It's been 3 years.
10 years ago
Thursday, April 10, 2008
the story below recaps Lance's M&M-themed first birthday party. i also included the cash involve as well as pogi and not-so-pogi points of each. hehe. the party was not glitch-proof. marami pa ring bagay that i wished i could have done. but then again, marami pa namang parties to organize and practice makes perfect. =)
ang mag-mommy, before the party starts
1. Venue : Fun World, Al Muhairy Center
Cash Outlay: 500 AED for 3 hours
+ they provided the sound system and projector system
+ the party hall was prepped up already with banderitas therefore minor decorating nalang talaga.
+ they also provided a host for the party and 2 helpers who assisted us with all the set-up and whatever things we might need
+ mascot appearance, by the name of Dooby, was also included
+ they provided me with a long thread and helped me set-up my piñata
+ they're a blessing because they provided me with a pampalo for the pinata and at the same time, the pin for my balloon burst. take note, the pampalo was also nicely covered pa huh! hehe. so, winner talaga!
+ they have microwave in their kitchen and they melted my chocolates for the fountains
+ they gave us a musical candle (which the cake provider forgot to include) that is also blue in color!
+ eventhough i only came to speak to the host that same day, she was able to carry out the games i prepared
- the customer service personnel sucks. i went to the venue a day before to discuss with them my party programme but she said that it's not allowed that i have a program of my own and that the host can only stay for 30 minutes
- they did not give the special gift for the birthday celebrant (and i forgot to remind them!)
- sinunog nila yung white chocolate ko for my chocolate fountain. sigh.
- their PC cannot play Windows Media Player file therefore we have to bring our laptop to play the video file that i made
- they did not have the additional games that is originally on their own programme, played by the kids
lance, pasting the greeting in his welcome board
lance and mommy
lance, daddy and mommy on stage
the stage
Dooby, the mascot, with lance looking
Dooby, the mascot, greeting the guests
Family picture with Dooby
2. Food : Montreal Catering & Me!
A. Montreal catering
Cash Outlay : 920 AED + tip
Menu : Beef BBQ, Sweet Chilly Chicken, Chopsuey, Palabok, Sweet & Sour Fish Fillet, Calamares, Chicken Corn Soup
+ they were prompt and were able to set-up the food table in time
+ they provided chafing dishes to keep the food warm and serving spoons. although the warmer cannot keep up with the temperature of the party hall
- not all the food were excellent (palabok) however, the beef, chicken and fresh lumpia were excellent for its price.
B. Myleen's Dishes
Cash Outlay : Was not able to track, hehe. maybe around 300 AED
Menu : Spaghetti, Cassava Cake, Chocolate Fountain with fruits, mallows and Stick-O as dips
+ labor of love
- i forgot to take the cassava cake out of the fridge kaya nung dinala sa venue ay matigas, hehe
- ngarag ako especially the night before since i have to make the cassava cake in advance
- hindi ako nakapag-blower ng hair ko because i am still making the spaghetti a few hours before the party
- we forgot to buy the drinks! naalala lang namin during the party na. hehe.
- we only got to serve the dark chocolate kasi nasunog yung white chocolate during the melt inside the microwave
the chocolate fountain
the M&M-colored utensils
3. Cake: La Baguette Catering
Cash Outlay : 300 AED
+ they were able to leave up to my expectation with the taste and the look
+ the cake's so big and tasty. sweetness is just right.
+ a 30x40cm cake with 3 inches height (minus the icing pa yun huh!), so it's really a huge cake!
- they did not provide the candle which they promised they would
- we had to pick up the cake from their bakeshop since their driver left the party hall when there was no one to meet him
M&M Cake
lance so amazed with the light from the birthday candle
cake-cutting with daddy & mommy
Yummy ng cake ko ah! - lance
4. Pouch bags : DIY (c/o ate bel)
Cash Outlay : Approx. 50 AED
i am the brainchild of the design but ate bel executed the stitching. =) the children loved it.
the pouches
the pouches with tags
5. Pouch bag contents : Carrefour, True Value, Emirates General Market, Abu Dhabi Co-op
Cash Outlay : Approx. 100 AED
candies, bubble gum, pencil, eraser, M&M chocolates, toy car, sharpener, hair accesories, color
boys' pouches & contents
girls' pouches & contents
6. Coloring Book Give-Away : DIY (mai)
Cash Outlay : Approx. 35 AED
the M&M pages were printed online as a downloadable file. i just xeroxed a few copies and made a personalized cover.
some of the sheets were printed & xeroxed sa aming paaralan. hehe.
the M&M coloring books
7. the tarpaulin : courtesy of michelle
Cash Outlay : Freebie pero may kahalong stress sa paghihintay? hehe
this is the first party item that i designed. however, i was able to get the finish printed product from michelle, a week before the party and lance destroyed it a few minutes after i received it. buti na lang, the smudge is not that visible... sa bulag. haha. we still hung the tarp sa isang side ng hall.
- the tarp was not water or saliva-proof. therefore when lance saw his photo, ayun natuwa at binugahan ng laway nya. with that, his face dun sa tarp ay nagka-damage.
Cash Outlay : Freebie pero may kahalong stress sa paghihintay? hehe
this is the first party item that i designed. however, i was able to get the finish printed product from michelle, a week before the party and lance destroyed it a few minutes after i received it. buti na lang, the smudge is not that visible... sa bulag. haha. we still hung the tarp sa isang side ng hall.
- the tarp was not water or saliva-proof. therefore when lance saw his photo, ayun natuwa at binugahan ng laway nya. with that, his face dun sa tarp ay nagka-damage.
family picture with the tarpaulin behind
8. Games : Pin The M on M&M, Dress 'M Up, M&M Treasure Hunt, Balloon Burst, Pinata (all DIYs! by Mai, Ate Bel and some friends)
Cash Outlay : 100 AED (?).. not tracked actually
i have to make the game pataphernalias as early as 2 months early because the pinata has to be dried every layer, the M&M circles has to be cut and intricately glued. ate bel stitched the M&M costume, a week before and the balloon burst i have to make it a day before
+ my games were still based on my theme
+ the adults have a good time also. even the audience have fun watching the players! hehe
- i was not able to have all the games that i prepared played (Guess How Many M's & Bingo)
the young-at-hearts waiting for the Dress 'M Up game instruction
busy sa pagsuot ng M&M costume
fixing the M&M shoes
kaya mo yan...hehe
the great piñata
piñata bursting with bulilit #1
piñata bursting with bulilit #2 with Sree looking
piñata bursting with bulilit #3
agawan na 'to!!!
si lance, nakikiagaw
pin the M on M&M
9. Souvenirs : M&M Salt & Pepper Shakers (DIY ni mommy mai!)
Cash Outlay : Approx. 100 AED (shakers @ 1.50 aed/pc, M&M packs @ 5aed/pack, tag)
+ i got inquiries where i bought the shakers (both from online GT forumers and from the guests)+ i got numerous comments as to where i got the idea, galing ko daw at ang cute daw talaga ng give-aways. hehe
10. Photos : c/o Jihan and Jeff
Cash Outlay : Freebie, labor of love ni Jihan & Jeff
Great friends, so helpful, so supportive, so talented... need i say more? hehe
11. AVP : DIY (mai)
Cash Outlay : Labor of Love
the photo slides have "With A Smile" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" as music background while the video has "My Wish" as background. i say, both were fantastic because it has my baby boy as bida. hihi.
12. Balloons : DIY (mai & friends)
Cash Outlay : Approx. 50 AED
bought the balloons at 8AED/pack of color while the manual pump costs around 12AED. the water balloons is around 5AED/pack.
+ i have great friends who helped in inflating the balloons (thanks Ellen and her BF Rayos!)
+ all the pillars & centerpieces took less than 45 minutes to construct
+ the single balloon burst took around an hour to build! grabe, ang effort namin dito huh. hehe.
