Merry Christmas Everyone!

Have a blessed and fruitful Christmas everyone!

From the Pineda Family

Mag Finds

While waiting for my husband to pay for our new rice cooker which we bought from Robinson's Appliance Center, I got hold of this Maid Manual by Good Housekeeping.

It's quite simple really but very informative. It's not only good for those who have maids but also for those who are stay at home moms (without maids).

Also, I grabbed the December issue of Yummy magazine to help me with my Christmas Day menu.

It came with a free 2009 planner from Goldilocks which is (in fairness) cute!

Celebrating Christmas

Christmas is only 2 days away!!! Can you believe that? It's only as if yesterday that we started the season of Advent and now we are already gearing up for "THE" day.

At the recollection I attended last night, the priest said that there is nothing like celebrating Christmas in Manila. Here, starting December, there are already Christmas parties almost everyday. He said that he had an American friend who is working in Manila and said that he complained that he was so tired from all the celebrations. The thing is, this guy has never experienced attending so many Christmas parties in his life (like what we are used to). That is really how different and how elaborate we celebrate it. And on top of that, people give gifts to everybody: family (husband, children, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.), friends, household help, drivers, security guards, the mailman, garbage collector, everybody! It's like everyone's birthday.

I, for one, have received a ton of gifts already (though I still got a wish that is to receive a CEIVA digital frame). And oh, did you know that CEIVA is even offering a sweepstakes for CEIVAshare? It's great!

Anyway, receiving gifts makes you feel loved, but of course, it is not the be all, end all of Christmas. You know as the saying goes - it is better to give than to receive. If only for that, then Christmas is worth celebrating!

This is Just the Beginning...

My Tatay called me up late last Friday and told me that he will be hosting a party on Sunday lunch. So, I said, "Ok po, for how many people po?". He said "For around 30 people". I almost fainted. Hahaha.

Anyway, the party was success. My Dad's co-authors in Rex Publishing were there plus some of my parents' inaanak sa kasal (with their kids) - most of them teachers from Lourdes School. I don't how we did it but we somehow managed to prepare all the dishes in time for lunch. But I'm telling you, it was like a MAD RUSH! We made an early trip to the wet market for the meat, shrimp, veggies and fish. After that, we rushed to grocery which opens at 9 am and bought more supplies. After paying for the grocery, we realized that our rice cooker conked out the day before and so we had to wait for the appliance store to open so we can buy a new rice cooker. We also had to find a panciteria where we could order pancit bilao. There were already guests as early as 11 and we were still wrapping the lumpiang shanghai, frying the lapu-lapu and breading the chicken! Kakahiya. It was like a scene from Iron Chef America, I swear.

Here's a picture of our labor of love ~

After the party, I realized that this is just the beginning. We will be hosting more parties and family reunions at home and I better be ready or ELSE!

By the way, the food we prepared got my two thumbs up! Yummy!

Getting Ready for a Feast

Have you prepared your Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menu?

Well, I swear I have so many things in my head right now that I haven't finalized my menu and grocery list yet. Talk about holiday cramming.

On the top of my head, spaghetti and ham will definitely be in the menu and some yummy desserts (because of the kids). Gastronomically speaking, I want to make this Christmas a very special one but I also want sana to veer away from the traditional menu like what my Lola and Nanay would usually prepare. It's because I am torn between trying out something different (read: healthy) and sticking to the (high-cholesterol/fatty) menu basics. Hahaha!

Good thing I recently discovered this link for some Christmas menu ideas. Now all I have to decide is what is doable for me - without breaking the bank or making a mad rush to the grocery store.

Can't imagine that Christmas is just around the corner. Frenzy! Frenzy!

Long Holiday Ahead

It will be a holiday for most people starting December 25 to January 01. That's a total of 8 straight days. I don't know about you, but personally, I'm "scared" of long holidays. Although it's very good to have time to rest and be with the family, long holidays mean for me temptation to be lazy (waking up late, lounging around at home doing nothing, neglecting to pray, etc., etc.). It also means temptation to spend too much.

Long holidays may be financially draining, really. It means that payday is advanced (for us, it will be on December 24) but you won't be receiving your next one until 3 weeks after. Tough luck. This means that I could already foresee my budget to be in temporary chaos by New Year's Day. If only I can avail of a hassle-free and no teletrack cash advance online. If so, it won't be so hard to budget during the holidays and I do not have to worry about where to get the cash for our regular grocery shopping which, by the way, stays the same regardless if it's Christmas or not. A mother and home manager like me should be wiser in spending especially during the holidays. Otherwise, the family might start the year in lots of financial problems and debt.

Chicken Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

I wanted so bad to go healthy this week that I thought of lifting a cold spaghetti recipe from Sonlight Garden and making it according to my own taste.

As a result and as if very apt with the colors of the season, I was able to make this Chicken Spaghetti. It's made up of 6 pieces of big red tomatoes (chopped), 1 whole garlic (minced), about 1/4 cup of chopped basil, lots of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. I mixed all of these ingredients in a bowl and let it sit in the ref for 2 days. By doing this, the taste really gets savory and herb-y (if there is such a thing).

Last night, I added to this mixture a cup of boiled chicken (shredded), a small pouch of tomato sauce and 1/4 of a block of cheddar cheese and cooked it under low fire. This recipe is good for about 1/2 kilo of spaghetti. After cooking, I mixed the pasta with the sauce and topped it with yummy (but expensive) parmesan cheese.

So where did it end up?

Here.

