posted by Jennie on Jan 2
While a new year’s resolution entry might be more sound for a first post for 2012, allow me to sink right back to blogging full blast again in a few more days after this Marriage and Beyond Christmas Giveaway Winner Announcement. Tasks have kind of stacked themselves up over the holidays. Bringing me to prioritizing those first.
posted by Jennie on Dec 20
We know the announcement of Marriage and Beyond’s Christmas Giveaway is way overdue. We have been really busy with Christmas outreach and church fellowship this past week. The winner of our Christmas giveaway will receive Boardwalk His & Hers Timepieces and to add to that, a P500 donation will be placed under his or her name to help the victims of Typhoon Sendong. We will be sending the donation to Operation Blessing Philippines. We chose Operation Blessing because it is the the humanitarian arm of The 700 Club Asia. With all the previous controversies surrounding previous calamity fund raising efforts, we really should take care to give to entities that have integrity. Corruption is so prevalent in our country that no tragedy is left untouched for greedy people in our society.
Contest Mechanics:
1. You have to be a “liker” of Marriage and Beyond on Facebook and Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines.
2. Share this contest on your Facebook wall. To share, click on the Share button located at the bottom of this post. Then post on your Facebook Status: “Marriage and Beyond is giving away Boardwalk His & Hers Timepieces for Christmas and a P500 donation to Operation Blessing Foundation Phils for Typhoon Sendong victims under the winner’s name. Join now!” (To tag, type the “@” symbol then follow by “Marriage and Beyond,” then type in the rest of the required phrase )
3. When you’re done with the Facebook status wall update, go to the comments section of this post and paste the link of your Facebook entry with your name and email address. (To get the link, hover to the time of your shared post (e.g. 4 minutes ago) and copy link address. Paste this to your comment to make your entry count.)
4. Contest is open to everyone who has a local address. Free Shipping.
5. One entry per person.
*As with our previous giveaways, we will be requiring the drawn winner to send us a scanned ID for verification.
6. Deadline for entries is on January 1, 2012.
We encourage those who are able, to donate to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities with whatever you can. No amount is too small. We don’t have to wait for this giveaway to wrap up to give them a portion of our Christmas blessing.
The winner of Marriage and Beyond’s Christmas Giveaway will be raffled via random.org. And as proof that the donation was placed under the winner’s name, we will be posting the scanned copy of the deposit slip or confirmation screencap. Have a blessed Christmas, everyone! Let’s continue to pray for the Typhoon Sendong victims while we do our share as we move towards addressing their current felt needs.
posted by Jennie on Dec 14
I figured I might as well post on our Hongkong getaway before the novelty wears off. We flew back a few days ago and I know if I put off blogging about this travel, I might just end up scratching it off like I did our previous Davao and Bohol trips.
Because I booked this Hongkong trip exactly a year ago, I totally forgot that we failed to have our intended date of coming back, which was originally set on Dec.9. It turned out, the only available date during that time was December 8.
It was only when we have boarded the plane and I was filling out these Hongkong Immigration forms which were handed out by the flight attendant that I saw the e-ticket and it reads December 8. Imagine my dismay! I immediately confessed as I showed the e-ticket to my dear hubby and he solved the problem in an instant. If it were not for December 8 being our official anniversary date, then it would have been okay for us to head back home to Manila. But husband sweetly solved the problem by assuring us that we can head on over to a hotel in Subic where we can extend our 10th anniversary celebration when we arrive DMIA on December 8. How can I not feel so blessed to have such a sweet husband?
My son and I at the plush Hongkong International Airport
Since it was my responsibility to take care of our flights and travel itineraries, I have somehow expected a slight show of disappointment on the husband’s face. He spared me that and instead assured me that this “unexpected” early flight back should not make our 10th anniversary less fun. I knew right there that it was going to be a a lovely 10th anniversary celebration! 
posted by Jennie on Dec 11
First off, thanks to all who joined Marriage and Beyond’s 4th Anniversary Giveaway. As promised, here are the winners! Congratulations to all four of you! 
