Dana's 2016 Family Day

20 February 2016

I woke up just as Dana was getting ready for the day.  She mentioned that it was Family Day today and that she'd like it if we attended.  Well, of course we would, as least I would, because I knew that she and her class have been practicing really hard for their performance.  In fact, they were already proclaimed Champions in their category and their performance today would just be for family and friends, to showcase their skill :)

Another reunion 23 years in the making :)

15 February 2016

Belated Happy Valentine's day everyone!

I have a love-hate relationship with Valentine's day so I normally don't post anything about it.  I love it when I see people in a relationship sincerely celebrate their love and I hate it when it's the only day that your partner ever pays attention to you (and I'm not speaking from personal experience! haha) and celebrates it with you just because everybody else is.

Patrick's advanced birthday celebration at Buffalo's Wings N' Things

09 February 2016

Ready to Eat!

Last Christmas, I gave Patrick 2 Gift Vouchers worth P500 each for a restaurant we haven't tried - Buffalo's Wings N' Things.  We used these coupons to celebrate his birthday and it was timely that today, Dana's school had a scheduled field trip which she didn't attend so she was able to celebrate with us.  The GC's were restricted for Monday to Thursday visits only so we couldn't use it on his actual birth date and Patrick will be in Clark during the 11th and 12th so today's timing was perfect.

Sole's 1st Birthday

23 January 2016

Happy 1st Birthday SOLE!

We went to Urdaneta Village to attend Sole's 1st birthday, an event that we've been greatly anticipating since we first received the e-invite on Facebook haha  Dylan actually learned to read the twenty-something numbers since he would ask me daily when Sole's birthday was and I would point to the calendar for him.  

Get-Together with College Buddies at Bugsy's Makati

12 January 2016

Another happy event to start the year 2016 - A reunion with College Buddies! Our buddy Marlon and his family were back in the Philippines for their annual vacation and naturally, we had a little get-together :)  It's a little impromptu because when balikbayans come back to the PI, their schedules are usually busy with many family gatherings and trips planned.  We can only be there when they say they're available on a particular day and/or time but that's okay because the important thing is that we see each other even if it's just a short while.

Donated my books to "Books for A Cause"

07 January 2016

Reading books is my favorite past time.  If I didn't have any limits on the number of books I can store I'd probably have my own library/bookstore by now :)  But, the reality is, you need a lot of space for books and you need to make more space if you want to read new ones.  So, I made the choice to donate my books to the Books for a Cause organization.

Cute Earrings from N. Cat Philippines at Japan Home Center

05 January 2016

Just wanted to share these cute earrings from N. Cat Philippines that I found when we went to visit the Japan Home Center store in Robinsons Manila where we went to buy Dana's new phone from Smart.

I don't know when they started selling them at this branch but I was pleasantly surprised at the number of choices and how very affordable they were.  In fact, it will be hard for you to decide which one to choose (if you can settle with just one) because there are so many great designs, styles and colors.

The earrings are available at P48, P58 and P88 so I'm sure you can find one that fits your budget.  I think I'm going back for more! :)

Dana's new phone from SMART: The MyPhone my28

05 January 2016

Dana's old phone (and I mean old because it was mine before it cascaded down to her) died a few months ago.  We've always meant to replace it mainly for the convenience of communicating with her during emergencies and for after school.  It was just a question of when and how much.  The answer came when Patrick showed me a promo that Smart launched recently for a Smartphone Android Kit worth P888 with the MyPhone my28 as the handset.  Fortunately, Dana also had the finances to carry it through because of what she got for Christmas.  So, we went and bought one for her.

Happy New Year 2016!

01 January 2016

Wow! It's 2016! Time to get used to writing that in all documents with a date on it haha  We welcomed the New Year from our home.  Dylan was asleep though we tried to wake him up :) Let me make a recap of 2015...

2015 Christmas Day

25 December 2015

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The day started bright and early despite the late night we had.  I was first to be up and about since my biological clock unfailingly wakes me up at 630AM every day.  I sorted out the gifts we received last night on the bed so that when the kids wake up, they'll be ready to be unwrapped :)

2015 Christmas with the Escalante-Aguilos Family

2015 Christmas Eve

As is our tradition, Patrick, the kids and I went to the Aguilos Christmas Eve gathering, this time held in Urdaneta.  The family, collectively called P4 because of the Escalante home in Project 4 was the original site of THE gathering, is growing larger and fit much more comfortably in the home in Urdaneta :)  We arrived around 1030PM to see the party in full swing.  Gifts were being exchanged, stories were being told and people were partaking of the great feast on the table.  We brought pork adobo as our contribution :)

Went to the Scholastic Book Warehouse Sale

23 December 2015

I appreciate blogs that regularly post about sales and bargain deals that happen in Metro Manila.  It gives us a lot of choices for shopping and saving.  Just like the other day when I was scouting for sales because my sister wanted to know where they are.  I found a link that pointed to "The Big Christmas Blowout Warehouse Sale" and I sort of went into panic mode because I only had a few days to go and visit.  On the last day, we managed to travel to Pasig and check out the sale.

Watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens

19 December 2015



When something big is happening, you want to be there when it happens. Star Wars:  The Force Awakens is a film that we are not going to miss for the world.  As avid Star Wars fans, this has been a long time coming and this is a movie that you really have to watch on the big screen.  We got our wish when we were given 2 free tickets by a dear friend of ours, Bito and we trooped to the Rockwell Powerplant Cinemas to watch it there!

First time dining at Chopstop SM City Sta. Mesa

16 December 2015

Today, there was a declaration of "No Classes" because of Typhoon Nona.  Though Metro Manila experienced some heavy rain, it was manageable because it wasn't continuous.  Mostly, it was just really dark and windy.  It was kind of fortuitous for Dana and I because we needed to go to the mall to buy her exchange gift and other stuff for her class Christmas party.   So off we went to SM City Sta. Mesa because it was the closest mall and if it rained really hard, it would still be easier to get home from.

Purchased Collection 2000 Extreme 24Hr Felt Tip Liner from CashCashPinoy

14 December 2015

So, emboldened by my initial purchase with CashCashPinoy which I posted here, I proceeded to purchase another product, this time using their Cash on Delivery option.  The offer that I opted for was the Collection 2000 Extreme 24Hr Felt Tip Liner which was available for P139.

Purchased P500 worth of food and drinks at Buffalo's Wings N' Things from Deal Grocer

05 December 2015

It seems that the Online Shopping God decided to put a lot of great deals out there for the Christmas holidays.  I just found another great deal, this time from Deal Grocer, and it's a P280 voucher for P500 worth of food and drinks at Buffalo's Wings N' Things.

Purchased "1-hour Bowling at Playdium" voucher from CashCashPinoy

05 December 2015

The prospect of a sale is guaranteed to energize someone's day even if it's just a 10% discount.  That's exactly what I felt when I saw that there was an ongoing sale over at www.cashcashpinoy.com where I regularly receive daily emails from.  Of course,  the deal has to really be worth it before I take the plunge.  I think I found one in the "1-hour Bowling at Playdium" bargain.

SCC's "It's Beginning to Look-A-Like Christmas"

04 December 2015

Today, Dylan and I went to Dana's school for their "It's Beginning to Look-A-Like Christmas" program. I mistakenly thought they were holding a look-a-like competition among the students but it turned out that the school invited "Look-a-Like" celebrities from an upcoming show called "Let's Mall In".  The event was very entertaining to say the least!

Celebrating Luna's 4th and Tala's 3rd Birthdays

29 November 2015

Today, we attended the double birthday celebration of Luna and Tala at McDonald's Blue Ridge.
I was a little worried that we couldn't attend the girls' party because Dylan had been sick in the past few days.  I hate backing out when I've already said we would be attending. But when Saturday came and he was a little better, I knew that we would make it.  

I was also a bit apprehensive because we would be going to the party without Patrick since he usually drives and is more knowledgeable about going to and from places (in other words, driver! haha)  If we took a cab, the driver might drive us around in a circuitous route and I wouldn't even notice.  So, I asked our P4 family if we could hitch a ride with them in going to the venue.  Yay! We could! Problem solved.  It was easier going to P4 since I'm more familiar with the route.

So, we three immediately set out for Cubao in the morning.  We took the LRT-2 train because it was faster and more comfortable.  They had a new ticketing system where you just tap the card at the turnstile.  Before, you have to insert the card and get it back before you could enter.  Dylan was very excited to ride :)

In Cubao, we walked around Farmers Plaza in search of a plaid shirt for Dana and some gift ideas for friends for Christmas.  We had lunch at Karate Kid and we tried out their new Mura Ito meals, P99 for chicken, fish, pork, squid with teriyaki sauce and rice and a drink.  I knew Dylan was still recovering because he couldn't finish his meal.  Dana enjoyed the chicken.  I chose the fish and it was good too.

