Weekend at Caylabne

during the long weekend, i joined the career gathering along with some brothers and sisters. we all went to Caylabne Bay Resort in Ternate, Cavite. we left after the Praise and Worship. the ride was longer than what i expected. there were zigzags.. we went uphill, and downhill. i was feeling sleepy and dizzy at the same time, but the people in the car were always fun to be with. :) there's Bro. Allen, Sis. Lydia, little Jade, the yaya, Koo, Candy, Sarah, Grace, and me.

we were one of the firsts who arrived. so we helped in distributing the snacks to each room and in giving some of the keys. im in the same room with Koo, Candy, and Grace. :) the room looks a little bit old, actually the whole place is a little bit old. but if there's one thing i love there - it's the FOOD! haha. ;) after dinner we had one meeting where Bro. Eden and Bro. Moses shared a few words. they shared about glorifying God in our work, in choosing our friends, especially our lifetime partners. it was really encouraging. :)


after the meeting, we went night swimming. :) too bad Grace and Candy wasn't there. i think we got up around past 11pm. it was so cold while we were walking back to our rooms. but it's okay, D was just beside me.. and that made me want to freeze time. haha. :) we took pictures together before i finally went back to my room.


after breakfast the next day, there were some group games. i only joined the first two. Ruth, Rachel, Judith, Cyrus, Daniel, and i rented a motor boat and went snorkeling. :) we really enjoyed the ride and the view. :) there were waves.. and big rocks, and some caves too. :) we got so far that we cannot see the land anymore. then we came down. honestly, there were no corals at all! but we saw some fishes.. and blue starfishes. :) on our way back, D was feeling nauseous. until we reached the island, he was still feeling bad. luckily someone gave us meds, and he was okay again. :)


i showered after lunch, and played charades with some sisters. it was so much FUN! :) so tired i fell asleep for awhile. and we left already. we were the last one who left the place, but Koo drove real fast. we stopped by Blue Wave and ate dinner at Gerry's Grill. :) im so RED here, and until now, my arms and legs still hurt so bad that i cannot wear anything fitted because of the sunburn. but it's all worth it. :) it feels good to get away from this busy city once in awhile. :)

the ber months are here again! and some people are starting to countdown the days till Christmas. ;) a sweet friend just gave me an ointment today for my sunburn, hopefully these will be gone by weekend. :)

Happy Birthday Koo!! :)

Up!

my classmate James came over to my house today to bring the Coffee Jelly Mousse i ordered from him. :) we were supposed to meet somewhere else, but because of the pile of work i still have to do, he was kind enough to come. :) we talked about how we really miss school.. and our other classmates of course. like who has work already, and where they are working. he recently resigned from McDo. and is now finding a new job. i told him to work in a bakery company since he's really good at baking. :)


the coffee jelly is yummy! Grace ordered one too. ;) James also makes yummy Blueberry Cheesecake! :)


somewhere in between, D and i found time to watch the much awaited UP this afternoon. :) i really love it! in one particularly insightful little scene, one of the characters says, “Sometimes, it’s the boring stuff I remember the most.” it’s a sentiment that easily explains the appeal of this film. it’s not the high adventure wackiness that will ultimately make this film stand out. it’s the poignant little moments where we watch the characters deal with life and loss and friendship and dreams, all the familiar little things that are already present in our own lives.


just took this shot from our window. the clouds never fail to amaze me.. the shapes, the colors. ;)

cold Monday night

after a long day at work, this is what i need - a cup of coffee! :) i LOVE coffee. especially when i have company. a friend or even a book will do. it's Monday again, and while everyone is looking forward to the non-working holiday on Wednesday, im not exempted from work. hay. there's nothing to look forward to for me except the weekend.

on other news, today is D's first day at work at this company in Paranaque. it's far.. and boring because he can't text while at work. but i can deal with that. i think. he said that the people there are great. and im happy for him. :) i hope that he can adjust easily in his new work environment.

while watching the news today, i heard that there's another typhoon coming! i wonder when these crazy weather will end. i have to sleep early tonight because im not feeling so well. goodnight! :)

lately

lately i have been..

..busy doing my brother's homework for school.

..concerned about a lump in me that's getting bigger since the last time i checked on it -

..which lead me seeing two specialists this week.

..preoccupied with work.

..contemplating a little too much about some things.

..wanting a massage badly.