Kindly email us via jenaspacio@facebook.com your scanned ID, Full Name, Shipping Address and Mobile Number. Please email us soon so I can send your prizes within the week. As for Winner #3, please include your PayPal ID so I can send your $50 the soonest. Congratulations to you all! Our prayer is that all your respective prize will be a blessing to you one way or another. We have another giveaway coming up just in time for Christmas.
posted by Jennie on Dec 3
The Malacañang Palace has recently released Proclamation No. 295 declaring the regular, non-working, and special holidays in the Philippines for the year 2012. As homeschoolers, we are essentially unaffected by this list. But we do have to take note of them anyway, for practical and obvious reasons.
A. Regular Holidays
New Year’s Day – January 1 (Sunday)
Maundy Thursday – April 5
Good Friday – April 6
Araw ng Kagitingan - April 9 (Monday)
Labor Day – May 1 (Tuesday)
Independence Day – June 12 (Tuesday)
National Heroes Day – August 27 (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Friday)
Christmas Day – December 25 (Tuesday)
Rizal Day – December 30 (Sunday)
B. Special (Non-Working) Days
Chinese New Year – January 23 (Monday)
Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21 (Tuesday)
All Saints Day – November 1 (Thursday)
Additional special (non-working) day- November 2 (Friday)
Last Day of the Year – December 31 (Monday
C. Special Holiday (for all schools)
EDSA Revolution Anniversary – February 25 (Saturday)
posted by Jennie on Dec 1
A week until our 10th anniversary celebration! It’s crazy how quickly time seem to pass us by. While 10 years might not be a huge number for some people, the double number makes us look back and ask ourselves, “has it really been that long already?”
While we are happily married, we are far from being a perfect married couple just yet. Our clashes make for the very ingredients that would want us to put our foot forward in effort to be a better person for each other. A pile of things to thank God for this marriage. We recently read and finished a book together – Couples Who Pray, which we both vouch for and highly recommend for married couples to read and apply.
posted by Jennie on Dec 1
It sure is going to be an eventful two weeks for our family. Aside from the LA Galaxy Football Clinic that our son is going to attend this coming Friday and the friendly game of The Philippine Azkals vs. LA Galaxy, we are flying to Hongkong for our 10th anniversary celebration!
For those who have joined Marriage and Beyond’s 4th Anniversary Giveaway, please expect the winners to be announced a week after the contest. You have until 11:59PM, December 8, 2011 to join.
Meanwhile, we’ve been told that there is a sudden dip of temperature in Hongkong.
Weather Forecast via Accuweather
posted by Jennie on Nov 25
As promised, Marriage and Beyond is giving away $20 when we have reached the 1,000 mark on our Marriage and Beyond Facebook Page. We are thrilled to announce that we now have 1,008 likers as of this writing. This $20 giveaway cannot be more timely for our very own Thanksgiving celebration.
We were hoping to have all likers fill out the Marriage and Beyond’s Likers Form, just so we can have a database of all our likers on Facebook. Sadly, only 54 have filled out the form. We used random.org to do the electronic raffle and we came up with the number 47. If chances are the result was a number higher than 54, then will will count away from our FB Likers that we can see from our Page on Facebook. The screencap of which is the one below. The list scrolls down to give or take 500++ names. Read the rest of this entry »
posted by Jennie on Nov 18
Marriage and Beyond is celebrating its 4th anniversary before the month ends and we’re raffling off prizes to 4 winners! It was in 2004 when I started blogging via Multiply. But it was not until Nov 2007 when Marriage and Beyond was born. Thanks to our blogging mentor, NeilMaranan.com for ushering us to the world of monetizing websites and internet marketing. Now, we not only get to document our family’s milestones, share our advocacy and faith. This has also become a channel that God uses to provide for our family.
Before we head on over to jotting down the contest mechanics for MarriageAndBeyond.com’s 4th Anniversary Celebration Contest, here are the prizes that 4 of our readers will receive by mid December. Since Marriage and Beyond’s anniversary and our wedding anniversary are less than a couple of weeks away from each other, we’re holding this contest until our 10th wedding anniversary, December 8, 2011.
posted by Jennie on Oct 14
Less than two months until our 10th anniversary! As excited as I am, I still have not figured out what to give my husband. From the moment we got married, I only surprised him with a gift twice. While he gives me a minimum of three surprise gifts every single occasion – birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, heart’s day. Name it, he has not missed a single occasion. Yes, not counting the “monthsaries” we used to celebrate when our marriage was brand spanking new. As forgetful as my husband is in all other areas in his daily routine (he almost always needs to come back home minutes after he left because he forgot something), boy am I so blessed to be so loved enough not to have one special occasion forgotten. I actually realized this just now. Oh, the things I take for granted!
