Pansol Weekend Getaway

The husband and I had a wonderful time over the weekend. We spent it in Pansol with our friends. Our friend was so generous to invite us to their resthouse.

We just chilled and relaxed. While the young ones were all excited to take a dip in the pool.

We played dodgeball too. Although I suck at dodgeball! Boo!

But of course we couldn't resist to swim in that wonderful pool.

We had a hearty merienda and dinner.

And then it was booze and videoke time!

We made it like American Idol where we had a theme for every round. The first round was M.O.M. which stands for MakeOut Music, and then the next round were OPM's in which my husband sang Ted Ito's local versin of Saigono Iwaki (remember that song?). So we were stuck in that genre. Another friend was looking for Sasasadami of Lady D (?) ahahahaha! For our final rounds, we had Eraserheads and then Apo Hiking Society Songs. For the finale, these three sang "All for Love" and because all them had enough drinks, they really felt like Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting.

Told you the husband had too much alcohol, he can't stop dancing haha!

We were all hung over the next day. That's us after barely five hours of sleep. And I look the most hungover person wtf!


After breakfast, we played RockBand. We never get tired of RockBand.

And then we're back in the pool.


And then all of a sudden, it was time to go back home.

Perfect relaxing weekend! Who needs air filter, when you have all that fresh air?

More About Babies

Aside from Penny giving birth, another friend recently gave birth. But we never got to visit her in the hospital because she's not here in Manila. Thank God for facebook we get updated with her new pics. Here's Baby Nickie on her 1 week "birthday."


I think you look like your Daddy, Baby Nickie! Congratulations again to the very happy parents! We hope to see you soon!

Fishy Fishy

Last night we went to Medical City to visit Mommy Penny and Baby Paco. Penny gave birth to their first-born on Thursday, 22 April. Look at how cute Paco is.

Janice and I were seating next to him listening to his mom tell us how we was born and then he suddenly sneezed. Oh my gosh I was worried we were carrying germs with us, that's why he sneezed! And then he started whimper, so his mom had to carry him...he just wanted to be included in the story-telling hihi.

Paco is the second baby in our barkada. His "kuya" is my godson Stefan who looked like this when we visited him in the hospital last October. He was poop-ing that's why he was crying hehehe. But of course he is so much bigger now. His mom said he's wearing clothes for 9-12 months while he's only 6 months old.

Babies are so cute but they're so fragile. Penny asked me if I wanted to hold Paco but I was afraid I might hurt him. I'm not really comfortable carrying babies this small. No, no I'm no longer pressured to have a baby but I think we're ready to have one. :) I hope I don't jinx this having-a-baby thing by blabbing about it here in my blog.

T.G.I.S.

I was channel surfing last night when I saw TGIS The Movie on PBO.


Ohmygosh! I was such a teenager! I can't believe I was so kilig to the TV show when I was in high school. And then watching the movie last night…blech! Hahaha I can't stand it! Is it because I've grown up and don’t find the cheesy lines kakilig? Even the petty fighting between the loveteams was soo..that's it petty! Oh to be young and in love. Although I must admit it was my first time to watch the movie last night (didn't even able to finish it). To which my husband said, "Di ka nakipili sa libo-libong nanood nyan?" hahahaha No, he didn't watch it too back then. He doesn't even remember why Ciara Sotto was in the movie.

Photo from here.

