Christmas don't be late! :)

In just a few winks, September will be over soon. And it'll just be a couple more months til it's Christmas once again! (fa la la la la, la la la la!!!)

Me and my baby

Our little trio :)

2014 was such a life-changing year for our family. Definitely it was also a frantic holiday season with our little one. Daddy A & I agreed to "forego" the celebrations to save some money and trouble. Tipid na, relax pa! Hehe.. It was our gameplan until the Christmas bug bit us! So at the last minute we decided to throw that plan away and just relish the Christmas spirit.

On a superficial level, you could say we gave in to the "retail spirit" as the shops were really decked with nice stuff! We did not have time to scour Divisoria so the next best thing was to just go visit our friendly neighborhood SM mall! Waaah..ang dami ring tao! What did we expect? Haha..since we were rushing to finish the list within the day so we can wrap them at home and write our messages, we shopped for 4-6 hours. My feet and legs were so sore, I think I had hypoglycemia yet still had a tummy ache from all that I ate (bopis, bibimbap, shawarma, etc.). Shopping time and budget were both stretched to 3 or 4 times from what we originally planned. So much for cramming...tipid at relax pala ha! Hehehe :)

Mommy's little helper :)

The gifts we gave were anything but grand. But you know what, it did not matter. Seeing happy, surprised and grateful faces was enough for me. I too am thankful that I was gifted with much in 2014. Our little baby, our growing family..the love, care and support in childbirth and child rearing, friends who just love and understand. Yes, thank you so much for the love. 

Much as Christmas is now equated with shopping or just plain gift-giving, I'm happy to know that there is still LOVE in the giving. So I hope that our gifts, simple as they may be, are enough to let you know how much we remember and appreciate your love and kindness and thank you for being part of our life. And how in your own way, you remind us of God's love.

Looking back, nakakatawa talaga that we thought we can just 'escape' Christmas. But our friends & family and their love for us just melted our frozen grinch-y hearts. I mean, how could we not when we feel their love everywhere we look. It might not have been the best in terms of outward factors but what we learned was something we cherish all the more.

Thank you Christmas 2014 for letting us realize and learn so many things. Thank you for the gift of family and the gift of friendship. Christmas 2015 we're now getting ready so don't ya be late! :)

P.S. Because I have a little more time now than last year I was able to curate lovely items for gift-giving. And no, these are not just something you buy off the store. Watch out for my next post! :)

P.P.S. Here's Alvin and the Chipmunks singing the song in the title :))

Amah with the little Santa baby..

Z with Amah

Z was 11 months old in this picture

With her monthsary cake

Lovely lunch and kwento with Capt. & Mrs. R! So this is how married friends spend Christmas now. Thank you so much for hosting this! And I might have forgotten to tell you, but your letter means a lot :)

Thank you so much to Capt & Mrs. R for hosting our get together! Still remember the yummy hotpot dish!

The growing extended family..We'll soon be welcoming a baby boy c/o Mr. & Mrs. Ang! :)

The growing family

A fresh start in Christmas traditions..I usually just eat and then sleep in. Uh-uh..not anymore, we want to be able to spend it with both our families so it's actually a busy Christmas eve and day for us!

Sopas, Ham and Hot Choco

It's about making time for people who matter...no matter the distance <3

We will travel 6 hours just to visit my dearest Nanay :)

Christmas is not just for people of similar faith. It is enough to know we are one in Christ.

The lovely RB sisters! So glad they were able to visit us :) Thanks for the gift, Ninang R!

One day dear Z, we'll have our Christmas tree :)

Z opening a present...it's a book! Thanks Tita DL!

Thank you Jesus for your blessings, thank you for the people you send to us in our life.

Going somewhere little lady?

Our 3rd Wedding Anniversary

Heads up! Love month has been moved to September!! Hahaha..well at least for us, that's how we feel! <3 Yes it's been 3 lovely (sometimes roller-coaster) years of married life, but it's just wonderful over-all :) And we're especially feeling loved up now that we have the time to celebrate!!! 

Celebrating our 3rd Wedding Anniversary!

You see, exactly on our first year I ended up with an emergency situation at the delivery room while I was still a few months preggo. Our supposed steak date was instead confined to Makati Med's Floating Island resto..but the food was good so, no complaints! That was a real eye-opener for me on the realities of married life and the sacrifices a parent (even soon-to-be ones) have to give for their child.

