Funtabulous!

If there's one word to describe my weekend, I would simply put it as Funtabulous!

FUN. FANTASTIC. FABULOUS! 

My Saturday was about catching up with good friends over lunch and coffee . . . good food, good conversation, good company . . .all these and more definitely makes up a good time. =)   

Thanks K for the photos! =)

Sunday was still about good friends . . . and SURPRISES!  With just one more week to go before I give birth, I didn't expect a baby shower (at all!) from these girls (who are all oh-so busy!).    

The surprise was overwhelming and I am deeply touched by their effort to organize and to make time to give me such a fun and memorable baby shower!  Ladies, you have such generous hearts,  I couldn't thank you enough. =)     

Thanks D and C for the Instagram photos . . . and for getting me hooked on it, haha!

I am still on a high from my weekend to say the least.

Hope you all had a funtabulous weekend just like mine!

Grateful for "BFs"

I was doing some spring cleaning (again!  It's just never. . .ending!  Haha!) to free up some space before our Little J arrives when I saw this picture of me and M, my first "BF" in school (best friend that is!)

Circa 1981
My best friend M, on the left
and moi, on the right =)

We were both in 1st Grade but we were in different sections.  We got together when we were chosen as majorettes to represent our class for our school's Foundation Day.  I really don't know how our friendship started, we just clicked I guess.  I  just remember that in one of our practices, she was snacking on a childhood favorite drink of mine (our local version of a snow cone, a sweet and syrupy drink with red tapioca pearls).  So I guess I can say our friendship started over food?!  (Nothing has changed, she is still a best friend and we both still love food!  Haha!)

So the other day, I was watching "Bride Wars" (starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson) and heard this quote which made me feel grateful for having all these amazing girlfriends (who I've met at different points in my life) who have given me their gift of unconditional love and friendship.

Sometimes in life there really are bonds formed that can never be broken. Sometimes you really can find that one person who will stand by you no matter what. Maybe you'll find it in a spouse and celebrate it with your dream wedding, but theres also the chance that the one person you can count on for a lifetime, the one person who knows you sometimes better than you know yourself is the same person who's been standing beside you all along.

*Quote from www.finestquotes.com

To my best girls . . .Thank you very much for just simply being there when I need you (that you don't even have to say anything!), for wiping away tears of joy and sadness, for helping me get over my fears and celebrate my success, for helping me deal with my frustrations and share in my happiness too.  

As a mom, you pray a LOT of things for your children (it's a long list I tell you, haha!).  One thing I'm sure I've included in my list is that they will be blessed with such great and true friends just as I have been blessed in my life.

Sweets for Our Sweet

The Little One celebrated her 1st Birthday a couple of weeks ago . . . just as she makes our world brighter and sweeter, she had a colorful candy-themed party.

There were no fancy booths, no special shows, no magicians. . .just the usual party games made more exciting and more FUN by family and friends.

We couldn't have it any other way . . . it was a celebration (and thanksgiving) for the Little One's Birthday surrounded by the people who have showered us with love, who have offered us their gift of friendship and everyone (blood-related or not) who taught us how to become a family and made us a part of their own.

  

To our Dear Little One,

It seems like it was only just yesterday when we learned that we are having you.  We were happy, thankful, excited . . .and scared . . .scared that we won't measure up to everybody's expectations. . . including our own.     

Time flies so fast, you're now a year older!  You just continue to amaze and surprise us everyday!  Seeing your smile, hearing your giggles and when you call us "Mama" and "Papa" bring us so much joy.  You are the most wonderful blessing we ever received.


Happy Birthday Little Sweetie. . . we love you very much!


Hugs and Kisses,
Papa and Mama




Photo credit: Shutter Count

July 1993

This was the date written on this birthday card. . .which makes it 19 years old!  I saw this while fixing my drawer and was given to me by M, my best friend.  (She is probably my first friend too. . . EVER!  Haha!  We met when we were both seven years old while practicing for a school activity.)  

