I treated out my hubby to dinner last Tuesday since I received my bonus that day.

That night, we reminisced the "olden" times when we would dine, talk (and stare at each other) for hours, at first only as friends and later on as bf/gf , at our favorite resto, Bennigan's. Oh we miss Bennigan's! Food and ambience-wise, Bennigan's was better (for me) than Friday's. But since Bennigan's closed shop in the Phillipines some years ago, we just settled for Friday's instead.

Anyway, I thought that the servings at Friday's were too small and too pricey. Maybe it was more worthwhile to have dined at a hotel instead.

Hmp. Next time.

We celebrated my mother's anniversary of her birthday in heaven last March 26.

Five years ago (2005) on Palm Sunday, she was put in the ICU due to an auto-immune disease. On Good Friday at exactly 3pm just when Our Lord had died on the cross, her heart rate and bp suddenly dropped which left her in a coma state. At 12 noon of Black Saturday, God called her and she eventually went up to Heaven. That was the saddest day of my life.

Has it been 5 years already, Nanay?

Hay, life has been tough without you. The light and joy that you bring to our home is none of the ordinary. You are our guide and our model of love and patience and I find myself so far in virtues compared to you.

But I don't want to be selfish any longer. You are now God's and with all your good and saintly traits, it is but apt that you should be enjoying the love and warmth of God.

Leaving you a picture of my mom (with my dad) on their younger...and older years.

Please continue to guide us from Heaven, Nanay.

I love you very much!

♥ Your Bunso

1. Kate Spade Peacock Avenue Dress 2. Bounkit Cluster Earrings 3. Bounkit Green Onyx Ring 4. Kate Spade Sardinian Sun Bracelet 5. Ban.do C 6. Glittering Shamrocks 7. Kate Spade La Casita Bag 8. Christian Louboutin Greissimo Mint Pumps 9. Butter British Racing Green Polish 10. The Perfect Mint Julep 11. Jonathan Adler X-Bench

1. Halston Heritage, Plisse Double Layer Silk Maxi Dress 2. Tiffany Sparklers 3. Sequin Multi Stone Necklace 4. Ice Kabobs 5. Clarins Rapid Tanner 6. Compari & Blood Orange Cocktail 7. Anthropology Fruiteria Lamp 8. Vintage Phillips Record Player 9. Jonathan Adler Templeton Sofa

1. Oversized Cotton Blend Dress 2. Gigi Earrings 3. Sugar Cubes 4. Flo For Florescent Pearl Sparkle Bauble 5. Connaught Mule Cocktail 6. Vintage Yellow Sculptura Donut Phone 7. Kellie Too Pumps 8. Satin Clutch 9. The Lemon Book 10. Lemon Pillow


Now who will you vote for?

We're one happy family!

Now, if you look closely, do you see any trace of Mommy or Daddy in the two kids? Do the kids look more like Daddy or like Mommy?

Better yet, do you think Mommy and Daddy tended to also look alike through the years? You're guess is as good as mine.

I was browsing through my pictures today and couldn’t find a decent one that would hide my bulging tummy that would already require a tummy tuck in Beverly Hills for it to look better. I admit that I had been much of an emotional eater these days that it had really put in the extra pounds on me.

Take the case last night. I was really craving for pizza and pasta (even it had to be just in the local fast-food place in the mall). I just couldn’t get it out of my head. So my husband and I went to the mall. When we got there, I tried out some clothes in the department store but nothing really seems to fit well even if I would undergo a california cosmetic surgery. (I was disappointed, I admit.) Anyway, after window-shopping, we then decided to head to the fast-food chain where they served pizza and pasta but then got side-tracked since we needed to withdraw some cash first in order to pay for the food. So we went to the nearest ATM at the basement to get cash. Without thinking, our feet then led us directly to the supermarket. Anyway, by the time we finished buying some grocery items, we both realized that we need to head back first to the car to leave the stuff and only then can be freely have dinner (i.e. with no heavy bags in tow). But since we are already heading back to the car, I insisted that we might as well hop in too and head for home. That means no more pizza and pasta for me but just home-cooked food for dinner. I know that I had to be more practical and temperate with my cravings (and I really need to face my cravings head on!).

So we ate dinner at home and just tried to relax, sit and watch TV (there was something about beverly hills rhinoplasty on air that night). I just told myself that wasn’t the end of the world. It was hard but, of course, I did survive last night...

...but tomorrow is another day. Hay.

This is (again) a late post but better late than never.

Luigi turned 5 month last February 08.

