I am finally home

Welcome 2012!!!

2012-01-01T16:17:00.000+11:00

Thank you 2011

It was definitely a year full of blessings --- work, family and life in general.

CPA studies done (hubby is halfway there), promotion at work (hubby found a new one) and the two of us became 3 (or soon to be!!!)

As we bid the year goodbye, we welcome the new year with open arms --- more blessings, good health, and great friends!

2012, we will claim you as our year!

(photo grabbed from Facebook friends' post)

Pregnancy Update

2011-12-09T18:57:00.000+11:00

I am now on my third trimester, and all is looking good. Baby is doing well in my tummy and she is so likot na, hehe. Below are some photos I took over the weeks.

week 22

week 23

week 26

week 24

week 26

week 27

I am getting bigger and bigger each day and stretch marks are starting to show at the bottom belly, di ko pala nalalagyan ng oil,hehehe.

3 more months to go...

Pregnancy Update: My 20th Week

2011-10-15T16:19:00.000+11:00

How time flies, I am already in my 20th week of pregnancy. Halfway there but to quote my officemates - "you still have to battle Summer". Haaay, I hope its not as hot as the one before but judging how spring is becoming, I don't think I will be lucky. One thing for sure, our portable airconditioner will be maximized to its full capacity LOL.

My updates for the week:

Felt my Baby moved!!! The feeling is unexplainable --- weird but overwhelming at the same time. I now look forward to feeling each movement happen everyday. =)
Had my second hospital visit and was told I gained 1 kg since last month --- a very good weight gain, yahoo!
Baby is reacting in my tummy everytime I play Celine Dion's Lullaby. Very funny!
I am still in search for our Baby's name --- need to get a name that starts with A and G.

Also, Tanya finally announced to everyone that she is preggy --- 14 weeks, hahaha. I have a feeling we'll give birth simultaneously. Can't wait to see hear and exchange our pregnancy stories.

I will close this post with my 20th week photo taken just this morning. Sideview para makita ang bump. =)

The most sinful chocolate cake

2011-10-09T18:30:00.000+11:00

After going to the market today, I made sure to grab 2 bars of Nestle Dark Chocolate from the baking aisle because I really wanted to bake the most sinful chocolate cake by Casa Veneracion. This recipe is on top of my list despite me not really a chocolate person. I wanted to bake this for hubby and see if its really as simple as the recipe suggests.

For my version, I used one bar of Nestle Plaistowe 70% Dark Chocolate, just over 175g of unsalted butter (I am trying to lessen the butter content), 1 cup of sugar, 2 heaping spoon of flour (hubby wanted a bit more flour than the 1 tbs suggested in the recipe) and 4 eggs. After mixing the ingredients, I then put in on my preheated fan-forced oven at 175C for 30 mins, and left it there for 10 mins with the oven turned off. After cooling my cake, I turned it upside down and saw a burnt bottom of the cake, I scraped the bottom and the picture below is the finished product. My mistake for the burnt bottom was that I didn't reduce the temperature (fan forced oven should be set lower than normal ones!). But it didn't affect the taste of the at all.

my cake after scraping the burnt part

so moist and fudgy

really really sinful!

I shared this one slice of cake with hubby and it was really really good! I don'y have a sweet tooth but this one hit the mark ---not too sweet and not too bready either. And believe me, its really sinful --- think about the sugar and butter content and you will think twice of eating over a slice of this cake. And since its only me and hubby, I told him to bring the cake to the office tom and share it with his officemate who are all chocoholics. Hmmm, I think I'm gonna bake this cake more often but not for our own consumption. =)

Thanks PinoyCook for the inspiration! You made my weekend a very fruitful (and tummy-full) one.

Cake orders anyone?

Grilled Saturday

2011-10-08T18:09:00.001+11:00

I was feeling hungry by this afternoon because hubby and I only had boiled corn for lunch. I was silently doing an inventory of food in our fridge and realized that I only had 2 pcs of chicken thigh in there and we are not going to the market until tommorrow. Then I remembered I had 4 pcs of small eggplants, a pizza base and some shredded cheese so the idea of having a grilled eggplant pizza came to mind.

I brought out my stove-top griller and put it on high heat while turning on the oven at the same time. I then salted the sliced eggplant to remove some of its moisture, then basted it with olive oil. When the pan was hot enough, I put on the sliced eggplant, turning it once for that char-grilled look.

The pizza was then prepped, with fresh basil from the garden, cheese, grilled eggplant, a bit of chili flakes and some pepper. I then put in on my Pizza Stone - something I bought a long time ago but only used today.

After 10 mins, the pizza is ready for eating. And its soooo delish!!! I will definitely make this more often, not as fattening as my meat-based pizza.

yummy grilled eggplant pizza cooked in my very own Pizza Stone

nice grilled marks on my eggplant

Because my griller is still hot, I want to make full use of it. I checked my freezer and there's a Kransky (some kind of sausage which is really yummy!) inside. I defrosted it in the microwave for a minute, sliced and grilled it.

yummy Kransky. I now have two tapas. =)

To make my grilling worthwhile, I took out the chicken thigh, defrosted it a bit, then rubbed dry spice (lemon pepper spice) and salt to it then off to the griller. The smell coming from the kitchen is so divine. I want to have dinner at 4pm! But because of the pizza we ate, we have to wait for 6pm to have my grilled dishes.

grilled chicken rubbed with dry spice.

All these cooking made me want to create a food blog, haaay... Last weekend, while homealone, I cooked these three dishes I got from my new fave food blog Casa Veneracion. Yum, yum, yum!!!

tuna spring roll.

beef salpicao

creamy baked chicken and potatos with yogurt (instead of cream)

There are still a number of dishes from her site that I really want to try, I have a list and one day I can tick off everything from that list. =)

So, what's cooking in your kitchen this Saturday afternoon?

A letter to our little one

2011-10-06T21:45:00.001+11:00

Dear Baby,

You are 19 weeks and 1 day (in gestational age) today. Your Dad and I were really happy to see you again this morning and couldn’t wait any longer for the 1st of March to come.

Seeing you today at the Sydney Ultrasound for Women was a breath of fresh air from our chaotic month end activities. I am thankful that I lived in this technological age where I can see you in 4D inside my tummy. You were so cute when you had your arms over your head, just like me when I am sleeping. We saw your limbs, your eyes and nose (and Daddy said you have a very ‘matangos’ nose just like Mommy hehehe). And when we wanted to check your gender, you crossed your legs, cheeky little baby. Though not 100% sure, the sonographer said that you are my little girl, my mini-me.

How time flies baby, we are halfway through this journey and you know what, my good friend is also pregnant although she didn’t know that she is 14 weeks on the way already. There are so many things she needs to do but I will be here to guide her, and when her baby will arrive, I’m sure she/he will be your best buddy as well. You two will look after each other Baby okay?

At this stage my Angel, I am not sure if what I am feeling was your kicking and jumping but I am sure I will fully feel your movements in the next few days. Seeing you earlier waving at us and kicking is such a joy. And the confirmation that all is well with you is indeed a blessing --- something we continue to thank and pray to God.

My pregnancy book is telling me that you can hear our voices already. I hope you like the music I am playing every night before we go to bed and you also enjoy our conversations together. I treasure these moments, our bond as mom and daughter just began. Sometimes, I think, you also look forward to hearing your Dad’s voice because I can feel the sudden pressure at my lower ribs when I am walking towards his office at 5:00 pm everyday last week! And he enjoys talking to you as much as I do.

4D photo of you my little one.

Little girl, please continue to be brave inside Mum’s tummy okay? Remember, we love you so so much, we prayed for you, our family and friends prayed for you. You are surrounded with love from the moment you were conceived. A grand party is awaiting your arrival my Princess.

Hugs and kisses.

Mommy and Daddy

Well, hello there

2011-10-03T15:02:00.001+11:00

I know, I know. Its been a month since my last update and I have a valid reason for not attending to this blog --- I was busy at work! Yes, busy. We just had a hectic year end with all management reports due two weeks after the 4th of September. But now, that is all over and the new financial year have started (I will worry about month end tom).

Today, I am 18 weeks and 4 days pregnant, almost halfway already. I will have my second ultrasound on Thursday and we can't wait to see the little one once again and to finally know his/her gender.

The second trimester is the 'most forgettable' according to the books I read --- no major dramas, morning sickness is gone and you are not that huge yet that you can still do whatever you like (or almost). And this is true in my case. I am just so happy that I'm over morning sickness because it not really funny! I am monitoring my weight now so I won't gain more than what is desirable for me and for the baby.

I haven't had a monthly photo to show off my tummy but on my 16th week, hubby took this photo of me when we went to Bobbin Head Park.

I am ending this entry with a photo of me and Rose, my highschool barkada who went to Vanuatu to educate the people there on how to do organic farming (and even grooming!). I am so proud of her coz she is doing what she loved to do --- be involved in her own NGO and help other people by imparting her (and her husbands) knowledge about farming. You are truly an Iskolar ng Bayan Rose --- you gave back to the people what your learned from UPLB, I salute you!

Till my next update.

Hope you are having a lovely day!

Never ending blessings

2011-09-03T21:03:00.003+10:00

I claim 2011 to be my year and I can't thank Him enough for all these blessings. We're still two thirds in the year but I felt my bucket list were all ticked off (well almost).

I had my CPA ceremony in April.

Found at that I was pregnant in July.

Hubby got a new job near my workplace in August.

and, as an icing to the cake, I got promoted in September!

I have been whining about my work (or the lack thereof) for a quite a while now. Friends are envious that I am not busy and can go home at 4:30 everyday. But sometimes, the lack of work is making my brain stagnant. To compensate, I used to read my CPA materials during work hours. After finishing the program last December, there was nothing for me to study at the office anymore and the boredom returned.

Middle of last year, our Department was made into a shared services of the entire GROUP - this meant we are now doing the back office not only of the Bread Division (our current division) but also Milling, Cereal, Information System and more are in the pipeline. With the move, our financial accountant was promoted to Manager but all eight of us assistant accountants were not given any change in title despite the fact that most of us are doing more than an assistant acccountant job. (Title is very much important here in Oz specially when you want to find a new job).

Then, in December, they announced an opening for FA in our IS Department. Naturally, I applied as I know I am more than capable of doing the job. You see, during this time as well, they asked me to take on the role of Corporate Accountant (on top of my asset accounting without any jobtitle change and payrise!). But of course they did not promote me to the IS role and hired someone from outside to do the job. This really pissed me off.

I've decided then to look for a new job. So in March this year, I was busy talking with agents for a possible role. After reviewing my resume, they told me they would change my title to Financial Accountant because that is basically what I am doing. I asked them if this is okay, it looks like I am lying in my resume, but they told me what I am doing is more important than the title and they will explain it to the client once they placed me. But I also told them that I am more interested in the Western Sydney area because it would be easier for me to work close to home. But jobs that I like are few and far between...

Then I got pregnant.

I have to stay in my current job because we have two months maternity leave benefit. The plan was to take a year off from work and then in the middle of my leave, I will look for anither job and will not return to the Bread Co. Sounds like a good plan right?

Last monht, we had our year end performance evaluation. We already knew that because of business performance, we are not to receive any bonus nor increase for this financial year. Bit of a bummer really because I know I made a very good contribution to the team but what's making me stay was the added knowledge that I am getting each day --- Corporate Accounting, Fixed Assets Accounting, budget and forecast etc. These are essential to my resume and linkedIn profile. =) So when I had my review, I was not really expecting anything but in the middle of it, my boss was discussing employee management as part of my objective for next year. And then she told me that they had a review of my job, a review of the current structure of the team and made some changes. The changes are not yet final but they said I would get my new position description come 1st of September. Also, my maternity leave arrangements were discussed so they would know how long I would be off from work. Hmmmm, very interesting!

The next day, an announcement in the people portal was made for a Group Accountant opening --- the current Group Accountant is moving to the other division and they are hiring for his replacement. This could have been the perfect role for me as I am doing half of his job now. But with my pregnancy, I couldn't apply because this meant I will have to train someone to do my Corporate Accounting work and then be trained for the Group Accountant role, then after three months go on maternity leave. It's not right and I do not need the stress of learning more at this time. So I decided not to apply and just wait for the confidential discussion to take effect. I think my Boss knew about the opening so she told me a day ahead her plans for me so I dont end up applying for that other job.

Then, on the 1st of September, I got my papers --- Management Accountant for Shared Services! Wohoo!!! And the payrise was good too, double wohoo!!! The new challenge (which was not announced yet) was the people management bit of it. I thought I would not be doing performance reviews here in Oz, I thought I would just be a receiver of the review but hey, I welcome the challenge. The people handpicked to be in my team were those who ask me how to do their work everyday anyway so not much of a change there really. And because I am in the team longer than most of them, I already earned my position so to speak.

