Over a Cup of Coffee..

Hi, how are you?!?

2011-02-15T08:16:00.002+08:00

I just happen to remember about this blog that I have and thought to check it to see if it's still working :P Lo and behold, it still is working eventhough my last post was waaaaay back May 2010.

As the Aussie greeting goes, "Hi, how are you?" I would like to reply, "Good, thanks! How are you?"

The land down under

2010-05-28T14:52:00.002+08:00

Me and the kids first set foot here in Sydney last May 15. The travel was ok aside from the occasional stressful scenes like if the kids get cranky on the plane. I had to also deal with frequent spit-ups and throw-ups from them. :)

Adjustment is not really an issue as far as I am concerned. It's just like we are in the Philippines, only with the cold weather which we love! It's getting winter here. I'm pretty lucky that I get to be with my mom until August to help me look after the kids. Super goodluck to me when she leaves by then! haha!

Overall, I am happy that we are living the way we planned and the way we wanted. We can never thank God enough for this wonderful opportunity.

Here's to a good life for us here in Oz!

Pre-Loved Items For Sale!

2010-04-29T09:05:00.009+08:00

For those interested, please send me a private message to manel04@gmail.com

I can do meet-ups in Alabang for small items. All items are ready for pick up in our house. Email me if you are interested! :)

6-seater dining table: Php5,500

Avent Breast Shield: Php800

Next9 Baby Sling: Php1,000

PLAYSKOOL EXPLORE 'N GROW STEP START WALK 'N RIDE
at Php700.00

Battery-operated Educational Toy
priced at Php250.00

Play Mat
priced at Php300.00

Toshiba DVD Player
Priced at Php1,500.00

Diaper Organizer
Priced at Php600.00

Aprova Walker
Priced at Php500.00

Chicco Steam Sterilizer
Priced at Pho1,000.00

Hand-woven Duyan
Priced at Php200.00

Authentic Brand New Barbie Doll
Priced at Php400.00

Chicco Manual Breast Pump
Priced at Php400.00

Andrea Laureen Turns 1!

2010-04-21T21:06:00.015+08:00

We held a party to celebrate Lolin's 1st birthday last April 11. Our original plan is to celebrate it in May since Daddy Ian will be here by then. However, nothing is final yet on when he will come home and for how long will he stay here before we take off to Oz, so we decided to have the party this April instead. I had only 5 days preparing for this including looking for a Jollibee venue. haha!

Venue: Jollibee Alabang Junction
My first choice is really Jollibee Festival Mall but as expected, all slots were booked for April 11 when I inquired. I initially have a pencil booking with them for May 9 but it was given to another client already when I forgot to renew my booking.

Just a tip on those who plan to celebrate in a fastfood, make sure that you count the food before the crew serve it. This was my first time with Jollibee (and to any fastfood for that matter) and I was surprised when I saw that the crew were already distributing the food to my guests. Some guests were left waiting for their food because apparently, they did not prepare the exact number. It was also very difficult to check on how many meals did they actually served. When I was about to settle my bill, they were charging me of 5 additional regular softdrinks because some guests requested for it. Duh?! I, myself didn't get to have a drink with my meal plus the ice cream included! I was firm that I will not pay for it plus they didn't have me sign for that. I waited for 30mins or so while the manager is nowhere to be found before i settled my bill. I could have just flown away without paying a cent!

Entertainment: Jollitown Mascots

It was my intention to have the 5 mascots present in the party. First, I anticipate the usual fastfood-party program to be, well, typically boring (sorry for this but this is my own opinion) so I wanted something that will "wow" the guests -- children and adult. True enough, my friends told me they were happy to experience all the mascots present in one party :) And you are right, the kids went enormously hyper when the gang came out. Twirlie was not in the picture because she already came out few minutes before we start the program to receive guests.

Face Painter: John Lord Tobias
My friend's brother is super talented that I got him as my face painter. I just bought face paint.

Party Favors: OMG (Oh My Gifts)

Me and my friend chanced upon this stall in ATC. They were selling cute cellphone holders at 50% off. Got these at 50 pesos each. Too bad they only have 50pcs on stock. For the kids, I bought cute ballpens also in OMG at 49pesos each. They gave me a 10% discount for the pens.

Birthday cake: Red Ribbon

I got this design with a matching Barbie doll which meant a cake and a toy for Laureen. Jollibee gave us a free medium-sized cake also.

Balloon Decors: Party Time
I got balloonderitas and two balloon pillars. They were also my supplier for Laureen's baptism last June.

Tarpaulin: Gail Monzon
My ever-reliable friend :)

Over-all, I was happy with the party considering the amount of time for the preparations. Oh, and the photos? All were courtesy of my guests whom I required to bring their own cameras. haha. It was a good idea since I had the pictures of ALL the guests :)

April 14

2010-04-21T09:13:00.004+08:00

Last April 14, 2010 marked our 3rd yr wedding anniversary. The 2nd time that hubby is out of the country. I've actually met with my client that day and after two days, I went shopping! Well, that was one "happy" way to celebrate it, at least for me. :D

I got my 2nd lacoste bag (the 1st was also a gift from hubby) and a nice kenneth cole watch. I was leaning towards getting the imara keeva nike watch but hubby suggested i get a kenneth cole instead. Good thing i found a KC watch i like :)

oh and since the watch is on sale, i had the chance to get myself a havaianas slipper too!

Thanks to my dear hubby for giving me a budget to shop! Happy me!

Pre-Loved Baby Items FOR SALE!

2010-03-29T22:44:00.001+08:00

Pre-Loved Baby Items:

"These are slightly used items of Inigo and Laureen. All are guaranteed still in good conditions. PM me for more info: manel04@gmail.com"

Laureen at 10 months!

2010-02-05T14:15:00.004+08:00

This is my first video project. I was actually inspired by one of my nawie-sister who made an AVP for her son's 1st birthday. Nothing fancy, but I felt happy watching it. Hopefully I would be able to learn more about this before Lolin's first birthday. Teehee!

To our dear Lolin, you will always be our little princess! We love you! Happy 10th month!

Lolin at 10 months from manel cosinas on Vimeo.

Happy 2010!

2010-02-03T09:57:00.004+08:00

There's so much to be thankful for the year 2009.

1. Daddy Ian got a new job and got his first trip to Sydney in end of March 2009. Though that meant he was out of the country when Andrea Laureen was born.

2. I gave birth to a healthy baby girl and managed to control my post-natal stress. haha!

3. We transferred to a new apartment which made us very much close to Mama's house! We only needed to hire one helper and it saved us much!

4. I started an events coordination business -- something that I want to do while being a SAHM. Something to look forward to and also became my ME-TIME.

5. And the very highlight of it all -- our Australian Immigrant Visa was approved.

We are really humbled and grateful for the Lord has been so good to us!

And so what's up with 2010? We are on the first week of February and the January just flew so fast. Since our visa was approved, Daddy Ian had to leave for Sydney early this year to (1) find a job, and (2) settle-down. He already accomplished job number 1 (and we are praising God for this). And now he is working on his job number 2 -- to settle down. Hopefully, we would be able to be with him come May. Can't wait!

Beware of a person named ARNOLD GOMEZ of GUESS Shop in MOA

2009-11-20T20:36:00.004+08:00

I had a very terrible experience with a disrespectful, ill-mannered, and rude employee of a Guess Shop in SM Mall Of Asia.

I had a scheduled meeting with one of my December brides in MOA this afternoon and I decided to bring along Inigo and Mama since Ian can just pick us up there after he goes out of the office. Not knowing that Manny Pacquiao will be there at around 2pm, there were so many people gathered around the stage and within the area. We didn't even plan to watch hence, we decided to walk around and look for some place to eat instead. With the number of people in the area, you can hardly see where you are walking and you can hardly breathe. And since there are shops within the area, we decided to stop at GUESS boutique to catch some air and to let some people pass by since we are with Inigo and we are afraid that in any moment, there would be a stampede since Manny just came out of the stage and all of the people are trying to catch a glimpse of him and were running to the stage area.

We stopped at the front door of GUESS and after a few seconds, a guy was already telling us to go out. He is one of the staff of GUESS and he is standing beside the door. I told him that we will just let some people pass by since we are with a kid. He insisted and with a loud voice, he shouted at me saying "Ayan na o naglalakad na yung mga tao. Pwede na kayong dumaan!" At this point, i was fuming mad! Firstly, he should not be shouting at me. He could have said it in a more polite manner. He reasons out that we are blocking the entrance of their shop. Their door was wide open and at that point, we only occupy one side of the door. Nevertheless, he should have just told us to come inside so as not to block the door. I shouted at him also telling him that he need not to shout at me and I was asking him, "Baket, bawal ba dito?! Nakita mo nang madaming tao sa labas, hindi ba pwedeng maghintay ng saglit?" And at this point, we were already shouting at each other. Ian was not able to contain it also since he was hearing how the staff was shouting at me and reasoning out, Ian shouted at him also. I asked for the Store Manager and she was just staring at us when I saw her. She was apologetic however, she did not ask her staff to stop shouting and reasoning out.