Last year (which was our 2nd), all I remember was that we agreed to buy a convection oven to mark our anniversary and the rest of that day was a blur. I guess that comes with the territory of having an infant to take care of. Hihihihi. This was the year I started (slooowlyyyy) to take the dose of practicality meds Daddy A had been been wanting to give me. We decided that instead of flowers (which I will still always appreciate), we'll focus first on the things we need. For now, we are prioritizing home furnishings and kitchen gadgets for me. It's really a win-win situation. If I learn to prepare our food and cook better, then our family is happier and healthier. Who knows, we can eventually make a small venture out of that, right? Who would've thought that an oven can make me all giddy inside! :p

So this year (our 3rd), because the babe is now a busy 21-month old little girl, we decided to just go for it and have a mini celebration. Just the three of us...at least before we start making more babies (LOL!!!) I really, really wanted for us to go and check out a steak place I've been stalking online (hah!) but work errands severely restrict our time. Plus the fact that we have a baby in tow. All the more reason for us to be more 'strategic' in planning our errands/date. That's really more of A, he's the strategist of our family...always being logical and practical it sometimes hurts haha (peace!). 

And tadaaaah..that's what we did. To Z and our future children, if you ever get to read this particular post, wonder no more why we have resolved to never bring any of you to our future anniversary dates! Haha..you just go and ask your Ate Z...kidding, but not really! Well, we half expected the riot but somewhere deep inside we were also hoping for a miracle - that at least for a couple of hours our baby will really just sit patiently, eat by herself and not make any fuss! Hahaha..I know, ginusto namin ito. That's another dose of reality that hit us today. Because we really want to prioritize being there and having time for our child, we can (at least for the meantime) scratch off fancy and relaxed dates.

Thank you so much to the staff of Outback Steakhouse in Glorietta 4. They were just so accommodating and patient with us. Oh, and generous too! Z got a scoop of vanilla ice cream and us lovey doves got an anniversary brownie sundae!!

Not even 2 yet out on a date too??

Such a charming smile..looks like she's up to something..ano kaya iyon?

Scoping out the scene...hmmmm, where o where can I run?

Alright parents, I'll patronize you with some strokes of color here

Outback Steakhouse Salad - I didn't even get the name

Tomato soup which I've mistaken for Potato Chowder..what eating out with a toddler does to me

Our window view

Dear Mommies, just please pack your bags full of toys and nifty gadgets...

Or not. You can just play your kid videos of herself...

Our happy trio...but why that look little Z?

Z: "I appreciate the ice cream, I really do...but mommy don't you know what personal space is?"

Le sigh....even if I don't want to let her watch videos and use mobiles this early, I had to give in this time so we don't disturb other customers

Ikot ikot lang, ikot ikot lang..

A pose here

A pose there

Our Anniversary treat courtesy of Outback. Thank you!

Parenting is...mastering the art of one-handed dining while the other 3/4 of yourself is catering to the little one

A little traffic never hurt nobody...said nobody ever. d'oh, there's actually this one guy..hahahaha :D 

An Alex Franco cake. Because marriage is always worth celebrating, no matter how easy nor difficult each day may bring

"Imma let you finish mommy but let me blow this candle first!"

Kulitan with the grands..kahit antok na antok na!!!!

An anniversary blog post won't be complete without a throwback photo so here goes... :D

So before I end this blog post (my 2 roomies are already fast asleep as in kaninang kanina pa!), let me share with you this nice song "I Will Take You Forever" sung by Kris Lawrence and Denise Laurel. I just love how they sung it with so much kilig & tenderness...all. the. feels.... <3 <3 <3

Daddy A, this is for you... ang LSS mo for tomorrow!! Seriously... You know there have been inevitable, less than ideal, situations in our wedding that I told you made me sad. It pained you too to hear a rehash every now and then. But it's also true when I told you that I've already let go of all of those things. It may not have been perfect but looking back, I'll always consider it to be the best. Iba tayo eh! Hahahaha.. I now see them as things that make our wedding, our story quite unique. The kind of story we'll hopefully get to tell all our kids and grandkids and we'll all just LOL & ROFL with them the way we do with our very own special edition corny jokes! The important thing is that we are still here, together. There are still so many things I want to say that I know you want me to just tell you, heart to heart, just the two of us. So let me just whisper them in your ears tonight, and every night (and no, it's not that masakit ang tiyan ko! hahahaha :p)..I love you so much and I'll be forever thankful that I'm yours and you're mine. Okay, I'll let the cheese stop there...so hows about that duet you promised me? Let's record all our my (coz you're not the sing-songy type) fave songs for our 4th, okay? Yaaaasss!!! Mwaaaaahhhh!!! <3