This is by far the yummiest lunch I've tasted in years (the picture didn't do justice but I swear it's good!). It tastes like a salad and smells like a salad. And it's healthy too. :-)

Never Without...

Never without a Belen during Christmas...

That's what I learned from my parents. I was raised with this wonderful tradition in my family and I want to continue on with this as my husband and I build our own set of family traditions.

Some folks think that Christmas is just a season for new clothes, gift-giving, ham, snow and queso de bola. But even without all of these trivial things, Christmas is Christmas. But think about a Christmas without the baby Jesus, the Virgin Mary with St. Joseph. That, I think, wouldn't be the real Christmas.

Thanks to the Belen for constantly reminding us of the real meaning of Christmas.

Knowledge is Power

I remember the late Ernie Baron who advocated "knowledge is power" not so long ago. In more ways than one, this by-line of his is very correct. One has to have knowledge to gain not just power but also opportunities. With knowledge, we can get the right job, get into the right business or build the right career for you. With knowledge, we can avoid some risks, cultivate more options and be successful.

That is why people should try their best to study and study hard. They have to see the value of continuous learning. As they stay, nobody is too old or too young to learn. In the Nouveau Riche University for example, a person will learn the basic concepts of real estate investment and be able to use these concepts in concrete action. When you enroll in the Nouveau Riche University, you will appreciate more the business idea behind real estate investment and be able to make a living out of it. That is why many people are living testimonies of how effective it is to study and be real knowledgeable through Nouveau Riche University. Their own success stories are the proof of the effectivity and truth behind the concept of "knowledge is power".

Cute Blog

Chris sent me this award/tag some time ago and I only got to do it only today. Thanks Chris! Keep them coming!

Here are the rules:
1. Each blogger must post these rules.
2. Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves.
3. Bloggers that are tagged need to write ten facts about themselves. You need to choose ten people to tag and list their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and also to read your blog.

10 Random facts/habits about me:

1. I'm the youngest in the family. Actually, I have one sister lang.
2. My parents and sister are all teachers. Thus, I'm the only one in the family who's not.
3. I earned my college degree from UP Diliman and my MBA from Ateneo.
4. I met my husband on my first year of working. He was a former employee of the company I'm working for.
5. I got a boyfriend at 22, married him at 29, gave birth at 30. Now I'm 32.
6. I'm an avid fan of Agatha Christie and CS Lewis books.
7. I love to sing. However, haven't got any practice these days...maybe I need to buy that WOW Magic Sing soon!
8. My most favorite food is pasta. Anything pasta.
9. I also like the color pink.
10. I really want to be the best mother I could be (as great as my own mother was to me).

Sunday Lunch

While everybody in town stayed put in their respective houses and had their eyes glued to the TV set last Sunday for the much-awaited boxing game of Pacquiao and Dela Hoya, we were busy chasing the girl around as we had a scheduled lunch and duty free shopping date with our friend Lala last Sunday. We met in Shangri-La Mall and had lunch in Cyma. I love it there. I think they have the tastiest grilled porkchops and the yummiest baked macaroni. I did not really expect to enjoy it so much since I am not really fond of Greek cuisine. Anyway, lunch was great and it took away most of my stress from handling a toddler around all morning.

You know, since I ate so much, I could just imagine how my huge appetite could add more pounds to my already-overweight body. I am so lazy to exercise regularly (although I recently got two new workout videos) because I am so stressed at work and by all that traffic especially this Christmas season. But I really want to lose that excess weight soon. Because of this, I have been seriously considering taking diet pills that work. A few years back, I took the risk of drinking some and indeed I lost some pounds. However, I looked at diet pill reviews and found out that these were not the best diet pills in the market. This video made me feel more convinced. And now that I really need to fit into my clothes again, maybe I'll consider taking some again.

Our House

I took a picture of our house as I arrived from work yesterday. Even with the cost of electricity rising, I think it's still worthwhile to decorate and bring on the Christmas cheer. :-)

Now about that gate ~~~ well I think it needs some repainting. But I guess that can wait. :-)

Forgotten

Being the usual disorganized and lazy me, I have procrastinated in writing those Christmas cards for my relatives abroad. While I pre-occupied myself last weekend wrapping all those many, many gifts for Christmas, I have not written a single card for my dear friends and relatives who live far away. Maybe I should just spend some money to call them up personally. I only need the help of a Nationwide Phone Lookup to get their phone numbers in the United States. Maybe that's a better idea. What do you think?

Pepper Lunch-ing

For months now, we have been curious about Pepper Lunch. We often pass by this resto in Powerplant Mall but often choose not to eat there because of the perennial long lines. Anyway, Fr. Jim A. mentioned during my seminar three weeks ago that he was the one who blessed the place. Maybe that's the cause of the perennial lines. Hahaha.

So one time, when we had to do some last-minute grocery shopping at Rustan's, we decided to cut the curiosity and finally eat at Pepper Lunch.

As a sort of rite of passage, my husband burnt his tongue while trying out his beef dish. Plus, I found the place so noisy! The people where chit-chating like the place was a canteen. Hubby was also sweating like crazy towards the end of the meal. It was hot in the area where we sat, I don't know why. Hahaha. But apart from all that, we have no other complaints. Experience-wise, good. Food-wise, great!

Let me share some (blurry) pics:


Looking forward to eating there again soon!

True Love

Can I just make a sentimental note for a minute?

