Life's Journey with my perfume

I relate significant moments in my life with my perfume of that moment. I can vividly remember the details of a particular event, almost as much as I can smell the perfume I was wearing that day.

The giddiness of young love I relate to Benetton's Tribu, my chosen scent in college. I think it's what you call a bit musky.

During the early years of my career, i shifted to a vanilla scented spray--something I love till now. It's light and sweet and yummy smelling. I alternately use the cologne with Hugo Boss' Woman especially when I want to feel more confident, like during job interviews.

On my wedding day, I aptly chose a perfume that would best describe what I felt at that moment. I sprayed on True Love by Elizabeth Arden.

For the past year though, I am loyal to Rockin Rio by Escada. It's not cloyingly sweet, not powdery-smelling. Just the right scent for me.

How about you, what is your scent? Check out what suits you best here.

Now, here is a picture of my perfume of the moment, together with some of my everyday beauty essentials.

Saturday Morning at MOA

Jared still has cough and we thought it would be good for him to get some fresh air. Now, living in the city, that posed some sort of a challenge. The only thing that came to mind was the bayside at MOA. It was relatively near our place, and Jared can walk and run and be merry.

Only he did not walk, he preferred that we carry him as we stroll. He only asked to be put down when he saw a family playing ball. The moment his feet touched the ground, he sped to that family to play ball with them.

The hour we spent at MOA's San Miguel by the Bay was time well-spent. The walking got mommy the much-needed exercise, Jared played a bit on the slides, and together with lola, we had a nice family time without spending a fortune. We just dropped by Mcdo on our way home so Jared can get his pancakes.

Hopefully, the weather will be as good next week so we can go there again. Already, Jared is getting better. The walk did him good.

Heal the World

Michael Jackson is dead. Funny, I would blog about him here when I am not that fond of music, much less of a particular artist.

If there is one song though that I like, it is Heal the World. If I get bored and feel the urge to sing, this one will be the song that will most likely come out of my mouth.

So, for MJ, thank you for this song and hopefully, it will really be a better place.

Heal the World
Make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are people dying, when you care enough for the living
Make a better place for you and for me

Sick on Father's Day

I've not been feeling well for the past few days and since Monday, Jared has had coughing spells as well as slight fever. The Father's Day celebration I planned in my head for several months was shelved. You see, Jared and I planned to take daddy for a well-deserved mini-break to either Tagaytay or UP Diliman. I was hoping to introduce Jared to the baked goodies at Bag of Beans. That or have a little family picnic at the UP grounds.

We did not even get to buy or make a card for daddy. But the great thing about him is, I know he understands. Since the secret of what we've been planning to do is out on this blog already, Jared and I will think of another way to celebrate this event with you, a little late yes, bot no less special.

In the meantime, I'm just posting these photos of daddy. We love you so much.

One of my favorite shots of my son and his dad. This was my husband's first glimpse of his son at the nursery. I loved how the camera captured their eye-to-eye contact. Jared was probably curious at this big guy looking at him through through window.


All ready to party at a wedding

My favorite fruit

Yaya Tata came back from a nearly month-long vacation in the province bearing my favorite fruit.

She wasn't kidding when she said the atis in Manila are so small. Look at how big they grow in Mindanao!

Too bad we did not get to taste it as it was rotten inside already when we opened the fruit.

Jared had a happy time playing with it though.

Be a princess on your wedding day

Want to feel like a real princess as you walk down the aisle? This is your chance.

In partnership with Princessweds, we're giving away three free wedding cords and a hair vine for all brides-to-be.

The lady behind Princessweds is my sister, Che. She made my hair vine on my wedding day, her first foray in beading. She took a short hiatus on this calling but has recently taken up the hobby again and has made quite a few brides happy on their wedding day.

Interested? Here are the guidelines:

1. This is open to all future brides.
2. Prizes to be given away are as follows: 3 wedding cords and one hair vine. There will be four winners in all.
3. All the bride has to do is leave a comment on this post on how she envisions her wedding day to be. Minimum of 10 words, please. Be sure to leave your email address and your wedding date with your post.
4. Got to Believe will choose 4 posts by the end of July and will notify the winners thru email within 15 days.
5. Items will be shipped within August(or as soon as we have your mailing address). Shipping of the items is free of charge, within Metro Manila only. Shipping to provincial addresses will be on the account of the winner.

Check out pictures of the items here.

Hope to read all your posts soon.

Mommy Moments: Outdoor Fun

As an excited mom, I try to capture all the milestones in my son's life, hence a camera is a staple inside by big and heavy bags. But for his first birthday, I wanted a portait session taken a few weeks before so I can use the photos for some of his birthday materials.

These series of photos were taken by Ging Lorenzo one cloudy day in March at Harbour Square at the Manila Bay. We were dressed according to the birthday theme of son which was nautical.

Just posting this made me realize how I miss planning a party. Maybe, we can have a tiny, tiny birthday party for the boy's 2nd birthday?

Check our what the other mom's wrote about this week's theme for Mommy Moments.

Independence Day 2009

To celebrate Independence Day this year, I did two things. First, I bought a small flag to be displayed at the house. This is what Jared is holding in the photo. We even had a mini-flag ceremony this morning where we sang the national anthem and taught him to place his hand on his chest (which he did not follow btw).

The second thing I did is to sign up for Ako Mismo. I got intrigued by their TV ad, enough to prompt me to visit their site. From their website: "Simulan mo ang pagkilos mula sa muling pagbangon ng Pilipinas".

I like how it works, you sign up for your own commitment on what you can do to help our country.

And with my commitment, along with the commitment of 174,142 Filipinos (as of the time I registered), I truly hope our country's future will indeed be brighter.

