Working It

I got this tag from my friend, Liezl (aka Blogera), in Facebook.  :)

FOUR NAMES THAT FRIENDS CALL YOU:
1. Meeya
2. Mia
3. Mee
4. Mama Mee

FOUR MOST IMPORTANT DATES IN YOUR LIFE:
1. My Birthday
2. My Wedding Day
3. My Daughter’s Birthday
4. The day we arrived in the USA.

FOUR THINGS YOU’VE DONE IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES:
1. Ate
2. Fed my daughter
3. Blogged
4. Bloghopped

FOUR WAYS TO BE HAPPY:
1. Enjoying experiences as they come
2. Having no regrets
3. Random hugs from and for the ones you love
4. Nice and relaxing, but effective, body wraps.

FOUR PEOPLE/THINGS YOU MISS FROM YOUR PAST:
1. Low gas prices
2. Wearing high-heeled shoes
3. My grandmother, Lola Julia
4. Getting a wonderful facial treatment any time I want :)

FOUR GIFTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE:
1. Money is always good. :)
2. A plane ticket bound for home.
3. A new laptop, or handbag.
4. A spa package that includes a great massage, bodywraps, and a rejuvenating facial treatment, hehe!

FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Reading
2. Watching movies
3. Window-shopping (or bargain-hunting)
4. A little bit of photography

FOUR PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR VACATION:
1. Maldives
2. Italy
3. Thailand
4. Coron Island

FOUR FAVORITE DRINKS:
1. Water
2. Coffee
3. Smoothies
4. Margaritas

FOUR THINGS ALWAYS FOUND IN YOUR BAG:
1. Wallet
2. Phone
3. Keys
4. Lipstick/Lipgloss

FOUR FAVORITE COLORS:
1. Blue
2. Pink
3. Red
4. Purple

TOP FOUR HANGOUTS:
1. Home
2. Mall
3. Library
4. Cafe

TOP FOUR YOU LOVE SO MUCH:
1. My husband
2. My daughter
3. The rest of my family
4. All of my friends :)

TOP FOUR “THINGS” SPECIAL TO YOU:
1. My collection of photos
2. My wedding rings
3. My handbags (of course!)
4. My sanity (haha!)

TOP FOUR WHO YOU THINK WILL ANSWER THIS SURVEY:
1. Mamah
2. Razel
3. Anyone who’s bored, like me (haha!)
4. You!

TOP FOUR REASONS WHY YOU ANSWERED THIS SURVEY:
1. I wanted to update my meme blog.
2. I just finished doing tons of laundry and I wanted to chill.
3. Because I have owed Liezl this tag for a while now. :)
4. Because I really wanted to write something about BODY WRAPS, not only because I miss getting one but also, because I found a product (from Lacote Guam, no less!) that promised results after the first treatment! If this doesn’t help take off these unsightly cellulite of mine, I don’t know what will. :)

That’s it! :) How about you? Care to share your top four? :)

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.28.2009 :: MeMeMee, Nickel and Dime :: 1 Comment »

This is what has been plaguing me ever since Spring began (and Georgia is notorious for it). I’m not complaining much, though, because it just means that Spring has finally sprung and I can very well say goodbye to my bulky winter clothing. Besides, I’d take pollen allergies any time over something like mesothelioma, haha!

Flip-flops here I come! :)

And yes, our black car doesn’t really look happy being green.

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.28.2009 :: Wordless Wednesday :: 6 Comments »

I love watching movies. In fact, I can actually veg out in front of the TV (and DVD player) all day (with bathroom breaks and corn chip runs in between).

So here’s, maybe, a partial list of underrated movies I’ve seen. Like wholesale clothing, my list could fill up a whole consignment store in a minute. But, let’s just save those for another day. Shall we?

1. Starship Troopers. My friends and I saw this for lack of anything else to see. But I was actually surprised at how very entertaining it was. (And Denise Richards wasn’t so annoying back then, too.)

2. Before Sunrise. I’m sure Toni would agree with me. :)

3. All of M. Knight Shyamalan’s Movies. Which includes, Unbreakable, The Village, Signs, and The Happening. I can’t wait for The Last Airbender! I’m actually watching the Avatar series in preparation, as we speak! (Can you tell, I’m a fan? :D)

4. Cast Away. It might be a little long, and it might be a blatant ode to Fedex, but Tom Hanks was really great in this. I have never looked at a volleyball the same way. :)

5. Reign Over Me and Punch-Drunk Love. Proof that Adam Sandler is not just a comedian.

6. The Doors. Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison, the songs, the cinematography. I heart this.

7. Sliding Doors. Speaking of doors, hehe! Parallel worlds and fate. I’m a sucker for movies about that, but this one I love most of all.