I was just staring at this picture of my husband and I (taken at Red Box Trinoma last Thursday) and I thought to myself, "Geez, we look so right together." It's not about the clothes, the look or the face. It's something seen from the eyes of the soul, I guess. There's love and that feels great!

Leo Tolstoy once said, "When you love someone, you love the whole person, just as he or she is, and not as you would like them to be." So for those looking for love (through friends, online dating, Local Personals or whatnot), just make sure you look for someone that matches not just your looks but your soul.

Fours

I can't remember who I snagged this from but I did it because I thought it's fun.

Here’s the instruction:

Click copy/paste, type in your answers and tag four people in your blogroll! Don’t forget to change my answers to the questions with that of yours.

Question # 1. Four places I go to over and over:
Home, Office, Church, Mall

Question # 2. Four people who e-mail me regularly:
My boss, my boss, my boss, my boss.

Question # 3. Four of my favorite places to eat?
Conti's, Teriyaki Boy, Pancake House, Mandarin Paseo Uno

Question # 4. Four places I’d rather be?
Home, home, home, home...

Question #5. Four TV shows I could watch over and over:
Sesame Street, Dora, Barney, House of Mouse (because Zoe likes those)

I won't be tagging anyone but if you like to do this meme, feel free to answer it.

Wisdom in Reading

As they say in health and fitness, "you are what you eat". Or in that case, you are what you eat, you drink, and what you breathe. For those who are firm believers of the mind-body connection, this is worthwhile pondering about. It's like the concept of GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) in the software industry. It is the simplest concept but is often ignored. Many people go around exposing themselves to many kinds of garbage and act as if it's nothing.

In a similar sense, I would like to apply it in reading. You are what you read. One may be a voracious reader but not a critical reader. If you allow yourself to be exposed to crap and rubbish material, you end up being like one. Thus, it makes sense to be informed of the effect of reading such and such book or magazine before indulging in it. It would be good to be wise and evaluate first (or get a good critique or maybe an Ebooks Review) before drowning yourself in a book. Believe me, this is the rule of the wise.

Bathroom Cleaning

Bathtub with watermarks...

Dull faucets and scummy lavatory...

This is a job for...

EASY SCRUB!

...to be continued (with results!). Thanks Libai!

Christmas Wish List

Vannie tagged me about my Christmas wishes. Vannie was like reading my mind because I have been aching to write about my merry wishes for this year. Apart from personal wishes such as a new job, a second baby and being finally debt-free, I also got a wish or wishes (if I may) for Santa this year. Here goes...

1. I want a CEIVA digital photo frame. Through the years, we have accumulated and collected hundreds of pictures of our family trips, parties and the daily milestones of Zoe. I thought it would be great to be able to share these pictures to my sister, Dad and relatives abroad. It would be fantastic if they are able to see how we are just by a click. More than that, this year, we can even join their contest and win $500. What a great deal, right?

2. I also want new planner. If I can't get the Starbucks planner, I just might get a moleskin (if there's a budget) or just a generic one from National Bookstore. I just want something simple so I can put order in my schedule for the whole year.

3. I want a new pair of blue jeans too. It's been ages since I got myself one. My existing pairs are either for repair already or looks too old to wear. I still haven't decided on what brand to get but hopefully I'll be able to get a new one by New Year's Day.

4. I also want a new digital camera. My old camera got lost last July when my sis used it for her trip to Australia. I miss my old camera. I just need to save up for a new one by May. Maybe we can also save up for a DSLR this year. Hunny?

That's all folks. I can't think of anything anymore. Snag this tag if you like!

Shot on Spot

Thanks to Pat for sharing me this tag.

We just got back from Shangri-La Mall and also Duty Free and I'm so tired...I swear, my darling baby is so heavy. My whole body aches from carrying her and pushing her stroller around. If only I can still photoshop my face right now...hahaha.

Here are the rules:
1. Take a picture of yourself right Now! (the moment you read this tag)
2. Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair, just take a picture.
3. Post that picture without editing.
4. Post these instructions with your picture.
5. Tag 10 people to do this. And don't forget to leave them a message about the tag.

I am passing this on to Ai, Aidisan, Agnes, Jenny, Mari, Nikki, Jody, Mich, Vannie, and Trinity. Have fun!

My Friend in Bangkok and Other Stuff

I've asked my friend Lala to bring us to the local duty free shop this weekend. I still have some more major gift-buying to do. To date, I still don't have anything prepared for my Dad, my husband and my sister. I thought that it would be best to check out the shirts, watches, bags and shoes there for they come out much cheaper compared to when you buy them in the malls.

Good thing my friend Lala can avail of free entrance to the duty free store since she just came back from Bangkok (yes, Bangkok!) this week. Unfortunately, she was in the smack of the difficult Bangkok situation. She and her friends were there for a vacation, scheduled to go home Thursday last week. But because all international flights were cancelled because of the stand-off, their group had to find another route to come home to Manila. It was terrible! She arrived only 6 days after her scheduled return! In the end, they had to take this long train ride to Malaysia and then another long bus ride going to Singapore where they were eventually picked up by their airline. Poor Lala. She had to spend a lot of money just to get home. Maybe she even considered getting an express cash advance in order to pay for her extended stay. Anyway, she's back to work now. She's also kind enough to bring us duty free shopping! That's so nice of her, don't you think? I think we'll just treat her for lunch to make her feel better.

Christmas Spirit Award

Thank you to Chris for this lovely award!

Here are the rules for this award:- You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award.

