Flashback Fridays: The Holidays

As promised, my second post for FF today! :D

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The recent holidays had been awesome so I'm not letting go of this second chance to share it with you. I have to summarize though, and focus on the parts I loved best. Now, let's get this going.

If I have to describe Christmas 2010 in one word, it'd be FABULOUS. You know how much of a stage sister I am so just imagine how giddy I was while looking at them all dolled up! I don't know what got into their head that they decided to wear lovely dresses and kick-ass heels like real women. I heart!

2nd of 6: Minette Faye, 15. Hmmmm.. Could it be the shoes? She looks like a rock princess to me and I loved it.

3rd of 6: Meriel Louise, 13 years old. Her style: Pretty and Poised. It's sooo her! :)

4th of 6: Micah Miguela, 11. Pink and black combo never goes wrong. She looked so dainty, and the balloon skirt kept the carefree personality.

5th of 6: Mariah Junie, 9. Her statement: Young and beautiful. She carried such a simple dress so well!

How about Haley, you ask? Well she likes pants, so we got her a cute and colorful pants-and-blouse terno.

Our Bunso, Mikayla Haley, charming as ever in a Dora the Explorer ensemble.

As for me, I didn't put much effort dressing up. Christmas is for kids anyway. But I love the bold print of my shirt so it's still worth posting :D

I should always do this pose. I look kinda slimmer. Hahaha. Oh, the sandals is nice too. If you wanna them, they're here.

And since I've already showed you my siblings, why not include a family picture narin? :)

If I ever get to be asked about one thing in my life that I'm proud of, I can answer in a heartbeat. My family :)
Photo taken after the Christmas Mass at Malate Church.

Now, this post is entitled The Holidays (with an s) for a reason. New Year's Day is next! :)

I think I've mentioned in a post or two that we live with our extended family, Tita Antin and Nanay Letty. And ever since I can remember, we celebrate the New Year with them, with Tita providing everything in the table during Media Noche. But this year is different. They spent it with another aunt's family in Cavite so we had the house all to ourselves. That also means I stepped up with my cooking skills and prepared the banquet.

We had Carbonara, Graham Cake, ham, hotdogs, bacon, tuna sandwich, ube halaya, puto-kutsinta and hot chocolate. Not bad, right? :)

Twas also my first time to follow the superstition about 12 round fruits. They say it's for 12 months of good luck. Let's see :)

J brought me this from Marikina and it has become a personal favorite. If you are into kakanin, I swear you'll love this. Ooops, free advertisement right there! Haha.

And of course, the obligatory family shot.
Thanks to my ever reliable camera's self-timer :)

I enjoyed this year's celebration. It was just the 8 of us, the easy-to-cook meal, the firecrackers in the background and the hope that 2011 will be a blessed year for our family of 8 and our other loved-ones as well :D

Oooooh, speaking of loved-ones, let me end this with a picture of me and the person who completes my holidays! :)

Mind sharing with me how your holidays went? :D

Flashback Fridays: Meeting Tisha

It's Friday but it doesn't feel like Friday at all. Thanks to weekend work on Saturday night. Boo. However, there's still something about Friday that helps me cheer up. Any guess? Well, you're right. It's Flashback Fridays time again.

Because I was having fun with my girls last weekend, I thought I should make up and do two FF posts today. Thank heavens, I am sooooo in the mood to blog these days!
 
Now here goes the first one :D

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I started out the year good. I kicked 2011 off by winning a giveaway from Tisha, Good Housekeeping Magazine's editor-in-chief and blogger extraordinaire. After a few e-mails, we agreed to meet up 6th of January. With the way she answered my messages, I instantly felt she's a nice woman, and when we finally met, I've proven myself right. She's nice. No... she's waaaay beyond that ;-)

I easily recognized her the moment she walked in Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at Greenbelt. Her style was simple yet sophisticated and her attitude, nothing short of warm and welcoming. We sat over a glass of juice and frap and you know what's the first thing she told me?

"Sooooooooo.. tell me something about yourself!"

"Oooooh, job interview?" I answered. And we both laughed.

That was a great way to break the ice. :)

From there, we started chit-chatting and asking about each other's life - family, hobbies, and of course, love life! Even though I was nosebleeding deep inside (I don't usually make kwento in English, you know) I enjoyed our conversation. There's something about her that made me feel like I was talking to an old friend. We were practically strangers but she didn't mind sharing a thing or two about her personal life. She told me about her beloved sport - frisbee - and oh,  her wedding too! :)

In about half an hour her sundo (the hubby, who's equally nice) came. And since it's not everyday that I get to spend time with people like her, there has to be a souvenir shot! :D

Once again, a big thanks to Tisha for taking time off her hectic sched. Advance happy anniversary to Here, Tishie Tishie! More years to your blog! And more love for you! :)

This is what's inside that paper bag above.

