99 days to go!

Wow, how time flies! My pregnancy ticker says "99 days to go" before our little bundle of joy comes out! Yehey, I'm so excited! And I'm sure my husband is, too. :)

Today, I'm entering my 26th week, which means I'm on the last leg of the second trimester. I really hope our baby's going to be okay despite my week-long cough and colds. I've been on medication since Monday and so far, I'm seeing the improvements. The diagnosis was acute upper respiratory tract infection and I was given antibiotics. I was also advised to use a nebulizer to ease my breathing. At first, I was hesitant to take the meds, but I trust my OB, I know she would not prescribe anything that will cause harm to our baby. Tomorrow will be my follow up check up. Hope the infection will be totally gone by then.
 
Oh, baby, daddy and mommy are so excited to be with you. See you in 99 days! :)

Nursery Love

Just want to share some photos of beautiful, dreamy nurseries I found on the net. I dream of providing a wonderful nursery for our little one, too. :)

Cool, crisp design for a boy
Photo credit: home-designing.com



Fit for a princess
Photo credit: modern-luxury-interior-design.blogspot.com



Fit for a princess, too
Photo credit: projectnursery.com



Now, the following photos are of my two favorites designs, one is for a baby boy, the other for a baby girl. I hope someday, our baby could have a nursery like either of these two. :)

For the boy... I'm loving the simplicity of the colors. I particularly like the combination of beige/cream and blue. And I also love the cute, little stuffed toy animals on the couch!
Photo credit: projectnursery.com

For the girl... La-la-love lavender! It's so easy on the eyes, so refreshing to look at! I also like the somewhat minimalist feel of the room. And the chandelier - it adds just the right touch of elegance to this simply but exquisitely designed nursery. Photo credit: projectnursery.com

Big & Small Company Warehouse Sale

It's shopping time for the baby! Yey! Got this info from Billie (and she got it from N@Wie)... :)

Big & Small Company Warehouse Sale
Up to 70% off
Brands: Orange Juice, Spin and Havin a Baby


Photo credit: everythinginbudget.blogspot.com


I'm excited! Will drop by this sale (and drag Paul with me, of course!). It's just near our office - one jeepney ride away. Yey! If ever, it'll be the first shopping time for baby!

Home cooking rocks!

Home cooking rocks! I love this site. Been hooked for months, taking note of recipes/tips. And boy, there are a lot of them - soups, main dishes, desserts, drinks, small bites, breakfast, specials... Everything's here!

This food blog is being maintained by Mrs. Connie Veneracion, a mother, wife, lawyer and writer, among other things. She's not a chef, according to her. But she definitely loves cooking! She describes her blog as being about the meals she cooks for her family. She also shares personal observation on restaurants and information about Filipino delicacies and other food products available locally.

I love how she comprehensively shares every meal she cooks. Each post includes a complete recipe of the dish and oh-so-beautifully taken photos! Here are samples of her mouth-watering meals:

Beef, sausage and potato soup

 

Shrimp and brocolli stir fry



Salisbury steak

Bacon, cream and cheese fettuccine

Chocolate brownie cake

Watermelon smoothie

She is truly an inspiration. A couple of things I learned form her blog: (1) You don't have to be a chef to be able to cook mouth-watering dishes and (2) You don't have to spend huge amounts of moolah to cook gourmet-type dishes. As her blog's tagline goes, "Cook more, spend less". Love it!

Photo credits: All photos are from homecookingrocks.com.

Little Women on Dec. 5 - Let's watch!

Hi, friends!

For its traditional December holiday production, Repertory Philippines is staging the family musical, Little Women. Based on the novel by American author Louisa May Alcott, this musical tells the joyous and heartwarming story of the March family - how they overcome challenges and gain love and unity in the process.
 

 
“This is a wonderful story that’s appropriate for the holiday season,” says director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo. “Audiences will see how the March sisters depend on each other as a family and how they cope as their father is away serving the American Civil War,” she says.

“They’re a fun bunch: brash aspiring writer Jo, romantic Meg, pretentious Amy, and kind-hearted Beth. Audiences will surely be able to relate to these four little women.”

