Craving For Brother's Burger

I'm now in my fourth month of pregnancy and I still have some cravings. According to what I've read, cravings would continue throughout the nine months of pregnancy. The other day, I was craving for Brother's Burger but I was not able to satisfy it because we were off to a Christmas party and the nearest branch is out of the way. My tummy ached when I was not able to eat the burger. I didn't understand it, was it really because of not satisfying my craving or was it just a psychological thing? Yesterday, I was craving for it again so my husband inquired if they deliver. Unfortunately, they could not deliver in our location. I thought I would not be able to eat it that day. I got a little depressed and my tummy ached again. My husband and I just looked for the Tomas Morato branch and there we ordered the much coveted burger. I was happy!

Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Wedding Ceremony

I was privileged to attend an Iglesia ni Cristo wedding primarily because I have not yet witnessed one. Good thing my college friend invited me and it happened to be on my birthday. It was also a perfect timing because I had an appointment with my OB so I can attend her wedding. When we arrived at the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) church San Francisco Locale, San Francisco Del Monte, Quezon City, I felt at home because of the serene environment. The spacious grounds of the church provides ample parking for all the guests with a car.

The church was also accessible to the commuters since it's easy to hail cabs when you just step out of the church's gate. It was also my first time to enter an INC church. I was awed with the how they maintain the cleanliness of its interiors. At first I expected that the church ministry would be so strict about the guests' attire; requiring all the female guests to be wearing a dress. Thank goodness no one approached some of our friends who were wearing slacks. I guess it was because our friend already mentioned that instance to the church ministry. I was also expecting that somebody would approach my husband to transfer to where the male guests are seated, but it did not happen. It was not that so strict after all. I heard that the strictness varies per locale.

After a while of musings and looking around, our friend was ready to march down the aisle accompanied by a traditional wedding entrance song. The wedding rite itself is very solemn, and it only took 30 minutes to complete the whole wedding ceremony.

Differences versus a Catholic Wedding:
1. Only traditional wedding music can be played when the bride walks down the aisle.
2. No wedding symbols such as wedding arrhae, wedding cord, and unity candle.
3. Ceremony only takes 30 minutes.

Sign of Life

It's pretty amazing how the sign of life can be detected thru this small tool called pregnancy test kit. I was feeling something peculiar one day so I thought of confirming my insinuation by having a pregnancy test. I did not wait for the morning to come, I was just excited to discover the result so I did it immediately after I arrive from work. I closed my eyes and silently pray that whatever the result will be, I will gladly accept it. After a few minutes, I opened my eyes and I was extremely happy to learn that the result is positive. Yes, I'm pregnant! :) The Lord has just answered our prayer in his perfect time. To make sure that my initial finding was real, I made another test. So, it's really confirmed, there's life inside me!

More than the excitement, pregnancy is where motherhood begins. It's all about sacrifice and being selfless. For a working person like me, it's a time to slow down and think about nothing but safety and welfare of the life growing inside my tummy. At first, I was fearful about pregnancy because of the changes that will happen with my body and the horrible stories I hear when giving birth. When I firrst became pregnant, I had miscarriage. I guess that's the Lord's way of tellng and preparing me for this second pregnancy. This time around, I'm enjoying it and I welcome this life-changing experience with open arms and a big grin. After all, God has designed a woman's body to carry a child and He has gifted a woman to endure the pains of childbirth. With that thought to bear in my mind, I know I will make it up to nine months.

Perfect Staycation

Just this weekend, my husband and I just had a budget-friendly yet relaxing vacation at home. Stay-at-home vacation or "staycation" is simply our enjoyable and practical way to have lone time together without spending so much. We thought, with the increasing prices of gas and commodities, it's no longer practical to go out every weekend.