..wishing i could get more sleep and these dark circles under my eyes would go away.

..reading tons of books.

..loving coffee.

***
im happy that it's finally Friday again. :) i think i haven't mentioned before that D had resigned from his work around end of May. he's been trying to find one and this week he's already satisfied with this German company and he's already working on his requirements. yey. :) it's so hard not having work, with all the bills you need to pay. we met after my work and went to a hospital to see his doctor due to some issues he's having but the doctor left early for a meeting so we had early dinner instead at nearby Shakey's. he went to church after bringing me home and here i am, trying to finish some things and update my blog.

i purchased two books this week and im happy with it. :)



some people are against reading Twilight but i think there's nothing wrong with it as long as you don't get so obsessed about it. i've read it before but i just borrowed it from my friend. so i finally bought one for myself, and i'll buy the three other books after i read this, again . that is, if i have time. i find the other book interesting, it has lots of activities you can do at home during rainy days when you cannot go out and get bored. that's why it's titled that way - Rainy Days and Saturdays. I'm Bored. the next time we get bored here at home, i'll try to use it. haha! and i'll let you know how it goes. ;)

i also had a good number of pictures printed yesterday while im waiting for my turn at the doctor's clinic. and im so happy that i have started putting the pictures in the album i bought last month. i hope to finish it before.. hm, the ber months? let's see. :)

that's all for now. will sleep earlier tonight. :)

1.2 =)

Happy 14months Dear. ; )

05. 17. 09

Deb and Alda

Last Friday, Alda came over and we had dinner together and catch up on a lot of things. i missed her. : ) on Saturday when we came home from church, D and i went to Powerplant to buy something. was supposed to try Pepper Lunch but the line was long so we went to Dulcinea instead. i had my favorite Beef Salpicao. : ) the beef is so tender and flavorful. : ) i also loved the potatoes on the side.

Beef Salpicao

Chicken Cordon Bleu

this week seems pretty fast, don't you think? and here's another week. in two weeks, May is gone. will get my diploma from school tomorrow before going to work. : ) it still didn't sunk in my mind that im not going back to school anymore until my cousins went to the mall this afternoon to buy what they need for another school year. haha! D just left, and im going to bed already. goodnight all. : )

it's been a while

i haven't blogged for a few days, sorry for the lack of posts. because i've been busy and if i have time, im not in the mood to write. yes i know, my posts are getting boring. anyway, here are some bits and pieces that i want to share with you all (if there is any):

*after the prayer meeting last Sunday afternoon, we all went to visit Twa-I (my grandma's sister) in her house at Tandangsora. we watched PBA, played badminton (which i enjoyed very much :)), and had a heavy dinner! there were three big pizzas, chickens, chinese noodles, fresh fruits, ice creams, and chocolates. : )

Badminton

Twa-I and Ama : )

Big and Small Daniel : )

*im planning to go somewhere within the country with some friends and maybe D. what's your favorite place here? i've been out of the country but never been anywhere outside Luzon, haha! i hope to find a good deal. : )

*our Vacation Bible School in church starts tomorrow. please pray for us and for the kids. : )

*i got my first ever salary today!! : ) hahaha. nothing to boast. but it feels great when i think that i really worked hard for it. : ) now i know, when you worked for it, it's not easy to spend it anymore especially on things that you don't need.

*while in work, i find myself getting hungry during early afternoons. im currently loving: fresh lumpia and dried mangoes. : )


*and another thing to be thankful for, Stellan is HOME!! : ) praise the Lord. i can only imagine how much pain they've gone through, but through their faith in God, millions around the world are inspired. including me. : )

till here! off to a small group. : )

L - O - V - E

....it isn't an emotion

....it isn't some giddy, heart-palpitating, pupils-dilating, pulse-pounding feeling

....it isn't having your knees shaking when you hear his voice, or feel his touch

....it isn't taking you out to the nicest places, giving you the most expensive presents

....it isn't being taken cared of, being pampered, being spoiled

....it isn't LUST

....it isn't being practical


What is IT?

IT is letting go, and making yourself vulnerable

IT is STAYING, even on the BAD and UGLY days

IT is being PATIENT despite the petty, unresolvable quarrels

IT is a SINCERE smile, or a hug, or a look

IT is the sweet little somethings we sometimes take for granted

IT is FORGIVENESS and ACCEPTANCE

IT is WISE.