Little Women will be staged at Rep’s home for the past several years: Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1 Mall in Makati City.

“We’re at a convenient location for families or friends. There are many things they can do before or after watching our shows, like shopping, dining out, visiting the nearby Ayala Museum or even simply enjoying the outdoor garden spaces.”

Little Women has been adapted into at least four anime (Japanese animation) versions and has been made into film versions with Katherine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. The latest Academy Award-nominated adaptation was done in the mid-90's starring Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Claire Danes, Susan Sarandon and Christian Bale.

Gerard Salonga conducts the FILharmoniKA orchestra. New York City-based Joey Mendoza handles set design while Tuxqs Rutaquio does costume design and John Batalla does lighting design.

Please come and watch the December 5, 2010 (Sunday, 8PM) show! Prices are at Php1,000, Php800, Php600 and 500. For ticket inquiries, please call or text Sarah at 0917 867 5986 or Marge at 0917 884 9037 or Anj at 0917 882 8552.

You may also send queries/reservation through e-mail at littlewomenmanila@gmail.com.

Hope to see you on the December 5 show! Thanks! :)

2011 Starbucks Planner

I've been a BDJ Power Planner user for the past three years (2008 to 2010). For next year, I'm sort of having seconds thoughts on getting BDJ again, mainly because of the price. So, just like my bestfriend, Ese, I have my eyes set on  the 2011 Starbucks Planner! There are three covers to choose from. I fell in love with the Maroon Velvet Fabric (go, UP! Hehe). Here's a look at them:


Cool Clean Stainless Steel, Maroon Velvet Fabric and Stained Dark Wood Panels
Photo credit: spot.ph


To get the planners, we all know the drill. You collect a specific number of stickers and voila, you get your own planner. Plus, a donation goes to SparkHope, Starbucks' childhood program in partnership with UNICEF. So, it's for a good cause.

Promo details:
Number of stickers to collect -- 17 (9 for Christmas drinks, 8 for regular drinks)
Collection of stickers -- November 3, 2010 to January 5, 2011
Redemption of planners -- until March 6, 2011

Since I'm pregnant and can't drink coffee, I enlisted the cooperation of my husband (hehe) in completing the stickers! He will get all the Christmas drink stickers, while I will collect for the regular drinks (I can order non-coffee based fraps, anyway). I'm kinda sad because I can't have my favorite Christmas drink, Peppermint Mocha Frap! Oh well, next year will be my time. :)

Pasalubong!

Paul arrived last September 4 from an almost 2-month project assignment in Singapore. I was so happy to see him! And being the spoiler that he is, he brought me pasalubong... It was so sweet of him to have bought me stuff despite the fact that he was kinda on a tight budget (his salary was directly deposited to his PH payroll, hence, he didn't have much cash when he was in SG), plus his luggage wasn't that big. Oh, but I love everything he brought! From kiddie stuff like a humongous Piglet and Disney items (a keepsake box and a Stitch notebook set) to sporty stuff (walking shoes) to chic stuff (a lady bag) -- I love 'em all! Haha Giddy like a school girl. :)

I'm sharing here some photos of my two favorite pasalubongs. First is the Buckle Up Charles & Keith bag. I love its color, camel. Paul said he chose this over the black one because he thought the black bag looked so usual. And I agree, I saw the black version in the Charles & Keith SM North Edsa branch, and I must say, the one he got me looks better. Simple but has a touch of elegance.
 

  



It comes with a detachable shoulder strap, too.



 My second fave item is the Nike waffle racer shoes. Paul said he bought this because the waffle edition sort of has a special place in my heart. It was the first pair of Nike shoes I ever owned -- I remember, it was in 2004, I was in Bacolod City for a work assignment. I dropped by a Nike store and saw a pair of maroon rubber shoes. It was love at first sight. I fitted the pair and it was oh so comfy. It was on sale, so another plus. I loved it so much, I wore it almost everyday. Also, I didn't have much shoes then, so my waffles got worn out eventually. Anyway, enough of the reminiscing... Here is my new waffle pair, not exactly the same as my first pair, but waffles nonetheless. :)

Love the maroon and pink combination (my old pair was in maroon and mint green)

Swoosh

Thanks, Dy, for the pasalubong! :)

Photo credits: All shots of the Charles & Keith bag are from charleskeith.com. Nike shoes photos are taken by me.

