50-50 Draw

9:34 AM | Posted by Bela

The local staff in our office organized a 50-50 draw last Friday and the proceeds of fund raising will be use for the Children’s Christmas Party, for the kids of the staff, on December 10, 2010.

The mechanics for the 50-50 draw is simple. They will sell tickets and whatever will be the total sales will be divided in half – the first half will go to the lucky winner and the other half will be for the fund raising project.

I bought two tickets and the total pot money reached a total of P11,000++. So when I received the email with the name of the winner, I was so excited to open it. And the winner is:

And my Ticket number is:

I already won in this draw a few years back. Unfortunately, I was not lucky this time. But that is okay. As I was telling my friend, it is better that it is not me who won because for sure I will just use it again to get me a new bag. LOL.

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Newest Fashion Trends

9:23 AM | Posted by Bela

There is one subject that seems to be important to just about everyone at some point in their lives and that is fashion. The fashion industry has always been an interesting subject that has monopolized the media as stars have dictated fashion trends for as long as I can remember. I look back at photos of my mom in paisley mini skirts and high heeled white boots and I can remember a popular girl group during that era that wore similar outfits. I knew that the effects that stars had on young girls is similar to what goes on today.

2010 Fashion Trends

It seems as though head wear of all kinds are becoming very popular today. This actually seems like it makes practical sense now that the temperatures are dropping. However, there are some of the floppy, wide-brimmed hat that don’t seem to be practical at all, but do make a dynamic fashion statement. The floppy hat certainly seems to be in with very famous A-list women stars sporting them around Hollywood. Many sport these hats coupled with wearing tall boots and skinny jeans that have been tucked inside.

Fashion news has recently focused on menswear. Some women have even worn actual men’s ties. These ties are loosely tied, correctly knotted, or just tossed around the neck area. Some classify this look as either Annie hall or preppy. This look may even go well with jewelry from the Chopard collection.

Are lace hose making a comeback? Some say they never left. Wearing a pair can give a cheque look to even the simplest black dress. The black lace leg seems to be the hottest leg this season. It is being worn with a multitude of outfits from punk rock get-ups to simple white dresses. You will either love this look or hate it, and, for just under $ 15.00, it is not a bad investment.

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Why Buy An iPod Touch Case?

9:18 AM | Posted by Bela

After saving up your pennies to treat yourself to a new iPod Touch, now is the time to dress that "little baby" up! Many people start out buying complicated accessories for their iPod without considering the simple accessories first, such as buying a digital camera accessory before buying an iPod Touch case. A case for your iPod Touch is initially more practical to protect it from damage, but you can start enjoying the player and using the internet. Take my advice: it is better to make sure your iPod is protected before playing with it and potentially damaging it in your Dereon jeans.

Right now you are probably wondering why you should buy a case for your iPod instead of buying other accessories. First of all, think of the amount of money that has gone into paying for your iPod. Although they have decreased in price, iPods still cost a significant amount of money. The last thing you would want would to do is waste this money because you carelessly failed to protect it.

Another reason why a Touch case should be one of the first purchases you make is that it is easy to browse online for a quality case, and you can order it in the time it takes to buy a cup of coffee. But unlike buying a cup of coffee, this is all done in the convenience of your home.

Still, the third and most important reason for buying a case for your iPod Touch is that the main function of iPod cases is absolute protection. If your iPod falls or liquid droplets of something get on it, a case can protect it from damage. There is no point in having a digital camera accessory for your iPod if something spills on it and it doesn't work anymore. So, protect your iPod investment with a case.

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Banana Bread

9:15 AM | Posted by Bela

Banana Bread, this is hubby’s favorite.

Last week was a breakfast week in the office. Each day, from Monday to Thursday, somebody will sponsor breakfast for the whole section. Monday was Bread and butter, Tuesday was ham and bread, Wednesday was Suman and last Thursday, an officemate brought different flavors of banana bread: Banana Bread with Cheese, Banana Bread with Chocolate and just plain Banana.

Of course I tasted all of it, and my favorite of course is the Banana with chocolate. The Banana with cheese has a different taste in it and those who don’t like sweets will definitely love this flavour.

And so I ordered all three flavors to bring home to hubby from my officemate. You see banana bread brings back childhood memories to hubby as it is the cake that his mom always brings home to them. So when he saw his three loaves of banana bread the other day, he is just the happiest.

