such a big fan of Birkenstock since my cousin who was married to a German guy inroduced me to that brand during my childhood years. Do you remember those days we'd wear Birks with socks?! hahaha! (I hope no photos of myself wearing that 'trend' would ever resurface! )And so, while browsing through Birkenstock sandals, this baby caught my attention. Doesn't it look like it comes from the same family as Birks?

Despite the similarities, this one is under a different brand -- Naot. Naot footwear began 30 years ago in Israel and came to the US 13 years later. These sandals are so far the most comfy ones I've ever tried on! Well, I haven't really test-driven these (with long walks or long standing) but just the feel of it when I tried 'em on should be enough to make me choose it over my long-time fave Birkenstock! It has a cushiony feel that seems to embrace my feet! I found out that it's made with memory foam. Talk about foot ecstasy! And let's not mention that it has sparkly stones over its metallic leather strap which makes it equally stylish as well! This particular sandal is called Marissa and is sold at $ 136.00

I'm hoping that my Israeli boss would find me a pair of these in his native land on his next trip there for a much much less $$$. Wish me luck!

My Papa

In the spirit of Father's Day, I'd like to pay tribute to my papa who's always been the number 1 man in my life! In so doing, I'd love to share with you just some of the teachings he always impart with us...(there's just waay too much!)

1. It's always good to give than to receive. He always tells us that having more to share is always better than being on the receiving end. (When we were still in the Philippines we'd prepare baskets filled with grocery items which we distribute to the less fortunate during Christmas. I actually miss doing that.)

2. Education is a treasure. My papa is a very studious person. He refuses to stop learning. He always reads and continues to gain knowledge. You will always have the edge when you are educated. (p.s. the girls in our family are such mall rats!! my papa was never the one to complain to drive us to malls, but you will always find him in National Bookstore or Borders while we girls spend hours in shopping!)

3. Well-Rounded. My papa didn't only instill in us the value of education. He wanted us to be well-rounded individuals as well. Whenever we had guests at home, he didn't want us hiding in our rooms! He wanted us to be sociable and to entertain our guests properly.

4. When I wasn't married yet, he always tells me that I should finish college and get a good job. He tells me that I should always have my own money so that when I get married my husband wouldn't totally take control of me. It's always nice to have my own.

5. If it ain't broke, why fix it. My papa is far from being a cheapskate. In fact, he prefers more expensive but higher quality things and so it takes him quite a while to replace stuff. If you can still use it regardless of it looking old and overused, why replace it?

6. Always find a partner that will bring out the best in you. In my younger years, he always tells me that my boyfriend/husband should have the characteristics that will help me become a better person, not someone that will drag me down but rather help me in reaching my dreams and goals in life.

7. Choose your battles. "It's not good to argue all the time." I hear this a lot when my siblings and I fight and argue. He always tells us that "kung kayang palampasin, palampasin na lang."

8. Don't stoop down to their level. In connection to #2 & #7 my papa has always wanted us to be peacemakers. Whether it be on the road (with unruly jeepney drivers) or in our school (with bully classmates) he always tells us not to stoop down to "their" level. I remember him to always say that he will only fight with people with much higher stature that him although it doesn't necessarily mean that you won't be fighting for your principles. Hindi nagpapatalo ang papa ko but he knows how to "fight" with pride and with grace.

9. Always pay your bills on time! Enough said.

10. Capture every moment. When I had Marielle he always reminds me to constantly take pictues of her. My papa is such a "poser." No wonder my sister and I love posing for the camera. My papa is always always "camera-ready."

11. Think Positive. I got my optimism from papa. The never-say-never-always-aim-high attitude he has has rubbed on me. And he's very vocal about this. Our old house used to have posters with such positive quotes that would often remind us to always think good and always dream big.

12. Always Pray. More than being religious, my papa is very spiritual. His faith is his strongest characteristic. He never fails to remind us the power of prayer. Whenever we get a new car, he would handwrite a prayer on an index card, a prayer we should keep in the car -in the glove compartment, specifically- and pray everytime we drive. When we travel, he would do the same thing: he would give us a prayer we can recite to ask for guidance and safety throughout our journey. Now you get the idea, our papa is like a doctor he has "prescription prayers" for everything. In essence, he just always wants us to talk to God, to let God know that He is NEVER forgotten.

