Not so happy with happy meal

I am so bitter.

While they are enjoying these hello kitty happy meal toys in Pinas...

Picture taken from Instagram (@mcdo_ph)

... this is what we've got:

Honestly, what will kids do with these small plushies? May emojis na rin silang nirelease dito last year. Parehas din, iba lang ang characters.

Hay, the Philippines always gets the best toys. Always! Kung kelan wala na ako doon at may anak na akong dapat bilhan. Grrr, nakaka-bitter talaga.

For sure maiipon ko rin ang mga emojis na ito. No choice eh, mas mura ang happy meal kesa regular meal eh. Di ko rin type ang next toys ng nila, NERF daw. Di ako familiar kaya ginoogle ko. Pangit. =(

Buti na lang masayahin ang anak ko. Naka-smile pa rin kasi bored siya sa toy lol.

Happy Meal: Despicable Me 3

Yey, mission accomplished! We've completed the 12 Despicable Me 3 happy meal toys that are available here in McDonald's Canada!

As you can see, my boy is so happy! =)

Yep, I used the work "accomplished" because getting all these 12 toys is not an easy feat. I know that many would try, but very few would succeed lol!

June 23, 2017

You see, unlike in McDonald stores in the Philippines where they usually carry all or most of the toys at the same time, paisa-isa lang na design ang available dito. You cannot buy two different toys sa isang bilihan. So imagine kung 12 toys ang kailangan mong kumpletuhin, challenge talaga.

The best way to get all the toys is to look for them in different stores. Kaso minsan kapag magkalapit ang stores, magkaparehas lang din ng available toy. On the first day of our minion-hunting, we had to go to Langley pa to get our second toy. Whew!

Minion toys are highly popular so we had to rush. Buti na lang supportive si hubby. Kung saan-saan kaming McDonald's ng Metro Vancouver kami napadpad. May times pa nga na lahat ng pinuntahan namin eh me kaparehas na.

I had to print this out pala pala alam ng asawa ko kung ano pa ang kulang. Minsan kay inuutusan ko rin siyang mag-take out.

completed in 20 days

There came a point na umay na umay na ako sa chicken nuggets. My son doesn't eat nuggets nor burgers kaya ako naman talaga ang tagakain.

I admit din that I almost gave up. Down to the last minion, I thought: "Ano bang probability na mahanap ko pa yun?" Medyo tinamad na talaga ako. But I guess the heavens are on me. After going to Aberdeen Mall in Richmond to have dinner last week, we had to look for a McDonald's after because Nathan was asking for fries and orange juice.

Again, before buying, I asked a crew kung ano ang available nilang toy. Para kasing wala na eh, puro books na lang ang natatanaw ko. The crew came back after a moment and apologetically said: "Sorry, this is the last minion that we have." 

OMG! I wanted to shout right there and then. Iyon na lang ang kulang namin! "I'm getting it! I'm getting it!", I heard myself saying. I really couldn't believe my luck.

So here are my, este my son's minions. So kawaii noh? Sa totoo lang di naman ako nanonood ng Despicable Me pero naku-cute-an lang ako talaga sa kanila haha.

By the way, I've always been a fan of happy meal toys. Nagko-collect na ako dati pa, natigil lang syempre kasi mas naging 'serious' ako with life haha. But now that I have a son na nakaka-appreciate na ng toys, there's no reason para di ako bumalik sa pagbili =)

Isa pa, I am a #boredhousewife, remember? Kaya pagpasensyahan na please.

#CessieEats 3

Tapsi's pancit canton + bonete from Francisco bakery. Perfect merienda na sana kaso me bad news akong dinatnan pag-uwi ko. Di ko tuloy na-enjoy.

