Great friends, Good food

Last Saturday, Jan 9th, me and hubby went to the christening of Baby Jhayeda, the daughter of our college buddies, Jayefren and Hilda. I just got off shift then and I just went home to take a shower, change of clothes and off we went to the church. We didn't get there on time so by the time we arrived the Baptism Ceremony is already over. Hehe! 

We then went to the reception held at Cabalen in Robinson's Place Ermita. We were treated to an eat-all-you-can buffet. 

Afterwards, me and hubby together with some other college friends decided to hang around the mall and have coffee while we wait for Jayefren and Hilda to come back after they bring the gifts home so we can play bowling. The guys played an hour of billiards while waiting, me and the girls tried to play as well. No luck there for me! I just spent my time taking photos. 

After billiards, we proceeded to the bowling alley and played two games. 3 vs 3, we'll we were tied at the end of the 2 games so nobody had to buy anyone anything. Hehe. We then went out and ate at Hap Chan. Mine and hubby's favorite Chinese restaurant. Super yummy food and great conversation with our old friends. 

Sure, I was not able to sleep the whole day of Saturday, I stayed awake for more than 24 hours straight. It was so worth it. I'm now looking forward to our gimmick next Saturday. Punchline here we come!!

Yummy Lemon Chicken

Spicy Spareribs

Yang Chao Fried Rice

Chopsuey

Century Egg

Tasty Chicken Feet

I told my hubby "I swear if that ball hits me, I'll kill you!"

I just love the red against the green

JJ seriously playing. 

Percy ala Efren Bata Reyes

I want to go to Boracay!!

I've been wanting to go to Boracay ages ago and I almost went there last year in September if only hubby allowed me to go with my AIG officemates. He thinks traveling is a waste of money. (I am yet to convince him otherwise). 

Today, while browsing through Multiply for stuff I could buy, I saw a recent update from one of my contacts and it read, " Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package by WOW Philippines Travel Agency". Who doesn't want that? I then went to her site to read more.

So, do you also want to win? Here's how:

Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package by WOW Philippines Travel Agency

WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc. is celebrating it's 5th year in business during July of 2010, and we would like you to have a chance to celebrate with us, so we have decided to give-away a FREE Boracay Package complete with 5 Star accommodations at the luxurious Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel on Boracay Island. The lucky winner will win the following Boracay vacation package. 

Vacation Package Inclusions:

- 5 Days / 4 Nights Luxury 5 Star Accommodations at the Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel
  - Flights to Boracay from Manila to Caticlan Airport on Philippine Airlines
  - Island Transfers - Door-to-Door from Manila to the resort and back to Manila Domestic Airport
  - Three (3) Meals each day, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  - Boracay Activities - Horseback Riding, Island Hopping, Glass Bottom Boat
  - PLUS - 5,000 peso Spending Cash

Read More Information: http://www.boracay-packages.com 

Isn't this great?! If I won, then hubby would have to go with me and since I got it for free he won't have any reason to say it'll be a waste of money. Yay!

Information Overload!

I'm in a new team for work, it is amazing and pretty exciting to be in a team with most of your teammates being located in another part of the world. I've been on training for 3 days and let me say that "I never studied this hard since college!". Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying at work and I so welcome this challenge. Plus, getting to learn new things  is always good. I've been really tired whenever I arrive home from work due to too much information that I think I've been taking my training even to sleep. The same reason why I haven't been posting as frequent as I wanted to. 

Here's a picture of me and my Makati teammate Kitty with our Team Lead Carla. Our super great Program Manager Stacey took this picture when she treated us to Starbucks early this morning to unwind a little after hours of Live Meeting with our Washington teammates.

My Dream Board

What is a dream board? A dream board is a powerful visualization tool that uses the Law of Attraction to help you attract what you want in life. I already cut and pasted magazine cut outs on my BDJ Power Planner Dream Board but I missed out on a few things because I could not find pictures in any of my magazines. So, here is a version of my Dream Board, I hope I can find the motivation to achieve these dreams. I hope you can, too. So, start your own dream boards and let's work our way towards the fulfillment of our dreams.

