Humans of New York

Recently, I've made some changes to my Instagram account. You see, I've been "unselective" with regard to the people I follow. I really didn't care. Until I decided, once and for all, that since I spend so much time on Instagram anyway, I should un-follow those who have meaningless and negative feeds and only follow accounts with inspiring, beautiful, and meaningful feeds.

Because of that, I unfollowed many accounts of people who always post meaningless and mean messages, people who post pictures that are against my belief, and, well, sellers who flood my feed with objects I will never buy.

Then I looked for accounts that would make my Instagram-browsing a bit more meaningful.

So now, my feed has less trash and more stuff like this:

http://instagram.com/christian_worship

I have heard of the website, Humans of New York, before, but I did not know Stanton also had an Instagram account. When I found out about it, I didn't waste time and began following it. I don't regret doing it because all of the photos are beautiful and many of these photos contained thought-provoking and inspiring stories. Here are some of my favorites:

Funny stuff

Inspiring stuff

Stuff that reminded me of some points of my childhood (and even adulthood)

More inspiring stuff

Stuff that made me afraid and made me cling on to God

Kiddie fashion inspiration

Stuff that bring back my "faith" in humanity

Stuff I couldn't relate to but liked because of the beautiful subjects

Relatable stuff about parenthood

Stuff that can make anyone smile and feel warm all over

Stuff that made me think

And stuff that reminded me that it's never okay to judge. Ever.

What I really love about this account is the different stories behind the faces that I might encounter randomly on the road. It reminds me that behind every face lies a story that is not only special but also potentially inspiring. Most importantly, this account continually reminds me to always be kind to others for they are fighting their own battles, just like I am.

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The Day of Reunions

I talk to my dearest college friends, Teena and George, almost everyday. But that's via Skype (and Line) because we don't see each other. You see, we live quite far from each other.

George and I used to be officemates, but then I resigned and began working at home a year ago. Residence-speaking, George lives in the south while I in the north.

On the other hand, Teena and I used to be neighbors. She used to rent a house in our subdivision and we would see each other regularly. That was almost a year ago, too. But she moved to Vietnam when her employer decided to do business there.

But Teena went home late last month, which means only one thing: reunion! Due to unforeseen delays and postponements, we only got to see each other last Friday, where we went to Abreeza!

First, OOTD! :-)

This was actually taken at the Family Lounge (more of this laterzz)
Heart-print romper: Forever 21
Shoes: forever Parisian
 Sheer maroon jacket/cardigan: My mom's

That jacket is an authentic vintage. My mom had it when she was in college, which was 30 years ago. She passed it over to me last year (which didn't fit at first because I was too fat!). Cool no?

We decided to eat at Shakey's because I was bringing Y and our yaya with me. :-)

Clockwise: Teena and George as Instagrammers, the stickers in the planner (my belated birthday gift to Teena), pizza (the only food I took a photo of), surprised Teena (teehee), me and Teena, and Teena and George

Unfortunately, I still look pregnant next to Teena. Hahaha!

...

Because it's my sister's last day of exams, she and our parents went to Shakeys, too. It was fun! After eating, I told our yaya to go with them, while we continued our chikahan in the Family Lounge. On the way there, we found this cool exhibit from D' Bone Collector Museum. 

Clockwise: The exhibit tarpaulin, me and Y looking at the other camera, George, me, and Y beside a  dolphin (?), me and an engrossed Y, Y, me, and Teena (happy family!), me, Y, and George

...

We proceeded to the Family Lounge. Imagine my pleasant surprise when I saw these people inside: my high school barkada! It's a reunion day after all! 

Osang, Noel, Zarah, Y, and me :-)

Photo from Osang's Instagram

These girls look so glamorous now! Of course, you too, Noel. Teehee. But what I'm referring to are their outfits, particularly their shoes! Unfortunately, Y was already acting up that time (it was time for his afternoon nap), so I wasn't able to take a photo of their shoes. Thank goodness for Instagram! I just grabbed another photo from Osang's account:

Don't these heels look divine? They're from Janilyn. Hmm, I wonder when I can wear high heels again. :-)

...

