Maternity Gifts and Ideas

In a few weeks, I will be attending a baby shower of a friend of mine. It is going to be my first event. It always excites me when it comes to Baby Shower Ideas . As much as possible, I want it to be extraordinarily colorful and it doesn't have to be wrapped in a box. I learned this from a close friend of mine in college. It was quite a learning because I make the celebrant/s happy and excited.

 

For the baby shower I'm going to attend to I plan to give a gift basket containing baby clothes in different colors. Baby clothes nowadays comes in all colors both for a baby boy and a girl. A blue shirt might suggest that it's a for a baby boy, but the additional ruffles makes it feminine. The cut and  print on the clothing greatly matters. Now, blue can also be as girly as the shade of pink. Pink can be mixed with blue, green or brown to make it more boyish.

For our mommy friends, usually we give baby showers when mommy is at her 8th or 9th month. It's not too late to gift her with Pregnancy Clothing . A cute shirt can come in handy even after giving birth.

Apparently, maternity cut clothing has been a trend lately. Personally, it's one of the things I enjoy throughout my pregnancy. Even with a bulging tummy, we moms can still be fashionable. And we can use these clothes over and over again. When buying maternity clothes, take note of the structure and design of the clothing. Then, imagine yourself in it without the big tummy. This particular shirt above can go with denim shorts, skinny jeans and a chic looking pair of flats.

AirPlay Your Favorites

The latest addition that will make our Apple experience more fun.  Actually, we bought our Apple TV a few months ago. We use it to play movies, documentaries, music, games and to view our latest pictures using our television. Online, we go to Youtube to watch the latest episodes of our favorite tv series.

Apple TV will make Apple entertainment more unbelievably fun. Through wireless streaming, you can now enjoy your favorites from your Mac, iPod, iPhone and iPad in a much bigger screen. Setting up is fast and easy. Simply attach  your Apple gadget and Apple TV to the same Wi-Fi network, and AirPlay will automatically appear. Choose the application you want to use then AirPlay will stream from your Apple gadget to your HDTV.

It's like a specialized tv show, play whatever you want. Anyone in the room can view, play and listen with you.
If you have external speakers...

AirPlay technology is built into speakers, receivers, and stereo systems from manufacturers like Denon, Marantz, B&W, JBL, and iHome. source

Gaming. This has got to be one of the purposes why we got Apple TV. Since we're so much into gaming apps, being able to view our play on HDTV makes it more exciting and entertaining for the whole family. 

Colorful and exciting, because we can view it on HDTV. 3 Fs Family, Fun and Friends not only because we now have a great option for viewing, but also because we can now share our favorites with the people around us. Relaxing, because I can already set some relaxing music and graphics on a much bigger screen with surround sound.

High In Sky Eye

During the recent holiday (Araw ng Kagitingan) we went on an out of town trip to Tagaytay City with some guests from Cebu. The highlight of our trip was to experience the tallest ferris wheel in the country called Sky Eye. Last time we visited Tagaytay, that was 2 months ago, I remember seeing the whole grounds still being developed. It used to be the horseback riding park beside Taal Vista Hotel. Now, it is called the Sky Ranch. As of the moment, there is a small amusement park and food stalls already open to the public.

Here are the details:

• Entrance Fee Sky Ranch: Php100 (20% discount for Senior Citizens and PWD)
• Sky Eye Fee: Php150 (Infants below 9 months are free of charge).
• Loop Ride: Php250

Most of the rides are at Php50

The main attraction at Sky Ranch is Sky Eye which over looks the whole Taal Lake. We went around 9 in the morning, the sun was out but not too hot, the summer breeze in Tagaytay is still cool. But I advise to bring umbrella and sunglasses, because once it hits 10am- onwards, it is going to be scorching hot.

My sister and Mikee

Night visit at the Sky Ranch is also something to look forward to. I have seen images of the Sky Eye beautifully lit at night. Though there won't be any view of the Taal Volcano, the cool breeze and the warm lights of Sky Eye is an attraction already. I always thought that the Giant Wheel in Star City is the tallest. Sky Eye took the seat at (207 ft) with 32 air-conditioned gondolas making it the tallest in the country.

View from our gondola: The peaceful Taal Volcano.

They say that a gondola can house 4 people. Based on our experience, maximum of 3 would be better.  When we saw the other passengers getting off their gondolas, one problem we noticed was the difficulty of going down.