8. Kingdom of Heaven. I just saw this recently on DVD and, my, how yummy Orlando Bloom is.

9. Elizabethtown. And speaking of Orlando Bloom, this movie is so light and touching, and the fact that it was shot mere miles from our erstwhile home makes it a favorite of mine. :)

10. The Princess Bride. I know for a fact that this didn’t do well in theaters. But, since then, it has had some sort of cult following (which it so rightly deserves). I loved Cary Elwes in this!

See, there’s more that ten up there, hehe! Anyway, what’s in your underrated movie list? :)

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.28.2009 :: Ten on Tuesday :: No Comments »

Or orange. :)

This photo was taken at the Edge Of Africa attraction at Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL. This tiger is one of the many African and Bengal tigers housed at Busch Gardens in an effort to save their kind from extinction. The pool of water is part of his simulated habitat. I just wonder what kind of pool supplies they use to clean his domain, hehe!

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.24.2009 :: Photo Friday :: No Comments »

When WifeSpeaks started four years ago, it was just a small, cozy, group blog created by us, a circle of friends who were simply very excited to be blogging together. Seeing what a good thing we had, we additionally invited more wifeys whom we knew and respected to join us in speaking out about topics regarding wifehood and parenting. Over the years, we’ve tackled a lot of topics, seen our little blog grow into an online resource, had wifey contributors come and go, and even had a few burn-out episodes here and there. Unfortunately, the structure that we developed for the blog was losing its novelty and, after a while, we sort of lost steam.

However, despite our sluggish activities on the site, we knew that some people – wifeys and hubbies alike – still followed the site. And also, we really missed writing about…stuff. :) WifeSpeaks was always a fun way for all of us to get together and brainstorm and make chika. Besides, it was sort of a part of our online life that we couldn’t just throw away.

And so, we decided to revamp WifeSpeaks a bit to make it a little more current, more interactive, and more in-tune with the times.

Next week, please do join us as we re-launch the new WifeSpeaks. :)

So what’s new about it?

Well, for one, we will be making up for all the lost opportunities during our long hiatus. This time, we will be posting WS topics every day – that is, from Monday to Friday! How about that for a major come back? :D Whereas we used to feature only one topic per week, this time, every day is a chance for you to join the daily discussions depending on your interest. :)

Every Monday, we will be inviting you to share your favorite photo memoirs with us. We’ll provide the topic, you provide the memory. :)

Our classic Chikahan Corner happens every Tuesday. We’ll be throwing out light, anything-under-the-sun topics for you to discuss with us – perhaps a short slumbook-type meme, a round of tips sharing, possibly even some advice seeking/giving, or just plain chismisan or kumustahan between all of us misis (and misters, too!).

Calling all foodies, Wednesdays are for you. Share recipes, discuss restaurant trips, share your kitchen yays and nays, or simply tantalize us with your creative gourmand creations. Wednesday is definitely our “yummy day”.

Thursdays, all kikays are invited to come out of the closet. We’ll talk about the cheapest, the prettiest, the “it”-est, the most high-tech, the most sulit, the least attractive, the most worthless, the most cost-effective, or perhaps even the simplest, but definitely the most fabulous finds for you or your hubby anywhere and everywhere!

To close off the week, we’ve reserved Fridays for our trademark WifeSpeaks discussions – because WifeSpeaks is not WifeSpeaks without our regular takes on wifehood and parenting. Fridays are especially dedicated for everyone to bash (in good taste), rant (even hysterically), ponder (the meaning of life), panic (in case of emergency), and share the excitement of falling more in love with our husbands (and vice versa!).

Plus, to make it easier for everyone to share their photos, chika, recipes, fabfinds, and opinions, we’re going to adopt a blog carnival-type system, wherein you can answer any of the themes or topics on your own personal site, leaving a link back in the comments section so we can visit your entries! :)

We’re pretty excited by this facelift and we hope that you can join us as we embark on this new chapter in WifeSpeaks’ history. Of course, we’d like to thank all of the past and present loyal readers of WifeSpeaks who have made us a part of their weekly blog hops. Aside from our relationships with our husbands, our relationship with you is something that we truly cherish! Thanks :)

So, see you next week! :)

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.23.2009 :: Patalastas :: No Comments »

Dahil hindi ako nakalahok nung isang linggo, dalawang tema ang ilalathala ko ngayon. Mabuti na lang at meron akong saktong gusali at hardin na pwedeng-pwede kong ibahagi sa inyo.

