I always miss going out with my friends since I had kids.  I always have the kids in tow, or the places we go to is restricted to parks or my friends’ houses.  But on this particular day, my mother-in-law was kind enough to watch the little tots while I went gallivanting around Prague with my friends. The weather was perfect - Not too hot, not too cold.

We met at the St. Wenceslas Square, and as usual, there were many people loitering in the area. Most of them were tourists, posing for pictures with the statue, or with the pretty landscape in the background. We too couldn’t resist not taking pictures, afterall it was a special moment for me, mama’s day out that doesn’t happen often.

If I only have the time, I can just sit there and observe people. There are teens in their hip hop clothing, couples holding hands, groups of Asian-looking tourists, fashionable girls, you name it and you’ll certainly find people of different shapes, races and sizes.

We headed to Palladium mall for lunch, and after that, we did what most girls love to do… shopping!!! But on the way, we posed for a pic with the Powder Tower.

It was a long day which ended when the sun went down, and if you don’t know, it doesn’t get dark until 9-930 in the evening during summer in Prague. 

*Dekuju mam!

Hello again! It’s 36 minutes past 8 in the evening as I am typing this, swimming in the deafening silence around me. I am already sleepy but I still haven’t finished even half of what I am supposed to do. Huh! In case you didn’t read my previous post, I am not doing ab workouts my dear, but I am preparing for a long vacation with the family which includes an infant and a toddler. It’s extra tiring packing up for the little tots especially for their carry-on baggage. Yes they’re little, but the amount of things a mom has to bring for them is surprisingly plenty! Huhuhu I have a dandy checklist of the important items to bring, thanks to the internet! I’m still in the process of completing that list.

I have traveled already many times with my first child when she was still a baby, but mannnnnnnnn I still need to be reminded what are the things they’ll need for travel. I want to rest now, but it’s still too bright outside.  If I sleep this early, I am afraid I’ll be awake at 4am and won’t be able to go back to sleep. I’ve got a situation!

Yehey! I’ve got the whole house all to myself! I don’t have to worry about leaving things lying around for Caity to mess with. I’m busy preparing for our long vacation, I’m doing the laundry while ironing, running here and there. It’s a crazy, hot Saturday for me!

I’m entitled to this:

I just had a break, ate lunch and watched few episodes of the Korean drama I’m currently watching.  Now I’m feeling sleeping.  I think a good nap will get me boosted for more work waiting for me later.  It’s a pity I’m staying at home when it’s sunny outside, but hey!  I don’t want to get wrinkles from all that scorching heat.  Even with help of products like prototype 37c, still the best way to avoid getting wrinkles is by hiding, or using big straw hats enough to cover your whole face, or using shades. Squinting your eyes from the sun’s rays can cause wrinkles. You wouldn’t want that!  So while you guys enjoy your warm weekend, let me enjoy being alone at home today. 

This way…

Summer wouldn’t be complete without Lipence. It has been our tradition to spend a night of barbeque with friends and their hubbies. I’m proud to say that it’s our 4th year joining the annual gathering. It started Friday with few of our friends sleeping over (in their tents) but M was busy with work and came home 10 pm, so we missed it. But the next day, he drove us there before heading to work.

Everybody’s busy!

This time, we celebrated two birthdays - Jane and Aileen’s. Jane flew all the way from Paris to be with us. It was another whole day and night of great FOOD, FUN and with the company of great FRIENDS.

The birthday girls (with my boy).

M later joined us after work; most of the people already left when he arrived at almost 12mn. Weeee! He brought more drinks for the guys (they ran out of beer!). He has to stop by the store, deal with an irritable cashier, and a barcode scanner that matches the girl’s mood.

We spent the night there - talking around the campfire with the girls, wrapped in thick blankets until we were all sleepy.

Us girls…

I have to say that the kids behaved well the whole time. They had plenty of titos and titas to help me look after them. All in all, it was another great Lipence experience this year.

It’s his first time to be in Lipence and he seems to be happy with all the attention he’s getting.

Caity tickling Adie’s feet.

Come pick meee!

Dad gave us access to the sweetest cherries in the world! The garden’s not deadbolt locked, however it was still locked but he gave us the keys so we can go there when we have time. We planned to go there Wednesday afternoon but M stayed longer than expected in the office and it was almost 6pm when we got to the garden. Just when we started picking cherries, rain poured down and we had to cut short our activity. We went there again yesterday since it was a holiday in Cz, a day commemorating St. Cyril and St. Methodius; no work for hubby! Well at least he didn’t have to report to office, but we were there for less than an hour when M’s phone rang. Arghhh! Work was calling him so we had to hurriedly leave again. No luck for us!