A walk-through my board:

1. A house of our own (with cozy living room, modern kitchen, warm bedroom and an all white bathroom)

2. Our own car

3. Trip to Santorini, Greece (it has been a lifelong dream to visit this place, just look at the picture and you'll know why - it is breathtaking)

4. Buy a new phone this year (I don't want the Iphone as it's too expensive and I think it is just for "yabang" factor, I want either the Nokia 5800 ExpressMusic or the Nokia E71)

5. Save up to 100,000 pesos in the bank at the end of 2010

6. A Dell red or pink mini laptop

7. Get pregnant.

Christmas '09

It was mine and Hubby's first Christmas together after getting married. We celebrated the 24th at their home in Cavite with his parents and his sister's family. It was a little sad because they don't celebrate Christmas Eve the same way that me and the Yboa clan did. They just slept the night away whereas with my own family we stay awake until midnight so we can exchange gifts and share Noche Buena. On the 25th we went to the annual family Christmas Party of our family, the Tan side, where we celebrated it at our cousin's almost finished house in Las Piñas. There, my hubby witnessed our crazy and super fun celebration of Christmas. There were a lot of gifts, plenty of food, long lines to get our "aguinaldos" from aunts and uncles, "paagaw ng barya". Hubby told me later that we are one big happy family and he can't wait to share Christmas again with our family. Yey! At last, we won't have to argue as to where we should celebrate Christmas every year.

Looking Ahead to 2010

With just hours before it'll be officially 2010, allow me to post my goals for the coming year - here is the ever popular New Year's Resolution!

1. Make an effort to learn how to cook complicated dishes for my hubby. (So we won't have to live on the usual Adobo, pork steak and fried everything.)

2. Start a tradition for hubby and me. 

3. Eat healthy and work out more.

4. Learn a sport.

5. Convince hubby to travel. (at least for our wedding anniversary)

6. Be less of a compulsive buyer.

7. Attend mass religiously.

8. Worry less.

9. Save, save, save for the rainy days. 

10. Get pregnant. (We're fervently praying for this one)

I felt truly blessed in 2009 that despite the minor setback on the finances and health there are still a lot to be thankful for. I am praying for a better if not the same blessed year ahead and I am wishing you all a happy and safe 2010!! 

Looking Back to '09

2009 has brought equal servings of happy and not so happy memories. There were a few goodbyes - I waved goodbye to my friends at work when I resigned in early September and our family bid farewell to our dear Tito Boy who passed away in late September. Along with the goodbyes came a lot of new beginnings - I married my hubby on our 8th year anniversary, my best friend's engagement to hubby's longtime friend and the birth of my brother's son Vince. 

2009 indeed is full of ups and downs, bumps along the road but still I find myself looking ahead to 2010 with a smile on my face and hope in my heart. So long 2009 and come right in 2010! Happy New Year Everyone!

Wish Granted!

I posted what I wanted for Christmas from my sister RK a few days ago. Wish granted! Yay! Thanks, RK, for the BDJ 2010 Planner. Blogging my Christmas wish list proved to be quite effective! I might be doing the same thing for my birthday on January. Hmm, I should start thinking what to wish for...

Here's to hoping you all received the gifts you wanted for Christmas! Belated Merry Christmas everyone and may we all have a happy, abundant, healthy and stress-free New Year ahead!

Christmas is for kids!

Yesterday, my sister-in-law told me of a place where I can buy toys at very low prices. If you are new to Divisoria or even a frequent visitor like me, you might not notice this place because it does not have a sign outside not even a huge banner. The building only has a small tarpaulin which says "Bodega Sale".  It's not very eye-catchy but believe me, once inside you'll find yourself surrounded by lots and lots of toys and yes, they don't cost much. A remote-controlled car is priced starting at 150 pesos. One particular toy that I really want to buy for my nephew, Cedric, is a huge firetruck with lights and sounds and blows out bubbles from its pipe. Super cool at a very low price of 250 pesos. There are many toys to choose from some priced at 3 for 100, you can even get a small car for only 20 pesos. I walked around, compared prices and when I'm done I joyfully went home with two huge plastic bags full of toys!

I know I posted a blog a few days ago saying I won't be buying gifts this year due to my limited budget, but, I just can't let Christmas pass without giving away some presents (for the kids, at least). It saddens me to think I'll be the only one not walking around distributing gifts come December 25th.  So this Christmas, I will only be giving away presents for the kids in our family, I will make it up next year for those kids at heart (oldies, hehe!).

I want the BDJ 2010 Planner for Christmas

I am a self-confessed OC that loves planning ahead and making lists. Birthdays, expenses, daily chores, books I've read, monthly and yearly goals - everything is listed down, believe me. So having a planner is a must for me.

