We're off to the mall this afternoon. Having been confined in a gloomy apartment for one whole week, I actually look forward to going out even in the middle of the summer heat. We're visiting a furniture store to have a look at their items on sale and perhaps start buying a few that we'll need when we transfer. I've got a few items to buy in the mall as well like a few casual shirts and pants for myself (I'm running out of clothes!), pyjamas for Miguel and polo for Nico. Since most of the stores here are having a sale now as part of the Dubai Summer Surprises promo, I'd probably start buying gifts to give out when we go for vacation in the Philippines. I'll probably visit even the plus size clothing store.

I realized I haven't been able to explore Dubai the last time we were here. I wasn't able to visit the biggest mall as it's a bit far from where we stayed. This time, though, I'm determined to enjoy our stay. I even planned on getting a driving license in time. Anyway, a friend whom I met when I was here is getting married soon and she needs to find bridesmaid gifts. She's asking my help in this respect as she's already searched most of the wedding shops here and found none that suit her taste. Since I don't have time yet to go shopping and I'm not even familiar with the malls in Dubai, I think I would suggest that she consider ordering online. I hope she's open to the idea. Or does anyone of you know where we could find a nice wedding shop in town?

While I'm always thrilled at the prospect of gift-giving, it's also been a challenge to think of unique gift ideas that I know will be appreciated. My mom is celebrating her birthday on Sunday, and as always, we sisters are preparing a little something to celebrate. In the past, we would usually go out to have family dinner. It was lea's idea to hold it at home this time, and it's only practical that way since the prices of gasoline are soaring, not a good time to drive up to Tagaytay.

It took us only a short time to decide the menu, each one will bring a dish. I volunteered to handle the dessert, the easiest and safest, lol :) I know the sisters are thinking what gift to give her. Clothes, shoes, bags, perfume have always been a favorite and she has a lot of those already. I'd probably suggest that we give her one of these medical alert bracelets, since, unfortunately she has high cholesterol and is on maintenance medicine. And she travels out of the country quite often this year so it would be good to keep her medical condition close by.

This one is nice. I hope the sisters would find this a good idea as I can't afford to give her one myself. I'm broke, remember? (must I remind myself of that everytime?!) lol. :) Anyway, I'm sure it's gonna be a fabulous family get together on Sunday. Will post pictures soon.

Yesterday's trip to the mall was anything but what I hoped it to be. It was supposed to be a time to relax and to break the monotony of my days. I didn't even plan on attempting to complete my "to buy" list as I'd like to be able to just hang around instead of running from shop to shop.

The only must-do item in my itinerary was to get BPA-free bottles for Miguel, and I got so frustrated to discover Rustans doesn't have the brands I've researched and listed except for the Bfree brand which is too complicated for me because of so many parts that need to be cleaned and assembled everytime.

So instead of hangin' around and relaxing at Shang, I transferred to Megamall after almost two hours. Luckily, parking was not a problem at the time. But unfortunately, even SM doesn't carry BPA-free bottles, hay! How come after so much talk about the possible dangers of BPA in plastic feeding bottles, the major establishments haven't gotten around to giving options to consumers?! Ang nakakaloka pa, when you ask the salespeople if they have bpa-free bottles, they would offer you the same old brands and would say "safe naman po yan." To which, I'd want to answer "e di hindi ko na papalitan yung bottles ko kung ganon" (pero syempre I didn't give this bitchy answer.)

Anyway, so the main purpose of my so-called break wasn't realized and I went home with nothing but a few scrapbooking materials and a gift for doc. At least now I can start scrapbooking.

I'm off to the mall tomorrow....ALONE!
The very first time in monthssss... yoohoo!
Wala naman ako masyadong ish-shop. I'm broke, remember?
Hahaha, excited lang. Peaceful, blissful moment...without the toddler tornado! :)

You know I'm in love with Ikea. And who wouldn't be? Their furniture and home furnishings are chic, functional and reasonably-priced--from the bed down to teacups and saucers. In fact when we moved back to the Philippines (and for a while thought we'd settle here), I even bought a few items and had them shipped here, including a heavy but flatly-packed toy organizer!