I could go on and on and on with this....

After writing all this, now I realize that so much of me is influenced by my papa. I'm still looking forward to learning more from him.

Thank God It's Friday, and for many other things as well...

thank God it's Friday! which reminds me that it's been a week now that I got this bad cold! I think I got this from Marielle or shall I say I took this from Marielle when I said that I wish I'm the one who's got the cold. God is good. He gives me all that I wish for. Now I wish that it goes away....far away that it doesn't reach any living creature. Good thing I'm a hoarder! I stocked up on Kleenex when it went on sale for 99 cents!

Now I need a really good massage. Living in the States makes it almost impossible for me to get this "privilege" which used to be a "vice" in Manila! But again, God works in many ways...the Chinese people really know how to make everything affordable and I'm not just talking about those almost authentic Chanel and Hermes purses but they have gone beyond that and accessed even the most kept nerve in my body. For $15 I can be in ecstasy for 60 minutes! They call it foot massage but they also massage your head, shoulders, back, arms, and hands...in short you get a full body experience! Try it and I'm sure you'll tell me it's the best $15 you've ever spent!

Marvin's Car Cake

*This is waaaaaay overdue*

This year Marvin didn't want any big party or some crazy night out for his birthday. All he wanted were lots of sushi and tempura. One would think that it's such an easy wish...BUT not to me! It was my first time to roll sushi and fry shrimp tempura!! Goodness gracious! Now I know why Japanese dining costs sooo much!! From peeling the shrimps' shell, to deveining it, to making sure it comes out straight when cooked, to rolling the sushi on the bamboo mat down to slicing it evenly!! After that night, I realized that that was in fact Marvin's most difficult birthday wish to date!! *I have to thank a lot of people who helped me pull it off!!

My labor (of love) actually began the day before his birthday...I went to my second cake decorating class and came up with a "Birthday Car Cake" for Marvin. I'm glad he liked it! :)

We left for New York 2 days after his birthday (that is the reason why i was MIA for a looong time!) I will be posting photos of our trip soon!!

The Pressure is On!!

I got my very first cake order!!! Everytime I bake it's always for my family or friends who never had to pay me. But this one is different...I'm actually gonna get paid for baking!! I'm excited but nervous!! I'm praying my cake turns out good...and tastes good too!!!

The pressure is so on.

By the way, father's day is just a few days away....what to give, what to give???

Wow! Indeed, coming home from vacations never fail to get me off-track. And that is the reason for my being MIA for almost a month! To celebrate Marvin's 26th Birthday as well as our 2nd Wedding Anniversary, we decided to go to the Big Apple. It was my first trip there and it didn't fall short of my expectations! I truly heart NY!! Here's just a few captured moments we had during our 5-day trip there!

We rode a shuttle bus from the JFK airport to our hotel in Times Square. The bus was driven by this asian man on the photo who barely spoke English and who....

...yelled at me after I took this photo while inside the tunnel. I've never heard of such a rule but as they say ignorance is never an excuse. Well, at least now I am proud to be the owner of this "very rare" photo. ;) And now, onto our NYC escapade!!

I've received caricature drawings in the past but this was the first time that I really sat down in front of an artist while he draws my face...as the public looks on. I guess subconsciously I thought to myself that it had to be in NY Times Square, no less ;) By the way, what do you think of Marvin's caricature? I've had mixed, mixed reactions of that! Haha!

From Times Square, our feet brought us to Rockefeller Center. Because it's spring time, the skating rink turned into "Rink Bar." Too bad I didn't get the chance to iceskate there but seeing the beautiful and colorful flowers is good enough or actually even better ;)

The beautiful St. Patrick's Cathedral. It's amazing how "tourist-friendly" this cathedral is but at the same time they are still able to maintain the solemnity for those who came to hear mass or simply pray on their own.

That's me standing on the streets of the East Village where NYU students hang out! We had Yakitori and Kalbi for dinner! We went to the Greenwich Village afterwards.

And to cap the night off, we met up with my longtime girlfriend Mishel who's now based in NY and the Obligacions who were also visiting from LA. What a long day it was!

On our 2nd day we did the obligatory photo op at the Statue of Liberty. Then I said, "yun na pala yun."