The staff's name as what the Store Manager (Caludette Gaba) told me, is ARNOLD GOMEZ. I am planning to file a formal complaint to Calfiornia Clothing Inc., the distributor of GUESS here in the Philippines. I really feel that we were disrespected by this person and that their staffs should be given a training in customer service. Even if we just stopped by the store, we are still considered as customers and we should be given due respect. I have been a customer of GUESS ever since and I am really disappointed and upset about what happened.

I wasn't able to take a picture of ARNOLD GOMEZ but once I get hold a picture of him, i'll post it in this blog.

Pre-Loved Items For SALE!

2009-11-19T18:32:00.002+08:00

We are selling some of our pre-loved items:

Imarflex Microwave Oven
MOD-BS23D
3 IN 1 MICROWAVE/GRILLER/TOASTER OVEN
- Slightly used
- Priced at Php3,500

Geoby Stroller
- Lightweight
- Can be used by infants (flatbed recline)
- Priced at Php3,000

We're going on a trick or treating!

2009-09-25T22:14:00.002+08:00

I was able to visit Fun Ranch's website and found out that they will be having their Trick or Treat on Oct24. Excited as I can be, I immediately registered the kids when I learned that only the first 500kids who will register can actually join. You can just imagine a grin on my face when I received an email reply regarding the registration. It would be in Tiendesita's in Ortigas and I thought that it would be a lot better if it will be in their Alabang branch but hey, we are still joining!

Here's their websites:
www.kidsrulehere.com
http://funranch.multiply.com

For moms and dads out there, check it out and i hope that you still get to register your kids. I'm sure it will be such a hit with the kiddos!

Fashion made affordable!

2009-09-25T22:10:00.004+08:00

Please visit my new on-line shop: --TRINKETS--

If you are looking for fashionable bags and other accessories, and for corporate giveaways, --TRINKETS-- have it!

For inquiries, you may send me an email through tmsouvenirs@yahoo.com.

Weekend Family Day

2009-09-13T00:20:00.002+08:00

We usually spend our weekdays in the mall or going out of town to visit relatives. As for today, we went to ATC for Kuya Nigo's haircut, had our usual dinner at KFC. I have let Inigo taste DQ's Blizzard and he loved it! He is most of the time not into sweets but I think that the strawberry flavored ice cream did the trick. I am so looking forward to the day when Laureen can actually enjoy our family days :D

High Five Hi5!

2009-09-04T00:53:00.002+08:00

i promise to blog about this tomorrow. haha. i accidentally signed off in gmail which automatically signed me off too here in blogspot while my quite very long post is just saving! argh! for the sake of my sanity, (and yeah it's almost 1am already), I am posting the pictures I uploaded through slide :D

'tl tomorrow, bloggers!

Hi-5 in SM Malls!

2009-09-02T13:36:00.003+08:00

Inigo got all excited when he saw Hi5 perform in Wowwowwee today. I readily google-ed details about the event and found out that SM Malls will be sponsoring the show in coordination with Australian Embassy in promoting Australia as a tourist destination.

We will be watching their show tomorrow, Sept3 at The Podium at 5pm. We will be braving the hassle of commute since the car is on color-coding every Thursdays. Goodluck to us!

Our DORA Experience

2009-08-27T21:25:00.002+08:00

We had the chance to watch Dora and Boots live and perform one episode last August 21 at ATC. The concierge ran out of show tickets so we ended up posting ourselves beside the stage. Inigo was a bit starstruck-ed when Dora and Boots first came out and he did not even blink all through out the show! Laureen was in deep sleep even with the loud sound :)

Here are some pics:

Thank you Tita Cory!

2009-08-03T11:49:00.003+08:00

Me and my family joins the Philippine nation in mourning for the loss of one of our modern-day heroes, ex-President Corazon C. Aquino. I quote Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite, "Thank you God for the gift of Cory."

I hope that this will be a turning point as far as our government is concerned. Let's not put to waste what Cory fought for.

Salamat, Paalam at Hanggang sa muli Tita Cory!

Another year, another chance

2009-08-03T11:36:00.004+08:00

God has given me another year and I consider it as a chance for me to become a better person. So much has happened in my life and I can not thank God enough for all the good things that happened at the same time.

I hope and pray that God will continue to guide me as I continue to journey and to try to be the best that I can be.

When weight gain does matter....

2009-07-17T22:16:00.004+08:00

I am happy to say that I have been breastfeeding Laureen for 3 months now! Though I must admit, breastfeeding is not a "walk in the park" task for me. The fact that I must always be available for feeding even outside the home makes it more difficult and challenging. I have to think twice of what clothes to wear if we're going out because it has to be convenient for breastfeeding, means lesser wardrobe choices :) Don't get me wrong as I am not ranting :) Maybe I just miss the times when I can be very carefree. Oh, the sacrifices of being a mom!

We had her checked with her pedia today and had her vaccinated. She only gained 1/2 a kilo since last month and though it is still within the acceptable range, it might be a concern if she won't gain at least 1 kilo next month. This would mean that my milk supply is low and that we have to increase her formula intake.

Overall, Laureen is thriving really well and all is well with her health. Meanwhile, she has to re-learn drinking in the bottle since she often refuses it.

Just visiting!

2009-07-13T22:44:00.004+08:00

We had the chance to visit our relatives in San Pablo Laguna last weekend which was also Laureen's first visit. We headed off friday afternoon enough to be on the road before the rush hour.

Nothing beats the hot weather there but it was worth seeing relatives and enjoying some bonding time with Lola Led and Tita Lanie. Shout out to Tita Elaine who is invading Germany as of today! :D

I am happy that we got the chance to check out Palmera's Restaurant which is a few kilometers away from the house. It was a nice place (maybe much nicer during the night wherein they have a band playing) to dine and you get to eat a savory lunch or dinner in their gazeebos and mini-nipa huts. I also loved their little pond where they get fishes to be cooked so you can be sure they have it fresh :) Inigo did enjoy roaming around and exploring the place!

Laureen at 3 months!

2009-07-06T07:16:00.002+08:00

We are constantly thanking God for our little girl, Andrea Laureen. Our pregnancy with her was unplanned but it was never unwanted. We felt happy and excited when we found out we're pregnant and we were doubly happy when we found out we're having a girl!

Now that she turned 3 months, we are always in awe seeing her grow up with her big bro -- Kuya Inigo, who is fond of giving her a kiss.

God is good!

Our Family

2009-06-16T12:14:00.001+08:00

Make your Stick Figure Family at FreeFlashToys.com

Job Hunting?

2009-06-12T13:59:00.002+08:00

ITech Biz! is looking for candidates with the following skills:

Informix DBA
PeopleSoft version 9
.Net

Interested candidates may send their resume to:
recuiter.itechbiz@gmail.com

Party Planning -- Laureen's Baptism

2009-06-03T13:32:00.002+08:00

Another something to keep me excited and up-to-my-toes is our planning for Laureen's baptism come June 20. As a start, we have booked the church and the venue since last week. I am now busy putting together other details such as finding a cake supplier, waiting for the picture at TPC for the invites and tarp, souvenirs, and booking a balloon decor supplier (if budget permits). hubby and i decided that we will not anymore book a professional photog since we can count on our family and friends' cameras on the day itself.. hehe..

we feel so blessed!

I'm back from hybernation!

2009-06-03T13:26:00.002+08:00

Having two kids to look after and numerous, repetitive household chores, I have somewhat eluded the blogging world.. :D teehee!

but i am happy to be back and do some updating here.

see you around!

Andrea Laureen

2009-04-09T13:10:00.002+08:00

We are happy to share with you another God's beautiful blessing to us -- Andrea Laureen!

I gave birth to another bundle of joy (this time, a baby girl) last Monday, 06 April 2009 at the Paranaque Doctor's Hospital thru C-section. Laureen came out at exactly 9:10pm weighing 2.65kls and a length of 48in.

Daddy Ian's 27th birthday...

2009-01-27T14:14:00.014+08:00

Disclaimer: This is an already overdue post.. nyhahahah..

Daddy Ian and I celebrated the eve of his birthday having dinner at Circle's in Makati Shangri-La. How timely that his company gave him a price for being a "sort of" model employee.. teehee! (hugz daddy! you sure are doing a very good job!) We ate our hearts out with the sumptuous dinner choices from Filipino to American to Japanese food in the buffet table!

the birthday boy and the wifey starting with their yummy salad entree!

our main course..

the delicious dessert..

Overall, we went home with big (mine already a big one even before! hahha) and satisfied tummies!

The next day, we headed off to MOA for a quick mirienda at Don Henrico's and spent sometime at Tom's World :)

our little boy already fell asleep.. awww....

1st birthday, 1st haircut experience!

2009-01-08T17:00:00.002+08:00

We took the opportunity to have Inigo's 1st haircut on his 1st birthday to sort of get him prepped for his birthday celebration. We were able to visit Kid's Salon inside Rustan's Makati when we headed home from Cavite (we celebrated the new year with the Unabia family). As expected, Inigo was not cooperative all throughout the "gupitan" process.. heheh.. all three of us -- me, daddy ian, mama, and yaya were all like clowns just to calm down Inigo who was all the time wanting to get out of the car-chair. Overall, we were happy with his semi-kalbo cut.. :)

Inigo's 1st birthday Celebration!

