TOPAZ HORIZON

I'm 34 years old today!

I thought my Facebook wall and my phone inbox would crash from all the greetings and wishes and love you sent my way. Thank you! You all made my day special.

Vince and I brought Vito along to Pancake House in Rockwell and Vito watched while his parents ate blueberry pancakes smothered in butter and syrup, steak and mashed potatoes, and crispy tapa with garlic rice. Yum! Yes, my birthday lunch was at Pancake House! I love Pancake House soooo much, I wanted them to cater my wedding (to everyone's horror! So we signed on Le Souffle instead).

Then my little family and I slept away the afternoon. Zzzzz. Then we woke up and watched our favorite TV shows (Fringe, 30 Rock, Big Bang Theory) and a movie (Scott Pilgrim vs the World--really funny!) then ate Haagen-Dazs Dulce De Leche ice cream. Then got a gift from blog reader Paola (thanks, P!). Perfect day! I still plan to celebrate the rest of the week. After all, 34 years is a great reason to celebrate!

Thanks for the love, everybody! You make me thank God every day for this blessed life. Some days aren't so perfect... okay, a lot of days aren't but when I have friends like you, who am I to complain? I am beyond happy. May the good Lord return your love for me a hundredfold and bless you and your families bountifully!

My fabulously pink Christmas tree, that Vince got for my 32nd birthday, is ready to make its annual appearance. Yes, it's pink and that's a funny color for a tree or for the season but I like that my hubby indulges me. Or as he puts it bluntly, "You're spoiled."

this is Christmas 2008

Christmas 2009

I'll show you the photos tomorrow (or as soon as I can!) since we're not done setting it up. Besides, I still need really nice ornaments. Right now, I have silver balls, matte and shiny, and plain white lights. But they're kinda boring, don't you think? I'm sure there are fellow Christmas lovers reading my blog. Where do you get unique trinkets for your tree? And I really don't want to go to Divisoria. I don't like that place.

Help! I really want nice new Christmas ornaments (without breaking the bank)!

Wow! I am now at that most feared time: Mid-life! Or is mid-life at 40? I dunno really although it makes sense that it's around the ages 34-36 because life expectancy is at 70 so divide that by 2 and you get 35. Simple math, complicated time.

Here's what I currently look like:

Not bad, not bad. I don't look young anymore but neither do I look like I need Botox! Although I gotta admit I've been slathering on the anti wrinkle creams when I can. I'm using Lancome Hydra-Zen now but my friend Nicole tells me that Shu Uemura's Red:Juvenus is beyond amazing. So I'm trying that next.

Truth to tell, I'm the laziest girl in the world when it comes to beauty rituals. I love beauty magazines and products but when it comes to actually using them, I... don't. So I'm glad that I still look okay! I do have gorgeous parents to thank (although I am nowhere near as beautiful as my mother) but in the great scheme of things, I'm just pretty, not fabulously stunningly beautiful.

That's okay. I've never felt insecure about my looks or been jealous of other girls. I'm a great admirer of beauty actually. That's because my parents always told me that we're all God's creation so whatever you look like, you're beautiful.

Besides, I have such a blessed life. It's not without its troubles--and believe me, there's a lot right now--but no matter how I look at life, all I really see is how full of beauty it is. On top of my gratitude list: my husband and darling baby boy. Just one look at this sweetie and I feel all the years drop away from my face and my body. Vito's my No. 1 anti-aging secret!

What's your anti-aging weapon?

Lookie here! I took some snaps of a couple of silly brand names:


Now, you may have a really great product--from the best slimming pills to designer water--but if the name you christen your product and store is unimaginative, has no recall or is just plain stupid, I don't think it will sell. At all!

Speaking of designer water, Vince and I want a bottle of this:

Oops, sorry. It won't rotate counter-clockwise!

How about that? Paul Smith put his famous stripes on Evian bottles. You gotta love that! Except that y'all know that Evian is "naive" spelled backwards!

And it's the Philippine Blog Awards no less!

Now I don't know how this works, like how to win, what's the prize, etc. But I am thrilled nevertheless! People have told me that it's a voting thing so I guess the most popular--not necessarily the best--blog wins. Well, if it is a voting thing, I just got a great christmas idea for a gift! Vote for ME!

Now if I were to win, this will be my speech:

I'd like to thank the Academy. To be nominated is a huge honor. Thanks to my hubby for patiently suffering the fate of the blogger's spouse (which is to be paraded in front of the cyber world). Same thanks goes to my friends who graciously allow their fashionable selves to be subjects of my posts. Thanks also to my son who is the unwitting star of my blogs, and my adorable inspiration. And if I had an agent, I'd thank that agent, too. So maybe I need one! Last but certainly not the least, many many thanks to the readers who visit my blogs every day. I think I live an interesting life but even I didn't think it was THAT interesting until you guys started telling me so. Thank you!

Uh-oh. Did I just jinx it? Oh well! Good luck to Topaz Horizon!