By the way, she has an ongoing giveaway again. Gorgeous swimsuits up for grabs! We all want a sizzling hot summer, don't we? Do yourself a favor and join now! :D

Girls Night In -- Again!

After the delish dinner at GB3, I and my girls traveled two friggin' hours to Noreen's almost-provincial abode. The purpose? Another girl bonding at it's finest.

We got in before the clock struck twelve and were greeted by Noreen's spanking new 32" LCD TV. We didn't waste time, we immediately kicked the ladies' night off with, guess what, a chick flick! An hour and a half later, not only the credits were rolling but Nhix's tears as well. It was indeed a melancholic start so we decided to lighten up the mood by watching Glee next. Dang, I didn't realize how much I miss the show till I saw them sing and groove to the music. Plus, it's great to see Sue and her bully ways again! LOL

We finished three episodes before we figured we already wanted to hit the bed. Calling it a night? Oh no, not us! In the bedroom we had more chikahan. It amazes me how after almost seven years (five of which were spent with each other every single day) we still manage to burn hours and hours just talking and laughing and having fun. I love my girls to the bits!

I was looking at the pictures and I can't believe that it's already breakfast when we remembered to snap a few shots! We used to document our every move. What happened to us?! Anyhoo... For the most important meal of the day (according to Spongebob), it's Tita Beth's (Noreen's mom) pansit bihon! Yum!

Casualty of the night that was: Ref Cake! ^_^

Like we're really putting our endurance to the test, we just grab a quick breakfast then got hold of the microphone -- it's Videoke time, baby!

Today's theme: BOYBANDS. Aaaah, it took us back to our glorious teenage years!

Waving to the tune of What Makes A Man.

From Westlife to Backstreet Boys to A1 to *NSYNC. We sang hits that took us down memory lane.

Jaq getting a little too emotional. Guess what the song is?

Purrrrrfect for her and the bf's little LQ that time. Don't hate me for this Jaq, ha? :P

It got us thinking why there are no longer groups like them nowadays. I have nothing against K-Pop but..... okay, maybe I am against K-Pop. No offense to their fans but I just see them as girls trying to look like guys. Just imagine how more annoying Filipino groups imitating them are! :-/

Alright enough of the hate now. We did girl groups next. And boy oh boy, Brown Eyes was a tough warm-up song! It took all the energy left inside my system! Hahaha.

Ladies and gentlemen, this song is dedicated to my lovey-dove J! :P

We belted more of Destiny's Child, S Club 7, Spice Girls and Atomic Kitten. Do you remember them old school femme fatale songs? ;-)

Shortly, it's time for lunch. In the table was no less than Pork Sinigang! Made me sing el-oh-el-oh-el-oh-L-O-V-E!

Tito Omby's (Noreen's dad) cooking! I get so weak in the knees. Hahaha.

Noticed my and Nhix's hairstyle?

Here's a closer look. Please don't tell me I look like I'm ready to do sumo wrestling. I'm gonna loathe you forever. Hahahaha

After the scrumptious meal, we started to prep-up. We wanted to stay longer and just lay around and laugh. This - just staying indoors, eating like there's no tomorrow, indulging in girl talk till our throats hurt - is just what we need after busy work weeks and crazy deadlines. This is our idea of bonding. Of relaxation. Of fun.

I'm your girl, you're my girl, we your girls
Don't you know that we love ya!
Oooops sorry, hung over Destiny's Child :D

You, how do you bond with your favorite ladies? :)

Surprise! :)

It may be trivial to many but seeing this as I scrolled down my blog was a pleasant surprise! ^_^

Shallow, yes. But seeing my first Nuffnang ad unit made me really happy. I don't really care about the money because I don't even know if someone would actually click on it (or what it takes for the ad to stay there. for all I know it may be gone tomorrow :P). It's just that... that... that I feel one step closer to being a true blogger! 9,999 steps to go! Hahahaha..

Oh yeah, I remembered another thing. Nuffnang has a lot of promos and contests and most of the time, having at least one ad unit is a requirement for eligibility. Now I can join! Yay!