Considering that the wheel is continuously moving, it is dangerous if someone's foot will get caught at the bar in the middle of the gondola. Leg room is going to be a problem if they'll proceed with 4. We insisted that we ride by 2s or 3s. It's a good thing that the person managing the ride was very open for the adjustment we wanted, thank you.

The timing of our visit was perfect. Over-all, our guests had fun. After the 10- minute ride in Sky Eye, they freshened up some more with buko juice from a nearby food station. It was an experience for them to ride the tallest ferris wheel in the country. It is worth sharing to their fellow Cebuanos.

As for me, I'm happy that I was able to ride Sky Eye. I just love how such ride makes me feel so relaxed, as if I wanna own one.

The What Ifs On My Next Cellphone

For the past years, I have been contemplating if I should get a new cellphone. With the new iPhone and Samsung Galaxy, it sure makes owning a cellphone more colorful and exciting. In terms of functionality, I'm already fine with what I have as of the moment. But to be honest, it does gets into me, the urge of getting the latest in terms in cellphone technology... But then again, the question is do I need it? There 's only one thing that's blocking my urge to get a new phone.

*The fast turnover of gadgets, which makes your old one outdated. Unlike before, I'm talking about the trend 10 years ago, even with the change of time and technology, we get to keep our old ones. We  have an option to give it or sell it for a good price. Now,  the value depreciates as fast as the turn over. It's too much.

Here are my what ifs just in case I finally shift to an updated cellphone. 

If I get to choose between Apple and Samsung... my mind is not made up yet.

If I get to choose to dress- up my cellphone, I would really like to glam it up, at least a fancy looking protective cover.

If I finally get to choose the right phone for me... most definitely, I'll be on a hunt for a reliable store that sell phone accessories  that will also include a wide range of galaxy s3 accessories .

I do have plans on getting a newly cellphone, it's the right timing I'm closely waiting for to execute the plan.

My Partner This Summer: Jacobs' Tote

It's been awhile since I posted something about the things I love... one in particular are tote bags. I saw the beauty of totes in the middle of my motherhood. Having a child around, I always thought that a baby bag came as "a must". Throughout my journey as a mother, I've learned and practised how to fit and organize my personal stuff and my children's needs in one bag, which I call the "mommy bag".  From then on, I was always on the look for large totes more than satchels and purses.

When it comes to bags, I am very particular with space, durability and structure of the bag. 

1. Space, because I am sharing it with my kids and I want everything to be in place.

2. Having children means carrying all sorts. Light to heavy I must say.

3. Structure. Even if my bag contains diapers, bottles, small toys etc. the next thing I would want is for my bag to look good, that people wouldn't even think of the craziness inside it.

For this year, I made an early hunt. Aside from the idea that summer was fast approaching and I need a summer bag, it also served as somewhat a form of reward for myself.  So I went online and searched. At first, I was looking into getting my third Longchamp. I almost did, but I didn't see the point they all look the same hehehe!  With other brands and designers few stuff caught my eyes, but nothing really to it. Then I had a bag conversation with my sister that led us looking into Marc Jacobs. So yeah "why didn't I think of MJ". 

The final decision was to buy Marc Jacobs. Here in the Philippines, fake items are being sold everywhere. I have to double check if there are "fake" Marc Jacobs being sold, from the name of the bag and the design.  I just saw 1 MJ fake item that's being sold rampantly. I took note of it and made sure that I wouldn't be getting the very same design of the fake item.

First thing I did was to search via Google for Marc Jacobs Totes. Then it led me to the Marc Jacobs online store which showed the line of totes they have available. I immediately saw what I liked, from the size, the color, the structure and with the description, I know it's durable. 

I want the real deal to go straight to http://www.marcjacobs.com They were on sale at that time. Lucky!  but shipping is another story. I have to ask my in -laws a big, big, big favor if I can have it shipped in GA and have the bag sent once someone's bound to visit Manila. My in- laws were very nice to lend me a hand. 

 

When it finally arrived at our place in GA, my sister- in-law sent me pictures unboxing the bag. At first, it looked small like really small.  It looked plain blue, I was expecting it to be darker. The thrill with online shopping, you'll never know until you get to hold the item in person. 

It took 3 days for the item to be delivered :D In the box was the receipt, a paper bag and the bag itself was in a safe plastic wrapper. A few weeks later, we were surprised by a relative from GA and I got really excited when she mentioned that I have a bag with her... Could it be? Maybe... Yes it is!

