Ilocos Adventure

Went across the Ilocos pictures so I decided to share it in my blog :)

2 Holy Weeks ago, I went to Ilocos with J and his family (and his extended family) for a much-deserved R&R. It was the longest 12-hour drive or so I've had in my entire life and you can just imagine how excited I was when we got to the resort. Anyway, the food was great and the Vigan longganisa and emapanadas are to die for, the scenery was the best and I can't help but take lots of pictures and the beach... need I say more? :) Too bad we only had 3 days, only to find out there's so much more Ilocos province has in store for us! We weren't able to go to Fort Ilocandia nor Marcos residence nor fully explore the ancestral houses in Vigan (it was Holy Week so mostly are closed). Still, we made the most of out of our trip and tried to go to different places as much as we can.

Definitely, it was fun, memorable, with some weird extraordinary experience I had. I promise to go back and explore the province, especially Vigan. Indeed, it's more fun in the Philippines :)

Kapurpurawan Rock Formation, Ilocos Norte

Bangui Windmills, Ilocos Norte

Pagudpud <3

Visiting one of the ancestral houses turned restaurant serving great food in Vigan 

Somewhere in the streets of Vigan

The best P30.00 coffee :))

Note: My bad. I forgot the names of the restaurants/places visited since this was 2 years ago :)

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Check this out :) No worries, it'll lead you to a safe site :)

Surprise! Surprise!

It's my mom's birthday and parents' 25th wedding anniversary last February 18. When asked what they want to do on that day, my parents had lots of plans -- HK trip with the whole family, US trip, Star Cruise, Australia trip to visit my cousin and whatever trips they could think of! February 18 came sooner and they still have no plans so my siblings and I decided to surprise them on their day. We decorated the house, had a fancy table setting c/o grandma's chinaware, made a video presentation of their "being together" for 25 years and finally, cooked a complete meal (yes, from soup to dessert) for them. My parents' were the happiest on that day! I am so glad my siblings and I's efforts paid off! :)

Check this out :) No worries, it'll lead you to a safe site :)

Hearts Day

J and I don't normally join the bandwagon and go out on a date on V-Day. The traffic is too much to bear, plus almost all restaurants are fully booked (unless you made a reservation, of course)! Instead, he just gave me flowers, which our little girl absolutely loved, and had a simple dinner at home.

So what is it with Valentine's Day and why is it a big deal for couples? You don't have to wait for February 14 to come just so you can go out on a date, right? Why wait for V-Day to make a girl feel extra special? Why give her flowers on V-Day and not on, say February 15 or any day? It's like an ordinary day after all. You don't have to wait for Valentine's Day to express how you truly love and care for your special someone. Show him/her everyday before everything is too late!

And to all single ladies (and men) out there, don't feel bad! So what if you've been spending Hearts Day alone. Why care if you're not out there, eating fancy food at a fancy restaurant with your special someone. Being single isn't bad. It gives you more time and opportunity to focus on yourself and other things that you care about, unlike those who are in a relationship. And maybe, that special someone is not yet ready to meet you or you already met him/her, you just didn't notice. Have fun and enjoy life being surrounded by family and friends who care about you! :) 

Valentine's Day is not just about couples, it's for EVERYONE. Be it single, in a relationship, married couples or whoever, celebrate Hearts Day with the people you genuinely love and care for. And don't wait for February 14 to show how much you appreciate your special someone. Spread the love! 

Preparing for Childbirth

Last November 2011, J and I attended childbirth class under Rome Kanapi (she's excellent by the way!) in Ateneo. At first, we only did this to comply with my OB's condition so that J can be with me inside the labor room. But after attending the first session, we really enjoyed the class. We learned a lot, from breathing techniques to prenatal and relaxation exercises to what to prepare on D-day. We were also taught about how to detect labor, maternal anatomy and other information that OBs might forget to mention. We also met other first time couples, who like us, are clueless about pregnancy and preparing for childbirth, and gained some friends. And the best part? freebies! Brands like Mustela, Pigeon, Avent, Safety First, Cradle and Cycles among others gave a demo and samples of their products and even provided us some discounts upon purchase :) Indeed, it was a fun learning experience and attending a childbirth class is definitely a MUST, especially for first time parents :)

Happy 50!

We recently attended J's grandparents' golden wedding anniversary <3

Despite the many news on infidelity, abuse and separation, it's heartwarming to see that there are still couples who live and love and can commit to that vow for 50 years. I just hope that all marriage last that long. Who says love can't be forever? :)