My 28th Birthday

I had to post this late blog so badly so here goes..

My birthday became an ordinary day for me. I had no other plans that day except to treat my officemates for lunch. They decided to eat at HI-RICE GRILL at marcos hiway. A Bad choice. Everything we ordered in their menu were not available. I paid 1,700 for the food we ate which did not even satisfy us all.

My FIL suggested to treat me and the santos clan (mark's immediate family) after office. Imagine that.. It was my birthday but I get to be treated for dinner instead. hehe.. Mark picked us up around 7:00 PM and we head off to Mannhann Megamall for dinner. While waiting for our seat, Andrew and I went to Bioresearch to look at the dogs for sale. We ended up buying him a brown rabbit.

Andrew's Actual 3rd Birthday (June 10, 2010)

Andrew's 3rd birthday fell on a regular weekday (a working day for me). I felt quite guilty for not taking a whole day leave for my son's birthday. But I planned his actual birthday a week early. My initial plan was to finish my morning work 8:00-10:00AM then head home to fetch him and buy pancit and cake at red ribbon then bring him back to office so that he could blow his cake there. unfortunately, I had no other option for transportation so took a ride with our service car going to the bank and bir. By 11:30am, we were still in the middle of traffic. I asked my mom if he could bring andrew to office but when I called home, Andrew's taking his morning nap. I got back at the office and just let my officemate ate the cake and pancit I bought without the celebrant.

I went home around 1:30 pm. Andrew is still sleeping. I got the cake my mom bought at Becky's and put the mario cake topper and three candles at the center. When andrew woke up, he was at first shy to blow his own cake. After our cake picture taking, Mark finally arrived to pick us up. We planned to let andrew play at Kidzrepublic @ megamall for the first time.



Kidzrepublic was packed by big kids that day so instead of playing 1hr (which i paid 220.00 including adult pass) we only stayed around 30mins. We were forced to go home after since andrew's mood is getting worse. He had a tantrum and wanted to be carried all the time while we were strolling inside the mall.


I know andrew had fun on his 3rd birthday though it was not as grand like last year.

And to my little kulit-boy..

I wish nothing but the best for you eventhough you like girly bags and likes to carry it everywhere (which your papa hates because he thinks your gay). I thank God for having you and making my everyday still worth living for. I know someday you'll learn why sometimes I spank you a little because of your kakulitan. I sometimes really do not know where do you get your energy that's why we sometimes fight. But I love you more despite your kakulitan.

-mama cyd

My First Polymer Clay Creation

I have been a quiet fan of polymer clays creations when I first saw it in a multiply site of the famous Beadlady - Ms. Angeli Sobrepena I could literally stare at her lifelike cupcake creations for hours and wonder how did she ever made that!

Just recently, I was looking for a unique wedding gift for my friend who will come all the way from US to get married here in the Philippines. I can't think of any gift that would fit their baggage when they get back to US, until I came across Clay Creations by Ms. Aileen and saw her little polymer USB people at 800.00 for a 1GB. Sadly, they don't make those 1GB anymore. It then became a challenge to me to reproduce their work (hindi naman patented... hehehe)

I saw Ginger's Beadworks and clay Creations site and instantly thought of buying her Makin's no-bake polymer clay. It's really easy to mold and it dries within 24 hours. Makin's 120g clay costs P250.00. I bought 2 colors, black and white. I also bought two 2GB mini usb flash drive from cd-R King. It costs P350.00 per flash drive. The sculpey Glossy Glaze i bought at Happy beads for P280.00. All in all, It costed me P1,690.00 including local shipping fee.

Here's my very first polymer clay creation..



I hope my friend will like my gift for her wedding. I'm just a beginner at this craft but I know I can do better in the next days to come when I learn how to bake regular polymer clays. :)

we finally celebrated Andrew's third birthday party at Mcdonald's C5 Metropoli after a month long preparation. From the lootbags down to balloons are DIY'ed by us (hubby and me). It was so worth it that our hard work in doing the standee, lootbags, and balloons were very well appreciated by Andrew's guests.