As to when the announcement would be, I do not know. As long as my pay is adjusted this month, I am happy. Me and my growing baby need the additional money for our future needs. =)

Thank you once again God, all in Your perfect time. Thanks for giving me the patience --- the pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly. Please continue to guide and protect me and my baby. I cannot wait for this precious little gift to finally be born to this world.

I am forever grateful.

Saturday is Smoothie Day

2011-08-27T16:26:00.001+10:00

We went to the supermarket today and I saw that strawberry's were on sale at 2 punnets for $5. I grabbed a few, some mandarines, celery, carrots and apple for Agie's weekly celery juice (good for lowering cholesterol). And being pregnant, I bought a tub of yoghurt for my calcium needs (I don't like milk so I need to look for other sources of calcium!).

As soon as we got home, I noticed the big book of juices on our table. I skimmed through it and found a very refreshing recipe for a smoothie. Basically, it just list ingredients and you put in in your blender, after a few seconds (or couple of minutes), your smoothie is ready!

So for today, the Celery juice took a back seat as I made my Strawberry smoothie (finally, I can use my blender which has been gathering dust in the cupboard).

before

and after

The result? really yummy and filling! I can't wait to try the other combinations in the book!!!

Now, off to do the celery juice. =)

We are pregnant!!!

2011-08-22T20:13:00.002+10:00

Finally, i'm almost over my first trimester and can now announce that we are having a baby!!!

Click on my other blog for more details.

Please pray for me and my baby's health.

http://mumdadandbub.blogspot.com/

xoxoxo,
Gracy and Agie

Another freebie, yey!

2011-07-21T19:08:00.001+10:00

I got this from our mailbox today ---

What a pleasant surprise, I almost forgot that I won this from Primped last May. Yey, another beauty freebie, can't wait to try this out.

And on another news, its been raining cats and dogs here in Sydney! I am dying to go to Costco's opening today but the weather is not cooperating. Oh well, have to trek there next week then, hopefully the chaos have died down...

14,972

2011-06-10T16:02:00.000+10:00

that is the number of steps I took yesterday, from 7am to 7pm.

Eversince hubby's work team joined the Global Corporate Challenge and was given two pedometers, I took it upon me to use his spare one so I can also keep track of my steps for the day. Having the pedometer on a winter day encourages me to take the stairs instead of the lift and to walk around so I can achieve my goal of 10000 steps. Some days (like yesterday) I am way above my target but on a few lazy days, I fell short.

Its fun having the pedometer on me and I usually check my progress every so often. Why don't you try it? It may help ward off that dreaded winter pounds. ;-)

lez get it movin movin!!!

2011 - My Prosperity Year

2011-06-09T08:56:00.000+10:00

My horoscope this week from MX got me real excited --- financial freedom here I come!!!

Lucky opportunities --- Lotto? Stocks? Raffle Draws? The world is really conspiring to give me the best year evaaaa!!! Anong numero ba dapat tayaan ko sa lotto? =)

what kept me busy this month

2011-05-26T20:48:00.000+10:00

7th of May: We flew to the Philippines to attend Nanay Ine's burial, my hubby's grandma who unexpectedly passed away on the fourth of May;

spent a few days in Bohol after the burial and just stayed at home eating adobong manok nga bisaya!!!

12th of May: Went home to Bukidnon to spend my birthday with my family

14th of May: Happy birthday to me!!! ug ang request nga lechon naa gyud. =)

17th of May: Flight to Manila then to Singapore

21st ofMay: Flew back to Sydney and embraced the cold winter days ahead.

What I missed most back home

Baby Franz - who's always jumping like a kangaroo, hehe

Baby Yman - who is very laagan and mag ma-oy ug biyaan.

Baby Zyka - nga sungit girl, dili magpahold sa akoa when we're about to go.

Nicole is taller than Jen and I, while Kuya Yuan is making Zyka kulit, hehe.

miss you mom and dad!!!

Next time we go back to the Philippines, it would be a real vacation --- beach in Panglao, Palawan and Boracay, meet up with friends in Manila and of course more time for shopping!!! Now, all I need to do is start saving for this grand trip (plus Europe and NY). Lotto luck, come to me na.

The Bargain Hunter

2011-05-03T20:24:00.001+10:00

I was enumerating to a friend my latest bargain purchase when she told me I am the best bargain hunter she knew!!! This made me realize that indeed, I am always on a look out for the best buys - whether it be on the internet or at the shops. I have a favorite site - ozbargain.com.au which list all shops/products/sites that are having a sale as of the moment. I also check out Missy Confidential and Vogue forums for some bargain tips.

So, I present to you my recent bargain finds which saved me a few hundred dollars:

Oroton Large Tote Bag (my gift to myself after completing my CPA)

Original Price: $495

Got it for: $153.50
Where: Oroton Online
Savings: 69% (should have been 70% but I have to pay shipping cost which is still cheaper than going to the shop and queueing for hours! Seriously, this is such an overpriced Australian brand that everytime they're on sale, people would go nuts. I would only buy it if they are on sale).

Wittner Shoes
Original Price: $189.90
Got it for: $20.00
Where: Wittner Shop - Town Hall (special thanks to Lynn for coming with me. She bought her very nice sandals here for only $10!).
Savings: 89%

Guess Stilletos
Original Price:$169
Got it for: $50
Where: Guess Online
Savings:70%

RMK
Original Price: $109
Got it for: $49
Where: Myer Wespoint
Savings: 55%

welcome to the latest additions to my stills! summer be quick so I can use these pretty little things. =)

-yes, I am a certified bagaholic and shoe-a-holic. =)

On my 10th day in the stock market

2011-05-02T15:46:00.000+10:00

Osama Bin Laden was killed;

AU to Php exchange rate is at its highest at Php46.75 to a dollar;

I have a paper gain of 1.67% and had averaged my cost for my long term stock - ALI (on a downtrend but good for longterm hold so I will buy more of you when I have the excess fund). Lost a few pesos on my 'gaya-gaya' stocks but the biggest surprise of all is my NIKL - it has risen by 13% since acquisition --- and still going up!

I learned to be patient and to not chase the price of my short-term stocks because it will not do me any good.

I still have a lot to learn.

I am hopeful, I am excited, I am on fire!

now back to month end reporting =)

Paris on my Mind

2011-05-01T17:23:00.000+10:00

Traveling to Europe and spending a few days in the romantic city of Paris is a dream of mine. Had our travel plans this year pushed through, we would have been in the city of love right this very moment. But alas, it was not meant to be, not this year. Perhaps next year? We'll see, we'll see.

But who said I cannot have the Eiffel Tower here in Australia???

Wall decal from Ebay and Quilt cover set from Target. Hmmm, me thinks the guest room needs to be renamed the Paris room.

Come dream with me...

CPA Certificate Ceremony

2011-04-21T14:39:00.001+10:00

After three years of (not-so) hardwork and anti-social mode a week leading to exam day, I finally finished my CPA program and got my certificate yesterday. The event was held at Shangri-la Ballroom with the CPA NSW Division President handing out the HUGE paper to us. My dear supportive hubby was with me to celebrate this momentous occassion and of course to be my photographer. But instead of pushing the click the button when it was my turn to accept the certificate, he instead turned the camera off! We still managed to get a few decent shots so all is well.

To reward myself, I bought an Oroton bag online, onsale at 70% off! wohoo... just waiting for it to be delivered next week, can't wait.

ps - my hair is 'tamed', thanks to the flat iron i bought (not GHD coz I can't bear to part with $300 so I purchased a GHD-like flat iron at half the price). =)

pps - I love my dress! A very good buy from my favorite store. Bought two dresses since they had a buy one get the second one at half the price. I am a sucker for bargain products haha.

ppps - Zara opened yesterday at Westfield. I was about to join the long queue but after the linesperson said it'll be a 45minute-minimum-wait in the line, I gave up my spot. I will just come back when the hype died down already.

First Trading Day

2011-04-15T21:57:00.000+10:00

I was so excited this morning for the Philippine Stock Exchange to open because I am ready to buy a number of shares for my portfolio. As soon as 9:00 am (Philippine Time) struck, I went to Citisec's website and ordered six stocks --- a combination of aggressive/ short-term stocks and a long-term hold.

By 12 noon, I checked my portfolio and 5 of my orders were accepted. Yey! However, by market close, I already have a paperloss of Php30.41, although at one point during the trading hours, my stocks were actually going up. But this does not worry me a bit, I know the stocks I chose were really good and expected to rise in the next three months.

Exciting times ahead, yey.

ps, Dear God, please guide me in my investment decisions, you know what these are for. Amen.

Stock Trading

2011-04-12T15:49:00.000+10:00

Last month, my friend Ruthie told me that she is interested in investing in the Philippine Stock Exchange, it will just be a low-risk investment with the intention of getting a good return in time for our retirement. Yen is also investing in Singapore Stock Exchange and she have had a good run with her investments. I gave this a serious thought and said, why not? This new venture is totally in line with my goal this year, that is working towards my financial freedom. If Bo Sanchez' maid can do it, why can't I right?

After complying with the requirements set by Citisec Online, I am now ready to start my online trading. I am so excited to finally have the courage to do stock trading. I don't know how to do it yet, but I am willing to learn. Instead of keeping up with showbiz news back home, I will instead focus on the business pages of Inquirer and Philippine Star to get a good grasp of the local stock market.

This is a journey worthy of its own blog, just like the one I did for my ACN business. Who knows, one day, I may just hit the jackpot! =)

Shining With Pride

2011-04-09T21:16:00.001+10:00

Last Friday, we had our monthly Guiding Lights/ Town Hall Meeting with the Corporate staff where they awarded the Champion Employee for the month who exhibited the PRIDE values (Passion Responsibility Integrity Drive Empathy). And guess who got the trophy???

I was so happy and humbled at the same time that finally, after months and months of being a nominee, I finally bagged the prize this time. Among the eight nominees, the judging committee decided that my contribution to the month end activities of the team (on top of what I am currently doing) is worthy enough to be recognized and rewarded. This time around, not only did I receive a simple thank you card but I also got the chance to keep the Champion Trophy for a month. And...................... I got a $300 Westfield voucher, wohoo!!!

my trophy and thank you cards

Our Guiding Lights

Thank You

Westfield Gift Card

Thank you Iren and Rakesh for the nominations, really appreciate it. Thanks that you acknowledged what I did for you this month. =)

With the $300 voucher, I can now buy my long coveted GHD flat iron, yahoo!!!

This is the fourth time I got lucky this year. I can now say that 2011 is MY YEAR. Every month, I will win something big or be blessed with something wonderful. Thank you Lord., nasasanay na po ako, hihihi.

Practical Tips

2011-04-05T21:24:00.000+10:00

Last Sunday I finally got down and dirty and cleaned our toilet. After an hour, it looked so sparkly and white! I am so proud of myself because not only did I succeed in cleaning but also, I felt like I helped the environment by using baking soda and vinegar as my cleaning agents! How's that for a kitchen remedy in the bathroom --- doesn't smell as toxic as bleach too. So where did I get the idea of using vinegar and bicarb soda? Well, I have a few books in my library that comes in handy --- The Best Kept Beauty Secret by Diane Irons and Vinegar - The Complete Practical Handbook.

These two books are really handy, it has practical tips, household hints and beauty regimen using everyday kitchen products. They are not only effective but cheap as well.

Some tips that I actually use:

Vinegar as my 'hair conditioner' once every six months. This not only keeps your hair softer, the vinegar washes away har impurities caused by too much hair products;
Vinegar as fabric softener. I read somewhere that fabric softener actually contains harmful toxins.
Use olive oil as hair conditioning, leave overnight for maximum effect;
Vitamin E capsules are great for the face, peel it open and apply direct to your face. Vitamin C works as well;
Mashed banana is good for the face and hair while mashed avocado is good for the skin.

These books are a good read and I often go back and browse it from time to time. And of course, to complete my beauty read, I flicked thru How to Wear High Heels and Dress Like a Star.

It is so much fun to be a girl!

p.s. yes, those are two french books at the side but haven't got the chance to perfect it just yet.

Wala lang

2011-04-03T17:17:00.000+10:00

To celebrate Sally's bday, we went to Belgian Bier Cafe at the Rocks. Its a bit cold so I decided not to wear my party dress and just glam up my look with my MAC Viva Glam 1 lipstick. Napaka red!!! And the strawberry beer I drank was soooo yummy! Have to go back for another round next time.

