One very important trip we made sure has to happen was our Boracay Island escapade. Me and hubs love that island and we wanted baby to enjoy it too. Mom worked on the bookings to make sure we'll have the best deals and guarantee our plane reservations done. Since Elisse still has school and mom has classes too we decided to split in two groups, me with hubs, baby, bes and dad left on Thursday so we could enjoy longer days in the island. Mom, Elisse, big bro, little sis, nanay and Chie all went together the next day. Dad is also a bit superstitious with flights, as much as possible he doesn't want all of us complete in one plane trip that's why it worked best for all of us.

It has been a tiring week since baby celebrated his birthday and we had to work on other things too. Our flight was scheduled in the afternoon so we had a bit of time to pack and take baby to the doctor for a quick check-up. I got quite worried when baby got a bit feverish that Thursday morning so mom and I rushed him to our family doctor. Good thing it's nothing bad and we were just given an antibiotic and paracetamol to suppress the fever. Baby was also teething that time and whenever that happens he always get fever. I knew baby's fever wasn't bad but since we're scheduled for a trip it's better to have him checked right away to make sure we have the necessary medicines needed also to know if it will be safe for him to go. Making sure all essentials for your baby is very important when you go off for a trip and I'm happy that mom was there to help me.

Nobody would think our little boy wasn't too well earlier that day because he's very lively and active when we reached the airport. We had some time to buy so baby enjoyed walking around the waiting area while waiting for the boarding. It was just a 30min flight going to Kalibo and a 2hr road travel to Caticlan going to the pier where we took our ferry ride to Boracay Island. Baby slept through most of the travel clutching his trendy baby blanket and I made sure he's tucked really hood inside his ring sling baby carrier when we boarded the ferry. There's no way I'd let him loose during our evening boat ride! We safely arrived in the island after a very humid travel and settled in a local hotel before heading out to dinner.

I used to go to this mall almost every week when I was still there in Manila. I accompany my MIL and SIL on weekends there doing groceries and other things. WE brave the crowd whenever there's an on-going sale, it really gets crazily crowded there like everybody's in the mall. During our Manila vacation me, hubs and baby revisited SM North Edsa. We liked the Sky Garden and had few photos there.

SM is one of the biggest and most successful mall chains there in the Philippines that's why it didn't surprise us anymore to see so much people that weekday. We had the chance to enjoy a bit of the garden since it's a weekday and off the rush hour, the crowd wasn't that much yet when we were taking some photos around. Baby loved the water and the rain chain like feature and kept running to play with the water.




Baby was quite fascinated with the colorful maze feature and the squiggly posts. The colors are very appealing to kids with the squiggly look and all. Baby played a bit weaving through the post and then running towards the water ponds again. We enjoyed our little trip there though we didn't stay that long. Having a baby around means a lot of compromise with time. It's nice to see and revisit places we frequent when we're still living there before. For sure next time around we'll spend longer time there and we'll even get to shop a bit and play in the arcade with baby inside the mall.

Oh no, I'm not a dating guru but I think I can give you some dating advice if ever! =) My parents were way too strict to allow me to go out on dates but if it's with my bestfriend then definitely no problem at all. Me and bes used to go out and catch up with each other since we started working. It's just so hard to get our schedules straightened out but we managed to pull out some good times together. Only several occasions we went to watch movies but most of our "dates" were going to the spa, bowling, shopping, salon and eating out. Sometimes we'll just end up chilling out either in my place or hers.

Not all the time it's just me and bes, sometimes we'll meet up with the rest of the girls and just hang around starbucks or somewhere else. It's fun being with the girls, no need for such pick up artist to impress you or needless to hear any pick up lines. Just plain bonding time chatting and relaxing. I honestly miss those times, I bet they too. The girls I used to hang out with also went to other places, 2 in Singapore, 1 here in US but nowhere near me, and the rest in the Philippines. I think that's one consequence of growing up, people go on their ways to find their success in life. I am just happy to have some captured moments with them during our date times.

We just heard from some friends the other night that they just came here for Christmas holidays though they are staying in Vegas. We were asked if it's possible to meet there in Las Vegas, NV even for 3 days stay only but even if we want to see them it's just so hard to commit right now. You all know my condition now and we think it's safer also to get away from much crowds now that "swine flu" is all over US grounds too. It might not be a wise decision too to travel so far at this point. If ever they will find their way to San Francisco, CA then we can definitely find time meeting them as long as it's in the bay area. We told them not to force it coming all the way here because we know there's so much to see in Vegas.