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Finding a Debt Consolidation Service

9:06 AM | Posted by Bela

Times are changing quickly, especially in the financial arena. People are finding themselves in tight cash flow situations the likes of which has not been seen for many years. This is of course causing concern about the current debt to income situation for most people. One of the better resources for individuals wanting to change their financial outlook is to enlist the help of a debt consolidation service. This is actually becoming a normal part of conversation for many people.

With the growing decline in finances and job prospects comes a growing increase in debt and concern over how to handle the problem without having to file bankruptcy. This of course has put fuel in the fire under a large number of debt consolidation services opening their doors for business. Deciding which one is on the up and up and which one can best help with each problem can be a job to say the least. Making sure that the company being considered has a good reputation or at least that they do not have a bad reputation is a good starting point. Performing a bit of online research can bring a great deal of useful information to light on the subject.

Thanks to so many individuals being in similar financial situations, it is likely that simply asking acquaintances if they have had any experience with the debt consolidation services out there, is another excellent way to gain some first hand information about the many offering help. Choosing to seek help from a debt consolidation service is a good first step to getting finances back under control. It is often hard to ask for help in regards to finances but the alternative of asking when the problem is too big to handle could be far more embarrassing and hard to deal with.

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Choosing a DSLR Camera

9:03 AM | Posted by Bela

When selecting a digital camera there are many aspects of your purchase that you need to evaluate. One of the first things is going to be your budget; cameras can range from very inexpensive to thousands of dollars so you need to know what your limit on cost is before you make a purchase. One of the next things to consider is the purpose of the camera.

Do you need something small that fits neatly in your pocket to take snapshots with, or are you looking to take very detailed high quality photos. This isn't to say that small cameras cannot take good photos but you will not find the same options that you would in a higher end DSLR. If you are in the market for a smaller point and shoot, you can demo many of them in electronics stores and department stores. Go visit one and see which one has the features you need, make sure it feels good in your hands, check out the button locations and examine the menus.

If you are in the market for something more complex than a DSLR might be a better fit. Not all DSLRs are created the same so compare them carefully. You will find the higher end ones have metal frame bodies, which has been said you resist dropping and will have less flex with heavier lenses. Some new DSLRs come with the ability to record video as well. One big factor to look for is the costs of the lenses you wish to purchase. Do not take out emergency cash loans just so you can buy better lenses! Lenses can be costly, and so you should save up for them rather than trying to buy them all at once. Additionally pay attention to the feel of the camera, you may find some brands fit better in your hand than others.

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Happiness is a Box of Royce Chocolate

8:53 AM | Posted by Bela

I have a sweet tooth and Royce chocolates are one of my favorite. There was no Royce chocolate store here back then so every time we visit Hong Kong or Singapore, I sit to it that I bring home a box of my favorite chocolate.

So I was so excited when a number of Royce stores opened here in Manila. If I remember it correctly, the first Royce store opened in Rockwell and so I have to drag hubby down to Rockwell so I can get a box of my favorite Nama chocolate every time I am craving for it.

So I was the happiest when I got this yesterday:

A colleague received a box (as in one big box) full of assorted Royce chocolates from a client and my eyes popped when I saw it. And since it is the spirit of sharing, my colleague shared her blessings with us and this is my share of it.

I actually haven’t tried this flavour before so I can’t wait to discover what excitement this box of Royce chocolate will give me.

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Christmas Shopping

8:42 AM | Posted by Bela

Christmas is just around the corner which reminds me that I should start making my Christmas shopping list. I know I am a little late with my shopping as I am sure shopping malls are packed already with people doing their holiday shopping and if you have a baby and a toddler in tow, for sure shopping would really be a challenge.

Another one of my problem is the gifts that I have to send out to my friends and families abroad. I am sure if I still have to shop for their gifts and send it to them, it will really not make it in time for Christmas. Thankfully I got this brilliant idea that I will just send out greetings cards to our friends and families abroad. I saw these cute personalised cards where I can use my family or my kids’ picture as the design of the card and then I can customize the text and the layout so it will really be one unique Christmas cards. I am sure our friends and relatives will be delighted to receive a Christmas cards with our picture in it so they can still feel at home even if they are miles away from us.

Holiday season is really the time when our schedule gets really crazy but I still love it as it is during the Christmas season where the air is filled with so much joy, love, hope, and thanksgiving.

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Establishing her Web Presence

8:23 AM | Posted by Bela

My aunt has been working from home for as long as I can remember. You see she has a worse case of scoliosis so she has to resign from work as she can’t travel to work everyday because of her condition.

