Halloween 2012: Power Ranger

This has been a long standing tradition at the office. If my memory is still to be relied on, we've been doing the annual kid Halloween thing since 2001, when most malls and offices have not caught on the Trick or Treat craze yet.

I do treasure this time, even when I was still single and would just help in the games and set up. But now that I have a kid, it became even more special. I appreciate the management for always including this  in our year-round activities because not only does my kid get to enjoy playing, it's so nice seeing the kids grow up year to year. It also brings me back to the time when I would visit mama's office (no trick or treat though) and see and take pride at where she works.

Our theme varies every year, and a poll is done to choose the theme. The winning theme is Superheroes.

Days before, the office is abuzz with cutting, pasting and more cutting. We went for a more old-school look and chose Gotham City as our design peg.






He was one of the first at our conference room, eagerly waiting for the play area crew to finsih setting up. Once he felt everything was done, off he went to the inflatable slide.

and played for what seemed like forever

 

 

This muscled Power Ranger costume is on online fond so no chance to fit. Look at how tight it was. Thankfully, the boy wore it throughout the event.

Like these girls, I planned to come in costume. But made a costume boo-boo so no, my son was by his lonesome ranger. I was supposed to be the Pink one.

Ninang always drops by the office to check out Jared's costume.

The most fun part for the kids: Trick or Treat!

His first and second Halloween party at the office here
When he dressed up as Jin Kazama
Last year was all about Angry Birds so he just wore a hat and shirt

Trained by Daddy

Shopping is one thing I prefer doing alone. I like to pace at my own time, take a look at all that is available before settling down on what will fit me (and most importantly my budget) best.

But is is very rare I get out by myself nowadays and shopping with 2 boys ain't so much fun for me.


* * *
Me: Wait, can I check out the dresses?
Litle Boy: Mom, you have those na.

* * *
Little boy, very impatiently
Mommy, that's expensive. All of them are expensive.

* * *
Little boy again while I try on clothes
Mommy, again and again and again?


I do think he is trained by his dad very well. Haha.



A random shopping pic. He amuses himself with his toys look at clothes

Sprucing up the Garden

Around this time two years ago, we made a minor home improvement. We had the little patch of land we fondly call our garden landscaped.

This time, we decided it's time to make the front "lawn" a little bit more presentable. I didn't like the high maintenance blue grass or carabao grass because I know we won't have time to water them often. And cutting takes time, patience and buckets of sweat.

Concrete or paving the front is out of the question. So, the next best thing is lay some bricks and add plants in front.

The boy woke up just as the gardeners were unloading their stuff at 8 am.

First order of the day was to pull out the weeds that were threatening to eat the garden alive. =)

It only took the gardeners, around 4-5 of them, one whole day to dig and level the soil.

 

 

Lay down the bricks, fill the gaps with sand. Jared is here helping tidy up the garden.

Plant a few greens

And this itsy bitsy lawn is done

This was an ingenious addition to the garden. We had a pipe running beneath the first layer of soil, with holes in it to function as an improvised sprinkler. Now, no need to water the plants one by one. Life made easier.I love it.

 

Saturday Lunch at Home

 

 

Traditions, or maybe just lack of proper menu planning.

Lunch on Saturdays at our home usually mean..


Kangkong (water spinach) + tomatoes + onion + string beans ...



plus shrimp



equals Sinigang na Hipon (shrimps)


and Fried Galunggong (okay,  they don't look nice but fried and crispy, they are the perfect complement to the sinigang)




I love that I don't really have to think of what to buy or cook every weekend, and the sinigang is the easiest dish in the world to cook.

Hafa Adai from Guam

Now that I have time, I can post old, old pictures. I just remembered this because I was just there a few days ago.

These pics are from a visit to Guam in 2010, the only time I went around the island.

I've been coming to Guam since 2006 for work and it  usually involves a pretty hectic schedule. Meaning, by the time we land in Guam at around 4 am, it usually means a short transit to the nearby island of Saipan, or going straight to the hotel to catch an hour or two of sleep before we begin the scheduled meetings or events.

