Ever since the kids were born, it's just us in the house - Patrick, myself, Den and the kids. We've managed fine enough and the kids are really brilliant (if I do say so myself hehe) and behaved. We've survived being able to handle them and learning how to be parents. We're still on that road seeing as you never stop learning how to manage your kids no matter how old they become hahahaha
The point is, we've always done it by ourselves. Our parents don't live with us. We can only call them for advice and Patrick's dad and my Dad were the only ones who were able to visit. It's tough raising kids on your own as so many stay-at-home moms can attest to. You really need to have all the energy to last you through the day. Add to it, the demand of also having to write so that there will be additional income for the family.
Can you believe that last Tuesday was the first time that Patrick was able to go see a movie by himself?! Yes, the last he watched in the theater was The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King!! hahaha yes it's true!! Dana was not yet born at that time. We watched it together, wait, so technically all three of us went together hahahaha
Patrick and I haven't gone anywhere that's just the two of us. We always had the kids with us when we went out. Either I took Dana and Dylan was left with him or it's usually him who's going out for errands and I stayed home with the kids. If I do go out, it's usually with Den and we have to hurry back because Patrick's not used to dealing with the kids LOL
Anyway, we decided to get a babysitter because Dana will be starting school and I needed someone to help me around the house. It will also be the perfect time for me to go back to work (assuming I get hired LOL). Because you know, once the kids go to school, you need a never-ending supply of money to get you through all that ! LOL
So I asked my dad's help if he knew anyone willing to work with us. And two days ago I got a call from him that the babysitter has arrived from his hometown in Calayan. Imagine my shock! Where will we put her? hahaha She will be a live-in babysitter/helper around the house and we didn't have a place to put her in! The house was a mess hahaha but we figured it's just a small setback that we can easily overcome. Yesterday she arrived and the room was a bit prepared. We did need to buy her a new cabinet and it looks like the house will be having a few repairs coz Patrick and I are moving to our own room too. Den's room on the 2nd floor will be for the babysitter and she in turn will be moving in with the kids in what's our room now. whew! major renovations needed!
We're all still adjusting and it's fun :) Hope we're going to get along great! :) but it looks like the kids like her and they're bonding yesterday. I can't believe the kids weren't looking for me for a full 2 hours last night.. That was a surprise! LOL
Paypon Family Day Out
It's kinda refreshing to see "Paypon Family" on my blog. My Dad, sister and I live in very separate areas so it's not often that we get to spend a day together. I think I can consider this a milestone in our lives as this has indeed been a rare occurrence and there are a lot of firsts that you'll read about in this post. :)
It's a Friday and Den has no school on account of the Feast of the Black Nazarene that was participated in by probably thousands, even millions of people. Click on this link if you want to view a video of the procession. It's courtesy of GMANews.TV (thanks!)
Anyway, my dad, Den, Dylan, Dana and I went to the bank to get Dad's last share from my mom's insurance. He's going to use it to buy a car that Joel, Sharon's husband, was able to find. It was a second hand 1998 Toyota LiteAce and he bought it for P150K. Not bad, considering it's all powered and no major problems. Sharon, Joel and their baby Sofia fetched us from the bank and we all went straight to the car dealer. There, Daddy saw for the first time the car that will finally be his. It was only a few days after Sharon was able to buy her own car, a second hand Toyota Corona EX Saloon. Going to my dad's house from the dealer, Sharon, Den, Dana and Dylan went to ride in the new van. They were scared at first because it has been some time since my Dad last drove a car. He had a few misses, making Joel and me hiss in nervousness because we were following him, probably because he was still getting used to the bulk of a van. But, in fairness, he was still okay on the road :)
A milestone for me, is getting to meet our dad's mistress/now wife for the first time in my life. I think that it's about time, being the New Year and all, and since my mom has passed away. I didn't really know what to expect. I've met my half-brothers when we were in Calayan last summer. So, that wasn't so bad. But Ida treated us well enough and she and Dana were busy chatting like old friends. Dylan was afraid of their dog though :) She was surprised when she was told that Daddy brought home a new car. She couldn't believe it and I guess she didn't expect it. She served us lunch and it was a pretty okay meeting :)
After that, on to Sharon's house. It was only a short distance away from where my Dad lives and it was also the first time for me, Dana and Dylan to visit. Den already spent Christmas with them one time so she's already been there. It was a good day for us, catching up on what's happening with each other's families. Getting to see the new baby Sofia and seeing how my nephews have grown. Jianne just turned 12 and Justine will be 11 this year. The kids had a great time playing with each other. We also went to the market to buy tinapa (smoked fish) and it was so cheap it was unbelieveable! hahaha
We waited for the rush hour to be over before we headed home. Joel wants us to buy a car of our own so we can all travel out of town for the summer. I said we'll see :) He said, he'll look for a good high-end, but low-cost and low maintenance one for us :) I'm sure he will hahaha
I think it was a good start to the year. To be with family and to enjoy each other's company even for a day. These days are precious especially when you think about how fast someone can disappear from your lives and you not having a chance to show them or tell them how much you care about them.
