13 Days of Christmas/13

Ready for Christmas Eve Party.

Haven't used high heels for almost 20 years. OMG!

I will brave this 3-inch shoes tonight.

I hope i won't break a leg, literally =)

13 Days of Christmas/12

These were gifts from my boss, Gilda.

For me, and my two kids.

I am hiding it from them for the 25th.

I wonder what's inside.

13 Days of Christmas/11

H&M dress

Christmas Wish List No. 2: A glittering outfit

We'll have a party on the eve of the 24th, welcoming the Christmas.

Motiff is glitz. I've been looking all over Milan to buy a simple outfit. I saw this online.

Hope i would find one similar.

13 Days of Christmas/10

Should be the "end of the world" today according to the Mayan Prophecy.

Janine Tugonon of Philippines won yesterday 1st runner-up in Miss Universe Pageant.

Zen would be next to wear the crown.

Wish lang!

13 Days of Christmas/9

Zendra's Christmas Party in school.

What else would you expect with an italian school. Boring!

Just a song and some activities for kids.

Meryendang hindi nakakabusog and all.

Anyway, kids never mind, they enjoyed pa rin.

13 Days of Christmas/8

Early Christmas present from her grandma Nancy, a mini washing machine, that works. cool!

The socks is from my friend. Arte-arte ni Zendra. She just pose that way.

13 Days of Christmas/7

Home made biscuits by parents!

Parents had an activity today in school.

Pity i wasn't available to work with them.

They made biscuits.

Every kid got their share, of course.

Yummy!

13 Days of Christmas/6

This is from Zendra's school.

A letter to Santa Claus.

Would the whole bond of paper fits her wishes this year?

13 Days of Christmas/5

She loves that Christmas head accessory!
She keeps nodding, twisting, banging her head in front of the mirror to see it moving. =)
"I will wear this on Christmas Mamma!"

13 Days of Christmas/4

whatever footprints we leave in this world, big or small, it will always be unique and will never be the same with others,
that will always be imprinted in the hearts of those who care for us.

Fun in the snow. What else could be enjoyable not only for a child, but most of all, for the child at heart.
Christmas is really fast approaching.
-2°C today!

13 Days of Christmas/3

Parco Scheibler

It's snowing today. I see white everywhere.
Would it be a White Christmas?

13 Days of Christmas/2

Apple's Ipad Mini

Christmas Wish List No. 1

HUB: "what do you want for Christmas?"

ME: "Ipad Mini!" (without bathing an eyelash)

HUB: --silence--

He was smiling though....

13 Days of Christmas/1

i will be counting down my thirteen days of Christmas.

12 days is just so redundant for the season.

maiba naman.

for  Jaki
Lego Hero Factory

my boss gave me a 10euro gift check for La Feltrinelli Bookstore. so, i intentionally went to the bookstore today, to use the gift card. i bought the magazine, Bambino Sarai Tu, which features Zendra inside. I bought another one for my italian friend. So, that totaled 6euro. I thought, i still have 4 more euros left to spend that gift card. just near the cashier, i saw these lego toys and checked the prices. Ok, this Stringer with 200 pieces costs 8euro. Ok for the budget, 2 euro lang idadagdag ko. My son, Jaki love these hero factory series, so i got one, for his birthday or Christmas. Either of the two occasions, because we usually celebrate his birthday on the 25th of December, though his birthday falls on Dec. 27. para isang handa na lang and pag-oopen ng gifts.

1 gift for Jaki: checked!

23 !

Countdown today: 23 days before Christmas! We are obviously freezing here now with 1°C. They say the snow is coming anytime next week. It's a windy Sunday. I decided to bring Zendra at La Rinascente di Milano for the "exclusive shopping experience", held on the fifth floor. It was a renovated portion of the Rinascente shopping store. All for kids: toys, accessories, dress and shoes. The most chic brands were all there. The event was a collaboration of  La Rinascente, Vogue Bambini Magazine and Elizabeth Street kid's wear. But i won't elaborate so much about this for now. It's another story.

After the event, we ate pizza at Spizzico at the Galleria di Vittorio Emanuele, just near Milan's Cathedral. From there, we headed to Ecliss Milano. It's the biggest Christmas showroom in Milan. Not only the biggest, but most fabulous store for Christmas i ever visited. It only opens from October to December. 

Warning: During weekends, a long queue outside is expected. They control the people going inside to avoid so much crowd. 

Scroll down and see it for yourself. 

feel of "snow"

All the different kinds of Christmas Trees are here

Amazing "Christmas Belens"

Ganito siguro si Santa Claus pag nasa bahay lang =)

I promise myself if i will have my dreamhouse, i will put the same Christmas decor like this.
The picture isn't complete. These Christmas balls/decors are actually put
on a hanging Christmas tree in the ceiling.

Amazing musical displays, not only for Christmas

I totally lost count of different sizes and types of  Santa Claus

Cakes, pastries and chocolates!
Don't be deceived. They're all made of wax! 

Ok, it might look like a simple Christmas tree. The one i'm holding costs 35euro!

