To The Mom and Dad Of My Birthday Husband

Dear Mommy Yolly and Daddy Jaime,

33 years ago today you had your third son and you gave him the most beautiful name - Jayson. He is the best gift you have ever given me. Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times for having him. Thank you for teaching him the word of God. Thank you for demanding goodness from him when he was still a child. Thank you for expecting great things from him and teaching him the importance of great work because you knew it will bless his future family someday. Thank you for not letting him give up or quit. I want you to know that he has so many of your great traits. He is honest. Boy, i remember that time, many years ago, i tried to convince him to create a little white-lie for me and your son gave me "that look". You raised him well. He can't lie. Sooooo bad at lying. He is like my conscience, my angel. He's got your gentleness, kindness and your resourcefulness. He is very pleasant. Everybody loves him. He has such a vibrant and optimistic personality. He has blessed my life generously and given me so much love, happiness and joy. He always make me laugh. I want you to know that he is a loving husband and a great  father. I thank you for your son, for the life your gave him, for raising him good. He is a grown man now. He isn't your baby boy anymore, well hasn't been for a few years now. It is my job now to take care of him. I get to feed him everyday, hug him, kiss him and sometimes pick out his clothes for him. And i love doing all of that. He is everything to me. He is me. I can't imagine my life without him. I don't care much if some people think that is silly, or unhealthy or crazy. I was made for him as he is for me.

And today I celebrate his wonderful life. Once again thank you for letting me take your son and make him mine to love forever. I love him so so much. 

Love, Denise 

Happy birthday Jayson. 

Lazy January

 

I am not gonna lie, I haven't made any effort to dress girly this year. Or even think about clothes. Well, at least for this month only. Please, until this month only. Seriously, January feels like the biggest and longest Monday of my life, like waking up to a Monday e v e r y d a y. Also, a very confusing time for me, fashion wise. Crazy-lazy-January I am having. But gotta admit I love my lazy January. I may be a lazy dresser but I still love my colors. And are we paying attention to this sunset? wow for this sunset! WOW! Thank you sunset, because you make everything look interesting.

top: from Eden
diy ripped shorts
diy bobby pin necklace
"James" flats: Shoe Etiquette
purse: target

Thrift Confessions # 2

Aren't animal-face shirts so cute? Okay, not all. When it comes to this trend I prefer the not so life-like print. I am talking about this and this. It's scary. The trick with wearing this print is to make them look cute. At least for me. If it's too real looking, like it's ready to pounce on you and eat you, it's as close as wearing a real fur, or carrying around a taxidermy animal. Seriously, not cute. It's just weird. So how cute is my tiger shirt then that I got from a thrift store? Look, It has a pink bow - sooooo cute right? Because in real life, no tiger in a pink bow will ever attack you. Well, I am the tiger in a pink bow with this ensemble. But I don't bite.

I got it last week. Actually it was a quick quick trip to the thrift store. I saw this, picked it up and paid for it right away, even though there's a lot of potential summer dresses lining up in front of me that night, I did not look back. Not once. How strong am I? It was always a great thrift purchase whenever I was in a hurry. I don't know why really. And also, a visit to thrift store with a barya budget always makes a good purchase. Functionality-wise.

So today, I did a little googling to see if I can find this shirt on-line and whaahlaah, I did. Found the exact shirt at SheInside. It's sold out. Sorry. Just how one-of-a-kind am I right now? woohoo! And it sells for 27$. Boooo! I got mine at 45 pesos (1$). Woohoo! Is this a great thrift or what?

Happy Monday!

top: thrift

skirt: target

heels: Zara

Full Skirt

I got this skirt from BU4, from Gizelle, and this salmon blouse from Aisa. It was a perfect pairing. Very comfy. 

I am not much of a skirt wearer  (maxi only) but lately since becoming acquainted with pants, I have come to see that skirts are a great investment piece too. And lately I am more inclined to favor that skirts and pants are more versatile than a one piece dress. They can create a whole other look. That being said, the feminine full skirt is a must have item for every girls closet for its versatility. It is classic, it is perfect for every season. To create a quick, no-brainer outfit, it looks great paired up with a plain tee and flats or sandals.  Though it is more known as daywear but you can create a spin on your outfit for a night out by pairing it up with some blouse and a sparkly or chunky heels. And for summer, you can give your full skirt a fresh look by wearing it with a light pastel t-shirt, tan sandals and a satchel.

And here's me taking a photo of my foot wearing my zara slingback heels my mom bought for me, and here is another photo of me, taking photo of my Dad making sure the straps are properly secure. I love my parents.

So take a closer look at my heels. It has black spikes covering the shoes and the thin straps around the ankles - which isn't seen in this picture, is a safe size of strap for my short legs. The thicker calves and shorter legs you have the thinner the strap should be. That way it won't cut off the length of your legs. So if you have chicken legs, bless you! You can wear the thickest ankle strap heels, it won't even eat your height.  

Last Weekend...(little thoughts here and there)

Last weekend, I realized that we Filipinos can't let go of Christmas that quick. I mean, look at this big cone Christmas tree!!!