We arrived at the venue exactly 10:45AM to set up the place. By 11:30AM the place was packed by guests mostly from my side. Andrew was quite sleepy and very cranky so he did not feel like joining his party. The games for the kids started after they were given free glitter tattoos. Then came the food served immediately after three rounds of games. That was the only time Andrew showed a enthusiasm and became energized again. He was hesitant to get a glitter tattoo at first but after he was given a blue green mickey mouse glitter tattoo on his right hand, he requested another tattoo on his left hand. "mama o tignan mo ang ganda!" This time it's green batman logo. Guests loved andrew's life size standee. Even the balloon burst that took us an hour to inflate was a hit! This is our last party for andrew in the mean time until his 7th birthday. I'm hoping by the time he's 7, he'll enjoy his party more and be less cranky.

To all Andrew's guests and sponsors, Thank you so much for all your support for my son. We are so blessed that we are surrounded by people like you who make our lives easier and worth while.

These are my suppliers and price:

MCDONALD'S C5 METROPOLI
Food - Mcnuggets rice meal with burger mcdo and sundae
50pax @ 159.00 = P7,950.00
Party fee = P2,000
Unlimited Glitter tattoo = 300
The mcdo party for Andrew was sponsored by my father in loaw and I thank him dearly for giving Andrew another wonderful party.

BALLOONHAUS
DY Balloon burst and mini pillar
20pcs 11" metallic balloons
40pcs 5" metallic balloons
8pcs 160q metallic balloons
1pc 2Ft. clear balloon
Total = P600.00
I highly recommend balloonhaus by ms. gina domingo. they really have quality balloons and longer tail that i could easily tie. it's cheap and does not easily pop than the ones I bought before at divisoria.


PRIZES-SM department store =P1,200.00
I bought all the prizes for the balloon burst at SM department store and i spent that same price as those prices I could buy at divi. it comes with a free gift wrap too!

DIY STANDEE
NBS materials = P250.00
Aldin (tarp 2x4) = P140.00
The standee was my idea since i don't want another tarp to keep in our closet after the party. I saved almost 600.00 by making it my self. the foam board i bought at nbs is a nice material for a standee because it's easy to cut and sturdy enough to stand on its own by just using regular elmer's glue.

DIY yoshi lootbags
NBS materials = P80.00
The idea of yoshi lootbags were taken from CoolPartyBlog.com. It took me a week to finish it and i had so much fun making it. The loots were sponsored by none other than my mom. Candies were (nyam2, ringpop, taffy, nerds mini, kitkat) all bought at S&R.


Andrew's clothes
CROCS sta cruz kids green = P1,850.00
-we got a 2,000 rustan's GC from Andrew's ninang Inna so i used it to buy new shoes for andrew.
OSHKOSH Plaid Green Polo & Maong Pants = P1,050.00
-we were lucky that oshkosh shangrila were on sale which is almost half the price of the items.



PINK APRON CUSTOM CAKES
It's an Elmo Cake - P1,000.00
-price is very reasonable and Ms. Liza Imbao is very accommodating.



Here are more more pictures of the party!

N95 all Fixed!

I finally got my N95 fixed! I desperately wanted this cellphone back in good running condition. My 2 year old son broke its LCD a year ago so I had no choice but to keep it until I have extra money to have it fixed. I'm currently using hubby's office-issued cellphone (nokia 2680) and i'm getting sick of it! Luckily, our trip to Shangrila Mall made it all worth it. Just beside the mall's basement escalator, there's a cellphone repair shop. They replaced my phone's LCD which costs P1,800.00 and gave us 1-month warranty. A Good deal.

my DIY standee

It's nice finally seeing my son's standee all ready for his 3rd birthday party.
although it seemed bigger than andrew..

Andrew's punchlines..

mama ithie: andrew sa june magschool kana ha..

Andrew: ayaw ko.. Hiyap (hirap) yun!

*************

our driver loloy while watering the plants..

Andrew: loloy, tama na tama na.... Sayang tubig..

***********
mama cyd asking andrew: anong name mo?

Andrew: my name is mawc (marc) abuboy (andrewboy) santos!

Mama cyd: how old are you?

Andrew: two! (his hand showing three fingers)

Preschool canvasing..

This past few weeks i've been scouting for preschools inside our village. The hubby and i decided to enroll andrew this year to pre-nursery. He's really becoming more irritating at home with his kakulitan and kalikutan. Fingers crossed i hope when he turns three this june he'll act more maturely like a grown up kid (?)