Joyride

2011-04-03T17:03:00.001+10:00

After almost two months of not driving, I am once again behind the wheels earlier today. I told Agie that I will only drive if I am ready (that is, not scared or not pushed into driving). This morning, I woke up with a new goal --- to be able to drive from Toongabbie to North Ryde without fear. And inorder for me to build my confidence, I should drive as often as I can. Kaya ko to!!! so help me God. =)

Calamondin, Comquat, Calamansi

2011-03-30T20:40:00.000+11:00

This is our petite kalamansi tree which we bought from Bunnings last September. After six months, its already giving us fruits that makes my pansit, adobo and sawsawan a touch of gold! =)

Thanks Bebe for taking care of our mini-garden.

Nakakahiya!!!

2011-03-30T11:44:00.000+11:00

How can someone be so obsessed with money to the point of killing somebody else? How can this girl sleep at night?

Like most Filipino migrants, we came to Australia to provide for a better future for our children and to help our family back home. We earn money the right way, and that should be the case. There is no easy way to earn money , no get rick quick scheme out there and if you try to do something against the law, you will get caught!

Nakakahiya, Pinay ka pa naman!

Read story here.

Start Dreaming Again

2011-03-29T21:47:00.002+11:00

Can you remember the last time you dreamt like you have dreamed in your childhood?

When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a princess, an athlete and sometimes a beauty queen (yes, that's right, a beauty queen! hahaha). But now, I don't dream about these silly things anymore - its the reality that's keeping my mind occupied. Jobs, bills, traffic, etc etc (although sometimes I allow myself to daydream about winning the Oz Lotto!).

And then I was introduced to ACN. And everything changed. A switch was turned on inside me that I started to dream again ---

what would it be like to pay off our car loan?
what would it be like to pay off our mortgage?
what would it be like to travel around the world with my family?
what would it be like to wake up and go to the office not because we are required to (otherwise we won't get paid) but because we love our job?
what would it be like?

What if you could build a part time business that will enable you to achieve a full time income? You will still be full time in your job but part-time on your fortune? --- that's ACN for you guys. It may take us two, three, four years to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves but we are willing to give it our all until one day, we can live our dreams.

So what are you waiting for? Start dreaming again, it might motivate you to do something outside of your comfort zone and push it closer to reality.

Be a dream builder not a dream stealer!

Glossy Feature ala Gracy

2011-03-25T21:53:00.003+11:00

Inspired by Divasoria's glossy features, I've decided to take photos of the things on my dresser and bath tub. I can't believe I have accumulated this much stuff and it's costing me a fortune! I could just imagine the millions of dollars these beauty companies raked in year after year as we all become too much of a vain. =)

For the hair:

I suffer from heavy hair loss due to frequent chemical straightening that for this year I've decided to give it a miss. To compensate, I 'invested' in Kerastase Oleo Relax range, its really an expensive brand but thanks to my sponsor/hubby I can get this (along with Redken and Loreal) at a much cheaper price as these are available in Nestle staff shop.

I alternate my Kerastase with Organic's natural shampoo, Neutrogena T-Gel (for dandruff-free scalp) and Pantene Fortifying (to reduce hairloss).

For conditioner and hair masque, I use Keraste, L'Oreal and Redken --- all from the Staff Shop! Btw, I condition everyday and shampoo my hair every other day. Other people would do the reverse.

Because my hair is naturally curly, dry and frizzy, I need to 'tame' it with leave on conditioner and/or oil. My collection include Kerastase and Redken, Body Shop's Grapeseed and my current fave Moroccan Oil. Of all these, Moroccan Oil seem to work for me and I love that it smells great too! Its not as pricey as the rest of my hair relaxers but it worked as well.

Scent:

I love Versace Bright Crystal! It smell soooo sweet. For a more 'serious' mood, I spritz on Gucci and 're-spray' with Banana Rep W during the day. But if I want to smell a bit masculine, I would put on Eternity for Men. =) But of course, the staple Victoria Secret and Bath and Body Works is there for ordinary days.

For the face:

Olay Total Effects, Neutrogena Uktra Sheer with SPF 30, Dove toner (alcohol free) and Natural Instinct Organic toner and moisturizer.

I am not really good at putting on make-up but I would love to know how to!!! Maybe I should join a class noh?

Finally, I got my own Shu Uemera Eyelash Curler.

Body Shop's Spice, MAC's Frost-Plum Pink, MAC's Hot Tahiti, MAC's Viva Glam 1 and MAC's Pink Noveau

loving my current favorite - Mac's House of Liberty lipstick. Got it at a very affordable price from my officemate.

Can a girl have too many lippies? Of course not!

Lip Gloss is a must in my bag, my desk, my other bag, everywhere! If I don't have one with me, I have to drop by a chemist to purchase one because my lips get sooo dry sooo quick. Current faves are Carmex and Burt's Bee and of course the ever reliable Papaw.

In the next few months, a few more will be added to my beauty stash and I hope it wont dent my pocket too much.

I bet your 'collection' is more extensive than mine.

Third Time Lucky!

2011-03-25T13:43:00.001+11:00

As I've said in my post here, luck comes in threes and I am just waiting for my third to come. Well, the waiting game is over for Hubby won a $2,000 travel voucher from their office competition! I will take credit for this because I gave him the write-up that won him the voucher. hehe

You see, Nestle is relaunching their Aero chocolate and they are running an internal promotion where the prize is a travel voucher from Flight Centre. All you have to do is to write in 50 words or less what eating Aero reminds you of. I don't let these competition pass by without sending any entry so I sent a three liner composition and voila, two weeks later the announcement came.

And this is what we submitted:

“Aero's melting bubbles on my tongue, reminds me of time long gone.

When I imagine little fairies with tiny bombs, exploding all at once.

To reveal a thousand fireflies dancing thru the night.”

I am so excited to use the voucher, $2000 will go a loooong way --- Europe maybe? or Phils or even Hawaii!!! The possibilities are endless. I can't wait. =)

p.s. there was another competition last year where the prize was an Ipad and you have to write about Ipad and cooking in the kitchen all in 50 words or less, sadly, we didn't win that one

Nilagpang na Manok

2011-03-21T21:09:00.000+11:00

For several days now, Sydney was drenched with torrential downpour that the City flooded last Saturday. This morning, on our way to the office, the rain did not give any indication that it will stop anytime soon. That got me thinking of piping hot lagpang na manok for dinner (yes, it was still early morning and I am already thinking of dinner!!!). I bought free-range chicken from the shop yesterday with the thought of making chicken sopas but Nilagpang sounded better.

On my way home, I texted my Mom to ask her if I should put lemon grass on the dish and this is what she texted back: Yes, lemon grass, ginger, onion, garlic, spring onions, chili and grilled chicken.

So as soon as I arrived home, I turned on the griller, got dressed, and prepared the ingredients. As soon as the chicken were grilled to perfection, I sauteed all the other ingredients (except for the lemon grass and spring onions), then added the chopped-straight-from-the-grill-free-range-chicken. When the spices coated the chicken, I added just enough boiling water and let it boil. Next into the pan was the lemon grass, after adjusting the taste with salt and pepper I then added the spring onion right before turning the fire off just in time for hubby to arrive home from work.

It was a good enough version to satisfy my craving, the chili added a zing to the dish which is perfect for the weather. It would have tasted even better if I used native chicken but none is available, so the next best thing is free range chicken. From now on, I will pay a premium price to have a better tasting fowl dishes. =)

my take on Nilagpang na Manok (left over na to!)

Scrabble on my Android phone

2011-03-16T09:41:00.001+11:00

I am playing Wordfeud on my android phone. Its a game of scrabble where you can pick random opponents and have a choice of a normal board or a random board.

In a random board, I played 'scent' and it gave me 336 points!!! I am just waiting for my opponent to resign, lol.

I love this game!!!

ACN Video Phone - the phone of the future

2011-03-04T11:25:00.000+11:00

(photo grabbed from the web)

I am so excited that finally, the video phone I ordered for my parents have arrived. I cannot wait to call and see their faces while talking to them. I will finally be able to see my nephews and nieces, see them grow up, celebrate birthdays with them and be in touch with them 24/7.

Yes, Sype works the same way as this but with ageing parents who are not so tech-savvy, having to call me using the traditional phone (with a bonus of seeing my face) without ever opening a computer and clicking some buttons is a relief for them. And they can call any ACN videophones worldwide with minimal charges, now all I have to do is convince my Aunt in the US to buy one from my website so we can all be connected.

And oh, did I tell you that my videophone works as a digital photo frame too? Technology really amazes me, things we thought are impossible 10 years ago are now a reality! I could only imagine what is in store for us in the future.

If you want to stay connected with your loved ones anywhere or wants to earn income that could potentially be your ticket to early retirement, let me know and I'll show you the limitless opportunity of ACN.

A Simple Thank You

2011-02-23T16:20:00.002+11:00

A new program of recognition was introduced in our workplace this year - they named it "A Simple Thank You". And truly, its the only thing that we wanted to hear from our superiors for a job well done, for lending a hand or for doing more than what is expected of us.

Last Monday, in our monthly morning tea, I was given a simple thank you card for helping out the Trade Spend team in their work. I spent three days doing claims clearing which substantially reduced the claims balance. The team already thanked me enough for my help but its nice to know that your Boss recognized your effort as well. Thanks Lydia!

A simple thank you in a simple card is a simple way to let your employees know their work is appreciated and the effect to the morale of the staff is more than simple. =)

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-14T13:13:00.003+11:00

Thanks Bebe for the lovely flowers. Let's celebrate tonight with Michael Buble. =)

being successful

2011-02-09T15:26:00.002+11:00

"Becoming sucessful isnt easy. It requires alot of time, effort and commitment (HARD WORK) and if you're not willing to apply any of these factors into ACN then you of-course will fail as with anything in life."

Words of wisdom from an SVP of ACN.

Lucky Me

2011-01-31T16:35:00.001+11:00

For the past 30 odd years, I haven't been so lucky with raffle draws, I always join but never won anything. But I believe my badluck is coming to an end and the era of Lucky Me is starting.

Dec 2010 - I bought medicines from our local pharmacy and they gave me a raffle ticket to fill out for their Christmas Giveaway. Fast forward to 3 weeks later, I received a call that I won a Breville Nespresso Machine, yebaah!!!. Nevermind that we don't drink coffee, nevermind if we have already one unused coffee machine (a gift from Amex when I signed up), nevermind that it will just gather dust in the cupboard, what matters is that I won it thru draw lots!

Jan 2010 - At the start of the year, Agie and I committed ourselves to do good in the business we just joined. And to be good, we must attend trainings and events. One international event is coming up on the 5th of March in Gold Coast. I have already told my friends that we are attending but haven't bought our conference tickets yet. Last Saturday, we had a regional training and they encouraged everyone who haven't registered to the Gold Coast convention to fill out the forms and as they will raffle off 3 free event registration. Guess who got lucky the second time around? --- ME! All I have to do now is book our accommodation and flights.

They said luck comes in threes, I am waiting for my third one.

But I believe that I will be lucky for the rest of the year. One blessing at a time.
Come on February, show me some love!!! =)

Planting the seeds

2011-01-27T18:33:00.001+11:00

For our future.

We are open for business!!!

2011-01-19T14:23:00.003+11:00

Agie and I had a very busy start to the year. We just joined ACN - a telecommunications company as Representatives and have been attending trainings and business presentations to promote our business. Its a rough start for us and I am seeing a few obstacles along the way. But with our faith, drive and desire to excel in the business, I know we can overcome all these and will end up at the Top!

Please support our business by visiting our site (I will make some changes to the site soon keep on coming back!) and let me know if you are interested in availing any of the products. We have offices in over 20 countries including US, Canada and Europe. Soon, we will open in the Philippines so regardless of where you're located we can offer you something.

Thanks for visiting our site and do contact me for referrals! =)

http://agieandgracycellacay.acnrep.com

Welcome 2011

2011-01-05T13:51:00.001+11:00

There is no doubt that 2010 was a great year for the Cellacay's - we moved to our own place at the start of the year, we travelled overseas together, we both got our licenses and bought a new car, and to end the year with a bang, I got to add CPA at the end of my name!

This year, I wanted to dream BIG. I want my own business so I can work on owning my 5 bedroom house with big play area for the baby. Yes, the baby that we so wanted to have and I am sure we will get this year. We have 12 months to work for it and with God's grace and my optimism, I know it will happen this year!

When I migrated to Australia, I haven't got a clear picture of what I want to achieve in my life whilst here. But slowly, I am learning, I am discovering and I am working towards the goal that I set for myself. In a conversation with one of my colleague, she pointed out that my professional experience is all over the place and I need to decide now if I want to pursue financial accounting or management accounting. But I am still decided, why? because I wasn't given the opportunity to move to management accounting and financial accounting is my comfort zone. But is it what I really wanted??? Well, as with everyone else, I also want to 'retire' early from work, stay at home, play with the kids, be my own boss and enjoy what life has to offer. I don't want to be stuck in the nine-to-five job and complain about not having enough time in a day to do all the things I want.

