Hi-5 Holiday!

The official announcement is out and we've got our front row tickets! Woohoo! I actually bought the tickets at 1 in the morning, on the iPhone, while at an after-concert party. Yes, call me excited. LOL!

What about you? Do you have your tickets already? See you there!

One, Two, Three, Four... Hi-5!

Five in the air 

Let's do it together

Five to the side

Who cares about the weather?

Five on the floor

The party's on at your place

Five to the front

There's a smile on my face

 Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi,

 hi Together

One, two, three, four

Hi-5!

Yes, fellow moms! The news is out! Hi-5 is coming to town, with not one, not two, but three shows! Are your wallets ready? LOL!

Photo from SM Tickets. :)

So far, details are sketchy, but what we know for sure is that they will be at SM MOA Centerstage on December 15 and 16, and at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel on December 23, 2012. Tickets go on sale on Saturday. I am contemplating if I should announce where, given that I am sure all you parents will scramble to get good seats. Haha!

UPDATE: Ticket Prices reportedly at P2100, P1800 and P1500. Not bad. Think I'll go stash some moolah in an envelope now. LOL!

This is my little boy's dream - to watch Hi-5 LIVE! Each time he's watching this show on Disney Junior or on his iPad, he comes to me and says, "I wanna go there, Mom." So yes, hon, we will go catch this. That is, if the other parents don't get to those tickets first.

So excited for my little boy! Are you, too? Er... Hi-5!

Drum Roll, Please...

I was supposed to upload another post before this one. Alas, I realized I couldn't hold off on this since the winner would need prepping, etc. So... posting this now.

And yes, drum roll, please...

So, Rafflecopter picked a winner! And he gets to bring four other people with him to tomorrow's SAVED Festival! They all get official 2012 SAVED Festival shirts, too!

That's a treat for your barkada of 5! What with 5 Patron Tickets to catch SAVED Festival...
Plus! 5 Original 2012 SAVED Festival Shirts! Woohoo!

Congratulations to...

ARRON MENDOZA

who won this giveaway by leaving a blog post comment. 

He says, "I joined! :) I want my friends and siblings to experience again the fire of worshiping the only true God. I want them to go back on serving the Lord. I hope i will win this promo. :) God bless you and thank you. :)"


a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Please note that your blog comments have no bearing on whether you get picked or not. This raffle was totally random and dependent on Rafflecopter.

So yay! Congratulations, Arron! I shall send you notification via the email you had provided, with instructions on how to claim your tickets and shirts. Don't forget, you MUST be able to claim everything from Mall of Asia Arena tomorrow (between 5-7pm). You have to be present in order to claim your whole package. Please bring a valid ID and a print out of the notification email I will send to you shortly.

Again, CONGRATULATIONS! Thank you for joining DAY 13 of my very-much-delayed, actually-super-super-delayed, but thank-you-for-your-belated- greetings Birthday Blowout! I have the last and final blowout coming soon, this time from Lee Kum Kee. I hope you join that one, too! Hehe. 

See you at tomorrow's SAVED Festival!

DAY 13 has been brought to you by Becca Music, Inc. and Worship Generation Tees! 

13 days down, 1 more day to go! Woot! A Very Merry Unbirthday to me! To me!

Day 13: Oh Yes! Tickets!

I know. I know. Hahaha, same ol' spiel. Delayed. Maybe I should just forget about that Birthday Giveaway, but then, what will I do with the prizes? LOL! Just kidding.

So anyway, Becca Music sent me some tickets for this Friday's SAVED FESTIVAL - good seats, too! At first, I thought of giving out these tickets to five different individuals, but then, what fun would it be to watch all by your lonesome? So, after conferring with my brother (who incidentally has a pending giveaway on this blog for my birthday - yes, he heads Worship Generation), we decided to make this giveaway a little bit more awesome.