Looking forward to summer, I think :)
It's a Friday and Den has no school on account of the Feast of the Black Nazarene that was participated in by probably thousands, even millions of people. Click on this link if you want to view a video of the procession. It's courtesy of GMANews.TV (thanks!)
Anyway, my dad, Den, Dylan, Dana and I went to the bank to get Dad's last share from my mom's insurance. He's going to use it to buy a car that Joel, Sharon's husband, was able to find. It was a second hand 1998 Toyota LiteAce and he bought it for P150K. Not bad, considering it's all powered and no major problems. Sharon, Joel and their baby Sofia fetched us from the bank and we all went straight to the car dealer. There, Daddy saw for the first time the car that will finally be his. It was only a few days after Sharon was able to buy her own car, a second hand Toyota Corona EX Saloon. Going to my dad's house from the dealer, Sharon, Den, Dana and Dylan went to ride in the new van. They were scared at first because it has been some time since my Dad last drove a car. He had a few misses, making Joel and me hiss in nervousness because we were following him, probably because he was still getting used to the bulk of a van. But, in fairness, he was still okay on the road :)A milestone for me, is getting to meet our dad's mistress/now wife for the first time in my life. I think that it's about time, being the New Year and all, and since my mom has passed away. I didn't really know what to expect. I've met my half-brothers when we were in Calayan last summer. So, that wasn't so bad. But Ida treated us well enough and she and Dana were busy chatting like old friends. Dylan was afraid of their dog though :) She was surprised when she was told that Daddy brought home a new car. She couldn't believe it and I guess she didn't expect it. She served us lunch and it was a pretty okay meeting :)
After that, on to Sharon's house. It was only a short distance away from where my Dad lives and it was also the first time for me, Dana and Dylan to visit. Den already spent Christmas with them one time so she's already been there. It was a good day for us, catching up on what's happening with each other's families. Getting to see the new baby Sofia and seeing how my nephews have grown. Jianne just turned 12 and Justine will be 11 this year. The kids had a great time playing with each other. We also went to the market to buy tinapa (smoked fish) and it was so cheap it was unbelieveable! hahahaWe waited for the rush hour to be over before we headed home. Joel wants us to buy a car of our own so we can all travel out of town for the summer. I said we'll see :) He said, he'll look for a good high-end, but low-cost and low maintenance one for us :) I'm sure he will hahaha
I think it was a good start to the year. To be with family and to enjoy each other's company even for a day. These days are precious especially when you think about how fast someone can disappear from your lives and you not having a chance to show them or tell them how much you care about them.
Looking forward to summer, I think :)
A year in the life: 2008
I beg your indulgence as I would like to do a recap of my life in 2008. It’s a good way for me to look back and see what I’ve done, what I’ve accomplished (if any!) and maybe laugh on the few highlights along the way. I think it’s my way of assessing how 2009 should unfold, don’t you think??
January – Aside from New Year celebrations, we’ve just been focusing on Den’s 3rd Quarterly exams and preparing for her class retreat that’s scheduled for this month. One of my grandfather’s brother, Lolo Boboy, the one I’m very close to, also died from a heart attack on Christmas day and then he ended up in a coma for about a week until the family decided to end his suffering.
