Wednesday, November 28, 2007

COMING SOON!

I'm Excited for this! Coming Super duper SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!

Monday, November 19, 2007

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS...

...is to be in Sydney and spend it with my family! And guess what! I am! I'm so excited! Just one more month to go and I'll be there already. Last year, Dada and I spent it in Manila and we enjoyed dinner with the Camposes and then Noche Buena with the Paredeses. The next day we had our traditional Christmas lunch at lola's house-but it was still different and kind of sad because we weren't with my parents and siblings. Plus, I haven't experienced an Australian Christmas yet and I'm excited to hit the beaches!

Before that I have to finish my work so I can stay in Sydney longer, have my yearly Christmas dinner with my college friends and finish all my shopping! I've come up with a list already but have not moved my butt to buy anything!

And C'mon that's not ALL i want for Christmas! Here is this year's list:

1. A Holga or Oktomat camera

2. A new digital camera

3. A chiuahua, french bulldog or mini schnauzer (Although it wouldn't be smart for me to get another dog. I just think they are so so cute)

4. A stack of new cookbooks-French, Italian, Indian, Chinese and a Bakiing Cookbook!

5. A Year's subscription to Yummy magazine!

6. A Damier Azur Speedy!

7. A nice new leather wallet in a cute color. The long kind with a lot of space to put all my licenses and cards.

8. A make-up chair (like a director's chair but taller) and a new case with a built in mirror and light bulbs!

9. A couch and coffee table for my room.

10. A trip to London!
11. A short culinary course!

It's getting colder, the parols are up and the department stores are blasting Christmas Carols! But I'm preparing myself for a HOT SUMMER CHRISTMAS. Woohoo!





Saturday, November 17, 2007

When did she get so big?

When I started blogging , Ananda was a newborn. Look at her now! she's 3 1/2 already! I see pictures like this sometimes and I still get shocked at how fast she's growing! Before I know it she'll be a teenager already-and I'll be old! haha!

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Costume Parties!

When You are invited to a Theme party or costume party, you should really make sure to make an effort to dress that part.

Why?

Well, First of all, the host made an effort to fix the place and dress up and basically put everything in order for you, so in return you should follow his/her request of dressing up.

Second, you never know what you might win as a prize for BEST COSTUME :) In my case, it was a pretty Aranaz clutch that I've been eyeing. Plus, Ananda also won best costume for her category-because we were dressed in similar outfits.

So the theme was Lucas' Sports Camp, and the celebrant was Lucas, Amina and Rafa's son. After going through all the Olympic Sports, we decided the easiest would be to be basketball players.

But then, I though, that's so easy and kinda baduy-so I spiced it up a bit.

I had two jersey's made. Both Hot Pink with black piping!

In front, it was exactly the same. We had our last name PAREDES across our chests and of course, a Peace sign below it, as our logo!

But, the back of the jersey's were different. Hers said "Baby Joe" while mine said "Joe Mama" We decided to wear matching knee high socks, short shorts and cute kicks and at the end of our costume planning, our official title was "Old School Ball Players"

I super love dressing up. Halloween is like the biggest and best holiday there is for me, and usually when I throw parties, there has to be a theme. A few years ago, the Ateneo girls and I threw a Cuban "Havana Nights" party, where all our drinks, food and outfits were inspired by Cuba and the movie with Diego Luna. This year, our Christmas party will have a color theme. Ananda's party had an all-out pirate theme, then I planned my sister, Ala's last birthday with a Hollywood theme. I wonder what's next!

In other news, I can't wait to get back to Australian soil, even just for a few weeks! I miss my family so much and I miss cheap clothes at valley girl, fresh mushrooms and woolies. Ang babaw ko. Haha. Just one more month! Woohoo!

Friday, November 9, 2007

Short Cuts



It seems like everybody is chopping off their hair! Even Boogie has decided to cut off his famous locks! I'm so happy, it's a refreshing change! The look we were going for was a longer version of Brad Pitt a.k.a Rusty Ryan in Ocean's 13. Now his only problem is finding the patience to apply product to his hair every morning! I think cutting off a significant amount of hair is very liberating, and can also signify letting go of a lot of issues of the past and looking at what it's front of you now and at the future.

Now let's go blonde! ;p

GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS


Girls can be really petty, catty and mean to each other. That's why growing up, I had a lot of male friends. Guys are less complicated. If you piss them off or act like a bitch, they tell you to your face, whereas girls will talk and talk and talk-to everybody except you. Most of my arguements with my male friends last all of 15 minutes, while some fights with girl friends have resulted to months of the silent treatment and complaining to family and other friends.

