the canDIshhh tales

I am a diaper snob. There, I said it.  I have certain brands that I like - well, actually - I have only 4 brands that I like.  EQ, Mamy Poko, Goon and Huggies.  All the rest, I honestly don't bother with them anymore.  Why?  Well, I've tried them and they're not hiyang with my kids.  I've not bought diapers for years, so when I gave birth - first things first, choose a diaper brand that you will *want and wish* to be hiyang with the baby.  I started with EQ for Shobe and so far so good!  I was happy because out of the 4 brands, EQ was the most *economical* of them.   Honestly no matter the status in life - what we want is to get the most of our purchases, and personally - I felt that we had just that with EQ. After the new year, I received a care package - when I opened it, it contained two packs of Playful Diapers and wipes (this is for another post).  I honestly have NOT heard nor seen the brand around at supermarket...

I have seen Baby Foot on my friend's IG feeds.  They look really really really interesting.  Well, especially for me - I have my usual foot spa and pedi every two weeks.  The reason why I have it is because one, I'm lazy to cut my own toe nails (sorry, TMI!) and two, my heels are always so dry that it needs to get filed and scrubbed. Late last year, when a friend organized a private sale, I finally jumped and bought myself a Baby Foot pack.  I kept it on my table and looked at it every singe day since buying it.  Kailee was already wondering why I haven't opened the pack.  The real reason was - FEAR .  Yes, looking at the images on the pretty box, well - it looked painful, the peeling I mean.  I guess I've experienced over scrubbing/filing of my heels in the past that my heels felt raw whenever I walked.  I asked friends repeatedly, already bordering to being overly kulit if the process was painful, they answered me with a resoundi...

Friends and food.  That's what happened two days ago when we tried Paradise Dynasty .  I was with mommy bloggers (turned real life friends) and we had such a wonderful time together eating and laughing.  It was as if we planned it as a day off (together), because that two hour break felt like it was a day off.  We laughed, ate a lot of #XiaoLongBao, tried new dishes and enjoyed one another's company. Special thanks to Marj for arranging this - I can't thank you enough because I really enjoyed the taste test with friends. Okay, so Paradise Dynasty.  I honestly knew about this restaurant when I went to Singapore early this year.  It was recommended by a friend, but we never got to try it there.  I was very happy to learn that they've opened a branch here in Manila!  Paradise Dynasty is located at the 2nd level of S Maison, the mall connected with the Conrad Hotel.  We were greeted by warm smiles and led to the main dining area - it had ...

In a few days, this blog - is turning 10 years old! Yes, you read that right - 10 years! I made my first post on November 26, 2005.  And to signify this milestone - I am doing a giveaway hosted by the my favorite brands and establishments. I am grateful and honored to have stayed in the industry this long.  Who would have thought right?  I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would still be writing and blogging 10 years in.  It's such a feat in my books. Along the way, I have met so many people from different walks of life.  Most of whom I've remained in contact with.  Some, I've become really good friends with.  I've met people through this blog that have helped me survived one way or another.  They lent a helping hand without strings attached.  And I appreciate each and every one of them.  Let's not forget the bad - they were not all bad, but there are a handful of bad.  But I think this blogging experience woul...

I have a confession - I never learned how to download movies and music.  That whole Napster thing?  It's just something I heard friends do. I have abled bodies who do it for me.  I don't think I will ever learn not will ever want to learn.  I've never owned an iPod nor an mp3 player.  The songs I listen to are based on who I am with.  I appreciate all sorts of genres except for classical. I remember when I was young, that cassette tapes were the fad.  I remember buying my first cassette tape - and that was of Regine Velasquez's album.  My fascination and appreciation of music I think stemmed from listening the the Mellow Touch radio station every afternoon before turning in for a nap.  I would wake up hearing the jingle.  Remember the mixed tape?  Well yeah so I'm sure - you remember the Walkman?  If you don't and you need to Google it, that mean you are much much younger than I am.  But if you are familiar with i...

Aaaaand the saga continues.... I have said it before, but I will say it again. Can't live with them, can't live without them. I have long wanted to replace this sort of all around helper of mine.  I say sort of because technically, she just cleans and cooks.  When you say all around, it means - she does everything from cleaning to cooking, to laundry.  But the laundry part, I know for a fact will take a LOT of their time, so I take it out of their responsibilities.  With just cleaning and cooking - they have more than enough time to rest and do the necessary things. I am not strict when it comes to household chores.  I just have a few NON-NEGOTIABLES such as cleaning all the used bathrooms everyday, as well as the dining area, kitchens, and bedroom.  All the rest the helpers can clean anytime *once* within the week.  I created a schedule for them, but I find that they don't follow it at all.  So I trust them enough to just do the important...