Of course, our staycation is not complete without healthy food to share. I prepared these myself.

fresh apple-carrot juice

nacho dips: beef, tomato salsa, white onion, cheese dip

ready to dig-in nachos

I do not mind long hours of stay in the kitchen because I enjoy cooking and doing it for my husband. Dinner was as good as we were having it in a cozy restaurant.

fresh lemonade

chicken wings with sour cream sauce

ripe mangoes with chocolate syrup

Fruit and Vegetable Carving

It has been almost two months since my last post. I have been really busy in the past weeks, both at work and at home, primarily because our house help already left us. :( My time for blogging was dedicated to doing household chores like cooking, cleaning, washing the dishes but not washing and ironing our clothes. Thanks to my mom who has been so sweet in taking responsibility of making our clothes clean and well-pressed. :) Without a house help around, I really felt being so much a wife; it's quite hard but it's satisfying enough though.

Now that I finally found time to update my blog, I was thinking of what topic to write about. I was browsing through my files of photos until I saw this picture, an apple and tomato carving which I did last year. Apart from cooking and love for food, it also interests me to expand my culinary skills by learning food styling and fruit and vegetable carving. The husband of my sister-in-law, who is a chef and is a multi-awarded fruit, vegetable, and ice carver taught me the basics. I never would have wanted to try ice carving as it requires more effort and energy to do it considering the tools that will be used in order to transform an ice into a wonderful work of art. So, as a baseline, we started working with an apple and a tomato. The apple has been amazingly transformed into a swan while the tomato, into a dainty flower. For photographic effect, I just arranged brownies on the side. :)

By the way, it requires different knives in varying sizes in order to carve different fruit and vegetables. For the apple and tomato, we just used a small one but it's the one really used by a professional. Hmm... the tools are really something to invest on in pursuing this kind of interest. I've tried using an ordinary small knife but it's hard to achieve the desirable result.

A Day of Bonding

Last May 18, we were off to our destination but my husband was not yet disclosing where we will go. I was totally clueless but when he drove the way going to UP Campus, I got an idea that we are going to Antipolo, Rizal. Ok, I knew it! (haha) We are staying overnight in one of the resorts in Antipolo. :) What a pleasant surprise! Since he just wanted it to be somewhere near, budget-friendly yet romantic, Overlook Resort is not a bad choice.

On our way to Overlook Resort, we saw directional signages leading to a Swiss Restaurant called Vieux Chalet. Curious about the food they serve, we agreed to visit the place. We were welcomed by the restaurant's homey atmosphere. It also boasts a romantic mood and gives an overlooking sight of the metro. We difinitely enjoyed our food while romantic songs were being played on the background. The cool climate ultimately completed the whole romantic feel.

It was a simple and memorable celebration; a celebration of love and togetherness. To us, being together as husband and wife for a year is already an achievement. But of course, we both knew that we will still battle tons of challenges ahead of us. As long as we will live with our promise ... "till death do us part", and with trust and faith with each other, we believe that we can make our marriage last.

Spice of Life

On May 19, it will be our first wedding anniversary. My husband and I both took a day off from work for a simple celebration. Prior to that, we've had several plans but it ended up to going somewhere peaceful and relaxing yet a budget-friendly treat to ourselves. My husband was able to book a place somewhere near but he is not telling me where it is. Some sort of a surprise? Hmmm .... I wonder where he will take me and what surprises he has for me. Oh well, this is what I call spice of life -- colorful, bountiful, fruitful, exciting, adventurous and definitely fun! I can't wait for Monday :)

This year I truly enjoyed summer with my husband. After recovering from miscarriage, we purposely took advantage of the opportunity that we could travel a lot this year, explore the beautiful places of our very own Philippines. We started with Boracay, my husband's first time to set foot on the paradise island. It's my third time to be there but it turned out that he knows very well about the place. We've been to other beaches that boast their own charm. A short trek to Mt. Luho was a bit challenging to me but when we reached the summit, true as they say, it's all worth it!

Next in line was another visit to the beach in Bgy Pundaquit, San Antonio Zambales. I never knew there is such a hideaway somewhere in Zambales. The resort we stayed in was Punta de Uian, and we just loved our room -- a taste of nature in a minimalist orientation. The resort was the temporary home of the local Marimar. It was a serene place perfect for a much deserved relaxation. This trip was another challenge for me because I was obliged to do another trekking from one island to another, I went up a lighthouse via difficult stairways, and I rode on a small banca for 30 minutes from the resort to Capones Island. These experiences are all new to me. I never knew that I can survive all these new life-chaging experiences but I'm just glad I did. I guess that's one beauty that marriage brings to me -- discovering a new person in me because of my husband's influences. He was trying to let me go out of my comfort zone transforming me into the best person I can be.