After resigning she accepted consultancy job and she also started her own business. Business has been doing well fro her as she was able to get the company where she previous worked as her clients so she always received a lot of orders. But ever since there was a change in management in that company, she has not been receiving orders from them and so her business starts to weaken as this is the only company that she relies on to get orders.

So I suggested that since her products are really good, she should start to market it online. There are a lot of online sellers and they really are successful so I know my aunt can do well too in the online business.

But fist she should be able to do the following first:

1. Set up a website where she can showcase her products.
2. Use directory submission software to submit her website to different directories so her site will be indexed quickly by search engines such as Google.
3. Take time to enhance and update her website to something that is appealing to the clients so they will be encourage to visit the site and check the products.
4. Be active in social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook where she can market her products also.

I believe in the products of my aunt and I know she will find new clients again once she establishes her presence in the World Wide Web.

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Back to Basics

8:10 AM | Posted by Bela

I bought this small notebook on our recent trip to the mall as I needed something where I can write on my to do list and it should be small enough so it will fit my bag and so I can bring it with me everywhere I go.

My sister was laughing when she saw it. She was teasing me because she knows I have a Palm Pilot and an iPhone already so she does not understand why I have to resort to a pen and paper for my reminders.

You see this has been a very busy month and I have a lot on my plate that I sometimes forget a thing or two on my to do list that I will sometimes end up not doing it or I will cram because I will remember it last minute. So I thought that I really needed to write my things to do and I love the feeling of satisfaction every time I crossed one item from my list. It makes me feel inspired to continue working to accomplish everything I need to do.

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Trip To Cebu

7:43 AM | Posted by Bela

I have to bring out my tanning lotions because our family’s summer outing already has a Go signal. I successfully booked airfare tickets for all the members of my family and extended family during the last promo and I even got tickets for my grand mother so she is joining us for this trip too. And since my sideline is doing good, I will be able to save so I can treat my family, my mom and dad, my aunt, my grand mother and my uncle and his family for a three days and two nights stay at Shangri-La Mactan.

Everybody is excited already as this is our first domestic travel together. We went to Hong Kong a few years back and we (especially the kids) had a blast so I am sure this will be another fun trip for our family.

Another thing I am excited about is that my good friend Peachy and her family are joining us for this trip too so B and Jacobo can play with Dom and Joaqui.

I can’t wait for this day to come. Excited much!!

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Black Firday Deals

7:34 AM | Posted by Bela

Looks like I will be needing acne scar creams for staying up late just to wait for great Black Friday deals. I actually did not plan to buy that many items but I am glad I was able to catch the Black Friday deals at:

• Old Navy and I was able to buy new clothes for Jacobo and I bought graphic tees too for only $5 each as gift for relatives
• Amazon and hubby bought me a 32” HD LCD TV. This is hubby’s Christmas gift for me and it will go to our room so now we can enjoy our favorite TV shows again as the TV in our living room is always tuned in to our kids’ favorite shows.
• Ralph Lauren and bought polos and shoes again for Jacobo.

My sister and my cousin was actually counting on the Black Friday sale of the Long Champ online store but it turns out they are not giving cash discounts but e-card.

My friend in the US said that more sales will be coming after Christmas so I will watch out for that also.

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Shangri-La's Golden Circle

10:57 PM | Posted by Bela

I received this in the mail last week, My Golden Circle Gold Membership card:

We checked in at Makati Shangri-La a few months back and I remember they asked me to sign up and be a member of their Golden Circle club for free. Members of this club can receive privileges like free room upgrade, discounted rates and the like. I totally forgot about this already until I received my membership card last week.

It is actually a points accumulation card where I get points every time I checked in to any of the hotels of Shangri-La and we can use this points (if I remember it correctly) to pay for our room accommodations or get services from the hotel.

I really haven’t read the entire details yet but I am excited as I will be able to use my privilege next year as we are planning to stay at Shangri-La Mactan next year for our family’s summer outing.

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Thankful

10:44 PM | Posted by Bela

We were in Robinson’s mall a while ago and we saw a couple pushing their bob revolution duallie and my husband can’t help but feel jealous as he dreams of having twins. LOL.

But we know that it is impossible since we know that it runs in the genes so unless we have a work up, there is no way hubby’s wish can come true. But we can’t complain as God has showered us with the two most wonderful children any parent can ever ask for. B and Jacobo are our source of joy, our source of inspiration, our reason for living. After a long and tiring day at work, it is the smiles, the kisses and the hugs of B and Jacobo that can take all our tiredness away.