February – is a BAD month for me and my family. My mother died on Feb. 7, 2008 after being hit by a Toyota Tacoma while crossing the street in San Diego, California. I got denied a US Visa at the Embassy which made me feel so bad and furious. She was buried on Feb. 25, the same day as my sister’s birthday.
March – Hectic Month because of Den’s graduation from High School (March 28) and the birthday of my two kids, Dana turning 4 and Dylan turning 2. My mom was supposed to come home for this but she didn’t make it. We just took the kids to the Mall and had some food prepared at the house.
April – Summer time. Relatives from the Paypon side had a reunion and we all went to visit the family’s hometown in Calayan Island, Cagayan at the northernmost tip of the Philippines and spent about 10 days there. It was an adventure, having to spend 12-14 hours on a bus and another 10 hours on a boat (going back was 6 hours only) to get there. It was the first time for my kids to be there. We had a blast!
May – It’s a poignant time because of my mom’s birthday. She would have been 61 years old. We were also busy with enrollment procedures for Den for her college education.
June – School season. We had our Internet connection upgraded to DSL. Even though it’s the slowest speed for DSL (it’s what we can afford), it was still a great leap from dial-up haha I’ve also started freelance writing to add to the family income.
July – I’ve been looking for ways to augment the family income and I found that blogging is one way to do that. I’ve just had my blog approved for a sponsorship website, where you write about products and they pay you for it. It’s something cool :) Oh! and I also got an article published in The BIG C magazine entitled, “Finding the right words to say to the cancer patient”.
August – I lost a tooth! In July, I was suffering horribly from such a painful tooth that my whole face was swollen from it. I finally got it removed!! Haha and I can’t tell you what a relief that was! Oh and it’s Den’s 17th birthday too.
September – There’s a new addition to the family, my niece Sofia Jasmine, born on the 4th. It was also Lance’s 2nd birthday and the Tadeos had a little get-together in Marikina. Chance for the kids to play together and the grown-ups to catch up on things :)
October – Stevie and Toni gave birth to their 2nd child, Hannah Sofia. It was my 36th Birthday (wow, time flies haha).
November – Patrick and I celebrated our 14 years of togetherness hahaha. Undas (Day of the Dead) was hard because now there’s someone I’m personally mourning. A visit to Patrick’s mom’s grave was like a substitute for visiting my mom and that’s where I ended up crying my heart out.
December – is a full month. We took the kids to see the Dinos Alive in Manila exhibit. We were able to buy a new TV, DVD Player and a 5.1 Theater system. We treated ourselves to TGIFriday’s, Hooters, and Don Henrico’s (on separate occasions, ok?). We thought it was a good end to the year. But alas, bad news came at its wake. Patrick’s Dad collapsed, had a heart attack and ended up in a coma on Christmas day, just like my Lolo Boboy a year earlier. He died on New Year’s eve. Things will never be the same way again.
January – Aside from New Year celebrations, we’ve just been focusing on Den’s 3rd Quarterly exams and preparing for her class retreat that’s scheduled for this month. One of my grandfather’s brother, Lolo Boboy, the one I’m very close to, also died from a heart attack on Christmas day and then he ended up in a coma for about a week until the family decided to end his suffering.
February – is a BAD month for me and my family. My mother died on Feb. 7, 2008 after being hit by a Toyota Tacoma while crossing the street in San Diego, California. I got denied a US Visa at the Embassy which made me feel so bad and furious. She was buried on Feb. 25, the same day as my sister’s birthday.
March – Hectic Month because of Den’s graduation from High School (March 28) and the birthday of my two kids, Dana turning 4 and Dylan turning 2. My mom was supposed to come home for this but she didn’t make it. We just took the kids to the Mall and had some food prepared at the house.
April – Summer time. Relatives from the Paypon side had a reunion and we all went to visit the family’s hometown in Calayan Island, Cagayan at the northernmost tip of the Philippines and spent about 10 days there. It was an adventure, having to spend 12-14 hours on a bus and another 10 hours on a boat (going back was 6 hours only) to get there. It was the first time for my kids to be there. We had a blast!
May – It’s a poignant time because of my mom’s birthday. She would have been 61 years old. We were also busy with enrollment procedures for Den for her college education.
June – School season. We had our Internet connection upgraded to DSL. Even though it’s the slowest speed for DSL (it’s what we can afford), it was still a great leap from dial-up haha I’ve also started freelance writing to add to the family income.