2009-01-05T13:04:00.020+08:00

We had Inigo's 1st birthday celebration last January 3 in Pansol, Calamba and we were very happy to have celebrated it with the people who truly, truly love Inigo!

It was very challenging to look for suppliers since I have zero knowledge on the availability of whatever supplier we can get in Laguna. :) Searching the internet and some recommendations from my ever-reliable naw sisters helped a lot. Consequently, most of the thingies in the party are DIY (even the balloon decors).

Food: Cosine's Catering

Cosine's is owned by Daddy Ian's Tito Arnel and Tita Lanie (who, by the way, are also our Ninong and Ninang sa kasal). Since it was a swimming party, we opted to just order food and have it miryenda style lang. We ordered Pancit Malabon, Spaghetti, Morcon, Lumpiang Shanghai, and Rice. Nothing fancy about the menu but the guests were happy with the food kase masarap daw. :) They are based in San Pablo, Laguna.

Cake: Sugarbox

Emily did our wedding cake and there was no other supplier we had in mind when we are thinking of Inigo's birthday cake. We liked the idea that Emily's cakes are personalized and she really is very good in coming up with the idea and the look of the cake depending on the theme. Since we ordered an all-edible 3-layered cake and we need to transport it from Makati to Pansol, she recommended to have a display cake instead and then the edible cakes are put in a box. Guests were surprised when they knew that the cake is just for display because it looks real! Emily was also very generous to give us free cupcakes. hehehe.. Not to mention na super affordable yung price nung cake and hubby was surprised when we knew about the price kase nga mura lang.. heheheh.. super yummy din yung cakes nya..

Photography: Nikko Taytay

I found Nikko through google lang when I was searching for a photographer based in South. He also does wedding photography and was very accommodating answering my inquiries about his services. He was professional enough to be on-time during the party. He stayed with us for about 6 hours or more ata and since I was so busy attending to guests, ako pa mismo ang lumapit sa kanya and asked him if he wants to go na since some of the guests already left na and the kids are all in the pool na. His shots are ok although sana madami pang pictures of the kids in the pool.. hehehe.. But overall, we are happy naman with the pics.

Venue: Plums Resort (c/o Lai: 0921.222.9822 / (049)502.4491)
It took us almost 3 visits to Pansol before deciding as to which resort to book. I think we were able to check out almost all of the private pools inside Miramonte.. heheheh.. If i remember it right, Plums was the first private pool we checked out. ;) The deciding factor was the spacious function rooms and bedrooms. The resort was also newly painted which added to the fact that it looked new.. hehehe.. Also, one plus factor of plums is that Lai, the caretaker was very easy to talk to and they do not have any additional charges guests which saves us a lot since we are expecting more than 100 guests :)

Entertainment and Tables and Chairs: Osboy's Party Needs

We found Osboy's located in Los Banos just by actual strolling and surveying. haha.. When we went home to San Pablo for our Christmas vacation, we decided to stroll along Los Banos and try to look for a party needs shop. The clowns were very entertaining and the guests really enjoyed them. We also ordered 20pcs of balloons on stick as giveaways and kids' and some adult's table and chairs since Plums has a few adult tables and chairs.

Balloon decors: DIY

Much as I want to have a professionally-done balloon decors, however our budget didn't permit. hahahh.. I initially planned to attend a balloon workshop but that didn't pursue also due to time constraints :) We were able to buy balloons in Divisoria when we shopped for loots and prices. We got 100pcs of balloons and was surprised na kulang pala yun for the decors... hehehe.. Hubby and I thought that that would suffice na. We were able to decorate the function area with the help of my relatives who volunteered to be on the venue early to helps us decorate. :)

Lootbags: Divisoria

To avoid the Christmas rush, we were able to shop at Divisoria last November for the lootbags and for some game prices.

Name Tags, Thank you stickers, Picturebook/Guestboook, Invitation: DIY
With a little bit of time, I was able to make a simple name tags and TY cards and just have it printed at home using a sticker paper. The guestbook, I was able to learn digiscrapping using scrapblog and have it printed at PrintAvenue. Guests were surprised when they knew that i was the one who made the guestbook.. heheheh... For the invites, our friend Gail was the one who did the lay out for us. I just researched through the internet for possible style and she was the one who personalized it.

Invitations and guetbook printing: PrintAvenue
I saw Printavenue while browsing in Multiply. Aljo was very accommodating during the design approval and in finishing the prints eventhough rush na.. hehehe.. I was happy with the print quality.

Wardrobe: Guess shop for Inigo's pants and polo; Our ever-reliable closet for Daddy and Mommy's attire :)

We didn't hire a professional videographer however, Tito JR and Tita Emma were kind enough to take videos of the party.

Lastly, we would like to extend our warmest thanks to all of our guests who attended the party kahit na malayo :) And for those who did not make it, it is well-ok :)

For more pictures, you may visit Inigo's friendster site: http://profiles.friendster.com/inigolanceusapdincosinas

Party is coming!

2008-12-26T11:31:00.002+08:00

A week to go and all is set to the pool party we will have for Inigo.

Cake
Photography
Food
Venue
Giveaways
Entertainment
Decors
Music

We are trying to keep the party as simple and as relaxing as possible. Anyways, it's a pool party so most of the guests are looking forward for a lot of time in the pool :)

Party Planning Updates

2008-12-02T21:26:00.000+08:00

Last weekend was a long and a busy one. We were able to go home to San Pablo to visit some relatives of Daddy Ian and got the chance to book suppliers for the food, photographer and the venue. Teehee! And just today, we have finalized the invites and booked a supplier for the prints.

Things to do:
1. entertainment (clowns)
2. additional table and chairs -- since there is only a minimal number of tables and chairs available in the venue
3. finalize where to get the cake delivered -- dito ako mejo kinakabahan.. hahahah
4. double-check the lootbags -- just in case we will run short of these
5. finish the guestbook -- my DIY
6. finalize guestlist

.. seems like my list is getting longer and longer.. haha!

Pls vote: Party Invitation Design -- Thanks to all!

2008-12-02T21:20:00.000+08:00

Thanks to all who dropped a line and voted from the designs. We were able to tally the votes and the winner is..... (tsaka na lang namin i-announce, so wait for the supplier ratings.. heheheh)

We already booked a print shop to do the printing for the invites and hopefully we can get it within this week for early distribution.. It's already December and it feels that December is just a short month considering the long weekends since people are very busy..

Please vote: Party Invitation Design

2008-11-27T15:26:00.001+08:00

hi friends,

after harassing my friend gail to do concepts and designs for Inigo's invitation, she (harassed-ly) came up with three designs. kindly vote which one of the designs is likely to be inclined with our theme: pool party.

Design1 (snorkeling)

Design2 (fish)

Design3 (lifesaver)

You can vote by leaving a comment on this post :)
thanks!

Inigo's 1st---- <>

2008-11-25T18:12:00.000+08:00

Oh well, oh well.. Only a month to go before the party and now I can honestly say that party preps is beginning to sink in.. haha.. good thing, me and daddy ian were able to book Emily for the cake today. Yoohoo! I'm so, so looking forward to the birthday cake of Inigo. Emily made a draft of the design and super nakaka-excite!

**CAKE - check!

We are also taking advantage of the upcoming long-weekend to book a resort and the photographer. Hopefully, we can book and reserve Joaqui's Private Resort and Nikko Taytay as the photog.

I still need to get my booty moving and hunting for a balloon workshop.. hmmm.... praying so hard for this! waaaahhh!

More planning, more exciting!

Trick me right!

2008-10-31T12:26:00.000+08:00

Inigo's first Trick or Treat experience happened yesterday at Daddy Ian's office. He was on his bumble bee costume! When we got to the reception, all the kids were busy eating their packed meal and enjoying the Bee Movie. Everyone who saw Inigo was like, "ay, si bee movie!" Nakakatuwa kase swak yung costume nya dun sa movie.. hehehe...

Daddy's office is a 3-floor office of the building so imagine how many candies and goodies the kids were able to get. One thing to note, career to the max yung mga cubicles and rooms of different teams! Super nakakatuwa, as in pati ako nag enjoy kase it felt we were really in a haunted house with all the costumes and props everywhere!

Inigo wasn't able to have siesta before we head off at the office so on the 1st floor pa lang, nakatulog na sya. And everyone who saw him at that time was like, "ay napagod na si bee movie.."

here's a look on how many candies tita nice was able to hoard.. hehehehe

Looking forward to another trick or treating :D Enjoy the pics!

Getting the Party Planning Started!

2008-10-01T09:58:00.000+08:00

Actually, I have been trying to start party planning for the 1st bday of Inigo a couple of months back. And since that it is already October, I begin to realize to make the planning (through my head) in action!

I am busy hunting for a good venue right now. Me and Daddy Ian decided to have it in a private resort preferably in Calamba or in Los Banos since we want the party place to be accessible to his relatives in Laguna and mine in Cavite.