  
Mc Donald's Fish and Fries. I love fish and chips and I am glad that Mc Donald's came up with this, albeit for a limited time only (hanggang Mahal na Araw lang yata). Bitin nga lang kasi one piece lang (I am used to eating 2 pieces haha). Masarap naman in fairness, medyo mahal nga lang. Php149 with drinks. Personally, I'd rather order 2-pc chiken mcdo kesa dito kasi mas mabubusog ako.

Royce Chocolate.  Raxie gave me this bar last Christmas. Hindi pa ako nakakatikim ng Royce ever pero parang hindi naman ako interesado haha. Naalala ko lang kainin ito a couple of days ago, halos maeexpire na. My verdict -- so so lang. Hindi ako impressed. Nanghinayang ako sa Php350 pesos niya, si Joannie lang ang umubos haha.

Nips. Ito ang type na type kong lapangin lately. Ahh, chocolate of my childhood! I remember, lagi akong bumibili ng tatlong small packs nito sa tindahan ng kapitbahay naming si Aling Fely noong bata pa ako. I've grown pero mga simpleng chocolates lang talaga ang gusto ng panlasa ko.

Jollibee hotdod breakfast meal. This is my favorite breakfast in the world. Seriously. Sarap na sarap talaga ako kahit na nabibitin kasi maliit lang ang serving. When I was in college, ito lagi ang breakfast ko sa Jollibee Philcoa. How I wish I could wake up early para makakain lagi nito. We are going back to Canada in a month, dapat samantalahin ko na.

 

Sapsap. Do no underestimate this kind of ulam. Super expensive yan ha! Thank you, Mamoosh! Ang sarap po talaga!

Tokyo Tokyo's Pork Tonkatsu. Sa wakas nakakain din uli ako nito. Puro kasi KFC ang gustong kainan ni Nathan kaya na-deprive ako. Buti na lang me katulong na uli ako sa kanya kaya nakatakas ako para kumain nito (habang nasa Kidzoona sila). Ito yung gustung-gusto kong kainin sa Edmonton when I was pregnant eh. Kaso wala naman kaming natagpuang tonkatsu noon. Php160 na ito, without drinks. Kakain ako uli ng isa pang beses bago umalis.

 

Random Chika # 7

1. Buck or Two Plus! I discovered this store last week at the Surrey Central Mall. Matalas talaga ang mata ko sa mga dollar stores. I went inside to survey their items. Ok naman, lalo na yung mga balloons nila. Ang daming klase talaga!

When I googled this store, I learned na may ganito rin pala sa Edmonton. Meron yata sa Londonderry Mall! Kaloka, bakit hindi ko alam?!?

Anyway, happy na rin ako. Another wasteland for me!

2. Happy Meal. Whenever Nathan would see McDonald's, ayun magtuturo na. Hindi titigil hanggang hindi kami bumibili ng french fries.

Kaso mas mabisyo si Mommy. Di mapakali pag nakakita ng cute na happy meal toys.

I used to collect happy meal toys when I was in college. As in lahat talaga ng lumalabas eh binibili ko. Now that I have a child, may legitimate reason na ako na mag-happy meal uli haha! Pero mas magandang bumili ng happy meal kapag may coupon, mahal din kasi kapag regular price.

It's my mom who likes/loves Snoopy!

3. Fried Squid Again. We didn't know where to eat dinner last Wednesday night so rushed to the Richmond Public Market again for some cheap Chinese fix. But it was past 7pm already and there's no more fried squid in the stall where we get it. Buti na lang meron pang natira doon sa isa (Captain Wa) or else maglulupasay talaga ako. Masarap naman din, pero mas masarap talaga sa Asian Foods.

4.  Filipino Version. I got so kilig when I saw a Filipino text version of PC Plus' (Real Canadian Superstore's rewards card) ads. Nakakatuwa kasi acknowledged nila ang malaking Filipino community dito.

5. Motorcycle Accident. It was my first time to see a motorcycle accident here in Canada. Kapag summer lang kasi may motor sa Edmonton, kasi nga sobrang lamig doon at ma-snow.