July – I’ve been looking for ways to augment the family income and I found that blogging is one way to do that. I’ve just had my blog approved for a sponsorship website, where you write about products and they pay you for it. It’s something cool :) Oh! and I also got an article published in The BIG C magazine entitled, “Finding the right words to say to the cancer patient”.
August – I lost a tooth! In July, I was suffering horribly from such a painful tooth that my whole face was swollen from it. I finally got it removed!! Haha and I can’t tell you what a relief that was! Oh and it’s Den’s 17th birthday too.
September – There’s a new addition to the family, my niece Sofia Jasmine, born on the 4th. It was also Lance’s 2nd birthday and the Tadeos had a little get-together in Marikina. Chance for the kids to play together and the grown-ups to catch up on things :)
October – Stevie and Toni gave birth to their 2nd child, Hannah Sofia. It was my 36th Birthday (wow, time flies haha).
November – Patrick and I celebrated our 14 years of togetherness hahaha. Undas (Day of the Dead) was hard because now there’s someone I’m personally mourning. A visit to Patrick’s mom’s grave was like a substitute for visiting my mom and that’s where I ended up crying my heart out.
December – is a full month. We took the kids to see the Dinos Alive in Manila exhibit. We were able to buy a new TV, DVD Player and a 5.1 Theater system. We treated ourselves to TGIFriday’s, Hooters, and Don Henrico’s (on separate occasions, ok?). We thought it was a good end to the year. But alas, bad news came at its wake. Patrick’s Dad collapsed, had a heart attack and ended up in a coma on Christmas day, just like my Lolo Boboy a year earlier. He died on New Year’s eve. Things will never be the same way again.
Another Tragedy
Did you ever have that feeling that when something goes right, you think what's the catch? or if something is too good to be true, there's something bad that's going to happen to balance that effect? Well, I should have sensed it coming. We were just having too much fun last December that the bad thing should have been inevitable.
Christmas evening here in Manila, we received a call from Patrick's Dad and Tita Flor. We had a great time chatting and they were even able to talk with Dana and Dylan which was a great thing. Dana was telling them about the gifts she received and about seeing the Dinosaurs in Dinos Alive. It was a nice conversation.
The next day, Patrick received a call from a distraught Tita Flor that Dad collapsed and was taken to the hospital. It didn't look good. Later on, we found out that Dad flatlined and was revived a number of times until he lapsed into a coma. Further testing showed that he had kidney damage and a previous diagnosis of emphysema, which was probably what caused the heart attack when he was having trouble getting oxygen. The climate in Sacramento wasn't good too because it was too cold for him making it even more difficult to breathe.
The doctors said that they'll do further testing on the 3rd day because from their experience, comatose patients usually recover after three days. They'll have to see if there's still brain function and if he can survive without the life support machine. So, the waiting began.
It's tough being here in Manila, when all that is happening is a million miles away in another country. You wish to be there for your Dad but you can't. All you can do is hope and pray that he makes it.
On the third day, December 31, we found out that he no longer has any brain function and that his kidneys are damaged and may get worse if he survives. If he is taken off the life support machine, he won't survive. The family decided to end his suffering with much regret and loss. It's even more difficult for Patrick because his mom also suffered the same fate, having a stroke and ending up being in a coma. She did die on her own, sparing the family from ending her life.
The New Year doesn't look too good from this perspective. We need to find a way to bring him home. Finances are tight so cremation looks like a better alternative. It's just that they won't be able to see him for the last time. Hopefully, Stevie has better luck getting a US Visa so he can go there and personally bring their Dad home.
We're going to miss Dad. Dana and Dylan lost a loving grandfather. Patrick calls himself an orphan now. The only consolation I guess is that their mom and dad are now together. I can't even begin to imagine how Tita Flor must be feeling now. I pray that she has more strength to deal with what comes after.
Christmas evening here in Manila, we received a call from Patrick's Dad and Tita Flor. We had a great time chatting and they were even able to talk with Dana and Dylan which was a great thing. Dana was telling them about the gifts she received and about seeing the Dinosaurs in Dinos Alive. It was a nice conversation.