Before the day ended, my original reunion-mates and I just had to take outfit shots. Pardon our vanity; it's not everyday we see each other! Also, it's not everyday I'm outside the house! Teehee.

On Teena:
Jacket: Bazaar
Blouse: Bazaar
Jeggings: Saigon Square
Shades: Gucci

On George:
Dress: From Zamboanga City

(Left to right)
Teena's bag: Monte Blanc
George's bag: From UK! (If you know what I mean ;))
My bag: Fossil

Teena's shoes: Night Market HCMC
George's shoes: Celine

Now you know that among my high school friends and college friends, I have the ugliest feet. No kidding! Hahaha!

It was a fun day. We were meant to discuss a lot of things, such as business, but we spent lunch away laughing over mundane things. Another time, girls! :-)

*All the photos with watermarks are mine (most are taken by George). Those without watermarks are grabbed from my friends' cameras, smartphones, etc.
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Christmas Gift Guide

Gee, where did the time go? It seems like we were just getting ready to go to Cebu in time for Halloween; now it's already December 14th. Only 11 days to go before Christmas! Or if you're Pinoy - since we do the actual celebrations on the 24th - only 10! And I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet! Gaaah!

I was complaining how I won't be going to any Christmas party this year. Last year, I had parties left and right - seriously - and I didn't want to go then because I was already 6 months pregnant. It's so hard to move around. But now, zero, zilch, nada, nothing! This means I need to take charge - it's either I organize a party or just buy gifts to "feel" the season.

Try organizing a party with a hyperactive baby. So I decided I'd just buy gifts for my friends, family, and myself to feel Christmas-y. Because I haven't done any sort of shopping yet, I decided to make a gift guide to maximize whatever shopping trip I can do:

For mama:

I noticed that lately, I'm always giving gifts to my mom. Last month, I bought her some clothes from ForMe. It was her early birthday gift. When her birthday actually came, which was November 30, I also treated her to the salon. She spent 8 hours there. Now, it's Christmas, which means another gift! She has just bought a pair of high heels and a handbag, and my dad also bought her 3 pairs of pants. Now what? For the woman who has everything but makeup, I'm thinking of buying this:

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream (Image from www.loveshoppingholics.com)

I've been telling her to get a BB cream for herself, but somehow she's never found the time to do it. Either that or she's afraid to choose one. :P


For papa and kuya:

I seldom buy gifts for my dad and older brother. During their birthdays, I wasn't able to give them something because the days coincided with Y's baptism. So now, I need to at least buy something. How about this?

Code by Giorgio Armani (Image from tips.become.com)

Nah, just kidding. But I'll probably end up buying a bottle of perfume for the two.


For my sister:

For her birthday early this month, I gave her my old phone. But that doesn't really count as a gift because it was something of convenience; the phone wasn't something I intended to buy for her. And the little sister, who is beginning to "blossom" into a little lady, wants one of these:

Forever 21 Sparkling Bow Bracelet

And yes, she wants one specifically from Forever21. What's with that shop and teenage girls? And my sister's just 11!


For yaya:

I couldn't work without Y's yaya, so I need to buy her something she'll surely appreciate. My sister and she have almost the same birthdays. For her birthday, I bought something from Penshoppe. Since she's a teenager, I think she'll appreciate kikay stuff, like this:

Chic Laced Jumpsuit from aionlineshop.net

Or would she? Sorry, it's been quite a while since I've been a teenager. Hahaha. But if someone gives me this, I'll gladly wear it! :D


For ze boyfriend:

J actually told me I don't have to buy anything for him. Well, I won't buy him anything for now since it's too expensive to send something over LBC - I learned my lesson during his birthday last year. But I'll definitely give him something early next year, and since it's nice to plan, I wanted to have at least an idea. Scratch that. I know what exactly what I'll give him:

Mossimo Long Beach Watch

He seriously can't get enough of watches. They're his mistress! But I couldn't afford a Technomarine for now (I don't think I ever could!), but isn't this Mossimo watch handsome? Too bad it's out of stock in Zalora. :-(


For the little boy:

Of course, I would not forget the little boy. But there's no need for an idea for his first Christmas gift; it already arrived yesterday! J and I already ordered early this month. We were thinking of something to play with, but Y already has a lot of toys, most of which he can't appreciate yet. He's also not in need of any piece of furniture, since kumpleto naman. So in the end, we bought something he can surely use. More clothes! This is the parcel:

Photo made grainy by Instagram :|

What's inside? It's a secret for now. :-)


For friends:

I don't really know what I'll get, since I'm not sure whom I will run into this month. But I plan to keep some gifts prepared just in case I bump into someone. I'm thinking of chocolates? Or what about mini notepads? I really don't know; I hope I can find some cute things in Davao's novelty shops.