It's so nice to read her personal message (again) which I found funny and amazing at the same time.

Amazing how she foresaw all the possibilities that can happen in my life (teehee)

Betchamygollywow, I'm NOT nineteen anymore!

I got married

I got into stocks (and got out of it, haha!)

I got a job (Before I got married)

One of the things I am thankful for in my life is having a great set of friends.  They are a blessing in my life.  We may not see each other as often as we want to and we may have seen changes (major) in our lives but I know our friendship remains the same.  So . . .

To M and to my other best girls, thank you for being "a friend for life".  =) 

Two Peas in a Pod (Special Edition)

As I've mentioned in an earlier post, I am going to make "Two Peas in a Pod" a monthly thing. And I am so excited for this month's post as I am featuring a really good friend of mine (a celebrity in her own right!  Teehee.  She hosts a show in our city's cable channel) 

D and I (and the other 10 amazing ladies that make up our High School group) have been friends for 24 years now.  We met when we were Sophomore in High School (in an all-girls school run by nuns).  She was "the new student" who transferred from Butuan (a city located in the South of Philippines).  I think one of us (in our group) asked her if she wants to join us for the morning break.  And that was the start of a beautiful friendship.

I am not exactly sure when but during High School, she was chosen to be our "Lakambini" (Filipino term for muse) for a school event.  The name has stuck since then and we call her our "Lakambini" (much to our amusement and to her displeasure, haha!)

I've been telling her (and I'm sure I am not alone in saying this) that for some reason, she reminds me of Gretchen Barretto, a Filipino actress and is considered to be one of the prettiest faces in the Entertainment industry.

Guess it's time to let the photos do the talking now . . .

*Gretchen is on the left and my friend D is on the right

And my most favorite pictures of these two gorgeous ladies. . . .



These two photos where they wear sunglasses are so uncanny, right?!! Haha!

So to my dear friend D, if you're not yet convinced . . . I hope this blog post will change your mind, heehee. 

Have a beautiful day ahead everyone! =)

"Bartering" Walnuts

As defined by the online Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:

Barter - verb - To trade by exchanging one commodity for another

And this is exactly what my good (and gorgeous!) friend D and I did. .. .we "bartered"!

There is a big pack of walnuts at home and I thought of sharing it with D as she might want to use them for her baked goodies.  (She has turned into a baking goddess and has been spending some time at the kitchen.)

Then yesterday afternoon, I received these delicious, freshly-baked, homemade chewy choco-chip walnut cookies!  They were an instant hit at home.  I had to take a quick photo before they disappear! Haha!

We've been telling her to go big time and start a business with the yummy eats she's been baking.  She also makes moist banana muffins and during our last get-together, she let us try her blueberry panna cotta which is absolutely divine. *Drool*     

Thanks again D!  The cookies were a nice (and sweet) way to end my weekend. =)  

P.S.  I wonder what if I give D  bananas naman. . .  LOL  

Wrapping Gifts is Love

The Little One and I received our first Christmas gifts last Sunday from Ninong D and Ninang A (They were are our godparents when Zola's Dad and I got married.)

Ninang A always has the best wrapped gifts bar none! It is something T (a close of friend of mine who is also their inaanak) and I look forward to seeing every Christmas.  

Every Christmas, she has a theme for all her gifts.  There was a year that she had the colors blue and silver as motif and used Christmas balls as accents.  This year, she used plain gold wrapping paper, ribbons, hollies and figurines.  Her wrappings makes the "opening of gifts" part really hard, haha!  Because it hurts to tear a nicely wrapped gift!         

  

Thank you Ninang A for always putting so much effort and LOVE in wrapping our gifts but more than that, thank you and to Ninong D for wrapping your love, affection and wisdom around us.  We are truly blessed and grateful that we have you in our lives.

Ninong D, Ninang A, Me and T