While everyone is going gaga over the 2010 Starbucks Planner (it does look good but spending a lot of money just to get it is so impractical for me), I am gearing towards the less expensive one yet almost as good if not better than the Starbucks one. It's the Belle de Jour Power Planner 2010. Besides having the usual pages for daily scheds, the BDJ Planner also has sections for goal setting, budget, various articles on health, beauty and career, and like the Starbucks planner it also has discount coupons from many lifestyle brands such as: All Flip Flops, Urban Salon, Celine, CMG, Folded and Hung, Michellis, Pizza Hut, Plains and Prints - to name a few. 

The BDJ Planner is the one for me so please, anyone, gift me one for Christmas?

(The "anyone" I'm referring to is my sister, RK, which I hope reads this post, hehe!)

Advance Merry Christmas, everyone!

My Horoscope Says...

Coincidence? I don't think so. I'd rather put it this way, "God indeed answers prayers." So, thank you, Lord, for answering mine. 

Goodbye, happy days!

It's official. Contract has been signed. Starting January 4, my life as a housewife is over. Welcome back, Corporate World! 

A Little Angel was born

December 3rd, 2009, 4am - I received a text from my brother Paulo informing me that his wife Mildred's water bag broke and that they are already at the hospital.

December 3rd, 2009, 8am - I got another text from Paulo asking me why our mother wasn't responding to his text messages. I had no idea so I texted Mama to tell her Mildred's in labor already.

December 3rd, 2009, 10am - Mama finally replied back but she's not asking about Mildred. She asked me if I want to accompany her to the mall to play Bingo. WTH?! I replied back with the message telling her Mildred's already at the hospital ready to give birth anytime that day.

December 3rd, 2009, 2pm - My sister Roan finally set up a conference call with me, Paulo and Mama. By then, Mildred already gave birth (after 10 hours of labor) to the 14th member of our family they named Vince Andrew. Mama was at the mall and that was the first time she heard about her new apo. It appeared that she wasn't getting all our text messages. She then texted my father and together they went to Batangas to see their third apo. The rest of the family will visit Vince Andrew on Saturday, December 12th.

Welcome to the family, Vince Andrew!!

A Different Christmas

It's December once again and I hear Christmas carols everywhere I go.  It's a little hard for me to get in  the spirit of Christmas given the fact that I am now a stay-at-home wife, with no monthly income. For the past years, since I started working, I would have my list ready during this time of the year. My list would be categorized into groups: officemates, friends, aunts, uncles, female cousins, male cousins, nephews, nieces, godchildren, siblings and parents. 

This year would be different as lacking the financial resources that I once had, I have to say "pass" to gift-giving this year. I know I could always ask hubby for some shopping money but it won't be the same. It always felt good (I admit, a little proud even) to spend my hard-earned salary in buying gifts for everyone. Even the bumps and push along the streets of Divisoria, wrapping each present myself and signing the gift tags are quite enjoyable. 

As Christmas draws near I know it will be a little more difficult for me. It makes me sad not be able to bring gifts for everybody come December 25th but then I kept telling myself that gift-giving is just icing on the cake. To be with my family over Christmas Day lunch and dinner, to laugh with everyone and to relish the moment that we all went out of our ways just to be reunited as always (every year) on Christmas Day... I feel better already. 

There's always next year anyway. =)

Online Streaming

As much as I love reading books, I am also a certified movie junkie. My movie genres range from the musicals like HS Musical and Dream Girls to adventures like National Treasure and The Mummy series and it doesn't hurt to watch a few chick flicks every now and then. Today, I was able to watch the new flick of Sandra Bullock "All About Steve". My rating would be just 2 thumbs up. The movie is nice but I didn't laugh as hard as I did with Ms. Congeniality. All About Steve is a feel-good movie, nice ending but it lacks in funny points. There are new uploads on the streaming site and I already have my entire week planned out with one movie per day. 

Wednesday, Nov 25 - Planet 51

Thursday, Nov 26 - The Boat That Rocked

Friday, Nov 27 - 2012 (if I still have the time because my best friend will be coming in from SG and I am required to spend the entire day with her)

Saturday, Nov 28 - A Christmas Carol

Sunday, Nov 29 - This day is off because this would be New Moon day! Hubby and I will watch New Moon on the big screen, hopefully, there won't be as much people in the cinemas as there was on the opening day. We let the first week of showing pass so we could avoid the crowded theaters.

