Christmas 2018

It’s that time of the year again wherein I become a kitchen slave. But don't get me wrong, this is a small sacrifice for the love of family and of course, cooking. I just don’t normally cook this much during our birthdays or other occasions, Christmas lang talaga. Maybe because of the festive spirit of it or the cooler weather perhaps? 

2018 anniversary

Contrary to last year, my husband and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary in a very simple manner. We just had dinner at Dulcinea Tomas Morato branch. We want it at Concha's Garden sana but the parking lot was full. 

Our usual favorites on the table...

Beef Salpicao

Birthday Merienda at Harlan and Holden Glasshouse

After watching “The Star is born”, we craved for coffee. I like to try a cafe naman na di pa namin nasusubukan. Medyo nagsasawa na ako sa Starbucks and Coffeebean. Ganun din sa Costa  and Seattle’s best. I want something unique. If I have my way, I’ll do that every week; yung try a different Café naman. The quirkier it is, the better.

Harlan and Holden Glasshouse fits the description. I love the interior first and foremost...

hubby’s birthday 2018

My son can’t go with us because he is competing in a tournament(E-sports) so it was just me and husband for this birth date. He had to leave early morn after greeting his Tatay. We planned to go out of town but changed our minds, eventually. 

I bought choco fudge cake from Goldilock’s the night before without him knowing...

Texas Joe's House of Ribs Subic and Cafe France Caltex

We want to deviate from our usual resto picks, so we googled the best eats in Subic. We chose Texas Joe's House of Ribs and Steak, a saloon type of resto near the Harbour front.

Subic escape anew : Camayan Beach Resort

My husband has been suffering from colds for almost ten days already. He insisted on curing it the natural  way because we all know that the common colds can be treated with rest, hydration and nutrition. I made him breath a few drops of Eucalytus oil over boiled water, prepared Ginger tea with lemon and honey plus soupy meals like Nilagang Baka(beef broth), Tinolang Manok(Chicken soup w/ ginger), Sinigang Ribs and Bangus alternately. Over the weekend, he went to Manila Bay twice too, to at least breath some sea air to loosen his clogged nose. 

Gluten free diet

My husband is back to eating rice{instead of bread} again even during breakfast. I told him to try the gluten free diet after suffering from bloating, indigestion and sometimes rashes whenever he eats which made him lost a considerable amount of weight in the past year. I was stressed too whenever he suffers because sometimes I feel guilty because I'm the one in charge with regards to our meals. So I tried researching online. Good thing I'm very much aware of diets because I'm into fitness and wellness myself. 

ALDEN Adrenaline Rush concert

As an avid fan, I really wanted to watch Alden Richards this year since I wasn’t able to go last year. But it was already this month that I finally decided to go. My husband who was supportive of my fan girling told me to buy na my ticket and he will pay for it. I was not expecting that I could purchase pa but I was lucky enough that a few more were still available even if it was the first week of September already. Yay!

Hello, once again

Yes, I know I’ve neglected this site once again. Ang dami nang nangyari from my last post but nothing major naman. My life is so routinary so you can imagine kung ano man yung kinukwento ko from my past posts, it doesn't have that much difference. Lol.

Accept and act on it

After my usual tasks here at home, I headed to the gym for an hour of zumba. In addition, I also did some circuit training(weight bearing exercises with machines). I still did the required weight and repetitions that I used to train with. The difference is, I feel weaker and slower now. Yun yung nawawala, strength and endurance when you stop with your fit lifestyle. I’m currently on that stage. Ok lang yan, acceptance is the key. Yung kasunod niyan, you’ll do something about it.

slowly but surely

With almost six months of no strict diet, I know it would be hard for someone to just turn 360 degrees around to be conscious with what one suppose to eat on a given day. One key is to go back to what works for you~ mine is having a plant based and an almost pescatarian diet(no pork or beef). I am comfortable with this diet because I‘m not really a carnivorous person to begin with unlike my husband and son.

plant based

Apart from added cardio exercise 5-6x a week(I need this to lessen my excess poundage), I slowly went back to a plant based diet which been proven effective for me, the reason when everyone is on Keto diet, I chose this one. After Father’s day celeb yesterday, I prepared the following for today...

Happy Father’s day 2018

Happy Father’s day to my ever hardworking and selfless husband (and to all amazing fathers out there). We totally appreciate you for almost ‘spoiling’ us for twenty five years (and counting)!

