BOO! :)

planning for daddy k’s birthday

This is my official entry to Bebengisms’ Wooden Kiddie Stools Giveaway!

our family loves celebrating anything and everything, so birthdays are a big deal to us (and stress to the planner – me! heeehee). 🙂

this year, daddy k would like a more meaningful celebration and has asked me to find a partner organization who can help us organize a party with orphans/street kids.

i initially contacted patricia bermudez-hizon and her everyday is your birthday foundation.

from their facebook page (it is not updated, last entry is dec 2012):

The EVERYDAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY FOUNDATION helps people share their blessings with the less fortunate. We help develop programs and events for those who want to reach out to orphans, street kids, homes for the elderly, sick children, etc.

We have also been behind numerous relief operations around the country for many years and have gotten involved in sports programs for streetkids through the High Five Hope Foundation in several key cities. 

We really just want to do what we can to help. What about you? Come share your blessings!

we had an exchange of emails, and she eventually referred me to pastor rachel sanchez, directress at the jesus loves the little children foundation, inc. they have a school where they educate and sponsor preparatory to grade 6 students – riversprings school, and is licensed by the department of education.

a visit to the school is scheduled this weekend so we can see the actual venue of the party, assess the number of kids and expected guests, discuss the final schedule of the party, etc.

meanwhile, there are a lot of things still pending in our checklist!

VENUE – check!
DECORS – balloons? buntings? do we have a theme?? (will see how the venue looks like first)
MUSIC/SOUND SYSTEM – ??
TABLES AND CHAIRS – ??
FOOD AND DRINKS- jollibee?
ENTERTAINMENT – jollibee? 🙂
HOST – daddy K? heehee
FOOD CARTS – check!
ACTIVITIES FOR THE KIDS – games
PRIZES – useful stuff (not just candy)
GIVEAWAYS/LOOT BAGS – books, notebooks, pens, toiletries (soap, toothpaste and toothbrush, face towel/small towel) and maybe i will bake cupcakes??
CAKE – yours truly 🙂

did i forget anything else?? 🙂

meanwhile, i saw mommy denise of bebengisms post on the 4th year anniversary of wooden kiddie stools and a lot more where they are sharing their blessings and giving away, as top prize, 30 PIECES OF WOODEN BASKETS customized according to your party theme.

isn’t that just great?? those wooden baskets would make great giveaways to the kids! here are some samples from their facebook page:

so here i am, writing this post as my entry to that generous giveaway (crossing my fingers, hope we win)!!!

now, i need a theme. minions, anyone??? 🙂

i can make our minion cake and cupcakes, and cake pops!

yay! i’m super excited! hope this party will go well as planned. 🙂

foodie post: madeca

a few weeks ago, we finally got to try madeca, a fil-mex resto on the 5th floor (cinema level) of podium mall.

their bestsellers were sisig-based: sisig nachos, sisig burritos. daddy k and i had a burrito each, plus a chili con carne burger. 🙂 i like that they serve their ice teas in mason jars. and mojitos too! we were super full, as in!

  

happy tummies! 🙂

and guess what, we were there last night too! 🙂

we had this banana fritter for dessert (i can make this at home heehee).

and ordered the chicken chicharon too. talk about heart stopping! we will be back! 😀

took photos of their menu:

 

we stopped by toy living well (spell SALE! i bought christmas and halloween-themes cupcake liners) and toy kingdom where daddy k bought yet another pocoyo toy for the little one. 🙂

madeca
5th floor, the podium mall
adb avenue, ortigas center
pasig city

ashh kwiiiimmm!

me: daddy k, please don’t give her ice cream

daddy k: OK.

scene 1: i was working late that night and they went ahead to eat out. i saw these in pictures na lang, naubos na nila yang ice cream na yan pagdating ko. 