There is really nothing more that we can ever ask for. We are so blessed already as we receive the greatest gift from God already and that is B and Jacobo.

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Filing for Tax?

10:27 PM | Posted by Bela

Filing for tax is really a very complicated process for me. With different documents and forms that I have to submit and fill up, I always end up being confuse and frustrated which makes me really hate filing for my tax.

But as much as I want to avoid doing this task, it is a responsibility that I really can’t escape. Thank goodness that my friend recommended to me the site of esmarttax where I can use their tax preparation software to file my tax and best of all they offer this service for free.

All I need is to do is just prepare my tax documents and everything will be done for me by esmarttax. They have all the forms that I need to fill up and it even comes with step by step instructions on how I can fill up each form. And the best part is, they will even help me get the biggest tax refund possible.

Now filing for my tax is just a breeze, thanks to esmarttax.

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2010 Starbucks Planner

4:16 PM | Posted by Bela

Even if a lot of my friends are going crazy over the Starbucks planner, I did not really paid attention to it as I am not a coffee drinker and so there is really no way for me to complete all the required stickers before the deadline.

But I started drinking coffee when I need to stay up late to work or take care of my kids and so now I am a coffee addict. And so when I saw the Starbucks planner for this year, I decided that I will complete all the stickers so I can finally own my first Starbucks planner:

I plan to go to Starbucks every morning for breakfast but thanks to the heavy traffic along Pier area every morning, I don’t get a chance to drop by at Starbucks before work. Now I am thinking if I will really be able to complete my stickers.

Worse comes to worse, maybe I can treat my whole family for a coffee night just so I can complete my stickers. LOL.

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Christmas Wish

4:44 PM | Posted by Bela

Children nowadays are really so into video games like the Nintendo Wii. I can’t blame them. When I was their age I was already so impressed with the game Pacman, or Adventure Island or Tetris so I can imagine now just how much they can get hooked since the video games now are so high tech and is full of graphics and animations.

I read the wish lists of my cousins and majority of them wrote Xbox as part of their wish list. And since Christmas is just around the corner, I am actually thinking to buy them an Xbox and they can just share it among themselves as my Christmas gifts for them.

I am already outdated when it comes to high tech video games like this but thankfully I can always check out the Video Games buying guide of Shop Wiki so I will have a better idea of what to give to my cousins.

I am sure they will be the happiest camper if they open their gifts and find their new toy inside it. Well Christmas is for children and who am I to be a scrooge, right? So I will just give in to the wishes of my cousins.

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Shopping Time

2:04 PM | Posted by Bela

A High Definition LCD TV. This is one of the things on my wish list for Christmas.

All my online friends are all talking about the Cyber Monday and Black Friday sale as they were able to get good deals last year. I was not able to join them on their Cyber Monday and Black Friday shopping last year as I am still not active in twitter that time so I did not catch the news when they all went shopping together.

So this year, I am making sure that I will be ale to get something during the sale. I am already asking for my friends' list so I can have an idea for the other things that I can buy on special discounts during the special sale that is coming this weekend.

I am really excited. I think this is the perfect time for me to shop for us and for the gifts that I will be giving to my family and friends.

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Big Thank You

1:57 PM | Posted by Bela

I was the happiest person on earth while I was shopping for this:

These are the donations that I will be bringing to Hospicio de San Jose. I was able to fill two big carts full of rice, milk, chocolate drink, oatmeal, milk formula for toddlers, biscuits, etc and I was able to shop for this many items because of the overflowing donations that I got from my colleagues, online friends and relatives. I didn’t even have to beg as I just sent them an email and posted a little message in Twitter and donations kept coming in.

It is really a nice feeling knowing that the kids will have weeks’ worth of supplies.

Thank you so much for all those who sent donations in cash, in kind, in paypal money. Hope you guys will not get tired in helping the kids. I will post pictures soon so you can see how much happiness you brought to the kids.

May God always bless you and your family.

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B’s Dilemma

1:50 PM | Posted by Bela

A pet dog
Or one of those Apple Gadgets like ipods or itouch

This is B’s dilemma for her birthday gift from my brother. B really loves my brother’s pet dog Kurt who is a Chihuahua. B loves playing with Kurt every time we are at my brother’s house and so my brother offered her a pet Chihuahua of her own for her birthday.

But having a pet is a big responsibility and so I clarified with B is she really likes to have her own pet. I know she loves playing with my iPhone and so I told her that she can ask for an iPod or an iTouch instead from my brother.

