54 days to go ...

.. til Christmas. Wow, time flies fast!

With the Halloween Trick or Treat'n season over, no more witches and ghouls displayed at the malls. In fact, the orange and black decors were magically replaced overnight with sparkling red and gold trimmings, jolly cheers and songs and lots of yuletide colors in preparation for Christmas. Some of my friends already started putting up their Christmas tree as early as November 1, while for my family ... well, still too early. We need to finish the kids birthdays first before we decide what theme and colors to use for th holiday season. However, it was earlier agreed that will be getting a special christmas wreath this time to complement our tree. Really excited! It will be our first time to set up christmas wreath, and we are so looking forward to getting our fresh wreath this year. Any nice suggestions?

Toy Kingdom Warehouse Sale

Just want to share some of the Toy Kingdom loots I got from the last warehouse sale at Megatrade Hall. To know more about the toy sale, read here

holiday tasks

This coming Monday, November 2 it was officially declared as public holiday. This is to celebrate All Soul's Day or day of remembering our loved ones who already passed away. Another long weekend hence the family is planning to go out for a short weekend get-away at Tagaytay. However, since most of the cemeteries will be filled by people, traffic will be very, very bad! Which makes us reconsider our wekeend plans, and instead prepare our long weekend hiatus by watching DVDs and doing some household chores. I've summarized some of the things to do this long weekend.

1. Prepare Samantha's party lootbags. Put all thank you tags and goodies on each loot.

2. Pick up party streamers and welcome tarps.

3. Give out party invitation to Sam's friends at home.

4. Prepare baby migo's bag since I am about to pop anytime this month.

5. Finalize birthing plans and brief husband do's and don'ts when the big day arrives.

6. Get the little bratinella her birthday outfit. Need to hit the mall this weekend for nice party dress.

7. Lastly, check the web for reliable Plano dentist for big brother Ico. He badly needs ortho-dentist to fix his over-bite problem. Target fix: on his 14th birthday by January.

8. Finalize budget and call home-fixers for exterior house repainting job in preparation for upcoming Christmas parties.

See .. so much to do this weekend. And it seems not a long relaxing weekend after all. Hehehe!

Disney on Ice

Will surely not miss this one!

Thanks for my twittmates/mbaps friends Peachy and Abie for sharing the good news. Finally, will be able to catch the Disney characters on Ice live in Manila. The show will run from Dec 25-January 3, timely for the holiday season. And since the little bratinella adores the famous Mickey and Minnie characters, I am sure she'll love this one too just like Barney and Seasame Street Show from the previous years.

Anyway, I am hoping we can still get front-row tickets. Our target date January 3, Sunday at 6pm. The last and hopefully the best Disney on Ice show ever! :)

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

... means Congratulations and Be Prosperous in Cantonese. Often mistaken as Happy New Year greeting.

Tonight, all the festivities and celebrations will be observed by the Chinese community. Ang-pao's will be given to kids and the tables will be full of mandarin oranges or quiat-quiat to symbolizes abundance and prosperity. Fireworks and dragon dances will be displayed on the streets to ward off bad spirits of the previous year and attract the good fortune of the Year of the Ox (Ji Chou). For this year, Lucky number will be the flying star No. 9.

So to my dear friends, Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Cheers for 2009!

From our family to yours ...

here's wishing you more blessings, happiness and continued success for 2009! Cheers!

Christmas Greeting

Wishing you and your family a

Blessed Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

May this season bring us much joy and happiness ...

--- mike.jacqui.ico.samantha

travel plans

Hubby's preparing for his January 2009 travel. His travel plans includes attending the annual Pacific Telecoms Council (PTC) at Hawaii and with few days stop-over at their Japan office. Since last year, I've been contemplating (and wishing) of joining hubby on this annual business trip. I am just worried with the travel expenses. With a kid and me in tow, ticket fare and accommodations will surely double. You see, I've been dreaming of setting my foot in Japan. And as s I've blogged over and over again, I so want to experience walking in the streets of Tokyo, eat authentic Japanese food and visit Sanrio-land. Then of course, enjoy sight-seeing and shopping in Hawaii. Thus, given this kind of travel opportunity for hubby, we can save with the travel cost since he'll get his accommodations and airfare free.

