Marriage and Beyond » Celebration

Christmas Giveaway Winner

Jennie — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:58:15 +0000

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.

Without further ado, the winner for Marriage and Beyond’s Christmas Giveaway is #25….

Cielo Pagcaliwagan

Congratulations, Cielo! Kindly email us via jenaspacio@facebook.com your details: shipping address, mobile number and a scanned ID. We will send the watches the soonest! We will also need your details as we transact the donation that we will put under your name to Operation Blessing. The donation will be done via Bank Deposit. We will have the scanned copy of the deposit slip posted here.

For those who would still want to help Typhoon Sendong victims through Operation Blessing, you can go to their website for details on how to send help. —> Operation Blessing | Operation Northern Mindanao. You also have an option to give in kind: clothes, relief goods, even toys, model kits to comfort the children of CDO and Iligan who fell victims of the Typhoon Sendong Tragedy. Donations can be brought to the Operation Blessing CBN Asia Offices at the 4th floor Sagittarius Building, HV dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati City.

Thanks everyone who joined our Christmas Giveaway and may you all have a blessed 2012!

Marriage and Beyond’s Christmas Giveaway

Jennie — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:17:47 +0000

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.

Back from our Hongkong Getaway

Jennie — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:14:18 +0000

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!

This was handed to us before we rode the cab to our hotel.

We took an Urban cab which has a flag down of HK$20. Lantau cab has HK$15 and N.T., HK$16.5. I have learned in our previous travels not to have a lot of dollars exchanged for the local currency at the airport. Exchange rates at the airports are considerably lower than currency changers around town, wherever part of the world you go.

I was right. US$1 to HK$7.08. Compared to the exchange rate we got later that day around the corner of the hotel where we stayed in Kowloon, which was HK$7.60 to a dollar. We learned a few more things along the way.

One is that we could have saved a whole lot of moolah (read: HK$850), had we chosen to take the train and ferry during our first two days of stay in Hongkong. With our 6 year old in tow, we were hesitant to take the mtr and ferries. We thought it would be such inconvenience. We cannot be more wrong.

The mtr system of Hongkong is perfectly mapped out, packed with efficiency in mind that makes it so convenient to go around the city by just taking the train. Even executives use the train. I’m sure there are not a lot of rv insurance quotes going around in that place since majority of the population commute anyway. And yes, I cannot help but hope that our mrt and lrt will be like that someday. It’s a long shot, I know, but whoever says that we cannot dream and hope, right?

One of the first trains we hopped on from Disneyland

The ferry we took from Kowloon Island to Central Station. The cheapest of all rides, I should say. HK$2/adult and HK$1/child.

Did I mention that we bought our tickets via Cebu Pacific last year when they offered the Piso fare? We only paid around P3,500 for round trip tickets for the three of us. It was a steal, right? I think that will be it for our low fare getaways. Because recently, even with the promos, the bookings we did for our 2012 travels were all pretty pricey. The cheapest of which is P15,000 for our South Korea trip in time for our 11th anniversary.

We also paid the following before we were able to board the plane to Hongkong.

Travel tax: P4,250 (1,620/person, 1,010/child)
Terminal fee: P1,800 (600/person)

Up next, a review of the hotel where we stayed in Kowloon, Hongkong – West Hotel.

Marriage and Beyond’s 4th Anniversary Giveaway Winners

Jennie — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 12:54:17 +0000

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!

Winner #1 is Ma. Kristina Rodriguez

Winner #2 is Mys Laguitao

Winner #3 is Divine Caraecle

Winner #4 is Dinah Ladao

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.

Philippine Holidays 2012

Jennie — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:58:12 +0000

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)

As the hubby and I were simultaneously working on our respective toshiba laptop computers, I just thought I’d have this one posted for our future reference. We have strategically plotted our upcoming travels until December 2012. This list of Philippine Holidays 2012 will guide us with our other various activities, ministry and personal.

Countdown to our 10th Anniversary

Jennie — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 02:31:10 +0000

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.

Yes, it’s been more than 10 years ago when my now husband slipped that diamond ring on my finger and asked me to marry him. Having him in my life is one of the best gifts God has given me. I am one happy wife of a very unassuming, godly and loving husband! Can you really blame me if I so feel God’s favor upon me?

