Halloween 2019: Treats

Sorry for the many Halloween posts. Nasa Halloween-mode na kasi talaga ako. Also, ina-aspire ko talaga na madocument lahat ng important happenings sa life namin sa blog na ito kaya marami akong hahabuling posts. Please bear with me.

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Guess what we gave out last year to trick-or-treaters... our extra happy meal toys and books!

I was cleaning our garage a few days before Halloween and realized that I won't be able to bring these toys in Pinas naman na (kasi mabigat at may iba akong valuable items na pwedeng paggamitan ng baggage allowance) so I came up with the idea of just giving them away on October 31st.

I counted the toys and books but I forgot na kung ilan. Medyo madami kasi nga simula naman ng 2 years old si Nathan yan. We had a lot of extras kasi nga usually isa lang naman ang available na toy sa McDonald's kaya hindi ka makakapili. Madalas tuloy nadodoble.Yung iba naipapalit namin kaso medyo hassle din kasing pumunta ng ibang branch para lang magpapalit.

As expected, happy ang mga kids sa toys!

The only trick-or-treaters who came in our frontyard.

When we realized na sa garage side nagpapamigay ng treats ang neighbors namin, sinabihan ko si Ford na tumambay na lang sa garahe. Hindi kami prepared sa garahe (ang dilim pa naman kasi sira ang mga ilaw ng townhomes sa gawi namin that time) kaya sabi ko sa sarili ko na paghahandaan ko talaga next year. Kailangan may maraming pailaw hehe.

Ford didn't take pictures, sayang. Buti may ilan pa akong nakunan. But he said na sobrang happy ang kids pagkakita sa toys. Syempre naman.

Hindi kami nakaubos. May ilang books na naiwan. Bukod sa medyo "late" na kasi kami lumabas sa garahe, nagpack-up na rin si Dad nang umuwi na sina Ian (and family) para sumunod sa amin ni Nathan sa pagti-trick-or-treat. Still, I was happy kasi medyo nabawasan kami ng kalat at hindi na kami bumili pa ng chocolates.

This year, we only have a few happy meal toys and books at baka hindi ko na ipamigay. Now that Nathan has friends and classmates, I might use them na lang later on for birthday goodie bags, etc.

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.

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!