I know this will be a difficult decision for her as she loves the two options. We are really trying to convince her to just choose the iTouch or iPod as we know she still can’t take care of her own pet. She is still thinking about it so let’s see what she will decide upon.

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Back Up Plan

12:00 AM | Posted by Bela

For the past few months, all I hear at work is budget cuts, budget cuts and budget cuts. This is still an effect of the global economic recession which makes me think sometimes if my work is still stable or I should better start looking for other job opportunity for me.

They say that when the value of dollar is low, then it is the best time to buy gold bullion that is why I have been checking the site of United States Gold Bureau so I can learn a lot about gold investment.

They say that gold is a very good and stable investment as its value does not depreciate over time and can be easily converted to cash since it is universally accepted.

I guess for my own peace of mind, I should look for ways to save money so I have a back up plan whatever happens with work.

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Mary Grace Cafe

11:52 PM | Posted by Bela

Have you tried this?

This is Mary Grace’s cheesy ensaymada and their raspberry iced tea. It is my first time to eat at Mary Grace café in Robinsons Place Ermita. We initially wanted to eat at Crepes and Cream but there is no vacant table. Across them is the small café of Mary Grace and we decided to eat there as I remembered that it has been recommended to me by my kumareng Peachy.

And so I decided to order their cheesy ensaymada which they warmed up in the oven so the cheese is melting whenthey served it and I can still feel its warm taste as I grabbed a bite. My dad tried the chicken inasal sandwich. He was a bit hesitant at first to order it as what he is looking for is the usual chicken sandwich but then he was convinced by the service crew and told my dad that it is one of their best sellers. And my dad enjoyed his chicken inasal sandwich that he promised the service crew who served us that he will definitely be back.

It was one nice afternoon again spent with good company and good food.

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Congrats J & A

11:38 PM | Posted by Bela

I can’t believe that it is just less than two months before the wedding of my good friend from college. He is the lone bachelor in our circle of friends so everybody is really looking forward for this wedding as we can’t wait for our friend to finally tie the knot.

I guess there is really no turning back now as everything is already ready. My daughter, who is one of the flower girl is scheduled for a gown fitting in the coming weeks and I think they just need to find groomsmen gifts and then all that is left are the little details which they can easily take care of even weeks before their wedding.

I am so happy for my friend that he has finally found the girl of his dreams; the girl that made him went down on his knees to ask her for marriage. Congrats again in advance to you both. We know that you two are truly made for each other.

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Help for Victims

12:55 AM | Posted by Bela

To hear the bad news that you have cancer is very devastating both to the patient and his family. I know because two of my relatives died from cancer and so I know the feeling of hearing someone you love be diagnosed with this disease. But I am sure the pain and the acceptance is more difficult if you or any one of your love ones will be diagnosed with mesothelioma.

Those who have mesothelioma can be considered as victims as their disease could have been avoided if they have not been exposed to asbestos. Thankfully there are Houston asbestos lawyer like Heard Robins Cloud & Black who can help mesothelioma victims get settlement and claims. They have been in the business for 17 years already so they really have the expertise, the experience and the education to successfully get a claim for the mesothelioma victims.

I just hope and pray that nobody from my family will have this dreaded disease.

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Jego’s Impromptu Post Birthday Celebration Part 2

12:44 AM | Posted by Bela

As I published in my previous entry, we had an impromptu post birthday celebration for my cousin Jego at Don Henrico’s in Quezon Avenue. And since it is his birthday, we know that the crew can do a song and dance number for the birthday celebrant and so we requested for this to surprise our cousin.

He was indeed surprised as he was even requested to join the crew, was given a birthday hat and the crew performed for him. And of course no birthday will be complete without a birthday cake, and so they even gave my cousin a small cupcake decorated with the message “Happy Birthday Diego (which was supposed to spelled as Jego)” and it even has a birthday candle for the candle blowing. All the works!!

My cousin really enjoyed his post birthday celebration as he truly felt special and loved. He even brought home his birthday cupcake with him. I am sure this will be part of his list for his most memorable birthday.

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House M.D.

12:25 AM | Posted by Bela

Do you watch the TV series House M.D? It is one of my favorite TV shows.

I love the show as Dr. House has a very interesting character. He is rude to his colleagues, to his boss, and even to his patients but his rudeness makes his character very funny. And if you will deeply look at it, his rudeness stems back to what he has gone through in the past and if you will just look closely, you will find that despite those cold facade, you can still feel that he has a deep concern for his patients.

