Hello!

Yey, I am back! I really am, promise!

I can't believe it's almost a year na since my last entry post. Grabe! Sa totoo lang, gustung-gusto kong magsulat, lalo na ngayon that we're in the midst of Corona virus pandemic at stay-at-home lang kami all the time, pero one thing hindered me -- my very slow laptop! Nakakainis siyang buksan kasi ang bagal-bagal nya. We really regret buying it sa totoo lang. But anyway, more than 4 years na rin naman yun (although it still looks new ha, bihira nga kasing magamit) kaya ayos lang na palitan na. The other big laptop that we have is already 8 years old kaya matitigok na rin soon.

Kaya eto na nga, bumili na ang asawa ko ng bagong laptop. Sayang, we were deprived of the thrill na pumili sa store. Ford attempted to go to Costco last night pero sobrang haba raw ng pila kaya hindi na lang. Nag-online purchase na lang siya sa Best Buy tapos pinick-up niya sa store.

I am so happy! Ang laki ng laptop na ito kaya ang bilis! I swear, makakapag-blog na uli ako nang madalas nito.

Ooops,  by the way, this book was my Mother's Day request from Ford. Maganda ang feedback sa book na ito, sana magustuhan ko. I have so many bad habits that I want to break eh.

O siya, it's almost 1am and I need to put Nathan to bed na. Yep, dahil walang pasok, back to being night owls uli kami. Another bad habit tsk.

Bye, for now! Please come back again soon because I'll be blogging a lot again from now on. Ciao! =)

New books from Raxie

I stopped buying books when I migrated to Canada. Pricey kasi ang books doon, hindi afford ng jobless self ko. Saka I really have this reluctance to buy things na alam kong makukuha ko ng mura sa iba, kaya hindi talaga ako bibili hangga't maaari.

So I took advantage of our Christmas wish list para makapag-request ng books na gusto ko sa friends ko dito sa Pinas haha. Mas mura nga kasi ang mga libro dito.

Sa Sunday (January 28) pa actually ang super late Christmas party naming girls but Raxie already handed to me her gift last Saturday.

That my son excitedly opened!

I now have an official gift opener. =)

And taraaaan, my new books!

Yey, My Crazy Rich trilogy is complete! My bilas actually gave me a link of Rich People Problems so I could read it online pero mas happy talaga ako magbasa ng actual book. I am old school that way.

Philippine Price: Php795.00

This book is not included in my wish list naman kasi nakalimutan ko. It was only later that I told Raxie about it, sabi ko dagdag sa listahan ko. Meaning, pwedeng isa sa mga options niya na bilhin. But my ever-generous BFF can't be stopped, talagang binili nya yung dalawang books na request ko haha!

Philippine Price: Php695.00

Thanks so much, Raxie! Super happy ako! Ang problem ko na lang ngayon is to find time para makapagbasa nang hindi iniistorbo ng batang makulit. =)

Random Chika # 6

1. Hotwheels. Nathan's always been into "broom broom." Dugong Reyes nga yata talaga. Now that he's bigger, I'd start buying him metal match boxes na. Ok pala ang Hotwheels, made in Malaysia (at
hindi sa China). Mura lang sa ang mga ito sa Walmart ($1.25) at Dollarama ($1.50). Plus tax pa syempre.

2. Goldilocks Cake. We got invited to Tito Harold's "surprise" birthday party last October 7 (Friday). There's a Goldilocks branch in Guildford Mall so we went there to get a cake.

Their cakes are not similar to what are being sold in the Philippines. Ibang-iba ang itsura, di tulad sa Red Ribbon sa US na kamukha talaga (pati ang pastries).

There weren't much choices so I ended up choosing this round choco 'something' cake. It costs $23.25 -- not cheap considering na maliit lang siya. According to the friendly staff, it's a "thaw" cake. Kailangan palipasin ng one hour bago kainin.

They asked me if I want some flower decors for the cake. I was hesitant kasi nga panlalake. But they suggested a 'blue and yellow theme' so sige. Eto ang finished product.

There were many cakes in the party but I was happy kasi yung dala namin ang ginamit for the 'blowing of the cake.' Siguro kasi personalized, saka the guests wanted to taste na rin the cake.

In fairness, masarap siya. Even Ford (who's not into sweets) liked it. Sulit na rin.

Happy birthday, Tito Harold! 

3.  Lakompake Book. This is the very first book na hahanapin/ bibilin ko sa Pinas pag-uwi ko next month. Sana may stock na by then kasi sa ngayon eh nagkakaubusan daw. Haha, tawang-tawa kasi ako talaga kay Senyora!

4. Food Trip sa Richmond Public Market. We regret buying combo meals at one of the food stalls in Richmond Public Market, hindi kasi ganun kasarap. Pero mura ha, $7.50 lang tatlong ulam na.

Pero the best talaga ang fried suid. $8.50 lang super dami na. Hay, I am craving for it now! Makabalik nga dun uli bukas.

5. Aling Mary's Kutsinta. Meron nito sa Edmonton eh, pero di ko pinapansin. Di naman kasi ako mahilig sa kutsinta. Pero dahil made in Surrey ito, sige tinikman na ng asawa ko.

Ang verdict -- hindi masarap! Sobrang artificial ng lasa, ang layo sa totoong kutsinta. I wonder kung meron ba dito talaga na me gusto nito? Oh well, siguro meron nga kasi ang tagal na nito sa market eh.

My husband tried to finish it kasi sayang, kaso di na talaga keri ng powers niya. Kaya ayan, tapon na ang tatlong piraso.

A book for Chicklet

I felt so excited when the nurse at West Jasper Place Public Health Center (where Nathan got vaccinated last January 22) handed me this bag containing a book, a cd, and some library information for Nathan. This is what I love about having a child here in Canada, alagang-alaga talaga ng gobyerno. Ang suwerte ng mga bata dito!

Ooops, I realized that I haven't really bought any book yet for Chicklet. I would have to start buying soon. I am currently a stay-at-home mom so I do not have any excuse to not teach my son well. I was an educator once upon a time, actually. Sa college students nga lang. I know that teaching a child is different but I promise to do my best. I love my son and I will make him a smart boy.

I told Ford that we should pay a visit to the library soon. I've been here in Edmonton for almost 1 year and 3 months now but I haven't been to one. I love reading, but I admit that in the last couple of years I don't get to read a lot of books anymore. I still read a lot -- sa internet nga lang. So I guess if I want to instill the love of reading to Nathan, kailangang magbasa din uli ako ng libro.

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It was my first time to see an actual public last January 16 at Mill Woods Town Centre. I was surprised that it was located in a 'mall.' Kung wala siguro akong anak, madalas akong tatambay dun.

Dollarama Finds: Romance Novels

Who would have thought I'll find these romance pocket books in Dollarama? I knew they carry books (children's books, cook books, coffee table books, and other random reading stuff), I just never expected seeing these novels haha!

I need light reads for now. I prefer REAL books than e-books.

They only cost $2 each!

Books are very expensive here in Canada. Thank God there's Dollarama! From now on I'll frequent the stationery aisle na for more cheap books! =)