Presenting... DAY 13 of my very-much-delayed, sorry-to-keep-you-waiting, but-here-it-is-finally, and thank-you-for-your-patience BIRTHDAY BLOWOUT!

THE SAVED FESTIVAL 2012 BARKADA TREAT!

One winner to get 5 - Patron (101 BLUE) Tickets to SAVED Festival 2012
PLUS! 5 - 2012 SAVED Festival Shirts for a barkada of five!

Yes, that's 5 Patron SAVED Festival tickets from Becca Music and 5 original SAVED Festival Shirts from Worship Generation! Excited enough? Here's how to win this treat for your group!

1. Follow all the steps required by Rafflecopter below. If you don't see the template below, click on this link.

2. Leave a comment after this blog to tell me you joined this promo.

3. Deadline for entries is at 12noon on Thursday. Winner will be announced thereafter.

3. You, together with your four other friends (or relatives) must be able to claim your tickets at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, Oct 26, between 5-7pm. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So that's it! I wish you all the best of blessings! Haha! See you on Friday! Don't forget, you must be a group of five, ready and able to watch this amazing event at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday!

This blowout has been brought to you by my good friends at Becca Music, Inc. and my beloved brothers, KM and KA of Worship Generation. Worship Generation shirts are available exclusively through House of Praise and House of Praise Direct.

Only one day left to go! I was waiting for photos and a recipe to go with the last day of my Birthday Blowout. Alas, almost five months after my actual birthday (LOL!), this blowout is coming to a close. Stay tuned!

What's Wrong with Me?

I wrote this piece last week. Or maybe it was two weeks ago. I forget. But anyway...

I was thinking about my "situation" on the drive to work. I was actually listening to Ted Failon over the radio, and he was praising this laundry woman on air about being the breadwinner to her family - a hero to many. It's funny and ironic because here was this news anchor, praising a lowly home maker about working her butt off to make things work for her family, and people around me have either criticized me or have looked down on my current status as sole parent. Hello, it isn't like I chose to be one. 

It's not easy being a single mom. Neither is it easy trying to make things work on my own. I am neither here nor there. My current status, I would think, would be "floating". There are a number of things I wish I could do, act on, decide upon, but I don't know, I guess, I have no will to work things out that way. You are wrong to think I am hoping for R to come back home, fix things, sweep me off my feet, fall in love all over again, get married, start off where we left off, etc. etc. etc. There are certain points in my resolve that have changed over the past years, and it is the very reason why this blog is... hmmm... confused.

I've received quite a few remarks from friends and relatives, some of which even go as far as chastising me for being in this state of limbo, so to speak. "DO SOMETHING!" "WHY WAIT?" "SAYANG YOUR LIFE." What exactly is sayang? My youth? The fact that I may be lucky enough to snag someone else's heart? Really, what exactly do you mean when you say so?

People criticize me for being late, for not being available all the time. Give me a break! I am all for an organized life, but after all that I have to do, I am all of tired, too! Can you blame me? If I'm tired of waking up day in and day out, working my butt off, slaving away at work, working full time at home, finding it hard to get up early during the week, postpone potty training, shelve blogging, etc. because there are other things I would rather do? And please, you have no right to compare my life to other single parents! I am sure some have it harder, but we each live our lives the best we can!

I don't think it's a secret that I want to be a housewife. That has been a dream. No, not just a housewife, but yes, a housewife. Ah! To take care of my kids, see them grow up, spend every waking moment with them, having the energy to teach them, homeschool them, read them books, take them places, etc. That is my dream. Can you blame me if I want that and not this? But yes, because I am a single parent, I have no choice but to work full time. No choice but to depend on no one else but myself.

Where do people get the energy to criticize my lifestyle? To comment about how I decide to spend my money? To go as far as to tell me to my face not to get pregnant ever again because I cannot afford it!? My goodness, what are these people on?!