We also conquered the roads of some towns of Laguna for the holy week Visita Iglesia, inhaled fresh air of Talisay Batangas, and satisfied our taste buds with fresh fruits and mouth-watering delicacies of Tagaytay.

Among all the travels we had, our trip to Calaguas Island in Camarines Norte has been ultimately the most challenging and memorable. Together with nine good friends, we were able to survive the life on a deserted island. It was an experience that really tested me -- physically and emotionally. I also consider it a humbling experience and made me reflect to be ever grateful for whatever I have now, most especially the comfortable life I live as well as the material possessions I have. Back to the basics as I call the life we lived in Calaguas Island. There, there's no electricity, no MWSS water, no comfortable bed so we slept on the sand, no soft comfy pillow, we took a bath from a well, no network coverage to use our cellphones, our night light only comes from the bright stars and lightning, our music comes from the chirping of birds, noise of hermit crabs, and the resounding whistle of cicadas.

Living a life of "back to basics" just for one day is an authentic source of great wisdom that my husband unveiled to me. The memories we had created in such wonderful island were etched in the fine sand of Calaguas beach symbolized by our hands.

Roses and their Colors' Meaning

The rose is likened to a lady. Its velvety petals, a lady's supple skin. Its different colors represent the make up she wears that give her added glow.
Its scent is characterized by her charm that mysteriously attracts a man's attention. The beauty of a rose remains a mystery until it has fully bloomed. Like when a young lass transforms into a lady, the beauty exudes naturally.

Roses are also the common flower given by a man to his girlfriend, especially at the stage of courting. The flower's charm simply captivates emotion that it has become an icon of romanticism.

Roses are one of the popular choices of brides as their bridal bouquets because they are never out of fashion. Since roses come in different vibrant and gentle colors, they fit any wedding theme and color motiff.


Here's to refresh you with the meaning of rose colors:

1. RED - Love, Beauty, Courage and Respect, Romantic Love, Congratulations, "I Love You", "Job Well Done", Sincere Love, Respect, Courage & Passion

2. WHITE - Purity, Innocence, Silence, Secrecy, Reverence, Humility, Youthfulness, "I am worthy of you", Heavenly

3. PINK - Appreciation, "Thank you", Grace, Perfect Happiness, Admiration, Gentleness, "Please Believe Me"

4. LIGHT PINK - Admiration, Sympathy, Gentleness, Grace, Gladness, Joy, Sweetness

5. DARK PINK - Appreciation, Gratitude, "Thank You"

6. YELLOW - Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Delight, Promise of a new beginning, Welcome Back, Remember Me, Jealousy, "I care"

7. ORANGE - Desire, Enthusiasm

8. PEACH - Appreciation, Closing the deal, Let's get together, Sincerity, Gratitude

9. PALE PEACH - Modesty

10. CORAL - Desire

11. LAVENDER - Love at first sight, Enchantment

12. BLUE - The unattainable, the impossible


COMBINATIONS:

1. RED & WHITE - Given together, these signify unity

2. RED & YELLOW - Jovial and Happy Feelings

3. YELLOW with RED TIP - Friendship, Falling in Love

The Outcome of my Wedding Choices

After 1 year of preparation, the big day has finally come. On May 19, 2007, everything was all set for our memorable day.

The entrance to the church where I managed that elusive yet ecstatic march down the aisle.


This was the day when we professed our lifetime promises to each other ... for richer or for poorer; in sickness and in health; until death do us part.

At the reception, we were both happily greeted by our families, relatives, friends, and guests as the emcee introduced us - the newlyweds. I couldn't restrain myself from smiling. I guess it's but natural when you are feeling really happy inside. A friend once told me that during her wedding, she was smiling all day without her jaws getting tired. It was only after the celebration that she felt the exhaustion. In that sense, she was right. I experienced the same too.