I love you, Sabado!

Can't wait for Saturday!!! Paul's coming home from Singapore. He's been away for almost two months! I missed him, sobra!

Mr. Antukin :)

Well, aside from the excitement of seeing him again, I have a second reason for anticipating Saturday. Hehe My very own iPhone is also arriving!

Photo credit: itechnews.net

It's actually a gift from my brother, Nel, who's based in Perth, Australia. He and his wife, Trix, are in Singapore for a 5-day vacation and he met up with Paul last Sunday to give the phone, so he won't be spending for the shipment costs if he sends it from Perth to Manila. I'm so excited! The unit is actually a hand-me-down, Nel's been using it for more than a year, I think. He's renewing his line this September and will get an iPhone 4, so the old model's gonna be mine. Even though it's just a hand-me-down, it's going to be special to me because it's an iPhone, for crying out loud. :) And more than that, it would have a sentimental value because it would somehow make me feel more connected to Nel. You see, I (and the rest of the family) haven't seen him for like 13 years. Hopefully, he could go visit home this Christmas. We miss him so much.

Aside from the iPhone, I'm also giddy like a school girl for the other pasalubong I'll be getting. Paul said he bought a Charles & Keith bag for me (yay!), a really big Piglet stuffed toy and a pair of Nike shoes. Paul's homecoming is more than enough for me, but the material gifts that come with him won't hurt, of course. Haha :) Can't wait! Four days to go!

Boholandia

Today, I dream of Bohol. The pristine, white sand beaches of Panglao, the magnificent marine life, the fresh air and laid back feel of Tagbilaran City, the beautiful countryside... Aaah. I had told myself before that if I would get rich, I would buy a house in Bohol (among other favorite places - Baguio, Palawan, Tagaytay) so I would be close to the all the wonders it offers.

Well, I'm not even close to being rich, hehe, so for now, I'll make do with seasonal trips to this beautiful place. Here are some pictures from my recent trip to Bohol (our honeymoon last May):

View from our balcony... Hay, it's so nice waking up to this every morning. :)

At our balcony

Chilling and having snacks by the beach...

Foodidoo: the resort's lasagna is to die for! And the pizza, too!

Watching the sunrise... Marveling at the beauty of God's creations...

Balicasag Island, a popular snorkeling/diving spot

Snorkeling at Balicasag Island

Yummy lunch after a tiring yet fun snorkeling: inihaw galore + sinigang na tuna panga (not pictured)

At the Blood Compact Site

Tarsier, the world's smallest primate

Man-made forest

Chocolate Hills in Carmen, Bohol

As sweet as chocolate ;)

Let's see, will it taste like chocolate? ;)

Hanging bridge

Cruise with buffet lunch along Loboc River

Loboc River - so clean, so calm...

View of Loboc Church from the river

Loboc Church facade

Baclayon Church Bell Tower

Feeling pre-nup? :)

Can't wait til our next trip to Boholandia. :)

Bittersweet Sunday

Ah, Sunday. There's always a bittersweet feeling I get whenever this day arrives. Love it because it's weekend, no work, I can just chill, lalala lalala. But a part of me kinda hates it at some point becuase when it's over, it's time to go to the jungle the next day. Haha Oh well, that's life.

Today, I'm more on the bitter side because it's the first morning since Paul left for Singapore. I woke up without his arms around me. :( But anyway, he'll be away for just a month. I just tell myself, it's over before I know it. Four weeks? Easy. Hehe

In other news -- I just entered my 7th week of pregnancy! How exciting! Note that this is the ovulatory count (which I think is the more appropriate count, because it starts with the conception date). If we are counting menstrual, it's the 9th week already, because this type of counting starts from the first day of the last period, meaning you are about 2 weeks preggy already at the time of the conception). Anyway, so far, so good. No morning sickness yet. Just occasional bouts of dizziness, especially in the mornings. And I always feel lazy and sleepy! I wish I could afford to be jobless so I could just stay home and chill while I'm pregnant. Hahaha