Coming Soon: Celebration week at Hongkong

Jennie — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:00:52 +0000

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

Looks like my cashmere sweater won’t be enough to keep me warm. Here’s hoping that we will still be able to enjoy our trip. We have a handful of places to go to. We’re hoping to visit Macau as well, while we’re there. Oh and did I mention, Jed is so looking forward to Disneyland. Our little guy made sure he’s got a few leaflets and brochure printing picked out during the recent Travel Mart event we went to. I tried to book with Disneyland Hotel last year. Unfortunately, they had no more slots available for our travel dates. Oh well, we did get a good deal within Kowloon. So we should be good. Here’s looking forward to an awesome week with my boys!

Marriage and Beyond’s FB Likers $20 Giveaway

Jennie — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 04:05:08 +0000

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.

Congratulations, Leizle Demaisip! We’re transferring the $20 on your PayPal account in 3, 2….

MarriageAndBeyond.com’s 4th Anniversary Giveaway

Jennie — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 07:19:35 +0000

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.

Happy 4th Anniversary, MarriageAndBeyond.com!!!

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.

1st Prize:

1. The One Year Love Language Minute Devotional by Gary Chapman

My husband and I love this book that we bought another one to share to one of our readers. We use this when we have our devotional time together. That is, if we are not buried in other good books that we also read together and use as our devotional guide instead. The insights in this devotional are priceless! Here’s a peek…

2. A Mom After God’s Own Heart, 10 Ways to Love Your Children by Elizabeth George

I picked out this book because of its easy to implement principles that make parenting both enjoyable and effective. There is also “Heart Response” sections that are designed to help us apply the principles to our life. A very practical and straightforward book on parenting.

3. The New Testament Picture Bible (The Timeless Stories of The New Testament in Full Color)

This New Testament Picture Bible is an all time bestseller! The action images in comic book-style art make the Bible fun and easy to read for young readers. Your children will enjoy hours of reading fun while they grow spiritually by learning about Jesus, his disciples and what it means to follow Jesus.

4. Max Lucado’s Hermie & Friends’ Buzby, The Misbehaving Bee DVD

I was so thrilled to finally see this available locally that I bought one to include in this anniversary giveaway. My son got the same DVD for his pasalubong from my Mom when she came home from America a couple of years back. Children will not just enjoy the video but also learn about value of following the rules and how a simple act of kindness changed Buzby’s heart and teach him that God’s rules are made to keep everyone safe.

5. 101 Ways to Spoil Your Wife by Ron Brown & 101 Ways to Spoil Your Husband by Tena Brown

Even after ten years of being married, we still, to this day, love to pamper each other. Jeff and I hope to share to our dear readers through these books things that we can do to make your spouse feel special. Easy to read books that we can apply right away.

A Peek of 101 Ways to Spoil Your Husband

A Peek of 101 Ways to Spoil Your Wife

6. A Spanking Rod

We understand that spanking is a very controversial issue in parenting. We’re not taking that road of debating with fellow parents. Our resolve is in this, it won’t be in the Bible if there is no wisdom in it. Truth be told, a person who does not have a “relationship” with a child has NO RIGHT to spank. Even parents should be given Guidelines on How to Spank.

2nd Prize:

A Whole Line of Neutrogena Fine Fairness Gift Pack worth P2,200+

Thanks to my beauty blog, KikayCorner.net, we can afford to give awesome prizes like this. Here’s my write up about the Neutrogena Fine Fairness range. Taking care of our family is no reason to settle to looking drab and flat.

3rd Prize:

$50 to the winner’s

We will be sending $50 to the winner’s PayPal ID.

4th Prize:

Sennheiser MX 400 Powerful Bass-Driven Stereo Sound Earphones

High performance dynamic speaker systems for powerful, bass-driven stereo sound optimized for MP3, iPod, iPhone and portable media devices.