His ways on treating his patients is just so unconventional that his boss sometimes gets worried that one of these days, he will have to deal with medical negligence law. There was even an incident that he has been investigated by the board because of yet another extraordinary way on how he dealt with his patient.

But Dr. House is just brilliant. He loves challenges that is why he is the number one diagnosticians in New Jersey. And so even if he is giving his boss so much head ache, she still can’t let go of Dr. House because his unorthodox ways has indeed saved a lot of lives.

Catch latest season of House in Fox channel.

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My To Do List

3:21 PM | Posted by Bela

My To Do List for tonight:

Yes, it is blank as I don’t know where to start as I have tons of things that I need to finish tonight. Looks like I will need to find the best way to treat acne as I will probably won’t be sleeping tonight just to finish all my deadlines.

I am not complaining as I am even praying for more work to come as I really need all the extra money that I can earn as I am saving up for something for next year. The problem is I am not feeling well since last night and I can’t find the energy to work and stay up late at night. But I have a deadline to meet and I can’t afford to loose this extra work so I have no choice but maybe to drink energy drink so I can stay up as late as I can to finish all my pending.

Wish me luck guys!!

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Jego’s Impromptu Post Birthday Celebration

3:16 PM | Posted by Bela

It has been more than two weeks already and I haven’t blogged about the post birthday celebration of my cousin Jego. We actually already had a party at home to celebrate the 9th birthday of Jego and my aunt prepared baked macaroni, crispy pata, buttered crabs, and my cousin Tessa prepared desserts like homemade cheesecake and fried oreo. But we went to the cemetery on November 1st to visit and pay respect to our dearly departed relatives and we all agreed to just have dinner after and so it became Jego’s impromptu post birthday celebration.

We dined in at Don Henrico’s and we ordered their 18” pizza, Carbonara, Puttanesca, Oriental Chicken Salad and every body’s favorite, Buffalo Wings.

We are all so full after dinner and it was a good family bonding. Too bad my hubby was not with us that time as he was in Bicol to visit his mother. Oh well, I am sure there will always be a second time.

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Christening Gift Ideas

1:30 PM | Posted by Bela

My niece will be baptized on December 5, and so as early as now, I am already looking for a special gift that we can give her.

For a Catholic family like ours, the day of the Christening is one of the special and treasured events in each of our lives as it is the day that we became a part of God’s community. That is why December 5 will be a big event for my brother and our family as we celebrate the Christening of Izzie.

I am sure she will receive a lot of new toys, baby clothes and other stuff that anyone can easily buy at the stores so I want our gift to be something special. Just look at some of the items that I am checking:

These cute baby onesies and keepsakes are very unique as I can have it customized with my niece’s name or initials. I was even checking out some items that I can order too for Jacobo and B.

I am sure my sister-in-law and my brother will love the personalized gift that we will be giving Izzie.

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2011 Financial Goal

9:41 AM | Posted by Bela

Our own house: check
Our own car: check

And so for 2011, our target is to be able to make some investments as we know that we should not only rely on our salary and savings account if we really, really want to secure our child’s future.

And so we are checking at the site of United States Gold Bureau as we are actually considering now to invest in gold and buy gold coin or gold bullion. Basing from the articles that we read from the site of United States Gold Bureau, we learned that gold is a very strong and stable investment because unlike other hard assets, the value of gold does not depreciate over time. It is also universally accepted so converting it to cash won’t be difficult if ever we need to sell it in the future.

2010 is almost over and hubby and I were glad that we were able to meet our financial goal for 2010 and we are really hoping and praying that it will be the same for 2011.

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HBD Izzie

9:27 AM | Posted by Bela

My niece, Izzie, just turned one month old last November 2. I was really surprised when I saw her again as she looks really big now. She no longer looks like the fragile, small baby when she was first born.

According to my sister-in-law, she really has increased her milk consumption. No wonder she has put on some weight already. I am sure in just a few months, she will be like my Jacobo who is one big baby boy.

Happy 1st month birthday again to our dear princess Izzie.