Tell me, what is wrong with me? I am dealing with lemons and have chosen to make lemonade as best as I can. Don't spoil my juice with your salt. It's sad how people find it so easy to talk, to criticize, to say this and that, when really, what do they know? What do they know about my life? About my heart? About solely raising kids? About hoping on God to get me out of my rut one day, but counting it all joy until that day comes?


I did not choose to be miserable. And I do not choose to be! I love my life, and although I know it could use fine-tuning, I would not trade it for the world. 

SAVED FESTIVAL 2012!

Remember how it was last year? Well, SAVED FESTIVAL is on its second year - this time, bringing the Filipino Christian community together in Worship at the Mall of Asia Arena! Yes, this year's festival is the first-ever worship event to be held at SM's newest concert venue!

Catch The Katinas, Desperation Band, and Abandon, together with local bands, Gloryfall and Paglaum, as they lead the crowd in awesome praise and worship on October 26, 7PM! That's THIS Friday, folks!

2012 SAVED FESTIVAL is happening this Friday, October 26! Don't miss it! Get your tickets today!

Tickets are available at SM Tickets (470.2222), Becca Music (910.5524), House of Praise stores and other Christian bookstores!

What's more, Pastor Joey Bonifacio, author of the internationally-celebrated book, The Lego Principle, is this year's special guest speaker!

I am most excited about this! Hearing Pastor Joey speak about his passion - building relationships!

If you don't have a ticket yet, I suggest getting one today. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!

www.facebook.com/savedfestival

Starting the Week...

... with brunch from McDonald's.

Power Brunch! Egg McMuffin, Hash Brown and a refreshing McCafe Coffee Float!

Have a great week ahead!

PS. Stay tuned! The last two days of my very-much delayed Birthday Blowout rolls out this week. Yes, FINALLY! Thank you for being extra patient!

Coffee!

I was never a coffee drinker. I only drink it to keep me awake at work. I don't remember drinking coffee in college (okay maybe once or twice during all-nighters) but I never really liked the stuff.

Today however, I cannot live without coffee. I need it to jump-start my mornings, or get me past sleepyhead mode after lunch. I drink it during exam week and even encourage A to drink a cup with me when we have to study past midnight (it helps us focus). I am now a coffee person, and I must say, I love it!

McDonald's has been serving Iced Coffee for some time now. They recently launched their McCafe Coffee Floats, and I must say I rushed off to get one as soon as I found out! But it was hot that day, and I forgot to take a photo (read: I drank it up as soon as I got hold of it). I've been meaning to blog about it, but yes, every time I drive thru for one, I cannot help but take a sip.

Oops! Forgot to take a fresh-from-the-store photo.
The Soft-serve has melted into the coffee! Hehe.

So today, right after lunch at Suzu Kin, I had asked my friend GT to hold the cup for me. Yes, keep it away until we get back to the office and I get to snap a decent photo! LOL! We took a photo with the digicam for good measure. But it made it in one piece when I got to the office so...

Ah! The McCafe Coffee Float from McDonald's! I love it!

The McCafe Coffee Float is P49.00 ala carte (add P25 to upgrade your value meal drinks), and is a refreshing wake-me-upper! It comes in big cup so you're sure to indulge for half the day (ok, maybe not... LOL!) but yes, it's the perfect drink to accompany you on lazy workday afternoons.

Think coffee, ice cream and chocolate. Mmmmm... fresh, cool, creamy and chocolatey - just for me! It has the caffeine kick, with just the right sweetness and creaminess that satisfies that craving for coffee. What a cool way to perk up!

Try it today! Visit a McDonald's store near you or order via www.mcdelivery.com.ph!

Yes, that's right. Stare at this photo. It's calling out to you! LOL!

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Spent.

The truth is, every time I think about what to write, the task overwhelms me. I have a long list for a backlog on this blog, another one for the Count Your Blessings blog, not to mention pictures I need to post for that Online Garage Sale. And because it overwhelms me to the point where I tire just thinking about it, I shelve everything and just go to bed and read.