There are around 4-5 preschools inside our village but only 2 are nearest in our home-to-be. I emailed write n play preschool last week and here's the info i got from them.

Tuition fee: 5,285.00 (1st month)
Inclussive of supplies and materials
Uniform: 450 for boys
Pe uniform: 300

All in all, i need to pay around 6,500 for andrew's first month at school.  

I-am-FAT!!

I-AM-FAT!!!

If it were not because of my son's stolen shot of me.. I would have never thought how fat i am right now. Yesterday while hanging out in my mom's walk in closet, i weighed myself at her scale. April 24, 2010 read that i'm at 146lbs. I totally turned my back on dietting since its a hopeless case for me. But now that i saw the picture of me, i was disgusted with how i look! All along i feel good outside and inside despite my weight problem. I never thought how bad i look wearing just an ordinary shirt and pair of pajamas. Bulging tummy, double chin, huge arms and thighs... It's a nightmare seeing myself at the mirror! I can't wait to start dieting right away. 

current weight: 146lbs
Current height: 5'1"
Goal weight 125-130 lbs
Time frame: 2 months
2lbs every week

Period 1: april 26-may2
*no coffee, milo, chocolate
*nesvita is ok or oats preferably
*lunch ok but limit to half cup
*dinner bread or fruit

I hope i won't disappoint myself..
  

DIY Balloon set up for Andie's 1st birthday

My two-month preparation for Andie's Birthday has finally paid off. She's my niece by the way... April 17, 2010 1:30 pm we arrived at the party venue (the santos residence). I was tasked to set-up the balloons to make the venue more lively for kids. I bought a couple of assorted deflated metallic & latex balloons at Kyla Mae divisoria mall and 2 pcs 18" round shape Dora mylar ballon i bought at ebay. With my handy-dandy purple Qualatex dual pump.. i started to pump the balloons one by one.

first i started with the balloon burst. materials used are:
1pc 2ft clear balloon
19pcs 5" balloons
about 12" size thread

BALLOON BURST OUTCOME


I never knew balloon burst was really hard to do especially if you're only using manual air pump. I initially planned to fit 30 pcs of 5" balloons inside the 2ft clear balloon but after 30 minutes of trying to fit the small balloons.. i gave up! one thing i've learned in doing balloon burst is that you have to fill the air and stretch the clear balloon to its maximum space, or else it won't burst when you pop it with a stick or needle.


2:00 pm, I started to set-up the buffet centerpiece. materials used are:
1 pc 18" DORA self-sealing round mylar balloon
4 pcs 10" metallic purple balloons
4 pcs 10" metallic hot pink balloons
1 pc 5" balloon filled with water (for weight)
about 1ft thread

BUFFET CENTERPIECE OUTCOME


as a general rule to all balloons, you have to condition it first. (PUMP-DEFLATE-PUMP AGAIN) or else, you'll end up with lots of bursted balloons.

2:30 pm, time to make the balloonderitas! materials used are:
100pcs assorted 5" latex balloons
5 mtrs thread
6 pcs 10" metallic hot pink balloons

BALLOONDERITAS OUTCOME


I had a great time doing the flower balloons eventhough my fingers were swelling already. :)

3:30 pm, the party is almost starting. i still have around 30-40 pcs of 10" balloons so I decided to make another centerpiece for the cake. materials used are:
25 pcs 10" metallic balloons
thread
1 pc 5" balloon filled with water (for weight)

outcome..


i'm looking forward to do another DIY balloon set-up for my son's birthday! :)

here are other photos of the party:

The birthday girl ANDIE & Mommy Joy


The CAKE by Nadine of Swirls & Sprinkles Bakeshop
swirlsnsprinkles.multiply.com



Food by Jojie's Catering (for inquiries 646-8319)















The Cook! ..MamaJojie..

April celebrant

Just 16 days to go before my 28th birthday! my own birthday is coming and still.. no plans for anything yet. April 20 falls on a Monday and sadly.. it's a work day. so here are a few plans that i thought of for my birthday.

