Birthday Challenge Day 10

DAY 10: MY BEST FRIEND!

Make that best friendS! ^__^ That's them below -- Labsie, my one and only boyfriend and now hubby, Chin (left) and Jinky (right). We're in my wedding reception here, nearly 3 years ago! My, how time flies.. Now, Labsie and I have 16-month old Iya, Chin and Man-Man have 6-month old Ysha, and Jinky and Madz have an upcoming baby boy this September ^__^

bridesmaid me ^_^

I previously wrote about being my bridesmaid more than a month ago and last June 27, the wedding of Basil and Gladys was finally celebrated. And I once again walked down the aisle.. Hehe! That’s me above. The entourage wore deep red gowns and I did my own hair (pulled it back like a ponytail) and “makeup” using Avon oil-control powder as foundation and red lip liner for my lipstick and eye shadow. I think my face turned out alright despite my meager “makeup” arsenal ;-)

support my friend's perfume business! =)

Penavi is one of my high school barkada (Filipino word for circle of friends) and since last year, she has been selling perfumes, colognes and authentic Pearl White capsules with her girlfriend. They started selling online (they have a new perfume blog at workNplay.weebly.com) and hawking to friends. In fact, I was one of her perfume customers -- I bought 2 Bath & Body Works colognes for my personal consumption and 1 Issey Miyake L'eau D'issey perfume for my mother =) Another barkada of ours bought the capsules with excellent results. Right Jinx? Hehe!

Recently learned from my hubby that Penavi has a perfume/clothing store in Damosa's Market Basket here in Davao City. WOW! I think she's the first one in our barkada that had her very own shop. Awesome Pens!! ^_^ I love scents, I truly do.. But it takes a lot of time for me to finish one bottle. And in as much as I'd like to buy perfume every month and support my friend, I can't. I'm not that rich! LOL! So guys, if you're in Davao City and wants to buy imported perfumes and colognes at cheaper prices than malls, go visit Penavi's perfume site or their store in Damosa. Thanks a lot! =)

me and jinx are selling pre-loved books! ^_^

And it’s all very affordable! Promise! =) Some books are in mint condition (bought from the US by Jinx) while most are in good condition. I also have books without front covers if you’re into book mutilation, hehe! So why are we selling our beloved books? We are certified bookworms so it really hurts to sell some of our prized possessions. Anyway, it’s all for a good cause guys.. Umm, but it’s not for some charity ok?? Hehe! Here’s the rather longish background --

Late in the year 2007, Jinky (that’s her below) shared her dream to our high school barkada of nine – she wanted our kada to TRAVEL ASIA (backpacker style) while we’re all still single! =) Many of the kada were like, “I don’t have any savings, much less have money for travel..” or “Where are we going that we can afford?” Of the nine of us, only me and Jinky were really into it. Fortunately, the others warmed up to the idea as months went by. Warmed but not yet won over, huhum! =p

So why did Jinky wanted this? From what I understand, she wanted our Pisay barkada to be complete in a gathering (there’s always 2 or 3 missing when we meet up) and that we *finally* travel together. We’ve known each other for around 15 years but the nine of us never really travelled for fun together. Now is our chance – and since we all have strong personalities in the kada (save for 1 or 2, hehe), this dream trip would surely be a blast! I’m 100% sure our time together will make good reality TV, hahaha! ;-)

Anyhoo, Jinky wanted to travel by summer of 2009. By January 2008, I broke the news I’m going to be married by October that year. I will still go on with our trip though – but I won’t be single anymore. Hehe! Then late 2008, Jinky announced her own engagement! LOL! Now it’s looking more and more like a trip for married-girls-who-didn’t-travel-with-friends-when-they-were-single =p So again, the question, why are we selling our books? One sentence: TO RAISE MONEY FOR OUR TRIP! Hehe!

As I’ve said, there are nine of us in the barkada (HOVER over our pics above & see our names) but not all of us are blessed with a high-paying job like Jinky (hehe!!) or earning Singaporean dollars (Charo) and NZ dollars (Sophia). Three of us are in call centers (Mhe, Ceej, Pidja), one is in the beauty retail business (Penavi), one is a teacher (Chin; and we all know how small a teacher’s pay is) and I’m currently a stay-at-home wife earning online. Two thirds of us don’t really have a budget for travel – and this is where the money for our booksale will go to – so that we’ll all be together in the dream trip! ^_^

Jinky’s eBay store (books, beauty products) <-- click the links guys!

My eBay store (books, cds, dvds)

Cheap bestseller books (P80 and below)

Cheap romance books (P25-45)

Cheap non-romance and nonfiction books

my DavaoSale Items (summary)

honeymoon chronicles: chapel and kitchen

WARNING: LONG POST AND PHOTO OVERLOAD AHEAD!