Here are some of the recommendations I got from my ever-reliable n@w friends:

Jonel Spring Resort and JC Manzano Resort c/o Marie
La Luz Beach Resort c/o Lisa
Casa Leonida and Rockpopint c/o Mec
Caleb and Jacob's Private Resort and Splash Mountain c/o Yayeen

I was able to also search via internet the Palm Ridge Resort and I really like the place.

I am giving myself until late next week to finalize the venue so that I can check that out of my list.

Tagged!

2008-10-01T09:46:00.000+08:00

I love the blogs of these people and I’m glad to pass this award onto them! All they need to do is to leave the following message on their post when they pass the award on to their chosen eight bloggers.

They all are charmed with the blogs, where in the majority of its aims are to show the marvels and to do friendship; there are persons who are not interested when we give them a prize and then they help to cut these bows; do we want that they are cut or that they propagate? Then let’s try to give more attention to them! So with this prize we must deliver it to 8 bloggers that in turn must make the same thing and put this.Thanks Tin for this tag!

What a nice way of dealing with a rainy holiday.. :)

I'm passing this tag to all my blogger friends!

We're going to be 4!

2008-09-12T15:39:00.000+08:00

So much blessings have come to our family and we can only thank God for that.

We are happy to announce that we are adding another angel to our happy and growing (as in fast growing) family! Inigo's little sister or brother will be coming out of my tummy in April 2009. I am thinking of giving birth on April 14th since it will be our 2nd year wedding anniversary. That sounds exciting for the birthday of our angel number 2!

Nothing compares with the excitement and thrill of knowing that there is another little soul inside of me.

More details about our pregnancy in the next posts!

Please pray for us as we patiently wait for the new addition to our family.

What uh-sCRAP!

2008-08-25T18:04:00.001+08:00

I am so into this little thingy -- digi-scrapping. I have read and heard a lot of it but this is the only time that I braved trying on making one.

Since I am making and forcing myself to be busy in trying to come up with a concept for Inigo's 1st birthday, (yes, we are having a party! yoohoo!) I thought of making a guestbook through digiscrap. Well, oh-well seems like I have another addiction now.

I must've alloted space for the guests' birthday greetings, nho? hehe.. I really enjoyed lay outing the pictures and those thingies. What do ya think?!

Trying on a part time...

2008-08-20T21:57:00.000+08:00

I was able to learn about a part time job opportunity from n@w (newlyweds@work) through Agnes. It is all about abstracting. Clueless as I was, I decided to read the post and asked how to apply and how to get qualified.

(Based from my own understanding, abstracting is synonymous to summarizing :D)

Going back to my story, Agnes was kind enough to email me the Information Sheet and the essay questions to accomplish before I get invited to the abstracting workshop. Yes, the company offers a free abstracting workshop. Then finally, I was able to attend last Saturday. It was a well-attended workshop - mostly are recruits of Agnes, and my co-n@wies (sorry girls if I wasn't able to bond with you that day. :( I was kind of "hiya" to approach you guys, :D)

Workshop was a big help for me since I was oh-so-clueless about abstracting. What I only have in mind is that I may earn extra moohlah on this.. teehee! There were some exams worksheets that day and I have to agree that you will need to have a good English vocabulary - as simple as the subject and verb agreement might be a little bit of a challenge :)

Just tonight, I got an email stating my user id and my password so that I can start with my new-found activity - abstracting!

Oh, I need to review the manual because my memory fails me every now and then since I had my CS! I need to brush up on the abstracting guidelines so that I will be able to produce more work.

abstracting = moohlah

Wish me luck on this!

Uh-oh...

2008-08-18T13:40:00.000+08:00

looks like my brain had a short-circuit that I am having a darn hard time thinking what to blog about... geesh!

Fun Day!

2008-08-03T20:10:00.000+08:00

We had a fun day visiting Gymboree in Serendra and trying out the Play Class. (We got it for free by just registering beforehand and visiting gymboree's website.) It was the first time that Inigo played with kids almost his age. Though I must say that I enjoyed pretty much than Inigo did. Haha!

The Class - Oliver, Sachi, Inigo, Jak-Jak, and Althea

Inigo was so tired after the class and easily fell asleep on our way to Market! Market! while us - adults, had a quick lunch at KFC.

We were not convinced to end the day with just having fun playing with Gymbo so we therefore headed to The Picture Company at Bonifacio High Streets to have our family portrait taken and Inigo's first formal photoshoot. I am so excited to see the print(s)! haha! Will post another entry when we have the photo prints from TPC.

More pictures of Inigo's first Gymbo experience. :D

What's happening....

2008-07-28T21:28:00.000+08:00

We went to visit Lola Lydia and Tita-Ninang Lanie last weekend. Come Sunday, we were able to attend the wedding of daddy ian's cousin. 'twas a garden wedding, too bad it rained. This was Inigo's first trip to tagaytay.
The weekend before the latest weekend, we had the chance to go to Mall of Asia and visited The Picture Company. I had our membership activated and hopefully we will be able to set up a photoshoot. (Still convincing daddy ian to schedule the photoshoot since he doesn't know yet the printing cost.. haha!) I am wanting for us to have a family portrait that is professionally taken... teeeheee!

Inigo's new toy - Little Touch Leap Pad

2008-07-16T21:09:00.000+08:00

Inigo got his first tech-ie toy from daddy as pasalubong. He really enjoys playing with his little touch especially when he hears the ABC song.

Kids nowadays are fortunate to have toys like these :)

On Being A Parent

2008-07-05T13:43:00.000+08:00

I am a member of an internet yahoogroup called NewlyWedsAtWork and I have been learning a lot from the members of the group in managing our home. I would like to pick up the topic that was posted by a n@wie-mate Jeng Agustin and she posted a question "Why do you want to have children?"

I am so amazed with how the group members were able to share their insights regarding the topic. Yes, being a parent is a choice and it is a lifetime responsibility and I would like to share my insights:

Being a parent is a choice and a privilege.

A choice.

When hubby and I got married, we know that we both want to have a child. And we are blessed that we had a honeymoon baby :D Inigo is 6 months now and nothing compares to the kind of fulfillment that me and hubby feels. Yes, there are endless of sacrifices that we have to do along the way and as long as we live. But the fact that we chose to have Inigo in our lives makes us realize that it's all worth it.

A privilege.

Every child is a gift from GOD. No matter how hard we pray and how a couple wants to have a child, if they are not blessed by GOD, it won't happen. I know a couple who tries and tries to have a child but until now they haven't been pregnant. And all it takes is patience and faith to the Lord. The couple that I know will have theirs in God's perfect time.

I want to quote a n@wie-mate Mylene when she said. "But you know what, you'll never know how much love your heart can hold, until someone calls you a Mommy or Daddy :-)" She's hit the bull's eye!

Another thing, you will have an additional special day (aside from your birthday) every year - Mother's Day or Father's Day! Teeheee!

CHILDREN completes the FAMILY.

Inigo's 6th month birthday!

2008-07-02T20:56:00.000+08:00

To our baby Inigo,

You have been our source of joy, inspiration and hope.
Our day's worth is to see and watch you grow.
May God continue to bless and guide you.

We love you from every sense of the word.

-Daddy and Mommy

Another Milestone: Sitting on his own

2008-06-27T22:07:00.001+08:00

A few more days to go and Inigo will turn 6 months old. One of his milestones now is his ability to sit on his own from his crawl position.

Our little tyke is getting busy by himself. Awww, he seems to grow up real fast!

I've been tagged!

2008-06-22T19:27:00.000+08:00

Thanks sis sheryll for this tag :D

--------- START HERE -------------

Instructions:
1. Copy and paste this tag from "Start Here" to "End Here." (don't forget the image)
2. Place your blog's name with your URL at the end of the tag. If you have more than one blog, please add them too! Just make sure that you post this tag in all of your blogs.
3. Tag 5 blogs that is not yet in this post (just to avoid duplications ^_^ )
4. This is the twist... Go to the 5 blogs that you tagged and comment on any of their posts. Why? So that search engines can crawl to your site. ^_^
5. Return to the Momhood Moments blog and leave a comment saying that you joined the tag together with the URL of the tag. I'll be checking on it and add you in the master list.

Momhood Moments Tags You List:1. Momhood Moments 2. Business Mars 3. Concealed Mind 4. O nce in a Lifetime 5. The Sweet Life 6. Our Family Adventure! 7. ThinkingBox

I am passing this tag to all of my blogger friends! Enjoy!
--------- END HERE -------------

It's Raining, It's Pouring....

2008-06-22T18:58:00.001+08:00

Something that the rain makes me feel - calmness. Raindrops make me stop and think for a while. I love feeling the coldness, i so love not getting out of the bed.

Today was spent playing with my kiddo. You bet, he's got some antics and stuffs now. Inigo can easily fill anybody's day. I miss spending my whole day with him. (Imagine how Daddy Ian misses those! :C)

Inigo tried his sweatshirt that me and Daddy Ian bought him a couple of months back at Rustan's. Thanks to typhoon frank 'cause I remembered the sweatshirt and tried it on to Inigo and finally realizing that 2 months from now, he won't be able to wear it and Inigo surely will outgrow the poor shirt! haha!

Here's what he looked like the entire day..