After this we went to P4 at 3PM.  We didn't want to be late and cause them to be late too.  By the time we got there, they were still preparing :)

On to the party!  We arrived at McDonald's as they were setting up so we just sat down at one of the tables.  The younger kids immediately went to play in the activity area so the mommies and the daddies had time to talk and catch up.

 Bito gave some welcome remarks :)

Then everyone sang Happy Birthday!

The guests participated in the games.  A hilarious "Hep Hep McDo" game got everyone with stitches on their sides.  "The longest belt" was a competitive yet funny game that revealed who wears the longest belt hahaha  The kids were also asked to bring the "Most Beautiful Mommy" and they ended up singing the "Lupang Hinirang".  The picture below was the game "Arrange Yourselves according to..."  It was such a fun game as you can see from the photos.  The guests were asked to sort themselves according to waist line figures, number of ex-bf's and ex-gf's, first letter of their first names and then last letter of their last names, and then finally their ages.  Everyone had a blast! 

After the games, everyone got seated to eat.  There was so much food!  We were all served Chicken and McSpaghetti, McChicken sandwiches, Quarter Pounder and French Fries, Drinks (Soda and Orange Juice) and Sundaes so thick you can turn them upside down and they won't drip! Yummy!

Everyone became excited when Grimace came out!  Sole especially loved him coz he was so soft hahaha

We had so much fun because we were in the company of family and friends.  The party continued on at P4 with the younger kids playing in one room, the teen-aged kids in another and the adults just drank wine and beer.

Happy birthday Luna and Tala and Thank You for inviting us to celebrate with you.  Love you both!

Happy 21st Anniversary!

15 November 2015

Patrick and I reached our 21st year of togetherness last November 13.  Yep, Friday the 13th yet again! But that didn't bother me except for the fact that our DVD player went kaput that time haha But that was more coincidence and inevitability than anything else :)

21 years! You've gotta give us credit .  That's 10 years of being a couple and then 11 years of being a family.  With no breaks or cool off periods.  Of course, just like any other relationship there are ups and downs and we've had our fair share.  We just go with the flow.  Do we fight? Heck yes! But do we decide to let go? Hell No! Arguments, discussions and disagreements are as much a part of being together as the good times.  The bad parts actually make you stronger for being able to overcome them as a couple, as a family.  The kids are right there with us. We don't hold anything back.

You know that you've been together long enough when you're in sync.  We often think about the same things at the same time.  It happens more often now, I've noticed.

Patrick has also gotten more grumpy and I teased him about it saying he's beginning to be like the man in the movie UP haha He actually acknowledged that observation and agreed with it! hahaha

But anyway, here we were on Sunday eating at our favorite burger joint, Charlie's Grind and Grill.  We've been craving for this for so long! (finances have been tight recently so we consider this bit of luxury).  This was our Anniversary Special ! hahaha

After a very filling lunch, we headed to Cubao to do some grocery shopping at Shopwise.  While walking around the area, I told Dana that when they're older, they'll be the ones telling their kids how they used to walk with us in Shopwise just the way that we tell them how it is with our parents.  Patrick and I have that in common - going to Cubao for shopping and entertainment when we were kids and we often tell Dana and Dylan what we used to do with our parents while in Cubao.  Dana remarked, "There might not be a Shopwise by then Mama" hahaha She may be right hahaha

We also went in search of a new DVD player and there's really not a lot now, funny enough.  But we did also find great toy bargains at the Farmers Plaza.  At the ground floor, there's a Toy Kingdom sale.  We were able to buy some for Christmas gifts but ssssshhhh no one's supposed to know yet hahahaha'

We went home after, and nobody wanted dinner yet because we're all still full.  Near Sta. Mesa, near the Illumina condominium, we got caught in traffic which was unusual since it was a Sunday and normally the traffic wasn't so bad.  Finally, we found out that there was a fire and that further on, traffic wasn't moving and we were advised just to turn around and go back which we did.  The route that Patrick took, the Kalentong way, was also at a standstill and we had to make a U-turn again and he decided to just go the Aurora Boulevard route.  It took us around 1 hour and a half to get home.  Dylan was already snoring in the backseat haha

Well, so ended the day.  Tiring but fun because we're together.  Here's to more years!!! :)

The Launch of Adventure 4X Magazine at the 2015 Manila Auto Salon

14 November 2015

Last Saturday, we all attended the launch of the country's first and only off-road adventure/lifestyle magazine, Adventure 4X, at the 2015 Manila Auto Salon held at the SMX Convention Center in SM Mall of Asia.