We are family

I belong to a huge family of 6 kids and my mama and papa. Over the years, our family of eight extended to 9 when my brother RJ introduced his wife Cenie. Then we extended to 10 when Cenie gave birth to Cassandra, 11 when Cassandra's baby brother Cedric was born. 12 when my brother Paulo married Mildred on December of last year. May of this year, lucky 13th (as I would like to call him), my hubby Deck joined our family. We're close to having the 14th member of the family because Mildred is due to give birth to a baby boy anytime this week. She's 1 cm dilated already! Yey!

With some of us kids having our own families and our own jobs, it's quite hard to get the entire family together in one place. The last time that everyone's present is on my wedding day. Yesterday, November 21st, is my sister Roan's 26th birthday and she treated us to dinner at Seaside Macapagal for a sumptuous feast of seafood dishes. Even the very pregnant Mildred traveled all the way from Batangas! RJ and Cenie arrived pretty late but at least they came. 

We had fun with the food (our family is a huge fan of seafoods), sharing stories, laughing at the kids (Cedric and Cassandra) antics that we failed to take a picture of the entire family together. What a waste! Oh well, there's always a next time. =)

The Birthday Girl and Myself

My nephew Cedric munching on a piece of squid

Yummy Buttered Prawns

 A Platter of Buttered Prawns, Steamed Crab and Scallops

Artist's Nook

According to my daily horoscope on Facebook I should find other outlets to express my creativity. As you might have noticed, I haven't been actively posting on this blog for quite a while because I have been busy expressing my creativity on some other things. I've been designing invites for various events, well, I'm just starting my own online shop, The Print Haven, specializing on invite designs. Just recently though, I've been introduced to designing multiply lay outs. I never thought I could earn from this because having my personal multiply account, I was used to borrow the templates designed by other users. I already finished 4 designs (including the one on The Print Haven) and got paid for three of them. I am on to projects 5 and 6 already. For the time being, I haven't posted some of my finished works on my online shop because all of the projects that I've taken were just passed on to me. For this post, however, I am posting the headers that I have designed so far. If you are an online seller on multiply and wants to have a personalized template please do leave me a message and we'll start from there. =)

Missing Tagaytay

It's one humid afternoon here in Manila and it is during this time of the day that I wish I have my own car and that I know how to drive so I could bring myself to Tagaytay. It's the closest place we could get to enjoy a relaxing, cool day. Mornings at Tagaytay is best enjoyed with a cup of hot chocolate and a platter of Sunrise Breakfast (Cheese Omelette, Two Buttermilk Pancakes & Bacon). Lunch could be Filipino Cuisine at RSM Restaurant with an unobstructed view of Taal Volcano. Their Pinakbet is the best! As for merienda you can drop by Amira's which is located along the highway going to Nasugbu, Batangas and buy yourself a box of Amira's Buko Tart. Dinner could be anywhere like Leslie's, RSM or the various restaurants and food chains near Olivarez. Coffee afterwards at Bag of Beans (again)  with a serving of BlueBerry Cheesecake is a must! Hmmm. I wish I could go to Tagaytay over the weekend...

Creativity Pours!

Since I resigned from work, I've been keeping myself busy with lots of things. I tried article writing, answering surveys, playing facebook games. Recently though, my cousin suggested that we start our own on-line shop. Since we both love doing crafts, we're both very "artsy-fartsy" and we both had a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) wedding, we chose to market our creativity.

We set up our own multiply sites - our very first venture to on-line selling - where we offer our invitation templates. We have a wide range of themes and designs. We create invitations for different events: be it for wedding, for birthdays, baptismal or baby announcements.

Designing invites began to take up most of my time. I even stay up as late as 3am if the creativity bug is kicking in. If I won't be able to use the computer - usually when hubby comes home and takes over to play his games - I sketch a few designs on paper just so I won't forget. Busy, busy, busy.

Through this blog, I am boldly promoting our multiply sites. Come, have a look and browse through our albums for your invitation needs. While you're at it, leave us a message. A simple note would certainly make our day!

Visit us at:

The Print Haven

The Party Village

9 fashion designers sketch Bella Swan’s wedding dress!

With less than two months before the release of New Moon, here are a few spoilers on what Bella Swan will be wearing on her wedding with Edward Cullen. I'm such a Twilight fanatic and even though I have yet to buy all four books, I read the whole saga through e-books and by borrowing the paperback copies. I don't want to buy the books yet as I am still waiting for the hard bound collection to be available. I'm having a hard time finding a complete set! Anyway, I also included here the updated trailer of the upcoming New Moon. Enjoy!