Inigo's Milestone - The Kiss

2008-06-06T23:28:00.000+08:00

What could be more rewarding than getting a kiss from your baby?! This was taken just today.

Inigo's Milestone - Trying The First Step

2008-06-06T23:24:00.000+08:00

This video was taken on his 5th month birthday, 02 June 2008.

Inigo's Milestone - The Close-Open

2008-06-06T23:18:00.000+08:00

As early as his 4th month, he was able to close and open his hands. :D

Back from my hiatus!

2008-06-06T22:59:00.001+08:00

I am happy to be back :D I have to admit that I have been very preoccupied at work. Even working at home after a long day in the office. Hayyy.. Anyways, I am now back in to my blogging world! hehehe

So much has happened for the past month. Inigo is growing up real fast! Daddy Ian left for the US and won't be back until 6 weeks. (Wala kaming daddy sa daddy's day! huhu!) We miss Daddy Ian badly...

Good thing there already exists internet and webcams. (I can just imagine how Mama feels before when Papa has to be overseas for 7 years! That must've real hard for both of them only looking forward to pictures and the weekly phone calls..)

More, more updates and blog entries from me, I promise! Haha!

Inigo's 4th month birthday

2008-05-05T21:38:00.000+08:00

Mommy Led and Tita-Ninang Lanie were able to visit us in Makati last week taking advantage of the May 1 holiday. It was also Tita-Ninang Elaine's 25th birthday the day before.

We celebrated May 1 visiting Trinoma Mall. Had our miryenda-dinner at aVenetto Pizzeria.

"HomeBound"

2008-05-04T13:16:00.000+08:00

Whenever we fail to attend mass every Sunday, I see to it that we watch the Sunday TV Mass aired in channel 23. I am not really a "devoted Catholic" as what others may say but I am proud to say that I have a personal relationship with my Lord. I strongly believe that my faith and not my religion who will save me. :)

One of my favorite priests, Fr. Mario Sobrejuanite, SSP was the one who led the mass and I was again happy with his sermon. He talked about life - the life after death. Sure, all of us are so afraid to die and leave the earth. Most of us think that it is "the end" which in fact, it is "the beginning". Death gives a message not to the person who died but to the people still living. A message that death is something we must not fear but should be something we must look-forward to.

As I sit in front of the television, listening to Fr. Mario, I whispered a little prayer to my Lord. I asked Him to make my heart look-forward to meeting Him in my next life for I lift my life unto Him.

Looking-forward to be "home-bound"....

Missing them...

2008-04-29T20:05:00.000+08:00

It's almost a month since we relocated here in Makati. I should say that we're pretty much happy with our decision. But of course, there's also a lot of things that we miss down south. Quite frankly, it's the friends that we left behind whom we missed.

To Pet, Farrah and Bhe:

The happy horse weekend sessions are truly missed (most especially by daddy ian.. hahaha) Hope to see you all the soonest.

2008 Beach Getaway

2008-04-29T19:05:00.000+08:00

Me and hubs managed to set foot on the beach this year with my college best buddies. We have been going to San Juan, Batangas since 3 or 4 years ago when San Juan is still not famous for their beach. Egotistic as we can be, we would like to think that we were the ones who discovered Virgin Beach Resort, Sabangan Beach Resort, and now the Triple G Beach Resort. hahaha..

Virgin Beach Resort (May 21, 2004)

the resort's beach front

Sabangan Beach Resort (May 9, 2005)

Triple G Resort (April 19, 2008)

We would like to believe that as far as beach resorts are concerned, we are always in-the-lookout!

Until next beach getaway, my dear friends!

20 years from now...

2008-04-24T21:01:00.000+08:00

He might be a computer wizard someday....

It's amazing how fast tiny tikes develop nowadays. At 3 months old, Inigo displayed interest in our home laptop that he enjoys playing with the keyboard and checking the monitor from time to time.

Congratulations to us, daddy ian for having a smart tike!

Another Milestone..

2008-04-24T20:42:00.000+08:00

Books make a genius...

The Signature

2008-04-24T19:17:00.000+08:00

I have been working my butt at work since this week and I feel so blessed to be given the opportunity to share my knowledge as an HR Practitioner. The trust that my company has given to me is valuable and I am positive that I have found my own niche in the industry.

Manel U. Cosinas
HR Manager
OPTWIZE INC.
"Your Strategic Outsourcing Partner"
www.optwize.com

I missed sending emails with signatures. haha!

Certified WORKING MOM!

2008-04-22T08:13:00.000+08:00

I started my first day at work yesterday and I am now officially a "Working Mom".

More updates to come.. Have a great week everyone!

World Wide Link Love

2008-04-16T12:13:00.000+08:00

Thanks, Happy for this tag!

~ start copying here ~

Join the Worldwide Link Love!

Benefits of Worldwide Link Love:
1. Make new friends around the world.
2. Feel the Link Love.
3. Gain new readers and subscribers.

Rules:1. Copy from ~start copying here ~ to ~ end copying here ~ and paste it on your blog.
2. At the end of the list, put your name and the country your in, it doesn’t matter what’s your nationality just put the country where you are publishing your blog. Don’t forget to put links at your name.
3. If u have many blogs, you can link all of it, just make sure you post the same on each blog.
4. Tag eight (8) or more of your blog friends.
5. Tip for blogspot users: make sure you copy and paste the code in Compose mode.

Worldwide Link Love! Participants:
1. Julia (Philippines)
2. Catherine (Malaysia)
3. shimumsy(u.s.a)
4. Mitch (Philippines)
5. Hailey (Philippines)
6. Sexymom (usa)
7. Summer (usa
8. EED (Philippines)
9. H & S (Philippines)
10. Petradear (usa)
11. Happy (Philippines)
12. Manel (Philippines)

I'm passing this tag to Issa, Maan, Toni, Abi, Doc Joey, Anna, Nol, and Nancy.

On our own...

2008-04-11T15:44:00.000+08:00

After almost a year of living with my parents, hubs and I decided to finally get a place of our own to live. We decided to settle in Makati since hubs is working there and to cut cost on his meal and transpo allowance. By the way, the condo is just a block away from hub's office. :)

We hired a helper/nanny to help us looking after Inigo for the times that I have to attend job interviews. (I am still in the process of attending endless interviews with different companies and as of now, no job offers yet. That is another subject to be blogged. :))

We are pretty happy with the place though parking is very challenging. After a week, we still do not have a parking space so we just settle to pay the parking on a daily basis. Geesh!

Proud Mommy

2008-04-08T13:15:00.000+08:00

This morning, our Inigo can now lie on his stomach on his own. Another milestone and hubby and I are happy that we were able to witness it. ( si daddy pala namin tulog pa. hahaha)

He can also hold his bottle even if it's too big to handle. haha!

Inigo's 3rd month birthday!

2008-04-08T12:30:00.001+08:00

We celebrated Inigo's 3rd month last April 2 with a pancit and three cupcakes from GoNuts with candles. You bet, Inigo enjoyed staring at his cupcake and the candle. Yum yum!

P.S. Happy 27th birthday also to Ninang Ruby!

Our Family Equation

2008-03-30T23:02:00.000+08:00

Ian+Manel=Inigo

I am passing this tag to all my blog friends. Let me know if you are already done with yours! I would love to see your family equations!

Have fun!

Portraits

2008-03-30T22:33:00.000+08:00

I so love taking pictures of my two boys and myself, of course!

Lucky me, I have a friend who is very supportive of enhancing the pictures I took to make it more classy! (Thanks Gail!)

Ian.Inigo

Manel.Inigo

I'm back!

2008-03-30T22:18:00.000+08:00

After a looong break from the blogging world, i'm happy to say that I AM BACK! Yiheee!

Just an update on what has been keeping me busy for the last few days:

1. Scouting for a house in Makati
2. Holy week vacation at Silang, Cavite and San Pablo, Laguna
3. Yaya-hunting
4. Job-Hunting

Oh well. We are very excited and looking forward to transferring to our new condo in Makati by next week. Yeba!

Around the W-O-R-L-D!

2008-03-18T17:11:00.000+08:00

1. Place your link after the list. If you have more than 1 blog, feel free to add them all here!2. After placing your blog’s address/es, you must tag 5 or more bloggers that is not yet in the list, this is to keep the ball rolling.
Links around the world tag (update as of Mar. 18, 2008)
1 - Momhood Moments 2 - Business Mars 3 - Pinay Mommy Online 4 - OnlineBiz and Resources 5 - A Simple life 6 - moms….. check nyo 7 - Mommy’s Little Corner 8- Princezz 9 - Princess 10 - Random Thoughts 11 - Paradigm 12 - See Me For What You Will 13 - Pamp’s Blog Corner 14 - Pampered 15 - HappyHeart 16 - Qtcotzkie and Baby 17 - A Sorta Fairytale 18 -tragicseven 19 - Listen to the Beat! 20 Just Saying 21 Tipsy Tips 22 Different Angles 23 Delicious Corner 24 I Care 25 Blog Blag Blog 26 Daily List 27 - Life’s Journey 28- Welcome to my Crib 29 - Hearts Desire 30 - Island Paradise 31 - Texas Life 32 - Long Journey 33 - D’ Cooking Mudra 34 - My life 35- Swept Away 36 - Winged Words 37 - Rainier and Katrina 38 - Life! Learn it. Live it. Love it. 39 - Colour Our World 40 - The Next Chapte r 41 - Painted Life 42 - Jannesse 43 - Shopaholic Pat 44 - A Matter of Perspective 45 - Ang Therapist 46 - Endometriosis & Fertility Resource Page 47 - Freebies Australia 48 - Abstract Musings 49 - Thinking Box

I'm tagging Morrise, Nancy, Mommy Ruby, Arlene, and Donna

Hibernating....