- it was difficult to transport the balloons. this should have been done on the venue na pala. hehe. anyway, there's always a next time.
- some of the balloons popped during tranport. no time to fix anymore at the venue.
- the pillars were supposed to be identical, but the balloon on one of its top burst that night palang. so, i was left with no choice but to use other color.
- we forgot the table centerpieces at home! hahaha.
- we forgot the table centerpieces at home! hahaha.
the balloon burst
the centerpieces
the pillars
13. Prizes : DIY and some bought from Ebay
Cash Outlay: Approx. 200AED ($45 from Ebay)
i cannot say much but i hope that the kids loved the prizes that they received. not much, but i made it an effort to look for M&M stuffs online.
14. Outfits : Giordano, Red Tag, Baby Shop
Cash Outlay: Approx. 300 AED
marvin changed his mind about the shirt to wear. instead of wearing the Gap shirt we bought, he opted for something lighter instead, his Giordano light blue shirt na lang daw. the celebrant wore a lime green colored shirt and polo. the incredible mommy wore a fuschia pink shirt. =)
15. Guests
the guests were not that many as i expected. however, i still have wonderful guests who are so understanding and participative. =)
the list goes as: Genteroy family, Jihan, Jeff, Rowena and her 2 kids, Ate Emma and her family, Kathy, God's Flock Choir (Shirley, Dennis, Neneth, Bong, etc), Dante and family, Sree, Jalil and wifey, Jovy and Miggy. too bad nga lang, we forgot to take photos of each guest or at least a photo per table. sobrang busy kami with everything kaya na-missed naming gawin ito (or busy sa pakikipag-chikahan si sis jihan kaya hindi kami nakuhanan ng pic?? hahaha).
my officemates & their kids
the great couple
our neighbor, ate emma and her family
the other invited guests just sent their gifts instead. okay lang din. hehe. too bad nga lang that jay-jay, jovy's bunso and lance's bestfriend, was sick that day so he missed the fun.
here are some gifts that lance received:
the party at Al Muhairy Center ended at 7PM. we still have some visitors at home, tess and some Circle of Hands choir members and my second cousin kuya tony. marvin and the boys continued the celebration infront of some alcohol and finished up at 3 AM. do fathers always need to have a post-celebration ceremony. haha.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
i don't know why i am always misunderstood. i don't know why he just couldn't get it that once trust, my trust, is broken it will take more efforts than winning it the first time. but i couldn't make him understand that because for him, his actions or his thinking are more acceptable than mine. i will never ever feel guilty or sorry. why should i? hindi naman ako ang may kasalanan in the first place. hindi naman ako ang sumira sa usapan... at lalong hindi naman ako ang paulit-ulit na nagkakamali. duh... go to hell or to where he wants to be. the nerve to cursed my kid pa. why not cursed his daughter and his long-lost love interest!!! gggrrr....... i know i will never be at peace not until one of us will be let go of forever. when will he get that???!!!
sigh, ang energy ko nasasayang na naman. anyhow, the day's gonna be long and busy. i have my driving class in the evening which actually started last night and i also have to pick up lance's tarpaulin later on from mitch. one stress gone! hehe. one good thing that's worth looking forward today. =) thanks so much, mitch! asan na pasalubong from UK? =)
Monday, March 31, 2008
i felt so accomplished today. medyo marami na rin akong natatapos for Lance birthday ek-eks... hehe.
1. AVP - i have finished one of Lance's AVP! i am still working on his photo slides AVP though. so happy ako sa background music ng first AVP ko. not your typical AVP song at sobrang swak for a birthday. :) here's the link for the video: Lance the Great. i'd like to thank one of my GT sis (sis muahmuahmuah - so apt diba?) for sharing this song title and artist with me.
1. AVP - i have finished one of Lance's AVP! i am still working on his photo slides AVP though. so happy ako sa background music ng first AVP ko. not your typical AVP song at sobrang swak for a birthday. :) here's the link for the video: Lance the Great. i'd like to thank one of my GT sis (sis muahmuahmuah - so apt diba?) for sharing this song title and artist with me.
2. Cake - i have ordered a 30x40, 2 inches chocolate-vanilla cake from La Bagette in Khalidiya. i gave them my theme and small M&M figurines to use. i hope they make something special, beautiful and yummy out of it. hehe.
3. Invites - printed and distributed. yep, i distributed the last pieces of invitations last night for the GFC folks.
4. Lootbags & Souvenirs - all filled up and tagged. awaiting for distribution na lang on the day itself. =)
5. Outfits - i was able to buy a reddish-orange shirt for me already. yun nga lang, yung celebrant wala pa. =( hindi kasi bagay sa kanya ang dark green. i saw one lime green shirt in Mothercare the other day however his size is not available already. hay, nakakainis! ganda pa naman.
so far, so good na rin naman with the latest updates. what i haven't finalized still are the food and decorations. however, i will be meeting sis mitch for the tarp (which hopefully i could get na) and sis gihan for the food tonight. then i'll buy folder for the coloring books and finish this DIY project. i'll try to squeeze in to buy the transparent balloon this week and also have my haircut, syempre. haha. i'll probably go over the venue area this weekend, too.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
it's been awhile and i guess, i owe my readers (if i have one...hehe) some update on how the birthday preparation for my son's birthday is coming along. i barely have 2 more weeks and i still have lots of things to do. cramming na talaga ito! hahaha!
1. Venue - Al Muhairy Center it is. i have paid the reservation already but i still plan to visit the venue a few days before the party to make sure that my piñata, balloon burst, tarp and program will be accommodated. the AVP is 80% done. i just need to add a background music and save the font files used in it. the problem is, i haven't edited the music pa. gosh. i am also waiting for a surprise video clip from my friend nina. hopefully she can get me one (crossing my fingers, hehe).
1. Venue - Al Muhairy Center it is. i have paid the reservation already but i still plan to visit the venue a few days before the party to make sure that my piñata, balloon burst, tarp and program will be accommodated. the AVP is 80% done. i just need to add a background music and save the font files used in it. the problem is, i haven't edited the music pa. gosh. i am also waiting for a surprise video clip from my friend nina. hopefully she can get me one (crossing my fingers, hehe).
2. Decorations - my tarp hasn't been printed yet. i'm still waiting for mitch to come back from UK. sigh. the mere fact that i am just waiting ay nakaka-strees na huh! hopefully she won't leave me hanging in mid-air. i also need to check out balloon sticks for the kids. i might add some if the budget permits. i am wishing i could have balloon pillars and baloonderitas as well. DIY???!! kaya kaya ng powers ko yun?
3. Food - no food provider yet. we still need to decide whether to get a caterer or have someone cook for us. in short, it all depends on the budget! ngehehe. we have shortlisted our supplier between a pinoy cook and a chinese cook. haha.
for the cake... no final supplier for this yet. the toppers i still need to clean it this weekend. we are still to attend another birthday get-together to taste one confectinery's product. =)
as for the chocolate fountain... well, we have tested and tasted it! hihi. so far, so good. i also have the serving bowls for the fruits already. shortlisted the fruit choices to be: kiwi, melon, grapes and strawberry. yummy noh??! =) however, a fellow mom suggested that addition of cocoa butter substitute (CBS) will do wonders in preventing the chocolate to solidify again. the problem is, i dunno where to get that here in UAE. waah!!!!!!
as for my plates... i have bought yellow, blue and red disposable plates already but these are the small ones. i'm not happy with it. =( i wanted something bigger. i need to check out other stores for that as well as for red spoons that is not available in Carrefour. however my cups, fruit picks and other colored cutleries are complete.
4. Invitation, Gift Tags - this is the tricky part. i haven't done it yet! the venue provided me with invitation cards but it's not a personalized one. the layout that i made was not yet put into printed copies. however, the softcopy is for sending out today. i was able to print out some tags but still not finish. even marvin helped with the cutting of the M's. hehe.