Nope, wala po ako sa Europa. Itong gusaling ito ay ang Biltmore Home na matatagpuan sa Asheville, North Carolina. Biruin mo, may ganitong klaseng gusali sa liblib na pook ng North Carolina? :D

Hango ang disensyo sa isang 16th century French chateau, naitayo ito nung 1895 (matapos ang anim na taong konstruksyon) bilang tahanan ng pamilya Vanderbilt. Noong mga panahon na iyon, itong bahay na ito ay ang pinakamalaking architectural undertaking na nangyari sa kasaysayan ng residential architecture sa America. Unang-una, isang batalyon na craftsmen at workers ang gumawa nito. Nagtayo pa sila ng isang railway system sa loob ng estate para lamang ma-transport ang mga kagamitan. Mahigit apat na acres ang floor space ng bahay na ito, na may 34 na kwarto, 43 na banyo, at 65 fireplaces, at lahat ng furnishings ay sobrang ma-detalye at kamangha-mangha ang craftsmanship. Dagdag pa sa mga dahilan kung bakit espesyal ang bahay na ito ay dahil  ito lamang ang tahanan noong mga panahon na iyon na mayroong indoor plumbing. Meron din itong sariling elevator (na ginawa ni Otis specifically para sa bahay), at pati na rin washing machine! Bonus pa, meron din itong gym (na may sinaunang treadmill, haha!), indoor swimming pool, at bowling alley sa basement.

Sa ngayon, ang Biltmore Estate ay isa sa mga major pasyalan ng mga tao sa North Carolina. Sa loob ng Biltmore Estate ay may sarili silang ubasan at winery (gumagawa sila ng sarili nilang wines), hotel at inns (na pwedeng tulugan ng mga bisita), restaurants, barns (na kinaaaliwan ng mga bata), at tindahan kung saan makakabili ng mga gamit at pagkain para sa bahay. Ginamit rin itong set sa iba’t-ibang pelikula tulad ng Forrest Gump, Patch Adams, Last of the Mohicans, at Richie Rich. O di ba showbiz!

Pero ang isa sa dahilan kung bakit napaka-gandang pasyalan ng Biltmore Estate ay ang kanilang mayayabong na kagubatan, lawns, at hardin!

Ito ang lawn na nasa harap ng malaking bahay. Pagkatapos kong kuhanan ng litrato yung gusali sa taas, tumalikod lang ako at ito na ang tumambad sa akin. :)

At ito naman kami ni Ninna sa hardin. Tamang-tama at kasagsagan ng Spring noon kaya galit na galit sa pamumukadkad ang mga bulaklak. :)

Minsan ay bumalik naman kami ng taglagas (Autumn) kasama ang aking mommy. Heto naman ang kanyang picture-perfect na kuha sa hardin.

Kaya kung bibisitahin niyo ako dito sa Georgia, pwedeng-pwede ko kayong ipasyal dito sa Biltmore Estate dahil apat na oras na drive lamang iyon mula dito. Tara! :)

~~~

Ang anino ng pinaka-sikat na gusali sa New York DITO, ang aking isa pang LP entry.

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.22.2009 :: Litratong Pinoy :: 13 Comments »

This weekend, our community’s Dunwoody Preservation Trust (DPT) hosted Lemonade Days, its annual fund raising event. Held at Brook Run Park, they had a lot of activities for kids and ex-kids alike such as amusement park rides, inflatables, games, food vending and other individual and family activities, as well as, pony rides, face painting booths, and a petting zoo!

Of course, my daughter had the most fun!

For $15, we got the ride-all-you-can bracelet and, with Ninna and her penchant for rides, it was worth it and more!

Ninna and her friends, Ellys and Eizen, on the spinning teacups.

Flying high!

On a giant yellow bug.

On the big bear-slash-sun shade.

They rode this dragon roller coaster 3x in a row, haha!

Slowing it down on the carousel.

The Speedway ride looked deceptively easy, but really it’s pretty exciting. :)

This is the first time Ninna went on the giant slides by herself. She slid down eight times! :D

Her favorite attraction of all, the fun house! The maze inside was made up of glass and mirrors and, no matter how many times she got past the maze, she always gets lost, hehe!

Of course, what’s Lemonade Days without a gigantic tumbler of freshly squeezed lemonade. And Varsity dogs, too! :) Yum!

By the looks of it, it was a pretty successful event! I’m glad the proceeds are going towards the preservation of historic buildings in and around our Dunwoody community – some places are worth saving because, not only are they as valuable as diamond rings, more importantly they link us with our past and help us understand who we are. We had fun contributing to it. :)

~~~

More weekend snapshots HERE.