I swiped these from a friend's FB account because I honestly could not remember where I saved my photos.

Admiring the view. Hmm, I can't recall clearly but this maybe a place called "The Old Man by the Sea"

 

 

Some tourists having fun at a watering hole

The breeze was perfect this day-- it is rare to inhale unpolluted air coming from someone from an overpopulated metropolis

 

 

Ay, may kalabaw!

A very relaxed shot, my favorite from the batch.

Guam does not lack of beautiful scenery.

At a dock.

Hmm, another oldie moment. I remember my friend mentioned this is where Magellan landed when he came to Guam.

A better shot of the bay.



Scared of this floating walkway.

 

Passing by another village.

What is misisng here is a picture from one of Guam's most known spots: Two Lover's Point. Maybe, in the coming years I will be able to visit that place.

I also don't have pictures of my fave place in all of Guam. The Guam Premiere Outlet!!! Maybe I am always raring to shop, with so little time that's why I do not have pictures. I can spend one whole day here just going around Nine West, Payless, Naturalizer, BCBG and Ross.

I should probably do a Guam post part 2 to share my favorite food haunts in that place.

Me and My Coffee

If there is one thing I am missing now, it is my morning coffee.

I am on bed rest for the next two weeks, so hello to all the new series out there again. You'll be my constant companions.

I am panicking a little because even if I started gettig our house Christmas ready as early as the last week of September-- I still have some tasks left undone like hanging the turquoise balls in our living room, the wreath I recently made, and making sure all gifts under the tree are labeled.

So, back to my coffee, I'll miss you. We'll have  sweet reunion after 9 months.

Make up Class at Suesh-- I Finally Did it!

I am a firm believer that if you don't know, call for help. And that I did.

 

It has been in several resolutions list to finally start putting on makeup, or learn how to properly do it.
 

Honestly, I buy make up because I find the packaging  cute. Or unique. Or both. I've wasted a lot of money this way because with make up, you just have to use it. It expires.
 

So with December only a few days away, I wanted to finally fulfill that long standing resolution.

One a random visit at the mall two weeks ago, I chanced upon this cute make up store. While browsing the racks, the sales attendants must have felt my helplessness. One offered their make up classes-- and for P2,000 pesos it comes with a free 5-piece make up brush kit I think worth P1,300, and a make up palette worth P350. Not bad at all.

The 4 hour basic class was all hands-on. I brought my new eyeshadow palette kit so I might make full use of it but borrowed the rest from the shop--brushes, foundation/ BB cream, concealer, even one lipstick and eyeliner.

So, I started with a bare, mosturized face. Hmm, too bare. But this is how i usually go out of the house.

One thing I learned was enhancing the eyebrows made a lot of difference! And to think I only learned it this year.

We used BB cream as base, then put concealer under the eyes, and on the sides of the nose.

Slowly looking presentable

After the day make up, we were taught to emphasize the eyes some more and by using a darker liner and darker shadow.

Below is my night time make up (but I think I can still use this as day make up)

And this make up class will not be complete until after I've sat on this chair.

The store from the outside. It's located at the new wing of ATC almost in front of J.Co and a few steps away from Bannaple.

 

 

The transformation.

 

Upper left: night time make up

 

Upper right: no make up look

 

Lower right: day make up

 

Lower left: my classmates and instructor

 



So, was my P2,000 investment worth it?

You bet!!!!! It's just the cost of having your make up and hair done professionally once.
 

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Cruella de Ville

Ay, this frustrates me no end.

It's genetic I know, but still.

I started coloring my hair during college, but I did it for vanity. Now that I am much older, I want to look just my age. Not younger, and definitely not older. My son is only in preschool and yet my hair is so lola (granny)!

In this picture, I probably only dyed my hair a month before and look at how the roots show already.

Is there a natural cure, alternative to commercial hair dyes?

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Turquoise Christmas

This is my color of choice this Christmas and I can't find a wreath with my color theme. So, I made one of my own.

Just a P120 wreath adorned with balls and I have my customized wreath.

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