I bought a Juicy Couture bag

I promised myself (and my mother) that I won't be buying bags for the time being. I have lots already, at hindi ko naman nagagamit talaga dahil ako ay dakilang tambay sa bahay lang naman. And you know what, there was even a time in my life na mas marami pa ang bags ko kesa sa damit ko na kasya (kasi nga sobrang tumaba ako noon at naubusan ako ng masusuot). I am not exaggerating, super dami ko talagang bags as in! Magkukuwento na lang ako ng bag addiction ko in a separate post, oki?

Anyway, I got bored yesterday so the good hubby took me to Winners-Homesense in Coquitlam na lang para malibang. Medyo house-mode na uli kasi kami ngayon dahil may bago na kaming bahay na lilipatan.

Yung Winners nga pala ay bilihan ng mga branded stuff (clothes, shoes, toys, bags, house items, etc) at lesser price. Yung Homesense naman na kapartner niya ay pang lahat ng gamit sa bahay.

The moment we entered the store, nag-aya na agad si Nathan sa toys section. Sumunod ako pero napatingin ang mata ko sa bags section din. Haha, pinabayaan ko na silang mag-ama at ako'y naningin muna ng bags.

Eto agad ang kumuha ng atensyon ko. I am drawn sa mga floral thingy talaga na ganyan. Tapos sling bag pa. Sobrang gustung-gusto ko ng sling bag kasi napaka-convenient gamitin lalo na at may bata ako na palaging kasama.

Original Price is $80.00

I checked the price at namurahan ako -- $39.99 + 12% tax. Sabagay hindi naman kamahalan ang material.

Bitbit-bitbit ko siya the whole time na nagtitingin kami ng mabibiling gamit sa bahay. My mind was telling me to just leave it behind kasi nga ang dami ko ng bags kaso I didn't have the heart to do it. Type ko kasi talaga haha! Ang gaan pa kasi... saka sabi ko ke Ford wala pa akong Juicy Couture na bag. I know na pambata ang JC kaso yung design naman na ito eh pwede na sa age group ko lol.

Wala namang kontra ang asawa ko ever. In fairness, hindi ako kinokontra nun sa bilihan. Pero syempre kunwari nagpapaalam pa rin ako hehe.

Ayan, me bago na naman akong bag. My first this 2018. Last year super dami kong nabili, puro mahal pa -- Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Furla, Tory Burch, Dooney and Bourke, Herschel, etc.). Kaya malaking improvement na ito ha.

Pero sige na nga, once a bag addict, always a bag addict.

Kate Spade Outlet in Vancouver

I am so happy!

We went to McArthurGlen Designer Outlets (near Vancouver Airport) last Saturday and guess what, Kate Spade is already open! It was still under construction the last time we were there eh.

OMG! Di pa rin ako makapaniwala na may outlet na talaga ang Kate Spade dito! One of the reasons why I like to cross border in Washington is because of Kate Spade (in Seattle Premium Outlets). Ngayon meron na rin kami dito sa Vancouver yebaaah! No need to pay in US dollar pa.

And our store is bigger ha! Mas maraming tinda. Parang mas malaki pa nga ito sa outlet sa California na napuntahan namin last May. Tapos hindi pa ganun karami ang tao, unlike in Seattle na pipila ka pa sa labas. Hindi kasi accessible ang McArthurGlen sa mga public commuters. Ewan ko lang kung may free shuttle from the airport.

I promised my BFF Raxie na uuwian ko siya ng Kate Spade this January. Sakto talaga kasi kapag nasa US outlets kami, I couldn't message her (and send her pictures of the bag so she can choose) kasi wala akong data plan outside Canada. Saka kung wala kaming magustuhan, we could go back some other time kasi mga 25 minutes away from our apartment lang ang McArthurGlen.

I wasn't able to take some pictures inside (pero ang laki niya talaga ha), na-excite kasi ako. Mga black bags lang which I sent to Raxie na di naman niya nagustuhan haha! Sabi ko naman sa kanya, Kate Spades are known for their bright purses nga di ba.