Contest Mechanics:

1. Be a “Liker” of Marriage and Beyond on Facebook.
2. Write about the giveaway in your blog. Blog must be at least 3 months old. The post NEED NOT be lengthy. Just make sure the three (3) links below are included.
3. Include following links in your post to the url of Marriage and Beyond and our 2 other sponsors, Life as Experienced Daily and Church in Makati with their corresponding url.
4. Share this contest on your Facebook wall. To share, click on the Share button located at the bottom of this post. On Facebook’s status update box, tag Marriage and Beyond. Then post: “Marriage and Beyond is celebrating its 4th anniversary with fab giveaways to 4 winners. Including: books, dvd, $50, beauty package and Sennheiser earphones! Join now!” (To tag, type the “@” symbol then follow it with “Marriage and Beyond”, wait for the menu box to appear and select “Marriage and Beyond,” then type in the rest of the required phrase).
5. When you’re done sharing on your Facebook wall, go to the comments section of this post and enter the following:

Full Name
Email Address
Link of your blog post
Link of your Facebook entry with your name and email address.

4. Contest is open to everyone who has a local (Philippine) address. Free Shipping.
5. One entry per person. Only those who follow the mechanics will be included in the raffle.
6. Contest ends on our 10th wedding anniversary December 8, 2011 at 11:59 PM.

As with our previous giveaways, we will be requiring the drawn winners to send us a scanned ID for verification. Let us do this to be fair with the rest of the contest joiners. The 4 Winners of MarriageAndBeyond.com’s 4th Anniversary Celebration will be raffled via random.org the week after contest ends.

What to give on our 10th anniversary?

Jennie — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:28:17 +0000

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.

According to what I have read, the 10th year marks the first major milestone in marriage. Traditionally, the 10th wedding anniversary is symbolized by either tin or aluminum because of these elements’ flexibility. Tin and aluminum remind each couple that in order for the marriage to be successful, it needs to be flexible or pliable.

Okay, so that got me a little more perplexed than I already was. I really would love it to be special this time. Since tin and/or aluminum are not exactly close to anything I think my husband would well appreciate. Unless of course, he miraculously turns into a chef or a kitchen whiz. I’ll probably just use my red envelope coupon codes to check out that perfect gift for my husband for our tenth. Although, there really is no gift that will express enough my feeling really blessed to be in this marriage. Not an excuse, I know. Maybe I’ll start with the iPad2 on his wishlist? But then again, that’s just too plain and definitely not a surprise. But practical, right? Help me out, will you? Suggestions are most welcome!

MarriageandBeyond.com’s FB Page “Likers” Form

Jennie — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:29:51 +0000

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!

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Jed’s 6th Birthday Celebration in Surigao

Jennie — Fri, 27 May 2011 14:43:14 +0000

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.

Jed’s cake was a gift from Auntie Nene and Uncle Johnny, made by Rose Cake Specialties. It was the first time I have seen most of Jeff’s relatives based in the province. They are one bunch of beautiful people! I hope that we will be able to travel and visit them more.

Papa Jeff buried in a handful of balloons while the rain poured. All for the love for his son!

If it was not drizzling, the weather was mostly overcast for most of our stay in Surigao City. Thus, we did not bother to head for the beach. It was supposedly a beach party for the little guy. But the weather was not so agreeable. The lovely house in Guyanoland which is owned by Jeff’s cousin, who is based in the States, was a lovely place to hold the party anyway.

The place getting prepped for Jed’s simple party. I remember overhearing Jed requesting for balloons for his party as he was conversing with one of his teachers in Sunday School. He said that he’s never had a balloon in his previous birthday celebrations. Awww… So that’s what we made sure he has on this “party.” Save for the photos, Jed clearly has no recollection of the birthday party he had when he was a year old.

Thanks to Auntie Tonette for her yummy Spaghetti and Pancit. They were bestsellers! I just had to add that I loved the orange flavored cake too!

Jeff’s sister, Sheryl, took care of the party games for the kids. The kids enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Especially the gifts that came with every game and the loot bags too.

Our little guy, Jed, with his second cousins.

Jeff did not waste the opportunity to share the gospel to his nephews and nieces. Another spontaneous thing we decided to do. This is where the iPad, yet again, became very handy. Since Jed has a bunch of books in both Jeff’s iPad and my iPhone, we just chose which best fit the occasion.