*treat my office mates at any cheap but nice resto. We're 8 all in all so i need to budget my money.
*buy something nice for myself. (clothes, shoes, or bag maybe)
*sleep early

Here's my wish list for 2010 birthday... :)

1. chocolate cupcake from dessert solutions
2. cellphone charm with a nice enamel letter "C"
3. an overnight bag that is durable
4. a comfy pajama set
5. nice beach towel
6. havaianas slippers
7. authentic hello kitty make up pouch
8. RL pink or blue diaper bag
9. large mudpie blizzard at DQ
10. overnight stay with my family at shangrila mactan cebu

gymboree for my little andrew

Lately i've been thinking of enrolling my almost 3-year-old boy to Gymboree this summer. He's becoming a nuisance at my mom's house during the day and I can't blame him for that since he's at his exploring stage. I want to find an outlet for him to be at a place where his energy is utilized in a way that nobody gets irritated. hehehe.. that includes me. So.. i googled for feedbacks, stories of mommies sending their kids to gymboree, and how much their membership and tuition fee is. oh by the way.. my kid fits their level 6-7 class (Play and learn). membership is P1,800.00 plus P3,200.00 for 4 sessions. So all in all i need to shell out P5,000.00 for that. Is it really worth it to spend P5,000.00 for a play school?

PRO
*Andrew loves to play indoor playrooms and he doesn't look for me whenever he's inside the playroom
*He won't be stuck with his yaya
*He likes to be with other kids


CON
*it's quite expensive thinking that I would be the only one to pay for his tuition fee since his Dad is always out of the planet.

more of a pro than con. I hope i'll get my mind straight soon.

Michel's first birthday

Yesterday.. We attended my niece's first birthday. Here's the scoop of the party.

What: michel's first birthday
Where: valle verde 5 clubhouse
When: march 20, 2010 11:00 am
Theme: sanrio and hello kitty
Party supplier and caterer: partytime philippines
Host: jenny and jill

This is the second time that i attended a children's party with partytime as the supplier. Balloons filled the social hall of vv5. All girly and pink with hello kitty's face everywhere. Party time really impressed me on how they manage to make a gloomy hall look lively and colorful for the guests. hosts jenny and jill also made the party fun with all the balloon twisting. They sing and dance as if i'm watching a live hi5 show! Anyhoo.. I would rather not site the cons of the party as it is not my son's party.

 Let me just tell you what we did during the party. We arrived at the party around 12noon. Just in time for eating. Sweeet! After lunch.. Andrew insisted that we go to the big playground just behind the venue. I gave in to his request but after 10mins of waiting under the sun.. I gave up and demanded that we should go back inside. The program started again. My MIL walked towards us and tried to convince andrew to sit upfront with other kids. He did not budge a bit and showed his shy eyes. He was even called by mark's relatives but he tried to cover his face. He's growing up like his dad!.. I know it's just normal for kids to be shy at times.. But i want him to have fun during parties like that and to join games and play with other kids. I hope he would somehow outgrown that behavior.  

To party at 3?... Not!

I was so overwhelmed contributing ideas for my niece and nephews birthday party that i forgot my son's birthday is just 2 months away from now. I was used to preparing at least 6 months before his birthday. When andrew celebrated his 2nd birthday at mcdonalds last year, Mark and i decided to lie low on parties and just celebrate andrew's birthday at home for his 3rd to 6th birthday. We want to save money for his grand 7th birthday since i promised myself that i want to celebrate it in a nice hotel function room or maybe hire a good party planner and set up the function hall of serendra. Oh well, shouldn't be thinking of that right now! Our initial plan to lie low on parties for andrew might come true after all this year. My MIL is insisting us to inquire a party package at shakey's. But lately i'm too busy at work. Plus, i had a line up of invitation, loot tag, and tarp layouts to finish for my nieces' and nephew's party. Mark also was not ok with the party idea. I seem to have too much excuses.. As the saying goes "kung gusto may paraan... Kung ayaw maraming dahilan." so here are a few fun activities that i thought to make my little boy's birthday fun for the three of us. June 10 falls on a thursday so it would definitely just be me, andrew and yaya agnes that will be enjoying the day. Mark will just catch us up at dinner time.
 
-Unlimited play at kidz republic in sm megamall
-Buy a nice toy for andrew at toy kingdom
-have his picture taken at peekaboo
-eat at our fave resto tenderbobs or chilis at dinner time. 

Finger's crossed! I hope everything will work well as planned. ;-)