Swept Away.

A long overdue post.

Hubby, Asher and I joined LFLS’ yearly educational trip last October 29. This year, we watched a puppet show at Pius Center (Paco) in the morning then spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Tagaytay particularly Tagaytay Picnic Grove and People’s Park in the Sky formerly known as Palace in the Sky.

Here are just a few pictures of the field trip and how the little one enjoyed it so much. To view more, check out the Field Trip album I made in my Flickr gallery.

Hubby and Asher inside the auditorium while waiting for the puppet show to start.

Not only the puppet show was educational (it tackled how to take care of mother nature) but it was also entertaining. As for the little one, he got curious and fascinated at first by the mascots but he refused to get nearer during the photoshoot session when the show ended.

We drove to Tagaytay Picnic Grove and that’s where we had our lunch picnic style.

Asher enjoyed running around the huge sloped grounds and he was unstoppable.

“Horse back riding” his Lolo and having a “papogi” pose with Daddy.

Having a photoshoot with his cousins Kuya Miggy and Kylie

Finally, a new family portrait. Just don’t mind the little one’s pouty look.

Enjoying the panoramic view from the highest point of Tagaytay…while Mommy’s twittering hehe!

Some more spectacular views

The little one just slept throughout our trip back home. Obviously, he was overly tired yet I was certain that he enjoyed our Tagaytay adventure. These pictures make me miss the cold Tagaytay breeze.

I bet your eyes were glued on TV earlier this noon while watching the delayed telecast of Manny Pacquaio’s bout against Miguel Cotto. I’m one of the impatient spectators so I searched the web for free live streaming links so I was able to watch the fight and knew the result as it happened. Did you see how the MGM Grand Arena was filled with jubilant boxing fans? Perhaps the casinos and gaming centers were empty as everyone trooped to the boxing arena to watch the fight.

Speaking of Las Vegas and casinos, I just recently read about the partnership of Kondler, Chavez & Koch or more commonly known as KondlerCPA, a Las Vegas accounting firm and a trusted leader and provider of accounting and financial business solutions to big and small businesses. Their expertise is handling varied industries and casinos and gaming are one of them.

Home moving, undoubtedly, is one daunting task. It is indeed stressful especially when you’ve been living in the same area for a long time and you have to leave it after being accustomed and adjusted to it for a number of years. But I think what’s more distressing when home moving is the packing task wherein you have to pool and fit all the stuffs you’ve accumulated over the years into the removals truck. Good organizing and management skills are needed to make sure things run smoothly. Ideally, they say, house move planning and the countdown should begin at least six weeks before you move home. Preparations include canvassing and booking REMOVALS providers, notification of the utility companies of your moving date and arranging electricity, gas and water meter readings on your old and new property and also the TV, telephone and internet connections. And of course, packing stuffs into bags and boxes segregating accordingly (breakables, etc). This is also a good time to declutter so instead of bringing all your inessential stuffs to the new house, holding a house garage is a great solution aside from the fact that you’re given an opportunity to turn ‘trash into cash’.

The above notations are apt with local moving. Moving internationally is another topic and even more difficult. That is when international removals like Doree Bonner International come into picture. Doree Bonner is a UK-based removal company with several branches throughout the UK but they can practically help move from anywhere to anywhere. They perfectly understand how international moving is a distressing job so they spare their clients from facing unnecessary hassle in moving stuffs by imploring fast, reliable and safe removal methods via sea, air and overland. Backed with solid experience with international removal, they are the ultimate assistants to turn to by international movers.

Do you still remember when I first introduced you to the blogosphere as mine? You were hubby’s birthday gift to me two years ago and just as I have always been happy to own you, I know you’ve also been quite blissful how I used and took care of you. We’ve gone a long way and been through a lot together. For that almost 3 years of helping me, I can’t thank you enough for the countless digital scrapbooks we made, for the entertainment you provided as you let me play games like Diner Dash and Mystery Case Files, for storing and playing all my downloaded media files and photos, and most of all, for toiling with me in my online writing job. Thank you for helping me fulfill my dream as a Work-at-Home Mom.

I’m so grateful, too, that you didn’t give me much trouble except for the time when your battery suddenly ceased to function last year. But other than that, here you are, you’re still functional despite the fact that you’re huffing and puffing. The Blue Screen of Death you once showed a few weeks ago and your disk checking that’s taking so long are actually my cues that the end is really near…any day and any moment. With that, I’m actually prepared for the worst.

You might have heard of “Harry” already. Hmm, please don’t get jealous because he won’t be around that soon. It may be too much but I’m really pleading not to totally die on me yet. Can you still hang around until February?

