Thank heavens...

...for generous husbands (think Raisin :) )
...for husbands who tell you this when you study the Starbucks Calorie Counter flyer "Labs, when you start counting calories, it's no longer fun..."
...for children who say "Mommy hug! Hug! Hug!" every night before you guys go to sleep
...for dads who still pick you up in the office even though you no longer live in the same house
...for moms who prepare your favorite dishes when you visit home (and this is on a bi-monthly basis)
...for sisters who lend their time, bags, make-up, colognes and generally make you feel that you can be whoever you are when you're with them
....for brothers who are there when you need them (may it be about buying cheap Avent bottles for you or ensuring that there is tube ice because Ate insisted on it)
...for lolos, lolas, titos and titas who love your son and look after him while you're out there, working

...for nephews and nieces who assure you that your children will have a lot of friends to hang out with in the future (they make Christmas eve gift opening interesting too)
...for in-laws who made you feel like you're part of the family already beginning day 1 of your meeting (titos, titas and cousins included)
...for titas who are generous not just with material things, but with their time and advice too...
...for titos who make you feel treasured by telling you stories of how you charmed them (some years ago) into buying you stuff or how you sang this one song or performed this one dance or said this funny thing...
...for friends who make you look back and marvel at how you guys have matured and changed yet, still close friends
...for friends at work who make you laugh when you're stressed out

Thank heavens indeed.

Love and Other Drugs

Me-time Thursday. Watched "Love and Other Drugs" while JJ was having his me-time.

Nice movie. Interesting story. Catchy dialogues. Excellent performances. I won't say more lest I spoil it for those who are yet to see it.

 Not a fan of Jake. But I think he did great in the movie.

 Anne was just amazingly good. She looked beautiful for most part of the movie.

 Magic V!

 A turning point in the movie...

Just sweet...

Date night: Purple Oven and Aysee

It was date night last night. JJ's friend from college (Happy Birthday Edmon) celebrated his birthday at Kajo's Bar in Madison Square (?) along Pioneer in Mandaluyong. As expected, the guys talked Magic again :) -- no complains here, just stating facts.

It was an after-dinner party (call time 8:30ish) so I asked JJ if we can drop by Purple Oven first and then have dinner at Aysee's to try their famous sisig. 

Purple Oven. First heard of this bakeshop from my sister-in-law Eunice. They were made famous by the fact that they supply pastries to Starbucks coffee shops in the country. I love Starbucks' banoffee pie!! So, when I heard that Purple Oven is the supplier of these famous banana/caramel pie, I instantly wanted to visit it. Last December, Mami E got a banana loaf from the same shop as a gift and it reminded me once again that we are yet to drop by the said bake shop. Then came the invite for Edmon's birthday. Everything just clicked for my sweeth tooth :)

It wasn't what I expected. The shop, I mean. I was giving directions to JJ and I almost laughed when my husband said, "Sure ka ba dito? Entrance ata ng motel ito eh". Hahaha! Understandable. Given that the Dahlia Motel sign was bigger than the St. Peter street sign. Not knowing what we're looking for, we passed by it the first time and asked directions from one of the guards a few blocks before the street ended. A U-turn later, a guard was ushering us in and pointing us in the direction of the bakeshop. It doesn't look like a bakeshop naman kasi :) haha. And it is not. Commissary pala with a retail store in front.

 Ref full of chocolate cake goodies. Sorry for the pictures, I was kinda shy to take pictures kaya click lang ng click.

 Croissants. Banana and Orange Poppy Seed Loaves. Glazed and Chocolate Doughnuts.

They also have brownies, revel bars and crinkles. They all looked yummy but the crinkles were a little expensive at P200++ per dozen. I tasted yummy crinkles from my sis-in-law Innah and they were much cheaper than that :)

 Hay Banoffe Pie. Kung hindi ka lang kailangan i-ref asap, ikaw ang inuwi ko :)

Lava cakes

Purple Oven retail store

With the refrigeration requirements, I decided to try their Chocolate Campfire. I am sure I'd have the chance to go back and try your other yummy cakes Purple Oven. Just wait 'til we move to One Corporate Center :)

Next stop was Aysee. Okay, I've heard endless raves on how absolutely delicious their sisig is. So, I figured, we're in the area na rin so we might as well try. We also ordered Tokwa't Baboy.

 The verdict. Maybe I expected too much? I dunno. But I wasn't that happy with it. I probably expected too much, it was a complete letdown. Even JJ wasn't raving about it. We both feel that Gilligan's is much better. Baka we like the crunch? The Tokwa't Baboy was ok. The bagnet-like pork was good though it screams "heart attack" :) We probably won't be back again there anytime soon.

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I am sure you are wondering if the cake was good right? 

 Doughnut muna. We got Lucas a couple of these.

 He looked happy with it when we took the picture but he didn't taste it :) Pa-cute lang pala when he said yes when I offered it to him. Ending, extra calories for JJ.

 Oohh. Logo pa lang yan.

 Top View.

 One more before the taste test.

Cake was good. Lots of chocolate in every slice. It was not too sweet. One layer has chocolate cream and the other has small chocolate chunks. I am not an icing person so I ensured that my slice had minimal icing. Just a little slice will go a long way in satisfying one's craving for chocolate.