5. Games & Prizes - yippee! i'm done with my piñata and i now have the glass jar for my guessing game. i need to cut one more M and put double-sided tapes on my "Pin the M" game accessories pa. hay. i have bought small balloons and a manual pump for my balloon burst DIY project. however, i still need to buy a big clear balloon and curling ribbons. got the balloon burst ideas from my GT sisters. thanks!!!
my M piñata
with the balloon shaper still intact. at the moment, i have popped the balloon already and filled it with goodies.
DIY'd m&m magnets - i will add this up to my prizes goodies.
6. Music - i tried to burn the selected songs but it's too late to know that the first song is faulty. kainis! nasayang tuloy yung blank CD. i will try to download a good file of the first song and then burn another dance music CD.
7. Lootbag / Give-aways - my lootbag and give-away items are complete already! i still need to fill it up with goodies though and finish putting tags on them. the give-away items are salt/pepper shakers that come in four (4) colors. i will fill it up with m&m chocolates inside. here are the snapshots of my DIY items:
the m&m pouch bags...
our give-away... the m&m shakers...
the empty shakers @ front view - showing the 1st tag
the empty shakers @ front view, showing the 2nd tag
an empty shaker up close, showing the 2nd tag
8. Outfits - marvin now have his blue polo shirt for the party. who says i can't make him wear this color??! haha. eh Gap ba naman yung tatak eh. anyway, we'll shop for lance and my outfit this week. lance will wera something green and i will have the red color. sabi ko nga, kay ate bel yung yellow color eh. hihi.
Friday, March 07, 2008
i was promised that marvin will allot time to listen to my sentiments that is why i have headed my pride, speak to him and somehow agreed to go to dubai with my cousins. somewhere along the way, i felt that i was mislead. anyway, i had to go with the music and pretend to be enjoying the day. magaling na akong pretender ngayon eh. i can usually get away with it.
we left abu dhabi at 9AM and reached dubai at 11AM. sunduan pa, ayun tinanghali tuloy. sigh. i know it'll be like the old days wherein i had to force myself to smile for people around me.
we were able to reach Ras Al Kaimah's Dreamland Aquapark past 1 PM. the resort was like Wild Wadi but bigger. however, i rate it second best to the latter because the water in this park is quite cold. Wild Wadi's water is lukewarm. due to this cold water (even in children's pool!), lance wasn't able to enjoy the trip much. patingin-tingin lang siya. wawa nga eh.
here are some photos taken at the site:
the gang... kheigh's not here coz she's the one who took the photo
hanggang sa picture-an, nagkukulitan pa rin
yiippee!!! umayos din! hehe
Thursday, March 06, 2008
a long time ago, i was one of those who claimed the ever famous phrase, "alone but not lonely". this time it's different... i am not alone but i feel so lonely. how ironic!!! yeah, yeah, so i like the I'm So Lonely rendition of Alvin and the Chipmunks but who says i want to sing it???!!!
i feel so lonely because for the first time in my life, those whom i used to confide my innermost feelings and who are genuinely listening has moved on with their lives. my mom, some very close friends...
i feel so lonely because the person whom i expect to be sincerely concern just wouldn't want to listen. couldn't even stand to listen.
i feel so lonely because i am now inactive in doing the things that used to be my outlet for venting out.
sigh. life. i guess, i am best left alone with all my hurts and grudges or else the whole world becomes as dim as my world. right now, i am just a floating person trying to be present in the real world, struggling to remain in the surface yet slowly drowning. my responsibilities are creeping to my consciousness. telling me to stay. so i am physically staying, though my mind is somewhere else and my heart longs for a home.
i feel so lonely because for the first time in my life, those whom i used to confide my innermost feelings and who are genuinely listening has moved on with their lives. my mom, some very close friends...
i feel so lonely because the person whom i expect to be sincerely concern just wouldn't want to listen. couldn't even stand to listen.
i feel so lonely because i am now inactive in doing the things that used to be my outlet for venting out.
sigh. life. i guess, i am best left alone with all my hurts and grudges or else the whole world becomes as dim as my world. right now, i am just a floating person trying to be present in the real world, struggling to remain in the surface yet slowly drowning. my responsibilities are creeping to my consciousness. telling me to stay. so i am physically staying, though my mind is somewhere else and my heart longs for a home.
Friday, February 29, 2008
we were supposed to go to Dubai today but marvin failed to get a rent-a-car vehicle that's why the original itinerary was cancelled. my cousin and aunt, together with a friend, opted to travel to Abu Dhabi instead so that we all could go to Lulu Island together.
they arrived sometime after lunch but before we headed for the island, we had our lunch consisting of fried chicken and adobong squid. doing this, we only have to bring snack which is composed of a medium-sized pizza, the super-yummy special cassava cake* that i baked, a bottle of cola and water to drink.
we headed off to the island around 4 pm. taxi fare cost us 6.50 AED from our home to the boat ride station. the travel by boat lasted for only about 10 minutes. nope, no fare was collected for the boat ride. even babies were allowed to board alongside with their strollers (sayang nga eh, we could have brought Lance's stroller. anyway, there's always a next time). lifejackets were provided for all the passengers during the course of the trip.
when we have reached the destination, a ticket booth can be found right after getting off the boat. the entrance fee for the resort is only 15 aed per person (children excluded), which includes a ride to and from the main gate to where you wanted to get off. bus stops and canopies are strategically located on the island. you have to tell the driver where you wanted to get off! aside from a bus, a train ride can also be availed of for 5 AED per person. like the bus counterpart, the train will also tour around the whole island.
they arrived sometime after lunch but before we headed for the island, we had our lunch consisting of fried chicken and adobong squid. doing this, we only have to bring snack which is composed of a medium-sized pizza, the super-yummy special cassava cake* that i baked, a bottle of cola and water to drink.
we headed off to the island around 4 pm. taxi fare cost us 6.50 AED from our home to the boat ride station. the travel by boat lasted for only about 10 minutes. nope, no fare was collected for the boat ride. even babies were allowed to board alongside with their strollers (sayang nga eh, we could have brought Lance's stroller. anyway, there's always a next time). lifejackets were provided for all the passengers during the course of the trip.
when we have reached the destination, a ticket booth can be found right after getting off the boat. the entrance fee for the resort is only 15 aed per person (children excluded), which includes a ride to and from the main gate to where you wanted to get off. bus stops and canopies are strategically located on the island. you have to tell the driver where you wanted to get off! aside from a bus, a train ride can also be availed of for 5 AED per person. like the bus counterpart, the train will also tour around the whole island.
in our case, we decided to get off in the pool area. interestingly, lifeguards are also within the vicinity to oversee the tourists. the water in the pool is clean enough (hehe) and the temperature is controlled. if it hasn't been a chilly afternoon, we surely had a dip. yun nga lang, it's freezing still kaya picture-picture na lang muna. hehe.
here are some of the pictures taken during our short but fun weekend escapade.
here are some of the pictures taken during our short but fun weekend escapade.
mga turista sa sariling lungga
the girls
mga babae sa batuhan 1
mga babae sa batuhan 2
man-made island at the back
katatapos lang maglaba...hehe
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
i am having terrible headaches and eye discomforts lately. i haven't been able to see an eye specialist yet kasi tinatamad ako and honestly, a bit scared. anyhow, i have been to the driving license office and i was not allowed to open a file for driving license due to uncorrected eyesight. hay. that means, i really need to see an eye doctor. i had no choice but to convince myself to see one as soon as possible.
on the contrary, life's been the same as usual. work-home-work routine. i sleep late, yet still wake up in the middle of the night to cuddle lance, i still eat a lot, still loveless, still envious for those that gets a church wedding, still undecided whether to help somebody who doesn't deserve helping, still bitter to those who have hurt me, still regretful for people i let go but shouldn't have, still suffering for holding on to someone who should be set free, still blaming myself for someone else's unfulfilled dreams, still lonely, still bored, tired yet still fighting, still daydreaming, still afraid, still hoping for happy endings, still believing that fairytales do happen... to some folks but unluckily not for me, still wishing to find unexpected happiness, still being still.