- The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas.
- You must link back to the person who gave you the award.
- You must list 5 things that you love about Christmas. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space! :o)
- Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 45; it's up to you. But, you must pass it on to at least one person in order to keep the Christmas cheer going! Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment on their blog.

As an early Christmas gift to everyone, I'm passing this to all of my friends in the blogsphere! Snag it peeps! Merry Christmas!

Budget

I remember the times when our grandmothers noted their expenses each day in a big notebook with a black or green cloth cover. They also divided monthly family expenses (food, gas, clothing, electricity, etc.) in white envelopes to plan out the budget well. It worked for them, true. For me, well, I think the situation now is more complicated than before (or at least feel that it's more complicated now). Anyway, I know that I would definitely need more than black notebooks and white envelopes to do my domestic management accounting. With prices of basic commodities rising but salaries remaining the same, the budget always ends up deeply battered. When before, going into debt was like a form of disgrace, people can now freely resort to fast cash personal loans or to organized credit without feeling bad. Getting a cash advance, for the most part, brings hope to those who are hounded by unexpected financial difficulties and it's fairly acceptable.

In this regard, here are some points were can consider regarding budgeting and personal accounting to help us avoid getting into more serious financial problems:

1. Establish a precise and realistic budget. Lay down your plans and targets for the year.
2. Differentiate between needs and wants and what you can really afford given all available resources.
3. Take responsible for all your decisions. Pay what you promised to pay.

To summarize, the important points of a good budget boils down to accurate information, necessity vs. want and sense of responsibility.

Our Little Snowman

We picked up a cute snowman decor on the route going back from Baguio to Manila (I think it was somewhere in Paniqui, Tarlac). There were actually rows and rows of Christmas lights and decors for sale but this snowman definitely caught my eye. It's perfect for our house and perfect for my budget (only P250!).

Here it is together with our Christmas tree:


...and here's a closer look. He's cute, right?

Zoe really liked it and I'm glad.

I Want the Thin Me Back

Hello everyone! My family and I just came back from a three-day vacation from the City of Pines. Thank God for three-day weekends!

Well, among the new places we visited were the outlet shops in Mile High inside Camp John Hay. It was great to discover these stores in the middle of a mountain! There I got to buy stuff for my husband, Zoe and Cat. Sadly, I couldn't find anything for myself. I looked at all the goods but nothing fits! There I realized that it's hard being fat. I made a quick resolution to start exercising again and eating less again lest I pay for a plastic surgery to trim my flabs in my stomach, legs and arms. On a side note, I honestly have been feeling so fat the past few weeks. And although I am still able to do most of what I used to do, I think my body is already close to being a case for Los Angeles cosmetic surgery. Sometimes, I feel that nobody can help me but a Los Angeles plastic surgeon. You see, I am used to be being thin. I was thin my whole life until I became pregnant. All throughout my childhood and teenage years, I was skinny. So I know how it feels to be thin. I was never really conscious of my weight until I had to lose a couple of pounds before I got married in order to fit in my wedding gown. But after giving birth and when I look at myself in the mirror, I'm not the same thin girl I used to be. I'm the same person (same personality, same spirit) but 20+ pounds overweight and this bears me down. I think this condition stemmed not just from my pregnancy but also from my inactive lifestyle, my eating habits and the stresses of my current job. And so until I take a concrete step in getting fit again, I'll have to rely on a miracle to do the job for me.

Home Manager for Hire

I met this wonderful lady during my seminar last week that I simply have to blog about her. Her current line of work is in professional home management - in every sense of the word.

And take note, she's the Home Manager of some richy-elite families in the Metro, who like me (though I'm of lower life form, LOL), also want to have an organized home and an organized family life.

So just in case you are interested to put someone with great experience and expertise in charge of organizing your home, just get in touch with her. Here's her blog: http://homeact.blogspot.com/. She shares great tips too!

...and oh by the way, on the side, she also sells Easy Scrub (a cleansing agent that works!). That's also something that's in my to-blog list.

Beef with Brocolli and Baby Corn Lunch

My dear husband cooked something special for the family last Sunday. I really feel so lucky to have a husband that cooks. (I, too, love to cook but feel so lazy harhar).

For his last cooking session, he made Beef with Brocolli and Baby Corn. It was so yummy, I swear! Burp!

Hun...maybe we can earn money out of this talent of yours. :0)

Gift Ideas

It's almost Christmas and I'm not yet done with my gift shopping and wrapping. I always hate it when I procrastinate. But it seems this year that work has been busier and I just have to make time to be able to do everything before December 25. So far, I am done with most of the gifts for my lady relatives, friends and colleagues. What I find problematic now is what I should give to my male friends, my dad and husband.

For women, I always go to the safe side. It's just a choice from several basic gifts such as bags, soap, lotion, cologne, body wash, t-shirts, etc. That's already done with because I already got myself around 35+ gifts for friends, cousins, and officemates. I also am done buying for couple friends whom we usually meet during the Christmas season. But for the men, that is the question. I only tend to stick to the usual gifts such as t-shirts, towels and pens. And for lack of ideas, there was a year I even gave away a diverse selection from shaving gel to mini-oranges. Obviously, I can get (regrettably) crazy with doing last minute choices.

Anyway, to be more positive about it, I guess it's easier to find gifts for male friends. What is much harder is finding a gift from my husband. For the many years we have been together, I have already given him a lot of nice gifts. Only last October, I gave him a sports shirt for our 3rd anniversary. So I guess giving another shirt is not one of my main options. Good thing, I saw these Tactical Pants online today and thought that this might be a great gift idea. I know that my husband is into dressing up with style and buying him this kind of pants would be perfect for his personality. What do you think?

