First Day in Play Group

I actually missed this precious milestone because I had to work. I felt bad at first, but The Husband was able to document it pretty well, so it's all good. We had signed up the little girl for summer play school in Woodridge School at two and a half years old.

getting ready!

Look at her lashes!

OOTD: set top and skirt from Gingersnaps and Snoopy sandals

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going to school

cutiepie

early bird and she chose a seat in front

name tag

her class

her seat mates

raising her hand

exercising their hands for coloring

school tour: going to the library

holding up their art work

putting her things away

throwing her trash

lining up for a song

She was the youngest and smallest!

singing

Yay! Good job!

Snack time! And yes, Yakult is a staple in our home.

my love

a star on her first day!

my happy beauty

daddy's little miss

Ah, awesome memories.

This post is brought to you by the fact that Kaelana is on the honor roll for the third grading quarter. I just got her report card last Saturday. 

Sinulog 2013

I'm gonna be honest. We're not big on Sinulog. The Husband also isn't, just like my family. My mom, though, gets into the whole nine days of novena before the feast day of the Holy Child (Sto. Niño), and is pretty devout in her faith, in general. I've been living in Cebu all my life, and I've only seen the Sinulog fluvial procession once. I remember only seeing bits and pieces of it because it was crowded, and I was a six-year-old perched on my dad's shoulders. I've also been to the actual street procession/parade less than five times in all my life, and to add to that, three years ago, I almost got hit and run over by a jeepney that had lost its brakes. (Remind me to tell you that story next time, okay?)

I don't hate Sinulog. I know I don't because I still get pretty excited about it every year. When you're Cebuano, I think there's that feeling of pride and pleasure that goes with having your city play host to something so deeply traditional and beautifully cultural. Let's admit it: Sinulog is a religious, cultural, social and touristy mix tape. Millions flock to my city for this event. Most are devotees and pilgrims. The rest are tourists, celebrities, travelers, photographers, artists, journalists, or just curious cats. The streets of my beloved city are so full, and the atmosphere is joyously carefree and religiously frantic.

Sinulog 2006

I even took the little girl to Sinulog five years ago.

So what makes me skip joining in the Sinulog festivities 90% of the time? Well, for one, I get claustrophic when the mardi gras throngs become this thick. That means, people step on your feet, you get shoved and squeezed, you can get lost and yes, you will get dirty. I also feel that we, Cebuanos, should come up with ways to make our annual celebration more environment-friendly. Honestly, can you imagine the massive garbage problem our city faces in the wake of the Sinulog? Lastly, the Sinulog should be a collaborative effort to make things better for everyone involved. This means, cab drivers not taking advantage of people, police providing better security and such. The Sinulog is a beautiful feast and the way we celebrate it should reflect that.

Pit Senyor, everyone!

Basic Bling

Jewelry... Ah, my love for you knows no bounds.

I do not come from a wealthy family but I grew up admiring them. What I love most about jewelry is that you can use them to punctuate your life's most significant events. I love how jewelry makes your memories sparkle (no pun intended) more vividly: graduation earrings, engagement ring, thank-you-for-giving-birth-to-our-daughter pendant, wedding ring, anniversary necklace, congratulations-for-passing-the-bar-exam bracelet, 50th birthday brooch, confirmation pearls. You get the drift.

I've compiled four - yes, just a short list - jewelry pieces every woman must own.

1. a classic timepiece, or two

photo from bigapplewatch.com

photo from mlwatches.com

I love a good watch. I cannot live without one. Right now, with my left wrist in a splint, I haven't worn one in almost three weeks. Okay, so I can live without wearing one, but it's been hard.

A classic watch is something you can dress up or down. Meaning, you can wear it to the mall in a white shirt and denim cutoffs or to a wedding. There are so many styles to choose from. I'm partial to ones that are large-faced and are styled like mens watches. I've long graduated from watches that look like dainty womens bracelets with the small faces. Find your own style. Finding one is like finding your soul mate.

with The Husband and chef Tessa (at my friend, Paula's wedding)

I'm wearing my rectangle-faced Fossil watch, a gift from Cyrus for passing the teachers' board in 2008.

Look how it doubles as a cuff.