Last weekend, i realized just how old we are as a parent to a two year old baby boy. I mean, those slide ladder is difficult to climb. And I am afraid of heights. Wish I was 24 when i became a mother. But then, I was still a baby when i was 24 up until my 30. 

Last weekend, Yllac and Jayson found some glorious goo and spit and booger or whateveryoucallit all over that playground. Gee, I am telling you, kids are  walking, cute, bacterias.

also last weekend I think I lost my appetite for accessories. I just poked at them and that's it. I am growing up. 

Last weekend was cold. Have I told you that?

Last weekend.... I kinda drank a big bottle of Royal Tru- Orange. And it's not even a real orange.

Last weekend I let Yllac sip (and when I say sip, I meant sip everything from his sippy cup) this Royal tru-orange and he got a bad tonsils for it.

Last weekend I badly wanted a snow. I haven't seen one, haven't touched one. I want a snow. A 3rd-world girl can dream.

Last weekend was good for me. It gave me peace and confidence i really need. Seeing people I've known all my life was therapeutic. These last few weeks was hazy and blurry but lately it's all coming clear finally.

Last weekend we ate taco chips and salsa in bed. We're covered in crumbles and the sheet is a mess but we're feeling blessed. We're cozy and we are blessed.

What Matters Most...

 

Mother, O' Mother, come shake out your cloth,

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth.

Hang out the washing, make up the bed,

Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due,

Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek - peekaboo.

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew,

And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo.

But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?

Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,

But children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

~ Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Yellow Polka-dot Scarf

... if you're from Canada, I understand if you roll your eyes at me but, cold season is here! Cold season is here! Cold season is here! (sorry for screaming) I am not talking about the flu here I swear. Okay, maybe a little of that too, because I just came out from one this week. But all is well now and I hope you can feel the cooler breeze from where you are, because it's been super cool here in Bataan too for the last couple of days. And I am in my best behavior. Yey! The cold has landed in our frying country. Finally. So I am welcoming this nice weather by wearing my favorite scarf I bought from People Are People months ago with my thrifted cozy sweater. I heard it's been freezing in Tagaytay. Well, how about Baguio then? I am almost afraid to go and visit any of the two for ill just freeze to death. I am pretty sure Ill whine about the cold as much as i whine about the heat. No surprise, Whiner here! But they say the cold will stay here until the second week of February. I hope that is true. 

So, how are you enjoying the weather right now? I hope you're having a great time dressing up and enjoying a delicious cup of coco. Happy weekend everyone. 

sweater and pants: thrift
scarf: People Are People
shoes: Shoe Etiquette

DIY Cool Party Idea - Hand Painted Paper Cups

I made this today. Yay! 

Don't you hate it whenever you lose your cup in a party,

Thrift Confessions #1

Hi Everyone!

This year I am going to do a little fun project here on the blog called Thrift Confessions. The point of this project for me to keep track on how i spend my thrift money wisely, and for me to be honest and more conscious of all my purchases whether it's from sale, a discount,  second-hand items or from thrift stores and I am gonna document them all on the blog. Because at this point in my life, I cannot afford to buy stupid stuff anymore. I have to think twice or trice or a hundred times before any purchase especially on things with a cheap price tag. Now, my main problem with cheap items is that they don't let me think at all before the purchase. Cheap brings out the dumb in me. Like, duh! And then I go home to a lot of cheap stuff I don't really need. And we all know that if we do the math, cheap stuff + cheap stuff + 50 more cheap stuff is a lot of money. A lot! I know, the joke is on me. Thank God, I am now beginning to understand that less is more. 

  

In order for the purchase to be labeled as not-stupid-stuff, it should be something i really need, something I will really wear, and something I will really read.

So last week, we dropped by our favorite discount/second-hand book store. Early this month they even lowered their price to 29 pesos for these books. Some are even lower, like 10 pesos for the Harlequin/Silhouette Desire. (calling all 50 Shades freaks...) But there are more interesting books on the 29php. (duh) I was close to getting 20 books last week but since I am a new person now, (duh) with more consciousness and all ( cccc",) ) I painfully narrowed my picks to only 6 books that I will finish this month. And here's why...

Question???

...this was me today. So how's your Monday?

How do you muster up the physical and mental energy needed to do the things that will make you happier? Especially when you are feeling blue? Because, you know, energy is very important to happiness right? One can't be happy just dragging around and lying on bed doing nothing right?

Well, if you ask me.....??...