The next day, Patrick received a call from a distraught Tita Flor that Dad collapsed and was taken to the hospital. It didn't look good. Later on, we found out that Dad flatlined and was revived a number of times until he lapsed into a coma. Further testing showed that he had kidney damage and a previous diagnosis of emphysema, which was probably what caused the heart attack when he was having trouble getting oxygen. The climate in Sacramento wasn't good too because it was too cold for him making it even more difficult to breathe.
The doctors said that they'll do further testing on the 3rd day because from their experience, comatose patients usually recover after three days. They'll have to see if there's still brain function and if he can survive without the life support machine. So, the waiting began.
It's tough being here in Manila, when all that is happening is a million miles away in another country. You wish to be there for your Dad but you can't. All you can do is hope and pray that he makes it.
On the third day, December 31, we found out that he no longer has any brain function and that his kidneys are damaged and may get worse if he survives. If he is taken off the life support machine, he won't survive. The family decided to end his suffering with much regret and loss. It's even more difficult for Patrick because his mom also suffered the same fate, having a stroke and ending up being in a coma. She did die on her own, sparing the family from ending her life.
The New Year doesn't look too good from this perspective. We need to find a way to bring him home. Finances are tight so cremation looks like a better alternative. It's just that they won't be able to see him for the last time. Hopefully, Stevie has better luck getting a US Visa so he can go there and personally bring their Dad home.
We're going to miss Dad. Dana and Dylan lost a loving grandfather. Patrick calls himself an orphan now. The only consolation I guess is that their mom and dad are now together. I can't even begin to imagine how Tita Flor must be feeling now. I pray that she has more strength to deal with what comes after.
A very Merry Christmas!!
First off, I wanted to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas!!!
I know that this is the first Christmas without my mom so it feels sad and nostalgic but I know she would want me to be happy for the sake of my kids, to make them feel the happiness of the season and I hope I've achieved that :) I admit that it's such bad timing that both Patrick and I are suffering from asthma right now. Must be from the cold and the stress hahaha Oh and despite it, we still cleaned the house which probably aggravated our health hahaha
But nevertheless, we cooked Baked Zitti with mozzarella cheese (way expensive I must add but very delicious!) Patrick made Chicken Macaroni salad which we both can't eat hahaha He also cooked some Fiesta Ham. Oh and I bought a chocolate roll and a platter of brownies from Goldilocks but unfortunately we can't eat yet too hahaha the kids love the food though :)
All in all, it was a happy Christmas, the kids got great toys and gifts which they're enjoying right now hahaha Thanks to my mom and my brother and all the people who have shown their support and love through the years :)
Merry Christmas to everyone!! Love ya!!
A Hectic Pre-Christmas Weekend
20 December 2008
It looks like we've been very busy for the past few weeks but it's really only during the weekend that we have time go out. It's also the only time to shop for Christmas dinner without having to face the hordes of people in the supermarket when it gets near Christmas eve.
Anyway, we went back to Mall of Asia (looks to me like it's our favorite mall hahaha) but really it's only because it's big and even with a lot of people around, there's still space to freely walk around.
We bought gifts for the kids again :) They're really spoiled this Christmas! :) and gifts for Den too. Funny enough there was a sale on wedding rings but we only looked around because they were still too expensive even though they're already on sale hahahaha It was just like a hint to us to really go through with it LOL
As a treat to ourselves (well more for Patrick and I), we ate at TGI Friday's. I can't believe how expensive they've become but the food we ordered was absolutely delicious! hahaha we were told that the servings were good for 3 people. We each finished our orders by ourselves - no sharing!! what does that say about our appetites hahahahah but really, it was really good.. more so than the food at Hooters hahahaha
I had the Jack Daniel's Chicken and Shrimp while Patrick had the Jack Daniel's Porkchops. Dana had the Fried Macaroni and Cheese and a Strawberry Milkshake. The food came with corn, mashed potatoes or rice pilaf and bottomless drinks. Dylan loved the corn! By the time we were finished, we needed to be rolled out with a wagon because we were so full! :)
After that we met Den near the Fireworks area. She was coming from a jaunt at the Star City with her friends.
