It was a well-spent weekend with family. A much needed time with kids and the husband. Oh, how I miss them with all my Sept weekends occupied, I just had a great time to lounge around, play and be with them. No internet, no blogging was my motto last saturday and sunday.
Saturday, we played in a bowling center in Eastwood, which is a franchise of the famous bowler of the country himself, Paeng Nepomuceno. We were with my brother’s family. The kids of course had a blast.
Look at the future bowlers of the the country!
Ok, fine. I got the lowest score. Don’t even ask for my points, I don’t dare to mention it. We told ourselves, we should do it again.
We ended the night by having dinner in Shanghai Bistro.
It’s a long weekend for us! And a happy, happy weekend!
1. No work and classes for Dicky and Margaux on Monday and Tuesday. (Monday being Ninoy Aquino Day and Tuesday being Quezon City Day)
2. Know one of the reasons why it’s a happy weekend for me. Read here.
3. First receipt of salary of hubby in his new company! Yahoo, he’s treating me and the kids this weekend! Yahoo, malling to the max! Eating galore! Bonding with the whole family!
Life is so good!
Spent our weekend in Baguio to attend a wedding for the popular date of 08-08-08. Nope, didn’t coordinate this time but glad to be just one of the spectator guests for the wedding of Dicky’s colleague from Bayan. We left at 5am from our place and headed off to NLEX. We stopped in Shell NLEX for a quick breakfast in Jollibee in Shell Station. At 6am, we were back on the road. We passed through the new SCTEX road, which is a convenient hi-way to go to Baguio. We exited in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac already. It was a breeze and taking that road cut down our trip for like 30 minutes. We arrived in Baguio at 11am. We immediately proceeded in The Manor Hotel inside Camp John Hay. Good thing that we were able to check-in early so we lodged our luggages right away. For pictures of our room, check it here.
Few snapshots of the kids while waiting for Dicky to get our room key…
Saw Jacqui and the other girls from Bayan when we were in lobby and asked them where they would have their hair done in time for the wedding. Too bad, there is no salon inside the hotel so we had to go to SM for our hairdos. We quickly had lunch in Dencio’s in Mile Hi inside CJH and Dicky brought me and another colleague’s wife in SM Baguio. We had our hair done in David’s. By the time we got back, I was rushing to get dressed so we can catch up the 4pm wedding ceremony in Our Lady of Fatima. Too bad, we missed seeing the bride walked down the aisle. We got lost! It was already starting when we arrived and the church was so full and parking was jampacked.
Pictures from the hotel before proceeding in the church…
It was a nice wedding put all together by the bride, Anne. I really love Baguio for weddings. The weather was perfect. It was not raining during her wedding. It drizzled only after the ceremony and while we were all in the reception already. I like her concept, it was a black and white color theme and japanese inspired. The reception was arranged beautifully with red roses lined in the middle of the rectangular guest tables. And the food was so good. I think I had 3 cups of soup because it was so damn cold! Wine, beers and hard drinks were overflowing. We had enough.
At 10pm, the reception program ended. We had some snapshots with friends and then we headed back to our room in Manor. We were supposed to just change to more comfortable clothes and we planned to go back to the party but when we arrived in our room, the bed was calling us so we just dozed off to sleep.
Some pictures from the wedding…
The following day, saturday, the sun didn’t shine in Baguio. It was raining all throughout the day. But we braved ourselves together with another friend’s family to have breakfast in Cafe by the Ruins. I loved what I ordered, kesong puti in hot pandesal with strawberry jam and butter partnered with Rizal’s Tsokalate. Yum, yum, yum.
Then we bought take-out food from Star Cafe along Session Road to bring for the potluck lunch we had in one of the villas inside CJH where one of Dicky’s colleague from Bayan was staying. It was a big villa and the kids enjoyed running around and staying infront of the fireplace. We had good laughs while eating lunch with a bunch of Dicky’s friends (together with the wives) from Bayan.
Margaux and Bianca playing with Sam, daughter of TJ (Dicky’s colleague) and Tonette…
At 230pm, we headed back to the hotel for a quick nap. It was bed weather, perfect to just lounge around and enjoy the cool breeze of Baguio.
Pictures before heading to the room…
We woke up at 430pm and with nowhere to go, we just had a joy ride amidst the rain within circles of the city. Then we decided to just park and stroll around SM Baguio. Even inside the mall, it was freaking cold and fog was all over. Got few buys from Guess Kids which was on 50% off.
We decided to stay over inside the mall and we had a great meal in David’s Tea House for the dinner. It was almost 8pm when we went back to the hotel. We let the kids sleep first before Dicky and I went down in the lobby to enjoy good music from the band, Smooth and had few drinks together with friends from Bayan again. We bid goodbye at 12mn already. Anne, the bride went out with us as well for quick chats about her wedding. Afterwards, we proceeded in their suite where a number of their friends also were there. We just had few drinks again. Gosh, I had too much alcohol for that weekend! We went back to our room at 1am already.
Our last day, sunday, there was hope that the sun will shine that day. We freshened up quickly and headed out at 9am to let the kids enjoy a horse-back riding activity in Wright Park. Bianca and Margaux together with the yayas rode horses for a 30-minute ride. Afterwhich, we stopped in The Mansion for picture-taking then went straight to Mines View Park. Our main purpose here was to really go to Good Shepherd Convent to buy Ube as pasalubongs. Weather was good already that day and indeed the sun shone the entire morning but it was still cold.
Our 3rd day pics…
Bought more pasalubongs in the stores outside Mines View Park. We didn’t go inside anymore as it might be hard for the kids cause the stones were still slippery. Bought another knitted jacket for Bianca and some bonnets for me and the 2 kids. Had to buy cause Margaux doesn’t want to return it anymore when she put it on her head. And since it was 3 for Php 100, I just got one for myself and 1 for Bianca.
