little luxuries

Everyday I treat myself to little luxuries like a piece of pie, a tall cup of chai latte, a scoop (or two) of ice cream, a new piece of clothing or accessory, etc... You get what I mean. Well, today it was a 45minute afternoon nap. P flew in from Dallas earlier than expected so I was able to take a much needed break from mommy duty.

Bird Decoupage duvet set from Pottery Barn

If there's one thing I really miss about my pre-child life, it's sleeping in and taking afternoon naps.

What did you indulge in today?

jollibee!

It just occurred to me that we've been living in the US for almost a year now. This is the longest we've been away from home since we started moving around. In the previous assignments we would fly home every 3 months but now it's a different story. Oh, how I miss those regular fly backs!

That's why I was super excited for our Las Vegas trip. Aside from admiring the man-made marvel that is the strip, I was looking forward to visiting the Jollibee store to have my Chickenjoy and Jolly Spaghetti fix. And indeed I did! We even rented a car on our 3rd day in Las Vegas just to go to Jollibee (after our quick tour of Hoover Dam).

I know it's sounds cliche but being inside the store really felt like we were back home again. The store interior looked exactly like the stores in Megamall. The crew were speaking Tagalag. Even the show on their LCD was TV Patrol World! Of course, as expected, the food was langhap-sarap! Even Bud loved the chicken and spaghetti. And you know what else he loved? The mascot! He was smitten as soon as we walked in the door. What is it about this big red bee that makes it so lovable?



All this reminiscing is making me hungry!

If you're ever craving for Jollibee (like me), check out www.jollibee.com.ph for a list of their international stores. You might get surprised that there's one near you.

weekend highlights

The past couple of days have been unusually warm for fall so we took advantage and spent the weekend outdoors - swimming in the lake, apple picking and shopping! Okay, so the last one wasn't exactly an outdoor activity but it still got us out of the house.

A gorgeous Friday afternoon at Bryant Lake

An enjoyable Saturday picking apples (and feeding ponies)

step #1: Taste the different variety of apples and choose which ones you want to pick.

step #2 : Once you have decided, pay the corresponding amount at the cashier to get your plastic bag. Each bag is approximately 10lbs worth of apples.

step #3: Get a map of the orchard to locate your apple trees.

step #4: Start plucking and fill up your bag.

step #5: Enjoy!

Shoe shopping on Sunday

Finally, after weeks of searching, I found the one! Let me introduce you to my Water Row booties from Clarks. I know, Clarks sounds so granny-ish. I was also pleasantly surprised when I found these darlings in piperlime. And because comfort is really top priority for me when it comes to shoes, I had to go to Mall of America to try it on before purchasing. True to it's promise, it was amazingly comfortable and the silhouette is very sexy. I'm so excited to strut in style (to the grocery) this fall!

Have a great week ahead, everyone!

we're all amazing

Good morning mommies! Here's a great pick-me-upper when you're feeling a bit frumpy.

just the way you are by bruno mars

Wouldn't it be amazing if our husbands greeted us with this song everyday?

video courtesy of youtube.com

celebrations

I have so much to be thankful for this week. For one, I just turned a year older. Not that I claim to be any wiser but I am definitely feeling my metabolism slowing down and my wrinkles getting more visible, haha! But seriously, I think more than the age, it was motherhood that made me more mature (and gave me all the wrinkles).

Also, P and I had just celebrated our 4th year anniversary as a married couple. It feels like we've been together forever. I guess there's some truth to that considering we've been boyfriend-girlfriend since 1995. Yes, we were college sweethearts. And yes, we waited 10 years before getting married. We were young, we wanted to focus on our careers and save for the future. I am so glad we waited until we were really ready. Marriage is a decision and a commitment and I couldn't have chosen a better partner than P. He's reliable, generous, thoughtful, smart and funny. Not to mention a great cook!

The last four years has been quiet a journey. We've had our share of adventures and challenges, more than enough to keep our children and grandchildren entertained during story time.

October 6, 2006

p.s.
As my birthday resolution, I have decided to shun away all pastries and sweet treats in the hopes that it will help me get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. How I wish I could look the way I did on my wedding day.

uninvited guests

Remember when I wrote here about the wasps that we found in our house when came home from our first Dallas trip? Turned out they were not wasps but yellow jacket bees. Mr. exterminator found a hive in one of our air vents on the ground floor, yikes! Good news is they're gone now.


Bad news is we have new guests. We were greeted by a swarm of boxelder bugs when we arrived Thursday night from our latest Dallas trip. We were told they're harmless but still they're a nuisance. We couldn't open our windows and sliding doors because of their sheer volume!


Hay, life in the suburbs....

fall inspiration

With the temperatures down, I'm packing away my shorts and sandals and making room for my fall staples: cropped boyfriend chinos and oxfords. Here are some looks that inspire me.





Yes, they're photos of men! I gravitate towards the androgynous look for colder weather. It's comfort dressing with character.

photos courtesy of streetpeeper.com