Trying out the Lucky House Lumpia and Fried Chicken restaurant along A. H. Lacson Street

02 November 2015

Today was not a holiday even though the country was commemorating All Souls' Day.  Dana's school though made it a holiday so she didn't have to return to school until tomorrow.  It was a regular day spent doing household chores.  I should have gone to the cemetery to visit my Mom but as she is buried in the US, I couldn't and just thought about her during the day, as I always do.

But time really flies when you're doing something and then it was evening and we didn't have anything to eat.  Patrick suggested we try out the Lucky House Lumpia and Fried Chicken restaurant along our street.  We passed it before on our way home one time and we were intrigued because it was new.

Biometrics Registration for the 2016 Elections has ended

Yesterday, as of 9:01 PM, marked the end of the registration period for the 2016 Elections.  What's so important about this registration period compared to the previous ones?  Well, for starters, every eligible voter who wants to vote during the 2016 Elections must have his biometrics information captured and plugged into the Voter Registration System.  Biometrics information, in this case, refers to the photograph, fingerprints and signature of the voter.  What this means is that if you were able to vote before in previous elections but have not updated your records with your biometrics information for the upcoming elections then you will not be able to vote.  The Commission on Elections has established "No Bio, no Boto" as their tagline for the 2016 Elections.

#MadForMonsters at Krispy Kreme

After a very educational trip to UST Museum (click here for the post), Dana and I brought home the #MadforMonsters Halloween doughnuts from Krispy Kreme.  We actually ate at Subway first but we forgot to take pictures haha

Dana's trip to UST Museum

Today was Dana's last day of exams and start of the Undas break in school.  We thought it was the perfect time to visit my friend Maita at the UST Museum.  We've always planned on going especially since Dana wasn't able to go the first time Dylan and I went there.  This time, Maita also had special gifts for Dana in the form of My Little Pony goodies which were more than an incentive for us to go.

Celebrating Orvin's birthday

It's the tail end of October and we we had another event to go to.  It was Orvin's birthday and he specifically mentioned in his invitation that it will be a videoke party.  The kids were so looking forward to it and we made it a point to arrive early.

Grayson Lucas' Baptism

17 October 2015

Another event to fill our October weekends is the Baptism of Grayson Lucas, the son of my cousin Joann and her husband Gabz.  The christening happened at the St. Peter Parish in QC while the reception was held at the King Bee restaurant in Commonwealth.  It was a simple gathering of family and friends with lots of sumptuous Chinese food.

Dana's Dance with Dengue

When the kids have a fever, I have this recurring fear of it being a dengue infection since our experience with my niece a few years back.  Nowadays, I've noticed that regular fevers take at least 4-5 days to dissipate compared to the 1-2 days when I was younger.  Dengue, as I know it, usually has the same onset but with a higher grade of fever.  When Dana was diagnosed with it, I was surprised to say the least and I'll tell you why.  None of the usual dengue symptoms that I knew about were true for her and that's what's scary.  Let me tell you about it.

2016 Chevrolet Trax Launch Party at the Palace Pool Club

14 October 2015

It seems that October is a busy period in our household.  There have been birthdays, an out of town trip, somebody getting down with dengue (I'll get to that in a different post), and that's just for the first half of the month!  Add to the list this event that Patrick and I attended - the launching of the 2016 Chevrolet Trax at the Palace Pool Club in Bonfiacio Global City, Taguig.

Patrick has brought me with him to many of his car events.  What made this special is the location.  This was the first time we had the privilege of coming to the Palace Pool Club and the concept of this establishment was certainly intriguing.  A pool (2 actually) and a club/bar in the middle of the Bonifacio Global City CBD! :)

Book Review: Shades of Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

After reading Book 1 of the series, I was caught up in it and immediately read Book 2, "Destined for Doon".  I couldn't get enough of it and it was fortunate that BookLook Bloggers has the 3rd book, Shades of Doon, and offering complimentary copies in exchange for honest reviews so I took advantage of the offer.  I finished it so fast I hate myself for reading so fast hahaha







Summary
Book 2 ended rather excitingly and I'm afraid to say more because I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it.  This book follows immediately after that fateful day and is all about the best friends Vee and Kenna encountering a new threat coming from a possible old nemesis.  New challenges are up for Kenna on the romance side too.

Review
Funny enough I thought this book was the end of the series.  I don't know why I thought that but it worked for the best because I didn't want the series to end.  The way that plot evolved at the onset made me think of conspiracy theories, second guessing myself as to whether the circumstances being described were real or imagined.

It's nice to see our protagonists having their share of good and fun days this time around.  But I guess that's really a kind of a foreshadowing for what's coming next.

