busy months ahead

Aside from preparing for our BIG day, we still need to prepare for our Papa's 75th birthday.  Me and my siblings are planning a surprise birthday party for him, but still haven't decided yet where to celebrate it or should we be inviting many people or just celebrate it just with our family.  But then again, its his 75th birthday, its a milestone so this needs a big celebration.  Oh well, there's still plenty of time to think about it.  Hope we could come up with a decision any time soon.

God gave me you

I have this song on loop on my playlist and it got me teary-eyed as I can relate to the song now :)

For all the times I felt cheated, I complained
You know how I love to complain
For all the wrongs I repeated, though I was to blame
I still cursed that rain
I didn't have a prayer, didn't have a clue
Then out of the blue

God gave me you to show me what's real
There's more to life than just how I feel
And all that I'm worth is right before my eyes
And all that I live for though I didn't know why
Now I do, 'cause God gave me you

For all the times I wore my self pity like a favorite shirt
All wrapped up in that hurt
For every glass I saw, I saw half empty
Now it overflows like a river through my soul
From every doubt I had, I'm finally free
I truly believe

God gave me you to show me what's real
There's more to life than just how I feel
And all that I'm worth is right before my eyes
And all that I live for though I didn't know why
Now I do, 'cause God gave me you

In your arms I'm someone new
With ever tender kiss from you
Oh must confess
I've been blessed

God gave me you to show me what's real
There's more to life than just how I feel
And all that I'm worth is right before my eyes
And all that I live for though I didn't know why (didn't know why)
Now I do (I finally do), 'cause God gave me you (God gave me You)

God gave me you

my precious...

As you all know, I just got engaged last night!  So I'm still on a high right now.  I think it will take me 2 weeks before I get back to my regular self.  I can't help but find myself having that big smile plastered all over my face haha! :D

This post is specially dedicated to that ring... my precious as I would call it. It's just a simple 0.3 carat diamond solitare white gold ring. It was a perfect fit on  my ring finger. Good job dude! :)

we're engaged!!!

Today, I'm starting fresh again. My blogging has been neglected for quite sometime now which I am not happy about. I've been meaning to start all over again but the pressure at work keep on coming, hence having my 0 time to blog.

But today is a special day and is soooo very much blog worthy!!! I'm entering a new milestone in my adult life and that is something I would like to document here. Well folks, today, my best friend, my chatmate, my textmate, my perennial date, my confidante and my lover all rolled into 1 has asked me to marry him on his birthday. Yes, you read that right! It was a double celebration for us as we end up celebrating not only his birthday but also our engagement.  I will be a misis soooon! *kilig to the bones* *blush*  I'm super over to the moon now. I can't go back to earth haha! I want to savor every bit of this feeling. I want to box it up and make sure that this feeling stays the same even after many years have passed :)

Thank you Lord for this blessing and for the answered prayers. You make all things fall into place on your own perfect time! wiiiiii!!!

Dude and his another baby...
the baby back ribs! nyehehe!

Wuma-wine din pag may time :)

The couple before the proposal... see my left
finger, no ring yet

the happy bride to be :D

couple shot after the proposal

Thanks babe for suprising me last night.  I never expected it that you'll be proposing on your birhtday.  Good thing naglugay ako ng buhok haha!

P.S. I love You soo much! mwaaah!!!

while i'm waiting

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years.  That's how long I've waited and is still am waiting. Thank you Lord for the message of this song that I need to be obedient to Your word and faithfully wait.

bronze medalist in her class... good job rica!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3575605515882
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3578842396802&set=vb.1445408571&type=2&theater

cooking with Glena

I've been an OFW for over 6 months now and I must say, thinking of what to eat every meal is a challenge for me and my housemates.  During our first month here, we've managed to eat out everyday and all I can say is that it's expensive lah! So I have to be creative in the kitchen and whip a decent meal.  And I'm surprised of my progression as a cook!  I can now cook simple dishes that I don't usually cook in our house in Manila.  Although these dishes are no brainer for some but for me, it's an achievement already.  My Pops will be proud! :)  Sorry, as of the moment the only picture I have was the first dish that I've done which is the buttered shrimp.

                                     

For the others, I wasn't able to take a snap of it.  I will update this entry as soon as I've cooked again the same dish that I will enumerate here:

- Pork and Chicken Adobo with hard boiled egg

- Spaghetti Bolognese

- Pork steak

- BBQ Porkchop with buttered corn on the side

- Pork Giniling with carrots and potato with hard boiled egg

- Lumpiang Shanghai

- Pork with broccoli in oyster sauce

- Tempura

Wow! Thanks to Panlasang Pinoy website for the tutorial videos I was able to cook all those dishes! I deserve a POB (Pat on the Back) :)

...