The entrance to the reception (Mr. Hardinero), where our photo exhibit of prenuptial photos were gorgeously displayed.



Before we ended the day of a joyous moment, a last glimpse of such romantic sight with wonderful families and friends who shared with us in the merriment will keep on reminding us that the life we will share together promises a beautiful tomorrow.

Photos by Edwin Tuyay (Ephotogallery).

Our Prenup Pictorial at The Greenery Baliuag, Bulacan

Tita Ellen Tuyay suggested two locations for the prenup pictorial, one in Pampanga and the other one in Baliuag, Bulacan. We searched the websites of the two locations in the internet. From the pictures that we saw, we have chosen The Greenery in Baliuag, Bulacan primarily because my husband's interest with lighthouses.

We were asked to bring eight sets of clothes. As much as possible the color of my top should be of the same color as that of my husband's. Why? Because the solid color will bring out the best in our pictures. It was as if we were celebrities heading to a pictorial. I was with my Mom who temporarily served as my P.A. :P Thanks, Mom! Also with us was our stylist and make-up artist friend.
It was a two hour trip; the place is quite difficult to find. The map that we were able to download from the website did not provide complete directional information. Thanks to our driver who patiently asked for the right directions.

We arrived at the location at exactly 3:00 in the afternoon, the best time to conduct the photo shoot because sun has started to set offering a better lighting. Our photographers arrived one hour late because they also got lost. See, it was their third time to go to the place but it was really not that easy to locate. After a short while, we were all ready and started the photo shoot. We were both asked to pose like models so we felt we were like models shooting for a lifestyle magazine. The Greenery was a perfect choice because it has different themes and favorable sceneries that differentiate the mood of the photos taken.

panoramic view of the lighthouse

the light house up close illuminated by the moonlight

a gazebo at the end of a pathway overlooking a pleasant view of the river

the railway leading to verdant views

tall trees in a row, a perfect spot to strike a pose

The photo shoot lasted for three hours. It was tiring but it was very rewarding when we saw from the preview of our photographers' SLR cameras that our pictures were excellently done.

The prenup pictorial is included in the package. For Metro Manila locations, no additional fee. For locations outside Metro Manila, the groom and the bride have to shoulder for their transpo, food for the entire troop, and P3,000 fee for the photographers.

The Greenery's charge for the use of the venue is P2,000. It also has different ballrooms to accommodate themed weddings. For more info, visit The Greenery's website.

My Wedding Choices

Every wedding displays its own personality and character that matches that of the couple. More often than not, it is the bride who states preferences on every wedding detail. In our case, my husband deligated everything to me so I had the liberty to state what I want. Again, keeping an important consideration in mind -- BUDGET.

1. The Church - I just want a small church because I don't want to walk on the long aisle. Also, small church provides a solemnity of the event and invites closeness of the relatives, friends, and guests. Other considerations we kept in mind in looking for a church were: church's alter and architecture, parking, accessibility or location, cost. The one that qualified with our specifications was the Parish of Hearts of Jesus and Mary, located on Daily Mirror St West Triangle Subdivision, Quezon City. Cost is P12,500 inclusive of the choir and basic flower arrangement. Other churches charge a separate fee for the choir so that was a good deal.

2. The Reception - As I mentioned in my previous post, I want a garden setting reception. After scouting several locations, we ended up with Mr. Hardinero along Quezon Avenue.

3. The Caterer - I want a caterer that serves good food but does not charge too much on a per head basis. I have considered Hizon's because we liked the food we have chosen during our food tasting. Aside from good food and cost, they have been in the business for so long already so their expertise in their field is something that counts a lot. Hizon's also render lovely wedding arrangements and it gives considerable amount of freebies in every packages it offers.

Caterer is one item that we intend to allocate bigger budget because the taste of the food to be served is very important. I dont' want to hear negative things from our guests that the food served to them is awful.

4. Wedding Gown - I want a simple yet elegant gown. I was thinking of a beaded tube-type corset and a balloon pick up skirt embellished with sparkling beads. I searched designs over the internet and had it interpreted by Edd Sy. Inclusions in the package were: bride's accessories (head dress, veil, arrhae, cord, small bag, pillows for the rings and arrhae) and groom's barong with inner shirt paired with pants.