Earlier today while hubby was busy watching the Pacquiao fight, I brought up the topic of possibility of joining him on his upcoming trip. I told him I was able to get quotes from PAL and Northwest. I've managed to get quote also from Hawaiian airlines. Airfare price ranging from $1300-1500 for RT. Really pricey, especially the forex rate today $50=P1. And this is for one person only. Of course if we will bring the little girl along, airfare will double. Making it more impossible for us to go.

Hubby brought up the idea that I can join his trip. But we have to leave the little girl along. It'll be hard for him to attend business meetings with me and Sam to think of. Besides as hubby pointed out, the little girl will not enjoy it so much since she's just four years old.

Anyway as we are talking about Japan trip, hubby mentioned that his Japanese boss recommended visiting Tokyo Disneysea over Disneyland. Much better and ideal for adults. Hmmmm...Tokyo Disneysea? Of course, never heard that before. Now it made me more curious. As I've surfed the net, I saw the attraction of Disneysea. Something different than the usual Disneyland fare. Made me more eager to visit Japan. Do check it out ...

As of today, No definite travel plans yet. I am still having second thoughts of joining hubby. If I go, will have to say goodbye to my supposedly new bag from hubby. Then of course the guilty feeling of leaving the girl behind. Haaayyy...if we only have bottomless funds, travelling will not be a problem.

Holiday Off

Holiday break was spent again to our favorite summer get-away, Club Manila East. Since this is only 8 minutes drive away from our place, this is our immediate answer to beat the summer heat. With our swimsuits on, we headed towards CME right after breakfast.

I heart CME so much because of its proximity to our place. It offers reasonable entrance fee and cottage rental, and food price is very, very affordable. Despite no food and drinks allowed in the area, Jollibee and Shakey’s food carts available here. Restaurant food is also yummy with our favorite mangga with bagoong, sizzling squid and sisig. Real yummy!

As usual, Ico and Mike spent most of their time enjoying the giant slide (as in countless times!) and wave pool. While I was tasked to be Sam’s nanny in the kiddie pool.

Sharing some of our summer pix at CME ...

After spending the day at CME, went home and decided to cook something special for the family. Since I still have left over spaghetti sauce last week, decided to do magic “quick-fix” and cooked more sauce to serve the hungry boys. Sadly, was not able to take pictures of the pasta meal since it was immediately goofed down by Ico and Mike. Well, next time …

Then for dinner, was in the mood to cook kare-kare. Ever since I discovered Lola Idang’s Kare-kare near our place, was sooo lazy to cook this viand. It is easy to buy take out you know! With P160, you can buy one palayok of kare-kare hassle-free! But recently, Lola Idang’s resto is undergoing renovation thus no kare-kare/ crispy pata available for take out for months now :(

Anyway, take a peek to my simple kare-kare below…

sauteing the pork tail and cooking bagoong on the side ... (alternative since no oxtail available)

the end product ... kare-kare ala jacqui!!

Ho! Ho! Ho! No more!

Today is the last day of the holiday season.

Thus, it is the time to bring down the Christmas tree and keep all the season’s decors. Luckily, my helpers were proactive enough that they kept all the Christmas decors and trimmings this morning. By the time I woke up, I barely recognized the house! Something is amiss in our living room! And only after few minutes that I realize that our Christmas tree was already gone. For a moment, I felt sadness … the happiest time of the year is indeed over. Well, something to look forward to this year’s Yuletide season again! And I can’t wait to get started. :)

Before and After ... the post holiday look!

New Year Celebration

Eversince hubby and I got married, we made a vow that the new year's eve shall be spent with the family at our very own home. This year, we had simple celebration together with our neighbors. And we shared media noche ala potluck-style feast.

My neighbors chose our house as the venue for "the gathering" while we watch fireworks and wait for new year's countdown. Hence, start of the year pa lang...we already hosted a simple party at our house. This really made me happy... I love having guests at our house. I love hosting parties. I love mingling and socializing with friends and neighbors. This must be a sign that our house will be full of guests (and parties) this 2008! hahaha!

top to bottom: Mike and I before the coundown; with kuya at the dining table;
kids goofing around before the countdown

Samantha catching some sleep at 11pm ... almost missed the fireworks!

with my neighbors ...
welcoming the year with a BANG! Hubby at the background...
Our home... Sparkling with fountains and brightly-lit by lanterns. Pink theme this year ... photo opps before Sam went to sleepville at 10pm. May tantrums na!

preparing for media noche feast ...