To Box or Not To Box

I've had a rough week and I'm so glad it's already Friday. As I look back in the past few months, stress has been an almost daily part of my life. I'm frustrated that I don't have an outlet to let go of the steam. You know how creative people tend to do something with their talent when they're depressed or stressed. How writers write poems, or how painters draw their frustrations. Sure I write about it here in my blog once in a while but not really in detail because I just don't feel like it and I don't want to let out dirty laundry in the world wide web. So I end up eating. Yes, eating! And then I get depressed when I notice that I'm getting bigger. This morning I realized I should just go back to boxing. Now that will really help me! But sometimes I just don't feel like gong to the gym anymore, I haven't been there in months. My gym instructors would have thought that I've already gotten pregnant and given birth – that's how long I've been out of the loop. So now I'm deciding if I should box again or not. At the moment I can squeeze it in my schedule, I can even go boxing everyday. Okay, now that I'm writing this I'm even more convinced that I should box again. But you know why I'm a bit weary to go back to boxing? I'm not sure if I should say this but … we're already thinking of getting pregnant. So what if I get pregnant? Then I'll have to stop again and lose my momentum. Is that a silly thing to think about? It's just that I really really need a stress buster. Or I'll end up somewhere in our neighborhood (in Mandaluyong hehehe).

Photo from here.

Chinese GP 2010

Another disappointing finish for Vettel at the Chinese GP. I really think he shouldn't get pole position for him to get a podium finish during the race hehe. It was an action packed race - lots of overtaking, lots of pit stops and a lot of appearances from the safety car. Here's a lapy by lap account of the Chinese GP by Philip Duncan.

LAP 1: Great star from Alonso. He gets the jump on the Red Bulls and Webber gets ahead of his team-mate. Four cars involved in an accident at the back of the field. Lots of debris on the track and the safety car has been deployed. Suspicions that Alonso may have jumped the start. I'll keep you updated on that one. Liuzzi dropped it under braking taking out Buemi and Kobayashi to cause the accident.

LAP 2: Button on team radio: Alonso must have jumped the start! Looks like the Spaniard could be in a spot of bother. The safety car is still out.

LAP 3: Alonso is under investigation for his jump start. Hamilton and Massa and the Red Bulls are in for the intermediate tyre. But its a nightmare for Vettel. He has to queue behind his team-mate and drops down the field. Safety car is in at the of this lap.

LAP 4: Rosberg leads the way in China after Alonso pits for intermediates. Button is second but it looks as though the intermediate tyre is the best option. Surely Button and Rosberg will have to stop, but they are still staying out.

LAP 5: Confirmation of a drive-through penalty for Alonso after being found guilty of jumping the start. Schumacher is in but he pits for slicks instead of the intermediate tyre. Vettel and Hamilton are are struggling on the intermediate and they both pit for a new set of slicks.

LAP 6: Drama in the pit-lane. Hamilton is released at the same time as Vettel and the pair touch wheels exiting the pits. I dare say, the two of them could be in trouble for that. Vettel is down in 15th. Hamilton is 16th.

LAP 8: Hamilton and Vettel have both passed Webber on the back straight. The trio are 50 seconds behind the leaders. It is starting to rain again in the pit-lane.

LAP 10: Kovalainen is a sitting duck for the Vettel-Hamilton-Webber trio. The three of them are on a charge.

LAP 12: Hamilton takes Vettel and Sutil at the same corner and it looks as though Vettel touched Sutil. Hamilton is up to 8th but Vettel is still behind the Force India.

LAP 13: Easy for the Red Bulls. They fly past Sutil on the back straight. Hamilton is the quickest man on the track. He's two seconds quicker than the leaders but he is some 48 seconds behind Rosberg and co.

LAP 15: Great duel between Hamilton and Schumacher. The Brit is all over the seven-times champions. Rosberg is told over the radio that rain is expected in three minutes.

LAP 16: Hamilton is quicker than Schumacher on the back straight and slips one up the inside of the German on the back straight but Schumacher brakes latest and Hamilton is left to hang out to dry.

LAP 17: Hamilton is past Schumacher. Lewis gets the better drive out of 13 and passes him on the straght. Schumacher has a stab at re-passing Hamilton at the hairpin but Lewis gets the better exit. Hamilton up to fifth.

LAP 18: Now it is Vettel's turn - he passes Schumacher and he is up to sixth. The Mercedes driver is struggling for traction coming out of the slower corners.