The latter is my favorite place in the world while the former is Labsie’s most hated one. Hahaha! Kidding! But the truth is, he only goes to Mass about once or twice a year when we were still a couple. Back then we didn’t spend Sundays together coz we allotted it as quality time with our respective families. Thus, he never got my habit of going to church every Sunday (which I got from my strict parents, hehe). But it must be said that Labsie is not difficult to bring to Mass whenever we’re together ^_^

Since I slept early the night of Day 3 of our honeymoon (I was sick), I woke up quite early and never felt so much better! Sleep is really THE wonder drug ;-) And guess who texted me that early? My mother-in-law of four days! Hehe! She texted that Labsie and I should attend Mass since it’s our first Sunday as husband and wife – kind of a pamahiin to start our marriage right. No problem with us! We already knew the Mass schedule of Greenbelt’s cute chapel (the nearest church to us; it has a Koi pond with live ducks + carabao sculptures around it) and we decided that the 830am mass suited us best. It was a rainy Day 4 but still, off we went to hear God’s word!

Unfortunately, we arrived late and since I don’t like not starting a Mass, Labsie and I roamed around the Greenbelt – Landmark – SM – Glorietta area looking for an open store. Only Landmark’s grocery was open so we just went shopping for snacks and medicines for our Coron (Palawan) trip the next day. By the time we finished, Landmark’s department store opened and Labsie got lost in their funny shirts and what-nots area. He went home with 3 shirts + pajama set while I got nothing, hehe!

Since it was still too early for the next Mass (1015am), we just went malling in SM and Glorietta. We got lost in bookstores (I got a MUTTS comic book collection!) and gadget stores -- and by the time we realized the time, we were late for the 1015am Mass! Ackk! It seems that the fates does not want us to go to church, hay! Anyhoo, a 12nn Mass was next so we just went malling some more, bought snacks (super-hot Pinatubo Jamaican Pattie!! Pix above) and explored our options for a scrumptious lunch after the Mass. We were very conscious of the time this time and we made it to Greenbelt’s chapel before 12nn. Yippee! =)

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Honestly, I was expecting the usual, boring Mass and was mentally preparing myself to be awake for the next hour or so. I want to be a good churchgoer model for Labsie you know! LOL! But as always, the Lord has something up His sleeves and gave us the most wonderful Mass ever! The priest was a bit youngish and a firebrand, and he gave the most rousing sermon I’ve ever heard! He talked about people who comes to Mass but are mentally absent, who comes to Mass but does not sing praises and respond, etc, etc. And he was funny too! The pretty chapel was ringing with laughter the entire sermon (and even after coz he kept interjecting!).

He even asked the “emcee” to stop talking and let the people say the usual Mass responses without him. He also told the choir to stop singing and just let the churchgoers sing so he’d know if we knew the praise songs without a guide. I tell you, the Mass was hilarious! And humbling as well.. Coz I’m one of the people who doesn’t sing (I respond though) and the priest said: God doesn’t care if you sound like a broken record, only your seatmate does. And who judges if you’re fit for heaven? Not your church seatmate who hates your voice! That day I resolved to praise God as loudly as I can – just be sure you’re out of hearing range! LOL!

After Mass it was off to Saisaki (and Lolo Dad’s) yummy buffet in Glorietta. The eat-all-you-can spread was gonna end by 2pm and we only have 1 hour to stuff ourselves with luscious tempura, maki and other Japanese delicacies! Hehe! Of course, we were able to do it and left Saisaki very satisfied (and around P1200 poorer, lol). Since I was not feeling well again, we went back to the condo to rest. We were meeting the Luzon-based KADA (Jinky, Pidja, Mhe, Penavi) that evening and I want to be fully rested coz I know there will be an energy-draining talking marathon later. Hehe!

Around 6pm, we went to KITCHEN, a resto with modern concept in Greenbelt’s Restaurant Row. Jinky suggested it and we trusted her taste. Hehe! I was very sick (my afternoon nap didn’t help at all) and I prayed that good food will revive me again as it did last night ^_^ Jinky arrived with fiance’ Madz (that’s them above) as we took our order and Pidja arrived after we finished dinner. LOL! At least she was there unlike Mhe and Pen. Hala mo!! Hehe! Our evening, however, was cut short (despite the super yummy dinner I had, pics below) coz I was coughing left and right with runny nose and fever. Not good at all!! =(

Labsie and I started with a delicious tomato soup. It was really good and cleared my sinuses for a bit! Rich in lycopene and vitamin C too! Good for sick lil me! =)

Madz had pork ribs with lotsa garlic. Looks yummy to me!

While Jinx had creamy seafood carbonara. Mmm good!!

I had a bland tuna sandwich (above) that I wasn’t able to  finish-- or maybe my taste buds weren’t functioning properly. Love the crunchy bits in the upper left though! So who ordered the best dish? LABSIE!! He got this super duper scrumptious shrimp rice topping with crab fat sauce!! It was heavenly!! Yep, my sick taste buds weren’t sick at all, LOL!

Isn’t it lovely?? I just love crab fat!! Here’s a closer look --

DELICIOSO!!! ^_^

Buoyed by the crab-fat-gasmic dinner, Labsie and I set off packing for our Palawan flight the next day. Our flight was at 930am and we planned to leave the condo before 6am. I know it’s too early but it was Monday the next day and we don’t want to be caught in the morning traffic jam. Better safe than sorry! =) Day 4 ended quite nicely coz of the fantabulous dinner food. Thus despite me getting worse for wear, food came to the rescue again! Plus our spiritual aspect was nourished. Plus I got to hang with old friends (despite the short time). Plus we were off to Coron the next day!!! Woohoo!!!!!