I'm thinking of where this blog is headed to.  My mind is going nowhere in terms of writing stuff to publish in this little space of mine. I've been on blog break each and every time and I pity myself.  There are a lot of things that I want to write about, but there are no words coming out in my head.  So I just shove the idea and just forget about it.  But now that I have plenty of time in my hands for today being on sick leave... hah! I badly needed this leave.  Having Sundays as my only free day is something I am not thrilled about.  I know this is the life of a Consultant - late night, weekend and holiday work is inevitable in our line of job.   We're always in our toes to keep the client happy and proving to them that we are better than the other Consulting firm.  Hey, it comes with the package right?!?  Although I'm very thankful for this job, I'm still thinking if what I'm doing right now really makes me happy.  Am I doing it effectively and efficiently? Am I at my best here?  I wish I could have the answer.  However, doing this job for almost 10 years taught me a LOT of things:  Dealing with pressure, deadlines, accepting failures, doing things all over again, being responsible and owning a task, the sense of urgency and above all camaraderie.  I've met people of different nationalities and culture and I'm grateful to have met them and made friends with them.  Wow! 10 years is loooong man!  But the question still remains...  Am I happy?  I just hope that I could be able to find the answer someday or better yet stand up for the answer (because at the back of my mind I know the answer, I just don't have the guts to stand for it YET!)  

look who's coming to Singapura

Happy 31st monthsary Dude! I ♥ U

korea in my mind

I'm so happy that this day had come. I'm beyond excited for my next trip. This time it's in the land of the K-pop stars! I admit that sometime in my adult life, I was engrossed to those Koreanovelas being shown in Prime time TV. Blame it on the tear-jerking stories, the flawless skins of the actors and those oh so pretty backdrops/locations. They are so good in marketing their country maximizing all those beautiful scenery that they have. But most importantly, what I'm most excited about this trip is seeing, touching and feeling snow. First time ko bakit ba?!? haha!!! Since Japan is way too expensive to go to, Korea is the next best place to experience winter. Thanks to promo fares here and there we can actually go to the place for a cheaper price.  Wish ko lang na may snow pa pagdating namin dun kundi... I'm gonna cry haha! I hope to see snowflakes coming from above... as in yung umuulan ng snow! Ang saya siguro non di ba? Haaay! Oh well, wish us luck in going around the city with no Korean Tour guide to help us. But I know we can do this! AJA!!! :)

Below pictures are some of the tourist spots we will be going courtesy of Google.

Cheonggyecheon Stream

Changdeok Palace

N Seoul Tower

how to keep up?!?

How do you keep up with all the pressure and the demands of your boss?  Half of the 1st month of 2012 is already done but the workload at the office keeps on piling up and never seem to stop.  I feel like I'm under the gun to complete all the tasks in hand.  This feeling is not new to me but I can't help myself but to be disappointed whenever I fall short and can't keep up with the tasks.  

Once again, I'm  being reminded of what is in the Bible: "There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off." - Proverbs 23:18

God is orchestrating the events in our lives.  He can see our future.  He desires that we put our faith in Him and not in our jobs.  Thank you Lord for your Word that I can claim and own it in my heart! :D

the mac

So, I finally gave in to the urge of buying myself this super sleek, very mayabang-like and the most expensive gadget I owned.  Presenting, my new 13" Macbook Pro! Woohooo! Sushal! lolz!!!  

I remember the time when I'm still contemplating whether to buy or not.  I know I've saved up for this but will this be worth it?  Almost all the per diem that I've saved will go to this haha!  During the time I was in the store I had a chit chat with the sales man and he said that they currently have a promotion: 60 dollar slash off out of the original price, because the store will be going on renovation and that day was their last day.  Wooaah! not bad eh?!?  After the sales talk, it's now time for the decision making... to buy or not to buy!  After some thinking and contemplating, I finally mustered the guts to withdraw all the mooolah I've saved up just for this.  Pikit mata ang pagababayad ko sa cashier.  And then it was done! This baby is now mine.  I went home with a BIG smile on my face :D  

"The Mac" is now 2 months old, and I'm loving it.  I still have to  learn all the other features that comes with it so that I can maximize it's full potential.  As the saying goes "Once you go MAC you'll never come back! *wink*    

   

a retrospective of 2011

I bid 2011 goodbye with a grateful heart.  