"I was a girl who trusted no one with my heart
And the dreams that young girls dream
Were just vanishing in the dark
But now I've found the one
And heaven will only know
What only my eyes can say
They say

That I will take you forever
And there will never be anyone else in my heart but you
And I will take you forever
And there will never be anyone else but you
Anyone else but you


Now my heart belongs to you
And I will always be your best friend
Now my secrets are safe with you
And the magic will never end

Now you are the one
And heaven will only know
What only our eyes can say
They say


That I will take you forever
And there will never be anyone else in my heart but you.
And I will take you forever
And there will never be anyone else but you
Anyone else but you, anyone else but you.

P.S. I can't sleep..just too much kilig tonight...or steak..or the cake! Hahahaha..good night guys! :D

Vintage Ring Restoration by Caren Resurreccion Fine Jewelry

They say that diamonds (as well as many other shiny things) are a girl's best friend. While our eyes naturally gravitate toward those that sparkle and indeed shine, we might have some forgotten jewels that have been gathering dust (and sometimes a little rust) in our box.

That's exactly what happened to me. Currently, my daily accessory staples would be a watch, pearl earrings and my wedding band. Like on auto-pilot so I don't have to rummage through my things all the time, not that I have a lot of baubles to begin with. So when one day I finally had the time to check on my personal effects..there it was, sitting humbly at the side of the box...the vintage ring that my grandmother gave to my mom, which my mom in turn gave me.

A tarnished vintage ring, up for restoration

It's a simple vintage ring, quite similar to some Romanov designs I found on the net. While it is a relatively "young" heirloom piece, I hold it as my responsibility to undertake a restoration so that it can be passed on, appreciated and loved by the generations to come. And at least for now, so I can wear it from time to time especially for occasions when it substitutes for my engagement ring.

Although it only has some 40-50 year history, it was already tarnished and the center stone which looks more like a semi-precious gem than a diamond, is already so cloudy (no chance of meatballs here!). 

So it was good timing that my brother recommended Caren Resurreccion Fine Jewelry's services for this. I was hesitant at first since mine is just a small piece but I'm glad that they welcomed my mini project :) 

Ate Caren is a very nice lady and she suggested that on top of resizing, we refresh my ring by gold plating it and adding a very nice and clear signity stone. Of course, choosing a signity stone (which is also a cubic zirconia) will ultimately bring the cost down without sacrificing much of the bling face value.

So when I got my ring back.....awwwww...it was indeed very pretty! At that point, I asked, "should I show this to my Mom? What if she wants it back?" Hahahahaha :) I really love the history, that it's now passed through 3 generations and the fact that it's a restored vintage piece worn snugly on my finger. 

Thank you so much Ate Caren for accommodating my restoration project and hope to work with you on new ones!

P.S. For those wondering...definitely, my Mom and my Aunt loved the new look when they saw it. I guess it had them searching for other vintage finds too! :)

A closer look at the BEFORE and AFTER photos of my vintage ring :)

After shot by my brother

So before I end this blog post, I'll be sharing with you my top 3 picks from Caren Resurreccion Fine Jewelry's current collection. They all look mighty fine, fine, fine!! Make sure to go to her website to check her listings and place your order!

Mommy Meowmeow's Top 3 Picks

Lorelai - is it because I'm a Scorpio or just someone who loves red? This pair of earrings just simply exudes power and elegance. Perfect for a flirty date with the hubby!

LORELAI  x Caren Resurreccion Fine Jewelry
(Emerald-cut and round garnets drop set in yellow-gold plated silver)

Can't make up your mind which piece to order? Then take a look at fun and whimsical Pollyana. No drab day with this stunner.

POLLYANA  x Caren Resurreccion Fine Jewelry 
(A whimsical play of topaz, rubies and diamonds set in 14k solid gold)

For a more classic look and feel, Romana is just what you need! You can order the ring and earrings separately but really, they are just meant to be together!