As early as now I'm already planning to get most, if not all, of our stuff from Ikea when we finally move. I hope we'll have the funds to get these items at once. And of course, we know there are challenges to setting up a new home. Firstly, we have to find just the right place, big enough for Miguel to have space to move about, but should be within our budget. Secondly, we need to baby-proof the entire house so I wouldn't have to worry about Miguel getting hurt.

Here are some of our inspiration...

bedroom1

bedroom2

bathroom

living room

Oh, if only we can afford to set-up a bedroom and a bathroom that's exactly like that! Oh, what a lovely home it would be! :)

Can anybody please tell me where to find a reliable photo print shop?! Yung hindi nangsho-short change? I've been very unfortunate to have had several bad experiences with photo printing centers.

Just last weekend, I was finally able to choose Miguel's birthday photos so I had them printed at Kameraworld in SM Pampanga. How come ang pangit ng color?! Considering professional photographer ang nagtake nun and each one is at least 1mb in size? Ang napansin ko lang, inoopen nila sa photoshop yung pictures, not sure though kung ineedit. Kakainis.

Saan ba okay magpaprint?

If I haven't been able to accomplish most of the items in my task list, at least I was able to do one last weekend--shopping! It seems the only thing I have appetite to do these days, lol! We stopped by the mall to do some shopping before going home to my in-laws. I have a long list of items to buy and I was able to get most of them. I bought shirts, socks and underwear for Nico and got Miguel additional sleepwear and personal hygiene items. For myself, I bought capri pants and undies. I even considered buying hot lingerie if not for budget constraint, hahaha :).

If you'll look at our closet these days, you'll think that I am perhaps forecasting a steep decline in the value of peso and, thus, stocking up on the basics. In truth, I've been shopping for stuff that we will bring when we move to Dubai. There are very few choices of reasonably priced yet nice items in Dubai that's why we intend to bring everything that we can.

Recently I splurged on a mineral make-up starter kit! Although I have yet to get it this afternoon, I'm totally looking forward to transforming my looks. :) I was feeling guilty about this purchase since it cost 3x more than what Nico bought for himself (a book!) but I was happy that he gave me an excuse and said it's his Mother's Day gift to me, so enough of the guilty feeling, lol :)

Now it's only a month before my birthday (another excuse for gift-giving hahaha) and I'd like to get a set of freshwater pearls. Pearl earrings and necklace are my favorite accessories and it happens to be my birthstone. If only I have enough savings to afford them, I wouldn't think twice. Perhaps I'll include them in my wishlist and hope that Nico finds it in time for my birthday, lol. :)

I was surfing the net a while ago and chanced upon this No Keyword Comment On Youtube Video. This video features one lucky guy who had an impromptu interview with Howie Mandel of buy.com. I said he's lucky cause his 3 minute interview earned him a free xbox!


Anyway, my raving isn't just about the free xbox. I was more impressed at how much internet advertising and marketing has evolved. This sure is an innovative marketing idea from buy.com. And through this video, I discovered another great place for online shopping.

I'm really fond of Miguel's pediatrician. She's warm and personal, more like a friend who helps me cope with the challenges of being a mom. Since Miguel was born, she's been a great source of comfort and confidence. I could send her a text message in the middle of the night or very early in the morning about my agony and she would respond. I could tell her honestly that I sought another doctor's opinion or care and she would give fair advice.

She's one person I'm going to miss when we move to Dubai. During our last visit to her clinic, I told her about our decision to relocate and she was delighted. When I mentioned that my challenge would be to find a good pediatrician for Miguel, she gave me several tips and advice. And I was happy when she suggested that I phone her if necessary because that's what I would like to request from her.

I am thinking now of an appropriate thank you gift to give her when we come for our last visit in June. I know she's a golf enthusiast but I'm not sure if we can afford to give her golf clubs. And I learned from her secretary that her birthday is also in June. Any idea of a nice gift that befits a loving person that she is?

Here are some of the pages from Isaiah's First Year Book printed at The Picture Book.

My final rating would be 7 out of 10. The reprinted copy of the book is much better than the original, at least the photos appeared clearer and the redness was minimized. However, it took them another two weeks to finish the reprint. Naubos na lahat ng excitement ko!

Anyway, I chose the classic style for this album because feeling ko sayang ang space if I'd go for the crayon template which was initially suggested--yung style na may borders and the photos are mostly in the middle of the page. Feeling ko gusto ko makita ang mga photos na ito in all their glory hehehe. And there are just some photos that are too precious NOT to be printed on a half-spread!

