lights, camera, action!

As the scheduled date of our move-in to our new home draws near, Francis and I get more and more excited. The fruit of all the stress and hard work will soon be "unveiled", so to speak. By stress, I mean this:

I recommend clicking the image above for a bigger picture
and a better idea of what we went through. Hahaha!

These are the many, dizzying choices we had to put up with while searching for the perfect drop light for our dining area--and that's just the dining area. Why that much effort for that particular nook? Because that's the first area that will greet us as we enter our new home, and we want a piece de resistance that will greet us as we come home from a stressful day. And so the weeks-long search ended when we saw this at Alton Lights in Ortigas Home Depot the second time we went.


Francis and I were so, so happy and elated to have finally found the perfect lighting fixture that's a cross between modern (something to offset the woodsy feel of our Baguio-meets-Zen home) and ethereal (the intricate details still has me mesmerized! The design kind of reminds me of the Tree of Gondor in LOTR, haha!). What sealed the deal was the very affordable price: we got it for less than P3,500, as it came with a 10 percent discount! The moment I set my eyes on this, I knew I was in love and would not have been convinced otherwise.

As for the other lighting fixtures, this one from Wilcon-Quirino goes to our kitchen...


...and this one from Bell's Lighting in MC Home Depot is for our living room.


We were also able to purchase two more for our bedroom and the (future) kid's room, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to take photos of them.

Most of these lights will be white, with the exception of the "Tree of Gondor" drop light, which will be warm white. But of course, we didn't fail to consider having warm, mood lighting in the form of LED (more eco-friendly than CFLs!) pin lights. As for the bathroom, our architect advised us to just go for two medium-sized down lights that will be installed on opposite sides of the area (one on the left and the other on the right).

We were originally planning to have one or two organic-looking lighting pieces, but we opted for those that have a modern feel for fear of being horribly redundant. With browns, woods, twigs and a hint of indigenous items that will be used as accents, we don't want our home looking like an old Baguio cabin resthouse.

Francis and I really can't contain our excitement, especially when we saw the progress of our unit improvement! We hope that the next time we pay a visit a few days from now, our lovely lights will have already been installed. Yaaay!

P.S.
Yes, there will be more home updates in future posts, so please bear with me!

because DMB says "you and me together, we can do anything"

We can always look back at what we did
All these memories of you and me baby
But right now it's you and me forever girl
And you know we could do better than anything that we did
You know that you and me, we could do anything
-- Dave Matthews, "You and Me"

The new year found us "updating" our couple song (yes, we still buy into that). The original, which we will still cherish of course, is Lisa Angelie's The First Time I Loved Forever (from The Beauty and the Beast TV series). We fell in love with the lyrics, which is the same thing that happened with Dave Matthews' You and Me. Here's the vid.



Francis found the song beautiful, and so he told me about it one night and I immediately fell in love. And because we do want to create lots and lots of fun and magical memories as Mr. and Mrs., as the lyrics say, we have created our first-ever bucket list. Here, I share the 2011 Bucket List of Mr. and Mrs. Funa, in no particular order:

1. Travel out of the country - maybe Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia or Thailand--I don't mind wherever because it will be my first time, so yay!
2. Go back to Baguio with my Mom - I promised her this last year. Now we need to make sure we stick to that promise.
3. Have gigs again - because WE MISS IT.
4. Eat one foreign dish a month - we love to eat, though my frame will tell you otherwise.
5. Observe quiet time daily - with all the blessings that the Lord has showered us, it's just but right to have a daily communion with Him. And of course, reading His word together strengthens our relationship with each other and with Him.
6. "Re-launch" Our Yellow Room - which is our small business (we sell home decor items). We had to halt "operations" after I had my, um, operation.
7. Have photo taken with a known politician - just for kicks.
8. Check-in overnight at a five-star hotel - again, just for kicks.
9. Get really wasted at home - just the two of us, because we never really drink alcohol.
10.Watch a play.
11. Buy a bike and bike regularly - I'd rather this than jog because I'm lazy that way.
12. Ride the Pasig River ferry.
13. Ride the PNR train - maybe we can also pretend to be in a period movie while chugging along the old, old railroad?
14. Go to Mt. Pinatubo - the adventure seems really cool!
15. Sit-in in a UP class - we hope our prof friend allows us to do this.
16. Watch a John Lloyd movie - simply because we rarely, if at all, see Pinoy films; much more Pinoy mushy films. Again, this is just for kicks.
17. Observe the vow of silence one Saturday - with a Php5 per word penalty fee, the sum of which will be spent for merienda.
18. Attend a well-known festival - we tried Panagbenga but failed; maybe we'll be more fortunate with another festival.

Let's see which ones get ticked and which ones get carried over to next year. Of course, we hope to cross out all 18 items, and we'll do our best to make that happen.

So what's in your bucket list?

2011, i am so ready for you!

I believe I am going to be this happy this year...

For some weird reason, I can really feel that this year is going to be great and full of blessings. You know how it feels when you're so sure that something is going to happen? That's how I feel. It's not just me thinking positively--I feel it in my gut.

Maybe it's because I was able to find fulfillment in most of the goals (if you can call them that) I've set for myself the earlier part of last year. I've been successful in becoming less of a worrywart; I was able to make things happen, and let go of those that I have no control of; I complained less and became more grateful for all the blessings--even the trials--that came my way; and I have learned to trust the Lord more and cast every care I have upon Him. Being able to realize these goals made me more courageous to face this new year. I just need to work on really working for Him, and so this year, Francis and I pray that we be instruments for His glory.

Though I've ticked most items in that list, I still have to work on a few: writing more (what with the additional notebooks I got this Christmas) and taking more photos (I must work on my photo website, which my husband is helping me with). In addition, I have resolved to be more driven this year in everything and anything I do. I am going to do my best in everything I put my heart and mind to. I am going to make more things happen. (Oh, and I shall also devour more books!)

I know this is the year that I'm going to soar high. So 2011, bring it on! I am ready for all the wonderful and magical things you have in store for me.

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not. -- Jeremiah 33:3