IT is GIVING.

IT is the BEST friendship.

IT is YOU.

Why do I love thee?


I love YOU, just BECAUSE I do.

*Happy Birthday Dear!! : )

I WISH for a whole weekend with YOU,

away from reality.

impossible

quick post

it's a rainy Saturday morning here. im feeling cold. and i have LBM. : ( hay. made myself a cup of hot chocolate with lotsa marshmallows.. want some? : ) i'll do a quick post then ill bring Hannah to the dentist to have her teeth checked.

so i'll just share some of Daniel's shots...






i thinks he's really becoming good at it. : ) i surprised him with a tripod last week so he won't have a hard time trying not to move when the exposures are high. : )

gotta go. bye for now. : )

driving 101 - day 3

it's our third day of driving lessons. we enrolled in a five-day, one hour per day course. : ) so far, i learned the basics like the right seating position, uses of the pedals, shifting of gears, when to use horns, how to control, start and stop the vehicle. not bad. what do you think?

we are driving a manual Toyota Vios car. so there are three pedals. the clutch pedal, is used to stop the vehicle and shift the gear. the brake pedal is used to stop the vehicle and to slow down. and (my favorite) the gas/accelerator is used to speed up.


we have one hour each so we take turns and we use one car for the both of us so we can be together. here's Alda while waiting for the traffic light to turn green. : )


and here i am, entertaining myself while taking (my) pictures to avoid falling asleep.


i think our instructor noticed me taking pictures, so he asked me to read this - The Filipino Driver's Manual. to read while the car was running? no no. so i just browsed through the pages. and to my delight, it has colored illustrations in it. haha!

day 4 tomorrow. : )

D and i had lunch together after our driving lessons while Alda had lunch with Renz too. : ) because i didn't take breakfast before leaving the house, i finished up a Fully Loaded meal from KFC. yum!! D ordered the same too. then we went to their home and i met her two Aunties who came from Australia. they will be attending Daniel's grandfather's birthday celebration this coming Monday. we talked and talked and they were so nice to me. : )

Happy April Fools' Day! : )

Monsters vs. Aliens

D and i watched Monsters vs. Aliens today at IMAX. : ) it's both our first time to watch there and it was great. i love the screen.. it was really soo big! they said it was the biggest in the world. don't know. but maybe it's true. the whole theater was big too.. i think it's four times the capacity of an ordinary theater.

here we are before the movie started - with our 3D glasses. : )

the movie itself is good. there are parts wherein you'd really laugh out loud. : ) it also showed how important friendship is, no matter what you are. : ) there were alot of kids watching with their parents too (since it's a cartoon), and i was really laughing when i saw them raise their hands altogether trying to hold the pictures in front of them, haha! it's a 3D.. they thought it was real. so cute. : ) i loved our large BBQ popcorn we bought at the snack bar just before entering the theater. we finished it right away! : )

i LOVE Kripy Kreme!!! : )

on our way home, we stopped by Roxas Boulevard and took a picture. too bad the sun was almost gone, haha. but i still loved our shot. : )

UST Baccalaureate Mass

we had our Baccalaureate Mass today at the field. : ) we started our parade from our building to the field at 4:30 in the afternoon. it was so hot, and we were all sweating all over. but nevertheless, we were all in high spirits. : ) we keep on taking pictures! haha. we were seated right in the middle of the field and i liked our place because we can see the stage properly. after everyone settled down, the program started. introducing each college/faculty, when it was founded, the dean and regent, and how many graduates they produced. when each college/faculty was called, everyone stood up happily. others bought balloons and tarps, some blew horns, some even raised their chairs haha. all in all, Batch 2009 has 7,308 graduates. : )



then the mass started with scripture readings and the priest spoke in front. he opened his message by saying "Panahon na, para mag saya..". he talked about how people kept thinking about their problems and forgot about rejoicing. i liked it when he said, if there is no night, how can we appreciate the coming of dawn.



to my surprise, D came from work to see me. : ) XC and Jay also came. and the girls were very happy. ; ) we pinned the UST pin given to us earlier and we lighted our candles. lights were put off and people were so happy watching an AVP prepared for us.



the most awaited part of the night, the fireworks display, started. : ) it's beautiful. : ) then all the graduating students walked together to the Arch of the Centuries, marching out of it. i remember during our first year, we walked in it. symbolizing that we are Thomasians. now that we are graduating, we are going out from UST to the real world. 'twas bittersweet. my foot hurts when i came home because of all the walking and standing, but i really had a great time. : )