When we were planning to move here in BC, Ford kept on telling me that he would buy a motorcycle because he can use it here all year round. Wala nga kasing snow at hindi kalamigan. Ako man, I want to get a small motorcyle, a Vespa perhaps. Haha, asa pa.

But I am amazed talaga sa rescue system dito sa Canada. Kung sa Pinas ka nadisgrasya, goodluck na lang sa iyo.

By the way, first to rescue daw ang bumbero dito basta tumawag ka ng emergency. Kahit ano pa mang kaso, mauuna ang bumbero kasi trained sila for first aid. It didn't make sense to me, sabi ko sayang ang resources at manpower. Tsk, third world mentality pa rin talaga.

Hello Kitty Happy Meal

I was at West Edmonton Mall for almost the whole day last Friday (November 7). I went on my 10th weekly ultrasound at 10am and I asked the husband not to pick me up anymore during his lunch time. I wanted to walk and walk (my cervix is still closed) and do a bit of shopping hihi.

I had my lunch at T&T (as usual), shopped a little, and read a book while resting. At around 3:45pm, while lounging on the mall's couch, I saw a little girl carrying a McDonald's Happy Meal box. The box has a hello kitty print on it.

Sabi ko na nga ba, hello kitty ang toy ng happy meal ngayon eh! Parang may nakita kasi ako sa Facebook na ganito, I just wasn't sure kung available ba dito sa Canada.

My heart palpitated, I am always like this whenever there's a hello kitty happy meal on the market. You see, I was (still am) a hello kitty addict. I have one room in our Philippine home that's filled with kitty (no kidding!).  There's really something about this sweet feline that makes me giddy.

And so I went to the foodcourt where there's a McDonald's to verify if they indeed have a hello kitty happy meal.

Upon confirming that they do, I had a three-minute self-deliberation:

     Bibili ba ako? Haler, bawal sa akin ang fast food kasi may gestational diabetes ako.
     Eh sayang naman, yan lang ang hello kitty souvenir mo para sa 40th birthday ni hello kitty.

I haven't eaten fast food since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes so I was really hesitant. In the end, my love for hello kitty prevailed.

     Sige na nga, minsan lang naman. Hindi ko na lang uubusin ang fries, saka maliit lang naman ang cup ng orange juice. 

After paying $4.50 (tax included), or approximately Php180.00, I was one big happy girl carrying this!

The big cup was just water.

It was my first time to buy a happy meal here and I didn't know "how." Basically, you have to choose an entree pala (and that would determine the price), then the side, then the drink. Unlike in the Philippines, ginawa nilang "healthier" ang options dito, ni hindi nga rin pwede ang softdrinks (or pop as what they call it here).

I was also happy that they put everything on this box. Namimiss ko ito eh. Sa Pilipinas kasi madalas wala ng box, naka-paper bag na lang.

The complete meal -- 4 pieces chicken nuggets, small fries (I only ate a few), small orange juice, strawberry yogurt (na hindi ko din kinain kasi ayaw ko nun)...

And the toy!

Too bad I wasn't able to choose the toy. Maliit lang kasi ang McDonald's sa foodcourt at maraming tao, nagmamadali ang mga crew. They just asked me kung for boy or girl ang toy and that's it. Wala rin silang display o poster man lang ng happy meal toys.

Buti na lang I got the one with a cake. Here's the complete set pala:

Picture taken from the internet (credits to the owner)

There are eight designs. Tsk, if only I can buy them all, just like what I always do in Pinas. Kaso ang mahal din kasi, saka hindi ko na siya priority.

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I remember, whenever I learn that hello kitty is featured on the happy meal, my Mamoosh and I would rush to McDonald's Bocaue or SM Marilao and we would buy all the designs at once! Haha, those were the days!

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Happy meals do doubt will become part of my life here in Edmonton as I will soon have a child. Kaya lang boy kasi sya, magkaiba kami ng preference sa toys haha!