2008-03-15T11:22:00.000+08:00

have not been blogging for 3-straight days now due to my hectic schedule :)

to leah and anna, will work on the tags hopefully early next week! am super busy talaga.. ;)

got to go now!

Linky Lurvh!

2008-03-12T13:22:00.000+08:00

ntis....the title was supposed to sound like how an Aussie-girl pronounce love.. ;)

I was Link Lurvhed by Happy!

Rules:Cut and paste the following starting here. I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!)It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially! The benefits of Viral Linking:- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!- Increase your Google PageRank fast- Attract large volume of new traffic to your site- Build your community- Make new friends!The Strategist Notebook, Link Addiction, Ardour of the Heart, When Life Becomes a Book, The Malaysian Life, Yogatta.com, What goes under the sun,Roshidan’s Cyber Station, Sasha says, Arts of Physics, And the legend lives, My View, My Life, A Simple Life, Juliana RW, The Callalily Space, Petra Summer in Blue, Confessions of an Army Wife Bless’ Sanctuary Happy Life, http://bless519.bravejournal.com/, La Place de Cherie, Chez Francine, Le bric a brac de Cherie, Little Peanut, Pea in a Pod, The Creative In Me, Me and Mine, Pinay Mommy, Expressions from the Heart, TeacherJulie, Sweetbites by Bang, Paul, Toni and Lance - Bridging the Distance, Our Growing Family, The Uncensored life of me, My Untamed World, Something Purple, A Detour, Something Purple, Wifespeaks, Changing Lanes,Bits and Pieces , Life Together Starts , A Housewife%sq243%s Journal, Joey M.D., The Working Mom, Online Raket, Idle in Makati, Thinking Box

I am passing the love to liza, concon, jenny, kaye, rhoda

Of Filipino Beauty Pageants...

2008-03-10T15:53:00.000+08:00

I am not an avid viewer of each and every Filipino Beauty Pageant there is that is why I was not able to watch the coronation night however, I would like to pick up the controversy as they say, on the last Bb. Pilipinas Beauty Pageant. A friend forwarded a Youtube link in my yahoomessenger and I was so shocked when I saw the video.

I truly believe that sending the candidate in the Ms. World pageant will be a misrepresentation of a true Filipina. WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS. What happened to the judges?! I would understand if the decision was through text voting. Tsk. We really are better than this.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xKwmseoKFCo

PLEASE HELP US FIND THIS YAYA (NANNY)!

2008-03-10T11:48:00.000+08:00

I am re-posting this to help Mommy Carol in her hunt for this BAD YAYA..

If you happen to encounter this person, please let us know where you found her.

HELP US FIND THIS YAYA

Posted by carol on Mar 7, '08 7:26 PM for everyone

I am still in shaken up. I am actually struggling writing this down.

But here is a story I have so often read about, but never thought would happen in my own house, with my children at stake. Here are the events, just to update the details from my brother's email. I obviously did not get to give him clear details for we were so preoccupied with all the nitty gritty that has to be done to respond to this particular incident. Nonetheless, I, of course, thank Carl for taking the initiative to inform everyone he thought should know.

March 3, Monday - Ken and I got home and saw Ricci's arm with bruises that appears to be a mark from a tight grip. Usually, Ricci tells me how she gets hurt, but when I asked her this time, she just said she doesn't know or tried not to answer.

March 5, Wednesday - Ken and I got home and again saw a small wound on Ricci's forehead. Again, we asked her of what happened and we got the same response.For these two incidents, I kept asking the yaya how the bruises and the wound happened. Fishing out, not showing her that we suspect her of hurting Ricci. On both occasions, the yaya just responded with "Hindi ko nga alam e. Hindi ko napansin. HIndi naman umiyak..." and so on, the typical defensive answers. But despite her sounding guilty, I told myself that it could be one of three things: 1-di nya binabantayan mabuti yung bata; 2-wala syang pakialam kung masugatan since she doesn't seem to know (daw) how Ricci gets hurt; or 3-sya mismo ang nanakit sa bata. Ken and I were getting ready to pin these on her, though, but we needed concrete evidence. We talked about getting a cheap surveillance camera and all that. We were actually trying to be patient (and you have no idea how hard it is to wait on this if you are the parent of the child being abused), and we wanted to do the smartest thing for the situation. I took pictures of the bruises and the scratch.....

March 6, Thursday - Ken and I arrived about 9 pm with Manang Linda, our long-time helper who is based in my brother and sister-in-law's house (Carl and Rox). The front door was unlocked, which caused Ken to worry. He opened the door to the garage for me and ran up to our room immediately to check on the kids.
Here's the usual scenario when we get home: Yaya Josie would be in the room and the kids would be in a corner somewhere hiding and waiting for us to look for them.
The scene was different on March 6, though, as the yaya was nowhere in the room. The kids were hiding, but without the yaya to be seen, that caused panic to us. And then there were cheering and jumping when we found them in the bathroom of the master's bedroom. Then Cushie said, "Ate just bought something." I said, "What? She left you here?" Although Ken already had already thought that the yaya was gone, he hurried to the maid's room to find that her things are no longer there - a confirmation. I asked Cushie if he knew the time the yaya left, he responded, "7". He's 5, but he can tell time, so it's highly possibly that the yaya has been gone since 7 pm that night. That's 2 hours of my children being by themselves!

The second floor of the house was upside down - my mom's closet of curtains, bedsheets and blankets, my closet -my bags, hats, clothes, the playroom (can you believe it?)...every room in the 2nd floor!!!! She tried to get anything of value that she can trade for cash. She got my cellphone (which is already deactivated), my Sony Cybershot digital camera (with pictures from Gael's birthday, Ken's birthday and more of family's), about 400++ cash, groceries (fresh meat), Ken's charger. So far, these are the items we found missing. We haven't had the time to check the entire house yet because we preoccupied with laying down options for the next steps we should do.We called ferry transits and asked when the next trips to Cotabato (her hometown) are. We have printed photos of the yaya (thank God, Carl has copies. I had some, but, yun nga, my camera was stolen. So the pictures I took of Ricci's bruises and scratch are also gone). We have had the yaya blottered already.

We're really serious about this. I am asking everyone for whatever help you can give to find her. I now realize that when people send emails with this could happen to you's, you should not take the warning for granted. This, something so prevalent, happened to us, to my darling Ricci. Please help us, even by just disseminating this information.

Thank you,

Carol Bustos-Santiago

Information about the yaya:

Name: Josephine Gatan
Age: 43
Skin color: somewhere between fair and kayumanggi-ish
Hair: dyed-brown long, curly
Contact number (if she hasn't thrown her sim card yet): 09203740311

Please contact us if you have any information about her:

029620547

09162219352

029249542

029203319

Awards: Lots and lots of them!

2008-03-09T21:11:00.001+08:00

I was too happy to be receiving these awards from leah. Such a sweet person, doesn't she?!

Thanks much much!

Shareapic

2008-03-09T19:51:00.000+08:00

A picture freak that I am, I store tons and tons of pictures in our laptop at home. Sure I have created an account on every free picture posting site I can encounter that is why my pictures are somewhat cluttered as I failed to update each of my account every now and then.

And since I am learning the ropes of paid blogging, I came accross this site:

Shareapic is a free picture-posting site that pays you at the same time. Now tell me how cool it is? All you need to do after signing up with them is post all of your pictures and send the link to your friends or post the link to your blog (and i'm pretty sure your friends will more likely to click on your link) and whoalah! you are already rewarded!

And yes, I swore to myself that I will be posting and updating my galleries on this site. Teehee!

Click here to join!

Then and Now

2008-03-07T23:34:00.001+08:00

Snagged this tag from Alpha. Thanks, sis!

Here’s the drill started by Mitch of When Silence Speaks:
If you still keep your baby’s first 3 days photos, We would love to see them. Label them as 1st, 2nd or 3rd day (as shown below). After that, please post the most recent one, one photo will do. You can post as much as you want though. I’m sure you will realize and tell yourself “seems like yesterday“.

Day 1.

Day 2.

Day 3. (err.. Day 4 actually, teehee! we we're not able to get a pic of Inigo on his 3rd day.. :P)

...and now

...already 2 months and enjoys playtime with mommy, daddy, and mama!

In the picture is his toy whom we named, Bitoy :D

The Friendship Chain

2008-03-07T23:16:00.002+08:00

Another tag from Sheryll. Thanks again, sis!