During the christmas holiday, I met up with Mami El who showed me a business that she wanted to share with me. It is a multi-level thing. I have been very skeptical of this type of business because I've been exposed to networking in the Philippines --- Amway, Forever Living Products, etc etc. There are a few success stories but heaps of failure and sobs stories as well. I accepted the invitation to hear about the product and the business and listened with an open mind.

I was surprised that I liked what was laid in front of me. At the onset, they were very honest that this is not a get-rich-quick-scheme. As with other jobs, you have to work hard for you to earn your keep. "We all do our best in our daily job so why not work doubly hard for yourself instead?" - a statement Mami El said that stuck with me. She's also a migrant, with 2 kids, who worked as an auditor and have two part-time jobs - all involved selling and networking. And she said one day, her full time job would be her part-time and she'll have enough monthly cash inflow to allow her to spend more time with her two daughters. Her husband resigned from work to care for the kids and her salary plus the income of her networking business is more than enough for their daily needs and monthly mortgage. I will be like her in the future, I will have the financial freedom and not rely on my salary for my daily needs.

So, how was I convinced to join the business?
1. Product - the product that I will be selling is something that everyone uses everyday --- Internet, Mobile Phones and soon electricity. Earning a few dollars everytime I use/pay these items is a good start. Also, I believe that it is not difficult to sell something that everyone is already using, I guess the difficult part is convincing your friends to try your product but if the service is good it won't be a hard sell.

and

2. Opportunities in other markets - The business is set to open in the Philippines so I can also create Business Partners back home. Since this is a global business, I can ask my friends in the US, Canada and Europe to join my business or become my customers too.

As I've mentioned, this is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Hubby and I have to work on this. It might take me two years or even three years to get the monthly income that I want but at least its a start. And this being a business, the $495 that i paid to join the company will be tax deductible, including a percentage of the products I will be signing up for. It also meant setting up my home-business --- I could charge myself "rent' for the space too. So many possibilities for me to save on taxes on this venture as well.

It is a good start of the year for me. This Saturday, I invited a few friends over for a business presentation. They might like to join or they might think it is not for them but I could always ask them to be my customers, if not now then in the future. At least I am doing something to augment my income and who knows, this could be my calling! =)

To know more about the business, check out www.acnpacific.com.au. I might buy a website soon and post the products there but for now, I will learn the business first and expand after.

Products we offer include mobile phones (too bad international calls are not inlcuded in the cap), digital phones, adsl, mobile broadband and soon electricity and gas.

I am excited. I can see myself owning my dream house in 3 years time. Hindi ko pede i-asa sa lotto lahat, kelangan ko din kumilos, kung hindi ngayon kelan pa? (parang rally chant lang, hahaha).

Friends, help me out in my business venture ha? Or join me so together we can see the realization of our dreams.

Bon Jovi Live

2010-12-19T18:49:00.005+11:00

Scored the tickets from Ebay since the concert has long been sold-out. Trekked to Moore Park after our Office Christmas Party and enjoyed the night away. =)

I am now looking forward to my date with Michael Buble on Valentines Day. =)

Backyard Makeover

2010-12-18T20:38:00.005+11:00

Our backyard was not really a great sight and we've been wanting to do some renovation on the area.

Since September we have been planting a lot of fruits and vegies and tried to grow a decent grass.

The area just near the backdoor is a bit sand-ish so its really difficult to grow grass, and at the same time, it gets very dusty and dirty all the time.

For this area, we decided to put some gravel, level it to the ground and placed the bricks we bought at Flower Power.

After three weekends, we finally finished laying down all the bricks and our backyard looks so much cleaner and nicer. I am so proud of our hardwork! =)

Gravel first before the bricks

Hubby bringing the gravel from outside

Project done!

Clean backyard and bbq place

looks so much better!

A for Effort! =)

My CPA Australia update

2010-12-16T11:28:00.002+11:00

I passed my last CPA exam, wohooo!!!

I got the SMS result last Friday, the 10th of December. I heaved a sigh of relief knowing that my three years of (not so) hardwork and often-times-cramming-at-the-last-minute paid off. Finally, I can now use my CPA title here in Australia again.

Its also another tick off my 2010 bucket list. With my successful driving exam and now CPA exam, I've achieved 2/3s of my BIG things to accomplish for the year, a no mean feat. I wouldn't worry too much about the third item, I know God will grant me that in His own perfect time. At least now we (me, hubby and my OB) know what the problem is and we're working on it. There is always IVF as a last resort so I am not panicking yet. =)

I am overwhelmed with all the blessings I received. Truly, He knows what's best for me. At times when I prayed/ asked for something and I don't get it, its because He has prepared something bigger than what I asked for. I am humbled, I am blessed, I am forever grateful.

And...as a reward, hubby let me bid my Jon Bon Jovi tickets in Ebay which I persistently did for the past five days and now it paid off. We are watching Bon Jovi tomorrow, wooot woooot!!!

The elusive parking space

2010-11-23T14:45:00.001+11:00

I just got it!!!

Time to take batman to the office.

Kia Ora Auckland

2010-11-22T15:29:00.007+11:00

After my last CPA exam (Lord, sana pumasa ako), I went to NZ with hubby for a much needed break. While hubby is at work, I stayed at the hotel, slept til late, ate brunch and strolled the city. By twilight, I would head back to the hotel and wait until Agie is back for a big dinner!

I never saw the whole of Auckland but I still had a blast enjoying the greenest of the green. Its true, sheep outnumbered humans in this beautiful country. Can't wait to be back and explore more.

enjoying the day with the sheeps who freely roam around the park

love this tree!

are we alone???

cute shops at Parnell

how to decide which pants to buy when shopping alone? take photos!!!

very nice train station

My office visitors

2010-11-11T15:57:00.003+11:00

Ain't they cute?

Life is good!

2010-11-10T11:29:00.001+11:00

Thank you Lord for the overflowing blessings and thank you for allowing me to live in contentment.

pede na mag book ng Europe trip, yahoo!!!

The first fruits

2010-11-09T18:38:00.002+11:00

Yey, finally I 'harvested' the very first ripened strawberry from my pots. Hopefully, the rest will grow big and red and ready to be eaten on the 4th of Dec, just in time for hubby's bday! Gotta share these with friends. =)

Strawberry

2010-10-24T15:54:00.001+11:00

Sana maging red ka na.

All photos were from mobile phone.

Kamatis tayo jan!

2010-10-24T15:44:00.001+11:00

Tomatoes, anyone?

2010-10-24T15:41:00.001+11:00

Growing my own vegie patch

2010-10-08T11:24:00.002+11:00

Since we moved to our own place, I am looking forward to the day when I have enough time to tend our garden and grow my own fruits and vegetables. When my parents came for a visit in April, they did a clean-up and planted a few spices --- lemon grass, spring onion and ginger. Sadly, only the spring onion grew (but I am not losing hope, the ginger is still there and the lemon grass is still alive).

At the start of Spring, hubby and I visited Bunnings with the intention of buying Strawberry pot and Kalamansi Fruit Tree. There's no Kalamansi but I went home with a sack of soil (coz our backyard soil is sandy/clayish type), strawberry, tomato, basil, mint, parsley and a few packets of onions, chili and capsicum. A month after, my tomato and strawberry has its first flowers and my chili is growing fast. The onions and capsicums are just sprouting but soon, I will have loads of them too.

strawberry bud

tomato flowers

chili --- soon to be replanted

parsley

Basil

On Saturday, I will plant my carrots, cucumber, lettuce and chives so hopefully be early summer, all my spices will be homegrown. Currently, most of the dishes I cook would have a touch of parsley and basil on them, and a little bit of spring onion too!

Oh, and the flowers that Agie and Yen gave me last February are still blooming. They give color to an otherwise green and brown backyard of mine. I may need to sow my grasses soon to take advantage of the rainy weather and maybe buy the needed bricks to complete the backyard makeover.

I'm loving spring!!!

Got my Red P Plate

2010-09-29T10:57:00.002+10:00

After three tries and several hundred dollars spent on driving lessons and exam, I finally got my P Plates.

At my first try, I had a very good drive and I almost pass, but on our way back to the RTA office, I didn't know that the speed limit was only 50kph and I was driving at 60kph. The testing officer told me to watch my speed. Urgh!

Second time, I was a nervous wreck. I hit the gutter while doing my 3 point turn and got nervous from that time until we got back to the RTA. I drove on a solid line and made a sudden stop when the lights turned yellow (so it was like causing a dangerous situation). It didn't helped that the girl who did the test was sooo sungit and only gave instructions at the last minute. Haay.
I was so disappointed but at the same time have accepted the fact that maybe I am not yet ready to drive and take control of the wheels just yet.

On my third try, I was pretty happy but as soon as we did the Reverse Parking Maneouver, I again got nervous. Halfway thru, the Officer asked me if I am okay but I told him I just wanted to park properly. As soon as we got to the RTA office he said he didn't understand why I had to fix my reverse parking when in fact, the first time I did it, it was already good and as a result of my nervousness, I forgot to do a head check on my last manouver. Oh well, I think he is more relaxed with the rules because I had 4 mistakes for underspeeding but he still let me pass! Thank you Lord for the answered prayer.

Thank you also to Del, he is such a patient instructor and he really taught me well. =)

Now, time to take Batman for a ride. Pahiram Bebe ha?

Dreaming of Melbourne

2010-08-20T15:34:00.002+10:00

The FB status of Lanie asking if it is okay to live in Melbourne got me thinking again. Last year, when Agie and I were looking for a house, moving to Melbourne was one of our options. There's something in Melbourne that I really liked. Its more slow-paced than Sydney, I felt people were friendlier and the City is a box so its easier to walk from point A to B. And of course I have good memories of Melbourne, always nice to revisit the places we went when we had our SITI training. Plus, house prices in Melbourne is lower than that of Sydney, if that is the only consideration, I would have moved there without hesitation.

But the main consideration in moving is a job. If only there's a job there that we can transfer to, we would not hesitate to move. I would not hesitate to move. Melbourne is my first love and will always be.

In 2008 and early 2009, there are heaps of opportunity in our Melbourne office because our Meat and Dairy Division was expanding. But now, the operation have stabilised and there are only a few openings every now and then. If only Agie have a job offer in Melb too, I would convince him to move.

Lianne is moving, Lanie and Cesar might move. Ellyn wants to follow Lianne. I want to go too.

So here's the plan. In 2012, we would have built an equity in our home, enough for us to use it as a deposit for a new property. If that happens, we can look for a place to buy in Melb and have our town house rented. The rent could cover our amortization and we will now on the road to owning a second home in another state. Wouldn't be that great???

Oh, on another note, Lianne is saying that Melbournites have this perception of Sydneysiders being hardworking blokes so they offer them higher salaries than Melbournites, hmmm...
I can't wait to discuss this with hubby. =)

This is Melbourne, the living city. Melbourne the place to be...

I Survived!

2010-08-20T13:04:00.000+10:00

When hubby told me that he will be gone for 3 weeks for an out of town engagement, I was a bit scared because it meant being alone in the house for the first time! Sleeping over at my friends place in Chatswood was on option but the thought of bringing my clothes, toiletries and make up, not to mention missing my own bed is just too much for me. So I bravely faced the month of August, home alone.

The first Sunday was the hardest, I was too scared of being on my own in our new(ish) place. Every creaking sound of the house, every garage being opened, every car passing thru, every little noise from outside ---- all these seemed to be magnified 10x. I can hear everything!!!

Mondays are better, straight from work, I would watch the primetime news, prapare my dinner and lunch box, surf the Net and then watch Friends. I am so grateful that Daisy lent me Seasons 6 - 9 of Friends, it kept me sane for the days that Agie is not around. I also have two dvds of Zumba and I enjoyed dancing and sweating around the house. Best nights of all is Thursday - the last day of the week that I am alone, I normally slept peacefully and with excitement that Hubby is coming home the next day.

And this has been my life for three weeks. And today, Hubby is coming home for good! No more packing every Sunday, no more lonely, scary, creepy Sunday nights, no more Friends marathon too (or maybe a few episodes here and there, I have purchased 4 seasons from Ebay already so before long, I would have the complete set! Yehey. I really missed my Friends box set, I just hope its not collecting dust in the Phils). And since Agie is back, no more take away food for me, I can go back to cooking, baking and experimenting in the kitchen. Best of all, we can go out driving anytime, yahoo!!!

