MIMAY’s FIRST OUT OF TOWN TRIPS

I was browsing my FB photos last night and realized that I haven’t shared here in my blog the photos of our dear Mimay’s first out of town trips, just before she turned one. Dahil galgal ang mga magulang nya, naturally galgal din si ineng. Also, as much as possible, I want to document everything for Mimay. I’m sure one day, she’ll come to thank me for keeping all these memories for her.

Dear Mimay,

I wanna show you series of photos during your first out of town trips. Our Manila, Tagaytay and Quezon trips are not included here because they are like 2 hours max travel lang. These are the mejo hardcore out of town trips. Enjoy the photos anak! We love you!

January 2010 – Acuatico Resort, Laiya Batangas

This is Mimay’s first out of town trip and her first ever beach experience! A little more than 3 hours travel from Laguna lays/lies (whatever!) one of the most beautiful resorts I have ever seen in my life. It was a posh resort that has an exclusive beach front. Bago pa lang nun nauuso ang infinity pool and Acuatico’s infinity pool really wow-ed us. The view was breath taking and very relaxing. View pa lang solve na solve na kami.

Our little darling surely enjoyed her first beach experience. She was so cute in her swimsuit and shades. It was her first time to play in the sand too.

What makes this trip extra special? It’s the reunion with my super girlfriends Abby and Cha with their respective lovey doveys, Jay and Vno. It feels so good to be with them again. Ang saya saya sobra! Chikahan galore until wee hours. I know next year, it’ll happen again! Right girls? =) miss u sissies! One of our friends, Jhayz, was supposed to join us too but for some reasons he wasn’t able to come. But I’m sure next time kasama na sya. Yey!

The over all Acuatico experience was indeed one of the most unforgettable days of my life =)

January 29-31, 2010 – Baguio City

Just weeks after the Acuatico trip, we had another long weekend. My family decided to spend it in the beautiful and freezing City of Pines. Poy and I were so excited because this is our daughter’s first ‘real’ long travel. It wasn’t hard at all because Mimay’s very cooperative during the whole 7 hours journey.

We left Laguna at around 11pm, and here’s our dalaga still awake and very much excited for her first Baguio trip. 

My (almost) complete immediate family, wala lang daddy ko.

Our itineraries include Camp John Hay, The Mansion, Mines View Park, Wright Park, La Trinidad Market and the Strawberry Farm. We stayed in Bloomfield Hotel which is just across SM Baguio.

We also went to this place where the locals pencil draw you in just 30 minutes! Pure talent

I had to include this photo. This was taken in SM Baguio’s Sizzling Steakhouse. Our smile shows how satisfied we were with their inexpensive and delicious steak. Would you believe that Australian Rib Eye costs around Php 400 only? Can’t wait to come back! My mommy was not in the photo because she had Bulalo for dinner. OP sya haha!

So that’s it for the meantime. Watch out for Mimay’s next series of lamyerdas in my coming entries. That’s after she turned 1 yr old already =)

CHAI TEA LATTE

Eversince the world began, I’m a coffee person. Adik ako sa kape, slightly. I drink one in the morning, after lunch, in our afternoon break and sometimes even after dinner.

Starbucks’ Tazo. I have never tasted Starbucks’ version of Chai. This is currently not available in Dubai :(

But since I was introduced to Chai Latte especially to Caribou, Nani the Chai addict was born. I find solace in drinking chai. It’s very relaxing and soothing. I love it’s sweet, creamy taste with a kick.

But since it will be very impractical for me to get Caribou on a daily basis, I treat myself instead to this cheap but equally delicious and refreshing Lipton Chai Latte.

‘Pwede na ang sarap’ pero hindi sing-mahal! =) I particulary love the Chocolate flavor.

I have also come to know the benefits of drinking Chai. According to studies, (1) Black tea, the main ingredient of Chai, has numerous antioxidants which help slow the aging process by protecting us against free radicals. Ay this is really bongga! I kinda fear getting all wrinkled soon.  (2) It’s also a good digestive aid. I notice nga, since I started drinking chai, my bowel movement became regular. Would you believe that it’s normal for me to poop every 3-4 days? Yup, ganyan ka-abnormal metabolism ko hence my katabaan. But now, everyday na sya. (3) And lastly, tea has less caffeine content compared to coffee.  