In 2011, I've experienced Highs and Lows. But the highs covered up for all the lows all put together.  First on my list of highs was the realization of my little dream.  I got to be deployed onshore for a project that was scheduled for only 3 months but eventually became a long-term project that took me away from my family and friends.  But it's all good knowing that this is what I've prayed for way way back.  And only now that God answered it for me.  Truly the Lord answers prayers in His own perfect time.  He has His master plan set for me in the way that I could never understand and imagine.  This reminds me of the verse in the Bible that can be found in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I believe that this verse has a very powerful message: God knows us personally, He has a plan for us, and allows us to find hope in Him. 


2011 is also the time I've experienced my first heartbreak.  It was the time that I cannot seem to think clearly about our relationship and just resorted to breaking up with someone whom I loved and cared about.  But then the breakup didn't last long as we were back in each other arms after 2 weeks time haha!  Nagpapapansin lang pala ako sa kanya kaya ko naisipan makipag break lol! Kidding aside, that whole situation made me realize that I should not make decisions based on impulse and that I should think it through over and over again.  Though, it made our relationship stronger and better I guess.  So last August 29, we celebrated our 1st anniversary.  We had our buffet dinner at Hotel Sofitel's Spiral restaurant.  

Of course, travel will not be left behind for the year that was.  In 2011, together with friends and Dude, we went to the northern part of Luzon which were Pangasinan, La Union, and Baguio.  Fun, fun, fun! That's how I can describe that trip :)  And then Dude and I made our way in the south eastern part of Mindanao which is in Pearl Farm, Davao.  For my international travel, we went to KL Malaysia.  Wow, thank you Lord for the gift to travel.  


Whew! That was an amazing year.  So many things happened, discovered new places and gained new friends.  Again, all I can say is to To God be the Glory!    Looking forward to the year 2012 for a life full of challenges and triumphs by God's grace!  Amen! 

and it's a wrap for 2011... and hello 2012!!!

It's a time of new beginnings, so let us grab and take hold of the fresh and new... Let us expect God to do something great in us this year!

Happy New Year everyone!!! From Singapore with love :D

Marina Bay Sands 2011 Fireworks display c/o google

gone in 120 days...

Yo! wazzup my blog?!? How have you been? I know I've been MIA for the last 4 months and it sucks BIG time! I feel that I've committed a serious crime. Well, well, well... see who's back now. I'm sooo back balakubak! I'm ready for this. I have so much to write about. The year 2011 is coming to an end soon! And it's definitely one of my best year career wise. I promise to write all about it on my coming posts. A retrospective of 2011. I promise I'll make it up to you my blog. Ok, gotta go for now! See yah!

1 year it is...

polyvore is love...

Polyvore is a super cool site where you can create fun and inspiring outfits and collections! Here is an outfit that I've pulled out on their collection that can be worn on a Saturday date with maaahh dude.

saturday date with dude

I would love to have these items in my closet... haha!

beautiful in my eyes *wink*

The following are the things that I heart right now but costs a lot of moooolah for me to be able to have them in my  arms haha!  They can be classified to be in my wish list category for now since Christmas is already around the corner.  As if!!! lolz! However, I do own # 4 and 6 already so yey! 

1. Longchamp brown tote bag -  Need I say more? I'm just speechless with this bag, isn't she a beauty?  2. Ted Baker brown purse - I'm loving this classic look of a fine leather wallet/purse.  It doesn't have a lot of "kaartehan" in it's design.  Simple, clean lines but looks very sophisticated 3. iPhone 4 - For the longest time I'm making my way into meeting this fella'... but it isn't just happening *sigh*  Mapapasakin ka din mwahaha!  4. Fitflops walkstar - the comfort my feet are getting with this sandals is 100% and they look good on my feet too, totally a good buy 5. Gas oven - I love watching cooking shows on TV but the irony is I don't know how to cook.  Duh! but hey, it's not yet too late.  I can still learn it and whip up some gastronomic food with this baby in the kitchen.  Crossing my fingers! 6. 100 ml Lancome Miracle - although I already own this one, the liquid in the bottle is fast becoming empty haha!  Blame it on the rain 7. 13" Macbook Pro - who doesn't want to have this baby?  Everytime I'm in the mall or any electronic gadget outlet, I always always stop by to check on the price of this thing.  And it never fails to make me cringe upon seeing that hefty price tag.  Dang!  8 . Sundress - I love sundresses.  But they don't love me back because it don't look good on me when I'm on it pppffftttt!!!

                                                                                                                                                      

realization...

It dawned on me while having a chat conversation with Dude and we're talking about business, he said something negative about me. And instead of denying what he said, I totally agree with him. Interesting!  Thanks dude for your constructive criticism, it made me think and take a little step backwards on my decision making.

a trip of a lifetime

3 beautiful and compelling short films = a trip of a lifetime.

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.


LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.


MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.