LAP 19: Out of nowhere, Button has passed Rosberg for the lead. Rosberg lost time running off at turn 11. It's starting to rain quite heavily in Shanghai.

LAP 20: Webber and Schumcher are in for the intermediate tyre. As are the Ferrari duo of Massa and Alonso.

LAP 21: Button comes in for the intermediate tyre. He still leads. Hamilton and Vettel pit and Webber gets the jump on the pair of them. Drama for Alguersuari. He runs over his own front wing and he pits for a new one.

LAP 22: The safety car is out as the marshalls clear the debris from Alguersuari's front wing.

LAP 24: The safety car is still out and as I suspected earlier the pit-lane incident between Hamilton and Vettel will be investigated after the race.

LAP 25: Safety car in at the end of this lap. Hulkenberg stops for dry tyres but he is all over the place. Wrong decision from the German rookie.

LAP 26: We're racing again and Webber runs wide and slips down the order - he is down to 12th. Great move from Hamilton to take Schumacher. Webber is on the team radio and says Hamilton knocked him off the road. Lots of spray in the damp conditions in Shanghai.

LAP 27: Brilliant from Hamilton. He is past Petrov and up to fourth. Lewis is five seconds behind his team-mate and all over Kubica.

LAP 29: Like taking candy from a baby. Hamilton passes Kubica on the back straight and Alonso sticks the same move on Sutil. Lewis up to third. Alonso, who has stopped four times, is up to sixth.

LAP 30: Vettel follows Alonso and passes Sutil.

LAP 32: Right, a quick update; Button leads Rosberg by 2.6 seconds and Hamilton is a further two seconds down the road. But he is on a charge. He's the quickest man on the track. Another stellar drive from the 2008 world champion.

LAP 33: Rosberg appears to be struggling in the damp conditions. Hamilton is closing in on the German. A McLaren one-two looks to be on the cards. Petrov spins - Alonso and Vettel go past the Russian.

LAP 34: We've got a bit of a train developing behind the Force India of Adrian Sutil. Schumacher can not get past his countryman, with Massa and Webber right on his tail.

LAP 35: Hamilton has a stab around the outside of Rosberg but the German holds the place. Surely its only a matter of time before he passes. All the while, Hamilton is losing precious time to his McLaren team-mate.

LAP 36: This is playing into the hands of Button. Hamilton loses another two seconds to his countryman on the last lap as he struggles to past Rosberg.

LAP 37: Schumacher and Webber pit for a new set of intermediate tyres.

LAP 38: And Hamilton follows suit for his fourth visit to the pit-lane this afternoon. Kubica stops, as does Vettel. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-1266894/CHINESE-GRAND-PRIX-2010-LIVE-Lap-lap-coverage-F1-drama-unfolds-Shanghai.html#ixzz0lW9bYW7F

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So yes in the end, Vettel finished 6th. Hay! :( And can I just say that if I weren't rooting for Vettel, I would totally go for Hamilton. He is such a competitive driver. It doesn't matter if he's in front of the grid or at the back at the start of the race, he will definitely push for a spot in the front at the end.

Bahrain GP - P1 qualifying, 4th place race day
Australian GP - P1 qualifying, DNF race day
Malaysian GP - P3 qualifying, 1st place race day
Chinese GP - P1 qualifying, 6th place race day