I am sure that the "reveal" near the end of the book will be a shocker for readers ;)

I can't wait for 2016 for the next book :)

Disclaimer:
I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255.

A Full Day with the Mazda MX-5 and the 55 Meter World Explorer Ark Angel

11 October 2015

After a late night at Tita Gigi's birthday party, Patrick and I set out at 6AM to be in Subic for the Full Throttle Season Ender shoot.  We were also test driving the Mazda MX-5, a really cool car, so it was a day meant for adventure and fun.  The itinerary as far as I knew was that they were shooting at the Subic
International Airport and on a yacht.  As to the details, you will be surprised as I was when they unfolded before me :)

Events: Hannah's 7th Birthday Party

03 October 2015

Kids grow up so fast and we couldn't believe that Stevie's only daughter, Hannah, is turning 7.  When we celebrated the baptism of Luke last July, Toni mentioned Hannah's wishes of having a rockstar-themed birthday party.  It looks like her wishes came true!  Her party was held at the Loyola Grand Villas Clubhouse and it was really a day to be remembered!

Book Review: Doon By Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

I love having new books to read and Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon did not disappoint.  I got this complimentary eBook from the publisher through BookLook Bloggers. I enjoyed reading it and want to continue the next books in the series.

Daniel's First Birthday party

27 September 2015

Everyone woke up early excited to attend Daniel's 1st Birthday party.  The invitation from Donna and Brian, whose wedding we also attended in 2012 and which I wrote about here, mentioned that the schedule for the party was 1030AM to 3PM and I knew then that it was going to be a blast, much like their wedding.  So, we all trooped to the car and anticipated a great day (which it was) and read on to see what happened at the party!

My Little Pony Pez candies at Daiso Robinsons Manila

Last Friday, Patrick and I went to watch Heneral Luna in Robinsons Manila and you can read more about it in this post.  After the movie, we still had errands to run and ended up going to Daiso at the Ground Floor in the Padre Faura wing.  We were pleased to see these My Little Pony Pez candies there.  Naturally we went for Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle but there was also a Pinkie Pie too.  They were P88 each.  

Watching Heneral Luna

Patrick and I don't often get to watch a movie by ourselves but when we first saw the trailer of Heneral Luna while watching Ant-Man with Dylan, we decided that it was something that we'd be interested in watching.  That in itself is a big thing because we don't really watch Filipino movies.  So, now we got a chance to watch Heneral Luna in Robinsons Manila.

Ibong Adarna screening at the AFP Theater

Today, the 5th and 6th Grade students of Dana's school went to the AFP Theater in Camp Aguinaldo to watch Gantimpala Theater's performance of Ibong Adarna.  Dana was very excited to watch another play.

A Day at the 2015 Toyota Vios Cup Season 2

One of the best things about Patrick's job as a motoring journalist and now producer of a motoring TV show is that the kids are exposed to events that are not on the normal list of things to do.  Take for instance today's adventure - experiencing the activities at the 2015 Toyota Vios Cup Season 2 at the SM Mall of Asia.

#FullThrottlePH 1st CARavan at Market, Market

Today was the start of the first Full Throttle Caravan at Market, Market in Bonifacio Global City.  It is a showcase of your favorite car brands that runs from August 28 to August 30.  Participating brands include:  Chevrolet, Ford, Foton, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Mahindra, Mazda, Nissan, Suzuki, Toyota.  Sam YG and Rhian Ramos, hosts of Full Throttle, were there for the ribbon-cutting and to get the ball rolling :)

Partially-opened mail from the Philippine Post Office

Today, my aunt handed over to me a letter for Dana from her friend in the United States.  Since it's been so long since I actually received a letter, and though I know that this one isn't exactly mine, it still made me wax nostalgic for a moment.  Until I saw that most irreverent stamp from the Philippine Post Office - Received Partially Open  ...

Rak of Aegis: An Astounding, Amazing Show!

Today, Dana and I watched the 3pm show of Rak of Aegis.  It was the 2nd to the last show for this extended season and we really are so fortunate and privileged to have watched it.  So, thanks go out to Kalila for the tickets. Thank you!

Rak of Aegis is :

"A rock comedy musical using the songs of Aegis will tackle Filipino resilience, or how the country faces and resolves compromising situations, whether this be a natural disaster or a broken heart. Set in a subdivision that has been flooded for two months, “Rak of Aegis” will revolve around the love interests of the main characters, whose names are derived from those of Aegis band members as a tribute to the Filipino novelty rock group that made waves 90’s."