From the Liberty Island we then went to the WTC site...there we found flowers, pictures, and cards commemorating birthdays of loved ones lost by the very tragic 9/11 incident. It's a very different sight from the lively, energetic streets of NYC.

After a spirit-dampening moment at the WTC site, we gave in to our "cheesy" side and had a double date dinner at the Serendipity. Okay, let me clarify that...Amy & I gave in to our "cheesy" side...Im sure Marv and Roj would want me to make that clarification.

And of course, I can't leave NY without trying Serendipity's Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. :)

This was at the "Top of the Rock" in Rockefeller Center. The view is really breathtaking!! It's funny how I realized why Central Park is called Central Park! It's practically in the middle of the sky-high buildings! It's awesome how those busy corporate slaves change into their running shoes during their break and sit under a tree as they enjoy their organic lunch at the park.

As if the magnificent view at the TOR wasn't enough, we continued to indulge our eyes with more beautiful images at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Though this time around, these are man's works of art.

The image on the left is by Auguste Renoit. He called it A Young Girl with Daisies.

Henri Matisse's Reclining Odalisque

Getting my Red Velvet cupcake from the bakery made famous by the SATC ladies.

Untitled

Life is simple. It's not as complicated as people think. It shouldn't be and it doesn't really have to be. That is why it frustrates me how people make things so complicated. It is immature, unnecessary, stupid, and totally a waste of time and energy. You get what you give. That is my motto. Some just get lucky. Pero kung gusto mo magulo, magulo rin ang balik sa'yo. Kung gusto mo ng ayos, maayos ang dating sa'yo. And I am not a fan of chaos. Gusto ko masaya lagi kaya masaya lagi ako. I always smile so people who see me will smile at me. I don't say bad things about other people so they won't say bad things about me. I cannot please everybody, but I try my best to. Sabi nga nila, life is short sasayangin ko pa ba ito sa pagiisip ng masama sa ibang tao? Definitely not. I won't give any room for negativities in my home, in my heart, nor in my life. I have a daughter and she will grow up in a happy environment. She is a happy baby. And I thank the Lord for that. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing your daughter smile. Nobody is perfect. We always hear this, why? Because it is true. So nobody can think less of other people. Because everybody is less...no one is more than the other. In the eyes of God we are all the same.

My First Ever Cake

Yesterday, I had my first cake decorating class at Kake Kreations. I had to bring my 8-inch round yellow cake and a batch of buttercream frosting that I did at home (thanks to my KitchenAid Artisan which made my life so much easier!! It's truly heaven sent!). For my first class, they had me do a butterfly cake. In order to achieve its shape, I sliced my round cake in half and put them side by side to make a butterfly figure. Then, I crumb coated it with my frosting. After a few minutes in the refrigerator, I coated it one more time (this time with lots and lots) of icing in order to cover crumbs and enhance its shape. And then I drew lines with the piping gel and food coloring mixture. In order to achieve the "curves" I used a wooden toothpick to "draw lines" across the colored lines without touching the cake, just the frosting. And then with the use of my #17 tip I decorated the sides of the cake just like writing the small letter "e" with the buttercream frosting. And then I used the rest of my piping gel and coloring mixture to put dots on my "e" design. And then after making its head with the buttercream frosting, i topped it off with some edible glitters!!!

I really had so much fun yesterday! It was such an achievement for me. Even if it's really tiring and a bit costly (with all those materials and ingredients), the feeling is just priceless. It's just so soothing and relaxing.

1 down, 7 more to go...

p.s.

I don't why my photo appears this way when the original is positioned correctly...it won't even let me rotate it. Help!

TOTE buy or not to buy?

I am such a big fan of big handbags. Really biiiiig handbags that Marielle, my year and a half old baby, can even fit into 'em. But Ironically I don't really invest in those. I find myself spending more moolah on "medium" sized ones. My biggest bag investment would be Chanel's 2.55 (both literally and figuratively) -- which I find too fancy to wear everyday! My current bag of choice is my BIIIG-Blue-Old Navy-Marc Jacob knock-off-purse I got on sale for close to $8!! I am not lying when I say that more than 10 (random) ladies complimented my bag!! They almost want to faint upon knowing that I got it from Gap's lower end sister store! Right now, I am letting that precious find take a rest while I "test drive" my sister's Neverfull in GM "school bag."