Happiness is...

...getting a box of Banoffee Cream Pie when you least expect it.

Thank you...that was so thoughtful of you Hunny. :-)

31 Days Before Christmas

We just celebrated the Solemnity of Christ the King last Sunday. This means that we will be ending another liturgical year soon and starting a new one with the celebration of the Advent Season. Then after lighting all those candles for four Sundays, it's going to be Christmas Day again! I'm so excited!

What makes Advent and Christmas so special? As tradition suggests, it's the time to bring out the Belen or the Nativity Scene. It is also the time to pull from the stockroom the Advent wreath, Christmas trees, decors and whatnots. And if you are eager to make your decorations more fanciful, all you need is to buy those beautiful LED Christmas Lights. Lights can create a whole difference in making your decorations and homes look more festive.

On the spiritual side, let us not forget that we also need to have that spirit of penance and coming back to Our Lord. He has indeed been good to all of us not only during the past year but in every minute and every second of our lives. We all have to be grateful for all the graces and gifts that God has been sending us. He is the reason for all of these celebrations and without Him, there will be no Christmas. Do you agree?

Why I Love Having a Daughter

...we can do kikay things together!

Home Organization

While I was on leave from work, I had the chance to be able to attend classes on marriage and emotions. I feel so lucky because it isn't everyday that you can listen to great topics and actually learn from it.

Apart from those important topics, we also had the great opportunity to have a talk on tips on cleaning and making space in your home and office. That's great right? Our speaker here talked about her experiences and offered some tricks on home space and effective housewares. It is actually so complementary to the things that I have learned from reading Shopwiki regarding cleaning and home organization. It made me realize that I'm actually so far behind in my efforts to organize our home. So I guess I need to shape up and start anew. It's a good thing that you can always rely on Shopwiki and good friends for great advice about cleaning and great cleaning tools anytime.

I'll make sure to share some of the tips I learned soon.

I'm So Back

Hello world! I really missed blogging. I was kind of away for 7 straight days and now so BACTERIA --- that is, BACkTEReality!

Well, I wasn't really gone long. I just set aside a whole week for my personal formation (attended my annual classes on theo, philo and other things). It was really worthwhile to be having all of that, more especially now that I have so many roles in my life which I need to juggle.

Anyway, as I said, I'm so back. I've got so many things to blog about here. I've made great discoveries while I was away (thanks to Libai and easy scrub) and I'll make sure to find the time to blog about all of these very soon!

Meanwhile, let's get on with business (time to make some extra money!!!>>> hey, I missed some good opportunities here too but I'm back with a vengeance!).

Perfect Christmas Gifts

Hello everyone! How are you doing with your Christmas shopping? Well as for me, I started kind of late already. Normally, I would be scouring for great buys as early as October when the malls start to have their weekend sales. However, this year, due to budget and time concerns, I delayed exploring the stores and buying gifts to fill up my Christmas list. in fact, I only printed out my Christmas list from the computer only last week.

As a start, I asked Hubby to accompany me last Sunday. We went around the mall to buy some generic Christmas gifts. We already bought many of the gifts in Rustan's and we had it all wrapped there. That takes care of our gifts (plus wrapping) for about 30 people. Whew! It was such a tiring day. I didn't realize how hard it can be to be going around the whole of the Shangri-La Mall trying to search for Christmas gifts. But it doesn't end there just yet! I still have a couple of dozens of people in my list. I've already crossed out the idea of going to Divisoria and Tutuban because by now, there will be swarms of people there during the weekends. What I'm thinking of just doing some online shopping to save me time and energy. This may even be a cheaper way to tackle my list!

Anyway, for the rest of the people I still have no gifts planned for, it was a good thing I came across this UK-based store which offers beautiful Sterling Silver Jewellery. And since most of the people I need to give gifts to this Christmas are women, I am thinking of making a bulk order of Sterling Silver Bracelets. I'm sure they will all appreciate receiving this kind of gift since many of them love wearing silver accessories. For the girls (teenagers) to whom I also would be giving gifts, a great gift idea would be giving them Silver Bangles. I just love the colors that they offer that I might as well buy some pieces for myself! Don't you think this is a great idea?

Happy Christmas shopping to everyone!

The Race is On!

The race is on for the 2009 Starbucks Planner!

>>>sorry for my lousy pic...

Here are the choices:

photo credit for above pic here!

May I have the red one pleazzzzzz!?

Advance Happy Birthday Lala!

My maid of honor and good friend since Grade 5 is celebrating her birthday tomorrow!

Hi Lala! Here's wishing you the best in your career and lovelife (uy!).

Example of Paying It Forward

If you are interested in taking a career in real estate investment, you may very well have encountered the name of Jim Piccolo. Well, he is currently the CEO of Nouveau Riche University. I learned that he started this learning institution in the year 2002, offering students and potential real estate brokers a great career in real estate.

I have a friend you got interested in the vision of Jim Piccolo and she told me that Jim Piccolo has been trying to make good innovations in various industries. On top of that, he has started a foundation named after his father that is there to cater to the needs of children and teens, among others. I guess this is his way of giving back to society because he has received a lot of blessings and monetary success through his different innovative businesses.

In relation to paying back, I am pleased that nouveau riche people who have earned their status through hard word and creativity are now learning to give back to the people in a sort of "pay it forward" view of life. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all rich CEOs and head of big companies follow this great trend of living charity?