Since we were pressed for time, Jeff chose Noah’s Ark by Story Chimes. It was also fitting because birthday = gifts. And the rainbow represented a symbolic gift from God to Noah and His family. We witnessed some of the kids praying to receiving Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Our hope is in the truth that God’s word will not come back void. May the seeds that were planted in the hearts of these children grow roots and bear fruit in God’s time.

Family picture with relatives in Surigao.

Of course, it can’t be complete without Jed’s silly antics. After looking for utility knife for the cake cutting, we finally found one that will do the job. Happy 6th birthday, Jed love! I will post next on his birthday celebration in Manila Ocean Park.

Our V Day at The La Virginia Resort, Batangas

Jennie — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 13:01:30 +0000

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.

The humble restaurant was jampacked through and through and when the food was served, I understood why. They serve good food without hurting the pocket. An easy alternative to Rose & Grace – they serve good bulalo as well for the fraction of what R&G’s costs. Sorry, I wasn’t able to take decent shots of the food. We were famished when we got in.

We checked in La Virginia right after lunch. The place was eye candy. It was my first impression as soon as we got in the huge gate resort. Here is what welcomed us…

Although we hoped for a friendlier receptionist, we thought we’d just let her attitude go even as we were all planning to have fun that day.

We stayed in an Ifugao house with two rooms.

nice view and structures

This is the Ifugao house where we stayed in. Montsch and Iris gave us the upper room which is more spacious. It was just sad that the first two hours of our stay when we ran out of drinking water, there was no crew in sight where I can order or even ask around where we could get some water. I went around the Ifugao Village for practically an hour to no avail. My son had to end up having his afternoon nap thirsty. We ate a handful of chocolate covered polvoron prior to that. They did not even provide us a map we can use! And I was not going to wake Montsch up (they hardly had any sleep – they just drove from Baguio) to drive us to get water. And I surely was not going to run through all six hectares of La Virginia Resort just to find a crew. I knew too well that I get lost easily. Yes, even with a gps on hand.

photo op with the garden dwarves

Even the phone numbers in the brochures that they gave out are not working! I actually had to call the Rey Villamin, the General Manager for a crew to come and check with us. Good thing I grabbed a hold of his business card from the reception. I found out from Rey himself that our rooms should have an intercom. We were later told that intercoms are all busted. A very frustrating moment. I actually had to ask why they would charge us P50 per towel when they can’t even provide the basics that is included in the package that we paid for. Aside from the fact that the room has a busted light, toilet with no lid and broken closet handles. All the latter stuff are tolerable. But us not being provided a map in a 6 hectare resort is something else altogether!

Oh well, we did go there to have fun and that’s what we’re having! Although the husband was not able to join us for the night swimming. The bed bug bite (which he had operated on last weekend) became to painful for him to swim. We thought it was just one of those boils that the best acne products can take care of.

Before the night was over, there was another issue that came up. The lights on the path to the infinity pool (the only one that was lit that evening) were all switched off. We practically stumbled our way through the pool and back to our cottage. Even if they are saving on electricity bill, they should have at least turned on a lamp post on every other block! Montsch tripped in one of the cement stairs. Thank God the fall was not bad.

I honestly hope they shape up on their customer service and these little details and run their resort better. Otherwise they will merely just be an eye candy and word will eventually get around if they keep this kind of service.

Itot & Ofel, Montsch & Iris, me and my boys

Although our La Virginia vacay was far from perfect, we did have a great time with blogger friends. Itot and Ofel prepared a sumptuous dinner for us on V Day and talked the night away while enjoying the cool breeze of Lipa that night. Our next stop will be Laiya on April.

A celebration of love and everything sweet at Max’s Pre-Valentine event

Jennie — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 13:35:08 +0000

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.

What is more sweet about this is we were not just handed with their sweet cupcakes and truffles. A cupcake decorating demonstration also took place.

We were challenged to design a cupcake and dedicate it to a person. For both the hubby and me, since it is our anniversary, we were told to dedicate a cupcake for each other. After racking my brain for some cupcake ideas and wasted a few minutes on trying to figure out (and failed) how to design a soccer ball cupcake, I just thought I’d design a simple one which may very well still describe of the hubby. Unassuming (a sweet excuse for my lack of creativity) but full of substance – he is one full package of brains (a Mensan, at that), love (for God, first and foremost), manly vigor and everything I could ever wish for in a husband.