*except for the first shot which i took, all shots were taken by Daniel.

quality time

Ace Water Spa

D and i, along with my brother Hans, spent the day at Ace Water Spa. : ) they have more than 20 unique and fully automated Ultrasonic Massage System equipped with therapeutic aquatic jets to relax and soothe tired and aching muscles. each system massages specific areas of the body categorized as soft, moderate, or hard massages. i enjoyed their hot herbal pools and sauna rooms, also the lapping pool. : ) from the last time i visited, they increased their rates to php550 for adults and php250 for kids for four hours. i find it a little bit expensive and not so worth it anymore. good thing i have my Belle de Jour coupon, so we got one free pass. : ) when you're done, they'll give you a free soup at their own Ace Coffee Lounge.

im hungry already by the time we finished. so we dropped by somewhere before coming home and found ourselves at Station 54. : )

i find this a cute idea - it's their address. : )

potato balls

baked macaroni - this is delicious and their pasta is cooked al dente. : )

according to my brother, the place is owned by a couple who are fire volunteers. and goes to the same church where he attends. they have decorated the place with many picture frames, hose, fire extinguishers, helmets.. you get the picture. : ) here are some of the cute firetruck miniatures. : )

goodbye Mr. Fireman! : )

so there. i went to church tonight and im sleepy already. tomorrow we have Sunday School again and i can't wait to see my kids (students, i call them my kids hehe). they are always full with energy and have alot of questions for you. sometimes they are stubborn, sometimes loving, sometimes really really noisy too.. but i still love them. : ) and Jesus loves them too. just like what the song says.. red and yellow black and white, all are precious in His sight. : ) that song reminds me of our class singing it for a contest. : )

that's all folks.

how about you? how'd you spent your day? : )

much better now

okay, so my post last night is quite sad. at that time, i really am. but now, i feel better. : ) so let me share some pictures from yesterday. here i am at Timezone, playing my all-time favorite - MarioKart. : ) D and i played this several times and i just loved it. : )

pictured below is what i cooked for our dinner - Shrimp Creole. : ) it is tasty and very easy to do. all of us loved it and finished it right away. : )



here's the recipe, try to make one and im sure you'll love it. : )

Shrimp Creole
4-6 servings

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 medium green pepper, diced
3-4 garlic cloves
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
500 grams medium shrimp, peeled

- in a large casserole, melt butter and saute onions, celery, and green peppers until almost tender, about 2-3 minutes. add garlic and saute until garlic begins to brown.
- stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, and water. taste the sauce and add more water if sauce is too thick.
- add sugar, salt, and bay leaves. cover casserole partially and bring sauce to a boil. let boil for one minute.
- add shrimp and simmer until shrimp until shrimp are fully cooked, about 3-4 minutes. stir occasionally. serve with steamed rice.

after lunch today, D went out and played computer with his high school friends Bentong and Alvin. : ) i slept for an hour. im so sleepy (again) and it's just so HOT that i don't wanna go out anymore. D came back and we ate yummy asado pao from my Auntie Beng. : ) while im typing this, he's out and is playing basketball with some churchmates at YMCA. : ) it's been awhile since he last played.

now i have to go back to work on my module. good luck to me. im happy that there's no classes tomorrow. : )

Avilon Zoo

Avilon Zoo

if you know me well enough, you'll know that i LOVE to eat. it's one way to my heart haha. because i have to be home for dinner with my family, D and i went to Avilon Zoo in Montalban, Rizal for a change. : ) many people have been there.. mostly by field trips. but the only zoo i've been to was in Manila Zoo haha. it was farther than i expected. but the trip was worth it. it's more of an adventure. : ) and of course, D held my hand (if he was not taking photos) the whole time - could it get any better?

admit two

we arrived around 11 in the morning and was one of the firsts to get in. entrance fee is php208 per head. and if you want a tour guide, it's an additional php350. the zoo is a 7-hectare land that houses a multitude of different species. it is kept clean and very well maintained.


here we are with trixie the monkey. you have to pay php50 to take pictures with her. she is trained well and readily poses with us. : )


Valentine's day doesn't have to be extravagant to call it a day. : )

*i had so much fun. thanks dear! : )