Pero wag ka, natempt na din akong bilhin ito for myself. I am partial to saffiano leather, ewan ko ba. Saka I realized na konti lang ang black bags ko kaya parang I need this in my life haha.

I have a boring taste, I know. Binabagay ko na lang din sa edad ko. Saka classic bags lang talaga ang gusto ko, para hindi mawawala sa uso.

Oh, I love Kate Spade bags! Simula nang naging nanay ako, ito na lang ang naa-afford ko (and occasional Michael Kors) lol! Keri lang naman kasi type ko talaga ang colors and designs ng Kate Spade. Super mura pa sa outlet, kailangan mo lang pumili ng sossy na design kasi meron ding obvious na obvious na from outlet lang.

We will definitely go to McArthurGlen on Thanksgiving weekend (October 7 to 9). Sana maraming good deals. =)

Bag downgrade

I saw a yellow bag at Guess (WEM) and I instantly liked it. Perfect for spring, I said to myself. I was hesitant but the husband insisted that we buy it. It's only $115 (plus 5% tax), after all.

Haha, I never thought that it will happen again. That I will think so hard before buying a bag that's not even that expensive. I started buying designer purses a couple of years ago and akala ako tuloy tuloy na.

But then you see, motherhood happened.

Let me say that I am not the type who will let go of my personal luho just because I am a mother now. To be clear, I am not buying Louis Vuitton bags FOR NOW because I am jobless (because I have to take care of my son) and we solely rely on my husband's income.

When I was still pregnant, a friend told me that I will change after I give birth. That I will lose interest in shopping blah blah. Four and a half months after Chicklet's birth, I can affirm that I am still the same. I still salivate over expensive bags and hoping that someday, I can afford them again.

As I am not working right now, many will ask why I need a new bag while I still have tons inside my closet. My answer: "Bags are my thing. Just give it to me." I don't splurge on cosmetics or clothes or parlor services, I really am just a bag person. I will hoard as much bags as I can. I don't want to bury my real self just because I became a mother. That's not healthy.

I am just financially limited at this point so I have to downgrade my bag choices. Ok lang, I realized that I was still happy and excited when the cashier handed to me my Guess purchase. Same euphoric feeling kapag may bago akong mamahaling bag noon. =)

The Bag Snub

The first time my husband saw me using this, tumaas ang kilay niya sabay hablot sa bag para tingnan ang tatak.

FORD -- Grabe, anong bag yan? Anong tatak yan?

CES -- Haler, Mango naman yan. Binili ko sa Pinas bago ako umalis kasi walang Mango brand dito sa Edmonton, mami-miss ko.

FORD -- Ay ang cheap! Ayaw ko nyan! Wag mo na gagamitin yan.

And he was semi-serious.

Then one time, he questioned my frequent use of my Kate Spate tote bag..

FORD -- Yan na naman ang bag mo? Puro yan na lang ang ginagamit mo eh andami-dami mo namang bag.

CES -- Eh kasi nga di ba maliit sa place natin, ang hirap-hirap maglabas ng maraming bag kasi kakalat. Saka ok gamitin 'to kasi malaki, kasya ang mga scarf, bonnet, gloves. Pati jacket kasya.

FORD -- Ok. Pero pagkalipat natin gamitin mo na ang ibang bags mo ha.

OMG! What happened to Pod? How did he end up being a bag snub???

Okay, okay. I take the blame. My husband is an Ilocano and is not into material things. He's the simplest person I know, with no interest on any expensive stuff whatsoever.

But then he had me. I admit to being 'shallow' most of the time. I find happiness in buying and hoarding things. Shopping became the central activity of my life. And as I get older, my taste and preference for everything leveled up as well. I no longer wanted a Nine West nor a Coach purse. My heart now beats Louis Vuitton.

