Sunday, August 18, 2013

Birth number

Found this on the Internets today. That's what happens when you're stuck at home all day long.


Well, tell me something I don't know! I'm always in hot water.

I really am nonconformist. The most conformist thing I've done is get married and have kids but Vince and I are pretty unconventional (although we're happily conformist with the fidelity clause haha) and we raise our kids in a way that will make most of the perfect supermoms faint haha.

What's your number? Is it you? Find out here!

Took the bus

Yesterday, I had a meeting. I usually bring my baby Iñigo with me everywhere. Since we have no household help and nannies, Vince takes care of our three-year-old Vito while I care for Iñigo. It's not so hard toting Iñigo around (I have an adorable example here!) but since it was raining, Vince said I should leave the baby at home.

Good thing I did. I waited for a cab for 30 minutes to get to a place that was a mere 5 minutes away on wheels and 15 minutes away on foot. I'd have walked if it weren't for the wind and pouring rain. After my meeting, I lined up again at the taxi area but the line was 20 feet long and there was no taxi in sight so I decided to take the bus.

I haven't taken the bus in years. Well, I kinda don't count the buses in Bonifacio Global City since those are really nice and BGC is tiny and not stressful. I used to be on buses, trains and jeeps all the time. One, we were poor. Two, even when I married Vince, I still preferred commuting since it was waaaaaay faster than a car. But when the kids came and I bring them along everywhere, I take the car or a cab to move around the city.

This is me taking the kids to Active Fun. Vince wasn't feeling well that day so we took a cab.

Vito doesn't like public transport. Iñigo is fine with any moving vehicle. Except maybe a tricycle. He didn't like the noise. Here he is in a trike. He was frowning the whole time haha.

So back to yesterday. I took the bus. Okay, it's no big deal. I was just surprised at how I felt. I'd forgotten the rush and crush of people, the smell of the wet pavement and decaying garbage, the thick exhaust fumes, the deafening horns of the buses, the heat, the quick steps or else you get pushed aside, the asshole drivers, the asshole pedestrians. Although my instinct to hold my bag close to me and to be alert to fellow passengers rose up very quickly. That felt like a welcome friend.

This used to be my life. I used to do this every day. I lived near Masinag Market in Antipolo and back then, there was not enough public transportation. I used to stand under the sun for 2 hours, waiting for a jeep. I used to fight for seats sa jeep or sa FX. I used to run after buses. That was my life for so many years. Then my life improved recently and I forgot what it was like to be part of the masses.
With my friend Jennie when we were in our early 20s.
I was so dark because I was under the sun commuting all the time!

Funny how memory is.

So maybe government officials should take the bus once a month. Maybe they shouldn't even be given cars. It's hard to understand what your constituents' life is like if you don't live it even for a few days every now and then. It's a good exercise.

Monday, August 12, 2013

When Kate met William

I wore my sapphire today. I usually wear my topaz but since the gloomy weather felt kinda blue, I took this ring out of its box.

I love it. I bought it because I wanted it to be my engagement ring. I'm a Diana fan! But Vince gave me a diamond because he said, "Look at what happened to that marriage!"

I have a big feeling in my gut that that won't be the fate of William and Kate. Here's what I'm watching now:








Sooo romantic! What I find most romantic is not the royal aspect really but their determination to stay together and their commitment to each other. That's the only secret to a good marriage, kids. Commitment. It's the most serious and most romantic thing in the world!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Lazy weekends are for painting

Del Monte Spaghetti sent my kids art materials a few weeks ago. Now Vito has expressed a keen interest in colors and drawing since this summer so I was very happy to have new art stuff sent our way (thanks, Del Monte!).

When we opened the watercolors set, Vito was amazed. But his impatience with wetting the brush, picking up paint, and building up color layer by layer soon frustrated him. So I picked up the really rather pathetic brush with plastic bristles and showed him what he could do with watercolors.

Not bad! Not good but, hey, I've never painted in my life. But now I want to! I think I'll put this on my bucket list: Paint something big! Maybe my husband will buy it haha!

What artsy crafty thing did you do this weekend?

Thursday, August 08, 2013

My Watsons haul

My family and I were invited to a shopping spree at Watsons! Now, my family's a fan of Watsons. Just go to this post on Topaz Mommy to see our usual hoard. So anyway, when we got that invitation to shop shop shop in June (I know, what a late post!), we said yes yes yes!

We went to the Greenbelt 1 branch.


My boys shopped, too. Okay, get ready to have your hearts melt!

That's how they are when we shop! That's why it's so hard to resist them! We always buy them stuff! Soooo cute! But in case you start thinking we're one of those parents who spoil their kids (well, we kinda spoil them to bits with stuff and with our 24/7 presence!), we do buy them just a few things. For example, on our Watsons shopping trip, we agreed to buy them candy. That's it. The rest of the shopping extravaganza was spent on... wait for it... Tissue!!!


Facial tissue, wet tissue, on-the-go tissue... When you have kids, you can never ever have enough tissue! It's like that thin membrane between sanity and insanity!

Anyway, we were all there to check out Watsons's new look. Robert Sun, the GM of Watsons Philippines, said that the brand is supposed to be for contemporary living, it's a convenience store that make modern urban life easier. "We conducted extensive research with our customers and, based on their feedback, are evolving the Watsons brand to a more contemporary, attractive and engaging retail experience." The new look is top to bottom: the staff has new smart uniforms, more welcoming store interiors, health and beauty counseling, a bright and clean pharmacy, and the logo, which looked like this:

... has been transformed to the more modern and much friendlier this:

Viki Encarnacion, the marketing director, adds, "We are enhancing the overall Watsons shopping experience, whilst continuing to ensure our pioneering products." Part of that enhancement is launching the Watsons app (iOS and Android). Available at the App Store and at Google Play this month. It's a cool app that will help you with health and beauty tips, discount coupons, and other useful tools.
Watsons also launched its Android and iOS app this month. It will have health and beauty tips, new product updates and exclusive discount coupons. Check out the App Store and Google Play and download na dali!

And here we are with our tissues. We actually bought more than just that one bag! This was in June, right? It's already August and we're still fully stocked! But we're running out so we're off to Watsons this weekend! See you!

Click! Click! Click! http://www.watsons.com.ph/webph/Home.do

Like! Like! Like! https://www.facebook.com/WatsonsPH

*photo credit: Watsons store, family photo and app image courtesy of Watsons.