Friday, February 15, 2008
we went out and had dinner in Talay, a Thai resto inside Le Meridien Hotel. we had a sumptuous dinner actually and the evening was breezy. it was a family affair and everyone behaved well. marvin shelled some prawns for me and helped me disengaged the lobster's meat. yeah, yeah, so the food was great. i love seafood and we were seated right next to the sea. so that makes the food and ambiance goes together.
after an hour of eating and being so fat (the bill and us!), we paid the bill of 730 aed (PhP 8,000+!!!!) and headed for home. yeah, we need to rest as we have spent more than we should for a month. haha. anyway, once in awhile lang naman yung ganitong pagkakataon. i guess, this is his post-valentine's treat. okay na sana eh. if not for being so masungit when we were watching TV. hmp.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
yep, it's valentine's day. it is something being celebrated here in the UAE by expats, including pinoys. as for me... well, i spent my valentine's day at work. i was in the office til 8 PM because i still have an equipment installation going on. actually, the supposedly Thai resto dinner is not something i'm looking forward to. honestly, i don't look forward to valentine's day anymore.
the day's been busy and gloomy. one thing that made a difference lang is a friendster message from a long lost friend who never fails to remind me to take care and take it easy at work. buti pa siya, kahit hindi nya nakikita physically how hard i work, alam nya how i devote my energy at my job. i missed my friend. i missed being called "dear". i missed being reminded to smile.wala lang. happy valentines sa lahat ng inspired.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
i am not fond of yoghurt... well, not until today??!! i tried to eat it twice on separate occassions long way back but both attempts failed to get me hook into it. then marvin get hooked on it lately and he used to give me a spoonful or two each time he consumes one. now, i am infected with the yoghurt madness!!! hahaha. now, yoghurt becomes a part of our grocery trolley. even lance gets his own yoghurt for kids! =) i like the layered fruit yoghurt. i am having one right now with blueberry. yummy!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
i made a few changes on my Save the Date card layout as suggested by a co-forumer. :) lance's picture used to be a watermark but now, i had it pasted as normal. it looked better, i may say. if i run out of time, i plan to have the save the date cards be used as invites. ngi! tinamad! hahaha. anyhow, i've been working now on his AVP and i have made the M&M stickers for the envelopes, too. Last night, i also tried to bake the M&M cookies i found over the internet and it tasted so good! hehehe. i might make it as pica-pica stuff. i also started on the first layer of my pinata. i used the spoiled baking flour as paste. may silbi rin! hehe.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
despite having no nanny for 5 days, i'm proud of my first accomplishment amidst taking care of Lance and his dad. yeah, yeah... para akong may 2 anak when they are together. both needs to be fed on time, watch out for and iligpit ang lahat ng kinakalat nila! ooopps! na-a-out of topic na ako..hehe.
going back on track... as for the birthday preps, i was able to make two layouts! one's for the save the date cards and the other's for the tarpaulin. the save the date cards will have soft- and hardcopies. softcopies are for those with emails and outside the emirate (para tipid! hehe) and hardcopies for those who are located here in abu dhabi and primitive (meaning walang emails...hehe). i plan to have the save the date cards printed on 3R size photopapers then seal in red/blue/green envelopes with an "m" self-made stickers para ma-emphasize yung theme. as for the tarp, i am not sure how big it will turn out but based on my layout, less than 5 ft wide lang ito. i tried to make a 5ft wide tarpaulin but the M&M graphics i was able to download were not high-resolution enough. hay.
by the way, the save the date cards has 4 pm as timing nga pala because marvin prefers that time instead of 8pm. that i still have to arrange with the venue folks if it's still possible to change. hopefully i can have it change this week or else, ulet na naman ako! hehe. anyway, all's well that end's well so just view my accomplishments' snapshots below. =)
save the date card front 1
save the date card front 2
save the date card back
tarpaulin layout
Thursday, February 07, 2008
a few more days to go and it'll be my baby's first birthday. hectic nga eh at wala pa akong accomplishment besides conceptualization on how it'll be celebrated. anyhow, as for the plans here goes:
1. Venue : Al Muhairy Center (tentative). i had it pencilbooked on April 10th between 8-11 pm. the other schedule's 4-7 pm and considering that it's a workday for some, i deemed it'll be better if we'll have it on a later time. the advantage of this venue is that there would be no need for fuss on decorations anymore as the place is prep up already. a plus, is the availability of a projector and a widescreen excellent for an AVP.
2. Decorations : i might add a few balloons to suit my theme. a few red, blue and green balloons would do. i inquired from a balloon shop and it'll be 4 aed/pc. i might ask other shops for a cheaper find. i miss balloon pillars... sigh.
3. Food : i might have it catered. i don't have anyone on mind yet as to from whom. but i'll surely have a chocolate fountain and a chocolate cake! the choco fountain supplier i still have to get from mitch and the chocolate cake... hmm, i might bake one nalang as what my hubby suggested. if i find the guts to do this, i'll just put the M&M characters na lang that i bought online as toppers. hahaha. astig! however, i dunno how to make the icing wording nga pala... need ko yata mag-crash course on cake decoration pa. hehe. perhaps, to make my life easier and my guests lives safer, i'll have to order a cake from Ms J na lang. hihi. lastly, i need to buy red, blue and green paper plates and colored cutleries to go with them pa pala!
4. Invitation:
- save the date - i have a layout already and some wordings to go with it. am not sure yet kung okay na yun. anyhow, ito na yung final layout talaga. the back would say:
Melt or roll, run or crawl
Please grace Lance Ralen's
1st Birthday and go out of control!
Have your party hats readyFor it'll be a fun M&M's party
for our little baby!
- invitation - no layout yet. i might go with M&M cut-outs and printed photo of Lance to go with it. DIY lang.
- note card / gift tags - no lay out yet. however, it'll have the same contents as the invites na lang siguro.
5. Banner & Tarp : i have no layout yet. i am now working on the tarp, however i couldn't find a high resolution M&M clip art over the net!! grrr... i was able to crop out Lance's photo though and had it positioned on a 5x3 feet blank sheet. thank God for PhotoImpact! as for the banner, i am thinking of making a welcome banner which has Lance's 12 months' pictures. i have spoken to Mitch regarding her friend who's willing to print this out. hay, heaven sent talaga!
6. AVP : yep, i should do this! sayang naman yung venue kung wala nito. nope, wala pa akong nagagawa. perhaps, i'll make one in powerpoint na lang since i'm cramming already.
7. Games : Bingo, Guess How Many M&M's inside?, Pin the Tail on an M, and Dress Me Up! i need to make the M&M for pinning and have ate bel make the M costume pa! pressure!!!! i have 6 types of prizes for giving, although i secretly want to keep one. hehe.
8. Music : I'll have Lance's favorite CD played na lang siguro... hehehe. though i have downloaded some dance songs as well courtesy of Limewire. i still have to streamline the song lineup and have it burned on a CD. cramming!!!
9. Loot bag/Souvenir: i might have an M&M bag na lang filled with goodies for the kids. then for adults, i'll have shot glasses with M&Ms. for the loot bags, it would be nice to have M&M coloring book sana inside each bag but i couldn't find a downloadable print over the net. kainis!