I will definitely buy it again though I like Classic Confection's Choco Oblivion more. But for P520, I think this cake is a steal.

Lucas and his favorite playmate

It is definitely an understatement if I say that Lucas loves to play. He LOOVVVESS his trains, his blocks, his cars and his play balls.

Here are a couple of shots of him in action with his ultimate playmate...

 A Castle?

 Daddy... his ultimate playmate

 Lucas: Pichur Mommy :)

Before he topples his dad's creation

Jump!

 He likes 'em bubbles....

 Our bubble machine :D

 Playing with choco coins from Tita Nice

Thank you Ninang Laurs for our new centerpiece :)

 Built  by daddy!!!!

He can play with this new toy all day! No kidding!

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We are trying to lessen TV time by encouraging  him to play with his toys more. But I tell you, it is kinda difficult with Disney Playhouse. Good thing he loves shows like Little Einsteins and Word World. So I am thinking that's good TV right ? :) But he still gotta have his daily dose of Thomas and his other Sodor friends...

HSBC's Starbucks Promo is Back!!

Starting February 1, 2011, get a TALL drink or a 3-PACK VIA from Starbucks with your everyday spend of P2000 from your HSBC Credit Card. Charge slips starting January 15, 2011 are qualified and must be claimed within 30 calendar days from transaction date.

Visit http://www.hsbc.com.ph/1/2/personal/credit/starbucks-instant-rewards?WT.ac=HBAP_PH_PWS_HM_SIR_0001#page=page-1 for more details.

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CALTEX Promo
Starting February 1, 2011, get free fuel from Caltex with your everyday spend of P2000 from your HSBC Credit Card. Charge slips starting January 15, 2011 are qualified. Claim within 30 calendar days from transaction date.

Visit http://www.hsbc.com.ph/1/2/personal/credit/caltex?WT.ac=HBAP_PH_PWS_HM_CIR_0002#page=tab-1 for more details.

Still Have a Lot to Learn about Parenting

Got this from Mec and Matt's Cradle.
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21 memos from a child
1. Don’t spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not have all that I ask for, I’m only testing you.
2. Don’t be afraid to be firm with me, I prefer it. It makes me feel more secure.
3. Don’t make me form bad habits, I have to rely on you to detect them in the early stages.
4. Don’t make me feel smaller than I am, it only makes me behave stupidly “big”
5. Don’t correct me in front of people if you can help it. I’ll take much more notice if you talk quietly with me in private.
6. Don’t make me feel mistakes are sins, it upset my sense of values.
7. Don’t protect me from consequences, I need to learn the painful way, sometimes.
8. Don’t be too upset when I say “I hate”, it isn’t you I hate but your power to thwart me .
9. Don’t take too much notice of my small ailments, sometimes they get me the attention I need.
10. Don’t nag if you do, I have to protect myself by appearing deaf.
11. Don’t forget that I cannot explain myself as well as I should like. This is why I am not always very accurate.
12. Don’t make rush promises. Remember that I feel badly let down when promises are broken.
13. Don’t tax my honesty too much, I am easily frightened into telling lies.
14. Don’t be inconsistent. That completely confuses me and makes me lose faith in you.
15. Don’t tell me my fears are silly, they are terribly real and you can do much to reassure me if you try to understand.
16. Don’t put me off when I ask questions. If you do, you will find that I will stop asking and seek my information elsewhere.
17. Don’t even suggest that you are perfect or infallible, it gives me too great a shock when I discover that you are neither.
18. Don’t even think that it is beneath your dignity to apologize to me, an honest apology makes me surprisingly warm toward you.
19. Don’t forget how quickly I am growing up. It must be very difficult to keep pace with me, but please do try.
20. Don’t forget I love experimenting. I couldn’t get on without it so please put up with it.
21. Don’t forget that I can’t thrive without lots of understanding love, but I don’t need to tell you, do I?

Lucas' Christmas 2010

It was kinda weird celebrating Christmas this year, with Lola P's death a few days before Christmas. From December 21, 2010, we all tried to be with Lola by visiting her daily after work. Luckily, last day of work was on December 23. We were able to take Lucas to visit Lola P a few days before the cremation.

 Lucas with Ate Lily at Lola's wake

The clan spent Christmas at St. Peter's Chapel instead of having it in Lola's house in Balut. It was also Lola P's last day to lie in state as her cremation was scheduled December 26. The grandkids decided to takeover Tita Sylv's Christmas cooking duties by deciding to pool our resources and should I say cooking talents? to prepare the menu for Christmas Day. Our assignments include barbecued ribs and vegetable salad with JJ's yummy Asian dressing. Both were hits! (unless everyone pretended they were good so as not to hurt our feelings :) )

Before we left the house for the family's Christmas lunch, Lucas had a chance to open his gifts from Mommy and Daddy. As mentioned previously, we presented his gifts one at a time  for him to enjoy each toy for a longer while.

 Lucas on Christmas morning. Hooray! Another train for his collection.

 Tito B helping the little boy open his gift from Ate Ria

 Ooooh. It's Buzz!!

 Blocks from Ninang Michelle and Tita Nice

Wilson and Brewster from Tito Ninong B 

 Cutie pie enjoying his toy

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I hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas. Cheers to a blessed 2011 for all of us.