For this month, I decided to buy pansit na puti and puto with cheese from LSS plus a mango cake from the bakery in Shopwise.

We had a mini-celebration at home with my uncle and aunt. We all sang "Happy Birthday" and blew the candle for the little boy.

For the very first time, we brought our little boy with us to the mall.

At almost 5 months, we decided it's time for him to "see the world". Actually, this already seems long over due. Given that Luigi was born a few weeks before the typhoon Ondoy occured and right before our car was severely damaged by it, we never really had the chance to go around the mall with him coz we didn't have a properly-working car. Before this day, he has only been out of the house for his routine check-up at the pedia's clinic and to go to Sunday mass with us (but that's only a few steps away from our home). But now, thanks to Lolo who temporarily lent us his other car, Dad said that little boy could already tag along now as we run some errands at the nearby mall. :-)

Anyway, here are some pics to remember "the" day.

I noticed that he likes looking around and staring at people. What could really be on his mind kaya?

I'm sure we will be enjoying more fun times together at the mall when you're a little bigger honey.

Before I resume looking for nice rear spoilers for our red car that are available online and before this gets forgotten in my N73 photos folder, let me just share with you this priceless moment which we captured last December 31, 2009 (well, better late than never!).

This one's all about Luigi's very first time to roll over! *u* I'm so glad I was there to witness it.

Actually, it came unexpectedly. Luigi was just try to lie on his side that time.

Out of our excitement, after he successfully rolled-over, we hurriedly made his sit on his tush and let him and his Ate Zoe pose for a picture! (Notice how Zoe is all smiles for this wonderful feat!)

Every time February 1 falls, I can't help but feel emotional.

Luigi turned 4 months last January 8 and we celebrated it with a cake from Red Ribbon.

As always, it was Zoe who blew the candle for her baby brother (almost burned her lips doing so. Ouch!!!)

We are one happy family!!!

Zoe, do you want to be a teacher (like your Lolo, Lola and tita) when you grow up?

How was your holiday celebration everybody?

Ours was celebrated quite simply. It was all about family and simple joys this year. There were no pompous food preparations nor any bit of firecracker for New Year. We just had one big family reunion on both sides of the family where we prepared yummy traditional dishes that didn’t really cost that much. What was important that everyone in the family had good health and were prepared spiritually for Jesus’ birth and the new year.

Part of that spirit of Christmas is learning to give without expecting anything in return. It’s so easy to say but very hard to practice. I think my own parents, through the years, had tried very hard to teach us this lesson. This year is no exception on trying to live this virtue that they had struggled to instill in us: charity.

Our (more of my) charity this Christmas mainly revolved on F. He returned home for Christmas and it was a homecoming that was like that of a prodigal son. We had been away for some months now. He had lots of sad stories about his life in the province: experiencing hunger, no money, no means, and a difficult school life. Indeed, he lived in a sad state there. He also talked about his father and brother needing proper Addiction Treatment. I think they are somewhat hooked on marijuana and needs Drug Treatment. Oh if only we could both send them to a drug rehab so that F can stay in the province without any bad influence from his family. Minus that problem, he can better manage his finance and schooling there and learn to be truly independent. Anyway, he's already back in the province. I only pray and hope that he will survive there.

You turned 3 months last December 8th. T'was the feast of the Immaculate Conception and we thought that it was marvelous timing to celebrate life ~ your life!

You have been steadily gaining weight this month and have grown quite rapidly, in my opinion. You are a very talkative baby, do you know that? Your constant cooing, giggling and ooohh's often fill the room with much joy. Sometimes, you seem to act like your sister when she was your age but also sometimes not. I believe that you have a character of your own and we are more than excited to know your very own temperament.

We celebrated your 3rd month with spaghetti, eggpie and ginataang mais (your Grandma made it just for you!).

With your Grandma staying with us for the past weeks, you have grown to enjoy being carried and rocked by her. You love it when she holds you in the rocking chair and how cute you tenderly fall asleep in her arms. I'm sure you feel the love and care that she has for you!

Meantime, your sister also shows how much she loves you by always wanting to kiss you in the forehead. She likes to act like Mommy by repeating what Mommy usually whispers to you, "Luigi, baby boy, sweetheart....". She likes to say that over and over again!

And how lucky you are for your Dad is truly very hands-on in taking care of you. He takes over looking after you and your sister whenever he can (he's a great Dad and yes, he wakes up at night to hand you to me for your feeding).

I feel truly blessed for having all of you, my 3 darlings, to come into my life. And for that, I'll be forever thankful to God.