We didn’t even get to fill up this basket.

Caity doesn’t look happy coz we’re leaving…

And this little one doesn’t give a care…. yet.

Till next summer!

Parties can’t be complete without lots of food!

We recently had a sumptuous double birthday celebration for my friend A’s little boy, M and another friend F and food was overflowing. Here’s the proof:

So you think we need to buy phentermine or some diet pills after feasting on all this yummy stuff in front of us? Note that some prepared dishes were still in the kitchen and the ref, so that’s not all you see on the table. Thanks to friend A for inviting us to the party for filling our tummies with all that delicious food.  We even brought home more food. It was a fun-filled party indeed!

We went to a party last Friday and as usual saw the usual suspects (the same faces I see almost every week in our food trip sessions). I know A. invited her friend from Hodonin (a city in Moravia) but she didn’t come. I learned later that because of the rains, the rivers have swollen and caused flooding in some areas in northern and southern Moravia. I felt bad for her coz they’ve been planning their trip to Prague for sometime already.

On the other hand, I am experiencing a different kind of rain-flood cause and effect in my world. Not the kind that would need pails, mops, hand dryers and lots of sun to dry out the water but…it’s been raining lots of work for me, work which will bring moolah to my pocket. And yes, I’m flooded with work! I am not complaining, but I am just overwhelmed! I’m happy that I’ll be able to earn extra income but at the same time, I am a little afraid that I can’t finish all the tasks given to me. Weeee!

Another pasalubong from my dear friend A, spanish style milkfish or bangus in can!

spicy bangus!

I actually asked her to buy the VMC brand, which is the product of my home province but A said she didn’t find it in the store where she shopped. Beggars can’t be choosers, so they say but I still think VMC is unbeatable in taste.  I was surprised when I opened the package from her and saw not just one, but five canned goods!

A also brought me Chizwiz sandwich spread which I have been craving for the longest time, and another canned product, the bangus in tausi beans (which wasn’t that yummy). Then I got to eat Nova, Piatos, Boy Bawang. Hehehe This month, it is Filipino food heaven for meee! Food trip to the max! Never mind if she didn’t give me some perfume or eye cream, or any beauty products for that matter, pinoy food is still the best pasalubong for us Filipinos who are far away from home!

Last week my friends threw a birthday party for me. I wasn’t planning on having one coz of their busy schedules and all the tiring preparation it entails. But they were sweet enough to arrange it so everyone can come and the birthday girl need not worry about food. It was agreed that each of us will bring whatever we can prepare/cook/buy and share with everyone. Actually, we can just feast over a bucket of KFC and a big pot of rice and it’s already an instant party! We’re a bunch of easy to please people you know.

So the day after my official birthday, we stormed G’s flat to party! G cooked menudo, L brought a spicy thai noodle food, F brought biko, A brought a bottle of Porto wine and M baked a blue-berry cake. As for me, I brought an uncooked whole chicken which we baked there, ingredients for pancit (which L cooked), drinks and longganisa. See, I was a queen for one day.

Here we are!

Do we look like we need the safest diet pills yet? Or we can still go on pigging out? Coz there’s another party coming up this weekend! It’s the last for the month of May but definitely not the last for this season. hehehe I’m sure we’ll come up with excuses to feast again.

And here’s moi, ready to carve the chicken.

Thank you Tuesday group!

Yehey! My friends who went home to Philippines for a vacation are back and they brought pasalubong for us!

I got a Hongkong keychain from F who went to Disneyland for two days with her mom. I got canned bagoong and 7 packs of dried danggit from G. Another friend A I heard has some goodies for us too.

Danggit!

Canned bagoong

I’ve been feasting on danggit for the past days already. Weeeee! It’s yummy, even little Caity likes it. She calls it chicken, no matter how many times I told her it’s FISH. It’s her pinoy blood showing it’s real color. hehehe BUT consuming dried fish often isn’t good! Aside from its high salt content, another bad thing about danggit is that I tend to eat plenty of rice with it, which is not good for my diet plan. hehehe I told myself I’ll lessen my carbo intake but this danggit just destroys it. I have to hide it and exercise restrain! Or else fat burner will take over. Then there are three parties to attend to in the next weeks to come which will surely blow my diet again! waaaaaaaaaaa