Here I am on a Sunday evening ... blogging, emailing and uploading pictures while preparing / cooking for our media noche feast tomorrow. hah, talk about multi-tasking! :)

So what will I prepare for tomorrow's media noche? hmmm... just simple food this time which I am sure Ico and Sam would definitely love : pork barbecue, grilled TJ hotdogs, spaghetti (or baked macaroni for Kuya), fruit salad and chocolate mousse cake.

While waiting for the new year's countdown, will simply set up barbecue station, have a little picinic outside our house and watch fireworks display of our neighbors! hahaha..tipid noh! :) Though, we bought few sparklers and fountains, no firecrackers allowed! Takot kami eh! lol. :)

After 12, will have "new year's party" with our neighbors with food ala potluck style, and I... will definitely bring out my choco fountain! I am sure this will be a big hit again with all the kids here! :)

Can't wait for the new year! New year, new hope...and a new beginning!

Happy 2008 everyone!

Our Christmas 2007

How was your Christmas?

Ours was very hectic, busy, tiring but definitely happy and fun Christmas.

Pre-christmas dinner was spent with my in-laws and celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary. We just had simple dinner and exchange of gifts.

By 10pm, we all gathered at hubby's ancestral house in Pasig. It has been a tradition to spend Christmas eve cum reunion of all clan: Soriano-Bunas-Bugnot-Jose-Camacho-Santos here with the traditional gift giving, kris kringle and raffle. This year's party theme, RED and GREEN! (as if may xmas color choices pa!lol.) Again, since this is a potluck feast...I brought my ever-yummy chocolate fountain... another big hit with the kids and adults! Hahaha!

Sam got bike (again) from my in-laws, while Kuya Ico got semi-mountain bike from Tito Willy. Oh we got so much Christmas presents too...we got ang-pao's from our very generous Tito Willy and we won the Christmas raffle twice! Hahaha! Went home by 4am with three big plastic bags full of gifts. Kakatuwa! :)

Christmas day itself, I prepared two simple family meals in one day. Lunch for my immediate family wherein we had shrimps and baby back ribs fiesta. And dinner for Mike's relatives with grilled feast: liempo, pinaputok na tilapia, talong, ihaw dalag and nilaga for soup. Really yummy! And for desserts... bought supper yummy mango torte from Conti's, tiramisu cake, hubby's macaroni salad and Mommy's home made fruit salad.

Gosh...I can imagine my post-Christmas weight now?! hahaha! Really pigged-out this holiday season.

How about you, care to share how you spent your Christmas day? :)

Traditional Christmas picture by the tree

At my in-laws house: wacky family picture with Daddy,Mommy and cousin Dannah

the boys in red and green theme : brothers Kuya Jay, Robin, Mike and cousin in-law Winner

before noche buena. uuyy... my yummy choco fountain again!

Sam busy collecting her gifts

the grand matriarch.. Lola Serya and ever-generous tito willy (our Santa)

Christmas day. Lunch at home. With conti's mango torte! mmm... uuyy..may choco fountain ulit!

Finally... our Christmas lights are up!

Remember my previous super inis post about our Christmas lights?

Well finally.... hubby was able to set up our Christmas lights completely!! Wohohoo!! After almost five weeks noh!?! (mind you, I bought partial set of Chistmas lights as early as October 30 pa!) Our lights are up... buti na lang umabot before Chrsitmas! lol.

Of course with a little help from a handyman, he was able to put up the capiz lanterns too! Galing-galing! :)

Anyway, I am really, really happy... pasko na finally! hahaha!

Sam was ecstatic too! She was shouting and jumping "It's Christmas! ... It's Christmas!"

The husband did this "creative" lights for our pocket garden..hihihi!

with two dozens of round capiz lanterns, seven boxes of icicle lights on plants and four boxes of curtain lights at the terrace grills...wow?! meralco truly happy by now!! lol. Note: I wanted sana to change the icicle lights he placed with the capiz lanterns, but I decided not to tell him na lang... baka magtampo na, pinaghirpan nya yun eh! hahaha!

And to share one of my fabulous finds ... I was able to buy this really cutie Christmas tree skirt at a very,very low price! I saw this last October at Toy Kingdom at P1,299 each. I wanted to buy it but I find it quite expensive just for a skirt.