Many of our friends here are already preparing for their vacations, one heading to Miami, FL to enjoy some beach and Disney fun with their kid, other office people for hubs to Pittsburg, PA visiting relatives and another friend to go in Charlotte, NC just to see places there. Oooohhh I'm so envious!!! I know I can also go out and travel even to do some cross cpuntry road trip but it's not really that advisable. I guess the motherly instinct is kicking in! =P Looks like a relaxing holiday vacay is what me and hubs would really want to have having to work so much lately.

Any of you who are off somewhere this holiday break? Just travel safe and enjoy but try to make time to be with your families too!

Back in college we had to bring many drafting materials such as T square, tubes, triangle sets, tech pens, scales and other big things. I always had some hard time carrying all because I'm small =P so whenever the school semester starts everybody crams to grab locker slots. It's limited so we had to take action right away once the notice is out. Just imagine if we didn't have school lockers that time, we had to carry all our things all the time and our rooms were mostly located on the 5th floor of the building. Some of my classmates even carry their own drawing boards and boy it's big! I never dared bringing one for me, I was pretty much okay with the drafting tables we had back then.


We had to live that way for consecutive 5 years. Aside from all the materials we needed to bring we carried with us our big books...big and thick, I mean it! That history of Architecture book alone was equivalent to 3 1" books. At least our uniform that time was polo and brown slacks/jeans which made it very comfortable carrying so much things without caring much about how you look. I wore skirts at times we had light days of minor subjects, can't always be so boyish all the time =)


We also had PE all those years, imagine the chaos going to the gym from our building having it on the opposite end of the university complex. Not only we had to carry tools but also our uniform change. Oftentimes we would rush to the gym area to see if the wood lockers there were already occupied by other sections or courses and if we're unlucky to get there before them we'll try checking then on gym lockers. That experience was hard but fun at the same time. I really don't complain too much carrying things because I don't like others carrying my stuffs. Eating lunch or having breaks alone give us trouble with our things. We still had to go out of the building or university to grab our foods. There was a point when I didn't feel like going down anymore and just stayed in the room. Some classmates did the same too and we just asked others to buy our sandwiches in exchange we'll just watch over the things in the room.


There were times during 4th and 5th year when I badly wish they have lockers for sale or rent for a whole semester or even year term. I started with my Taekwondo class on the side every Saturdays before class in a gym across the university. The schedule tied up with my major drafting/drawing classes. PE before was more tolerable but my big gym bag with my tools were too much for me. Same thing during thesis time bringing those whole illustration boards, lots of rolled plans and tubes I can barely carry. Now that I look back I realize that it would have been very comfortable for me to just bring the car going to school. I can stash away all my things there but our parents were so strict about it. No cars in college yet =P

There was one time in college when me and my "girlfriends" went out for dinner to celebrate 2 birthdays. Actually I'm the only one left in college since I took 5yr course and they were all working that time. They had to wait for my classes to end before they could take me away =) They are the same girls here in the photos, most of them. That night after the sumptuous dinner one suggested to go golfing. Laugh at us, yeah night golfing! It's not a real course but just a mini golf course also a hang out place for bar hoppers. That was my first time there in Par 43. I thought we'll just be having dinner so I just went with them in uniform.

I miss that kind of fun time hanging around with friends also the fun golfing too. I like other sports but I don't get to always play golf so that's something worth doing for a vacation. If you remember my post with hubs playing putting? He enjoyed it so much and I think he would want to try to go to those mini golf courses or have vacation at Myrtle Beach Golf. That would be fun, not only you get to enjoy the breezy beach but also play some balls there =)

I'd like to thank everybody who greeted me on my day most especially Monica who had a special dedication on her MM post. It's my first time celebrating my special day without my family but all your warm greetings made it extra special. Some friends greeted me thru overseas call, emails and friendster. Speaking of which, I'd like to share my bestfriend's blog greeting for me. We managed to chat for a while in YM, thanks to modern tech now I can easily be in touch with them.

...fun shots...