For nine whole years and some, he always managed to act that he does not have a gift for me every time. Saying all kinds of reasons. I bought it during the first years but finally figured that I married an award winning actor no less. It is that or I’m really as gullible as can be. Because I totally get surprised every single time still by his gifts I find at random places. It’s like an easter egg hunt for me every time. Except that I try to do it discreetly. Because I always think, what if it’s true this time that there isn’t a gift at all. I don’t know how he does it really. He plays with mind like that.
posted by Jennie on Sep 15
Since Facebook does not provide a complete list of “likers,” Marriage and Beyond will use this form. “Like” Marriage and Beyond on Facebook and sign up on the fields below to be eligible for the raffle/s.
We will be giving away $10 when we reach 950 “likers” and $20 when we reach 1,000!
posted by Jennie on May 27
The backlogs that I have in publishing entries all across our sites can be overwhelming, so I’m choosing to get back to regular programming by posting an entry on Jed’s 6th birthday celebration in Surigao City that happened early this month. A lot has happened this month. We traveled with Jeff’s family to Davao early this month. Then roadtrip to Surigao City. Daily Vacation Bible School and 8th Anniversary of SBC-Makati as soon as we flew back from Davao and our most recent Bohol trip. Whew! All that sandwiched in one whole month!
Our birthday celebrator and me as we waited for Jeff at Gateway Hotel in Surigao City. Jeff was totally hands on as the family prepared for Jed’s simple birthday celebration that happened at short notice. He bought stuff for the loot bag, grocery shopped for the ingredients of the food and ordered the cake. Thanks to the rest of the family who were all game in helping with the preparations.
The tickets for both our Davao and Bohol Getaway were bought September last year via the 21st Philippine Travel Mart in Megatrade Hall. Each ticket only cost us P270, round trip, all in. A steal, I know! Makes the 4 hours of waiting in line worth it. Save for the one hour delay on our schedule going to Davao, our AirPhil Express experience was fine. This is a first for us to fly Air Phil Express. The one hour delay was forgivable. I have heard quite a number of horrible experiences some blogger friends had with them. But I think they are shaping up, basing from our experience in both round trip flights.
posted by Jennie on Feb 26
Montsch and Iris Acosta picked us up dawn of V Day to spend the whole day and a half in La Virginia Resort in Batangas. It was a lovely ride aboard Rose (the Acosta’s new ride), which is WiFi to boot! Dear Iris took care of our accommodation arrangements weeks prior to our quick getaway.
But before we headed to La Virginia Resort that day, Itot, a fellow blogger who I have known from way back, (probably one of the few bloggers we have met online late 2007) toured us across Lipa. He played tour guide, sharing with us the lush beauty of Batangas. From Bluroze Farms, to two majestic churches in Lipa and even the public park that puts to shame most parks that I know of in Manila. Before this, we only got to visit Batangas once or twice. But we weren’t able to appreciate it as much as we did during this trip. Basically because we did not know where to go. It was essentially a field trip of sorts that my son and I could make use of and discuss about during our class. Itot showed also showed us around the museum and we had lunch at Lando and Lorie’s Banay Banay Eatery.
posted by Jennie on Feb 13
When the hubby and I received an invite last week for Max’s Pre-Valentine event happening on our 14th anniversary as a couple, we were not able to confirm right away since we were not sure if we will be celebrating elsewhere. But since we are slated to go to Batangas on V Day, we thought we can drop by and check out Max’s Valentine offering.
True enough, Max’s Valentine event cannot be more timely. The theme was love and and everything sweet. We have known and loved Max’s Caramel Bars for as long as we can remember but have not really tried for ourselves their other offerings.
posted by Jennie on Feb 10
One of the most exciting times a woman can have is the time between being asked for her hand and the moment she says, “I do”. This is an amazing time because the woman finally gets to plan and execute the wedding of her dreams. Even if she has a small budget, there are most certainly ways she can cut corners and still be very happy and proud of her glorious day. Read the rest of this entry »