Hmm....so far so good....What's making me wake up in the middle of the night now (oh-kay OA) is whether I should get a Neverfull or a Goyard St. Louis?!? Aside from the fact that I am not a mum to any Goyard baby (just yet) I like it 'coz I can have it personalized!! I haven't even bought one yet but I'm already thinking of what to write on it!!

But the BIG BUT is...it's not even leather!! Imagine spending over a grand for a non-leather tote?? But the Bigger BUT is....the hubby and I are going to NY in 2 weeks and I will surely NEED a tote!!....a fashionable one at that!!

....I wonder what I end up buying...or if I even end up buying at all.......what do you think?

Happy Friday guys!! Enjoy your weekend!!

p.s.

I hope Marielle continues to feel better!! :)

Today is Earth Day

Having gone to Maryknoll/Miriam since pre-school through high school has given me much exposure in caring for our environment. Our campus which is a house to different species of plants and trees boasts itself to be one of the cleanest (if not the cleanest) campuses in Metro Manila (or even the Philippines?) I remember some of us students take turns in "patrolling" the garbage areas. The junior patrols, as how those designated students are called, stand near the trash bins and make sure that the students throw their trash into the correct bin. In short, students are expected to strictly practice proper garbage segregation. If we fail to do this we could be reprimanded. But now that my high school years have long been gone, there are no student patrols to watch me anymore. It feels liberating, yes but more than that I personally feel that a bigger responsibility is expected of me. So in celebration of the Earth Day I would like to share the simple ways I practice to show my care to Mother Nature.





1. I buy and use those reusable bags from the supermarkets. They cost less than a dollar and sometimes they even give you a discount for shopping with that bag! (great deal!)



2. We don't use the sprinkler at home. We water the plants/grass with the water hose. We think we can control that more.



3. I try not to use wipes with my daughter. If there's a sink nearby I wash her there or use a washcloth to wipe her mess. (this one's a win-win situation since my baby has a pretty sensitive skin that wipes tend to aggravate)



4. We just don't throw away empty plastic bottles or soda cans. We collect them and take them to the recycling stations. The bonus part is we get some $$$ back. Isnt's that awesome?!



5. I'm big on recycling paper at work. We get so many "telemarketing facsimile" papers at work. I use the blank part of it as Fax Transmission papers in return. I feel good.



6. If it's not a trash can, it's definitely not a place for your trash. Keep it in your pocket or in your purse (your trash I mean) and dispose of it at the nearest trash bin you'll find.



...this list will go on. But what I just want to reiterate is the fact that no matter how simple it is, we can do our part in taking care of our environment. And that is something we should have been done yesteday.

Shoo that A-choo!!!

In my previous entry, I mentioned about my 1st day at my cake decorating class...Unfortunately I had to have it rescheduled because my daughter, Marielle, is sick :(

She caught a cold over the weekend and is now a bit feverish.

I'm lightheaded myself as well... To say that the weather is crazy is totally an understatement! We're now experiencing 3-digit temps!! But it will drop down again towards the end of the week!! Imagine turning your heater on in the morning on your way to work and setting your car a/c on high on your way home! Isn't that crazy?!

I hope that Marielle gets well soon. And I hope that people will stop polluting the Earth. Mother Nature is badly hurt already...and we all can feel it now. :(

Finally!!!

I created this account in '07 but I realized I never actually got myself into writing any entry yet! I got so distracted with Facebook I guess...but now that FB is starting to bore me I think this is the best time to actually "activate" my blogspot. I'm pretty new to this so I hope the "veteran bloggers" out there will help me in exploring this beautiful "cyber world." I'm so excited to share my experiences and insights!! As a take off, I'd like to write about my latest purchase!! Last night I bought myself a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer in Pink!! FINALLY!! After years of longing to get one, I can finally say adios to my overused, no-name, but truly reliable hand mixer!

I found it on sale at Macy's for $299.00 with a mail in bonus of either a slicer/shredder or a grinder. I'm choosing the former! Actually, I had a mental debate whether to get the 4.5 qt KitchenAid Classic Mixer for $199.00 or this one. What do you think? For $100 more, did I make the right choice?

p.s.

I'm so excited to use this already!! On Tuesday, I'll have my first day in the Cake Decorating class I enrolled myself in!! I'm so excited to share what my experience will be!