Dad's Christmas Party 2017

Hello, hello! Sorry for the lack of posts this December. Sobrang naging busy lang the past days, ang daming ganap! Sana magkaroon ako ng time na makuwento lahat dito haha.

Anyway, let me start by posting about Daddy Ford's company Christmas party last December 7, 2017. I am not posting the party per se, kasi hindi ko naman business yun lol. Haha gusto ko lang ikuwento how bitter I was! HINDI KASI AKO NAKASAMA, waaah!

This was Ford's second Christmas party in that company and like last year, he went alone. This year, the party was held in a high-end steakhouse and cocktail bar in Downtown Vancouver. As usual, employees were asked to bring their respective spouses/partners. Sayang, chance ko na sanang maka-attend ng party. I've never been to any of my husband's work-related events (be it oath-taking, etc.) kasi natataong hindi kami magkasama pag may mga ganyan (we used to be in a very long LDR). Kaso nga this time na nandito ako at magkasama kami, we have no one to leave our son Nathan with naman. Ang hirap dito kasi kaming tatlo lang.

Hay, naging bitter talaga ako! Aside from the chance to eat a very expensive steak (I love steak!!!), opportunity na rin sana ito to dress up and mingle with adults. Ikaw ba naman makipagchika sa toddler 24/7, masasabik ka rin makakausap ng matatanda noh. Sayang nga lang kasi strictly adult-affair yung party, hindi puwedeng magsama ng bata. Bar nga rin kasi yun.

I am sure that next year, absent na naman ako. Four years old pa lang si Nathan by that time kaya hindi pa rin pwedeng iwan, unless bumisita samin ang in-laws ko.

I also felt bad for hubby, kasi dalawa lang daw sila na walang kasama. He works in an engineering consulting firm so most of the employees were males. Yung isa daw na walang kasama ay single at bata pa. Everyone asked him about his wife, sinasabi niya na lang na walang baby sitter.

Before he left, kinunan ko na lang siya ng pictures. I knew na hindi siya magte-take ng pictures during the party kaya ito na lang.

Haha, ID picture daw.

The attire was semi-formal. Semi-formal na ba ito? Nagulat daw siya kasi talagang mga naka-tie pa ang nagdi-dine in sa restaurant na yun. They were served with a 4-course meal saka on-the-house and wine. Too bad he couldn't drink because he has to drive pa.

He later asked me kung gusto ko raw ba kumain doon some other time, I uttered a loud "NO!" Sayang ang pera. I am not into high-end dining kasi. Mas nakaka-high sakin ang shopping haha!

He's lost a lot of weight na rin talaga =)

In fairness, before he left that night, iniwanan nya naman ako ng famous steak niya para steak din ang dinner ko. Ang sweet, di ba?

Ooops, here's his pang-exchange gift nga pala. Worth $20 raw.

Ang corny niya, gift card na lang daw ang bilhin. But I insisted that we buy (kasi gusto kong mag-gift wrap haha!).

We got something similar to this one. Admittedly, medyo under-valued yung gift haha. Kasi it was worth $15.99 lang. Original price was $24.99 but there was a $9-off coupon available ka naging mura. Tapos no-tax day pa that time sa Superstore kaya we were able to save an additional $3 pa. Sabi ko ke Ford hanap ka kami ng pang-dagdag kaso tinamad na. Kunwari raw nabili namin sa original price haha.

(Pic taken from net, credits to the owner)

Here's what he received naman. Kaloka, "malas" talaga kami sa exchange gifts. This is something that we couldn't use/consume eh. Nilagay ko na lang sa balikbayan box at ipamimigay sa Pinas.

Pic taken by Daddy Ford

Some thoughts, why can't people just choose tangible objects for gifts? House/kitchen items are always a safe choice. Kung hindi man type ng receiver, at least walang shelf life at pwedeng ipamigay later on. Mahirap kasing magbigay ng chocolates (and foods in general) kasi nga iba-iba ang preference ng mga tao (unless kilala mo talaga ha) at concerns. Katulad namin, very picky kami sa food tapos diabetic pa. Kung hindi kami uuwi sa Pinas next month, I wonder ko paano ko madi-dispose yang Godiva na yan.

I also do not like receiving toiletries (unless the brands that I use), for the same reason that we have different preferences when it comes to products that we use on our skin and body. Maikli lang din ang shelf life ng mga lotion, body wash, etc. kaya kailangan mai-dispose agad.

Best Black Friday Deal

Nathan and I are going 'home' in the Philippines this January and I was searching for a perfect gift for my nephew who I haven't seen (except in FB and IG) in more than five years. He'll turn 7 na in April 2018. I know that he's into toy cars / trucks but I still asked his mom if there's any particular toy that he likes. Wala naman daw, basta any toy vehicle will make the little boy happy.