Cut Cut Cut

Remember when I blogged about my plans to study in the US? Just thought about it again because my friend was bugging me yesterday while I was at work, only to ask me to help him with his work. Argh! That's what friends do, right? Annoy each other hahaha. Back then my friend and I, thinking that we'll get accepted, were worried about the most inane things when we finally get to the States, like how I'll cope with the cold during weeks of winter because my nose is a bit sensitive. I was pretty sure my nose will be clogged all winter. And then how expensive the haircuts are there that I seriously considered enrolling in Ricky Reyes' fashion school to study haircutting hahaha. Seriously, I figured I can even cut hair for other students there for a little pocket money. I was even thinking of buying haircutting scissors (I'm right handed so I don't need to buy Left Handed Scissors) hahaha. That would have been a nice skill to acquire especially since I heard from a friend that she's the one who cuts her son's hair because he doesn’t want to go to the barber or kids' salon. (Note to self: I should gift her with Left Hand Scissors for Christmas.) What if my future kid(s) is also like that? Then I need to cut his hair and I wouldn't want him looking like a bowl was put on his head and I just cut his hair across the rim of the bowl. One day, I should really get down to doing these things that I wish I'd do.

Before the Weddings

Last Thursday night, we met up with the gang for a much needed dinner/get-together. The brides and grooms gave their wedding invitations and we're all excited with the upcoming weddings. Yes, we have two weddings in May and then another one on the first week of June.

We all met up and had dinner at Uncle Cheffy's in Eastwood Mall. The first ones to arrive are me and Joema and then Janice and Penny, together with Pao came since their office was just a few blocks from the mall. We ordered Cheese Panizza, Seafood Panizza and some ribs. Everything was delicious. I was starving so when the food arrived we immediately started eating. Mands and Weng arrived just in time before the food arrived. They immediately gave us their invites which had a sticker with a mirror image of their names. So cool!

Since their wedding is a in a few weeks, pretty much everything's taken cared of. I'm kind of jealous because their honeymoon is in Italy...la vita e bella!

Jose, Charline and Allan were a bit late because of work. We had to order another round of panizza and ribs for them. While Mands and Weng's invites had a cool mirror image of their names, Allan and Charline's wedding invite had math symbols on it. How many can you find?


Like Mands and Weng, Allan and Charline are done with almost everything for their wedding. Now this two lovebirds are taking a cruise on their honeymoon..another jealous moment for me hahaha! Steve and Rhea's is the third wedding but they weren't able to come to dinner.

Here are more photos from that night.

Charline and Allan rocking it!

Jose is famous!

Us with Janice in a car showroom.



Penny, Weng and Mands from a window.

Photos were taken by Pao but I created the effects from this site where you can create fun photos like these. You can select different effects from their fun photo box. Create funny pictures yourself and go to the site.

More of the Balikbayan

After four days in Kota Kinabalu (we spent our last day just relaxing and then it's bye-bye time so no pics hehe) and going back to Manila, Grace stayed here with us in the condo for one more night. Poor hubby had to sleep in the couch again. Grace's first night in PI she stayed with us too before we left for KK. The next day Grace went home to Makati but we saw each other again for dinner by Friday, this time with Joel and Gary. Too bad My wasn't able to come, she's too tired from work. Well, we understand her, she's pregnant you see. Had dinner at Abe and then coffee and doughnuts at Krispy Kreme. Joel was as usual so kulit and Gary was again late for dinner. Haven't seen them in a while so the night was full of stories.

The next week, the night before Grace left for NY, we saw each other again. Grace wanted to watch Miss You Like Crazy before dinner so Joema had to skip this meet-up as he was already had his quota of this movie. I met up with Grace after work and we were able to watch at Greenbelt 2. It was the only theater were the movie was still showing. After the movie, we met up with Joel and Gary again for dinner.



And then she's back in NY. Just like that. I always tell her she should go back here hehehe. Of course, I'm being selfish!

Heard over the Team Radio in Sepang

Team Engineer to Lewis: Warning...over weaving...


Lewis was amazing in China. He started 19th (he wasn't able to go through Q2 together with the 2 Ferrari boys) but after the first few laps, he was fighting with Petrov for the 10th place. Though he was given a warning after overtaking Petrov because he was overweaving. Petrov, rookie that he is followed Lewis in every turn that he made haha. I was seriously scared that Lewis might still get a podium finish. Good thing Sutil held his place and he and Lewis finished 5th and 6th respectively.