10. Outfits : we don't have yet for now. pero it'll be nice if we could get a blue colored shirt for marvin, green for lance and red for me, just like our M&M characters. hehehe.
hopefully, i would be able to pull this off! iba na ang OC mom! hehehe.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
marvin called around 8:30 pm and invited me to go out. he said he wanted to unwind and suggested we go to Tambayan and have a few drinks. straight from work, he fetched me around 9:00 pm and off we went to the bar to chill out. while on our way, he said "see how small my world here in UAE is. i only have two friends at ikaw pa yung isa". of course, it's just a description but it did make me laughed. somehow, it's nice to know that at least, i am one of his friends and in times like unwinding, i get on the list to be invited. after two hours, 2 bottles of beer for him and a rum for me over a platter of calamares and fries, we headed for home and went fast asleep.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
after almost 15 days, me and lance are going back to UAE. marvin will be trying out as a chance passenger.... i will be coming back with a confused mind, a love and respect going down the drain and a trust that is completely broken. as to how marvin will fix things, that i do not know and is yet for me to find out. as for now, he claimed that everything's over between him and the girl. he told me that from now on i shouldn't worry about it. to show that he has nothing to hide anymore, i will now be taking care of his finances including allowances which he needs to send to the philippines. though i still have doubts on his claims i am risking again at the moment because lance embraces him at night, the delos reyes family loves lance so much and because i know he would do the best thing for lance (or the next best thing, at least). i made him choose which family he plans to build and he chose us. this is something i should hold on for now... (okay, aside from the fact that i know he got ditched out, bwahahaha).
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
me and lance had to come home to Manila ASAP for my father's wake. marvin said that we should take the Gulf Air flight so that it will be the three of us who will come back to UAE together.
the trip back to Manila was very difficult because lance is throwing off feats on the plane. good thing i was able to sit beside rolly's sister and another kind bicolana who helped me out in pacifying lance when he's at his worst. we arrived early in Manila and marvin fetched us at the airport. lance started showing off to his father. i was just casual as i don't have the energy to be angry at this time.
we reached home around 5 PM and i immediately went to tatay's casket. his face was so heavy and i felt his pain. i didn't cry as much as i have had too much crying yesterday and the days before already. it's as if all my tears ran dry. i felt angry inside but i was trying to hide it because i know it is too late. too late that i wasn't able to dance with my father on my church wedding, too late that i wasn't able to bring him in the UAE and enjoy its winter, too late that he wasn't able to see lance walking and talking, too late that we were not able to show him that he means so much to us... so sad.
me and lance stayed in my sister's house. during the funeral, all sorts of emotions and reasons for depressions came in. depression on what happened and what is happening in my families. i guess, it is also tatay's way of trying to fix things for me.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
i was taken off balance with the recent happenings at the start of the year that is why i wasn't able to formulate my 2008 resolutions on time. however, now that i have managed to be still i think it is just right to have my resolutions in placed. here goes...
- love and take care of myself - i have forgotten to take care of myself lately and i will try to be better on it this year. i need to stay pretty, cheerful and jolly. as what my friend tells me before, i should "keep smiling". i need to go to the parlor more often, stay focused in getting fit, eat and sleep right, have a positive outlook, and seek unfulfilled dreams with such gusto once more.
- love and take care Lance even more - i have been slack on this task as well. i have been so depressed that it affected my role of being a mom to my son. i promise to wake up in the early morning for his milk, check his diapers, play with him more often, feed him, go out with him and be patient with his kalikutan.
- value time - i have missed so many things and is now cramming to make up for the lost times because of procrastinating. from now on, i will try to stop sulking, stop sour-graping... but instead, do the things that i should be done.
- move on - a hard task to do but something to be done. i should be firm on this decision and stand by it. i should not be contented on what was offered but instead, demand on what i want and what i am entitled. otherwise, better to have none at all.
- pray more - i am lost and i need to find peace. i need to do this more often.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
you are not the first man that i have loved but i promised myself that you will be my last. i have gave my all to the point of not leaving some for me. you let me believed that you will never hurt me the way others did. and what do i get after all of these things... broken promises and shattered dreams.
sabi ko sayo noon, 1 or 0 lang. i won't take half or even 3/4. you agreed, you convinced me that i am the One. bakit ganon? i dunno when exactly you started lying. has it been a lie long before? hay, ang sakit-sakit. unexplainable how hurt i am.
when i first fell in love and get dumped, i feel like my heart has been broken down to a thousand pieces. ngayon, hindi lang thousand pieces because i am hurting not just for myself but for my baby. reconciliation? what is there to reconcile? we didn't fight because of something. i am letting you go because you don't love me anymore. yep, no need to deny it because i can feel the difference and i can see that your smiles are entirely different when you are with them.
i don't know what is to happen in the coming days. all i know is that ayoko nang ipagpilitan pa ang sarili ko. i don't like to hope that we could build a happy and peaceful family. enough is enough. it's a new year and i like to start a new life.
Monday, December 31, 2007
looking back with the year that passed, it was not bad after all. there are still many things i am thankful for although there are still things left unaccomplished. lemme start off with things i am thankful for:
- lance - of course! my baby and my life. everyday he's growing up to be adorable and makulit. we often wondered where he got his traits become he is so malikot, makulit and funny in his own way. if i have been beaten with walis ting-ting when i was still young because of my kamalditahan, then stop wondering where lance took his personalities. =) i am so thankful i gave birth to a healthy and bright baby boy.
- new friends - yeah, i have listed this as the 2nd because not only it is hard to find friends but it is even harder to find good friends here in the UAE. to mention, they are rolly, ely and molly... hahaha. their name rhymes! =) rolly's been helpful and i really find a "brother" in him. not an older or younger one, but someone of the same age. i could talk to him about family life, my work, my plans...minsan nga, nagi-guilty na ako because i could be consuming more of his time for his own family eh. but then again, i am very thankful for meeting him. the two new guys, sir ely and coach molly as i call them, were my other new friends. they are the most patient ones, of all my friends! hahaha. imagine, teaching a cat to swim??!!! of course, i am not a cat. but they were really supportive and patient in teaching me (and my kumareng jen) in playing tennis even if we hardly have the potential. anyhow, me and jen still scored A for Effort. =)
- family - i am thankful for my families who has been supportive, helpful and understanding. i thank my brothers and sisters who are always there. i thank my cousins here in the UAE who always visits me and lance. them, who help me take care of lance especially ate bel.
- work - for the financial needs i am getting out of it. yeah, yeah... even the learnings. =) i don't think i still have anything else to say about this matter as my issues were already flooding this blog. anyway, despite all the negative things i feel about it, i am still thankful i got a job. a job that helps me buy lance some milk, diapers and clothes. =)
- sanity - hahaha. yep, i am thankful i haven't lost it yet. with all the problems that battered (and still battling) me this year, i so thankful i am still sane. i just don't understand why some people are so hard to talk to and just couldn't decide what they want to do with their lives. if only my (or lance's) future will not get affected, i wouldn't care!!! the sad part is, that is not the case. with that, i am continuously trying to figure out what's on their heads and how to make them think straight. will they have a chance? i dunno.. i guess, it's what 2008 have to offer me --- to look forward that miracle happens and it will make difficult people a little less difficult. hehehe.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
i have laid back in blogging because i am uber busy these days. i am juggling between being a mom, a domestic goddess, a daughter, a worker, a tennis player, a choir member, a friend and a migrant wannabe.
as a mom... i had to take care of lance at least, even after office. he's closer to ate bel na nga than me eh. good thing, he still sleeps with us and i'm still the one who can lull him to a good night sleep. mas type nya kasi ang lullabye songs ko. =)
as a domestic goddess... just as soon as i change to my house clothes, i had to cook dinner. ate bel aren't into cooking eh. even if it's okay for her, i still prefer that i'll be the one to cook. masyado kasi nyang minamadali ang pagluluto, which i don't like. i feel na masyadong nasa-shock yung niluluto when done in a rush. =) imagine eating a shocked fish??! hahaha. ang weird, diba? with the fish's eyes looking at you... haha. also, friday is ate bel's off, therefore i had to be both a mom and a domestic goddess at the same time on that day.
a daughter... yep, lately even if i am miles away from home, i had to call every once in awhile and check the olds. the family is in the most difficult trial in a lifetime that needs resolving kasi. it's hard to get things done, especially that i am relying on my siblings to keep things under control. it's doubly hard that those involved are not interested to fix the problem. sigh... the least that i can do is check on them and pray.