I am now a certified “chai virgin no more” and I loveeet! Let’s cheers to that!

KIKAYNESS

Sunday marks the official start of work week here in UAE. Start of a long week again. And before all the work commotions start, lemme share this pic and video of our uber kirengkeng Mimay.

This will surely make your day!

Mamee Nani so proud! Dadee Poy shakes his head haha!

TORN

I badly need to let this out. This issue is very personal but I need to release this heavy feeling in my heart. I am so torn right now.

Few days back, hubby and I reviewed our monthly expenses and noticed that we cannot keep our agreed monthy savings anymore. We have very high expenses now since Naynay and Mimay moved with us. Wala naman problema about it dahil kapalit nun, kasama namin anak namin. But looking at it in a deeper & mature perspective, it’s very impractical. Bakit ba kami nag abroad in the first place? Di ba to save for our dream house and for Mimay’s future? But with what’s happening now, honestly, we will not target that goal. Siguro after 10 years in Dubai, pwede. Sabi nga ng mommy ko, “kung gusto mo pala eh sama sama tayong lahat, umuwi na lang tayo sa Pinas.” May point no? I have shared these thoughts to my siblings and kumares also. They said that parang non-sense nga all our sacrifices if we are not targeting our main goal. All these really struck me.

I am so torn right now. I don’t know if it’s right to just let my mom and my daughter return back to Philippines so that husband and I can save in one blast. In this way kasi, we need not to stay in Dubai for more years. Maybe in a year or two, we can go home na din for good. Atleast by that time, Mimay’s already going to school and andun kami with her.

But the other side of me is feeling very sad knowing that malalayo na naman sa amin si Mimay. Just merely thinking that she’ll be leaving in November already makes me cry. Ang sakit sakit. Ang bigat bigat. I never want to be away from her again.

Naiisip ko nga, bakit yung ibang parents ang galing galing in handling their emotions. I have mommy friends na 2 baby pa nga ang naiwan sa Pinas but they’re okay. I asked them how are they handling the emotional pain and all? They said, it’s their LOVE for their children that makes them strong =(

I think I have to learn that. That’s the real sacrifice eh. We came here in Dubai to save for the future of our family. I have to set that in my mind and heart. And I know naman, my daughter is really in good hands. Poy and I are both blessed to have a very loving and supportive family. Mimay is well loved, sobra sobra pa nga. I know that. And skype is there, we can see each other everyday. And atleast in Pinas, my daughter will have a normal life.

Alam ko, ako lang naman talaga ang may problema. I’m so torn and confused.

Dear Lord, please give us wisdom to make the right decision. Let your will be done. In Jesus name, amen.

QUICK OOTD POST

Just wanna share my Outfit of the Day. Remember my post about my love for color RED? And my wish to have a red pumps? It finally came true =)

White crisp long sleeves from Bayo, black pants from Guess, watch from Baby-G, red belt from YRYS and my red pumps from Shoezies!

You know what’s more bongga about my pumps? Sa sweldo pa ang bayad nyan hahaha!

Happy weekend everyone!

EXHAUSTING INDEED

I just want to share how exhausting my day is coming to and from work, 6 days a week! I know I have repeatedly mentioned here in my blog na ganun kasaklap ang working schedule namin dito sa office. And I am currently praying that God will move miraculously in my situation. May it be a new job for me or a drastic schedule change here in my current work. Nothing is impossible to HIM, I know.

Our work schedule starts at 9:15 am-6pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Our office is located in a vast Industrial Area here in Dubai. It’s an hour away from where we are staying. Yan eh without traffic at kung direct pick up and drop off from office to our flat. But in my case, I don’t drive. So other than a private car, the normal mode of transportation is by metro or coaster service. Coaster service is more convenient for me, mas mura pa. The cons lang are the waiting time for other passengers and the traffic. Pag by metro kasi, from our office I need to take a cab pa going to the nearest metro station. Mas hassle.