....lifting my own spirit is a LOT of work. Especially on days that I don't have enough sleep. I just wanna plunk down in front of the TV and dig into a tub of ice cream. I know, that's the easiest fix, to let myself go. But it's not healthy and that's a bad habit and that's not setting a good example for my son. Yup! I am a role model now. c",) ( I am saying that to myself every faaareeekiiing day) So this is where the real work comes in for my happy pill to kick in. These are the tricks (doing one or two of these works like a miracle) that really work for me:

1. Go outside into the sunlight and walk and sweat it out. I don't know why this work but it gives me a lighter feeling after five to ten minutes. My feet and arms feels lighter.
2. Fake the energy. Yup! Fake it till you make it. I trick myself into feeling energetic by moving quickly. Of course this won't work without the help of a cup of coffee. Coffee = Energy = Do dumb things faster.
3. I concert by my own. It's very important to sing loud too. Life Is a Highway and Count On Me are my top best performances ever.
4. Phone a friend. Talking to a super perky friend about some of the stupid things we did in the past always makes me feel good about myself now. Remembering bits and pieces from ten years ago, those happy memories...oh, it's impossible to stay blue after remembering that day when we bought ourselves some lucky rings so our parents won't get mad at us for breaking our curfew. Well, the rings did not work. Surprise! The rings were defective I guess. Can't return them though.  
5. Clean up. I am not sure why tidying makes such a huge difference, but when I feel like I can't face the day (because I am covered with old magazines) I tidy up my tables and closet and I perk right up. 

I once saw a phrase something like this - burn energy to create energy. And I guess that is so right. When I'm at my most sluggish and gloomy, I try to kick myself into gear by running around the house, singing out loud and talking to yllac in a more animated way, or doing a quick tidy-up of our house. Sometimes I need to do a big task but I just don't have the power to do it. So I don't do it, but I can always do something small for a start and next thing I know the big task was already accomplished. Whaalaah! Sometimes I do surprise myself.  

How about you? In order to perform happily, how do you energize yourself? Any tips or tricks you wanna share with us?  

Grow Old Baby Turtles...

A week ago, me, Jayson and Yllac released a hundred baby turtles to the ocean. It was an awesome experience to see how much Yllac easily grasp and understood the whole idea and process of  releasing these beautiful creatures back to the sea. When he saw the turtle guy picked one and put it on the sand, he right away picked one too and threw it on the sand. ouch! I know, he's still learning gentle and careful and all that stuff. He enjoyed it so much and even followed them to the water. So cute. My baby and the turtles. But I can pretty much say, based from all of our past experience with Yllac and other animals, he sure is very natural with them. He isn't scared of them. In fact he's fascinated by them. And it's a relief for me to know that because I know Yllac is gonna grow up kind. A person who's kind to animals is a person with a good heart. So as a Mom, it gives me so much pride to see my two year old baby boy showing so much interest in animals. I can die now. Not really.

It was also one of the most blissful moments of my life as a human being, doing my good share in this world until the turtle guy said the most downer (but a FACT) thing ever: that out of the hundred turtles we released, only one, or two, or three the most will survive and live. And ever since that day those turtles made it on the top five of my prayer list. And I will continue to pray for them to live, to grow older than all of us.  

I mean, let's give these turtles a chance to live and multiply. You and your friends and families can learn and support The Grand Pawikan Fest too. You can learn all about it here. 

seriously, I swear in the lives of these turtles, this is not a sponsored post. c",) Our family just happen to like these oh-so-cute turtles. c",)

Have a great day!

My Circle...

taking a photo of us three means photos like these. But it's fun thinking i have super long stretchy arms to take a shot. 

I believe that a person's life is composed of circles. Many circles. First, there is the circle of the entire world, which a person keeps in contact with through facebook, blogs, twitter, reading the papers, and watching the news. Or not. And sometimes the "world" can be pretty depressing huge place, so we pick a place to settle down. And then if that person is like me and chooses to stay in the same town that I grew up in all my entire life, there is that town. And if your town is like my town, honestly it may not be that much. Then comes the person's circle of acquaintances. The friends of friends, neighbors, coworkers, that little town coffee house who overcharges like caaraayzee but makes the best iced latte in town. Or that manong who sells fishballs with the best fishballs sauce in town. Doesn't every town have one of those guys? And then comes a very small circle: the circle of a person's dearest friends and families. (I love you Mom and Dad and college friends!)....Now you may have noticed something. The circles I've been describing have been decreasing in size while at the same time increasing in great importance. Now, we've come to the smallest of all circles. If a person is extremely lucky, if he/she is the luckiest person in the whole world, he/she finds a person to share his/her life with, and that is what exactly what I did more than four years ago. I have found and married my perfect circle partner. And we've added a little boy to our small circle for extra fun, adventure and love. Sometimes, I feel that being married makes your world a bit smaller. And it is true. But now I understand what it feels like to be extremely lucky. (I know, I already said that before.) Now I understand what it feels like to be the luckiest girl in the world, (I know, I already said that before), now I understand what it means for a woman to find the perfect man to share her life with, to form that smallest, tiniest circle for two, or three. Or four someday.  Finding your soul mate feels like finding someone exactly like you. With Jayson, he likes the things I like and he's exactly like me. Only a little muscular I guess. But if he isn't just like me, id love him anyway because I did even before I knew, even before I said those three little words...

I love him. 

I knew him, he knew me. Whatever else happens, Ill never know another person like that. Never again. God knows, never again.

Snapshots...

"Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind."

 ~Henry James

Good morning everyone. Have a great day. Be kind.

love,

us three