a worker... things aren't good in this role of mine. i am pissed off with my superiors but i have no choice but keep working. if not for my son's future i could have given up... =( right now, i have four instruments for installation. four different processes to study.. cathodoluminescence, laser diffraction, centrifugal force, spectroscopy... plus other issues to settle. mababaliw na nga yata ako!
a tennis player... with all the roles that i am playing right now, this is what makes me feel alive. and why not??? i had tremendous body pain every sunday because i play tennis on saturdays. it all started after ramadan when i met two new friends (ely and molly) who had been so patient in teaching me and my friend (jen) how to play the game. we are not that good yet but at least, the tennis balls can now reach the end of the other court and we can now volley.
a choir member... oh-no.... this i have completely backed off. hopefully, not for long. but for how long, i don't know. i wanted so much to go back but my 24-hour is just isn't enough with all the things i need to do. hay. anyhow, i am hoping i could go back when lance finally walks on his own so that we could spend our mommy-baby bonding time singing with the choir. hehe.
as a mom... i had to take care of lance at least, even after office. he's closer to ate bel na nga than me eh. good thing, he still sleeps with us and i'm still the one who can lull him to a good night sleep. mas type nya kasi ang lullabye songs ko. =)
as a domestic goddess... just as soon as i change to my house clothes, i had to cook dinner. ate bel aren't into cooking eh. even if it's okay for her, i still prefer that i'll be the one to cook. masyado kasi nyang minamadali ang pagluluto, which i don't like. i feel na masyadong nasa-shock yung niluluto when done in a rush. =) imagine eating a shocked fish??! hahaha. ang weird, diba? with the fish's eyes looking at you... haha. also, friday is ate bel's off, therefore i had to be both a mom and a domestic goddess at the same time on that day.
a daughter... yep, lately even if i am miles away from home, i had to call every once in awhile and check the olds. the family is in the most difficult trial in a lifetime that needs resolving kasi. it's hard to get things done, especially that i am relying on my siblings to keep things under control. it's doubly hard that those involved are not interested to fix the problem. sigh... the least that i can do is check on them and pray.
a worker... things aren't good in this role of mine. i am pissed off with my superiors but i have no choice but keep working. if not for my son's future i could have given up... =( right now, i have four instruments for installation. four different processes to study.. cathodoluminescence, laser diffraction, centrifugal force, spectroscopy... plus other issues to settle. mababaliw na nga yata ako!
a tennis player... with all the roles that i am playing right now, this is what makes me feel alive. and why not??? i had tremendous body pain every sunday because i play tennis on saturdays. it all started after ramadan when i met two new friends (ely and molly) who had been so patient in teaching me and my friend (jen) how to play the game. we are not that good yet but at least, the tennis balls can now reach the end of the other court and we can now volley.
a choir member... oh-no.... this i have completely backed off. hopefully, not for long. but for how long, i don't know. i wanted so much to go back but my 24-hour is just isn't enough with all the things i need to do. hay. anyhow, i am hoping i could go back when lance finally walks on his own so that we could spend our mommy-baby bonding time singing with the choir. hehe.
a friend... this is a role i am not so very good at. i cannot say i have fulfilled this task quite well because if i would befriend myself, i would definitely plunk. i help friends through friends. does it make sense? all is can say is, i hope my friends pardon my shortcomings. i definitely love to spend time chatting with them, hear their sentiments, enjoy barbeque, go shopping with them, do crazy things... i just couldn't snatch a perfect timing right now. however, i will make up next year. pramis! =)
as a migrant wannabe... yeah, 2 more years to go and it would be the end for this goal. yep, i have set my 35th years of age as my final migration year. within that period, i should be able to submit the immigration application to the country where i want to migrate or else i should say goodbye. decision-making as to where's the best place to migrate is just tough. i haven't been to these countries (Canada, Australia or New Zealand??) and opinion varies. because of these, i have to do a lot of reading and research which are just so difficult to squeeze in my schedule. sigh...
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
our family had one and probably the biggest family problem we have encountered. my siblings had to actually hold meetings in order to talk about the issue and how to resolve it.
yeah, unfortunately, our mother has gone astray and she turned into someone we don't even know. our worries escalated when our father became a willing victim of the situation. we love them so much, but we also cannot tolerate wrong things and make it right. what's the use of all the character-building lessons in life that we acquired from them when in the end we'll have to break the rules?
anyhow, i hope things will all pass and we will be able to surpass this trial.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
since lance isn't giving me a hint which theme he likes for his party, i decided i'll choose for him instead. with all the choices i have, from spiderman, to winnie d pooh, to superman... he now has an M&M Party Theme! yipee!!! and since OC mommy ako, i am now starting my preparation. to start it off, me and his ninang Ellen went to the clothing area in salam to buy give-away telas... and just this morning, i've been tweaking with the http://www.becomeanmm.com/ for the personalized M&M character for his save the date card! and viola, see the finished products below! ganda ba? hehe, excited na ako...
Choice #1 - with a cake.. pink nga lang. daddy M's boots in white color.
Choice # 2 - without cake, but with party hat. daddy M's boots in brown color.
introducing the M&M family...
papa M, as in Marvin
Friday, October 12, 2007
maridel has been in the UAE since wednesday (oct 10) as a stop-over before she leave for UK. in this case, me and our gradeschool classmates (and fellow Bicutan gals na rin!) decided that it'll be the best time to have our second reunion. most have been married already, therefore it'll be the chance to meet each other's hubbies na rin.
we agreed to meet up in Mall of Emirates at around 3 pm but finally had a complete attendance at around 4 pm. after we had a snack, the boys and the girls splitted out and stroll around the shopping area. the girls discovered the "black hole" attraction in the arcade area. it was so funny! everyone's been tricked with the illusion that the bridge is rotating. hahaha.
when 7pm came, the tour operator picked us up and we've been brought to the Dubai Creek area for our Dhow Cruise. here are some snapshots of our gathering:
we agreed to meet up in Mall of Emirates at around 3 pm but finally had a complete attendance at around 4 pm. after we had a snack, the boys and the girls splitted out and stroll around the shopping area. the girls discovered the "black hole" attraction in the arcade area. it was so funny! everyone's been tricked with the illusion that the bridge is rotating. hahaha.
when 7pm came, the tour operator picked us up and we've been brought to the Dubai Creek area for our Dhow Cruise. here are some snapshots of our gathering:
the girls!... at the ship deck... sino si rose? =)
the friday bunch at the ship base... enjoying the music
the reunion was fun and full of hagikgikan.... hihihi. it's a good thing that even our hubbies and the Bicutan boys got along well, too. the girls, as usual... easily bonded. we will surely miss maridel and hopes she'll come back to UAE for another visit some time soon. or sooner?! hehe...
Thursday, September 20, 2007
in my eagerness to get back into shape, i have started with the tennis clinic i once tried before i got preggy. as usual, i am still the clumsy, unathletic-type kind of girl back in the gym. hehe. anyhow, i was able to shed some sweat, kaya okay na rin. basta, my goal is to make myself fit and pretty para makahanap ng magmamahal ("the fairytale kind of love"). ngehehehe.
before i rested my tired arms, nag-forum muna ako for awhile and came across tle Legal Rights section of GT and was able to browsed thru the "annulment" and "maintaining your maiden name after marriage" threads. natawa nga ako deep inside kasi nde lang pala ako ang gumawa nito. well, i do wanted to use marvin's surname. yun nga lang, unless we get married in the church i'd rather not muna. i don't feel i am the legal wife unless i feel and he proved to the world that he is proud to have me. yeah, emote na naman ako. =( i am still in the denial stage, alright. convincing myself that i did let go, yet deep inside i am holding on. hay. ang hirap.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
finally reported back to work after three weeks of hibernation in the philippines. for my first day, two folks commented na gumanda daw ako... asus!!! hahaha. kung alam lang nila that i looked like a witch prior to my hair rebonding. yep, though it isn't 6 months yet after giving birth, i have insisted to have my hair rebonded at David's salon to gain back my self-confidence. hay, tama bang ma-insecure! anyway, what's important is, i feel pretty. ngehehehe.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Church : Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Shrine (Rating:****)
the ceremony has been short and was held in tagalog. pinapili ako ni father and i opted for the tagalog version so even the kids can understand. only the godparents, family and some friends are in the church. yung mga guests na may dalang kids, mostly ay pina-diretcho ko na lang sa reception para nde hassle sa mga bata. the delos reyes family were also able to arrived at the reception only.