We went back to Camp John Hay at almost 12nn. Had quick lunch in Dencio’s again as we don’t want to go anywhere else anymore cause we still need to check-out the room. While waiting for the food to arrive, I walked through the Commisary area and was able to buy 3 Osh Kosh pants for the kids. At 1230pm, we were back in our room, packed and checked out at 1pm.
We had picture-taking again in our room’s veranda before going down the lobby…
In The Manor Hotel’s garden…
We were on the road at 115pm back to Manila. It was the fastest route ever on our way back. We still took Kennon Road just the same on our way to Baguio. We encountered heavy downpour of rain while in Pangasinan and we had to stop cause it was already zero visibility. We passed again in SCTEX, entering somewhere in Tarlac and in like 15-20 minutes, we were already in NLEX. That was so quick. It was my shortest trip back from Baguio with only 4hrs and a half travel time. We were in Mandaluyong to attend a family dinner at 530pm!!! (well, dicky’s speed was at 140km/h while in SCTEX and not getting lower than 90km/hr in other major roads) I think it is really easier now to go to Baguio with the new SCTEX road which you can enter from NLEX. You won’t need to passby towns in Pampanga and Bataan anymore as you will exit right away in Tarlac. From the exit in Tarlac, it would just be another 2 and a half hours to Baguio.
It was a great weekend for the family. A nice one in the company of kids, friends, good food and perfect cold weather!
the stress, the difficulties, the challenges this week…good thing I always look back home. My family is precious and the little girls above brushed away my weariness!
Bianca is sick today but show must go on! Have an event tomorrow!
Cheers to a happy weekend!
My dad is fretting yesterday about his worn out bar stool. Actually, I can feel he was a bit pissed because the leather of the stool was peeled by my good little girl Bianca. But being a lovable grandfather, he cannot scold my daughter. So I just said that I would buy him a new one. And I almost forgot that I failed to give him something last Father’s Day. Bad me. So as a gift, I am buying him a new Bar Stool. This morning, I was browsing pictures of new and modern design of bar stools and came across the site of Quality Barstools. It is a leading manufacturer of bar stools and offers it online at a discounted price. They can also customize any stools by choosing your own preferred fabric and metal finish options. Well, most of the bar restaurants are also ordering from them cause they can also handle commercial projects but not limited to it since they can also deliver for residential purpose. They have metal and wood bar stools but my dad prefers to still stick to his preference before, which is the metal one. I think he is going for the retro style swivel bar stool with back.
We actually checked in Manila Peninsula again last friday and checked out last sunday. It was a great weekend just to lounge around and enjoy the hotel room.
When we arrived in our room, Dicky was greeted with balloons, a bottle of wine and a caramel cake from Estrel’s, which all came from Dicky’s officemates. Thanks to Jacqui for arranging. How sweet diba? (buti pa sila, may suprise sa kanya, ako, never really thought of any!, hmm, I’m bad!)
We rested in a while then decided to go swimming in the hotel’s pool afterwards. Too bad, I forgot our camera in the room and I’m too lazy to go back for it.
We just had a simple dinner in Fridays, as I have been craving for ceasar salad for the past weeks. Of course, we had to say to the waiters that it’s Dicky’s bday so we can get a free cake!
We ended the night with soothing massage as we requested our favorite masseuse to come to the hotel. O diba, wise and cheap option rather than having a massage from the hotel itself.
The next two days were just spent inside the room. We had a hearty and heavy breakfast for two consecutive mornings and I felt bloated. I think I have gained back around 5 lbs! Gee!
I must say, we just enjoy being together in celebrating special occasions in our lives…
Since it was raining last friday, the girls didn’t have chance to swim in the hotel’s pool. They just enjoyed the tub in the room while they were battling over on how to turn the Kohler faucets to make a mini-pool out of the tub. We enjoyed our stay in the hotel, the room, the food, the whole accommodation. It was a worthwhile experience that we just managed to lounge around and rest. (I can leave in a hotel, you know! lol) That is why we are doing it again this June, in time for Dicky’s bday. Thank goodness, I still have vouchers to use.
Look below for more of our pictures…
enjoying our time here in Manila Pen. Checked in at 3pm. Hay, sarap humiga sa kama! This is vacation, no hurries whatsoever. We are just here to relax and blog as well with a free hi-speed internet access in the room! I’m looking forward for the buffet breakfast tomorrow!
Will the sun shine tomorrow so we can go swimming? I hope so.
Yes, I think we are 100% sure already to spend the holidays in the US this year so I’m overly excited. Ok, let’s pray I won’t get pregnant this year! Please spare me from the baby dust so we can push through with the trip. And since the brother of hubby is also moving from Alabama to Reno, we are also considering to check some reno hotels. We also plan to drop by Sanfo again to visit some friends. Ah, 3 weeks will be too short!
What would you do with your life if you had the luxury of no longer working for a living? This is a big question which I wish to encounter in some years from now. Don’t you think it is a promising question which we all like to consider? I guess investing properly is the key and making sure that you have a retirement plan that can work out for you and your whole family. It is important to plan ahead and that is what my husband and I have been doing. We make sure that we go by our excel files everytime. It was a thought also why we didn’t want to push ourselves in constructing the house this year if we are not totally ready. We are confident risk-takers so we should know our contigencies. In few years from now, we would consider to get a financial advisor who is willing to give us personal financial planning services. There are organizations which I believe we can trust on this matter like for example The Northen Trust, which is a global leader in investment management, asset and fund administration. I believe entrusting all assests would be very essential in achieving our life-long dream to retire early and just enjoy life at its best.