Don't get me wrong, I am not rejecting my own, I just wish women could be more 1. HONEST 2. FORGIVING and less 1. CATTY 2. VENGEFUL and in general just be nicer to each other. I feel like girls always look at other girls as competition: Who has the better job? Who's prettier? and everyone's favorite Who's skinnier? Who's getting married first? Who's having a baby first? Who got a better deal at the last sale? Who has a hotter boyfriend?
Furthermore, women also have very obvious defense mechanisms when they are feeling insecure: Eew she sucks. Don't worry about her, she's so not pretty. oooh, is that ****? She's so fat now. She can do so much better than that guy. Look at her, she's so hung up on *** and again, everyone's favorite God she's such a slut.

Face it, girls-yes me, you and every female out there, can be REALLY mean. And besides, didn't they say in Mean Girls that calling someone ugly doesn't make you prettier, calling someone fat doesn't make you thinner and calling someone stupid doesn't make you smarter.

What I despise most is the whole ring leader syndrome. There's this one girl I see occassionally, and when she's alone and I know most of the people around, she's all "Hi Erica! how are You?" *Smile smile* but when she's with *ringleader* she completely ignores me, because I suppose ringleader doesn't like me for reasons I believe speak more about her hangups then me.

Speaking of which, I also dislike when you have been introduced to somebody, you've spoken to them, and sometimes even hung out with them, and whenever they see you, they act like they don't know you. It pisses me off like anything because you know in all honesty, I can be a major bitch if I chose to be, but if I know that i know you, I won't think twice about aknowledging your presence.

Cliquish girls annoy me. Are we in high school?

I'm just really happy that somewhere along the way, I found a some girls, who are unique,smart confident, honest, fun, and don't take themselves too seriously.

Life is too short to have to deal with drama.

Monday, November 5, 2007

We heart Baguio

So what did you all do for the long weekend? I took my daughter to Baguio. The last time I was there was 4 and a half years ago, long before I had her. It was so nice to be back in our house, to feel the cold, clean Baguio air, the warmth of our fireplace and to buy fresh fruits and veg in the Baguio Public market! Ananda's first market experience. If you ask her she'll say "What market? That icky place that smelled like suka?" hahaha! OF course I had to take her to do all the traditional Baguio things. My dad always says that when you have children, you go through childhood all over again, and he's right. I found myself going to Wright Park (Twice!) to ride horses, Burnham park to see the boats and Mine's View Park-all for the benefit of my daughter. We've had out Baguio house for about a decade now and not once do I remember going to most of the tourist spots. The first time we went to Wright Park, she wanted a big horse and for me to ride with her. The next day she wanted to ride a horse all by herself. And it had to be one with Pink hair. The one we originally wanted had nice long hair, like Starlight from Rainbow Brite. Unfortunately some other kid was riding it and we'd have to wait 30 minutes, so she settled for Strawberry. We spent two of our three nights in front of the fireplace at home, with Gina and I eating cheese and crackers and drinking wine and Ananda devouring marshmallows and slurping down hot chocolate. She was so excited the whole time we were there that she actually had eye bags from lack of sleep. She'd wake up so early, already shouting for the horses! We had a whole ginormous bag or giant marshamallows in two nights. That can't be good! Of course, I HAD to go to Good Sheperd and get strawberry jam (I'm not a fan of Ube! Although it smells heavenly when newly cooked!) I also got home made peanut butter (w/c is alwys good), guava jam, guava jelly, mango jam and guava candy. Can you tell I like Guava? All I drank when I was preggers with Ananda was Guava juice and it just stuck. The ironic thing is, I don't care so much for the actual fruit. Anyway, it was fun and I'm looking forward to going up there more often. I can't believe I waited this long! I love our house and I love the weather!

BOO!


Before we left for the mountains, I went out for Halloween! We just roamed around the Fort area. It was fun.

Bea as a...actually I don't know what, Me as Alice in wonderland (in Navy Blue!) and Gina as a Japanese Girl-in Piedra
Alice, Alexi as a witch (too cute to be a witch!), 2 baduy costume-less guys Rob and Pao , Monique and Ginasachiko at Cuisine.
Alice, Jena, Ginasachiko and Unfinished Dress Patring- a little detour to Jaipur!

I love Halloween and I'll dres sup every year forever and ever!