Nabitin lang ako sa captions. I didn't prepare any captions kasi when I prepared the photos at home cause I thought I'd just think about it when I'm doing the layout na at PictureBook, kaso lang when I went there I was with Miguel who was tugging at my shirt the whole time. Nico bribed him with an ice cream and he was pacified for a while, tapos eto na ulet. So I ended up rushing the process, di ko na nalagyan ng captions.

Anyway, gwapo naman ang anak ko sa lahat ng photos and I was able to narrow down the pages to 23 na lang (sa dinami dami ng photos na gusto kong ilagay!) and the whole book captured his development naman from birth to first year, so happy na din.

Next project is Isaiah's birthday party photos. Delayed na naman ako, haven't printed a single photo. Namamahalan ako sa album ng photographer e, so I'm thinking baka ipa-PictureBook ko na din. But I've learned my lesson well...I'll do the captions na and will probably do some collage since medyo limited ang templates ng PictureBook.

Can you believe I survived three years without a single credit card? I used to have one but decided not to renew it after I've exhausted my credit limit. I suffered the misery of paying thousands of bucks monthly for purchases I've made, most of which were either worn out or gone long before I was able to pay up. I wasn't really smart when it comes to credit card use.

But in 2005, when the wedding planning started I decided to apply for another credit card. I thought it wise to have one so I could use it to pay for wedding expenses instead of carrying cash when meeting suppliers. I convinced myself that I'd only use it for wedding-related expenses and refrain from using it for shopping. Since there were many credit card providers in the market, my challenge was to find which one offers the lowest interest rate. And since I am fond of promos, I'd like one that has rewards program.

Finally, after doing some research over the internet, I was able to find the right credit card provider. They only required a few documents and my application was approved after two weeks. Since I've learned my lesson on proper credit card use, I didn't go rushing to the mall for shopping, lol :) Instead, I resolved to use it for the specific purpose I applied it for--to pay up wedding-related expenses. Today, I am using it only for emergencies. My urgent desire to get a green tote bag doesn't count as an emergency, lol :) I've also learned it wise to pay for the total amount due on the specified due date to avoid penalties and finance charges.

Recently, I've been getting a lot of calls from different credit card companies offering pre-approved cards. But I now have the guts to resist the temptation. One credit card is enough for me.

My in-laws are off to the US next week for a month-long vacation. As early as now, we've already checked amazon.com for some goodies that we'll buy to be sent to their destination. I've long been searching for the perfect nappy bag but couldn't find one in the local stores. My criteria is simple: it has to be functional and it should NOT look like the traditional nappy bag. :)

I went crazy to have found a wide variety of choices in the net. Right now I'm choosing between these two, but I'm more keen on getting the backpack type since I'd be more comfortable carrying Miguel and the bag at the same time. :)

Hay...the excitement waned as soon as the photobook was handed to me. I was disappointed with how the printed book turned out. The photos weren't clear, they're too pixelized and there were some that appear to be too red. Ang sakit sa mata! When you scan the entire book the photos weren't sharp at all, parang medyo blurred lahat.

Initially I thought it might be the resolution of the photos I submitted, baka they're not high enough to make a nice full spread print, though at the back of my mind I knew each photo is at least 1mb in size. I did not claim the photobook and instead asked if they could reprint three specific pages which were really panget. Good thing, they accommodated my request to resend the book to the printer for revision.

When we got home I immediately reviewed the original photos I used and confirmed that they were high res photos. In fact, most of them I already printed with Kodak and they were okay. And on screen it was also okay. So I thought the problem must be with their printer. I immediately called the salesgirl who assisted me and explained that I should be getting clear, sharp prints and asked if she could have the entire book reprinted. She agreed without complaints.

As I was discussing this with Nico, we were thinking if it could be that they were scrimping on the printing cost that they chose "economy" instead of "best quality" during printing (if that is at all possible) thus the output isn't clear. Daya di ba?

Anyway, I have yet to make my final rating on their service once I got the revised copy. I hope it turns out nice, else, I don't think I'll ever have my other photos printed with them again.

I'm excited about this coming Saturday.

I'm due to claim Miguel's First Year Photo Book from The PictureBooks.