It looks like we've been very busy for the past few weeks but it's really only during the weekend that we have time go out. It's also the only time to shop for Christmas dinner without having to face the hordes of people in the supermarket when it gets near Christmas eve.Anyway, we went back to Mall of Asia (looks to me like it's our favorite mall hahaha) but really it's only because it's big and even with a lot of people around, there's still space to freely walk around.
We bought gifts for the kids again :) They're really spoiled this Christmas! :) and gifts for Den too. Funny enough there was a sale on wedding rings but we only looked around because they were still too expensive even though they're already on sale hahahaha It was just like a hint to us to really go through with it LOL
As a treat to ourselves (well more for Patrick and I), we ate at TGI Friday's. I can't believe how expensive they've become but the food we ordered was absolutely delicious! hahaha we were told that the servings were good for 3 people. We each finished our orders by ourselves - no sharing!! what does that say about our appetites hahahahah but really, it was really good.. more so than the food at Hooters hahahaha
I had the Jack Daniel's Chicken and Shrimp while Patrick had the Jack Daniel's Porkchops. Dana had the Fried Macaroni and Cheese and a Strawberry Milkshake. The food came with corn, mashed potatoes or rice pilaf and bottomless drinks. Dylan loved the corn! By the time we were finished, we needed to be rolled out with a wagon because we were so full! :)
After that we met Den near the Fireworks area. She was coming from a jaunt at the Star City with her friends.
Another trip to SM Mall of Asia
We sure love going to Mall of Asia. What we like about it, is though it's a bit far compared to the malls beside us, it's so huge that even with a lot of people shopping, you're not going to feel claustrophobic. There are a number of our favorite restaurants, like Don Henrico's where we had lunch on Saturday (coincidentally, it was kind of a belated 14th anniversary outing). Oh, and if we haven't mentioned it, Patrick and I are planning on getting married next year hahahaha
Well, the first item on my list was getting to Picture City where they have a 10+3 promo. For every 10 pictures you develop, you get 3 additional pictures free. So I prepared the pictures we needed to print on a CD and when we got there, we asked for 260 pictures printed ! LOL that's a lot of backlog from our library LOL We also found out that they even give away free 8x10 pictures for every 50+15 pictures. So we got 4 free 8x10's from them hahahaha Not bad, eh?
Oh and before I forget, we stayed until 11pm because they extended their shopping hours till 12MN!! We ate at our favorite Italian restaurant (Don Henrico's) for lunch. We had Al Pesto Pasta (Patrick thought it should've been called "Al Garlic" because it was too garlicky for his taste) and Extreme Mushroom Pizza and Fish and Chips! We then roamed the mall for bargains. Patrick bought 2 Krispy Kreme coffee thermos jugs, one for himself at work and the other to give for his Christmas Kringle buddy. We bought the kids new shoes (again!), bought a pair of shoes for me and gifts to give the young nieces and nephews :) We passed the local hardware store (kinda like Home Depot) and I wanted to buy so many things for the house because they were all on sale ! LOL But I only ended up buying 3 different screws for the new speakers LOL
Den joined us in the afternoon (she had practice for her PE Dance Class) and it took her 1 and a half hours to get there because of traffic! I was kinda worried because she gets carsick. Good thing she didn't throw up LOL
We ate dinner at Hooters Manila (yes, we have one!). Patrick was certainly enjoying himself. It was way too expensive for a regular dinner though. I had the Grilled Chicken Salad, Patrick had the Onion Rings and Den had the Swiss Mushroom burger (in this photo). I think it was also a little bland, unless they didn't change their recipe to fit the Manila taste. Or maybe, it's really bland but guy customers don't really notice because they're too busy ogling the girls !! LOL
It's still okay for the family, they did give Dana something to occupy her time although you can't tell in this picture LOL. I'm not bothered by their skimpy outfit, coz it wasn't so skimpy anyway. Den even liked their shirts hahahaha But I'm sure there are conservative people out there who will most likely find something objectionable about it LOL
You can appreciate it's location though because it's right by the bay so you can walk along the quayside after a hefty dinner and feel the breeze :) I guess I just didn't like the fact that they didn't even ask if I was finished eating when they started clearing up our table. And they took so long to give you back your change. My kids and I went out after we were finished, leaving Patrick to pay the bill. We were waiting for him for more than 15 minutes before he came out. It turned me off. They worked so fast to clear your table and then took so long to give you back your change, what was that??!