Image grabbed from this site Everyone has them.  In our country, we have an extended family.  So mere friends of our parents, we call them  or refer to them as aunt and uncles.  There doesn't need to a blood relation for us to call them aunt, auntie, uncle, tita or tito. When I was young, I was taught to regard elders with Uncle and Auntie, Tito or Tita, Ahia, Kuya, Ate, Achi.  It was instilled in us that no matter the age - as long as they belong in the same generation - well, we need to call them such. My mom has cousins that are just a few years older than us.  Heck, she has cousins that were only months older than us!  Yet, we call them - Uncle - because they belong to the same generation of my mom.  We were taught to regard them as such and since I was taught that, I practice that.  I grew up with family members saying Achi this Ate this Ahia that Kuya that.  Uncle this Tito this, Auntie that Tita that - I was very familiar...

Oh my gulay, normally I don't want these kinds of shows.  I am not fond of watching military drama because I feel it's too painful to watch.  These soldiers sacrifice a LOT and to be shown in that light?  My heart bleeds for them but I know that they're honored in that way. But a few years ago, I remember watching The Last Resort and liking it.  I was so sad to see it get cancelled.  I really loved the lead - Scott Speedman or *Ben* as I always call him (because he was from Felicity - JJ Abram's show) - the show had perfect pace and it was really entertaining.  I honestly loved it.  But then it got cancelled.  Boo.  Since my Panget knew I enjoyed Last Resort, he then tells me that there's a new show that I might like and it's called The Last Ship - the theme was similar to Last Resort - but I didn't care, so I saw the Pilot and I was glued.  McSteamy was the lead and he looked very different - he didn't seem like a douche (like...

I wrote this on my FB page: I felt that what they were trying to do was half baked.  At first, she submitted a *fake* draft speech.  Why even do that?  It's shows that she didn't have good faith when she submitted it, it's even misleading.  Then when speech time came, she veers to another direction. The school the stops her.  She then goes on TV and says that there was nothing wrong with what she did and that she exercised her FREEDOM OF SPEECH.  My dearest lady, if you are ballsy enough to say on TV that what you did is an act of Freedom of Speech - then be an ADULT and accept the consequences of your actions.  It takes one thing to deliver that ballsy speech and another to accept the consequences like an adult. Children make mistakes - but then if these mistakes are found by the parents as correct, automatically the child will assume it's correct!  Parents should be able to guide us to the right path.  Parents are more mature, have...

I'm proud to say that this doesn't happen often.  Hahaha!   Ang yabang ko , but seriously - I think this has happened very few times.  But then, ever since what happened - there are moments that I pause or space out.  The most recent brain freeze story is when we travelled last week. Image grabbed from THIS page I don't like doing things the last minute.  I usually prepare at least more than a week ahead, more often that not - I prepare 2 weeks before a trip.  This gives me more than enough time to anticipate whatever it is that I missed or forgot, a game plan sort of.  But for this trip - I planned it just a few days ahead.  I kept postponing the planning, thinking it was still far away.  I can't fully explain why - but I guess my mind and heart were somewhere else.  There were far more things that I was worried about and needed my attention more.  I thought to myself that I can probably wing it.  Hahaha!  It ho...

I think I am going through one. Photo grabbed from this site - Takabisha First, I'd like to cry.  But no matter how I try, the tears just don't want to come out.  My friend M suggested that I watch a tearjerker - I would like to watch, but right now - I don't feel like it.  When I read comments and well wishes of friends, I get teary eyed - but that's about it. I think I need to cry .  I know I need to cry.  Crying is my form of release and I feel that when I cry - it somehow helps with the closure.  I'm very emotional and so crying is quite easy for me, but this time - I find it really hard.  I need help to cry. WARNING:  Another *emo* post ahead

Today we experienced Kailee's first suspension of classes because of the weather. Thing was - she was already in school. I received a Viber message on the suspension - so I called him. Good thing, my Panget brings her to school and waits for teachers and some classmates of her to arrive before leaving her.  He was told that the school decided to suspend classes.  He then decided to just bring Kailee to the office instead of bringing her home. Good thinking - Panget! When I was younger, I would eagerly await the suspension of classes on AM radio.  (In today's time - there's Facebook and Viber groups!)  I loved it when there was no school!  It was a reprieve for a day!!  But now that I am a parent, all I can think of is * sayang tuition! *  Hahaha..  How ironic huh?  But I think at Kailee's age - she's still unaware.  She's enjoying school very much and is eager to wake up and dress up for school everyday.  I'm sure that in ...

It's empty. That's what the doctor said. I didn't know what I was supposed to feel. Image grabbed from this website **Warning - EMO post ahead** ( I am thanking you in advance for reading!! )

I used to secretly laugh at people who chat endlessly during my younger years.  I have to admit, I never had the chance to chat (we didn't have internet then)- thus, in school certain groups would talk about their chats and being in a chat room the night before and being kicked out by the mods - I secretly laughed at them and think - don't they have a life?  It was that time that the IRC chatrooms boomed, internet was still dial-up, ICQ was a big hit and well, friends were all hidden under a *nick* This is what an IRC chatroom looked like.. I guess I wasn't interested. Fast forward to now. I write.  I blog.   And in this blog, I have shared my thoughts on whatever things.  I have written about my Panget, my feelings, my kids, my addiction to ballpens, my sorrows, my thoughts on things.  I have shared part of who I am in this blog.  I've read my fair share of blogs too!  I have stalked blogs and secretly loved their ...