Coffee Ver. 1.43

Jan wants to know: What is your most celebrated milestone in life?

Well, as for me, there are lots but I guess what's really the thing to beat is our wedding day. It really changed our lives. Getting married was like the turning point in our lives. On our wedding, we vowed before God that we will completely "donate" (not just share) our lives to each other and become as one. Heavy stuff right? Yes it is! So for those who are contemplating marriage, better think twice, thrice, and a million times because marriage makes a lasting mark on your person and your soul. And make sure you marry the person that you are willing to be your better-half for the rest of your life.

Thanks Jan!

Nouveau Riche

My husband and I watch the show Jeopardy almost every night. More often than not, we sort of compete on who knows more answers than the other. My husband often gets it right when it comes to history, old movies and sports. I, on the other hand, like answering to literature and music-related categories.

Incidentally in one episode, one of the responses' clue tells of a French term that literally means new money or new rich but now also depicts a person who has acquired a considerable amount of wealth in his lifetime (meaning getting rich not through any sort of inheritance or something like that). The correct response, of course, is "nouveau riche" or as they say in Jeopardy - "what is nouveau riche?" I was pretty happy that I blurted out the correct response, that is, to the amazement of my husband.

Speaking of this, I learned through the internet that there is such thing as a Nouveau Riche University wherein people can actually learn the ins and outs of investing on real estate and possibly making big business resulting to big money. For many people who are looking for a good career choice, getting into a Nouveau Riche University may be the answer to their anxious search for a better pay or better life. The Nouveau Riche University offers various real estate investment trainings that can possibly lead you to a 'nouveau riche' life in the future. Interesting, huh?

Just Some Thoughts...

Just want to jot down some notes of random reflection that I find as good for me and maybe good for you too...

>>>Sometimes, many people do not behave well and do not make the right decisions because they do not pray. Many people don't give enough time for God (that includes myself too) and as a result, sometimes can't think straight nor discern and make moral judgement. This only shows that prayer is very, very important.

>>>Why is it that barrenness used to be understood as a curse in the olden times while now people see fertility as the curse and the not the blessing?

>>>We all know that taking care of babies is not at all romantic. Mothers (and fathers) don't know night from day on the first few years of the child. But this doesn't mean that we shouldn't have any more children because of this so-called "burden" right?

...just some personal thoughts. Maybe you would like to ponder on it too.

Is the Real Estate Business For You?

Way back in college (I was studying Economics), I got to meet these group of people in a school-sponsored university job fair, who were encouraging us to apply in their company and work as a real estate marketing professional and be Nouveau Riche. Because I know myself as someone who is generally shy around people, I shrugged off the idea then and concentrated on finding and applying for less-interactive type of jobs that maybe would only require analytical skills but not talent in sales. This was my personal case. However, for some of my schoolmates, the challenge of taking up a career in real estate selling and learning through the Nouveau Riche way was very attractive to them. Anyway, I'm glad for them because I think you need guts and a killer-instinct to be successful in selling real estate, or anything for that matter.

Now, after several years of working already, I sometimes get to see some of my college friends and witness that some have indeed been successful in being involved in Nouveau Riche. Well, as for me, I stay content with what I have because I know that God has put me here in my current state and place of work for a good purpose.

Flowers For Me

Thank you to my sweet friend Vannie from Cebu for these beautiful flowers! I find this very related to my old post here.

::: Start copying here:::

Here are the rules for this tag:
1.) Copy the badge and put it on your blog.

2.) Link back who pass you this tag.

3.) Spread this tag to at least 7 or more bloggers who you think you are friend with.

"And lovely are the blossoms
That are tended with great care,
By those who work unselfishly
To make the place more fair.
And, like the garden blossoms,
Friendship’s flower grows more sweet
When watched and tended carefully
By those we know and meet.
And, if the seed of friendship
Is planted deep and true
And watched with understanding,
Friendship’s flower will bloom for you."

I'm pasing this to everyone in my blogroll located at On A Wonderful Day Like Today. :-)

America's Got a New President

I was busy looking up www.reportphonenumbers.com this morning before lunch because there is this particular number I wanted to check. You see, my friend has asked me to help her check out this number because it has been hounding their telephone since early last week. This was immediately before I browsed through news about Obama already winning the elections. This may be good news for some, bad news for some. Nevertheless, the fact is, with a new president, things don't change overnight. It would still take a whole nation to bring it out from the ruins.

How Do You...

...clean a dark-colored bathroom surface?

I've been dealing with my Dad's ruby red lavatory and sink, trying to remove the watermarks but to no avail. Last night, I even tried putting toothpaste and left it there overnight. I cleaned it up this morning and it didn't really work...

Answers, answers...that's what I need right now. I can't stand a scummy-looking sink!

Eyeglasses From Zenni

My husband has been prodding me to get myself this new pair of eyeglasses from Zenni Optical. He knew about this because Zenni Optical was on FOX news! You see, our daughter has this habit of grabbing my eyeglasses that it has been prone to scratches and mishandling ever since. Good thing there are Great Eyeglasses For Less available online at Zenni Optical. They also have Variable Dimension Frames From Zenni that are stylish and expensive-looking. You'll never realize that prices could go as low as $8!

Sticker Crazy

How do we usually entertain Zoe on crazy Sunday afternoons when she just wants to run around the house (and errrr....tire us)?

Well, we stick on some cutie Barney and Baby Bop stickers all over her (hands, clothes, arms, etc.) and wish she behaves.