On to the next stop! :) We had a bit of trouble going home as there were no taxis around and the line was horrendously long. In the end, I didn't want to wait because I wanted the kids to be able to rest so we paid P450 for a serviced taxi. They were asking for P550 but that was already too much because the regular fare was only around P150. In the end, maybe they took pity on us and gave us a discount. But at least we got home faster than those people waiting in line, probably far longer than us.
Patrick and I couldn't wait to set up the rear speakers. We didn't sleep when we bought the TV and the DVD player because it's hard to set it up when the kids are awake LOL This time, we woke up early to set up the speakers and we tried Jurassic Park with it and we had a blast!! woohoo!! hahahaha
Well, the first item on my list was getting to Picture City where they have a 10+3 promo. For every 10 pictures you develop, you get 3 additional pictures free. So I prepared the pictures we needed to print on a CD and when we got there, we asked for 260 pictures printed ! LOL that's a lot of backlog from our library LOL We also found out that they even give away free 8x10 pictures for every 50+15 pictures. So we got 4 free 8x10's from them hahahaha Not bad, eh?
Oh and before I forget, we stayed until 11pm because they extended their shopping hours till 12MN!! We ate at our favorite Italian restaurant (Don Henrico's) for lunch. We had Al Pesto Pasta (Patrick thought it should've been called "Al Garlic" because it was too garlicky for his taste) and Extreme Mushroom Pizza and Fish and Chips! We then roamed the mall for bargains. Patrick bought 2 Krispy Kreme coffee thermos jugs, one for himself at work and the other to give for his Christmas Kringle buddy. We bought the kids new shoes (again!), bought a pair of shoes for me and gifts to give the young nieces and nephews :) We passed the local hardware store (kinda like Home Depot) and I wanted to buy so many things for the house because they were all on sale ! LOL But I only ended up buying 3 different screws for the new speakers LOL
Den joined us in the afternoon (she had practice for her PE Dance Class) and it took her 1 and a half hours to get there because of traffic! I was kinda worried because she gets carsick. Good thing she didn't throw up LOL
We ate dinner at Hooters Manila (yes, we have one!). Patrick was certainly enjoying himself. It was way too expensive for a regular dinner though. I had the Grilled Chicken Salad, Patrick had the Onion Rings and Den had the Swiss Mushroom burger (in this photo). I think it was also a little bland, unless they didn't change their recipe to fit the Manila taste. Or maybe, it's really bland but guy customers don't really notice because they're too busy ogling the girls !! LOLIt's still okay for the family, they did give Dana something to occupy her time although you can't tell in this picture LOL. I'm not bothered by their skimpy outfit, coz it wasn't so skimpy anyway. Den even liked their shirts hahahaha But I'm sure there are conservative people out there who will most likely find something objectionable about it LOL
You can appreciate it's location though because it's right by the bay so you can walk along the quayside after a hefty dinner and feel the breeze :) I guess I just didn't like the fact that they didn't even ask if I was finished eating when they started clearing up our table. And they took so long to give you back your change. My kids and I went out after we were finished, leaving Patrick to pay the bill. We were waiting for him for more than 15 minutes before he came out. It turned me off. They worked so fast to clear your table and then took so long to give you back your change, what was that??! On to the next stop! :) We had a bit of trouble going home as there were no taxis around and the line was horrendously long. In the end, I didn't want to wait because I wanted the kids to be able to rest so we paid P450 for a serviced taxi. They were asking for P550 but that was already too much because the regular fare was only around P150. In the end, maybe they took pity on us and gave us a discount. But at least we got home faster than those people waiting in line, probably far longer than us.
Patrick and I couldn't wait to set up the rear speakers. We didn't sleep when we bought the TV and the DVD player because it's hard to set it up when the kids are awake LOL This time, we woke up early to set up the speakers and we tried Jurassic Park with it and we had a blast!! woohoo!! hahahaha
Bought some new appliances!