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Jacobo’s Halloween 2010

9:17 AM | Posted by Bela

Just look at the many faces of my dear Jacobo:

1. The Espasol look. Very easy to accomplish. Just remove the shirt and smother him with powder.
2. The Cowboy look. The stripe polo courtesy of my brother and sister-in-law, the pants I got from Jaqcui’s kalakals, and the cowboy hat came from Peachy.
3. The Saudi-boy or Gambling Lord Look. Just open the upper part of the polo and just wear a really big gold necklace. LOL.
4. Winnie the Pooh. Since Jacobo is huge, he does not need extra effort to look like big Pooh bear. LOL. But thanks to this cute costume from my good friend Peachy also, Jacobo came as a very cute bear during the Halloween event at hubby’s office.
5. The Co-Bee look. I just bought this bee costume from Toy Kingdom. It is still big for him as this is for 24 months old baby, but he still looks good in it.

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I Wanna be a Billionaire

8:52 AM | Posted by Bela

My last song syndrome for today (lyrics from the Billionaire song of Travie Mccoy):

“I wanna be a billionaire so fricking bad
Buy all of the things I never had
Uh, I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine
Smiling next to Oprah and the Queen”

But it is true; I really want to be a billionaire. Who wouldn’t, right? LOL. But I guess unlike other lucky people who are born rich, my husband and I really have to work hard to be able to fulfill our dream (or maybe just a millionaire).

One of the ways we are doing now to start fulfilling our dream is doing some investments to secure our future and now we are considering buying gold bullion. We have read from the website of United States Gold Bureau that gold is a very god investment as it does not depreciate over time unlike other hard asset investments. It can also be easily stored as it can be kept in local banks or even in just a safety deposit box at home.

I know gold is a very good way to preserve one’s wealth so maybe who knows, with the help of our gold investment, I can finally say I am now a billionaire. LOL.

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Desserts anyone?

8:41 AM | Posted by Bela

My cousin’s version of golden oreo ala mode (a.k.a deep fried oreos).

I actually did not see how she prepared it but from what I understood she use hot cake mix to cover the oreo cookies and deep fried it. When it is done, she topped the fried oreos with Cookies and Cream ice cream (cookie overload. LOL).

It was so good. My cousin really knows how to make (or should I say invent) very tasty and interesting desserts.

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Don Hen's Chicken Oriental Salad

8:25 AM | Posted by Bela

I have been craving for this for quiet some time now:

So when I find the opportunity to dine in at Don Henricos to satisfy my cravings, I quickly grabbed it.

We went to the cemetery last November 1 to visit and pay respect to our dearly departed loved ones. We did not bring any food as we said that we will just light up candles and pray and then leave as it is still crowded in the cemetery and we have kids and a senior citizen in tow. It was also raining that night and we did not even setup a tent so right after lighting the candles and putting up the flowers and after saying our little prayer, we quickly left.

My aunt was suggesting that we just eat at home but I know she is tired already to even afford to prepare dinner as she has been preparing food for parties for our relatives for two days in a row already so I suggested that we just dine in at Don Henricos. Of course, this Chicken Oriental salad which is my favorite was the first one that I ordered. It was a sure hit as my other relatives tasted it and like it that we have to order for a second serving.

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I Want to Buy Gold

1:49 AM | Posted by Bela

I want to buy gold. Why, you may ask? It is because gold is a very stable and strong investment as it does not depreciate in time. Just like right now where all assets dropped its value, the gold continues to remain strong even if the economy is bad.

I learned all about it after reading the tips and the different articles about gold investment from the site of United States Gold Bureau. Another thing that is best with gold is that it is universally accepted so we won’t have a hard time converting it to cash if we need instant cash in the future. We don’t even have to worry about its storage as it only occupies a small space and it can even be arranged for safe keeping in a local bank or can even be kept in a safety deposit box at home.

Every investment has risks but these risks are lesser if I invest in hard assets such as gold.

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Shangri-La Boracay: Someday

1:31 AM | Posted by Bela

During the long weekend while most people are offline as most of them are out of town, Cebu Pacific had another promo where they give out 50% discount on all their domestic routes. This would have been a perfect time to book a discounted flight as there will be not much competition as most people are offline that time. But then I decided not to check out the rates as I am sure if the airfare is really good and if I will be able to book a flight on the dates that I am eyeing, then for sure I will not be able to control myself and I will surely book a vacation getaway for us.

I always try to look for cheap flight going to Boracay every time Cebu Pacific releases a promo as I really wanted to go to Shangri-La Boracay in January to celebrate our 6th year anniversary.

I saw the pictures of my good friend Jacqui who have been to Shangri-La Boracay (and she really documented everything during her stay through pictures from the bath vanity, to the bed configuration to all the amenities including the infinity pool) and it was an amazing resort that I have been dreaming to go and visit Boracay for our next vacation.