Life is good. Happy Friday! =)

Batman is here!!!

2010-08-07T20:43:00.004+10:00

After we chose the Corolla Conquest in last week's visit to the Dealership, we were told that our financing got approved last Monday and by Wednesday the car was ready to go. But since Agie was interstate for an engagement, we only picked up Batman - a black, Toyota Corolla Conquest Sedan, this morning.

I was so nervous when we got out of Toyota Terry Shields because it'll be Agie's first time to drive without Del. But God was with us the whole 20 mins and arrived at our place safe and sound.

I then contacted Father Nilo if we can have Batman blessed, he was so kind enough to drop by our place at after lunch and blessed Agie's new toy. We then proceeded to drive around the neighborhood so we can accumulate as much Kms as we can before the car is due for its free service (should be done within the month).

Right now, Batman is settling in his new home --- our garage. We only realized how big the car was when we had to move some stuff from the garage to the house so he can fit in. hahaha. Time to do some cleaning and re-arranging tomorrow.

Welcome home Batman!!!

Red Provisional Driving License

2010-07-28T09:28:00.001+10:00

Hubby got his red provisional license yesterday, yahoo! He was made to do a 3 point turn (good thing because he was not so confident in doing reverse parking) and several roundabouts later, he was told he passed. yippee!!! Next month, it'll be my turn. I need to improve my speed management, positioning and smooth stopping if I want to pass my practical exam. But before that, I want to savour the moment and thank God for the guidance and to Del for being so patient with us. I am doing a happy dance for finally we can now start our city/country/suburb cruisin'. Wollongong Temple, Berrima, Northern Beaches, Shopping for my herb garden and my kalamansi tree, etc. etc. I can't wait.

Congrats Bebe!

Snoring and Dreaming

2010-07-23T10:55:00.000+10:00

Hubby told me that recently, he woke up twice to hear me snore. But because he was too lazy ro record my snoring, I couldn't hear it for myself. But needless to say, I was so embarrassed and petrified at the same time. I , being a light sleeper, always nudge hubby to turn sideways whenever he's off to dreamland and I am just starting mine. And to be told that I snore is news to me. Maybe I am just too tired or maybe I am really getting fat, ieewww. Either way, I need to start my cardio exercise ASAP! Walking around the neighborhood is a good start, and of course make use of my WII games --- Just Dance, Wii Fit, Trainer. Might even get into the Zumba craze.

The good thing about snoring is knowing that I really had a good night sleep. Last night, I even dreamt about shopping at Giordano (I don't know why coz I don't shop at Giordano but you can always find me at Esprit) and ended up not getting the goods because I don't have cash with me. And that I need to wake up from my shopping-dream because I know I am only dreaming! Uh, oh, I think Inception and Leonardo is still with me when I dozed (and snored) off.

Now back to reality.