My 14th anniversary cupcake for Jeff. It may not look spectacular all right. But the “Jeff love” should say it all.

Jeff dedicated and said I was his sunshine for 14 years! Aww… I know I am not exactly all bright and shiny everyday in that 14 years. Those who knew us from the beginning would be the first to attest to that. The good things must have made up for the not so good ones enough for my husband to conclude that. To be a better wife, that’s what I’m still constantly working at.

We shared some caramel bar loving during our Valentine banquet in church last night.

We have always believed that we should not wait until the hearts day to give some loving to whom it is due – or even to those who we think don’t deserve it. But whoever said that we can’t during V Day, right? We might as well jumpstart with these sweets. I really would rather receive sweets than flowers on any occasion. The hubby knows that very well by now.

my love and me in our Max’s Corner Bakery aprons. After the launch, we headed right to a pastor/friend’s place for yet another celebration of life and love. We received the invitation while we were on our way to Max’s that night. So we thought we can still drop by on our way home.

Incidentally, Max’s Corner Bakery is also launching its sweetest promo yet. For a minimum spend of PhP 1,500 from February 12 to 14, Max’s diners can surprise their loved ones with a special Valentines box of delectable chocolates – a free treat from Max’s Corner Bakery!

Planning and executing a dream wedding

Jennie — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:56:08 +0000

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. Soon after receiving her diamond, she will be off her with her best friends planning the dress as well as the reception. Choosing the food for the wedding as well as the cake can not only be fun, but filling. There are many different dishes to taste as well as cake samples. Some of the cakes may not be right for the wedding, but it is sure great to taste them, especially on a day when she is in such a good mood due to the subject matter of her stress.

Planning the reception is also very exciting, from choosing the center pieces to picking a band or DJ, a woman usually has all of the details planned before hand ensuring a beautiful and fun day for all involved. Marriage is a joint affair, but in many cases, the woman is the one who plans the majority of the details. The man is there for support, but he doesn’t always really know what his lady would like in this arena. Some couples do discuss these things with each other and the man may have a good enough memory to remember, but it is always best to let the woman lead in this area and you can maintain open communication and express your thoughts about how you feel about each aspects as a man. Either way, the day will be amazing because you love each other and want to spend your life together, and that alone is reason enough to smile.

Valentine’s Day Survey Infographic

Jennie — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 06:59:40 +0000

I have always known that I am part of the minority. I don’t like flowers on Valentine’s Day or any other occasion for that matter. I would rather receive chocolates or practical things that I can use. People oftentimes don’t get me. But I’m really just different that way. I’d rather get a flower in a pot. That way I don’t have to witness it wither too soon.

But as for the hubby and I and and two of our blogger friends, Iris and Montsch, we will celebrating hearts day in a lovely place somewhere in Batangas. It will be a double date for us. Maybe our not so little guy in tow to stand as our human tripod again. Meanwhile, I hope to share with you this interesting Valentine’s Day survey infographic by Interflora.

Counting my blessings

Jennie — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:00:28 +0000

I am thankful for a handful of things. One of which is the helper who initiates things around the house by herself. I hardly have to teach things to her twice. Just the way I want things to be. I can be very impatient and I do not exactly fancy having to repeat myself every so often. I also celebrate having a virtual assistant who can help me with my online tasks.

Outsourcing is probably the sweetest thing I have decided to do. I have been putting this off. Because I thought delegating will mean having to submit inferior quality of work. Which, as of late, proved to be not true. I just thank God for not just a very reliable house help who cooks very good food (burp!). Which might just call for us to use adapexin-p if we do not watch it. I also have a very efficient remote secretary who is very teachable.

14 years in 3 weeks

Jennie — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:00:16 +0000

The hubby and I will be turning 14 years old in the coming weeks. Yes, we do not just celebrate our wedding anniversary. We also celebrate the day that we first became a couple. It was on February 10, 1997 when we decided that we are going to exclusively date.

He pursued me for a while. But then again, given that I always knew that he was the one for me, I thought we might as well call it official. Here is the link to our love story.