To be honest, mahirap hanapan ng gift ang batang yun because he seem to have everything na naman. Maraming nagi-spoil sa kanya. Kaya challenge talaga na makahanap ng something na mapapa-wow siya.

Anyway, we were at Walmart last Monday (November 20) and I saw this Mack's Mobile Tool Center toy. It's actually big and heavy pero kasya sa balikbayan box. Hmmm, pwede. Bagong labas lang ito kasi noon ko lang nakita. And believe me, kabisado ko lahat ng toys sa Walmart at Toys R Us kasi lagi kaming nandun.

The price was $79.97 (+ 9.59 tax = $89.57 / Php3,600.00 - final price) and it was ok. Mura pa rin kumpara sa mga toys sa Pinas.

We were at Walmart again yesterday and I showed it to Ford. He gave me the go signal to buy it. Sabi ko later na lang, tutal sa January pa naman kami uuwi. Saka baka may makita pa akong iba. Marami kasing new toy releases ngayon kasi nga magpapasko. Pero convinced na rin talaga ako na this is what I want to get for my nephew.

***********

But just tonight, we proceeded to Walmart again after a little black Friday shopping at Guildford Town Centre to buy a blanket for Nathan. Yeah, we are obviously Walmart people, we buy everything we need from Walmart lol.

As expected, the little boy geared us toward the toys section. Bumungad sa akin ito and I couldn't believe it at first. Kaloka, $39.97 na lang siya?!?! Bale $44.77 / Php1,800.00 with tax.

Grabe ang saya ko haha! Imagine saving 50% of what I already conditioned myself to shed off for the toy! Ok talaga dito pag nag-sale haha!

We instantly grabbed one and put it in our cart. Nagcontemplate pa nga ako kung bibilhan ko rin si Nathan, kasi nga sobrang mura na (it looks nicer and pricier in actual ha). But Nathan showed no interest on it eh. And when I told him that he will give it to Kuya Luc as a gift, he excitedly said yes. Walang inggit o question man lang kung bakit wala siya (he's a good boy and inasmuch as he loves receiving gifts, sanay din siyang magbigay kasi talagang tinuturan namin).

Ayan, problem solved na! I got what I wanted at a very reasonable price. Yung natipid ko, I might use na lang in buying other toys/clothes for Kuya Luc kasi nga ang dami-dami naming utang sa kanya. Or pwede kong ibigay ng cash kapag nagkita kami so he could buy what he wants pa.

*************

If there's one thing we learned about toy-buying here in Canada, it's TO WAIT. Tiyak kasi na magse-sale, lalo na yung mga mahal.

#CessieShops: Disney Summer Tote Bag

I chanced upon this nice super nice summer tote bag at the Disney Store last night. I was instantly drawn to its colors. I love the color pink. Bagay din pala si Mickey Mouse sa kulay pink.

Hindi mura ang mga tinda sa Disney Store so I had no intention of buying it. Pero teka, I saw a "special label" (at the shelf where it was displayed) that states $5.99. I wasn't really sure if it pertains to the tote bag, pero katapat talaga eh. Sumimple ako sa harap para sipatin. Ang ganda talaga ng bag, pero ang tag price ay CAD31.95. Hmm, so baka hindi nga siya $5.99 na lang.

But to satisfy my curiosity, I inquired from the sales clerk na rin. And voila, $5.99 nga raw talaga! I then asked if I had to buy something from the store to be able to avail it at that very much discounted price. Hindi raw. I excitedly said: "Ok, I'll take one!"

The bag is much prettier (and sosyal) in actual

What I really like here in North America is that pag nagdiscount sila, discount talaga. Sa Pinas kasi 10 o 20 percent off lang karaniwan. Bihira yung ganito na halos ipamigay na lang. Imagine, I was able to score this tote for merely 18% of the original price. Sobrang good deal talaga!

Oops by the way, I paid a total of CAD6.70 pala. Syempre may additional 12% tax pa (na kinasasamaan pa rin ng loob ko kasi 5% lang sa Alberta).

I am just hoping na may mapaggamitan ako nito. Haha, hoarder lang kasi ako. Cheap thrills ang hanap ko. Pero sabi nga ng asawa ko, sa dami ng pinagbibili ko na mura, madaming pera rin ang katumbas pag sinuma. Eeek, guilty.

The cashier gave me pa a coupon that I could use until this weekend. Hala, my coupon-addicted self is itching to use it. Patay na naman si Coblancs.