4 stars yung rating because i love this church for some personal reason. =) i subtracted 1 star kasi biglang umalis si father after the ceremony at nde agad ako nakahirit nang request na mag-stay siya for photo op. =( therefore, kasalanan ni father yun na 1 star less rating ko, hehehe.
the ceremony has been short and was held in tagalog. pinapili ako ni father and i opted for the tagalog version so even the kids can understand. only the godparents, family and some friends are in the church. yung mga guests na may dalang kids, mostly ay pina-diretcho ko na lang sa reception para nde hassle sa mga bata. the delos reyes family were also able to arrived at the reception only.
4 stars yung rating because i love this church for some personal reason. =) i subtracted 1 star kasi biglang umalis si father after the ceremony at nde agad ako nakahirit nang request na mag-stay siya for photo op. =( therefore, kasalanan ni father yun na 1 star less rating ko, hehehe.
baby lance was sleeping during the mass. he got awakened only when the priest started to pour the holy water into his head. nalamigan siguro...hehe.
definitely, an angel in my arms
a view outside the church with the godparents
Reception : Shanghai Garden Resort (Rating:*****)
the place and the services were superb. necy is nice at laging may available person to attend to our needs. even the guests love the place, especially the kids who got to swim sa pool after the event. =)
the place and the services were superb. necy is nice at laging may available person to attend to our needs. even the guests love the place, especially the kids who got to swim sa pool after the event. =)
Food : Blue Petals (Rating: ****)
my guests love the food. personally, i find their lengua something different yet yummy. first time kong nakatikim nun and i didn't even thought na yun yung dila ng baka... hehehe. services were good din naman except that in my observation, the waiters need to be more attentive in refilling drinks and attending to new guests.
my guests love the food. personally, i find their lengua something different yet yummy. first time kong nakatikim nun and i didn't even thought na yun yung dila ng baka... hehehe. services were good din naman except that in my observation, the waiters need to be more attentive in refilling drinks and attending to new guests.
Cupcakes and Choco Fountain : Sweet Affairs (Rating: ***)
the goodies were mouth-watering especially the fountain, but the 3-ounce cupcakes are still small for me. hehe. nothing is extraordinaire with the taste as well. however, Van was there to oversee yung set-up at kahit na meron pa siyang event on some other place, she was there before and after our event kaya okay na rin.
the goodies were mouth-watering especially the fountain, but the 3-ounce cupcakes are still small for me. hehe. nothing is extraordinaire with the taste as well. however, Van was there to oversee yung set-up at kahit na meron pa siyang event on some other place, she was there before and after our event kaya okay na rin.
Set-up: Balloon Kingdom (Rating:**)
dito lang ako disappointed sa suppliers ko because i was not that impressed sa actual set-up ng pillars and balloon clusters vs. the one i picked based sa portfolio. even the extras that she promised ay nde na-deliver. was it because i paid the whole amount due beforehand? nway...
dito lang ako disappointed sa suppliers ko because i was not that impressed sa actual set-up ng pillars and balloon clusters vs. the one i picked based sa portfolio. even the extras that she promised ay nde na-deliver. was it because i paid the whole amount due beforehand? nway...
Photo : Marq Oliver Photography (Rating: *****)
Oliver takes one stress away! stressful ang event but knowing that someone's taking the photos was something that reduces the stress. i couldn't imagine how it'll be kung walang kumukuha ng pix tapos busyng-busy ako with the guests. a heaven-sent friend talaga itong si Olie!
Oliver takes one stress away! stressful ang event but knowing that someone's taking the photos was something that reduces the stress. i couldn't imagine how it'll be kung walang kumukuha ng pix tapos busyng-busy ako with the guests. a heaven-sent friend talaga itong si Olie!
Tarpaulin : Simple Touch (Rating:*****)
had a 2.5 ft. x 5 ft tarp made by Simple Touch in 168 mall. lance is really gwapito. =) namili nalang ako ng design sa portfolio nila. i chose the under the sea design, kasi mala-pool party naman yung baptism ni baby eh.
Souvenirs/lootbag/prizes/guestbook/candlewrapper : DIY by me and my sister (Rating: *****)
everything were bought in divi except the printer ink. =) we have personalized everything by printing tags na may pic ni lance and event details. tapos yung guestbook, ginawa nalang din namin ng sis ko using American Greetings software and had it ringbinded for P30! hehe. ganda!
everything were bought in divi except the printer ink. =) we have personalized everything by printing tags na may pic ni lance and event details. tapos yung guestbook, ginawa nalang din namin ng sis ko using American Greetings software and had it ringbinded for P30! hehe. ganda!
the candle holders from front
candle holders pic taken from the back
behind this festive celebration, the baptism was kinda sad in a way. i remember, i was trying to hold back my tears while carrying my baby during the mass. i felt that marvin have been so cruel to stood up his own son's important event. somehow, the presence of his clan took some of the disappointments away. some... kasi up to this time, it saddens me that his family and mine weren't formally introduced. how could i? sobrang busy ako on the day! gustong-gusto ko na ngang umiyak even at the reception but doing so would all the more, spoil my son's event. pinigilan ko na lang din. sigh. ang mahalaga, kristiyano na si lance and i promise to raise him up to be a good boy. kasingbait ng mommy nya. =)
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
the essentials....
- Church - paid and reserved Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal for August 4 event. sa hinaba-haba ng prusisyon, dito rin pala ang church namin. hehe.
- Reception - paid and reserved Shanghai Garden Resort. i have visited the place with my sister and their customer service personnel, Necy' s very accommodating.
- Food - paid downpayment to Blue Petals. we shall be having our taste test this week. yummy! hehe.
- Guestlist - still waiting for RSVPs. sigh...
- Sponsor List - still waiting for Aldous and France's RSVPs.
- Cake - scrapped out of the list. =( however, red ribbon cake looks yummy. if there will be a spare money from the budget, i might get one as well. replaced the cake with chocolate fountains and cupcakes from Sweet Affairs. Van is such a darling! =) paid her downpayment already.
- Photo - called up Oliver already... ang gulo nya... ibitin nya lang ako at papatayin ko siya... hehe
- Video - no appointed videographer yet.
- Wardrobes - i was able to buy a blouse for myself for 300 bucks at 168.... hehe.
- Decor - ordered pillars and some baloon clusters from Balloon Kingdom.
- Tarpaulin - had a 2.5 ft. x 5 ft tarp made by Simple Touch in 168 mall. lance is really gwapito.
- Souvenirs/lootbag/prizes - souvenir for guests, partial lootbag contents and 3 pieces prizes were bought already. still need to personalized the souvenirs, organize the lootbags, make lootbags, and buy more prizes.
- will u be my godparent e-card - scrapped out of the plan since the ecard maker software that i was able to download was not that user-friendly, hehe.
- invitation - sent out save-the-date cards and baptism invites by email only and those that don't have email access were invited through sms. =)
- guestbook/guestsheet - no update yet
- centerpiece - will just have the flower centerpiece provided by the caterer.