Here's a close-up.

photo from usaboutique.blogspot.com

2. diamond studs or pearl studs

photo from katemiddletonstyle.org

photo from jewelsleader.com

Oh yes. They're worth the investment. Aaand you can bequeath them to your daughter or daughter-in-law someday. Look at the Duchess of Cambridge and the impeccable Olivia Palermo. Pearl or diamond studs make you look grown-up in a very charming, refined and polished way.

If you can't afford real ones for now, it's okay to wear faux. My rule is, if they're fake diamonds, the smaller the better. Huge fake diamonds will look like costume jewelry and that's tacky, like you're trying to fool people. For fake pearls, the larger they are, the better. They pop out more. Plus, go ahead and experiment with different colored pearls - there are wine-colored pearls and gray ones. 

I wore diamond studs during my church wedding in 2009, while my pink roses had 'pearls'.

3. hoop earrings

photo from rnbjewellery.net

photo from bizou.com

Hoop earrings are fancy, whimsical, decadent, and fun statement pieces. They can be thin, thick, large, small, bejeweled, plated, studded, whathaveyou. I like the ones which are a combination of different metals best.

my sister wearing my diamond studded hoops as my maid-of-honor

4. a cuff or bangle

photo from homeshop18.com

photo from thefind.com

I love how bangles and cuffs are structured unlike ordinary bracelets. The thing with bracelets is that, while a lot of them are very pretty, they can look very high school-ish, especially with the wrong style. And they clink! The dangling, charmed ones - oh yes, they do. In my opinion, real jewelry should be seen, not heard. That's why, I think cuffs and bangles are more mature - they don't make a sound - , and they look extra nice with formal and corporate wear. The ones above are great examples.

I wore an eternity bangle at my wedding, but I like layering playful, inexpensive ones as much as the next girl. Obvs, these ones are faux. Yes, have fun with the fake ones.

looking pallid in a parking lot after work

5-year-old suede boots: Methilation | skinny jeans: Penshoppe | white v-necked tee: Folded & Hung | bag: black Longchamp Le Pliage | black cocktail ring: The Outpost bazaar find | work ID: my office harhar

#likeafashionblogger #ornot

The bangles are gifts from my friends. The silver ones are from Hazel when she went to NYC and the gold ones are from Ethne from India.

5. I know I said four but here's a bonus: a "Me" ring

photo from 100layercake.com

photo from mstetson.com

Every woman should sport a piece of finger candy that speaks volumes of who she is. Preferably, it should be something she has bought with her own money, bequeathed to her by a family member or acquired through achieving something. So no engagement and wedding rings or promise rings - whatever presented to you by a lover or gifted to you by someone who's not a family member - they're not counted. It can be a ring with your birthstone in a nice setting, your class ring, a cocktail ring or just something you bought with your own money, simply because you fell in love with it. And yes, it can be faux.

I have yet to find mine.

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There you have it: your list of basic bling. I can't wait to see you shine, ladies!

DPE

I graduated from the University of the Philippines-Diliman in 2003. I studied BA Speech Communication. I had landed a great job - a job I keep up to this day. I was happy, but was I content? Well, three years after, I longed to be in a classroom setting once again. Because I was feeling antsy and I wanted to learn something new, I went back to school. I enrolled in my high school alma mater again. I went back to STC to get a Diploma in Professional Education (DPE). Yes, I wanted to be a teacher. I still do. I was working as a corporate trainer in a BPO. A career as a professional teacher in the academe sounded- still sounds - like a perfectly natural and perfectly wonderful route to follow.

I had to take 18 units of education subjects to get the diploma. I hear it's now 36. To qualify, you have to be a graduate of any four- or five-year college course. I took nine units in the second semester of 2007 and the next 9 units in the summer of 2008. I graduated from DPE after that. It felt great to graduate again!

my then-three-year-old

floral dress from her godmother, Snoopy sandals

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stage

my mom and dad, and a snacking Kaelana

me, graduating

my class - that's me, third from the right, standing

Yay! We made it!

my family

This is for them!

my staunchest supporter, my greatest cheerleader

I couldn't have done it without him!

I am planning going to go back to school in June. I want to get a Diploma in Teaching Special Education (DTSpEd) so this post is brought you by Kiss Motivating Herself 101.

I can't wait!!!

What about you? What are you planning on achieving this year?