I mentioned in the previous posts that we've been looking at DVD players while shopping at the malls. What I forgot to mention was that we were also looking at television sets and PC's as ours have gotten pretty old. Our TV is almost 15 years old and has been repaired a number of times. The PC, we contemplated on upgrading but there are no available parts left :)
Well, we were all surprised by a little windfall that came our way. One of my aunts, Tita Cora, arrived in Manila last December 11 and with it came a balikbayan box from my grandma for Sharon and myself. She was also the messenger for a bit amount of money from my Grandma and my aunt and uncle in Washington. Needless to say, combined with these and some of Patrick's Christmas bonus, we were able to take advantage of the Christmas sale at Abenson's in Robinson's Ermita.
We got P1000 off the Samsung CT21Z58 that's something like this except that the speakers are hidden but gives absolutely clear sound nonetheless. I love its glossy finish. It even came with a free TV Rack. Patrick purchased the combined Philips DVD and Home Theater System (Philips DVP-3260)which was also on sale for less than P1000. Its got great reviews, can read almost any kind of disc, has karaoke function and a built-in USB drive.With all these purchases, we got an additional P500 discount hahahah Not bad for a day's shopping :)
Well, we were all surprised by a little windfall that came our way. One of my aunts, Tita Cora, arrived in Manila last December 11 and with it came a balikbayan box from my grandma for Sharon and myself. She was also the messenger for a bit amount of money from my Grandma and my aunt and uncle in Washington. Needless to say, combined with these and some of Patrick's Christmas bonus, we were able to take advantage of the Christmas sale at Abenson's in Robinson's Ermita.
We got P1000 off the Samsung CT21Z58 that's something like this except that the speakers are hidden but gives absolutely clear sound nonetheless. I love its glossy finish. It even came with a free TV Rack. Patrick purchased the combined Philips DVD and Home Theater System (Philips DVP-3260)which was also on sale for less than P1000. Its got great reviews, can read almost any kind of disc, has karaoke function and a built-in USB drive.With all these purchases, we got an additional P500 discount hahahah Not bad for a day's shopping :)
Personalize your holiday gifts
Now that Christmas is just around the corner, I’m getting pretty hectic about what to get the people on my Christmas gift list. It can get quite tedious having to think about each and everyone’s preferences but it’s really nice to get them something that’s meant specially for them, something they’ll use and still have them remember you when they’re using it.
Well, personalized holiday gifts seem to be a great idea and fits any age, gender and personality. I especially like the 16GB personalized thumb drives because, let’s face it, everyone uses them. They’re really handy, pretty useful and practical with a variety of colors to choose from, and with a customized laser engraving so there’s no chance of mistaking it for someone else’s thumb drive, it’s really a great holiday gift. For your friends and loved ones who are really environment-conscious, there are wooden USB Flash drives available too.
If you’re looking for a more business-like gift, one that can spread holiday cheer as well as serve as a great marketing tool, the Business Card USB Flash drives and Personalized Pens are your bet. They come with free lines of engraved text too!
So if you’re looking for great, personalized, customized gifts for the holidays, look no further because Pexagon Tech has all these in store for you at 20% off too!
Dinos Alive In Manila
December 6, 2008 - We went to see Dinos Alive World Tour 2008 at the SM Mall of Asia. Patrick just got his Christmas bonus and we decided to take the kids seeing as how they're big fans of Jurassic Park :) and it's better to go earlier than later when more people will crowd the place. Fortunately, the crowd was minimal and it was a relaxing experience :)The kids though got scared of the big dinosaurs, Dana in particular, which made me think that they should illuminate the dinosaurs more rather than creating such a dark and scary theme. Kids who are older may like that ambience though but for kids my children's age, it really scares them so it takes away the fun.
However, Dana brightened up when she went "digging" for fossils ! She also took part in the Alaska games zone and we watched a film showing at the Dino Theater from the QTV show, "Prehistoric Park". Coming out into the open air, the kids played at the giant inflatable slides after which we ate at KFC. Oh, we also got 5 sticks of Purefoods hotdogs! yummy!!
We got our very own souvenir photo from the Kodak stall (for P300+) and bought some toys from the merchandise store next door :) lots of cool toys on sale!! great bargains!!
We finished the day with dinner at Sbarro after going around appliance stores looking for good deals on DVD players!
We got home way, way late!! We were all exhausted but it was good fun!!
(edit) Click here to see the pictures we took.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)