~~Begin Copy~~

This is the easy way and the fastest way to: 1. Make your Authority Technoraty explode. 2. Increase your Google Page Rank. 3. Get more traffic to your blog. 4. Makes more new friends. Rules: 1. Start copy from "Begin Copy" until "End Copy" to your blog. 2. Put your own blog name and link. 3. Tag your friends as much as you can. 1. Picturing of Life 2. Juliana's Site 3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future.4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space5.My Family is my Life 6. The Simple Life of a Baghag 7. Something Purple 8. A detour 9. Our Family Adventure! 10. Thinking Box

Now i'm passing this to alpha, gem, and jenny.

I signed up for Pay-Per-Post (PPP)!

2008-03-06T12:35:00.002+08:00

Hooray! I am now a Postie!

What could be more fun than blogging and getting paid at the same time? Lucky me, I discovered PPP wherein I can blog and get paid. What I also love about PPP is that joining is so much easy. You just have to visit their website and register your blog, and whoalah! you are already a postie.

I have been reading a lot about paid blogging and have seen people make money through it and that is why I tried to learn it and decided to sign up with PPP. I was blog-hopping and was able to see a blog with a link through PPP. I have made friends in my quest of learning paid blogging as I leave comments in their blogs and ask people about PPP - those who are already Posties! From it, I have learned that I can also earn and blog and all these were made possible through PPP.

Fast forward to the future, I plan on saving the money I will earn for things that I like to buy online. Be it a signature bag for me, a new toy for my son, or a new set of tools for my hubby.

That is surely a wiser way of acquiring things that we want..So what are you waiting for? Have your blog register and enjoy the benefits of becoming a Postie!

Job-Hunting 101

2008-03-06T08:20:00.006+08:00

Since I am one of the many who is looking for a decent job nowadays and having been in the field of HR especially in Recruitment, I have decided to give some tips on how to be an "A" applicant.

Disclaimer:Please be reminded that ALL that I am writing here is based on my PERSONAL knowledge and experiences and I do not claim to be an EXPERT on this as I just wanted to SHARE MY THOUGHTS and KNOWLEDGE on the given topic :)

1. Decide on what field or career you want to pursue. This is very helpful to newlygrads who have not yet started their career. It is very important that you know where you want to go as far as your career is concerned. However, there is an advantage of trying different careers. But, more often than not, you will just find out in the future that you have just wasted a big amount of your time if you came to realize that you are not happy with the career you have chosen and wanted to shift.

2. Compose a very good resume. Applying for a job is the same as marketing yourself - your skills and abilities. Remember that your resume is the first thing that a company sees. It is your resume that will determine if you are worth interviewing. But always keep in mind that it should also be truthful. A smart recruiter will find out sooner or later if what you have written validates your skills and abilities.

3. Come to your interview schedule ahead of time. Personally, I like applicants who arrives on the interview location ahead of time. It shows what kind of employee that applicant will be, if hired - comes in on time. Of course, you would want to have good impression with your interviewer. Although I have to admit that I myself is guilty of sometimes being late, I make sure that I inform the interviewer ahead of time. Puncutality matters.

4. Answer the questions straightforwardly. "Kung ano ang tanong, s'yang sagot. " (Answer what is being asked). You should remember that most interviews are timed for the reason that you are not the only applicant for the position, so make sure that you answer straight-to-the-point. If the interviewer asks you a question, for example, a specific skill, and you are not knowledgeable about it, acknowledge that you do not have any experience about it. It's better to answer honestly than to pretend to know everything.

5. Be inquisitive. Job interviews are a two-way communication. As an interviewee, you also have the right to ask questions - about the company, position, salary, job responsibilities, as long as it is related to your application. But, hold your horses until the last part of the interview session. It would not be nice to ask questions if the interviewer is not yet finished evaluating your qualifications. Most of the time, the interviewer asks the interviewee should he/she has questions.

6. Thank your interviewer. Being polite is very much appreciated from an applicant. Thank your interviewer at the end of the interview session and let him/her know that you appreciate a feedback be it positive or not.

7. Accept or decline a job offer politely. Whether or not you have decided to accept moreso in declining a job offer, please do it politely.

There! I hope that I have helped (if not confused) my blog guests who decide to become my reader on this topic. :D

2008-03-03T11:54:00.000+08:00

Thanks Joey for this award! :D

Now i'm passing it to Rhoda and Nancy.

6 Quirky Things About Me

2008-03-03T10:44:00.000+08:00

I would like to thank Sheryll for this tag!

The rules: Link to the person that tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Share six un-important things/habits/quirks about your self. Tag 6 random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. Let these random people know that they are tagged by leaving comments in their blog. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

Six Unimportant things/habits/quirks about my self.

1. I can do the "Maricel Soriano" eye-brow rise. (haha!)
2. A hustler of the game chinese garter when I was in gradeschool. (Ask my gradeschool friends and they will agree! hehehe!)
3. I used to wear really big eyeglasses up until I was at 4th grade. (Talk abut nerdy-looks!)
4. I like the smell of a new pair of slippers! (The 'Spartan' brand!)
5. I like eating rice with sugar when I was still a kid. (Served as my midnight snack during those times...)
6. I like my hot chocolate together with half a teaspoon of powdered coffee every morning.. (My own version of hot moccha!)

Now I'm tagging Morrise, Jade, Jessie, Kaye, Maia, and Pat. Enjoy the tag!

Inigo's Baptism Day

2008-02-29T12:29:00.003+08:00

Having a new baby in the family is very fulfilling and exciting. Of course, to moms like me who loves to organize family gatherings and parties, baptisms and birthdays and other baby occasions are ways to "show-off" ideas and actually making it happen.

Just like organizing and planning our wedding, I had so much fun and stress at the same time planning for our Inigo's baptism. I only had 3-weeks to organize the event and yet, I am happy with how the day went.

Here's how my planning went:

1. Inform your church. Before, members of the Catholic church can choose which church they want their children baptised until recently, a memo was released ordering the strict implementation that baptism should be held where your parish is. For example, if you live in Alabang, you can only have your child baptised in the parish of Alabang.

2. Pick your baptism date. Most of the catholic churches administers baptism every sunday but you have an option to have a special or private baptism at your preferred day and time. For us, we opted to participate in the mass baptism because the priest is not available to administer the baptism on feb23 hence choosing feb24 mass baptism schedule.

3. Determine your guests and Godparents. This will determine your budget when it comes to food and other stuffs like giveaways/souvenirs. We had apprixmately 150 guests so that's where we based our budget.

4. Look for reception venue and caterer. This is the next logical thing to do after accomplishing 1,2 and 3 tasks. It would be better if the reception venue is near the church so as to save guests time and effort going to the place. As for the catering service, look for one who is reputable in delivering good, tasty, and yummy food as this will only be your guests' concern since usually, there is no program involved in a baptism reception unlike in weddings and birthdays.

5. Shop for the stuffs. Next is shopping for baby's christening clothes and other baby needs such as white hanky, white cap or bonnet, etc. Also, scout for stuffs needed in decorating the reception venue like, balloons, table centerpieces, cakes, tarpaulin, giveaways/souvenirs, etc. Better if you incorporate a theme which will help you decide and give idea on how to decorate your venue. Inigo had the Little Prince theme. The colors are yellow and royal blue. We put in his tarpaulin the little prince character and so in the invitations. We had cupcakes as giveaway to kids which had a crown as the topper.

6. Distribute invitations. A week before the event is the ideal time to distribute invitations so that guests don't forget the date (most of the time, guests forget the event if invites are given too early) and at the same time, give them ample time to look for a perfect present for your little one. Baby registries are now available in selected baby shops which you would want to take advantage of. We have registered in Rustan's and MaxiStores. This is also the perfect time to inform your chosen godparents that they are indeed chosen.

7. Attend your seminar. The catholic church requires that parents and two godparents attend a seminar or a lecture prior to the event. Usually this happens on the day of the baptism, an hour before the event.

8. Enjoy the event and celebrate the christianity of your child. As parents, we should not forget to celebrate the real essence of baptism which is welcoming our child to the world of christianity. Let us remember that our responsibility of bringing up our child in our faith only starts in the day they were baptised.

I and Daddy Ian are truly praying that our Inigo will grow up to be God-fearing and has faith in the Lord.

8 Random Things About my Inigo

2008-02-27T16:28:00.000+08:00

Thanks Issa for this tag!

For the past almost 2 months of his life, Inigo never fails to surprise us with even the littlest thing he does! These are just 8 things he does that really make our day:

1. He giggles even while sleeping.
2. He pouts his lips every after feeding which looks like he wants to give everyone a kiss!
3. He can open his one eye while the other one is closed. Haha!
4. He replies with a sounding "cooo.." if someone talks to him.
5. He cries so loud if in a few a minutes you failed to give him his milk if he's already hungry. (Talk about a demanding child, eh?)
6. He has so many facial expressions that sometimes you can't guess if he is smiling or crying. hehehe..
7. He finishes 4oz of milk every feeding and sometimes asks for more.
8. He makes a sound with his tounge which sounds like he is a disappointed big fellow!

Now I'm tagging all n@wie bloggers on my link list! Enjoy motherhood!

Like Father, Like Son!

2008-02-26T10:59:00.000+08:00

Can you spot the likeness?