ALL PHOTOS taken with my Sony Ericsson k800i ^_^

Elbanbuena-Solito Wedding: the KADA!

Or at least, the ones who were physically there. Hehe! To my maidens of honor – Jinx and Chin, thanks so much for all the help! Especially on the wedding day itself. Can’t wait for your upcoming weddings! Sa man Chin? Muahaha! :-p To my now-ninong Reynald (veil sponsor), thanks for being on time for our wedding! It’s a miracle!!! LOL ;-) Now, on to more fun photos! Just hover over them for the labels and click to enlarge. Enjoy!

Now for the KADA who weren’t there: to Sophia, thanks for all the wedding files, advice and flower freebies! Love them all! ^_^ To Charo, my gratitude for all the wedding planning guidance in early 2008. To Penavi, no worries for not attending my wedding – lovelife first, anniv gud ninyo! ^_^ To Pia, thanks for showing up for our wedding “celebratory” dinner in Greenbelt. Hehe! To Mhe, haayy.. Wala akong masabi! :-p

married for 2 weeks! ^_^

Still a lil overwhelmed with this marriage thingy and the wedding so this post will be a bit short. We haven't even unpacked from our honeymoon yet! LOL! =) Labsie and I wanna say thanks to our two sets of parents, families and relatives, our friends (especially the kada, hehe!) and the wedding suppliers who all made our wedding day very special. Thanks for gracing the most unforgettable event of our lives guys! See you in our 10th wedding anniversary! Hehe!

Chikai's birthday blowout!

First and foremost, advanced happy birthday Che!! ^_^ As with all the Pinay bloggers out there, she's very generous with her Paypal money. Hehe! Cherry Rose or Chikai was a college schoolmate but we really never mingled (she's from another course). But that didn't stop her from helping (and trusting) me with her Paypal account when I needed it before Paypal Philippines was created. Thanks so much again Che! And may you have the bestest birthday ever there in Utah! God bless! ^_^

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As promised, here are the mechanics of my Birthday Game! At stake is $26 worth of PayPal money. Two players will win $10 each and another player will win $6. To qualify, just follow these simple rules.

1. Blog about this contest. You don’t have to write a lengthy post. A few sentences will do. At the bottom of your entry, list down all my blogs and link them to their respective URLs.

2. Once you have published the entry on your blog, let me know by leaving a comment on this post. Remember, you can earn one entry per blog so the more blogs you own, the more chances of winning!

3. And lastly, all entries should be in by September 1 at 11:59pm (-7 GMT). The names of the lucky winners will be announced on September 2 (my bday!).

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So what are you waiting for? JOIN NOW! The deadline is mere hours away, hehe! ^_^

BLOGSILOG
Cherry’s Comfort Zone
Thinking Out Loud
DigiScrapz: Captured Memories
Buzzy Me
Wishing and Hoping
Fab Finds, Etc.

Soberano-Marasigan Nuptials

Charo and Mems are finally married! :-) Charo is one of my Pisay barkada, and the first one to get married. Half of the kada (Chin, Pidja, Reynald and me) witnessed their exchange of vows while the rest were in spirit, hehe!Ü Charo and Mems got married in GSIS Ascension of Our Lord Parish and their autumn-themed reception followed at Tulip Grand Plaza. Beautiful! :-)

be careful with your words..

Make sure you read all the way down to the last sentence. Most importantly the last sentence!

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. WHEN YOU SAY THINGS IN ANGER, THEY LEAVE A SCAR JUST LIKE THIS ONE. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, THE WOUND IS STILL THERE." A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

"Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us."

GUYS, YOU ARE MY FRIENDS AND I AM HONORED!

AND IF IN ANYWAY, I HAVE WRONGED YOU, PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR LEAVING A HOLE...

kada in makati!

I'm so happy right now! After several years of not seeing Pia and Penavi, I finally got to see them! Pia is as cute as ever and Penavi retained her matinee idol looks, hehe! Jinky was also with us, though she got bad news in the middle of our meal. My condolence Jinx *hugzz* All in all, it was still a happy time. As with wine, friends get better with time :-)

kada! =)

THIS POST IS NOT FROM MY PHONE =)

Here are my good friends in our get-togethers early September. Jinky (in red), Chin (in white), Ger (male in red) and JB (in blue) are my friends way back from high school. We each live our separate lives but we know whatever happens, we'll always have each other. BERKS forever! Este, kada pala! Hehe! =) Click to enlarge and to appreciate our faces, lol!

The premade cutie pink template is from AntJe's Scrap Corner. Love it! And best of all, it's FREE! =) So if you're into digital scrapbooking, go to her site. Lots of good stuff there! A bit of warning: the site is in German. Hehe!

kada!!

The 2 on my left are my closest friends in high school & college. Though we lead separate lives now, the bond we share can never be broken. The photo above was taken when during our latest meetup. Jinky (the one in red) just returned from Chicago & we were all excited to see her! Welcome back Jinx! :-) More about our meetup here.