To complement my overall look, I got drop earrings with rhinestones and necklace from Edd Sy's shop. I didn't go for ready-made shoes because I want my feet to be comfortable since the wedding is an all-day event and I don't want to feel my feet aching that can cause smirking face in video and camera. I had it custom made through a friend's friend.

5. Wedding Invitation - The most common stop for this need is QP. We visited the main branch in Quiapo and SM North Edsa branch but the price per piece did not fit my budget. QP has already established its name;thus, has the privilege to dictate a premium price.

We checked out stalls in Recto and was able to look for a good find. Thumbs up to the price per invitation since it was only P40; a far cry from the one in QP. The paper is just the same as the one used by QP. Unfortunately, I had a terrible experience dealing with the owner. Sometimes low price has its sacrifices in many forms: very poor customer service, no sense of urgency, no commitment to deadline, no proper coordination with client among others. For these experience, I will not recommend that supplier (Imagestic).

6. Photo & Video - This is another item which we also want to reserve higher budget. We both love pictures. We want our precious memories to be taken nicely so the search for a qualified Photo & Video company was quite hard. There are a lot of photographers who showcase their masterpieces in the net but only to find out that their packages are overkill. In addition, there are also renowned Photo & Video companies that join wedding exhibits in different malls. Because there are so many choices laid on the table, it's hard for us to decide which one to get.

In times that it's already hard to decide, usually I ask for God's guidance and I applied it to this search. I prayed that I be assisted in choosing the right Photo & Video that fits my budget. One day, I passed by SM North Edsa and saw that there's a wedding exhibit. Intrigued by the displays, I entered to discover that the answer to my prayer was there. As usual, there were a lot of Photo & Video companies lined up but the one that gave me the best deal was E-photogallery by Edwin Tuyay and wife, Ellen Tuyay. Thank, God for that wonderful deal!

7. Motiff - From the very start, I like three colors, and these are green, yellow, and orange. I never thought this would be changed until I saw in one of the websites I've visited that orange and brown combination look very appealing to me. So that's it! Orange and Brown are the colors of my wedding.

8. Florist - Mr. Hardinero, the owner of the reception venue I have chosen also offers flower arrangement. My adorable orange tulips bouquet and flowers for the entourage are from Mr. Hardinero. Since our payment for the church already had basic flower arrangement, we just coordinated to its accredited florist for the upgrade of our flower arrangement. Upgrade included two topiaries at the altar and garden arrangement along the aisle.

9. Other Stuff - The gowns of my bridesmaid was done by Edd Sy but for gowns of the rest of the entourage, I just got our neighbor sewer who can create gowns so that my spending would still be on the right track. Our unity candle and the two candles were donated by our Ninang who has a candle factory. We have decided to forego giving away wedding souvenirs. Apart from our potential savings from it, doing such is no longer a practrice in most weddings nowadays.

Wedding cake, emcee, torch parade, bubble machine, pair of doves, and bridal car are included in Hizon's package.

For our wedding rings, we ordered them from Stardust in Greenhills, where my husband bought the engagement ring he gave me.

For hair and make up, i got the services of a make up artist friend. She was also the same person who made us look fresh and pleasant during the prenuptial pictorial.

To add a little color, 80 pcs of butterflies have been released to spruce up our final exit as we march toward our family and friends joyfully tossing rice grains and rose petals. The butterflies were ordered from Butterfly Farm located in Quezon City Circle.

For our hotel accommodation, we were supposed to book at Great Eastern Hotel but due to conflagration that occurred a week before our wedding, we changed our booking to Sulu Hotel. Realized that Sulu Hotel is better for picture taking although Great Eastern Hotel's rooms are fairly new and the price is just right. Maybe the fire was a blessing in disguise.

10. Honeymoon - Six days and five nights in Hong Kong. We were lucky at that time because Cebu Pacific offered reduced rates. Our friend helped us look for good accommodation in Prince Edward St. HK.