Team Engineer to Massa: Good boy...Beautiful!


This was after Massa overtook Button and got 7th place. As I mentioned early on, Massa was also at the back of the grid at 21st. He was at the back of Lewis and just like Lewis he overtook a lot of cars after the 1st and second corner. Felipe was right behind Lewis before he overtook Petrov. And then after the first round of pit stops he was behind Button who he managed to overtook with the encouragement of his engineer. It was really beautiful hahahaha!



Vettel to Team: That is sweeeetttt!!!


Yes, yes it was indeed sweet! After getting the pole positions and then not getting any podium finishes for the first two races, and then qualified 3rd in the Sepang GP, Vettel's win was absolutely sweet!!! He managed to overtake his teammate Webber and Rosberg, who were 1st and 2nd on the grid, after the first corner and he took the lead all the way to the chequered flag! Whoppee! Star Sports actually did a comparison of his first three races last year and this year, where last year he also had bad results for the first two races and then finished 1st in the third round (Chinese GP) and it turned out he did win the third race again this 2010. Yey yey yey!!! Now he's tied up with Alonso on the driver's championship with 37 points. Hoping for more podium finishes in the upcoming races!




Bahrain GP - P1 qualifying, 4th place race day
Australian GP - P1 qualifying, DNF race day
Malaysian GP - P3 qualifying, 1st place race day

Photo credit : F1 Fanatic

Visita Iglesia 2010

This yearly tradition has been a fairly new one in our family. I think we've been doing this only for a couple of years maybe for the last 5 years or so.

For this year, we started with San Roque Parish in Mandaluyong. It's our first time to visit this church and as they say you can pray for a wish when it's your first time to visit a church. Unfortunately, I forgot to pray for my wish so I prayed for it on the next church we went to instead.





Then we went to Nuestra Senora de Gracia in Makati where I prayed for my wish hehe.



While going there my mother suggested that after our Visita Iglesia we should visit her officemate's husband who's confined in the National Kidney Institute in QC. So from Makati we headed off to Quezon City so our next stop was the EDSA Shrine.



From there we went to Christ the King Parish in Acropolis. This is also the first time I went to this church, so I prayed for another wish.



This is where we had a snack break because it was around 11:30am by the time we were there. We ate fishballs and bought some buko juice to quench our thirst. It was so hot that morning!



After refreshing we headed off to our next church. I told them we can go to the chapel inside Eastwood City, which I thought was the Padre Pio Chapel. Well, I thought wrong because apparently Padre Pio Chapel was outside Eastwood. Fortunately, there is a chapel inside Eastwood named Holy Family Chapel. I saw Juris of MYMP inside the chapel but my brother didn't see her so no one can attest I saw her so I'm not even sure if it was really her that I saw. Anyways, this is again a first for me so I prayed for another wish.



The next church we went to was at Industrial Valley in Marikina, the Nativity of our Lady Parish. I prayed for another wish here. Wow, that's a total of four new churches for me. But ti think by this time I lumped my wishes together hehehe. Here's my brother wearing the color of Lent.



Since this last parishwas very near Sta. Clara, we went there afterwards. As usual there were a lot of people in Sta. Clara. This is at the back of the chapel where the nuns of the monastery stay during the mass. They cannot associate with people outside of the monastery.


After 7 churches, we still went to the UP Chapel.


We wanted to buy something for my mom's officemate when we visit the hospital so after saying a little prayer at the chapel we went to the stalls outside and bought fruits for my mother's officemate.

We were all exhausted (due to the heat) after these so we went home first and then picked up my husband from work. We went to San Jose on Thursday and went back to Manila on Good Friday. My Tita who lives in Pampanga even invited us to watch the people who are being crucified. Did you know that some of these people intentionally wound their backs with sharp objects, maybe saw blades, so that they start bleeding before the procession to "Calvary"? Have you seen something like this in person? I've only seen this on TV and in the movies.