Xoxo,
Your Partner

A friend’s Caribbean cruise pictures and her story about her Mexican Riviera Maya adventure makes me itch to experience the same. Maybe not now (hmmm..it’s way too impossible) but in the near future. A Cancun All Inclusive Family Vacation would really be a nice treat especially for my little A who adores the beach so much. This particular type of package caters the vacationing family’s needs especially those with kids and babies. One Karisma hotel, specifically the Azul Sensatori Hotel, highlights their child and baby-friendly services such as family-oriented suites and baby equipment and toy loan services where monitors, strollers, bottle warmers, baby bathtubs, Gourmet Gerber baby foods, latest Fisher-Price® toys and much more are readily available upon request. The Azulitos Kid’s Club which includes a splash water park and My Gym® where kids and babies play and enjoy their own Karisma adventure. There’s also a Breeze Teen Club where teens ages 13 to 17 can hangout for interactive games like Wii, CD mixing classes, beach volleyball tournaments and tennis clinics. All these while mom and dad enjoy the pristine white sands, romantic nights, and the all-inclusive gourmet offer of Karisma Hotels.

Simply one of a kind and unique getaway for the whole family.

Unlike last year when we went to Boracay for a post-Christmas getaway, we won’t be travelling come December except for our yearly Baguio trip which has become a tradition to my in laws’ family. But it’s just okay since 1.) we’re on a scrimping mode in favor of the mansion project (December travel deals are so costly!) 2.) my sister’s family (together with my cute niece Leela) will be coming home for vacation next year. I heard they’re also planning to tour down south like Bohol and book a resort that has villas similar to an Outer Banks vacation rental.

It would be nice if we can go with them. Hubby, Asher and I haven’t been to that place yet.

It would be nicer if Tita Lei will treat Asher’s fare.

And it would be nicest if she’ll treat hubby’s and my airfare, too. Hehe!

And the list..

1. Acerito’s condition
2. Field Trip at Tagaytay last Thursday
3. Mama’s home from Qatar and loots from Tita Dada & Leela
4. Yaya’s one week off and Paul as a hands on Dad
5. Trick or Treat at Greenbelt 5
6. Himlayan visit on November 1st
7. Pampanga and Bulacan visit on November 2nd

…keeps on getting longer and longer.

8. Jayden’s christening and Dom’s 1st Birthday
9. 4 days vacation in Makati to celebrate Lola Greta’s birthday
10. Sudden revamp of Christmas wish list

Promise..I’ll be blogging about them before the year ends. LOL.

Acerito’s unpredictable condition caused major changes to my Christmas wish list and to hubby’s. So it’s final and we’ve agreed that there will be no Blackberry and no 55-200mm lens for us, which are our initial exchange Christmas and Anniversary gift wishes. There will be no Couture Jewelry neither nor a Hong Kong trip which we’ve been dreaming to have ever since. But they’re two things that we’ve been longing to have only they were put in the least priority list. It isn’t actually tough to decipher what it is especially that it has something to do with my NEED as an online worker. So yes, I’m going to have a new lappy soon. I just hope that Acerito won’t die on me until I get hold of the new one.

I think I need an under eye cream now to cover these big black circles on my eyes. I wasn’t able to sleep well last night due to a tummy bug that hit me. It must have been our drinking water because it tasted weirdly but my Mom says that I could have been “greeted” or have a Filipino superstition that they call “usog”. You know how the elderly is so superstitious when it comes to situations like this. She said that I might have offended our old house maid when I commented yesterday about the crosses she drew in random parts of the house. Funny actually.

I feel a whole lot better now but I feel weak still though. Hopefully, I will get well soon.

As you know and might have noticed, I’ve been blabbing and even put up a blog solely about our little mansion dream. A dream that is slowly unfolding into a reality. It’s still a bit far from coming true but we’re patiently working our way to it. In no time, the initial steps we’ve taken will lead to the biggest thing we’ve been waiting for. We’re really crossing our fingers that everything will fall into its place.

Acquiring and buying a property is really overwhelming especially for a first timer just like us who do not have the slightest idea how to go it through. I remember when we first saw the list of requirements for the PAG-IBIG housing loan application, I was totally lost and overwhelmed. I didn’t know about House Conveyancing or where to acquire documents such as Contract-To-Sell, the TCTs, Deed of Assignments, etc. I was so relieved when I learned that our Developer will take charge over these things and that what we just have to facilitate is the acquisition of documents pertaining mostly to the husband’s proof of income documents.

Our house hunting and moving plans also made me encounter so many terms, jargons and legalities about home acquisition. I’ve learned so much processes such as Property Conveyancing from moveme.com. They also have an article, a buy and sell step by step guide actually, for an overview of the entire legal process. This site is very convenient and helpful as it helps one to find and compare Conveyancing Solicitor quotes from reliable property specialist conveyancing firms. The best thing about this is that the quotes are provided for free and without any obligation. They also see to it that they only work with reliable, registered and competitively priced property solicitors and surveyors. Apart from this, Moveme.com alsp provides other services such as transfer or set up new services online (phone, TV, broadband), get quotes for removals, locksmiths and more, moving help and advice from real moving experts and they even have planning services for the big move and checklists.

With all these services, moving indeed need not be a hassle-filled, overwhelming and stressing activity.