How about you, what made you happy today? :D

Pot of Gold

Remember last Sunday I mentioned about a little LQ? Well J showed up at home Sunday afternoon with this:

Inside the box are 2 layers of these. I love!

At times I am partial when it comes to chocolate brands I've never heard of – just like this. In fact I ignored it when J brought it out of the bag but when we opened the box and saw how lovely and tempting the chocolate pieces are, I wasn't able to resist taking the first bite. Boy oh  boy, for a "never-heard" brand, it exceeded my expectations!

I took another one in no time using the help of this interesting flavor guide printed in the inner part of the box lid:

Nice no? :) Click the image for a bigger version.

We took turns in trying out the variants. Each has a distinct taste to it but my favorite would have to be Milk Truffle and Chocolate Creme with Almond. Before we know it, the entire first layer is gone! Hahaha.

Thanks Honey for another sweet surprise. You're my life's Pot of Gold (yikes, cheesy!)

Oh, and if peace offerings are always like this, I just might pick a fight with you everyday! LOL.

*** The next day, he sent me a message in FB telling me that based on his research, Pot of Gold isn't just another chocolate brand. It's actually a Hershey's product :D

Dinner Date with my Girls @ Red Crab GB3

My friend Jaq recently got a bonus for being a high-performer so we had a celebratory dinner last Friday, her treat! :D

We've been hearing a lot of rave about Red Crab's boodle feast so off we went to Greenbelt to try it out. Unfortunately though, they don't have it in their menu so we settled for what we think will still satisfy our palate.

Crab Smoked Fish Relleno, Php 385

Bacon Wrapped Camaron Rebosado, PhP 485

Bangus Belly Sinigang sa Bayabas, Php 285

I have a love affair with Sinigang and you can trust me when I say a Sinigang is good and their version is, wait for it, more like Nilaga to me. Haha.

Here comes their saving grace. The first dish was delicious but the second one was divine! I can still remember how I had to close my eyes to savor the flavor! I swear I'll come back for it :D

Clockwise from top-left: Noreen, Me, Jaq and Nhix.

The ambiance was okay but where we were seated wasn't. Our table is situated across the comfort room and kitchen thus people kept walking by. I guess they just should not place a table there because it affects the overall dining experience. Oh, if I may say, we asked to be transferred and they kept saying that the other tables are reserved but a couple who just came in asked for a better spot and they obliged *roll eyes* Also, customer service could still use a lot of improvement.

In fairness, there was this one crew who was friendly enough to take this photo. I have to commend him because he took another shot when the first one didn't suit his taste. Good job! :)

Red Crab GB3 gets 3.5 out 5. And since I said I'll come back for bacon-wrapped camaron, I'll visit their branch at The Venice Piazza - McKinley Hills. It's near Jaq and Nhix's workplace and they say they love it there.

Up next, good times a la School of Fish - Bagong Silang edition. Haha.

P.S.

Note: This was written yesterday where there isn't internet connection :P

It's 2:20AM in the clock and we're here somewhere far. I'm with my girlfriends (oooh, that's another story ^^,) and we just finished our first movie for the night. Great starter. Guess what?

Call me late bloomer because it took me 4 years to watch it. I have to say I've been missing a hell lot! It was an awesome love story -- the lines, the emotions, the music, the characters, oh that hot male lead! -- all the elements just the way I wanted them!

Haven't seen it yet? You should! NOW! ;-)

An Inspiration

I don't know if it's spam or something but this comment made me happy. He (ooops, not sure if it's a he or a she) could be joking or just trying to be nice but whatever. I'm sharing it just the same.

With that, I say I'm gonna write some more. Hang in there, dear readers! ^^,

P.S. Thank you so much, Lagalag. You just don't know how comments such as yours brighten up my day.

Conversation with Mom

I have a quick kwento...

Over lunch...

Mom: tumawag sakin si Jhay kagabi, tumawag ba sayo?
Me: *silence*
Mom: inaway mo nanaman? baliw ka talaga
Me: *with a serious tone* Mana lang ako sayo.

Mom laughed her ass off cause she knows it's true. Hahaha.

Happy Sunday everyone! :D

I'm Giving Up...

I grew up taking Christian Living classes everyday, attending first Friday masses, writing reflections on the Gospel (with my parent's signature to attest to my mass attendance :P) but tell you what, I was never a religious person. Religion and faith are two different things, and I am, at the very least, proud to say that the latter I am overflowing with. That is why today, like the rest of the Catholic community, I observed the beginning of the Lenten Season: Ash Wednesday.