Cursory Notes from Quirks.ph

And finally, for me:

It's the season for giving, but forgive me for wanting to buy some stuff for myself. After all, I already resigned myself to the idea of not receiving gifts this year! So I'll just go out and treat myself to these:

Front-zip dresses (Image from thebigsale.blogspot.com)

A pair of classic skinny jeans (Image from aninebing.com)

I'd like to think I'm a techy person, but I don't find myself lusting for gadgets nowadays. I have my laptop, my camera, and my phone - that's it! Now, all I want is something decent to wear. No kidding!

I want to have as many front-zip dresses as I can, for breastfeeding purpose. And it doesn't hurt that they look cute, too! Don't you think the zippers add a nice detail?

As for the denim skinny jeans, I think it's finally time for me to invest on one. See, for the longest time, I wore leggings, shorts, skirts, and dresses - for fear that I will develop curly hair on my legs. Whoever told me that? But now that I want to wear shirts again, I am in dire need of a sturdy pair of skinny jeans. :-)

How about you? What are you buying for Christmas?

Y the Imeldific

Let's face it: baby girls are a lot more fun to dress up than baby boys. Heck, the only time I can dress up Y is during special occasions. And just how many occasions does a 7-month old baby get to attend? Other than his own baptism, I think the odds are close to none. Harhar. Also, isn't it unfair how there are sooo many selections for baby girls and so few for baby boys? And baby boy clothes are more expensive!

Because of my "dilemma," I resorted to buying as many baby shoes as I could. If there aren't "dressy" clothes for boys, then I will buy handsome shoes. There was a time when I was buying at least one pair of shoes per week. Zara Baby, Pitter Pat, Fisher-Price, Champion, Disney, name it, we got it. Now, anywhere in the house, at least one pair of pint-sized shoes is scattered. There's a need for organization - ASAP!

From Instagram: Y's 11 pairs of shoes, not including the ones he regularly uses at home

What you need to organize baby shoes:

Every mom's BFF: lotsa lotsa Ziplock!

My mom found a lot of these hanging organizers for cheap in Gaisano Mall's clearance sale. Each one only costs P40! I just need to find a way to cover the text above, though. :| 

I cleaned each shoe using wipes and then placed each pair in individual Ziplock bags. Y's smaller cloth shoes went into medium-sized bags, while his current shoes went into large-sized bags. After the tedious process (chos!), I inserted each bag into the pockets of the hanging organizer.

Then, I hung it on my belts hooks. Voila!

Organized at last!

Of course, because the organizer only has 9 pockets, some shoes did not fit. They went back into their respective shoe boxes. 

One of the two shoe boxes

 But at least, Y's shoes are definitely more organized and will stay cleaner for longer! :-)

Last Week in Photos

Nothing happened much last week, but I was able to take many cute photos because of my new-found addiction to Instagram. I love Android! Before I go off-track, here's a summary of last week in photos (from Instagram, of course):

Y begins to use the walker. It's an old walker; it used to be my sister's 10 years ago!

2 weeks ago actually: Bought the November ish of Working Mom magazine. I guess it's goodbye Cosmo!

Y and his ducky terry robe c/o Ninang Sarah

Early Christmas the other Sunday at #SMLanang: We were lucky to catch Santa. He wasn't there anymore yesterday!

Baked warm sugar cookies with melted peanut butter to combat the cold weather. Just kidding! These cookies were store-bought. I just slathered peanut butter on them and popped them in the microwave. #FAIL

Just this morning, Y slept for more than 11 hours straight!

And this is my favorite photo as of now. Cutie patotie!