After more than a year. It's about time I see all those photos in print. :)

I'd say I'm one of those people fortunate enough not to have much facial skin care issues. I've had my share of problems during adolescence but it was never worse than one or two pimples over a period of years. I've always had normal skin that gets a bit dry or oily sometimes but that is esily remedied. And I've only had a skincare ritual when I was in my 20's.

I'm happy with my recent discovery of RevivaLabs and The Body Shop products.

I'm currently using Reviva Labs Light Skin Peel which is made from all-natural ingredients that gently exfoliates the skin. I made this discovery while shopping for Miguel's food at Healthy Options. Saw the product at the cashier counter and thought of trying. I like how my skin feels after every application. After I finished my bottle of Olay, I thought I'd like to try a different moisturiser so I went to the Body Shop and got the Vitamin E toner and moisturising cream. I like it better than Olay. It's light and is easily absorbed by the skin and it doesn't make me feel oily afterwards.

How about you? Care to share your beauty rituals?

Darn digital cameras! They made my life a bit more complicated especially since I've been having a really tough time choosing which photos to include in Miguel's first year book. I want them all in! It's impractical, surely. Finally, I'm able to narrow it down to a reasonable number. And it's just about time that I pursue this photo book project. Much as I'd like to diy this one--oh how I envy those who can really digiscrap!--unfortunately, I'm not one of those who are gifted with an artistic side. Anyway, I discovered a local printer of photo books and they make really nice picture books at a reasonable price. I'll be trying out their services this weekend and see what comes of my little boy's baby book. It has to be nice!

Few months ago, Nico and I had been scanning almost all of the optical shops in the mall to find the trendiest, most affordable pair of eyeglasses for him. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to find one that suits his style and budget, as the ones he was able to try on were either too pricey or out of fashion.

Just last week as I was browsing the web, I chanced upon Zenni Optical $8 Rx Glasses. I thought $8 is a great bargain for prescription eyeglasses so I went on to check their website. There's a great selection of stylish eyeglasses at really affordable prices. This one's the Best Thing Found: Zenni Optical :

It has light-weight, half rim frame, exactly the type Nico's looking for.

I never knew you could buy prescription eyeglasses online. In addition, Zenni Optical sells internationally and charges a flat shipping rate regardless of the number of eyeglasses in the order. I'm happy to have made this Great Discovery: Zenni Optical. Now we're no longer stuck with the limited items in the mall.

Nico’s back from his 5-day Singapore trip. We were supposed to join him but I wasn’t able to process Miguel’s passport in time–to date, we still haven’t received it from the agency. Anyways, I wasn’t too eager to go when he first brought up the idea of us joining him in Singapore as I could only imagine the trouble of traveling with a 4-month old! But when my sister (who is based there) mentioned that the Great Singapore Sale is now on, I wished I had applied for Miguel’s passport sooner.


As soon as I knew there could be great bargains in Singapore, I immediately googled up ‘nursing wear’ and was lucky to find stylish collection at MothersenVogue. This got me really excited and I was able to choose 2 tops which I emailed to Nico so he wouldn’t forget. I would have liked to choose more but they are a bit pricey (yep, even on discount!) so I content myself with just 2.



For the past months, I have been alternately using the 2 tops I bought at Big&Small Company whenever I need to go out with Miguel. In fact, these tops became my official uniform as I wear them almost everywhere–to church, mall, doctor/pedia visit, and even when we went to the beach last weekend! I’ve been checking out Big&Small but they have a very limited collection and most of the designs don’t match my taste. Thus, I was more than happy for this opportunity even if it means I will trust Nico to do the shopping for me ;).


Today he came home with a big smile and proudly handed me a medium-sized shopping bag, and to my great delight, there were 4 nursing tops inside (**an even bigger smile here**)! I remember saying ‘thank you’ in between asking why he bought four tops, two of which are not on sale, when I specifically told him not to splurge. Apparently, the sales staff was able to persuade him to buy the two regular items by offering 10% discount and by appealing to his conscience that breastfeeding is such a noble commitment of a mother and that the least a husband could do is to support her in every way possible (hehehe, clever girl!).


Of course after my skimpiness waned, I tried everything on and was just too happy that they all fit me well. I especially like the fabric and the functional design So now I am all geared up to go nursing in public! Hahaha! :)
*here's one of my newest BF gear*