ROMANA x Caren Resurreccion Fine Jewelry
(Four  0.75 carat diamonds barrel set in 14k yellow gold. Ring and earrings set)

To see more of their fine jewelry collection, send an inquiry and process your order, please visit the Caren Resurreccion Fine Jewelry website. 

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. I only blog about products and services that I have tried and truly believe in so I know that you, my readers, are in good hands.

Happy 12th Anniversary, Daddy A! :)

Happy Anniversary Daddy A! :) 

Twelve years ago, on this day, we were at the crux of taking our relationship to the next level. The decisive moment was after I asked Mama Mary during the Feast of the Immaculate Conception if I was doing the right thing. She had no violent reaction so I took that as a yes! hihi :) 

From mere college group mates, to boyfriend-girlfriend and now a family. I'm so happy to have taken all those projects with you..ALL our projects, big and small.

To put it James-Bluntly (ha! hehehe), "you have been the one for me." But I tell you, you're always the one for me :) di ko na dudugtungan ng BSB lines :p 

#GodGaveMeYou --> thanks AlDub for reviving interest in this song :p 

I love you! :)

Prenup photo at Real Star Beach Resort (Quezon); My dress by SURCO; Photo by Reality Box

Dearest Papa Jesus, Papa Joseph & Mama Mary...thank you for leading me to this man. Please bless us, our relationship and our family. Help us to continue to live in prayer. Thank you! :)

Lovely goodies from {etc} Handmade Goodness!

Hey dear readers! I'd like to share to you one party supplier I was super excited to work with for Z's 1st birthday bash. Yes, excited talaga because deep inside I'm a kikay mom..and kikay moms definitely want need kikay things! hehehe :)  

Primarily, they cater to the wedding industry hence I only came to know about {etc} Handmade Goodness from wedding blogs and forums (hello w@w & FN!). From the photos pa lang and the gushing clients...really, everything that comes from them are just so so beautiful! No wonder, because {etc} Handmade Goodness is the artsy & craftsy subsidiary, of Vatel Manila (itself a leading wedding industry supplier).  And let me tell you, their work, collectively, is simply outstanding!  

Our family photo by Happy Folks Studio

While {etc} Handmade Goodness is probably known more for their personalized boutonnieres and bouquets, I thought, "Hey, a headpiece or two is something I trust they'll be able to make with such awesomeness!" 

And deliver with awesomeness they did! :)

Ordering Process

First thing I did was to send them an inquiry via their email (etchandmadegoodness@gmail.com). As a first-time inquirer, you need to provide them your details (see below) and once that's done, they'll send you a detailed Order Form to clarify your requirements.

• date of wedding / party
• event location
• customized items required
• photographer

I really appreciate this about them because it shows how they are committed to giving you your desired look. So be really open with them about your theme, color schemes and your expectations. At the start of our preps I was stuck with 'Vintage Flower Princess' theme, which isn't too clear at all. Hahahaha...thankfully they didn't send me a "whaaaat?!?" reply :p 

I also like how they ensure that their handmade goodies not only look good in person but also look smashing in photos! I can't recall where I read or heard about it but they need to know who your photographer is, so they can also (and I hope I'm conveying it correctly) match the colors to the photo's post-processed looks. 

Depending on the complexity and total number of your required pieces, I suggest you book them at least 4-6 months in advance to account for planning, sourcing materials, production and delivery. Besides, they have limited slots per year. This is to ensure that each project is given their utmost attention.

{etc} Handmade Goodness custom boutonnieres for Daddy A and the grandpas.
(Photo from my Fujifilm X20)

 Price & Payment

Once you've finalized your custom requirement and number of pieces, send them the Order Form via email. Not to worry since they'll let you know how much each would cost at the quantity you require. After which they'll email you a Service Contract and give you their bank details so you can make the necessary deposit or full payment. 

Okay, I've thought about this and have decided that it wouldn't be right to disclose how much our goodies cost. Why??

(1) Each is a custom-made design, it would be unfair to give you a quotation on behalf of the {etc} Handmade Goodness team. Of course they have to factor in the complexity of your design requirement, material costing, labor, delivery etc. into each and every unique order. Besides, they're just an e-mail away :) I'm sure they'll be able to address your inquiry.

(2) I ordered our pieces mid-2014 and that's almost a year ago. Prices would have definitely changed from that time. 