But since Cebu Pacific only offers limited flights from Manila to Boracay, it is really a challenge to look and book a flight and unfortunately I haven’t been so lucky. Well I guess, an anniversary celebration in Shangri-La Boracay is not meant to happen in January but I hope we will have a chance to visit Shangri-La Boracay come summer time.

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Funny

1:17 AM | Posted by Bela

My sister ordered a bag from Bag Shop online store and we were surprised to see this note together with the bag:
IMG_1208

This is so funny. Long Champ bags come all folded when you received it from the store. If you are not familiar with Long Champ, you will be deceived as you will think that these bags are just so small. This was my first reaction too when I first saw a Long Champ bag and only my good friend Jody was the one who explained to me how Long Champ bag works.

Maybe Bag Shop receives a lot of complains and calls from their clients after the bags have been received by their clients because maybe, they will initially think that they have been scammed as the bag is smaller as compared to the dimensions specified in the site. So to be safe and eliminate complains from their customer, they then decided to include this reminder in all their shipments. LOL. At least I was able to have a good laugh after seeing that note.

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Reminiscing

1:03 AM | Posted by Bela

As I posted in my previous entry, my water globe collection from our Europe tour is finally complete after I received the last two water globe that our friend shipped to us. This made me go back and reminisce about our Europe vacation and I still feel overwhelmed after seeing the great artworks, the culture, the shopping, and everything that Europe has to offer.

One of my most memorable experience was the tour to the Dodge Palace in Venice where there is a ceiling decorated with real gold. Back then, gold really holds a special value and it is really a symbol of royalty and power.

And even up to now, gold still has that great value that a lot of finance guys are suggesting to invest in gold especially in this time now where we are having an economic recession as gold is a very strong and stable investment as its value does not depreciate in time. That is why my husband and I have been doing some reading about gold investment from the site of United States Gold Bureau and we are thinking now to buy gold coin as our initial gold investment.

I guess gold will forever be one of the best ways to preserve one’s wealth and power.

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Nice Gift

12:59 AM | Posted by Bela

My boss calls me inside my office while I was talking to a client. I got scared at first as I thought I did something wrong and so he wants to talk to me. But then I was surprised to see a 19 inch LCD monitor on my desk. I thought it was there as he will ask me to install it to a client but then he said that I can have it.

Nice modern furniture for my office would be a good deal but I know that it is impossible as aesthetics is in the last of their priority so this 19 inch LCD monitor is definitely something that I should be very thankful for.

At least now I can open two applications side by side each other without having the need to minimize one. This is definitely helpful as I always multi task so I always have more than one window open. But I have to get used to the big screen though as I still feel a little dizzy when I used it for the first time today.

Thanks again boss. You really know how to make us happy.

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To Complete my Collection

3:27 PM | Posted by Bela

I am so happy when hubby showed me this:

My water globe from Prague and Germany. You see, I collect water globes of every city or country that we visit. When we had a Europe tour last year, I see to it that I have water globes for each of the cities that we visited in Europe. Our first stop was in Germany and then we went to Prague where we stayed with a friend. She offered to ship some of our stuff so we don’t have to carry it as we finish our itinerary and this includes the water globes that I got from Prague and Germany .

Unfortunately, the two water globes were not allowed to be shipped to us in Manila as they claim that it contains substances which is not permitted for mailing. I guess it is the snow particles that they are suspicious about. But we where surprised when we received the globe a few weeks after. Maybe they figured out that it is really just a water globe and it does not contain any prohibited substances.

MSo now my collection for our Europe tour is now complete – Prague, Germany, Austria, Venice, Rome, and Paris. I am a happy camper. Now I can’t wait to add more water globes to my collection.

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Our Izzie

2:50 PM | Posted by Bela

Introducing the new member of our family, Beatriz Dominique Ramos.

I can still recall it was just a few weeks ago when my sister-in-law asked me about photo birth announcements and just a few days after that, she gave birth to this pretty little girl.

Izzie, as what we call her, was born last October 2, 2010. She weighs 6 pounds when she was born. She has the eyes and nose of my brother and her cheeks and complexion she got from her mom.

Everybody was excited when she was born as we have another baby princess (as our princess B is no longer a baby as she is already five years old) in our family. I am most excited as she is just a few months younger than Jacobo so she will be one of Jacobo’s playmate.

Tomorrow will be her first month birthday so we will have a party at my brother’s house to celebrate her first month in this world.

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