In one of my shopping spree last week, I saw these skirts at SM Homeworld again. The tag price was reduced to P689.00! Good buy na for me kasi I really wanted to get na talaga skirt for my tree... luckily, further discounted pa with 30% off! Hahaha! I went home with my tree skirt at P482.00! Yipeee!! Really happy... finally, I was able to change my tree skirt after four years! Hahaha! :)

And to complete the total Christmas-y effect.. already got some gifts under the tree too! (my tree was up as early as first week of November!) Mostly toy gifts for inaanaks from Richwell, Toy Kingdom and Toys R Us...not yet done with my Christmas shopping! Need more shopping time pa for gifts to relatives and colleagues!! Haay.... :(

US Visa : Approved!

Happy to share that we got our US visa approval too.

Just like what other mommy bloggers shared, getting US Visa is really easy. I think they've been very considerate and lenient especially for family applications.

Interview was short. Less than seven questions asked... and we got our yellow card already. Grabe, it took us longer time to line up than being interviewed by the consul. Hahaha!

Sammie enjoyed her stay at the Pavilion (waiting area) too. She drank chuckie chocolate drink, played with other kids, jumping and running around, doodled with her coloring books and got busy with her stickers.

Oh the best part...we almost lost Elmo. (Yes, Elmo was with us during the interview!) I left him pala on one of the chairs at the interview room. I just realized Elmo was gone after paying for the passport delivery. Gawd?!? So stupid noh! Excited kasi! lol.

So, we went back inside again to look for the red monster. Sam was shouting: "Elmo...Elmo", "where are you, Elmo? ". Good thing the manong guards pala saw our Elmo and kept it agad. Sammie was really happy when Elmo was handed to her. Believe me, she was really, really happy as if they were separated for how many years ni Elmo! Hahaha! Wala siya care sa visa approval nya..si Elmo ang important! Tingin ko nagpa-interview sa consul si Elmo din eh! lol.

So that's it... we got our 10 years, multiple entry visa. Yeheey!! Pwede na sumama sa daddy at Hawaii! (wish... wish...wish!!)

But sad to say... I was not able to apply US visa yet for Kuya Ico. He bears different last name from us kaya I've decided to apply his visa separately to avoid further questioning and explanation. I will apply for Kuya's visa come May 2008. Timely for Mike's invitation at Washington DC for Global Telecom Meet (GTM). Hopefully, everytihng will turn out well din for him.

Remembering the dead ... our cemetery trip

My Nov 1 mornings usually spent with Papa at Heritage Memorial Park, Taguig. As early as 8am we were already here to visit and pray for Papa. I so love going here since the place is not crowded. No traffic at C5, parking is not a problem and lot of specialty food booths like Pizza Hut, Kenny Rogers, Chowking and Wendys. Yummy! :)

Btw, this is our usual "reunion" time with Papa's Chinese family.

Family picture...my brother Raymond, Jean and Adrian. Me, Ico and Sam with Papa peacefully resting.

Together with my Mom ....


Ironic?! Love this picture... see my Papa's Chinese family on the left , and see us on the right side. O di ba...we live in perfect peace and harmony! Dedma lang...Bwahaha!



Sam and Kuya Ico just love the open space. Can't stop running! :)


Mommy and Sammie while waiting for breakfast...obvious ba low batt na si Sam! lol.


Got so hungry... went to Bonifacio Global High for lunch but ended up eating at Hap Chan Market! Market! since most of the restos at Serendra on holiday break. You see, our family so love Chinese food... particularly Yang Chow fried rice!

With Sam and my niece Adrian...






Afternoons spent with Mike's lolo at Evergreen Memorial Place at C. Raymundo Pasig. MIL usually delegates food items per family while she's in charge of flowers, candles and tent. We were tasked to bring pizza as always for the family!

Why I so love it here? Aside from the place quite near to our house (20 mins away!), lots of street food available at this area. Mike and I had yummy balut, penoy, isaw, ihaw tenga,quail eggs, cotton candy and dirty ice cream. Hahaha! Mike ate so much isaw last night and he's complaining of tummy ache this morning! takaw kasi! lol.

with hubby's cosuins and my dear MIL (standing). Btw, nice flowers Mommy!

Mike with his cousins Dannah and Shai shai. And look how they love eating the dirty ice cream!