Dear Nicole

2010-07-22T11:40:00.001+10:00

A letter I gave to my 11 year old niece who ran for Assistant Secretary in the Pupil Government and lost.

~~~

Dear Nicole,

I heard from you Mama that you lost again in your bid to be your school's Assistant Secretary and that you cried and said you always lose, this being your second time in running for a post. Its okay to cry, its okay to lose. But don't dwell on the negative side, don't think that people do not like you, maybe the other person campaigned more than you did, or maybe the job was really not meant for you and that God has other plans for you.

I, too, experienced the same rejection when I was your age. You lost twice, I lost three times! When I was in 4th Grade, I ran for Assistant Auditor and lost to a 5th Grader, when I was in Grade 5, I ran again for Auditor this time, and lost once again. And finally, when I was in the 6th Grade, I ran for Governor, the highest position in Elementary school. Never mind that I lost the last two elections, it did not deterred me from aiming for the top. I ran again and lost the third time!

I can't remember if I cried, maybe I did cry during my sleep. I felt that nobody likes me and that I shouldn't have ran and wasted money. But you know what, Lolo and Lola were so supportive of me. We went to Kristine's Printing Press and had some bookmarks made at the last minute as part of my campaign material. I know they don't have extra cash then but they made 'utang' to the Valiente's so I can have my bookmarks. I even remembered bringing our Akai Cassette Tape to school so we can practice the dance for our program. I was with great people then, popular students were part of my team. But I still lost.

Losing for a third time was not good for my self esteem and I, too, questioned, why I did not win. It's really heartbreaking to experience these rejections at such a young age. But that is part of the game, someone has to lose and someone has to win. And because it wasn't our time to shine yet, we lost this battle. But I did not dwell on the bad side. I still helped the student government with their projects because that's what I really wanted to do!

You'll experience a lot more rejections, pains and heartaches. But don't use this to pull you down, instead, focus on the things you are good at, like drawing, singing. Soon, you'll realize that there are reasons why you didn't get the post.

When I was in Grade School, I have my own shares of disappointments:

* running for office and losing three times - even in highschool, i ran every year and was only successful during my 3rd and 4th year and then I became the President of the HS Student Council.

* joining the Children's choir because Lola knows Mrs Dacudag. When I was in Grade 5, the Children's Choir were going to join a contest in Butuan so they decided to have everyone audition for a part. Before that I thought I am a good singer but when I didn't passed the audition, I realized I am bad pala. I am sooo yabag mukanta until now. The good thing about it was that the students were away for 2 weeks and I was one of the few 'bright' ones left so I got good grades during the 3rd grading period and the others weren't able to catch up with me. From being a 5th Honorable mention in Grade 4, I got the silver medal in Grade 5 and went to become the Valedictorian in Grade 6 (because the First Honors in Grade 5 transferred to another school, hehe)

*wanting to study at Philippines Science High School after I took the entrance exam. I can't remember if I passed the Mindanao campus or not pero I think I was devastated coz I really wanted to go to school there. But you know what, when I was in College and met the people from the Mindanao Campus, I am glad I did not go there because you are required to study only Sciences in College which by that time I know I am not really good at.

There are a few others pero I can't remember them all.

I know you are talented --- you have a good voice, you're artistic! Maybe you can be an artist. =) Continue honing your talents, join contests, sing, dance, draw whenever you can. One day, you'll thank yourself for pursuing the things you love and being good at it.

Nic, disappointments will always be a part of life. You can't always win every game you play, every contest you join. But what makes the winning and the losing less heartbreaking is your journey. If you give it your best and enjoy the things that happen along the way, it won't matter na if you lose or win, what matters is that you had fun while you did it.

I can almost see myself in you. The adults see so much potential and pushes you to do this and that. Just let them for they know what's best for you. You'll thank them 10 years from now! hehehe.

We love you Nic and be good to your little brother and to your cousins okay? You're the big sister and big cousin now. You have to be a good example to them ha?

Love you.
Auntie Gagang

Nympha's Hen's Night and my being a Manang =)

2010-07-20T18:53:00.007+10:00

Saturday night was Nympha's hen's night scheduled a few months in advanced. I asked Agie if I can join the girls and will just sleep over at Lynn's place because it'll be too late for me to travel home alone from the City. We booked at Studs Afloat - a four-hour harbour cruise with food, drinks dancing and of course gorgeous studs who gave 'Brides to Be' an unforgettable sexy show. =)

I saw a dress in Parramatta a week earlier, the dress is kinda revealing but I thought I could pull it off. I also saw a very nice shoes that's perfect for the dress (and perfect for jeans too!!). These are very good buys because they are all discounted, the dress at 50% off and the shoes at 70%, such a bargain.

The bridal shower started at 12noon but I only arrived at 3pm because I had driving lessons in the morning. An hour after arriving, the girls who are not coming to the Studs Afloat left and we started prepping up for the big night.

I asked Perla to curl my hair (thanks Ate!) and Ellyn to do my eye make up. All the girls were glammed up for a night of partying. And it was indeed a very HOT night. No incriminating photos for the bride to be and the rest of the girls, hehe. During the dancing and the 'show' I felt sooo sleepy, and realized I am becoming a Manang!!! I am not used to partying, staying late, drinking and even dancing! I love to dance but when we went to the after party, I just felt so tired that i sat on the couch with Shawie while everyone else is dancing the night away.

with the bride to be, Nympha... I am so taba!!!

partying @ studs afloat

I had fun at the boat, dancing wiht all the girls. but when we moved to Homebar, I just didn't like the ambiance --- so full of teens, so hazy and with techno music. The time didn't help at all --- at 12 midnight, I was not in the mood for dancing, my eyes started to dry up and I thought my contacts would pop out. After a few minutes, everyone decided to call it a night, hailed a cab and went home.

I would have enjoyed the party if I was more comfortable with my dress! I am really conservative at heart and I had difficulty working my revealing outfit. hehe. I carried flats with me so when we started walking, I changed to my comfortable shoes. Those who did not think ahead decided to ditch the stilletos and walked barefoot! haha.

The girls still have the saturday night hangover, judging by their comments to the private photos posted in FB soon after. =)

Random Thoughts for the Day

2010-07-20T11:27:00.003+10:00

travel.
I'm thinking of living and working in New York? hmmmm. Maybe just a visit but not really to live and raise a family there.
Palawan and Boracay
How about the May 2011 Europe adventure??? Top Deck tours daw sabi ni Ellyn.

food.
I have my macaron ingredients at home, I just need to buy my piping bag. Time to use my Homeworld gift certificate.
Masterchef is my life for 4 months now, I don't know what I'll do on July 26. Withdrawal syndrome na eto!!!
I need to replicate my banana peanutbutter chocolate cupcakes and this time I will take photos of it. yumyum!

online.
chuvaness
daphneosena
topazhorizon
marketmanila
philstar
inquirer
fb
twitter

work and studies.
August is our yearend, August is the start of the cpa program
bonus in november, results of cpa exam in dec
new year, new work in 2011??? (parang mas maganda pakinggan ang 'new year, new work, new yok' hahaha. but no, I love Oz, US will just be a holiday destination)

family.
miss my hubby and will miss him more next month for an out-of town engagement
talk and text sa Bukid.
need to have a check up to make sure nothing is wrong with me, GPs cannot be trusted, need to go to specialist this time. I wanna have a beybi!!!

television.
Masterchef finals week. I hate curry.
Friends Season 10. I love Rachel, Joey, Chandler, Monica, Ross and Phoebe.
Modern Family. So dysfunctional so loveable.
Don't lie to me. Your facial gestures gives you away.

back.to.work.

My MX Horoscope

2010-07-12T17:02:00.001+10:00

I need to keep counting my blessings!

A Week of Blessings (big and small)

2010-07-09T14:33:00.003+10:00

God has showered all of us with abundant grace, little things which we take for granted because we're always asking Him for the big things WE want to happen in our lives. This week, I promised myself to acknowledge these things and thank Him for life's little blessings.

5/7/2010 - Monday
1. My train arriving in Strathfield just in time for my connecting train --- even if my train was late for 3 minutes, the fast Train to Epping is also late. =)
2. Fruits for the day - the sweetest mandarin and the largest banana.
3. Reading Bo's blog and reminding me to enjoy life wherever I am, to slow down, and to never 'wait' again. Enjoy my imperfect "now".
4. Being nominated by my peers in this month's guiding lights - good to know that some people appreciate your work in the company.

6/7/2010 - Tuesday
1. Good food. Yummy pizza and hookien noodles. Thank God for my kitchen talent and for a husband who doesn't complain.
2. Colleagues who asked for my help. It made my going to the office worthwhile when I know I can share my knowledge to them.
3. For sisters who keep me grounded and for my niece who still asks for my help.

7/7/2010 - Wednesday
1. Safe arrival to work despite train delays.
2. A very good night sleep and a dream that I am with my good friends in high school.
3. Sunny disposition and good vibes --- future seems brither. Coherent thoughts/ response to the selection criteria.
4. Funny email from my bebe, i kept it because it never fails to bring a smile to my face ---- init kayo kagabi-i bebenako as in.. gipa ningot nasad ko... unya nakurat pa jud ko pag ihi nako last nyt.. ay thought natulog ka.. wala man ko kabantay nag CR ka.. maong naka singgit ko, hehehehe

8/7/2010 - Thursday
1. Reading 'Best is Yet to Come' from Bo Sanchez' blog. Thank you Lord for reminding me again that my prayers will be answered in Your time. I will continue to be specific in my prayers and will be patient and trusting to You.
2. Finding the perfect dress for Nympha's Hen's night.
3. Green Mangoes with bagoong.
4. Emotions from watching too much Masterchef and Glee.

9/7/2010 - Friday
1. Heated train for a change.
2. Quick run and mad dash to my connecting train at Epping and I was able to squeeze inside before the 'door closing' annoucement was made.
3. Good food with good friends Ellyn and Perla.

The day is not yet over, I know more blessings are still coming my way. Bring on positivity, bring on good vibes!

Happy weekend xoxo.

Progress Evaluation of my 2010 Goals

2010-07-08T14:30:00.002+10:00

At work, we have a structured performance evaluation --- from goal setting, quarterly review and the final review. And we try to follow the structure so we could be on track with our goals (and make necessary changes along the way to make ourt SMART goals achievable).

I tried to apply goal setting to my own life and I came up with three big goals. And in line with the corporate set-up, why not make a half-year review of my goals?

1. To finish my CPA studies

I am still on-track with this goal. I finished my 2 modules last May and thankfully, despite some study time diverted to quality time with my parents, I passed the exams. I have one more exam scheduled on the 27th of October. After this I will be a full member and can now certify your documents, hahahaha.

2. To have my red provisional driving license

I have yet a long way to go on this one. I am working on my confidence as I am really scared when I'm behind the steering wheel. My weekly (expensive) session with Del is helping get over this hurdle and improve my driving skills. I am crossing my fingers that I will be able to pass my practical exam before I take my last CPA subject. If only no failing grade will be given to underspeeding. lol

3. To have a baby

This is still a work in progress. Maybe its not yet time for us to have our little bundle of joy. Maybe God is telling us that we need to learn how to drive first before we venture into baby making, hehehe. In His time this will happen.

Well, this mid-year review is telling me that I am confident in achieving 2 out 3 goals. But I am not yet ruling out a 100% achievement rate, we still have six months left of the year which is more than enough time right? =)

Now for my things to do:
1. Get some case materials from Lianne
2. Schedule driving lessons with Del
3. Get Vivi's OB #.

and now, back to work! =)

Sunday Night Dream

2010-07-06T11:31:00.002+10:00

I woke up this morning to the sound of my alarm clock but my dream was so vivid I can still blog about it. Mind you, its a weird dream but who knows, it may have some significance in shaping my future... or not! =)

Scene 1: At Starbucks Coffeshop. Manager was asking the staff who can stay for closing. I raised my hand and so did Fean. We were supposed to be there til closing time. Agie was not happy that I had to stay. Jessica was also with us but she was waiting for me outside the shop, she doesn't want to mingle with some people. I asked Jess if I can stay with her as Agie is leaving for a week.

Next scene, I managed to convinced my friends to stay with me instead. So we went home (but Agie was also with me) and assigned people to sleep in my sister's room. Then I realized that I need to be at Starbucks. I called up Fean and ask her if anyone is helping her and she said Perla is there to give her a hand. (Perla and Fean never met in real life, haha).

Next thing I was holding this small banana, half eaten, when my phone rang and I used the banana to answer Cesar who was calling me to let me know that he's on his way. After several hellos, it seems i lost Cesar, then Agie gave me a new banana and I continued my conversation with Cesar and my alarm went off.

How weird was that???

Trip to Hobart - Queen's Long Weekend

2010-07-03T20:51:00.005+10:00

Went to Hobart for a well deserved break.
June 12 - 14 with Agie, Lynn (thanks for driving us around), Jeff and Anna.
Next trip for us??? - Melbourne for the Australian Open in 2011, yahoo!!! Tickets booked as early as now.

went to Mt Wellington hoping to see the entire city of Hobart, but we got snowed instead.

it was so cooooolddd, brrr....

this would have looked better from the top but since it snowed, we stopped by the winding road just to take this phot0. =)

Outside our Hotel in Salamanca Bay.

at Port Arthur, the oldest convict settlement in Australia.

inside the church

at the Hospital.

view from the Balcony of our Hotel. very nice!

at the Old Hobart Town.

yes, the cottage was built in 1835!

very nice view of the Old Hobart bridge.

Hobart is a nice town, we'll definitely be back --- Cascade Brewery, Cadbury, Fressinet, Wine Glass, Derwent river are waiting for us! =)

Our Companies feed us, literally!

2010-07-03T20:27:00.008+10:00

I sometimes take for granted the freebies Agie and I get from our workplace --- discounted Nestle products for him and free bread for me.

Today, was as a lazy Saturday for us. We stayed home because its just too cold to go out (temperature will reach negative again tonight). So, what to do on a Saturday???

BAKE!!!

Agie's choco pudding

runny nestle hot choco at the side

(because we didn't have the nestle baking cocoa at home)

a slice of the choco pudding, recipe from Nestle's Good Life mag

my pizza with anchovies, mushroom and pineapple.
Pizza base courtesy of GWF =)

melted four cheese on top, yum!!!

crispy pizza base, i didn't even used my pizza stone for this one.

If we continue to have Saturdays like this, we will end up FAT before the year ends, mwehehehe. Good thing I have the Just Dance wii game, we can burn the calories by dancing. Bring it on Baby! =)

So, how's your day?

Ice Cold Mornings

2010-06-30T09:15:00.003+10:00

I woke up to this two days in a row.

ice frost in the pathway

its blurry but you can see the frost on the grass

Frost covered the grass along the pathway, as well as cars, bins and lawns. Its freezing cold at 2degrees (but it really felt like negative 2!!!). My hands and feet were so cold, it needed to be thawed. Time to use my ugg boots to work tom.

Weather reports say that we haven't had this cold weather since the 80s. If this will continue in the next few days, I wouldn't be surprised if we have snow in Toongabbie. hehe. but im scared...

Another two done!

2010-06-21T09:23:00.000+10:00

Yey, my wait is over. Got my CPA results last Friday and I barely passed my Strategic Management subject. I was so depressed after the exam because it was so tricky!!! The materials were very easy to read, and I think I only spent a week or two studying because I knew what was being discussed (or so I thought). But come exam time, I think I got confused with the choices and did a process of elimination when answering. This was the only CPA exam that I couldn't find the answers from the materials. My only consolation was most of the people I knew who took the exam also found it difficult.

And when I got my result last Friday, I was ecstatic! Finally, I can move on and forget about it, haha. One more subject to go and I'm done with my CPA. Global Strategy and Leadership - Bring it On!

Sweet Little Yuan

2010-06-09T13:19:00.001+10:00

Facebook status of my sister:

"Grenna was sleeping alone in her bed last night while her Langga carried Yman to sleep. Suddenly, Yuan, slowly went up to her bed and said: "diri sa ko oi!". She just let Yuan slept beside her but Yuan took her hand and held it tight. After 5 minutes or so, her Langga with their Yman opened the bedroom door and said "Go back na sa imo bed Yuan kay mag sleep na si Yman diha". Yuan quietly went back to his bed and said "Thank you Mommy".

naiyak ako, waaahhhhhhhhh

ps... Yuan is 4 years old while Yman is 6 months old.

Kalamansi Muffin

2010-06-01T08:20:00.002+10:00

What would you do if you have heaps of these?

Why not turn it to these?

Early this week, Jess and Daisy brought kalamansi from their backyard and I ended up with loads of them. I was thinking of creative ways of using the good old kalamansi and I remembered I read somwhere about the very yummy Kalamansi Muffin of Real Cafe in Boracay. So I searched the internet for some recipe and lo and behold --- I got it thru Market Manila, where else??? hehehe

So, armed with (over the top) butter, sugar, yogurt, flour and kalamansi extract, I made the muffin and followed the recipe to a T. It was too buttery for my liking. Brought some to the office and everyone liked it. I might tweak the recipe next time and half the amount of butter to make it less fattening.

Thanks again Marketman for the lovely recipe!

Camelia Station (not Clyde!)

2010-05-28T14:51:00.002+10:00

Photo taken last year.

While waiting for the train at Camelia (not Clyde), I cant resist the urge to have my photo taken at THE RAIL TRACKS!

Wala lang, natuwa ako kasi you can cross the tracks here. Sa ibang stations, you'll be fined if you do that.

Buble on Valentines Day 2011

2010-05-28T09:50:00.001+10:00

I am sooooo thrilled!!! Hubby finally agreed to watch Michael Buble on Feb 14, 2011. Just booked ourselves a ticket! Thanks Bebe, love you!!!

Cant wait for Feb 14. =)

Foggy Tuesday

2010-04-20T06:56:00.001+10:00

Its 6:55 am and Toongabbie is still engulfed with fog.

Boo, I didn't bring any jacket.

Agie-less for 3 weeks

2010-04-18T09:55:00.002+10:00

Agie is off to NZ today for a 3-week audit engagement.

Naku, wala na naman akong katabi matulog, buti na lang andito pa sina Mommy at Nanay, may kausap pa ako sa bahay.

Bebe, God bless your trip. Ayaw pa stress-out sa mga people ha?

I will miss you... sending you hugs and kisses in the cyberworld --- xoxoxoxo....

All in a Day's Work

2010-04-16T16:22:00.000+10:00

a (not so) typical day for me... let's see if something exciting will happen before this day will end

6:20 am - woke up and went straight to the shower (not minding Agie who is brushing his teeth and laughing at me because I can barely open my eyes).

6:38 am - walked with Agie to the station so we can get on the 6:44 train. Its an early Friday for us... (and yes, it only took me 18 mins to bathe and groom myself)

8:03 am - after a 15 minute wait for my train at Epping, I finally arrived at the office.

9:30 am - di pa nakaka simula magtrabaho pero ang aking daily read sa world wide web ay tapos ko na basahin. gusto ko na umuwi kasi antok ako at feeling ko mas magiging productive ako sa bahay (makakapag aral) kesa dito sa opisina.

10:30 am - mobile FB and answering msgs from high school barkada. i miss them. :(

10:46 am - mobile blogging is soooo much fun!!! but this entry is to be posted via the normal route. =)

11:00 am - eating my banana. Its non-stop eating for me... but to my credit, I said no to cake for once haha. You'll get fat in this company if you're not careful --- free bread and spread anytime of the day (I only eat bread occassionally, i try to be healthy and eat oats in the morning), Top Taste cakes every Wednesday, Cereform mud cake once in a while and Michel's or Cheesecake Factory cake every month end!!! I sooo need my daily escalator walk/run at Epping and Macquarie Park stations.

11:38 am - so many things on mind and Ate Pearls new job makes me want to try the jobmarket too... but I will wait for the right time.

11:50 am - walked to Macquarie to have lunch with Ellyn and Sally

1:00 pm - came back from Macquarie. Lunch was flop - didn't happen. Sally has another lunch with her ofcmates so I just gave her the bread and the long overdue bday gift while Ellyn is still at her desk working. I walked back to the office, its a very nice day to have a walk - cool and windy.