 *Raising my voice also to heaven for my own Dad*  

back to biking

I mean, on stationary bike. Last week, I asked my husband to put back our stationary bike in the bedroom. The last time I used it was last year pa. That time, it was no longer challenging to me. My fitness level last year was very high from March to I guess, October. When Christmas time came, I indulged myself in overeating and lack of exercise. Everyone asked me to gain some weight because I was 115 lbs. then, my ideal weight. Ayun nagtuloy tuloy na. Haha.

kindness matters

I confess I lack the effort in this department when it comes to connecting to others. Lalo na pag nasa hibernation period ako. Haha. Yes, I have a seasonal tendency to be scarce in terms of socialization. Lumalabas din talaga minsan my introvert side.

fitness journey 2018

Starting today, I’ll be posting updates on how I will try to go back to being fit and healthy after six months of indulgence. I confess, I indulged by choice with regards to my eating habits and inconsistent physical well-being unlike last year.

Unexpected bonding

We went to Ayala Mall Vertis North today. Initially, I want to attend zumba, but I decided to start with my home exercises again so I just danced for an hour after washing two rounds of laundry by machine.

We ate merienda at our favorite jaunt...

We continued with our window shopping. While I was about to fit at Reebok, my husband was talking to someone na pala. We bumped into our Kumpare J. He’s one of my hubby’s best friend since the 90’s. His family is into fishing. He met up with a business partner earlier and he was waiting for our Kumare. Ayun, instant bonding. We went back to Coffee Bean and  ended up having dinner at a Japanese resto(I missed the name forgive me) in the fourth floor. Napansin ko lang minsan talaga mas maganda unplanned, natutuloy. Madami ng instances nangyari sa amin na ganun. It was an instant refresher from our daily routine. I love spontaneous meet ups like this.

let’s talk about collecting

Collecting things will make you happy. It is a want, not a need. You sometimes tell yourself ,“I deserve these” after working so hard. Do you agree?

remaining. a few have been bought

unico hijo’s 25th and Blake's Wings and Steaks

It was a special day for the sole reason why I became a Mom. I will always mention this trivia about him: I gave birth to him on Mother's day. Very fitting right?  I started last year on giving him a birthday card complete with my personal dedication/wishes/blessings. Being a self-confessed old soul, I wrote it for his eyes only not for the social media to see. I don't greet him also on Facebook like what most do now. I just post pics for souvenir(and to unload my phone's gallery). I'm not against it, I just feel it's not me when I do that. If others do it, I simply respect their choice. To each his own, right? Choose happy.

my Friday the 13th birthday 2018

I had a very simple birthday celebration. My small family of three just had a lunch date at Contis. Yun lang, we found the food not too yummy na unlike before. We were disappointed. We should've tried other restos na lang instead.

Holy Thursday 2018

I woke up at 5:00 am. Nowadays, I've been sleeping before midnight which is unusual for me. I went to the bathroom but went to bed again hoping to sleep some more. I woke up at 7am, when I heard my  husband open the door. He was scheduled to bike today. I immediately did what I have in my sked for today, that is doing the laundry. I took a bath afterwards and had a quick coffee fix with my diced hopia I bought yesterday at Ayala Malls Cloverleaf.

Baclaran church and Ayala Mall Cloverleaf

I decided to tag along with my husband to his work today. 

Hermit out

I want these bamboo(kawayan) plants at Army Navy in my home

Last Saturday, my husband attended a wedding somewhere in Pampanga with my father in law and obviously, I begged off. Umandar na naman ang pagka-introvert ng Lola niyo. Haha.

be happy NOW

Woah, the first quarter of the year is almost done!

Yesterday, I felt the need to blog and pour into writing what I've been thinking as of late. This could be what you may call 'birthday blues'(April is my birth month), but I'm not feeling blue at all.

orchid and bonsai show

When I saw this in the news the other day, I immediately planned to go here. It would be a sin not to, since it's just a fifteen minutes drive from our place on a Sunday.

bed of flowers

I didn't bring my digital camera because it's heavy. My husband just dropped me off because he has to work and I just took public transportation in going home.

exercise to eat

I've been going to the gym twice a week now. I told my husband I need a motivation like a beach trip. Same day last year I was five to seven pounds thinner yata. Para siyang walang narinig. Haha. 

It's a far cry from my usual last year and that is four times a week. I wish to return to that kind of normalcy again.

