posted by Jennie on Feb 9

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.
posted by Jennie on Jan 21
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.
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posted by Jennie on Jan 21
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.
posted by Jennie on Jan 2
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.

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posted by Jennie on Jan 1
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:
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posted by Jennie on Dec 31
Drafting a year ender post can be anything but easy, let alone publishing one. I will just go right ahead and make use of my 2010 digital album and do a photo essay. It is just sweet to look back and see God’s wonderful blessings to our family this year.
God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! Lamentations 3:22-23
Since I figured 365 photos in one post will be a little too overwhelming, I’m sharing at least a photo for each month of 2010 instead to represent what I consider the highlight blessing/s.
Hopscotch January

This hopscotch activity that our little homeschooler did in the morning of January 18 was a foreshadowing of God’s leading to bless us through the Court of 2010. Aside from the fact that as a homeschooling family, it was a great deal for us to get through 2009 in this homeschooling journey. It being our first year. When 2010 came in, we were pretty confident that we will breeze through it even as we saw the overall academic development of our son. And it wasn’t just in the homeschooling arena that the Lord decided to bless us in. 2010 is an overwhelmingly good year for us and we only have got the Lord to credit this to. Hopscotching through 2010 was fun despite the challenges along the way.
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posted by Jennie on Dec 22
As we look back, the year 2010 has been nothing short of amazing and we thank God for everything! We would not have thought that God will pick us up the way He did after the devastation of Ondoy in 2009. Ondoy posts: here, here and here.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

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posted by Jennie on Dec 21
The Philippine Government has already announced Holidays for 2011 via Proclamation 84 acknowledging the declared list of Philippines’ 2011 Holidays. Although as homeschoolers, we still find ourselves doing our routine despite some of the holidays, we still find it beneficial for us to know when the holidays fall and even discuss them during our class.
The following regular, special non-working holidays and special days for the year 2011 shall be observed in the Philippines:
A. Regular Holidays
New Year’s Day – January 1 (Saturday)
Araw ng Kagitingan – April 9 (Saturday)
Maundy Thursday – April 21
Good Friday – April 22
Labor Day – May 1 (Sunday)
Independence Day – June 12 (Sunday)
National Heroes Day – August 29 (Last Monday of August)
Bonifacio Day – November 30 (Wednesday)
Christmas Day – December 25 (Sunday)
Rizal Day – December 30 (Friday)
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posted by Jennie on Dec 18
Exactly a week until Christmas and I still have not gotten the hubby anything. With my resolve to not leave the house to make sure all online tasks are taken cared of before Christmas might leave me having to make a DIY greeting card. Read the rest of this entry »
posted by Jennie on Dec 17
A week to go and I am still not done ticking off everything in my Christmas list. Love ones are already requesting for my traditional Christmas cookies. But with work up to my neck probably until the last minute until Christmas, I know I won’t be able to prepare even a single bunch this year.
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posted by Jennie on Dec 11
Since our booking for Bangkok did not push through in time for our 9th anniversary, we figured we will have to make do with spending some quality, albeit quick time on our 9th! We trooped to our favorite hideaway – Tagaytay!

I surprised the hubby with a cake! Although he probably does not have a fiber in him that will go giddy over some frilly cake, I risked it. Because I really wanted to give him something that’s unpredictable and he’ll always remember our 9th anniversary by (even via its pictures). He was surprised all right. But not as thrilled as when he got his real anniversary gift – Philippine Football Team jersey. But boy did he love the cake’s ultra moist and its just right sweetness. Thanks, Iris of PH Bakehouse and her artsy hubby, Marcelle! We love our 9th anniversary cake to bits! (literally) Although I would have to add that it was a really pain to slice that cake up. It was too pretty!

But of course, we weren’t slicing that cake up without having that all-important photo op. And that is also why we made sure we tagged the kiddo along. Haha! A tripod just ain’t no fun.
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posted by Jennie on Dec 11
We celebrate my mom’s birthday today. It’s her 65th and we continue to thank God that she has remained healthy and sharp. I know she’d correct me when she reads this and say she has had her better days. While I know that, I sincerely thank God that she is still good as she is. She might tell me of her wrinkles. But I’d say, each line in her face has its own story to tell.

If there was anything I vividly remember about Mama, it is her love for writing, or at least, her files upon files of Incoming and Outgoing Correspondences that she used to keep in the office table ever since I was a kid. She had me look into her slumbook from high school. She is such a sentimental lady! And boy can she write! I have always believed if there should be a bloggger in the family, it really should be my mom.
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posted by Jennie on Dec 11
My husband and I are happy with my son’s progress in his Karate class. He has been with the class for two months now and so far he is enjoying every session he has with them and we see his skills progress. As homeschoolers, we really are not compelled to enroll our son in a supplementary subject like Piano, Voice, Karate or Taekwondo. But we found that it will benefit him as it further reinforces the need for discipline. Before that the only socialization he had was Sunday School classes.
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posted by Jennie on Dec 8
I am blessed enough to have a va task that allows me to be flexible. I did double shift today so that I can focus on our 9th anniversary celebration as we head over to Tagaytay early today. Although we can’t really call it a real vacation, it is nice enough that we can get away from it all even just for a day and just celebrate.
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posted by Jennie on Dec 2
It was last week of October when I got an email from best-selling author Anthony DeStefano, asking if I was willing to look at his newest book, “Little Star.” And with a little reader for a son, I figured a Christmas book should be a good addition to my five year old son’s growing collection of books.

As it turns out, Anthony DeStefano’s Little Star is not your ordinary Christmas Story book for kids. As opposed to all other stories about Christmas for children being told the same way, Little Star is a refreshing change. Not that there is anything wrong with the story we grew up with. It’s basically because the nativity account, this time, is being told from the perspective of the stars. The book was beautifully illustrated by Mark Elloitt, who did a good job at giving life to the characters. My son really got hooked and we were moved as we went along.
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