2:00 pm - Got myself some Peppermint Tea - a great way to wash off my junkfood of a lunch (aka Whopper jr).

2:04 pm - Received email from Yen and her good news! Yey, excited for her. Hope the training will be in Sydney so I can see her again. =) All I can think of at this stage is the make up and shoes I'll be asking her to shop for me in Singapore, mwahahaha.

2:11 pm - went to search for Teradata and CSC websites for jobs and noticed one thing --- their job search is powered by Taleo - same as NSW job search page.

3:00 pm - Ofc mates are eating cake again! Now I am hungry but will not give in to my cake cravings. Buti na lang may tira pang Dingdong, hehe.

4:21 pm - ready to go...

happy weekend everyone.

Sa CR

2010-04-16T15:03:00.001+10:00

Wala lang. Gusto ko lang mag upload ng picture ko. =)

Breads galore

2010-04-16T10:46:00.001+10:00

This is our breadroom. I'm getting one to bring home.

Btw, this mobile blogging is so much fun! I recently discovered this one despite me owning my phone for over a year now. Expect more posts from me!

Ding Dong on a Friday

2010-04-16T10:35:00.001+10:00

My morning tea. :)

Annoying or what

2010-04-13T14:53:00.003+10:00

i was browsing my favorite online forum vogue and chanced upon this thread (http://forums.vogue.com.au/showthread.php?t=358137) about house etiquette. I was thinking to myself that I can be very anal when it comes to my place and maybe my housemates hated me for this? Good thing I married Agie because we think alike, altough he is worse than me, hehehe.

Some things I can leave with, but others I cannot --- specially dirty dishes because they attract cockroaches, which I really hate and I do not want to live with them! Apologies to my ex-housemates if I was such a Nazi when we were living together. =)

On another note, I found this hilarious site - PassiveAggressivenotes.com - I can't wait to submit my entry on this. Will start to look for passive-aggressive notes from now on. (Im laughing non-stop at the office

So You Think You Can Dance Australia

2010-04-09T15:11:00.001+10:00

Thanks to Jake for the tix! Uploaded via mobile thats why its sideways.

chips no more

2010-04-09T14:57:00.001+10:00

fter giving up hot chips for lent, i salivated at the sight of ribs and rumps chips --- my lunch for today. it doesn't taste as good as before. =(

maybe my tastebuds' telling me not to eat junk foods. i could benefit from this, yey! from now on, i will try not to eat chips, no more kfc, mc do, hungry jacks etc etc...

Running and Trains

2010-04-09T14:38:00.000+10:00

When I was in highschool, I used to be so good in athletics. I would run barefoot during Intramurals and my favorites were the 200m and 400m dash because it gave me momentum and I know I can out-ran anyone with this distance (more difficult with 100M because the runway is too short for me).

Yesterday and today, I did a lot of running and it involves catching the train. From our house to the station, with only 8 mins left before the train comes, I ran like crazy coz I still have to buy tickets for my parents and in-law (they too were running and speed walking, hahaha). We wanted to catch the 8:38 am train to Blacktown, otherwise, we'll be waiting half an hour for the next train to come. In the afternoon, after my 2pm appointment with the doctor, I ran again to the station hoping to catch the train back to Blacktown. I barely made it.

This morning, my limbs were stretched even further. As I was getting ready to get off at Platform 4 in Strathfield for my connecting train at Platform 5, I noticed that the train was running in a different track. Thinking ahead, if the train will not stop at Platform 4, I had to run because I need to get to the other platform and I am far away from the exit door. With only 2 minutes interval, this would be a run-for-your-life kind of run. And so I did... but the other train was late for 4 minutes. And this meant I need to ran (for the last time) to catch my other train at Epping. And I did again, and this time, the train was just arriving and when I got inside, it was already closing its doors. Too bad for the other commuters who did not run (or did not stay close to the exit doors in the Strathfield train) because they will be late for work.

All these running for the train are like accidents waiting to happen. I need to be careful next time and try not to beat the time. Or maybe, I should do my driving lessons more frequently so I can take the road test soon and drive to work. Hmmm, but what about my exercise? All the calories I burned from taking the stairs instead of the lift? Nah, I wont exchange that for the comfort of driving (and spending too much on toll fee). I will still take the train, and continue running and walking the stairs but in the odd occasions, I will treat myself to a lift. =)

the Travel Bug bit me again.

2010-04-07T15:45:00.003+10:00

I was looking at my friend's NYC photos and I am soo jealous that I want to book our next holiday there. But what about Europe in May 2011? And trip to Pinas (and Palawan)? Oh well, I have to take it easy, one destination at a time. I need to save, save, save!

NYC at Night (photo grabbed from the Web)

Or maybe, I can go to Tasmania this June.. hmmmm, need to book our ticket soon.

Tasmania cove (photo grabbed from the Web)

St Barachiel my guardian angel, thanks for protecting me

2010-04-04T19:31:00.002+10:00

I am normally alert and conscious of my surrounding, especially when walking alone. But tonight was different, I was on my mobile talking to Tanya when I got off at Toongabbie. Its already dark even if it's still 6:30 because we just finished DST and our time moved back an hour.

While walking, I didn't pay attention to where I was going and didn't realized that I was on the 'darker' side of the road. Still on the phone, I heard somebody following me but I thought it was just another commuter going home somewhere in my street. Then I heard someone shouted but I didn't mind them. I was clutching my handbag when suddenly someone tried to grab it from behind! I was sooo shock that I shouted then tried to look from behind me if someone else is there and surveyed where I should run and shout for help. Then I look at the would-be thief and realized he's a young bloke, maybe 10 or 12 years old. He is hesitating to come back or run... So I shouted at him "Are you trying to grab my bag??? I will report you to Triple 0!"

Then I pretended to call "000" on my mobile and shouted loud enough for the boy to hear. "Someone's trying to grab my bag. He is running towards Portico St. He stopped in the corner of Cecilia and Portico." When he realized I was talking to someone on the phone and gave away his location, he run under the bridge to the other side of the station.

During this time, Agie was calling me and I answered but at the same time I was shouting. He heard everything and he was sooo scared for me. He's mind was racing, thinking of the worst. When I was sure that the Boy was gone, I talked to him and recounted what happened.

I was sooo scared... but at the same time thankful for my Guardian Angel. St Barachiel, you saved me. I should have known better. I should have walked along the shops, where the street lights are and where there are a lot of people walking.

As soon as I arrived home, I told my parents what happened. Then we ate dinner. Then I talked to Agie again (he is still in the City visiting a Boholano admitted in the hospital). I am still scared but very much thankful that nothing bad had happened to me.

And this is my easter story... hope you had a better one. =)

Food trip!!!

2010-03-23T16:29:00.004+11:00

i was craving for pasta aglio olio so I whipped a single serve while trying to study my cpa materials. yum yum but kulang sa parsley. =)

steamed tilapia (from Costi's Blacktown) with fried garlic and light soy sauce. good food for lent and healthy too.

Banana bread ala Agie. Taste soooo goood!

Goodbye TFC

2010-03-22T13:43:00.001+11:00

I was planning to get TFC for our parents' stay here so they wouldn't feel too homesick and bored at home. Last February, I checked online, called up TFC customer service and enrolled my details. Luckily, they have a contract for 6 months but we need to return the dish at the end of the contract. Sounds good to me since we wouldn't be able to see all shows anyway once our parents are back in the Phils, so we would be cutting the service after the 6th month period.

Since we lived in a townhouse, we still need to get Strata approval for the dish installation. Come March 2, I sent my application form, together with the approval from the Strata Manager. I was told before that the installer will call me within 24-48 hours of receipt of my application. On the same date, our credit card was charged for the first month fee of $39.99.

I waited for the entire week and I never received a call from TFC nor from the installer. I checked my fax transmission again and it was sent successfully. Since they've already charged hubby's card, then they must have received our application. On March 9, I received a call from TFC confirming our application and that I will have to wait for 24-48 hours for the installer to call me. After 3 days of waiting, I gave them a call telling them that I need it to be installed on Saturday, 13th of March, otherwise I'll cancel the service. They gave me the name and number of the installer and they said it was assigned to him a few days ago. I gave the installer a call confirming the day of the installation and he said either Monday or Tuesday but he'll call me to confirm.

Come Tuesday morning, I still didn't received a call so I called him up again asking if he'll install today as promised. He said that he can't but he will try to install before Friday.

At that point I was getting mad. Its been 2 weeks since I applied and until now I can't seem to get a confirmation when the installation's gonna be. With everyday it gets delayed, it shortens the time our parents can see Filipino shows which defeats the purpose of getting the service in the first place. Also, in my 3 years stay here in Australia, I always received prompt services from any supplier, regardless if I paid for the service or not. The most that I had to wait was 2 weeks after the scheduled date and that is understandable because the product has to be ordered overseas. But this one, its only the installation and I cannot understand the delay... well, the installer was saying he doesn't have the equipment now and it will only arrive on Thursday or Friday.

After hearing that, I told hubby that I wouldn't call the installer again for follow-up. But if by Friday, I still won't hear from him, I will call TFC and cancel the service and have the payment reimbursed to us, the reason being, our parents will only have a month left to use TFC. Really no point of having it installed this late.

Friday afternoon, with still no communication from the installer, I called up TFC and explained that it has been 3 weeks since I applied and several follow-ups later, I still don't have my TFC, so now I want to cancel the application. I also informed them that the installer said he is still waiting for the equipment to arrive. After a few minutes of being on hold, the customer service representative told me that they wouldn't be receiving the equipment until the 25th of March so if I can't wait that long, they will just cancel my application and refund the money. March 25th is too far away. By then we will be busy going out on weekends, then its Holy Week so really, we cannot make use of our TFC 24/7! So I decided to just cancel it.

Then, all is well... until I got a call from the installer at 9pm on Friday and our 15-minute conversation goes on like this:

Installer: hi, is this Gracy, this is XXX from TFC.
Me: Hi, How are you?
Installer: this is regarding your application noh. Sorry, kasi natabunan ang email mo eh.
Me: okay na po. napa cancel ko na din sa TFC, naitawag ko na po kanina.
Installer: Hindi, hindi. Bukas, first thing in the morning, pupunta ako sa inyo. I-i-install ko na.
Me: Di bale na po. Napa cancel ko na naman tsaka wala po kami bukas. May pupuntahan po kami.
Installer: Maaga ako pupunta. Sige na, para ma install na natin.
Me: May lakad po kasi kami bukas.
Installer: Tumawag ka na ba sa akin?
Me: Opo. Tumawag po ako last week, sabi nyo po sa Monday or Tuesday ang installation, tapos Tuesday, tumawag po ako, sabi nyo po sa between Wednesday to Friday. Nung di po ako nakareceive ng call nyo kanina, pina cancel ko na. Kasi nga 3 weeks na pending ang application namin tapos na charge na ang credit card namin pero wala pa din.
Installer: Ganito yun Gracy ha, yung next na billing sa inyo, one month after pa ng installation so hindi naman kayo i-bi-bill kaagad.
Me: okay lang po. Kasi yung reason talaga is uuwi na po sa Pilipinas yung mga magulang namin next month so wala nang gagamit ng TFC.
Installer: Naku, pa install mo na. Di ka mag sisisi. Ma eenjoy mo lahat ng shows. Ang ganda ganda ng shows namin. O ano, install na natin sa Sunday.
Me: Ay, hindi na nga po kasi napacancel ko na diba?
Installer: Yung cancellation, yung may last say tayong dalawa naman. Kung sabihin mong i-install na natin, hindi na nila i-ca-cancel yun.
Me: Hindi na nga po kasi nga di na rin sya magagamit. Next time na lang po, pag bibisita ulit dito ang parents ko ng matagal tagal, papakabit ako ng TFC.
Installer: Sige na, libre na kita ng first month. 5 months na lang babayaran mo kasi matagal ka nag antay eh. Para lang makabitan ka na. Ano lang ba yung $40, libre na kita.
Me: Wag na po, kakahiya naman sa inyo. Tsaka uuwi na nga po ang parents ko so wala nang gagamit ng TFC.
Installer: hindi kasi kakahiya naman sayo. Kasalanan ko naman na hindi ko nainstall. Sayang din, at least ikaw, approve na. Matagal ang approval ng installation alam mo ba yun?
Me: Okay lang po. May approval na kami sa Strata. Di naman po kami lilipat ng bahay in the next few years. Di bale, if babalik ang parents namin papakabit na lang kami pero for now po, cancel na po yung application namin.
Installer: Pasensya na talaga ha?
Me: Okay lang po. walang problema. Sige po. Bye.

Ang kulit diba? Paulit ulit na lang ang sagot ko! at bakit, biglang pede na i-install kinabukasan??? At sabihan pa akong "ano lang ba ang $40"? Hay naku talaga, I can easily earn that $40 noh. Wala po tayo sa Pilipinas, hindi po pe-pedeng pa petiks petiks ka sa trabaho (ako lang po ang pede maging petiks). Your service sucks, you gave TFC a bad name (kanta yun ah). For you to just keep on postponing the installation without letting me know is not acceptable. Clearly, the equipment is there, you are just too busy to care that someone is actually waiting for you to do your work, and now, when Head Office sends you a letter regarding the cancellation, you panicked. Kainis lang. Di ko tuloy napanood ang ASAP sa Boracay. hmmp.

Anyway, i told my Filo officemate about this and she is also having problems with TFC! She kept on calling them explaining that she needs the dish to be moved from one room to another because her mom needs it in the other room. Until now, nothing has been done. And when she calls their number, she has to explain what she wanted done over and over that it gets really frustrating. I asked her if we had the same installer but she said a different name.

Why is it more difficult dealing with Pinoys than with other nationalities??? Buti na lang, maayos kausap ang Driving Instructor namin, at least natututo na kami mag drive paunti unti...

What do I really want?

2010-03-18T09:04:00.000+11:00

I had a long exchange of emails with my girlfriends today, we were talking about blogs and doing something we really want, something that makes us happy, something we always dreamt of but never got the courage to do, and that we need to get out of our comfort zones to realize these dreams.

It got me thinking --- what do I really want?

I want to travel, see the whole world. Kiss infront of the Eiffel Tower, be serenaded by a Gondolier, go inside beautiful castles, see windmills and sand dunes. Eat burritos in Mexico, paella in Spain, pasta and pizza in Italy. Check out the tallest building in Dubai, the grandest falls in Canada, safari in Africa. I can go on and on and on.

I also want to cook. Bake. Eat.

Dance.

But all these I can do only when I have the money. That is the issue. I need money to survive, I need money to do the things I love. Being an accountant pays my bills, so I am happy. But, what if we stretch it out a bit, what do I really want to do besides working as an accountant? Childcare? But I am not good with kids.

Maybe, I am born to be an accountant... or maybe not.

I need to find the answer to this question.
.
.
.
.
o baka naman talaga im meant to be an accountant. kulit! =)

Three years and counting Part II

2010-03-16T13:58:00.001+11:00

I can't believe how time flies so quickly these days. This week marks my 3rd year of being employed in THE Bread Co. Looking back at my list of employers, this is the longest I've been in a company. I have my highlights and lowlights while working here.

I love that...
I get free bread everyday which me and my friends enjoyed for the past 3 years;
I can come in early and leave early or come in late and but still leave early, hehe;
Our team is so multi-cultural, almost all race is represented;
Its easy for me to take long (Christmas) holidays when some people cannot take a day off during these times;
I am never stressed with this job, and can count with one hand the times I stayed after 5pm, yes, I considered staying after 4:30pm as overtime.

I hate...
how kurips the company is to the Finance Team (compared to how they treat Sales Team that is);
how the current performance evaluation is just not working! I haven't had my final appraisal for 2009 but I got my bonus and increase already. We're halfway thru the year and I haven't discussed my goals for 2010 yet! I've been receiving my reminder email for the appraisal but nothing is being done;
how sometimes I am really petiks. but at the same time i love being petiks coz I can sneak some studying time in between;
how far I my workplace from Tonggabbie is and the one hour commute to and from work. :(

Many times I thought of leaving this company to look for more challenging roles but Agie always tells me that I have the best job in the world!. No pressure, no overtime and no brainer at times. My officemate who came from P&G also told me to stick with the company because this is the most stress free job she have had that she sometimes forget its already month end! She was reminiscing her P&G days where she needs to come to the office even on a weekend to cope with month end tasks.

Big companies are just banking on their name to hire people but at times, they really have a crappy work environment. You'll never know it unless you're inside the organization. Which led me to believe that the grass is never greener at the other side of the fence. When I hear stories about friends getting good job with good pay, I get jealous. But when I hear them complain and work doubly hard, I feel blessed. I'm being paid good money here, don't get me wrong. I have had 5 increases over my 3 year stay here, nevermind that the two ones were just over 1% of my annual salary. But sometimes, I feel that there is so much more I can offer, so much more I can do. Its like I am an untapped talent waiting to be ignited. Its happening slowly, but being an impatient ME, I want it now (or probably not, hahaha).

This the perfect place for me now. I am happy to stay here for a year or two, but if there's a government job somewhere in the West, I would definitely jump ships!!! =)

Perla, isdatchu???

2010-03-15T19:13:00.003+11:00

I was sooo busy reading all the tweets on my phone that i didn't notice the train was approaching Pendle Hill and not Toongabbie. I was surprised to see that the carriage I am on missed the stairs by a few meters but I got off anyway. I walked up, together with so many people, and realize its a different station! Damn, it's still Pendle Hill!!!

Perla, ikaw ba yan??? After always laughing at Perla for getting off the wrong station (train terminated without her realizing and she had to be escorted out of the train in Wollstonecraft; travelled to Hornsby, then Strathfield from Chatswood then to Meadowbank for over an hour when she could have boarded a direct train to Meadowbank; and getting off at Hornsby--- when she needs to get off at Epping and the train was empty by that time!!!), I could not believe it happened to me too?

Good thing it was still 'peak hour' and trains come every 15 minutes...and Agie was waiting for me in Toongabbie.

My Monday ended well, still. =)

Hope you had a fruitful one.

BBQ

2010-03-11T11:06:00.002+11:00

I haven't cooked deep fried fish and dried fish since we moved because the smell of fish is so 'anghit' and difficult to remove. No amount of candles can get rid of the smell stuck to the blinds. And now, being lent, its doubly hard not to think of frying fish!!!

I've been meaning to buy a BBQ with side burner not only to solve the frying problem but also for us to have an authentic Aussie Backyard BBQ. We made a trip to Bunnings once but the ones we saw don't have side burners so we gave it a miss. Last week, my friend posted a shout out in FB looking for someone interested in buying her 3 month old, 4 burner BBQ with cylinder. She's selling it because someone gave them a 5 burner one (she's soo lucky to have rich friends, hehehehe). So after a few messages exchanged, I am now waiting for the BBQ to be delivered on Saturday.

She said it looks like this but with a side burner too...

I can't wait for Saturday!!!

Friends, let's have a barbie!!!

Gubot ang Ulo

2010-03-09T14:16:00.002+11:00

What would you do if work becomes too tedious, overwhelming and your boss is overbearing?
What would you do if you think too much and can't seem to get the answer?
What would you do if you suddenly make a mountain out of a molehill --- little things are blown up???

You Stop.
You take a deep breath.

You Pray.
You surrender.

Have faith.
For He will make a way.

Don't sweat the small stuff. They are not worth it.

Sing and be merry.
Smile and be happy.

From Don Moen:
God will make a way,
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way

From Mangie:
Be patient. God knows what He's doing. God knows what's best for you. He can see the end result. You can't. All those problems, heartaches, difficulties and delays -- all the things that make you ask "why" -- one day it will all be clear in the light of God's love.

But for now, we're learning to trust God.

