praise God for 14 years!

Today, Francis and I are celebrating out 14th anniversary (not to be confused with our wedding anniversary, which will happen a few months from now)! Thank You, Lord! 

Since today is a weekday, we decided to celebrate it a day in advance yesterday. And for a change in scenery, we scuffled over to Eastwood (because TriNoma and The Block can be so boring already, haha!)

First stop was late lunch at Zao Vietnamese Bistro. 

From top: Zao's interiors all decked out for the holidays; their shaking beef, chicken satay and stir fry veggies in oyster sauce

My very handsome date!

This is me as a bubble head. Haha!

 The food's just okay, and the ambiance as well. Unfortunately, this overbearing family seated next to our table ruined our otherwise peaceful lunch date. The dad kept on fussing over his teenage daughter, and he was incessantly yapping about mundane things. It's like we're listening to a commentary about his generation's favorite music and how his daughter's food choice is good, etc. Francis and I were wishing he'd just shut up, but he didn't. So as soon as we were done with our fare, we immediately asked for the bill and scrammed out of the restaurant. 

Anyway, moving on: the afternoon was filled with binging. Hahaha! A couple of minutes after lunch, we moved on to dessert at MoMo. 

   

 

 
We stuffed ourselves until we can no longer bear thinking of what to eat for dinner (we ended up in McDonald's, anyway). And, I must commend myself for not buying a single thing, considering the mall was bursting with good buys from an ongoing bazaar. Must save up for that Singapore trip, lah!

The faux winter wonderland setup in Eastwood

Sorry, I could not help but pose for a photo. Haha!

It has been a wonderful celebration. We really praise the Lord for giving us 14 blessed years together, and we're sure there'll be more years to come!!!

exciting months ahead!

I got to go behind the camera again this weekend, after months of hiatus!

A good friend is launching his sugary products in time for the holidays, and I was asked to shoot the goodies! Here's a sample.

Sugar (and) Spice, and everything nice for Christmas!

Will post more details about Sugar Spice soon, but in the meantime, let me rave about another thing: an SG trip next month!

Francis and I will be spending Christmas day in Singapore! I am super stoked! It's my first time to spend Christmas away from home (and I'm being all sentimental about it, but it's not like I'm gonna pass up the opportunity, haha!). I've been busy planning the trip, but I must finish this story I'm assigned to first (it's a cover story for Good Housekeeping Jan/Feb 2013 issue!), so I can have undivided attention to our holiday tryst.

And so with that, I must first write, write, write, so I can then plan, plan, plan!

(Sorry for the very random post. I'm just too excited not to share these blessings. Haha!)

that sneaky little monster

It reared its ugly head once again, just when I thought I'm already free from it. 

I thought I can finally be happy whenever someone I know becomes pregnant. Sure, I still feel a tinge of envy, but at least I know it's already under control. I've already managed to feel happy for others.

Or so I thought. 

Until a good couple friend announced that they're expecting, after years of waiting for that bundle of joy. Suddenly, when Francis told me the news, those feelings I so detest and hate came rushing back with a vengeance. It was all so sudden, so sneaky, so raw. I was left powerless again, and soon enough, I was sobbing, sobbing, sobbing. Once again, I feel sorry for myself, I feel so selfish; I blame how and ask why my body would betray me like that, why it would deprive me of that kind of joy and suspend that celebration of life, even though I know hope isn't really lost. Once again, I question when; I feel this hatred towards the wait that seems to go on and on and on. It's tiring to wait, really.

It's like I never really healed, and that I was only led to believe that I already got over this.

the halloween that was

As has become the tradition every Halloween ever since my dear mom-in-law passed away three years ago, Francis and I went to visit her grave in Holy Cross Memorial Cemetery, just a stone's throw away from where my in laws reside. And as is usual, we visited late in the afternoon together with my sister in law, Tita Neneng and Tita Pearl, who was accompanied by Francis' cute little cousin, Cid (how he's grown from that chubby tot who was our ring bearer!). 

Since some relatives are also in the area, they dropped by and a mini-reunion took place. I especially found the kids crazily fun to hang out with. They were teasing each other like there's no tomorrow, and us adults had no part but just to supply the laughter to their hilarious antics.  

Francis bullying his sister to giving him a back massage

Caught on camera: in between snacking on cheese-filled sandwich

The riot that was brought to us by these funny kiddos

Even us adults had fun with these colorfully lit toys!

Going to the cemetery has always been what Halloween meant to me. I'm never one to attend Halloween parties. I find dressing up in costumes too frivolous for me. I'd rather visit loved ones who have found rest, as morbid as that may sound. Plus, cemeteries during that time of the year isn't really boring, what with all the food stands scattered about, light-up toys that the kids go gaga for, and people of all ages milling and mingling about, saying hello to their departed loved ones and having a reunion with those still living. It's not so bad, really.  

 

In other news, it looks like the new year has something new and exciting in store for me. I just hope and pray that things go according to plan, and that I finally snag this deal. Heck, I have waited for this for, like, years!