Specially when you're eating like this post gym...

new Spode plates

If there's one thing that I'm frustrated when it comes to reaching for my goals this year is my capacity to save up. I'm not performing well in this area. I bought new teacups and plates for my collection. Again. Huhu.

blessed week ahead

My sister is celebrating her birthday today. Yesterday, we(my Mom, Aunt, and sis) visited my late Dad to give honor. We believe that during our birthdays, we should also celebrate our parents. Because without their loving presence, we won't be here on earth.

why plant

For the past few weeks, this is what I was busy of. The reason why I'm lagging behind with my blogposts, too. I spend most of my time outdoor. 

Brewing Point

To break the monotony of activities, my husband and I love to dine out either in a cafe, restaurant or a nearby food joint like food parks or sometime fast food. Our 25 yr. old son is busy now with his work(on a graveyard sked), sometimes extra curricular activities(joining online game tournaments). Thus , most of the time, he can't join us especially on spontaneous moments like this. Bumabawi na lang kami sa kanya sa movie watching, out of town trips plus, we make it a point that if he's at home, it's a must that we eat together as a family.

caught this while waiting for our food 

March 2018

I used to long for this season(dry) but this year yata I will "abstain". My birth month is thirty days away but I think I can't handle the humidity and hot air that these months will bring. 

Though I cooked Pancit Canton for lunch today, I'm not celebrating.

Menopausal na yata ako kahit hindi pa.  Haha.

midweek blessings

I feel blessed today. First on the list was this bloom, been awaiting for it since it's not that often that I get to see flowers in my garden. I only use blooming fertilizer once in a while. 

a rainbow and more plants

This rainbow made me smile on a gloomy Tuesday. Luckily, the road was almost carless when I took a shot.

 a Rainbow is mysterious for me

I asked my husband to accompany me because I'll buy more plants, rocks, and fertilizer in the garden center this afternoon.

where I placed the rocks

back to gardening

I went to the nearest Garden center from our place. I want to revive my garden before it gets too hot.

weekly update

I've been thinking lately if I would just update on a weekly basis. My life isn't that interesting naman to post my activities day by day. It's actually routinary. It would have been different when I was still teaching. That, I would categorize a fully loaded life. 

Stay tuned.

so young

Last Sunday, I received a bad news thru my FB feed. The sister of my childhood best friend died. She was my sister's batch mate too. We visited her wake today. We learned that she died of Asthma. She's just 47 years old and has three children. Life is short, really. May she rest in peace. God speed R!

our Razon's Pit stop before heading home

quick Trinoma visit

Husband had a quick meet up. He asked me to come. I window shopped while he's doing his business.

Coffee and donuts' indulgence before heading home...

Black Panther

My son watched Black Panther together with his cousins so it was just the two of us(hubby and I) na lang ang nag-movie date. Normally, we do it as a family.

We chose the 7:45 pm screening time. We had a quick dinner at the nearby Old Spaghetti House. It looks unassuming outside the resto but their food was surprisingly delicious!

husband's

Incubus Manila concert + Buddy's + Tim Horton's

My husband can't just pass up on their third visit here in  the Philippines.

birthday at Lugang Cafe, Kumori Japanese bakery

I think this was the first time that we celebrated my father in law's birthday in a restaurant. We always do it at my husband's ancestral home with a party.

Ash Valentines

Our Ash Valentine's wasn't that BIG compared to others. We don't usually celebrate it. My husband just greeted and kissed each other. It was a regular working day for him but he asked me if we could just go out in the evening and have dinner at a nearby food park.

Pre~Valentine's 2018

Royal Albert Old Country roses

I  love receiving food gifts. Those yummy Hopia buns with pastillas like fillings are given to us by one of our staff.  He bought it in Sta. Rita, Pampanga. I'm a sucker for native delicacies lalo na yung di pa gaano commercialized. 

Hello, Monday!

Waking up to a sunshiny day is my cue for a photo opportunity. Sasayangin mo ba ang natural light? 

Pink willow teacup

Less is more unless it's love. ~Ben Mittleman

new faux flowers

I had the time finally to buy some roses, well, faux ones yesterday. I promised before that I won’t buy anymore. If ever, white lang. Hayan pink ang binili ko.

melting fats

Pushed myself to go and attend zumba today. I'm so lazy the past weeks. 

no, it isn't me. 

shelfie inspo

What I like about Instagram is that I get to see lots of ideas from all over the world. The tags are very helpful. I'm sharing them with you, too.

Gifts

I think this is a horse tail succulent variety. The hand painted pot was a  no occasion gift by the husband...