~~~
You'll be fine Bebe. =)

(not so) successful cheescake

2010-03-06T18:37:00.003+11:00

So I made my Cadbury cheesecake last night, but because i made so much adjustment to the recipe, it didn't quiet turn out the way I wanted it to be.

First, I couldn't find crushed graham crackers, so instead I bought Arnotts and pulverized it using my blender.

from this

to this

Then, I wanted it to be less fattening, so I used light cream cheese instead of the regular one.

Then, thinking that the cake is too thick, i halved the cream cheese mixture to fill two pans.

cheesecake cooling inside the oven

yummy cheesecake but its not nice looking, hahahaha

Verdict:

Taste - Very good

Presentation - needs improvement!

Biscuit base - needs to be freezed overnight (not one hour!!!)

I will make another one in a few days, and this time, I will follow the recipe to the letter. Then, I will make my adjustments when I am satisfied with the finish product.

Baking 101

2010-03-05T14:07:00.001+11:00

will resume tonight. I will try to replicate my friend's version of Toblerone cheesecake. But Woolies doesn't stock white toblerone so I ended up getting Cadbury white chocolate. This will definitely alter the taste but will try it just the same...

Good luck to me!

Andito na si Nanay

2010-03-02T11:57:00.002+11:00

Yep, the plane landed safely at around 7:45 am. Thank God for friends na sumundo kina Nanay. Right now, andun sya nagpapahinga sa Chatswood. I'll be picking her up after ofc hours. Then a looooooong train ride to Toongabbie! Tapos sa 24, si mommy at daddy naman ang pupunta dito! Yahoo. Finally, makikita na nila kung ano ang Australia... sana lang di sila ma bore. =)

My first attempt - Banana Bread

2010-02-28T17:48:00.005+11:00

I can't wait for the banana to ripen some more, so after hearing mass this morning, Agie and I went to see if there are over ripe bananas for sale... and this costs us $1.05 only. =)

Armed with the right banana, i started my Banana Bread ala Market Man (this is the Payard version, the one with olive oil and is lighter than your normal banana bread, thus the pale-ish color of the finish product).

Banana Cupcakes all ready to be devoured.

Verdict: I love this Banana Bread! It's light and just enough sweetness. I think I'm gonna make some more of these.. problem is, it's too fattening. LOL.

First try at baking = success! Next, i'm gonna make Masterchef Julie's Lemon Cupcakes. Good luck to me. hehehe.

my new toy

2010-02-27T22:36:00.004+11:00

So, what will you buy if you received a $20 voucher from Myer?

... its a Beatermix for me!!!

Can't wait for my own creations, yey! I bought ingredients for a Banana Cake/Bread the recipe of which I got from Market Manila. I'm just waiting for the bananas to ripen more (sort of over ripe) so I can start mashing them.

Baking is my new hobby... for now. =)

Three years and counting

2010-02-26T10:09:00.001+11:00

January 12, 2007

sa dami ng pinagkakaabalahan ko nung buwan ng Enero, nakaligtaan ko ang aking ikatlong taong anibersaryo dito sa bansang Ostrelya.

ang bilis ng araw, tatlong taon na pala ang nakaraan:
... nang ako ay binigyan ng 'bayong' ng Qantas para ilagay ang 7kilos excess baggage dahil pinagkasya ko sa isang bag ang halos 40K ko na gamit;
... nang sumakay ako ng Qantas mag-isa. Buti na lang ako ay nasa 'aisle seat' at di nahirapan pag nag w-weewee;
... nang nagmarunong ako nung pumunta ako sa Martin Place Station... sabi ni Van baba daw sa Town Hall para mag change ng platform papuntang Martin Place, pero sa Wynyard ako bumaba, ayan tuloy, nahirapan akong mag bitbit ng bag ko para sumakay ng tren pabalik;
...nung tumambay ako buong araw sa Pitt St na naka jacket (summer time eto ha?) habang nanonood ng street performers at nagpapalipas oras para sunduin ng mga taong noon ko pa lamang makikilala.

Tatlong taon na ang nakalipas pero ang dami ng nangyari.

Noon, mangilan ngilan lang ang kilala ko dito pero ngayon, parang buong baranggay na!
Noon, payat pa ako, ngayon malusog na. =)
Noon, single pa ako, ngayon may asawa na.
Noon, nag re-rent pa ako, ngayon nagbabayad na ng amortization.
Noon, excited ako gamitin ang aking mga stilleto na shoes, ngayon, nasa loob na lang sya ng box, di na nagamit ever.

Pero meron din naman mga bagay na gaya pa din ng dati:
Noon, di pa ako marunong mag drive.... hanggang ngayon ganun pa din.
Noon, nag t-train ako papuntang office... hanggang ngayon ganun pa din.
Noon, di ako kumakain ng lamb... hanggang ngayon di pa din.
At hanggang nayon di pa din ako nakaligo sa Australian beach!

Oo, tatlong taon na ako dito sa Sydney. Nakapunta na din ako sa Melbourne (ulit), Brisbane, Canberra at Gold Coast.
Ang laki laki ng Australia, ang dami ko pang gustong puntahan --- Perth, Darwin, Cairns, Ayers Rock, Adelaide at Tasmania.
Ang lawak lawak din ng NSW, madami pang mga lugar ang nais kong bisitahin. Pero hindi ko mamadaliin, i have my whole life to explore the rest of NSW (if not the rest of Australia).

Thank you po Lord, talagang ang galing galing ng plano Mo para sa akin. Alam ko po na the best is yet to come. =)

Our Humble Abode - a photo blog

2010-02-20T12:32:00.010+11:00

Front view of our place (photo taken by Pewee).

photo of the kitchen taken during the pre-purchase inspection

the old and dated bluish colored carpet.

the empty lounge.

moving in day!!!

more stuff dumped in the kitchen

and the transformation to....

coffee table, rug and wall mirror all came from Freedom Furnitures

the table can be extended to accommodate 6 chairs.

i can't take a decent photo of our backyard because we haven't done the landscaping yet.

my pretty carpet! =)

Masters bedroom - Soho 7 pc bedroom suite from Furnish.com.au

finally, my study room

I didn't take photos of the guestroom, lock up garage and toilets.... saka na lang pag nakabili na ng kotse, hihihi

Hot peppermint tea

2010-02-19T15:07:00.001+11:00

is my current obsession. I don't drink coffee nor tea when I was still in the Phils, well except for the occasional starbucks frap. On the few times that we eat at Hap Chang or any Chinese restos, friends would normally order house tea and i'll drink a few tea cups full.

Lately though, everytime I go out for dinner, I would always order hot peppermint tea for drinks. I read somewhere that the reason why chinese (korean and japanese) women are so thin is because they drink tea all the time. My Chinese officemate also told me to stop drinking cold water while eating because the fat in my food solidifies inside my body. That was a scary thought but I just can't eat without drinking water!

Last December in the US, I saw their vast collection of tea bags ---- from Peppermint to Rosehip to Chai, Green, Decaf and Herbal and many more. Too bad I only got a box of Decaf Green Tea from Walgreens (I forgot about it until the last minute).

This year, I started drinking hot tea regularly. At first, it was only during our weekend breakfast but now its becoming a daily habit and I love it!

While writing this, I'm on my second mug of peppermint hot tea --- no milk, no honey, no sugar. I should try a different flavour next time, maybe Japanese rice tea. Daisy, bring me some authentic japanese tea from Osaka please???

Valentines came early

2010-02-12T08:46:00.004+11:00

I got my early valentines present from Agie, I like it very very much!!! Thanks bebe nako!!!

Flowers which liven up our lounge

the flower which matches with my scented candle

and of course, i need to take a photo of my coffee table and rug from Freedom, LOL.

This time, with Jess' painting at the background.

This is our home. =)

Too bad we can't hang the mirror yet as we need sturdy, heavy-duty hooks for it.