>>>yup, the Barney and Baby Bop on her t-shirt are just stickers

...sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Nevertheless, there's no doubt that she loves having those stickers on her all the time. :-)

My Small Things List - November 01

Our family will be flocking to the cemetery tomorrow to pray for and visit our dearly beloved family members who have gone ahead. In the morning, we will be going to visit my mom. I plan to bring a picnic basket and some chairs so we can at least a good hour or so there to be with my mom. In the afternoon, we will be going to my husband's family and give candles and flowers for my FIL and other in-laws. I'm not sure if my husband would want us to go to the place where my FIL rests because for sure there will be a lot of people towards the end of the day.

Anyway, here's my small things list of this to bring for this trip:

1. Responsory for the Dead prayers
2. Rosaries
3. Flowers
4. Candles
5. Holy Water
6. Banig
7. Picnic umbrella
8. Food - siomai and siopao
9. Drinks - bottled water
10. Zoe's milk and biscuits
11. Chairs
12. Zoe's Maclaren

Hmmm....I guess I need to prep all the stuff to bring tomorrow ASAP. I hope it doesn't rain!

Need Help?

Many people are talking about and are interested in personal finance these days. I wonder if this because a lot of people need serious debt help. As you see and hear in the news now, things in the financial realm are somewhat unpredictable. One day you're up, the next day you're down. Even big banks crumble and file for bankruptcy. Well, that's really an eye-opener for companies and individuals. We really need to place all the safety nets to help prevent incurring high interest rates from credit card and other past due loans.

Here are tips can I share with regard to removing debt from your life:

1. Get debt consolidation help from reliable loan companies.
2. Pay more than the minimum of your credit card bill total.
3. Try snow-balling your credit card repayments.
4. Prioritize credit card payments before cash savings.
5. Get a loan from your Mom and Dad. Hahaha!

Actually, I've broken the bank and gone beyond my budget too many times before. But when I became a parent, I became more budget-conscious and try to be a good money manager. Now, every single day, I resolve to be more controlled in my spending (and it's very hard I tell you). If only all our debts will be paid off tomorrow!

Happy Halloween Everybody!

Happy Trick or Treating!

Accentuate Your Walls

Bare walls are always boring. Do you have bare walls that need accentuating? Are you looking for ways to decorate and improve your walls? Well, I've got the perfect solution for you.

You can now shop for wall decorations and accents without leaving the comforts of your home. The very answer is at the tip of your finger and it's just a few clicks away. Wall Decor and Home Accents offer online shopping options to those who want to purchase beautiful and attractive wall art that can fill your walls with aesthetic sense and life.

Aside from wall art, they also showcase beautiful metal wall art that is perfect for any room in your home or office. It can immediately transform your area into something majestic and ornate that nobody would think that it even costs cheaper compared to those being sold at the regular stores.

There are actually more options and choices to choose from. They have lovely canvas wall art that can serve as conversation pieces for guests and relatives who come to visit our house. It will also give a welcoming mood to anybody who enters the house. There are also contemporary art pieces that would enliven the tone of your walls.

How Can I Get in Touch?

One of my aunts is leaving again for Canada soon to be with my cousin's family. She is bound to leave I think after another one of her daughters celebrate her 18th birthday debut party. She's really looking forward to taking care of her grandchildren in Canada and celebrating Christmas with them. The only thing that bothers her is the cold weather there. Being not so young anymore, the winter gives her a hard time to move around and go out of the house.

Now I'm thinking of how I'll stay in touch with her to see how she's doing. Good thing I can always use the canada reverse phone directory to get a hold of their contact numbers there in Canada.

Mommy Says, Zoe Says

Mommy says: I love you!
Zoe says: YOOOUUUU!!

Mommy says: Wake up Daddy.
Zoe says: DADDDDDDYYYY, 'SING (gising)!

Mommy says: Good girl ka?
Zoe says: GUUUUDDDDD!

Mommy says: One, two, three,...
Zoe says: Nine, Ten!

Mommy says: Where's Nanay (MIL)?
Zoe says: Sig. (Pasig)

Mommy says: In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Zoe says: AMEN!

Coffee Break Ver. 1.42

I really don't think this is the spookiest ever but I'm writing down here the most recent paranormal story I experienced.

This happened only last Sunday...

My Dad and Ninang (my dad's new wife) were browsing through old photo albums of my deceased aunt from Germany and pictures of the trip to Germany of my deceased Lola. You see, my Ninang never got to meet my Tita and she said she wanted to see how she looked like. So while looking at the pictures, all of a sudden, our tv in the living room opened. I thought I sat on the remote control or something because I was the last one to use the tv. Anyway, the remote was nowhere near anybody because it was there just beside the tv itself. Of course, many may say that maybe the tv was unintentionally put on timer or wake up mode. But no, I don't think so because as I said, it was I who used it last. The scary part was, the tv opened at Channel 6 which was a dead channel (meaning, there's nothing showing there) and it made a very loud zzzzz sound that made us all jump.

Now I wonder if that was my aunt and lola's way of welcoming my Ninang into the family...

Cleanup Event

As a part of the company's corporate social responsibility in action, the Heritage Web Solutions and their employees with their friends and family joined their efforts for a cleanup event. In coordination with the local city's parks and recreation department, they tried to make a lasting mark in the community by helping out in the improvement and development of the river trail system in the area.