My husband, who's always been supportive of my kababawan, has probably internalized by brand-whore attitude kaya ayan, binalikan na ako! Ako ba naman ang araw-araw niyang nakakausap kaya talagang mai-imbibe sa kanya ang attitude and values ko. I always tell him: "Hay naku, creation lang kita Pod!" Ayan na nga ang proof.

The drawback though is that I am now obligated to use ALL my bags often kahit na nakakatamad magpalit -kasi under scrutiny pala ang bags ko hahaha!

Ooops, before I forget, sa bags ko lang naman siya particular at hindi sa kanya. Would you believe that he still uses this "unbranded" backpack after more than a decade. His only one. I kept on telling him to throw it out already but he refuses. He reasoned na matagal na ang pinagsamahan nila ng bag na ito, through thick and thin, and ups and downs. Kaloka.

Gifts from Santa Ford

My husband is feeling extra-generous this Christmas (o sige na nga, palagi naman) and he granted my two bag wishes: Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 (Damier Azur) and Michael Kors Hamilton!

I am overwhelmed! It was only last month when I received a welcome gift from him, tapos eto uli! I am such a lucky lucky wifey!

Thank you so much, Dear! You are such a spoiler and I love you very very much! Ikaw na talaga ang nag-iisang Santa Claus ng buhay ko!

Merry Christmas! Mwah!

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PS. Again, utang muna ang regalo ko sayo this Christmas ha. Alam mo naman, currently unemployed pa. Unless you want me to get you something na ikakaskas ko ang credit card mo? Hahaha! 

Welcome gift package from the Husband

This is such a late post. But it's better late than never, right?

I arrived in Edmonton last November 6 and when we reached my husband's place, this warmly welcomed me...

Isn't my husband the sweetest? We have no other family nor friends to help him welcome me here in Canada so he did everything by himself!

Let me briefly enumerate (and explain) the contents of his welcome gift package:

• PURPLE BALLOON. Balloons make me happy. I prefer balloons over flowers. He chose a purple one because it was our wedding motif. This color eventually became our official couple color.

• LOUIS VUITTON WALLET. He bought this wallet a couple of months ago (when he thought my visa would be released already) and had my initials CRB engraved on it. He said that since I'd be starting a new life here, I will be needing a new wallet to carry my new cards, etc. LV is my favorite luxury brand, by the way. 

• MICHAEL KORS BAG. He purchased this bag weeks ago at Cross Iron Mills in Calgary. I am a bag-lover and a purse never fails to thrill me.

• BMO CREDIT CARD. Ford is not only sweet, he is uber generous as well! He made sure that I'll have my own card (albeit an extension of his card) the moment I arrive. 

• STARBUCKS CARD. The Starbucks card was a recent phenomenon in the Philippines and I was sad that I wasn't able to enjoy it fully yet (I am a self-confessed Starbucks addict). Ford got me a Canadian Starbucks card to wipe away my bitterness haha! 

• DOLLARAMA GIFT CARD. Dollarama is my wasteland! I fell in love with this store last year when I came here in Edmonton for a six-week visit. Haha, my husband knew I would do some Dollarama shopping the moment I arrive so he bought a gift card for me. Aaaaw! 

• SHOPPING MONEY. I didn't have any winter clothes and boots prior to my coming here so the husband promised me some shopping money to buy what I need -- a sort of clothing allowance lol!

• HELLO KITTY COIN BANK. The coin bank actually came from the Philippines (I am a kitty addict, too!). When he went home last January to attend his brother's wedding, he asked me to give him a coin bank so that he can "deposit" a hundred dollar (which later on became two hundred) every pay check. This would be my bag fund, according to him. The day I arrived, that kitty coin bank already contained $4,600! I was amazed! 

• WELCOME BANNER. My husband is left-brained and never creative. Therefore this simple banner was already an effort for him. I can never ask for more.

Thanks so much, Dear! I really really appreciate this! 

I love you and I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you. Mwah!