Since I believe I am mature enough to join Bro in His journey, I am doing my own version of abstinence. I thought about this for hours because I wanted them to be something relevant but not too ambitious. Hence, I only chose to give up TWO things, in the hope that they'll become a habit I'll be able to continue beyond the fasting season :)

1. SLEEP. Okay, don't think I'll make a zombie out of myself. I won't. I just meant I'll sacrifice 2-3 extra hours of sleep every morning by going to the office (relatively) early. My usual time in is 12noon and Jhay has been pleading for the longest time that I come in earlier to keep up with his work hours. I figured, now is the perfect time to begin but to still be realistic, I'm imposing a not-later-than-10AM rule. So help me God.

2. RICE. A month ago, I had the mandatory annual physical exam at work and as usual, the finding is that I am overweight. Well let's face it, if dieting is a quiz bee round, it has to be clincher. It is just so hard to say no to Sinigang, french fries, barbeque, Chickenjoy, chocolates, sundae, and the list goes on. But recently, I went for a check-up and was advised by the doctor that not only am I unhealthy, there is also a high probability that I won't be able to conceive because of my weight issues. Oh please, I want to be a mommy someday! Thus, I am taking a baby step to wellness. I'm taking things slowly so for now, I am eliminating rice from dinner. Again, not too ambitious, so viands are still allowed in my book. Just. Not. Rice.

There you have it, the two things I'll give up for Lent. What's yours? :D

Flashback Fridays: A Month Ago

Well, hello there weekend! You know what that means? It's time for another Flashback Fridays post! And since today is the 4th of the month, I'm sharing with you a little celebration that we had exactly a month ago :-)

Among the many eccentricities that I have that Jhay has learned to live with is my love for Gab. Now who the hell is Gab?! Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, I would like you to meet my little angel, Gabrielle Alexandra...

Yes, folks, she's a stuffed toy... but I love her to the bones! ^_^ She's the first (not to mention, only) stuffed toy Jhay gave me so she's treated like a princess. Okay fine, she's actually named Matthew (by Blue Magic) but she's mine so I baptized him her with a lovely name.

Now lemme give you Gab's short biography:

Gab was born on February 4, 2008 over a Max's dinner for our 18th monthsary.

Here we are during one of our mommy moments. You see, I'm very maternal even before Haley came :)

On her 1st birthday, her granny Minie gave her a bath to make sure she'll look good...

...and I bought her a birthday dress

...so that she'll be the prettiest!

Of course Daddy joined the fun, too! The three of us went to the mall, had dinner and took pictures with her birthday cake.

Then came her second birthday. She's growing up fast! :P

Mommy forgot the cake but bought her two dresses to make up. We didn't go out this year to celebrate but we had some quality time at home.

See how much her daddy loves her? Hahaha

And finally, last month, Gab turned three. Jhay and I had dinner first to celebrate our 68th month (we're like kids, we still celebrate monthsaries :D) then we bought her a Red Ribbon roll.

Our little family! :) Oooops, granny was a little busy she forgot to give Gab a bath! Hahaha

I love this picture! We look so happy, don't we? Makes me look forward to having a real baby girl :)

Noticed something wrong with the dedication? Kainis the Red Ribbon crew, he started writing in the middle so there's not enough room for "Gab" in the end. Ayan napunta tuloy sa unahan. I asked him to put a comma after the name to at least look okay but he put an exclamation point! My goodness! Good thing the yummyness of the cake made up for it.

Oh, I have another story. The entire time we were singing the birthday song and taking pictures, Haley was staring at Gab with a frown. She doesn't want Gab near. Look at the expression on her face.

Then here's our conversation the next morning (yeah, Haley speaks really well for a 2-year old):

        Me:  Ye, sinong bestfriend mo?

        Haley: GK. (that's the neighbor's daughter)

        Me: Eh si Gab, hindi mo friend?

        *she shook her head*

        Me: Friends na kayo. Tignan mo mabait sya oh.

        *she was silent, like thinking real hard. then after a few moments...*

        Haley: Ate Em, san eyes nya???

Turns out, she doesn't like Gab because she was pretty scared that she doesn't have eyes! When I swept Gab's fur to the side to reveal her eyes, Haley smiled. And the rest, as they say, is history. Hahaha. Kids talaga...

Yes, they're friends now! In fact, she gave Gab that violet dress because it doesn't fit her anymore daw. Sweet! ^_^

Once again, Happy 3rd birthday Gabby dear! Mommy and Daddy loves you! :)