The truth is, I am tired. Not just with writing but with everything I need to face. I am tired of people trying to put me down. Tired of having to deal with everything else on my own.

Of course, if I had a choice, I'd want zero problems, a happy marriage, a complete family and probably the chance to just stay at home. However, it is not my choice to make. Right now, I am stuck in this season where I have to do everything ON MY OWN to make things work.

And it's true, I do feel alone sometimes. Physically alone. But it doesn't place me in an unhappy place. In fact, I think I am happiest now - more than I have ever been in my entire married life. And if I were given the choice, I'd choose this life over anyone else's - in a heartbeat.

I'm just saying that I am tired enough as it is. You don't have to make it harder for me. So please, if you don't have anything nice to say, or if you hate me and don't understand my resolve, get off my blog. Stop reading my tweets. Live your life. Fly a kite. Walk the dog. Wash me off your hair.

I don't owe you the pleasure of being the center of your attention.

RL Funnies: Squished!

My little boy and I have been playing "squished" for more than a year now. The trick was to pretend I was asleep over some part of his little body, squish it with body weight and see him attempt to get free.

It's been pretty fun the past year or so. This morning, I attempted to play "squished" with him, but with a little more difficulty.

K: "Squish!" (I lie across his upper body and pretend to be asleep)
RL: "Ooooof!!!" (Struggles)

After struggling for about 10 more seconds...

K: "Oooouuuuuccccchhhhh!!!!"

He bites me.

Lol! I'm never playing this again.

RL Funnies: Trick or Trick!

We were already in bed when my little boy decided to have a word with me...

RL: "Next time, don't trick me again, ok?"
K: "Trick you?"
RL: "Yes, trick me!"
K: "But I never trick you!"
RL: "Yes, you did! Remember, you said you weren't going to bring the iPad then you were hiding it in your bag, and I looked and looked inside the cabinet, the drawers, under the bed, behind the clothes, all over your room, and I can't find it because you brought it to the office! You said you didn't bring it but you did! You tricked me!"

Okay... do i have an old guy in a 3-year old body for a kid? Lol! Can't trick him, nope! No, sir!

Break!

I am taking a break from the blog. I'm not quite sure if I can blog this week, given that it's that time of the year again and my daughter, A, has quarterly exams. But I will try!

Thanks! And I appreciate and covet your prayers for wisdom, patience and perseverance. For both A and me.

See other strips from Baby Blues at www.babyblues.com

Collecting 'Em All!

Transformers and Littlest Pet Shop at McDonald's this month! I hope I get to collect 'em all!

I am soooo excited! McDonald's just changed their Happy Meal toys and they're having Transformers and Littlest Pet Shop this month. I am telling you, I don't care about what's left of my budget this month (and yes, even when I had promised I wasn't going to eat out for lunch this week), I am going to complete this set!

Noticed how I skipped blogging about last month's Happy Meal? Not that Barbie didn't interest me, but I was gunning for the Hot Wheels set, only I forgot to buy more Happy Meals after getting one vehicle. Oops!

This time though, I shall not forget!

Called McDelivery right when I saw the announcement!
Dial 8-MCDO and get anything delivered for a flat rate of P40.00!

LPS No. 4: Lamb in Garden. Baaaah! Isn't she adorable? 

My not-so-little girl collects Littlest Pet Shop or LPS toys. Actually, RL also loves playing with the pets, and has started hauling them on his Chuggington Motorized set. Haha! I conned my brother earlier, and he got an extra Happy Meal just so I can get three LPS pets today. So far, we have the Squirrel Bracelet, the Bunny in Meadow and this Lamb.

Tomorrow, I shall get the Ladybug and start on the Transformers collection. I love McDonald's and I am thrilled they brought Littlest Pet Shop back!


Get a Transformers or Littlest Pet Shop toy with every Happy Meal you buy. Catch them at McDonald's stores this month. A portion of each Happy Meal you buy goes to Ronald McDonald House Charities.

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