When you say "fabulous", obviously it means, COSTLY.
Don't come empty handed! =)
Visit ECLISS Milano

Math Disaster

My son JAKI's math assignment

Another assignment.
By the way, Jaki's in first year middle school, not in college. =)

I admitted long time ago that i'm a disaster in numbers. What more in fractions and algebraic problem solvings. I graduated in high school with the 8th honors though. Maybe my good grades in english, science and other non-numerical subjects elevated my other grades. I was a disaster in Algebra. I don't know how i made it! I, for one reason, aside from loving my course, i also thought, studying Psychology would be "no-numbers". I was wrong. Talk about statistics and calculus! And, now these numbers i'm hating is haunting me. My son is now in first year middle school (Grade 6 in the Philippines)...and i can't avoid encountering these fearful problem solvings again. Italian subjects were way ahead of what i had during elementary days. It's not easy! My hub's not good in math too, so even if magkapit-bisig kami, we'll end up confused. Today, i need to teach, explain and help my son with these "horrifying" operations. I roam around the internet hoping there's some websites for a math-solving problems, just like the language translation thing. I saw some, but i need to register and pay for some on-line tutorials. Ok, fine, i'm helpless. One of the genius friends of mine, TED, is still sleeping back in Singapore, and my youngest brother who's the only best in math (within the siblings), is also in snore mode. My dad is the genius in math. I wished i had half of his brain when it comes to numbers. I only got the other half for the non-numeric subjects.

So, last resort: Facebook! i was rescued by another math-genius,  the husband of my good friend, MAY (from Netherlands). She happens to be on-line during my call of help on facebook. This virtual world really helps! I left the math problems on her message inbox and she showed it to her husband. Whala!! Problems were solved...Glad he's so helpful!

You want to help me out with Geometry now? =) (peace)

TGIF # 42: Something About My Hub

Thank God It's Five-Day!

Since it's my hub's birthday today, i'm gonna share some pieces of him here. 

Sssshhh...don't tell him i did write something about him. No harmful facts, promise! =)

1.  He lovez Jazz. Everything that have sax, trumphet, guitar or piano on it that sounds jazzy. I'm sort of nahawa na sa kanya. He loves Miles Davis, to the point that he wants to use Miles as his profile photo in facebook.

Komontra ako. "hindi ka naman 'yun!" =)

2. He's a great handy man. From electronics, electricity, hydraulics and carpentry, he can handle them well. At least nakakatipid kami when something is broken. When i was locked inside our bathroom due to stucked lock, he's my real hero. (Will tell that story on another blog). 

3. He loves travelling around. He works before in a tanker boat, so he travelled a lot of places back in the Philippines. When the budget permits, we travelled a lot too here in Europe.

4. He's a generous person. No double thoughts about money. When he can, he helps (a lot!), and not even asking in return. When someone borrowed, hindi marunong maningil. =)

5. He's a very good father and a husband. No question about that. He always surprise me and the kids. From simple to big things, he always think about his family.  Biglang me dala na McDo hamburgers which kids love, at kebap sandwich which i like. Biglang me regalo na 24K gold watch, mga tipong ganun. hehehe.

Anyway, there are still many good things about him that i just love. Of course, no one is perfect, but why focus on the weak side? More than anything, i love the way he makes me smile. We are almost 15 years together now and i still feel like he's pursuing me. Kilig! 

To you Babes, have a wonderful 39th birthday! I can't afford a material gift for now, but you know how much we love you. 

Todos Los Series

It's November 1 today. It means holiday!

Yesterday, i was "planning in my mind" what-to-do for the holiday:

threw the things i don't need, check the receipts/bills, and budget for the month of November, iron some clothes, check a lot of stuffs inside my personal box (kung anu-ano lang na abubot), and look at our reminder board for things i need to be reminded of. Too many things to do and take the holiday as my chance. But, here i am, having my detective/law tv series-marathon, doing nothing, but watch and bond with my hub and kids. I peeked at facebook around 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Not a usual thing for me. I mean, i always check FB first thing in the morning. The heck, it's a holiday! Be it a real non-working day. Do nothing and take this luxury of just enjoying my whole day and savoring "turon" (banana fritter) for a bountiful snack, forgetting the diet word. 

I'm of course an avid fan of the CSI series, NCSI, Criminal Minds, Bones, Cold Case & The Mentalist.

There's a channel here called "Giallo" (italian word for mystery) in which offers 24/7 a lot of detective stories.  I don't care if some were old episodes, anyway, i love these kinds of shows. I'm always fascinated of the courtroom scenes and stories. I wonder what's it's like to be a lawyer or a detective. Having taken a major in BS Psychology, i could have pursued law or medicine. Must be a tough job. A friend of mine who graduated business administration and worked in Saudi Arabia for years decided to go home, built a pastries/bakery shop, a pharmacy store, and studying law. He told me, he must be crazy to take up law. Anyway, he's still surviving now. Hope he graduated in time. It's not easy to be a father of 5, manage business and study law as well. 

Anyway, before our tv complain of an over heat, i write this one to be a breather. The kids are watching in the other room their fave cartoon series, so i would savor longer my holiday. this "The Nine" is a real mystery, and it's a "to-be-continued" series, so i'm gonna watch this before i felt asleep. Tomorrow is a working day again. (sigh)

HAPPY ALL SAINT'S DAY!