Here is some news about their recent exciting activities:

Heritage Internet Technologies’ Good Works Committee is pleased to announce that we have teamed up with the Parks and Recreation department for the city of Provo, Utah in an effort to maintain the Moon River section of the Provo River Trail System.

The committee held their first cleanup event on September 24th 2008. We were pleased to see a large number of employees, as well as their families and friends, attend. Everyone was in good spirits, and had a great time as they dug in and brought this trail back to its original beauty.

The cleanup project included graffiti removal in the two tunnel portions of the trail section, vandalism repair, as well as litter and debris removal along the trail.

The HIT Good Works Committee conducts bi-weekly checks of the trail to ensure that it is being properly maintained. We will also be holding cleanup events once a month with our next event scheduled for October 29th 2008. We are looking forward to having as great of a turnout as we were able to have last month.

Heritage Internet Technologies has always been eager to find ways to give back to our surrounding community. We are very excited to join forces with the Provo City Parks and Recreation department to help maintain this beautiful trail system.

We would like to thank everyone involved in this cleanup project. We are proud to have such a generous group of employees, willing to dedicate their time to bettering our community.

Ain't this company a model for employee volunteerism? Not only do they help the community but also promote solidarity among their employees.

Recollection Day Today...

"Recollection. Seek God within you and listen to him." -J.E.

A day of recollection at least once a month ~ don't we need it all? Thank God for days such as these.

Setting the Tone in Your Home

Living areas differ from home to home. In particular, the living area, which is usually the first room that a person sees as he enters the house, sets the tone of the house. So many times, you want to decorate this room in a way that makes a statement about your and your family. The style, colors, accessories, the window treatments like Blinds, the placement and quality of the furniture speaks a lot.

So now take a look at the present state of your living room. Ask yourself if you want to change anything about it? Do you need to buy some pieces of furniture or accessories to serve as a good room highlight? Do you need to bring in the room more pieces that serve as storage to get the clutter in the room out of the way? Do you need to rearrange some pieces of furniture or do you need to spruce up your windows by Window Coverings or wooden window panels? If you plan to do the latter, then I suggest that you check out some of the Hunter Douglas Blinds online (they come out at a cheaper for the quality you buy) and see how you can improve the appearance of your windows not only in the living room area but also in the other rooms of the house.

Cut Yourself from Time Slack

So busy at work right now that it hurts (my head aches, my back aches, my eyes ache, my feet ache, hahaha). Do you feel that way sometimes?

Here are some time-saving tips to cut yourself from some time slack:

1. Live close to places you go regularly such as your work, church, dentist, doctor, school, hairdresser, and the like.

>>>A major issue now for me is the "work" part - my daily 2-hour travel back and forth has become so stressful since unlike when I was still single, I now have mommy duties round the clock.

2. Use technology to save on time falling in line in stores and banks.

>>>I've been so blessed to discover the good things about online banking - I don't have to fall in line ever to pay for my bills.

3. Make early appointments and start on errands early.

>>>>For the past weeks, we have been going to the supermarket exactly at 9am, just as the store opens. There are less people, no lines and fresher produce (more picks for me).

4. Group errands to accomplish more things in one trip.

>>>My officemates and I always try to book a service to bring us to Glorietta or Landmark so that we can do our knick-knack shopping during the lunch break.

5. Take advantage of personalized services and restaurant deliveries.

>>>Whenever I need to bring home a cake or some pastries, I just call Red Ribbon or Goldilocks to deliver me the cake at the office. Easy as 1-2-3.

Hotdog

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Shopping Last Weekend

Last Sunday, I went around the mall with my husband to check out the sale in the different stores. Since my husband had to go to the barber first for his regular haircut, we went our separate ways right after we got inside the mall. My first stop was the department store. It was still quite early so there were not much people going around yet. Initially, I went to the children's department. I was looking for a toilet adapter seat for Zoe who had just learned how to use the potty. I saw that she preferred to use the real toilet instead of her musical potty and so I thought we needed that toilet adapter seat so that she fits nicely into the hole of the toilet. Good thing, there was still one piece of toiler adapter seat waiting for me. Great! I bought it immediately and then proceeded to the shoe and clothes section. I didn't find anything nice enough there so I went to the household section. After a few minutes, I felt to tired to look for good discounts so I just stepped out of there with just the toilet thingy on hand. I then met with my husband and we went to stroll some more around the mall.

After having lunch and going around for a good thirty minutes or so, we stopped by the Handy Man store. Honestly, I think I can stay there for hours and enjoy myself. I don't think I missed a lane in that store. We went to check out the locks, the plastic mats, door knobs, plant seeds, decorative tiles, hangers, character stickers, glass frames, and many more. They also have a variety of discount steam showers but I didn't bother looking because I know that there are cheaper ones for sale which I can find at Unlimited Showers. Speaking of Unlimited Showers, they offer both affordable and high-end showers. You see, I have been browsing through their online shower store for the past days now because I am currently on the look out for great shower deals. You see our bathroom at the smaller house needs some renovation and I think that a sliding door shower enclosure would be perfect to improve its current state and appearance. Now I'm aching to buy shower enclosures online.

Anyway, when we got home from the mall, I opened my computer and went to do some more online shower shopping. Do you think I'll ever get tired of shopping?

On TV!

Guess what? I just got a call from someone from Channel _ asking if they can rent our humble home for a day of shooting for one of their shows (for a fee of course). That's on Sunday. Whoaaa! Well, whaddya know? The "House" is going to be on TV!

I wonder who are the celebrities who will be coming? Abangan!