Ako mismo, papalakihin kong may mabuting asal ang anak ko.

Happy Independence Day!

Dreaming of Halong Bay

On a flight back to Manila back in July 2007, I was reading the in-flight magazine of Cebu Pacific, checking the next place we can go to for a vacation. I was staring long and hard on one page and ear-marked Halong Bay, Vietnam as our next destination as a couple. The placed sounded far-away, dreamy and rustic. I pictured it to be the setting of some movie a la Lord of the Rings, complete with the fog at dawn. Exactly what a romantic travel adventure is made of.

Imagine my disappointment when I learned, less than a week after we arrived, that husband will be going to Halong Bay.

Alone. Without me. Leaving me.

He was being sent to attend a business trip the next week.

So, until now, the romantic getaway in Halong Bay remains an elusive dream.

p.s.
on a good note, we first learned I was pregnant when hubby arrived from that trip so even if Halong Bay remains an elusive dream for me until now, the mention of the place brings a little smile to my face

Family Ritual

I read somewhere that rituals are important to create some stability, a sense of belongingness. I felt that was important in this crazy world where crazy things happen.

We were newly-married then and I definitely wanted to create a special ritual that we would so/share so husband and I started a simple Tuesday ritual about 2 years ago. We need to leave the house earlier on this day of the week because of color coding so we are usually at my building by 6.40am. We take advantage of the extra time by having a leasurely breakfast at where else but Jollibee. =)

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I can eat breakfast alone, without feeling unhappy. Lunch or dinner without a dining companion make me feel I don't have any friend, a friend i can share the meal with and that is a not so happy thought.

But sharing my favorite meal of the day with someone special is something I look forward to week after week, never mind if I have the smell of Jollibee ingrained deep until my subconcious.

With our son, we also want to start some simple family rituals. Here is one of them. Breakfast at Mcdo, on a lazy Saturday morning. I realize we could not always do it evey week as we have errands we need to atend to, or parties, or doctor's appointments. But we'll try to stick to this one ritual as much as we can.

Mommy Moments: Time out with Friends

You know that feeling when you meet certain people that you're going to be friends with them... for life? I did not get that feeling when I met these people.

But through years of shared experiences-- being with each other through cramming, skipping classes, drinking sessions,more drinking sessions, out of town trips, "pulubi" days (when all you have in your wallet is enough money to get you home), breakups and heartaches, sickness, promotions, new jobs, babies, coffee breaks, disco dancing (ages ago), karaoke nights, wedding preparations, charades, pigging out, and all the joyful moments in between, you see each others quirks and misgvings, understand them, accept them and actually come to love them.

These are my lifelong friends and I consider myself lucky to be theirs.


Aileen, Cathy,Ethel and Marisse--my college buddies


Marielle, Claire, Peachy, Menchu, Rodel, Grace -- my CTSI friends


GroUPm8s--Sherwin and I belong to this group whom we met as masteral students at UP Manila. I hold a special place for them as my then boyfriend,now my husband, proposed in front of them during our Christmas party a few years ago.

This is my entry for Mommy Moments this week which is Time Out with Friends

Future Star?

My baby, a star?

Every parent dreams that one day, his child will be somebody. Somebody famous, somebody well-off, somebody powerful. Me, I'll be content when my baby grows up to be somebody with a good heart.

As soon as we knew there is a little baby growing inside my tummy, he became the star of our lives. Whatever I do, or eat, I go back to thinking if it will be ultimately good for him. We avoided big crowds and smoke-filled places, because we want our baby to have the best and healthiest start in life.

When he was born, our lives revolved around him. He is our sunshine, our joy, our precious star.

That's why I am tickled whenever I look at this newspaper clipping and magazine page where Jared is featured. Our star already secured his place in front of the cameras!

Below, we are featured on the Manila Bulletin's October 12, 2008 issue (lifestyle section). They did a feature on Mommy Milkshake Marathon held a few months back.
As young as he was (just around 3-4 months old that time), I wanted us to go out and participate in this fun run in support of breastfeeding. I am proud to say that at 14 months, he is still breastfed (he drank mommy's milk for the fist 10 months of his life--not a drop of formula).


His next exposure was on the January 2009 issue of Baby Magazine where his picture was used to accompany one of the articles. The Stork Studio took great photos of Jared when he ws 6 months old, and they were contributors to the magazine. Jared's pic was one of the published photos of Stan and Ia's great tandem.

He is on the right side, top photo


But magazine, or no magazine (exposure, that is), our baby is and will forever be a star to us.

My very first blog award

This is the very fist award I received here on blogosphere and I am truly honored. Thanks, Hazel.

Here are the rules:
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

As I am new to blogosphere and have limited time to blog-hop, I am passing it on to the blogs I follow. I know some may have received this already, but passing it on just the same. I think your blogs are just lovely. You so deserve this award.

Mec, Jacque, Beth, Toni, Rheea

Love Teddy

I'm sure all kids have their favorite toys. For this post, let me share my son's beloved teddy. Teddy was gift from his christening. He is actually part of a set, him being "teddy" and the other one being "sunny", a similar looking teddy bear, but a bit more plump and says "peek-a-boo, i see you" when his tummy is pressed. Teddy on the other hand somewhat resembles the infamous teddy of Mr. Bean.

Jared has loads of toys, some he'll play with for 5 minutes while the others would not merit even a glance(I'd like to think he'll develop a longer interest in his other toys soon). Given a chance to rummage his toy basket though, he'll pick either teddy or sunny out from the entire lot and hug them like a baby.

I'm looking for other photos of my son with his beloved toy but for now, I'm posting these two.

Have a happy Monday!