Happy to be baptised!

2008-02-26T10:51:00.000+08:00

I promise to write about how Inigo's baptism went last Feb 24. But for now, I just wanted to share this picture of my little angel who is like telling the world that he is so "Happy to be baptised!"

I did it!

"That very tiring day.."

2008-02-26T08:55:00.000+08:00

I had to pass up my blogging for a couple of days last week because I was really darn busy! Here's a quick run-down of how my "day" went:

22 February
I spent my day tracing where Inigo's birth certificate has gone! I literally tracked it down from the time it was filed at Paranaque's Local Civil Registry, to the field NSO office upto the NSO Main Office!

I was as early as 8am at the Pque City Hall only to be told that I have to go to the NSo Field office in Buendia since they already forwarded the document to them. They gave me a transmittal slip and off I went to the office.

I managed to be at the Buendia branch at around 10am, this time only to be told that they already forwarded the documents to the main office just the day before! Haha! Lucky me, I was off to Quezon Avenue 30 minutes thereafter! Geesh! I felt like a participant of the Amazing Race by going through the different set of clues! Heehee!

12nn I was biting my nails while patiently waiting to be moved a millimeter every 10minutes since I was in a not-so short line of the counter 24 of the NSO Center. With my stomach already crumbling, I realized my nails would not solve my problem. Good thing I bought a waffle at the MRT station. I finished the waffle without even drinking water as I was not convinced to leave the line..

Oh well, at around 2pm I took my way back to the MRT station with the NSO receipt noted that I should go back on March 7 at 2pm to claim the birth certificate.

And so I went to Glorietta to have my passport size picture taken. And you bet, I looked as haggard as I can be! So what's another 5 years of me being reminded of "that very tiring day" everytime I look into my passport, eh?

...another fantastic Roger-tennis season!

2008-02-20T16:38:00.000+08:00

I simply love Roger Federer not only because of his 'oh so gorgeous looks' but because of how he plays in every tennis court he plays. I want to believe that he is at par if not surpassed the popularity of other tennis players like Andre Agassi. Not to mention his being unbelievably humble besides countless awards and trophies he has already won. To prove this, I have read in an article that he won yet another prestigious title not for the first time but for the fourth time in a row! Therefore, surpassing the records of Tiger Woods and the Schumachers. Here's the link to the article: http://www.rogerfederer.com/en/rogers/news/newsdetail.cfm?uNewsID=690

Oh how I wish my Inigo would turn out to be someone like Roger.. Teehee!

Biggest Heart Award!

2008-02-20T14:49:00.001+08:00

Still overwhelmed with Anna's award, yet here is another one. Now also from a co-n@wie Sheryll. Thanks, sis!

I'll be passing the awards as soon as I organize my links.. hehe..

The Sexiest Award!

2008-02-20T14:27:00.001+08:00

It was so thoughtful of Anna (a co-n@wie and now my co-blogger) to have given me this award now that I am contemplating on how to loose my pregnancy weight. Just last week, I was looking for something to wear for Inigo's baptism. And to my dismay, I had a really difficult(as in difficult) time looking for a dress or even a blouse for that matter. I remember telling my friend, Ruby "grabe ang panget ng katawan ko! haha!" after going out of the fitting room.

But now, I am so touched to have received this award..

Anna made my day! Teehee!

Look-a-Likes?!

2008-02-20T14:14:00.000+08:00

I remember someone told me before I look like Lana Lang :D I just can't remember who that someone is. I happen to play with myheritage face recognition tool and look who became my look-a-like when morphed? - Kristin Kreuk! That somebody must have been telling the truth, eh?!

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity

Just another family affair... :)

2008-02-19T19:16:00.002+08:00

We had late lunch last saturday at Giligan's Festival Mall before Tita Elaine left for Dubai (yup! she was not able to get on the plane the last time! hehe..) We are all excited for the upcoming christening of Inigo. I, the ever OC-Mother had all things set already :) haha.. Oh, just the cupcakes that I still have to finalize with An of cupcakeconspiracy! geesh!

Usapdin and Cosinas Family

Mommy Led, Tita Lanie, Tita Elaine and Inigo

LSS: Suddenly It's Magic

2008-02-15T12:02:00.000+08:00

Still has hangover of the Nina concert last night.. :)And the cocktail is good! Yummy ang food ng Josiah's catering (uy, libreng plugging.haha)

I super like the 2nd song Nina sang last night.. Thus, the last song syndrome.

SUDDENLY IT'S MAGIC (Cunnie Williams)

I always thought I would be strong
If I made it through the pain
Well, I’m in and out of love
And it all hurts just the same, oh yeah
Love can really change your life
There’s something magic in my world tonight

Chorus:

I feel so free,
It’s like a fantasy
Havin’ you next to me
Suddenly it’s magic

One look, one touch
Once just don’t say enough
When you fall in love
Suddenly, suddenly it’s magic

I’m not afraid of letting go
I’ve got to find what’s right for me
I’m not afraid to stand alone
If that’s the way it has to be
After all that I’ve been through
There’s magic when I’m near with you

Chorus

Bridge

We can dream our dreams forever
When I’m here with you
Baby, heaven’s a heartbeat away
Now that we’re together
Love will last forever
There’s magic in my life
With you, you…

Balentayms Na!

2008-02-12T18:45:00.000+08:00

It will be our 4th year anniversary as girlfriend-boyfriend this coming Valentine's Day! Teehee!

We will be celebrating the day watching Nina's concert in 1Esplanade. Thanks to Ms. Benz of w@w and n@w for 1 complimentary ticket :) Good thing we just need to buy 1 ticket.. hehehe...

Right-Brainy, huh....

2008-02-09T14:32:00.000+08:00

This is so me! *shucks*

You Are Right Brained In Love

Bit of a drama queen
Peacemaker, first to end a fight
Good at thinking up creative dates
Tend to fall in love and get hurt easily
Going with your gut instead of your head
Empathetic and caring, sometimes to a fault
Good at recognizing patterns in relationships
Been in love many times, perhaps too many to count
Wildly passionate and intense when falling in love
Spontaneous with relationships, going with the flow
Overly visual - can play back past dates like movies in your mind
Roses, love poems, and stuffed animals are a good start to winning your heart

Are You a Right Brained or Left Brained Woman in Love?

I am Big Bird!

2008-02-09T14:20:00.000+08:00

Took this Sesame Street Personality test just for fun.. How about you? Who are you?

You Are Big Bird

Talented, smart, and friendly... you're also one of the sanest people around.

You are usually feeling: Happy. From riding a unicycle to writing poetry, you have plenty of hobbies to keep you busy.

You are famous for: Being a friend to everyone. Even the grumpiest person gets along with you.

How you life your life: Joyfully. "Super. Duper. Flooper."

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

Just visiting...

2008-02-08T18:33:00.000+08:00

Inigo was visited by Lola Led and Tita Lanie today. Unfortunately, Tita Elaine flew to Dubai also today so she was not able to see Inigo before she left. Anyways, have a safe trip back to Dubai, Tita Elaine! See you next year! We promised Lola Led that we will visit them after Inigo is already baptised.

Inigo and Lola Led:

Something new...

2008-02-07T18:12:00.000+08:00

We asked Tito Rommel to buy for us a Newborn Set of Avent bottles in Singapore since he will be having a vacation this weekend from his work. It was very nice of him to look for the item almost an entire day!

Thanks, Tito Rommel! Mommy and Daddy owes you an isaw trip to BF! - Inigo

Inigo's 1st Month Birthday!

2008-02-05T10:50:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Tita Rona, Tita Gail, Tita An, Tita Pet, Tita Farrah, and Tita Tina for coming at Inigo's 1st month birthday! See you again next month! :)

Our first family picture...

Being a student... again...

2008-01-31T18:42:00.001+08:00

Oh, yes! I have finally braved enrolling myself in a driving school. Almost 1 month post-partum, I am taking my driving lessons (am on my 2nd day at 2-hour per session) seriously.. haha! I thought that driving can be so much fun, but geesh! feeling the pain on my left f00t made me think otherwise. Plus the nervousness and tension I get everytime my instructor let me hit the road. Most of the time I feel like i am becoming a statue sitting on the driver's seat. hehe.. Nakaka-nerbyos pala talaga mag-drive! Really need to work on my self-confidence in driving. If not, masasayang lang ang lessons ko.. hehe.. I have 3 more hours left and that's it! I hope I can get daddy ian to allow me practice with the car after my lessons. teeheee!

To let you know, daddy ian didn't have the slighest idea that I will be seriously enrolling myself in a driving school. He has been trying to discourage me when I am bringing up the topic of me eventually driving.. haha.. but i'm sure that sooner or later, he will be able to accept it.. wehehehe..

Will I be a good driver? Well, let's see.. I just have one thing on my mind right now: Practice, Practice, Practice. :)

Celebrating Lolo Buddy's 81st Birthday!

2008-01-28T11:53:00.000+08:00

Our Lolo Buddy celebrated his 81st birthday yesterday. We wish him all the best: better health, longer life, and more blessings to come.

Here's a photo of Inigo with Mama and Lolo.