To compare: it's as big as a large Le Pliage. The handle is just right as a hand bag and enough to throw it around the shoulders. Tote with PVC handles, base and Jacobs logo embossed front pocket. Nickel MJ logo rivets and zip top closure. The color is navy blue and I so adore that it can look midnight black and... it's easy to clean! This bag is perfect as a "mommy bag". There are other bags that came in different colors and designs. I chose this bag because so far, I haven't seen anybody toting it around here in Manila. It's simple. The designer's name is up front but it's not too loud and it goes well with everything. It's plainly extraordinary.

First hit at the beach this month, I have MJ as my official partner for summer 2013!

Note To Self:

Early today, I came across this post of my cousin Jordz. 

 I'm not going to hide it. If there's one thing that's preventing my life from being perfect, it's this feeling of being helpless when I'm placed on a spot where/ when I'm not given a chance to defend myself or a situation where I can't even explain.  

I end up holding on to that moment for a very long time. I end up ranting and yapping about it over and over again. I even came to a point that I was called pathetic. I shrugged it off thinking that I'm not the only person who gets into these kind of situations.  I'm not as daring like others who can handle confrontations. I keep my mouth shut as much as possible. But when blogging came in, though it helped me release my feelings, I did said a lot of negative things, especially every time I was provoked or pushed. I know, it's rude, it's bad and even "sickening". But don't worry, I pondered upon it.  I thought that this is something hard to swallow. Really, I've been "yapping" for quite sometime. It's a good thing that the result went the other way around. I found inspiration in it and told myself that it's time to stop,  let go, let the situation be and move on.

I don't need to worry on what others will think of me, it's important to carry-on, be myself, be truthful and of course be sensitive to those around me.

To those whom I've hurt, I'm very sorry, I'm sorry that I used blogging as a way to pour out some negative thoughts. 

Moving on!

It's A Hermit Crab!

One of the things I enjoy doing at the beach is getting decorative sea shells by the shore. 

This time, I accidentally grabbed a live shell. As I was going through our bucket, I got startled when a small shell started moving. There I saw the shell crawled its way under the pile. When I searched for it, something came out... it's a Hermit Crab! 

How I wish I'm still at the beach so I can return it. In relation to this story, in Sm Megamall, there's a store that sell Hermit Crabs which are way bigger than what I found. They call it "Lucky Hermits". I've always been curious about it, but never had the intention of buying one.

If it's considered to be as a "lucky crab" I'm gonna grab onto that thought. Because here I have a hermit crab that accidentally landed in my bucket of shells. It's something positive, it might just bring all the good vibes in, it's alive and I'm gonna take care of it.

Nature's Treatment

In my food blog, I mentioned that I was busy preparing for a short getaway. That I can't find the right location but at the same time, praying that my husband was also on the look. Just after making that post, my husband told me that he was able to make arrangements with the help of a friend. Since Holy Week is the only time my husband is available, we took the risk and agreed to book for our vacation on a Good Friday. 

Holy Week, usually in practice, we spend this occasion to ponder on our spirituality. It may seem a bit off to go out on this day,  in reality, we have no choice but to grab the opportunity. My parents even tried to convince us not to go, or at least move the date of our vacation. Deep inside me, I thought... I trust that God will not let anything bad to happen. Along the way, we prayed for His blanket of protection. 

On our first day at the resort, we didn't do much activities. We relaxed and used the quiet beach resort as a place to meditate and appreciate God's creations once again.

One of the blessings we received was the location of our room. Our balcony overlooks the entire beach area and of course, we were graced with a lovely sunset.

I went to bed that evening with the ocean view totally dark. I woke up in the middle of the night and decided to go and relax at the balcony. When I went out, I saw one of the most fascinating things about nature. The moon was literally shining over the islands of Camara and Capones. This sight was extraordinary for me. The light's reflection on the ocean? I was served with a perfect view for some "me time" and meditation.

Thought that we go out of the ordinary things we do in the beach. We continued with our activities and went to an island. It was the highlight of our vacation. Though the island is a known tourist spot, even with other beach goers around, the place still looks isolated and it was very beautiful. 

We didn't spend so much, a 2-3 hour trip from Manila, nice scenery along the way... plus, we got high- class treatment from nature itself.