Since I have not exactly given him a decent gift last Christmas, no not even the nfl t shirts that I was eyeing on purchasing online, a quick trip to Batangas might just be our way to celebrate. We both can make use of a time out.

Valentines Gifts: Luxury Valentines Chocolate from Hotel Chocolat!

Jennie — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 16:00:47 +0000

If you’re looking for luxury chocolate gifts for Valentine’s Day, visit Hotel Chocolat! With Valentine’s Day less than a month away, now’s the time to shop for those special gifts. Hotel Chocolat is the only British specialist chocolatier to have its own Caribbean cocoa-growing estate – the Rabot Estate on the island of St Lucia. Here Hotel Chocolat prides itself on using only the finest ingredients – including cocoa grown on specially chosen trees – to make delicious luxury chocolate.

The Valentine’s range from Hotel Chocolat is large, with gifts available at a range of different prices and suitable for both men and women. Luxury chocolate is a failsafe valentines gift – a traditional choice, made extra special by choosing the finest quality and most flavoursome varieties.

Pick-Me-Up and Be My Valentine! is a goody bag stuffed with romantic chocolate goodies, a lovely surprise for your loved one, containing a bag of Caramel Drops, six Strawberry Heart white chocolates and six Caramel Heart milk chocolates. Similarly romantic is the Valentines Ribbon Tied Selection – a ribboned-box holding pralines, dreamy caramels, strawberry love hearts and more. If you’re looking for a traditional and classy gift, a box of Classic Champagne Truffles has sixteen individual milk chocolate truffles with crisp shells, and creamy soft centres made with real cream and marc de champagne.

If you’re looking for a small yet special gift, Sweet Lips are passionately pink lips cast in 40% milk chocolate and filled with luscious milk chocolate truffle, set in a cute little box. For the man in your life – if this applies – the 72% Dark Chocolate Hero Tablet is a tasteful and tasty tablet of solid chocolate, a perfect reward for your personal hero!

Whether you’re treating a loved one, or enjoy browsing for gifts that may inspire you to drop some heavy hints for your partner, the 2011 valentines chocolate range from Hotel Chocolat is well worth a look! The Hotel Chocolat website is an extremely interesting resource for chocoholics – full of information on how high quality chocolate is made along with gourmet chocolate recipes. It is also
interesting to read how Hotel Chocolat work with cocoa farmers in Africa and the Caribbean through the ‘Engaged Ethics’ programme to help improve their livelihoods.

Choose easy online delivery from Hotel Chocolat for a hassle-free way to shop for luxury chocolate gifts for Valentine’s Day. All made with high-quality, ethically-sourced chocolate, the Hotel Chocolat selection of valentine’s gifts is extensive – ranging from the traditional box of chocolates to extravagant chocolate hampers!

Happy New Year!

Jennie — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 04:15:05 +0000

Happy Twenty Eleven to our dear readers! (all ten of you) Aside from being the time of the year when people get out of sorts when it comes to filling out important documents, (often even having to counter sign documents because of corrections) this is also the time when people come up with resolutions. While a lot of them might as well be recycled ones, most creators of resolutions mean well and intend their resolutions to be a real commitment.

Wikipedia defines New Year’s Resolution as such:

A New Year resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a personal goal, project, or the reforming of a habit. This lifestyle change is generally interpreted as advantageous. A New Years Resolution is generally a goal someone sets out to accomplish in the coming year. Some examples include resolutions to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive, or to become more environmentally responsible.

There are religious parallels to this secular tradition. During Judaism’s New Year, Rosh Hashanah, through the High Holidays and culminating in Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), one is to reflect upon one’s wrongdoings over the year and both seek and offer forgiveness. People may act similarly during the Christian fasting period of Lent, though the motive behind this holiday is more of sacrifice than of responsibility. The concept, regardless of creed, is to reflect upon self-improvement annually.

As I look back, I have not really made a resolution for as long as I can remember. Probably because my resolve has always been to press on in doing what I have been doing and be a better steward of the gift of life that is given to me through the choices I make on a daily basis. For those who are hoping to stop smoking or maybe more organized in 2011 – whatever your resolutions are really, my hope is that we envision God looking at us as Twenty Eleven comes to a close (which can be all too soon, as we know it) with approval.