In the morning, pick up time is 7:15am and we usually arrive in the office at 8:30am. Wala pa kasi masyado traffic. But see? 2 hours before my time-in, I need to leave the house na. But this is okay with me because atleast I still have ample time to have my breakfast since I arrive early in office.

Eto ang problema, sa gabi. I leave the office at 6pm, but we have to wait for other passengers pa until 6:30pm. At ang traffic, saucemeh!

Look here. This photo is taken inside our coaster. 7:45 pm na but I’m still on my way home braving the traffic.

Can you imagine that? I’m out of the house 14 hours a day, 6 days a week! So what is the bottomline here? Eto: bakit despite of my nakakangarag na work schedule, hindi man lang ako namamayat kahit konte??

Kainis!

NOSE BLEED ISSUES AGAIN

Last night, we attended our Tuesday church service in Oud Metha (church A). This is the same church we’ve been attending since our first week here in Dubai. Last 2 months though, we needed to transfer to a different Christian church (church B) for some reasons. I love it there. People are very warm and friendly. My busmate/friend Grace is one of the leaders in that church & she has been really nice to us. Actually lahat sa church na yun mababait. Mimay has friends na din there. There’s Thirdy and Zoe/Zowie.

But one day, my mom came to me and said “Neng ang hirap naman mag church dun sa church natin ngaun. Amerikano ang pastor. Hindi ko maintindhan ang preaching.” I was like “Makinig ka na lang mabuti mi. Madali naman maintindihan si Pastor.” My mom nodded and said okay. But last Friday, we have a guest preacher na amerikano na naman. I said to myself “Patay! Dugo na naman ilong ng nanay ko nito!” 

I was observing my mom the whole preaching, she was looking at me from time to time as if asking for my help. Ang hirap naman kung ittranslate ko lahat sa kanya yung message. Then prayer time came. The guest preacher asked us to close our eyes and bow our heads as he utters his prayers for us. The prayer ended for more than a minute already but I saw my mom still bowing her head with closed eyes. So there, she really cannot understand that the prayer is finish na. I told my husband about it.

Nani: Bi balik na lang kaya tyo sa church A kasi nahihirapan ang mommy intindihin pag English ang message.

Poy: O cge bi, mahirap nga minsan maintindihan eh.

Nani: Sabagay lalo sa mommy, di naman sanay yun sa English speaking pastor. Ikaw ba bi ok lang syo pag English ang preaching? Naintindihan mo naman?

Poy: Hindi rin! (grins!)

Kaloka! Konti na lang talaga, hihimatayin na ko sa asawa ko. Pero atleast honest no? lol!

So with that, bago pa mag nose bleed ang asawa at mommy ko, we finally decided to attend again in church A which started nga last night. We were welcomed warmly by our former churchmates. The Filipino pastor delivered God’s message well which made my mom happy. “Yan ang preaching! Malinaw!” sabi ni mader.

There was also a 3.5 year old handsome boy there who became Mimay’s instant friend. May problema lang, English speaking ang bagets. I took some photos of them kaya lang it’s in my hubby’s mobile. I overheard them talking like this.

CJ: Come let’s go outside. Let’s go.

Mimay: Is this upo (while pushing CJ to sit down)

CJ: Huh?

Mimay: Is this laro (showing the game in my iphone to CJ)

CJ: Huh?

Mimay: Is this milk (while giving her milk to CJ)

CJ: (wrinkled his forehead while looking at me, gulong gulo na sya sa anak ko hahaha!)

Mimay’s like that. She always put the words “Is this” whenever somebody would speak to her in English. Maybe she got it from us kasi if we teach her the alphabet or numbers we ask her this way. “Anak what letter/number IS THIS?” Getz? Hahaha!

Hay! When kaya wil I get over these nose bleed issues??

To my ‘Lord of the Harvest’s Tabernacle’ family, I will all miss you! Sa langit, tyo pa rin ang magkakapatid ;) Salamat po sa lahat.