My **th Birthday

Next week, I'll be celebrating my **th birthday.  And to make this year's celebration different, I decided to spend it with the kids of Bethany Orphanage and my friends who are kids-at-heart. :)

My Christmas wishlist 2011

With only a few days before Christmas and a hectic schedule, I can't even draft my wishlist in just one go.  Everything seems to fly so fast that I haven't even digested all the events of this year yet.

What do I really want for 2012?  Some said it will be the end of the world by then.  If that will be so, I'll have to be more concrete, and maybe a little bit more ambitious and at the same time hopeful that this list will be achieved next year.

the 13M 68 Roces townhouse

Ambitious mode:

- a car for my business

- a QC townhouse, a few minutes from the office

- Holy Land tour

- more beach trips

- a shopping escapade with unlimited budget

Reality check:

- enrollment in advanced violin class

- a superior quality violin

- schedule adjustment to accommodate marketing classes on weekdays

- gym membership

- a new pair of trainers and workout outfit
- trip to Korea with my sister

Proenza Schouler PS1 medium, the "it" satchel

I'm a material girl

- 15" Cambridge satchel in red

- Proenza Schouler PS1 medium leather in blue or orange

- Sisterhood of the Traveling pants series books

- Forever21 Hello Kitty collection

- Ipad2 wifi + 3g

Angry birds cupcake from Gooeyfudge

Simple joys:

- Chocolate oatmeal cookies

- Christmas parties with Sagip kids

- Angry birds cupcakes

- cutesy stationeries

- a bookshelf

But still, there really is nothing more I want this Christmas than my family to be complete and celebrating it together over a sumptuous noche buena lovingly prepared.  I also look forward to spending the first Christmas with the new boy in my life. Weee! excited to hug my nephew and see him clad in a Christmas-y outfit. La vita e bella! :)

Benefit Bazaar

I always wanted to mount a bazaar. But I never thought my first will be for a cause.

Call for pledges banner

It is so overwhelming to hear the positive responses from the people I tapped for this activity. Everyone's enthusiastic to take part in this sale, as well as looking forward to the improvement of Baby Yzrael's health. 

It is once again proven that during tough times people get together to care for a friend, a brother or sister in the community, or a relative, even if they are in the midst of their own concerns too.  I once got a test message that says, 

"Love won't run out.  In moments when you feel like you have given and given until there is no more of yourself to give, remember that love won't run out. God has an infinite amount of love for you and for you to pass on to others.  Even at times when the well seems dry, God can send a flood.  Let the flood of love wash over you and drench everyone around you."

Indeed, the Lord has flooded this world with so much love.

And may God bless you more.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...dadada...

It really is sooo here.  And I mean, Christmas!

In the office, we started playing Christmas songs and in one department, I already saw a tree up.  Wow! 

So excited for this year's Yule, contrary to how I thought before (never mind my post last year).  

As early as Sept1, God has already given me a new cuddly, cute baby nephew Andrew as a gift.

I also have a few out-of-town trips and activities lined up (since I got a term delay in school--a blessing in disguise, actually).  I plan to focus more on GK Sagip activities.  And I am excited to return to the music school this second semester so I can play Christmas tunes with my Ivy (violin) again.

Bits of Beads Holiday 2010 collection.  Watch out for the 2011 collection. :)

Aside from those, I am excited to launch my new line of clothing (still thinking of a name) and Bits of Beads holiday collection this last quarter of the year.  I think it's best to launch products every Christmas season because people tend to be more impulsive with all the bonuses and cash gifts (hence, tag-yaman season).

Early this week, I already made my gift list (I really am so excited). I want to plan ahead this year (1) to avoid the Christmas rush, (2) so I can choose better gifts, and (3) to catch the pre-Holiday sale.

Perhaps this planning ahead thing is just one manifestation of my maturity (read: being 30).  I am just glad that Christmas knows no age, and just smelling the Holidays makes me nostalgic and transports me back to my childhood. :P

something new

September marks a new chapter in my life.