- thank you card - no update
- gift tags - no update
- candle wrapper - no update
- baptismal rite - no update
- program - no update
Thursday, July 12, 2007
marvin, lance and me went to the gold souq area to look for necklace for lance. it was marvin's promise that he will buy us necklaces. i didn't actually look forward that he'll keep this promise but i went out with him anyway. he bought lance a necklace with a cross pendant. as for me, he asked me to choose a necklace. i did not. if he really wants to give me something, i will let him choose whatever he is willing to give and shell out. for the record, naluha ako that he actually bought me a necklace. why? because i don't expect it and it's something i really wanted to have but chooses not to buy because there are other more important things where my salary should go to. anyhow, i am thankful and somehow nabawasan ang insecurities ko.
updates are available on:
1. Church - Better Living Church is finally scrapped out of the choices. wala pala talagang Saturday ceremony for a baptism dun. therefore, we were back to Posadas and BPS church as choices. considering proximity of the church plus its rates, i therefore laidback with the splurging the emailed my sister to choose Simbayanan ni Maria Parish Church na nga lang. hehe. i'll just instruct Oliver not to take outside the church photos. perhaps, i could also make the ceremony special with a choir? this i have to check when i got back. sana may silbi ang pagiging ang aking ex-BPS student. *choosing all my fingers*
2. Reception - my sister finally paid the reservation for the Shanghai Garden Resort. yep, Aug 4 is totally ours and ours alone... ngehehehe.
3. Decor - my sister said she found someone who can do the decoration for us. i just dunno how much the rate will be. but as far as other suppliers are concerned, i got a quotation for a venue dress up for 5K pesoses (without the transpo and other ek-ek fee). grabe noh, decor lang ganun na kamahal. will check out this supplier that my sister mentioned and see how it goes.
4. Cake - i have sent an inquiry to another supplier based in QC, the Quintbelles. I do hope they give a better quote. hehe. try lang...
almost everything's working out well for Lance baptism preparation. okay na sana ang buhay, if not the insurance card and visa and our trip back home. hay naku. idadaan ko na lang sa prayers ito, kasi parang hopeless case na rin that we get the visa on time and we'll go home with his dad on the 20th. =(
Thursday, July 05, 2007
so far, amidst my pagkainis and aside from the daily improvement of Lance weight and health, the preparation for his baptism keeps me excited and mellow. as of now, here's the update!
the important ones:
- church - shortlisted now the Our lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish (aka Posadas church), since United Paranaque church do not have a saturday ceremony, Better Living Church is not accommodating enough to non-parishioners, Simbayanan ni Maria looks degraded now...
- reception venue - the Shanghai Garden Resort (www.shanghaigardenresort.com) yipee!!! pencil booked the August 4th date already.
- food - Blue Petals, most probably since it is the only well-known caterer inside Paranaque area.
- guestlist - trimmed down to a hundred.
- sponsor list - finalized. the ninong's will be Ariel, France, Reggie and Aldous while the ninang's will be Fe, Elena, Lea and Marifer.
- cake - pencil booked with Recipe's and Magic
- photo - Marq Oliver Photography... for free!!!!!! another yippee!!! (www.marqoliver2005.multiply.com)
- video - our own miniDV cam. no appointed videographer yet.
- wardrobes - no update
- souvenir / lootbag / prizes - no update
- will u be my godparent ecard - no update
- invitation - drafted the online invite
- guestbook/guestsheet - no update
- centerpiece - no update
- thank you card - no update
- gift tags - no update
- candle wrapper - no update
- baptismal rite - no update
- program - no update
badtrip na badtrip ako kay marvin since yesterday. i just didn't get the reason why he has to choose his work over Lance's needs when he is supposed to resign from his job na naman. with that, sobrang gahol na kami to have Lance's visa settled before we get to go home. nanggigigil talaga ako sa inis. ewan ko ba, para siyang babae! ang bagal mag-desisyon sa buhay... grrr.... mabagal na, paiba-iba pa. buti sana kung hindi naka-depend yung legal documents ni Lance sa kanya. that's why, i really don't prefer to have Lance future rely on him dahil walang kakahinatnan for sure dahil sa sobrang uncertain ng mga plans at diskarte nya. grrr..... i even skipped from work just to get the salary certificate from his office na wala pa naman pala. kung nde ka ba naman makakapatay ng tao!!! at ako pa ang pagagalitan dahil dali-dali daw ako mag-decide to skip work! eh an hour before i leave the office when i told him that i'd rather be the one to get that damn document but he has to make sure it's there. i wasn't able to get any reply so i presumed okay na and left. tapos, wala pa rin pala!!
then, speaking to him regarding his supposed to be resignation, he changed his mind na daw!!! ayun, nagtapon na naman kami ng AED 300 for Lance visa application na nde na magagamit dahil nagbago na naman isip nya. kakabadtrip talaga. nauubos na savings ko dahil lang sa mali-maling desisyon na na ako ang nagbabayad. i don't want to sound so materialistic about it pero hello.... tama ba yun na mapunta lang sa wala yung mga pinag-ipunan ko just because nagbago isip nya???!!!! ewan ko, as i was always saying, he is a hopeless case.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
we plan to have baby Lance's christening on the 28th of July instead of August 4. anyhow, with such short time and being hundred of miles away, i am in a panicky mode as i haven't even accomplished any of the preparation need- and wish-to-haves. anyhow, here's my checklist which i will try to update every once in awhile:
- church: nothing final yet. still undecided and unregistered. we already have 3 choices in mind, which are United Paranaque church, Better Living Church and Posadas Church. all within taguig area.
- reception venue : nothing final yet. still undecided and unreserved. we have 2 choices for now, the Villa Juanita in bagumbayan and the Alcatrocks inside Better Living Subd. picked due to proximity to the churches mentioned above.
- food : nothing final yet. eyeing for Blue Petals' menu for 100 persons. might lessen the number of guests due to budget constraints.
- guestlist : list is still on draft mode and formal invitations are not yet sent. tentatively, 100 guests. the more, the merrier. =)
- sponsor list : still on draft mode. so far our list includes ninongs to be ariel and aldous while ninangs will be fe, elena, fer, marianne and lea. we still have to think and finalize this list and send out favor request. to note, ang hirap to get ninang/ninong in the philippines! not unlike here in the uae, ninangs/ninongs were all in a voluntary basis during conception palang! hay, how i wish ellen and jen could be in the philippines to be the ninangs para no doubt ako that baby Lance will be taken cared of when something goes wrong with me. knock on wood! hehehe.
- cake : wishing to have a cupcake tree. shortlisted suppliers are French Kiss, Recipes and Magic, Gervy's, Sugarbox.
- photo : shortlisted suppliers are Ging Lorenzo, Jeff & Pia and probably Oliver's photography if he gives me a friendly rate, hihi.
- video : will probably use my miniDV cam. i just haven't nominated who among my nephews will be the official videographer of the day. =) i need to bring the tripod though kahit hassle sa luggage.
- wardrobes : christening wardrobes for the baby, parents and grannies. i already bought Lance's party dress in Red Tag last week (my only accomplishment so far!). cute siya and formal. i'm sure, Lance will be so cute in it.
- souvenir / lootbag / prizes: still clueless on what and where to get a useful yet cutey souvenir. i will just visit divi at the last minute for the loot bag and prizes. gawin daw bang photo-finish. =)
as for not-so-important but hoping i could get done do-it-yourself projects, the list goes as:
- "will u be my godmother/godfather" e-card : e-card making software downloaded already. poem requested via my GT forumer and is waiting for her response. i just don't have anymore of those creativity juice flowing... =(
- invitation : poem was written by my GT forumer, isisalexi! thanks sis! although all photos are available already, i still cannot make this as i have no church/venue details yet.
- guestbook / guestsheet : yep, i haven't decided which of the two to make... hehe.
- centerpiece : i have made the collage already although i am not sure if this will print out just fine. will print test it this week.
- thank you card : i already have the text waiting to be used. hihi.
- gift tags : for the kids' loot bag and guest souvenirs.
- candle wrapper : of course, for the candles! hehe. like the others, pure idea palang. no realization yet.
- baptismal rite : i have a sample already (from a forumer also) but not the one from the "supposed to be" church. technically, idea palang din ito. =)
- program : vina agreed to be my host, had 2 games in mind but still doesn't have a final program.
;;
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