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.20.2009 :: WeekendSnapshots :: 1 Comment »

Here’s an obvious display of the concept of “rubbing it in”. :) Come to lola!

1. LDL, Triglyceride, and Blood Sugar Levels. These are terms that suddenly have a meaning to me.

2. Oldies But Goodies. When my niece or the kids of my friends refer to Eraserheads and Side A songs as classics.

3. Farewell, My Friends. Some people of my age-group, that I personally know, have passed on.

4. Godmother. Finding myself being asked to principally sponsor a wedding. Or two.

5. Auntie. Most younger people, upon first meeting, used to refer to me as “Ate”. Now, it has somehow evolved to “Tita”.

6. Money Matters I kind of know better now how difficult it is to earn it. :)

7. White hair. Literally.

8. I Worry. A lot.

9. Minivan vs. Convertible. Goodbye flash, hello practical.

10. Living a Balanced Life. I used to live life in extremes – an either-or situation, all or nothing. It took me my personal hydraulic floor jack – that is, my husband – to understand that having balance is the key to attaining simple, but true, joys.

Whew, long-winded. That’s proof of little ole me. :)

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.17.2009 :: Ten on Tuesday :: 2 Comments »

Another one from FB. Thanks, Nell, for tagging me with this one! This looks super fun. :)

You’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with the ABC’s of YOU. At the end, choose 26 people to be tagged. You have to tag me so really you just need 25 more people. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you – but not in a creepy stalker kind of way.

A – Age: 34

B – Bed size: Queen

C – Chore you hate: Folding clothes.

D – Dog’s name: Kuting :)

E – Essential start-your-day item: Blues Clues. (Pampagising ng alaga. :D)

F – Favorite color: Blue and pink.

G – Gold or Silver: Gold

H – Height: 5 feet

I – Instruments you play(ed): Piano, Guitar, Drums, and Tambourine.

J – Job title: Chief Operations Officer :D

K – Kid(s): Ninna

L – Living arrangements: TVJ style.

M – Mom’s name: Nitz

N- Nicknames: Mee

O – Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Nov 26 2003, CSection.

P – Pet Peeve: Txt speak/spelling.

Q – Quote from a movie: You had me at hello.

R – Right or left handed: Right handed.

S – Siblings: Yay, Ron, and Zel. In addition, Remy, Aileen, Alvin, Aiza, Alexis, and Alelli. :)

T – Time you wake up: 7:15am on weekdays. Weekends, not later than 9am.

U- Underwear: Clean ones. :)

V – Vegetable you dislike: Okra.

W – Ways you run late: Oversleeping is usually the major culprit, hehe!

X – X-rays you’ve had: Chest and Hips

Y – Yummy food you make: Sans Rival. Seafood Pasta Alfredo.

Z – Zoo favorite: Elephants, Tigers, and those huge Clydesdale Horses. (I can just imagine how much they spend for horse supplies!)

Next time won’t you play with me. :)

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.17.2009 :: MeMeMee :: 2 Comments »

We were at Tampa for spring break and, while there, we also took a side trip to neighboring St. Petersburg, FL. Of course, when in St. Pete’s, a visit to The Pier is always in order.

The inverted pyramid pier is one of the main landmarks at St. Pete. (Photo taken by Ninna).

As the centerpiece of St. Petersburg’s downtown waterfront, visitors can find 16 specialty shops, galleries and boutiques, four sit-down waterfront restaurants, the Dockside Eatery food court, The Pier Aquarium, as well as a variety of outdoor water and land adventures to enjoy.

Mahangin sa labas, hehe!

We came in the afternoon (because we spent a good portion of the day at the mall looking for equestrian apparel, hehe!) but, aside from the stores and aquarium closing at 6pm, we still enjoyed taking in the views and waiting for the sunset. :)

Ninna had a blast toying with the quiet birdies. :)

And we, particularly my hubby, also had a grand time photographing the HWS Bounty. Do you recognize it? It’s Captain Jack Sparrow’s ship in the Pirates of the Carribean. :)

As for me, I was always on hand just to make sure that my girl doesn’t jump off the 5th floor viewdeck, hehe!

After sightseeing, we had dinner at Cha Cha Coconuts, a tropical-themed seafood restaurant and bar at the 5th floor. More about that HERE at my other weekend snapshot. Nevertheless, the pier is a fun place to visit, there’s lots to do and lots to see. I’m sure we’ll be back soon. :)

~~~

More weekend snapshots HERE.

MrsWorkingGirl :: Apr.14.2009 :: WeekendSnapshots :: No Comments »