(3) Teeeheee...and Daddy A himself does not know. :p This is one thing in our party expense that he allowed me to keep as my "little secret" :)

Suffice it to say that for me, each piece is truly a lovingly handmade goodness. Each shows the team's painstaking attention to details and commitment to our design peg. Pwede nang pang "heirloom piece" Naks! Such is my satisfaction and I'll gladly request and pay for a custom-made piece from them again when the occasion warrants it. 

{etc} Handmade Goodness custom Daisy-esque / Gorgeous Gatsby headpiece for Mommy M 
(Photo from my Fujifilm X20)

 Lovely Goodness

And if it's still not evident with this blog post - I'm truly, happily overwhelmed with the beauty of their work. I shrieked and almost cried when I opened the box...haha..super ganda talaga! :) Feeling ako lang ang may birthday..hahahaha! Even Z wants to wear it again and again. 

Aside from the superb design and outstanding execution, I really appreciate the quality of service they give to their clients. They even made special delivery arrangements for our items to avoid delay. Special thanks to Ms. Mishi and team for taking care of us. :)

I'm almost tempted to push my single friends to get married so they can order their boutonniere and bouquet from {etc} Handmade Goodness! Hahahaha :) Or for those who are planning a wedding proposal, might I recommend a receptacle of pure prettiness instead, vs your standard box? Whatever floats your boat, I'm sure these folks at {etc} Handmade Goodness would be able to stretch their creative muscles and give you something beautiful, fresh and simply one-of-a-kind!

As for us, we're definitely preserving our lovely (lovely!!) pieces. They are absolutely exquisite and never fail to bring a smile to my face whenever I look at them from time to time. Still relishing the beauty of the laces, appliques, pearls and crystals..how truly wonderful! :) Who knows, we might just be able to "unbox" them for Z's debut or our wedding renewal ceremony in the future??? :D

{etc} Handmade Goodness custom Vintage Flower Princess headpiece for Baby Z 
(Photo from my Fujifilm X20)

Thank you so much again to {etc} Handmade Goodness team! All the best! :)

You can reach them through their Facebook account: {etc} Handmade Goodness

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. I only blog about products and services that I have tried and truly believe in so I know that you, my readers, are in good hands.

A day in the life of a university professor...the first week edition

Hello everyone! Welcome to Mommy Meowmeow's first week back in school!  :) I took a quick break during DLSU's special term, mostly because I needed to. Well, those 4 months flew by so fast! So to welcome a new school year, here are back to school snapshots of the Taft life ;)

Here I am saying bye-bye to little Z in the morning. This time around, she lets me go to work without much fuss, thank God! :)

Always a pleasure to be with Daddy A as he drives me to work.

Here I am dining solo at the Perico's cafe's personnel lounge.

Our very own Power Mac Center in DLSU.

Some things just have to change. Yep, you're looking at what used to be the Pearl of Great Price (PGP) Chapel in the SJ building.

My afternoon pump routine with my Medela Freestyle. I'm thinking to forego this already (le sigh!). At 20 months, it makes me wonder if it's still worth it to devote time (a good 20-30 minutes) and lug all my pump paraphernalia even if I am only able to extract so little and Z doesn't want to take it din naman...

This is my afternoon class doing a group activity. I love how they (most) are so proactive in finding and reading the prescribed text. Here they are thinking about our latest discussion about the different ontologies. Pretty happy with how this activity turned out!  Hope this goes on til the end of the term. :)

The reason I have to rush home immediately after class is THIS! Our train system is still so inefficient. Long lines to get our bags checked. Long lines again to purchase a ticket. Apparently, we're back to using coupons so stored-value cards cannot be used as of late. Aaaarrggghhh... And of course, jampacked coaches. I really pray the government can do something about this.

Alright, lest you think I enjoy just going solo in school..here are some of my colleagues in the College of Business (COB). Ms. Lysa Sanchez, who I met when we were Masters students.

And of course, Mr. Ritchie Ramos of Cisco Phils. We have collaborated before when I was still in the IT industry. So nice to catch up over lunch and find that we employ and enjoy quite similar gadgets and sensibilities as profs.

So there you have it guys! More 'day in the life' editions coming soon! :)

P.S. Sorry for the low-res photos! All images were taken from my iPhone :)