I'm so excited for the new baby in the family.  Another bundle of joy is expected  and I just can't wait! Last weekend, we shopped for baby things, so cute and everything in sky blue. 

Also this September, I'll be stepping in a new university as a student.  Enrolling for this course has been a long-time dream that finally materialized.  After two years in the music school, I guess it's now time for formal schooling.

One setback though is missing the Sagip kids every Saturday.  And no out-of-town trips for the meantime, but I think it will be worth the sacrifice.


With all the blessings I receive, the more I feel grateful that I know i should serve Him more.  Which, by the way, reminds me that September is also the start of SFC-Claret's Christian Life Program and 14th anniversary.

So happy that there are so many things to look forward to the last quarter of 2011.  I should say, 2011 is the Alta year.  This is our year. :)

The Project Green Mind

7 days
6 boxes of paper clips sorted
5 bookstores rummaged
4 malls explored
3 department stores searched
2 big bags filled
and 1 sweet diva


This is what I call so cheesy.


Anyway, here's the result of my Project Green Mind

my Project Green Mind collage. All Green, all Fresh! :)



Only for the number1 friend in the whole wide Green universe



Christmas is in the air -- random musings again

Call me the Grinch but really I loathe the Christmas rush. I get so stressed out walking around the mall trying to find the perfect gifts that are within my measly budget. Most of my friends know I’m a certified mall rat but in seasons like Christmas, the mall is the last place on earth I want to be. As early as November, I have my gift list but I always end up cramming. Last year, I promised myself I will not go on a last minute Christmas shopping. And obviously, I broke that promise this year. *sigh*

On a brighter side, I got my loved-ones really cute yet inexpensive gifts. I’m so proud of myself that I got everything on my list in only three days (or three trips to the mall/bazaar). I already started distributing gifts to my office friends, family, relatives and some godchildren.  But I have yet to get a dear friend a gift. Hmm… haven’t talked to him for a long time. Maybe the best gift I can give him, aside from the tangibles, is my sincere forgiveness and acceptance.

Since the start of December, I’ve been playing Christmas songs in the office to uplift our mood. In my playlist are the classics from the Carpenters and Mariah Carey. I recently downloaded Backstreet Boys’ Christmas Time and Wham’s Last Christmas, my cubemate Razie’s favourites. And just last week, I loaded my iPod with Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas albums The Christmas Attic, Beethoven’s Last Night and Christmas Eve and Other Stories. These are not your usual mainstream Christmas music, as the names imply. Among the songs, I love the Christmas Canon Rock based on Pachelbel’s Canon played back-to-back with rock version of O Holy Night. Someday, I’d love to be a part of a great orchestra playing rocking music like Trans Siberian’s.

In violin class, we started playing Christmas tunes since the opening of the semester. This year, we played Jolly Old Nicholas and Good King Wenceslas. And because we’re a cluster of three students, each of us got to play melody (violin A in A string), violin B (in D string) and violin C (in G string). Last year, we played Joy to the World and O Come All Ye Faithful in violin solo. In our Christmas party in Singles for Christ, I performed a rough violin solo of Silent Night. I’m so glad that my December is so filled with quality time with my darling Ivy.

Good thing about Christmas is reconnecting with friends. Recently, my long-time BFF Direk Beautiful PM’d me in Facebook his new mobile number. I’m so thrilled to finally be in touch with him. Last week, I had lunch with my old buddy Anabee at Buddy’s. She just came from a long vacation and so we did a lot of catching up with each other’s stories. Her sister just came from Holland and she gave me a Dutch couple ceramic keychain that is so cute I attached it to the clutch bag I always bring to lunch.
Wow, my December is really filled! I feel so blessed that even with my busy schedule, I still have time to pause and connect with the Lord, the real reason for this season. Merry Christmas everyone!