 

me: daddy!!!
daddy k: bakitttt??? 
me: wag mo pakainin lagi ng ice cream!
daddy k: mommy, maawa ka naman sa anak mo. di naman araw-araw yan e.

scene 2: dinner at amici megamall
daddy k: mommy, gusto nya ng ice cream.
miss k (heard the words ice cream): ashh kwiiiimmm please. mama ashh kwiiiimmm please. daddy daddy ashh kwiiiimmm please.
daddy k: halika anak, pili tayo ng ice cream.

 

alam na kung sino ang bad cop! 😀

our crosswinds resorts suites tagaytay staycation

we finally got to use the voucher i won from topaz mommy’s giveaway! 🙂

taken from their website: Crosswinds is a haven south of Manila inspired by the architecture of Switzerland. Rows of picturesque chalets sit serenely on a lush terrain at one of the highest points of Tagaytay. Over 20,000 pine trees perfume the property with its sweet scent, further adding to the calm while the music of interweaving winds soothe the senses.

yep, we definitely saw and smelled them pine trees!

Four distinct enclaves offer a variety of possibilities for its residents. The Swiss Quadrilles,with four homes to a structure, has three storeys to afford the indulgence of space. The Grand Quartier (we stayed here) is a medium-rise condominium that offers a breath-taking view of Tagaytay’s lush landscape. Deux Pointe is a row of duettos or two-homes in a structure situated at the highestpoint of the property. And finally, Custom Home Sites offers the freedom to design and personalized your own Swiss chalet. 

this is the grand quartier

and look at our room! huge! miss k settled right in and tuned in to hi5 (she’s crazy about them. she watching their videos several times a day, the yayas and i have serious LSS!). 🙂

and the view from our bedroom? amazing!

 

we celebrated father’s day here. 🙂

kirsten loved the bed a lot!!!

 

this was truly a staycation of our dreams. we played, slept, watched television, ate, then played again all day long. ah sleep how i’ve missed you! 😀

the only downside for us (kasi gutumin talaga kami haha!) was that there were no restos open inside and nearby (the cafe across the grand quartier served only breakfast, and it’s a hassle taking that long drive amid steep slopes to go outside) so the very nice front desk staff provides you with a list of food chains offering delivery. we chose chowking and jollibee for lunch and dinner. 🙂

the next day, we trooped to breakfast. there was a nice selection of rice and viands, scrambled egg, cold cuts, cereals, fresh fruits, milk and chocolate drink plus coffee. we enjoyed it a lot. 🙂

 

and since there was not much left to do (the pool was closed for maintenance), we drove around and took some photos. this place is so relaxing and peaceful. if you’re tired of the city life and just want to get away from it all for a night or two, this is the place. daddy k and i appreciated the serene surroundings and fresh air, and the precious time we spent with our little one without any of the usual distractions.

   
thanks to topaz mommy for this wonderful staycation! will we go back? definitely! 🙂

Crosswinds Resorts Suites
Brgy. Iruhin Central Calamba Road, Tagaytay

How to get there (from their website):
Crosswinds is located along Brgy. Iruhin Central, Calamba Road in Tagaytay City. It is an hour away from Manila and a five-minute drive from the popular Picnic Grove. Make your way to this leisure community through the South Luzon Expressway via Sta. Rosa, Batangas or Alabang through the Daang-Hari road.

pasalubong from cebu

for the earlier part of the year, daddy k was busy with work which brought him to several cities throughout the country. he was always trying to bring me and miss k but sadly, i have full time work too so we simply can’t (bawi na lang next year!).
so what’s the next best thing? pasalubong!!! and oh, daddy k brought us a lot!
from this cebu trip, he got us lots of shamrock otap, rosquillos, dried fruits, and this.

zubuchon lechon!!! both regular and boneless varieties. yum-o!

he even brought me the placemat from the resto, since he ate there several times (inggit!!!).

thanks, daddy k for being ever so thoughtful! we loved the CNT and rico’s lechon from the other times, too haha! we love you! 🙂