Wedding preparation can be tedious and tiring but overall, it is a total fun and I simply enjoyed the experience. :)

Scouting for a Garden Reception Venue in Quezon City

I prefer garden setting for the reception and I want it in to be in Quezon City. There are excellent garden venues in QC such as the famous Fernwood Gardens followed by Gazebo Royale when it comes to popularity. As expected, the tag price that comes with their popularity will cost us a lot of money. At that time (2007), Fernwood's prime venue which they call venue A (the one with the pond housing swans and janitor fishes) costs P90,000. This excludes the church inside which costs P25,000. On top of that, Fernwood requires only their accredited caterers to serve the food for your guests; the lowest budget per head at that time costs P650. On the other hand, Gazebo Royale's venue costs P56,000 up depending on the size of the hall that will be booked. It also has accredited caterers.

It was like bulk of the budget will just go to the venue, and it is not practical. I said to myself, forget your dream wedding to be held in Fernwoods or in Gazebo Royale! I need to be practical in such a way that the budget that we have allotted to our wedding will be utilized wisely. After all, it is our hard-earned money.

We searched for other garden venues over the internet and found other locations such as Ibarra's in Timog, Solea in Baler, and Mr. Hardinero along Quezon Avenue. Among these three, we have opted for Mr. Hardinero. Aside from its charm and romantic ambience, the rental cost is acceptable. At 12,000, it already includes tables and chairs good for 100 guests and basic sound system. I did not avail of the chairs because I wanted to use Tiffany chairs even for the guests. Usually, Tiffany chairs are only for principal sponsors, groom and bride. I got Tiffany chairs from my caterer, which, of course, have separate pricing. Mr. Hardinero has its own catering services and has accredited caterers. At that time, the only accredited caterer was Hizon's. I was lucky because Hizon's is really my choice. It also allows other caterers if you prefer other than the ones in their list. However, a corkage fee will be charged.

These are the pictures of the venue when we conducted ocular inspection.

The stage with gazebo for the bride & groom. It can also accommodate 30 persons more, usually the parents and principal sponsors are seated here.

How the stage looks like at night. The red cemented floor used to be Bermuda grass but the owner had it cemented so the chairs and heels of the ladies won't get stuck on the soil.

Mr. Hardinero by the way is an old house turned into wedding reception business. The old house is just directly across the stage. The area on the left can be used other purposes such as caterer's area, resting place for the guests, or nook for displaying photo exhibits.

The entire venue can also be used for Christian weddings. The picture below is an area to hold the wedding ceremony. It can also be used by the caterers.

To check out the area, Mr. Hardinero at 363 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.
Also learn their other services by visiting their website www.mrhardinero.com

Wedding Planning Begins

After accepting my fiance's proposal on May 20, 2006, thoughts about my dream wedding started flashing through my mind. Along with my preferences, of course, budget has to be the major consideration. I dream of a wedding that's practical and simple yet the elegance, beauty, and solemnity will never be sacrificed.

In the process of wedding preps, my fiance and I had disagreements on some things but just to appease me, he gave in to my requests.

As a start, I devised my own excel template where I can list down the things needed and the corresponding budget for each item on my list. There had been several templates available in the wedding magazine I bought but I still find it incomplete so the one I did is better for my use. (Note: You can also make your own template or ledger that works for you.)

Here's how I have listed the things I need for my wedding:

1. Church
2. Reception
3. Photo & Video
4. Bride's Gown and Shoes
5. Bride's Accessories
6. Groom's Barong and Shoes
7. Flowers
8. Caterer
9. Wedding Invitation
10.Wedding Souvenir (I opted not to have this)
11.Make up artist
10.Check In Hotel
11.Honeymoon Destination
12.Wedding Favors
13.Others

I have assigned budget for each item so I already have an idea on the cost that I will scout come the actual sourcing of suppliers. A buffer budget must also be allocated to compensate for any increase in budget of certain item in the list.

My wedding preparation is one year so I had the luxury of time sourcing out for the right suppliers. I learned that it is better to make catering reservation early to avail of the 2007 rate. Caterers usually increase their rate every year so take the opportunity of getting the potential savings by booking early.